On Sunday 20 October 2024, Ryan Wang won the prestigious music competition, BBC Young Musician, becoming the first Etonian to have ever done so.
In the Grand Final, Ryan performed Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto No.2 with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, conducted by Ben Gernon, which was broadcast on BBC TWO and BBC FOUR.
Since joining Eton as a Music Scholar at the age of 13, Ryan has taken lessons at the College with Gareth Owen. Over the last four years, Ryan has been an energetic and highly valued member of Eton’s Music Department, throwing himself into chamber music, solo performances, and enjoying masterclasses with eminent pianists including Pascal Rogé.
Following his win, Ryan said: “I’m very honoured to win. It’s been six months, so it’s surreal it has come to an end. Looking at the list of past winners, I’m in awe. I look up to them and it’s an honour to be amongst them.
“Mr Owen has taught me at Eton College since Year 9 and was a very important part of my development and journey. Mr Owen knows what to do and what to say to keep me calm and prepare me for a concert. He was with me every round of the Young Musician. Eton has been so supportive. Helping me to balance my academic studies with the musical opportunities.”
Tim Johnson, Precentor & Director Music at Eton College, said, “We are so proud of Ryan and all he has achieved since joining the School. It has been an honour for everyone in the department to support him throughout his time here. He has done a brilliant job in balancing his busy performing schedule with his academic and co-curricular activities, and is a great role model for our younger musicians.”
Ryan is a naturally gifted musician who started playing piano at the age of four. Only one year later, Ryan performed his debut solo recital at Carnegie Hall and made a memorable appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show.
Ryan added that he is “inspired by how music affects and inspires people. I want to keep working hard, to grow and develop. This is the start of my journey, not the end.”
Ryan has already won many accolades in the world of classical music. He is the youngest person to have won the Prix Cortot at the École Normale de Musique de Paris and the youngest musician on Classic FM’s list of “30 under 30″. He was recently awarded both the First Prize and Audience Award in the 18th Animato International Chopin Competition, and became a Young Steinway Artist.
Tim Johnson added, “We are greatly looking forward to Ryan’s performance of Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No.1 with the College Symphony Orchestra in June 2025. We will follow his career with great interest over the coming years, and hope to welcome him back to Eton in the future to work with our aspiring young pianists.”
This year’s BBC Young Musician judges were trumpeter Alison Balsom, pianist and composer Alexis Ffrench, and multi-instrumentalist and broadcaster Hannah Catherine Jones.
