Held once every four years since 1962, the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition is one of the most prestigious classical music contests in the world. This year’s edition featured 28 competitors from 16 countries. Funnily enough, nearly half of the participants were of Asian descent, with seven competitors coming from China alone. Perhaps there is some merit to the stereotype that “all Asian parents force their kids to play piano.”

China has produced several internationally recognized pianists, most notably Lang Lang and Li Yundi. The latter rose to fame after becoming the youngest pianist to win the International Chopin Piano Competition at just 18 years old.

And now, a new name joins their ranks. Aristo Sham, a 29-year-old pianist from Hong Kong, has just taken home the gold medal at the 17th Van Cliburn Competition, becoming the first Hongkonger to win the world-famous, prestigious award.

In the final round of the competition, musicians were required to play two concertos—one selected from a provided list and another of their choosing. Sham delivered an emotional and sophisticated execution of Mendelssohn’s Piano Concerto No. 1 in G Minor and Brahms’ Concerto No. 2 in B-flat Major.

In an interview, Sham reflected that his repertoire was “a very deliberate and considered one… I wanted a program throughout the six rounds that would be coherent and also show different sides of my artistry.”

Before his Van Cliburn win, Sham was already known as a child prodigy. He began playing piano at three and made his Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra debut at just 11 years old. Sham grew up in Hong Kong and continued his education abroad at Harvard University, the New England Conservatory, and the Juilliard School.

Although Sham’s résumé already includes an impressive list of victories at well-respected international competitions, the Van Cliburn marked his biggest career milestone yet. Alongside the gold medalist title is a 100,000 USD award, an international tour, and career management. Sham’s Asia tour kicks off this August, with the first stop in his hometown of Hong Kong.

All images via Cliburn.