Amateur pianist wins Web contest

YouTube viewers chose Maryland gastroenterologist Christopher Shih, 35, as the winner in the Van Cliburn Foundation’s first cyberspace contest for amateur classical pianists.

Shih’s winning entry shows him playing “Los requiebros” from Granados’ “Goyescas.” A Harvard graduate who works at the Maryland Digestive Disease Center, Shih was one of 41 pianists, 35 and older, from Italy, Japan, Mexico, Romania and the United States, who submitted 5- to 10-minute performance videos for the online competition.

Shih’s prize will be to compete on stage at the International Piano Competition for Outstanding Amateurs in 2011 in Fort Worth.

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-- Chris Pasles