▁first ▁international ▁P iano ▁competition ▁in ▁Ta orm ina ▁in ▁Italy , ▁playing ▁the ▁Lis zt ▁P iano ▁Con cer to ▁No . ▁ 1 . ▁As ▁a ▁child ▁pro dig y ▁he ▁period ically ▁visited ▁Sal zburg , ▁Austria ▁to ▁study ▁at ▁the ▁Moz arte um . ▁At ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁ 1 7 ▁he ▁was ▁invited ▁to ▁give ▁a ▁solo ▁rec ital ▁in ▁the ▁Mont re ux ▁festival ▁( Sw itzerland ) ▁in ▁the ▁same ▁series ▁as ▁Mar tha ▁Ar ger ich , ▁Ge za ▁And a , ▁Art uro ▁Bened etti ▁Michel ang eli . ▁J oo ’ s ▁piano ▁performances ▁took ▁him ▁to ▁Switzerland , ▁Germany , ▁Czech oslov ak ia ▁and ▁Germany . ▁ ▁Career ▁ ▁At ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁ 2 0 , ▁Jo ó ▁em igr ated ▁to ▁the ▁United ▁States , ▁to ▁study ▁at ▁the ▁Ju illi ard ▁School ▁of ▁Music ▁in ▁New ▁York ▁City ▁as ▁a ▁Special ▁Student . ▁In ▁his ▁first ▁year ▁of ▁study ▁at ▁Ju illi ard , ▁he ▁won ▁the ▁First ▁Prize ▁of ▁the ▁International ▁Franz ▁Lis zt ▁P iano ▁Compet ition ▁in ▁Boston , ▁Massachusetts . ▁He ▁became ▁a ▁citiz en ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁and ▁started ▁his ▁conduct ing ▁career ▁in ▁San ▁Diego , ▁California ▁at ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁ 2 1 , ▁conduct ing ▁at ▁the ▁Summer ▁Festival ▁a ▁production ▁of ▁the ▁Moz art ’ s ▁Le ▁No z ze ▁di ▁Fig aro . ▁At ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁ 2 2 , ▁he ▁entered ▁Indiana ▁University , ▁in