The jury of the 19th Fryderyk Chopin International Piano Competition, chaired by Garrick Ohlsson, selected 11 pianists to advance to the final round. Poland’s Piotr Alexewicz remains the country’s only contender, carrying local hopes into the last stage of the contest.
The global classical music community now celebrates the announcement of the finalists, as the competition enters its climactic phase in Warsaw.
First held in 1927, the event stands as one of the world’s longest-running and most distinguished piano contests. Since its founding, participants have performed only the works of Fryderyk Chopin, preserving the composer’s spirit and artistic tradition.
Global Talents Prepare for the Stage
The jury selected ten other finalists: Kevin Chen (Canada), David Khrikuli (Georgia), Shiori Kuwahara (Japan), Tianyou Li (China), Eric Lu (United States), Tianyao Lyu (China), Vincent Ong (Malaysia), Miyu Shindo (Japan), Zitong Wang (China), and William Yang (United States).
Each pianist will perform Chopin’s Polonaise-Fantaisie, Op. 61, followed by one of two piano concertos — either E minor, Op. 11, or F minor, Op. 21 — accompanied by the National Philharmonic Orchestra under the direction of Andrzej Boreyka.
The final performances will take place from October 18 to 20, beginning at 6 p.m. each evening.
Prestigious Prize Awaits a New Master of Chopin
The competition’s winner will earn a €60,000 award and a gold medal, along with international recognition as one of the world’s finest interpreters of Chopin’s music.
For this year’s finalists, the prize represents not only financial reward but a defining moment in their musical careers.
As the final notes prepare to echo through Warsaw’s concert halls, anticipation mounts over who will emerge as the next piano virtuoso to honor Chopin’s legacy.
