The 19th edition of the Warsaw competition moves to its final stage, with 11 pianists selected to perform in the last round.
The 19th International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition has reached its final stage as the jury, chaired by Garrick Ohlsson, announces the 11 pianists advancing to the finals.
The competition continues at the Warsaw National Philharmonic, where the finalists will perform Chopin’s piano concertos with orchestra.
The finalists
The pianists advancing to the final round, listed in alphabetical order, are:
Piotr Alexewicz (Poland), 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).
Of the eleven finalists, six represent Asia (China × 3, Japan × 2, Malaysia × 1), three North America (Canada × 1, United States × 2), and two Europe (Poland × 1, Georgia × 1).
The final stage
The finals will take place from October 18 to 20, held exclusively in evening sessions starting at 6:00 p.m. CEST, followed by three prize concerts on October 21 to 23.
A commemorative event on October 17 marks the anniversary of Chopin’s death, traditionally featuring Mozart’s Requiem at the Holy Cross Church.
A centenary edition
This year marks the 100th anniversary of the Chopin Competition, held from October 2 to 23. The 2025 edition began with 84 pianists from 19 countries, selected through international auditions and major competition results.
The winner will receive a €60,000 first prize and a gold medal, from a total prize fund exceeding €240,000.
Legacy and prestige
Organized every five years by the Fryderyk Chopin Institute, the competition is devoted entirely to Chopin’s music and has launched the careers of many leading pianists, including Maurizio Pollini, Martha Argerich, Krystian Zimerman, Yundi Li, Rafał Blechacz, and Seong-Jin Cho. The most recent winner, in 2021, was Bruce Liu of Canada.
How to follow
All stages of the 2025 competition are being streamed live on the Chopin Institute’s YouTube channel , with full performance replays and updates available on the official website.
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