The next Kaufman Music Center International Youth Piano Competition will take place in June 2026. Applications will open in fall 2025.
Igal Kesselman, Artistic Director
Open to young pianists up to age 18, the Kaufman Music Center International Youth Piano Competition awards more than $12,000 in cash prizes and gives winners the opportunity to perform in New York's prestigious Merkin Hall.
Congratulations to the 2024 Winners!
JUNIOR 1 DIVISION
First Prize: Wilson Liu
Second Prize: Alexander Zhou
Third Prize: Kento Ishikawa
Steinway & Sons Special Award, in recognition of her Haydn performance: Winnie Geng
JUNIOR 2 DIVISION
First Prize: Eunha Basu
Second Prize: Zimu Wei
Third Prize: Ryan Huang
Steinway & Sons Special Award, in recognition of her Shostakovich performance: Christina Sung
SENIOR DIVISION
First Prize (shared): David Choi & Zarin Mehta
Third Prize: Jingyuan Zheng
Steinway & Sons Special Award, in recognition of his López-Gavilán and Barber performances: Alex Yang
2024 Finalists
Meet the Finalists
View the Final Round schedule
2024 Semifinalists
Junior 1 Division
Junior 2 Division
Senior Division
2024 Jury
Aldo López-Gavilán
Igal Kesselman
Vivian Li
Stanislav Ioudenitch
Orli Shaham
CONTACT
212 501 3360
PianoCompetition@kaufmanmusiccenter.org
Rules
- This website contains the most recent and accurate information about the competition, including updates that may have been made after emails have been sent.
- All applications will be reviewed by the Competition’s artistic committee and treated as confidential.
- The committee reserves the right to request additional information from or about an applicant.
- Upon notification of acceptance to the competition, all candidates must guarantee their availability for all published dates of the competition.
- The jury reserves the right not to choose any winners.
- The decision of the jury is final.
- The competition may be broadcast live or may be recorded and videotaped for subsequent broadcast, video or audio recording use.
- Competition winners are required to perform at the Winners Showcase Concert at Kaufman Music Center's Merkin Concert Hall on Friday, June 28, 2024
- Competition winners must perform one of the compositions they performed at the live auditions for the Winners Concert, selected by the Artistic Committee.
- Past First Prize Winners are not permitted to compete in the same category.
