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Fourteenth International Chopin Youth Competition

Saturday and Sunday, October 18 and 19, 2025

Kawai Piano Gallery
5800 Richmond Ave
Houston, TX 77057

We are very grateful to Kawai Piano Gallery for their generous donation of their space for our competition and the use of the wonderful Shigeru Kawai pianos. 
Congratulations to all our players! We received 116 applicants of which 100 were passed to the SemiFinal round and 22 to the Final Round. The final results are given below.

Thanks to our hard-working judges Alicia Fiderkiewicz, Jeanne Fischer, Jason Kwak and Eric Zuber.

Our thanks go out to all the players, their families and teachers and to Kawai Piano Gallery. Well done!

JUDGES COMMENTS WERE MAILED TO THE TEACHERS THE WEEK OF OCTOBER 27!

Final Results
                   Elementary Category
                                                Gold - Mason Cheang, Steve Jicheng Jiang, Saya Takahashi
                                                Silver - Alexandria Wu
                                                Bronze - Cyrus He, Ellie Nguyen
                                                Honorable Mention - Abigail Bai, Lilian Chen, Zoe Jiang, Hanson Shen, Nathan Tansathit, Alva Wang,
                                                                                    YangYang Zhan, Summer Zhang, Heidi Zhou, Hiram Zhou
                                                 Outstanding Waltz - Steve Jicheng Jiang, Saya Takahashi
                                                 Best of the Youngest - Cyrus He, Heidi Zhou​
                  Junior Category
                                               Gold - Olivia He, Avery Nguyen, Elias Yuen
                                                Silver - Luke Li, Sophie Qin, Eliana Tan, Natasha Tansathit
                                                Bronze - Chloe Luo
                                                Honorable Mention - Richard Cardillo, Maggie Yihui Chen, Catherine Chen, Emily Yitong Jiang, Sara Kojima,
                                                                                    Riyansika Krishna Kondam, Andrew Lau, Audrey Pei, Ruoyan Qi, Lucas Xue
                                                 Outstanding Waltz - Luke Li
                 Senior Category
                                               Gold - Zide Chen, Josephine Chow, Michelle Hung
                                                Silver - Lillian Bai, Brayden Cheang, Kevin Li
                                                Bronze - Vincent Cao, Minyang Xu
                                                Honorable Mention - Michelle Cheng, Steven Harris, James Martel, Paul Joseph Naive, Grant Qu,
                                                                                    Josephine Wang, Elizabeth (Tianwei) Yao, Daniel Yarosh
                                                 Outstanding Waltz - Lillian Bai

                  Best Performance of the Most Difficult Piece - Josephine Chow
                  Best Performance of the a Youthful Composition - Olivia He

RESULTS OF SEMI-FINAL ROUND

The Final Round is scheduled to begin at 3PM on Sunday. Each category will play in turn the pieces listed below: Elementary, Junior and then Senior. When done, the judges will deliberate. During deliberation, Honorable Mention winners will perform one piece of their choice. We encourage winners of Honorable Mentions to come to the Final round. There will also be a raffle to win prints of the Chopin portraits. The awards ceremony will follow the completion of deliberation and is expected to finish by around 7PM. 

All award winners must attend the Final Round to receive their awards.

ELEMENTARY
Finalists
103, Cyrus He, Nocturne in E-flat Major, Op. 9, No. 2
108 Steve Jicheng Jiang, Polonaise in G-sharp minor, Op. Posth.
113, Saya Takahashi, Etude in F minor, Op. 25, No. 2
117, Alexandria Wu, Nocturne in C-sharp minor, Op. Posth.​
122 Mason Cheang, Waltz in G-flat Major, Op. 70, No. 1
​124, Ellie Nguyen, Nocturne in C-sharp minor, Op. Posth.

Awards
103, Cyrus He, Best Among the Youngest
102, Heidi Zhou, Best Among the Youngest

113, Saya Takahashi, Outstanding Waltz
108, Steve Jicheng Jiang, Outstanding Waltz

107, Summer Zhang, Honorable Mention
115, YangYang Zhan, Honorable Mention
123, Hanson Shen, Honorable Mention
125, Abigail Bai, Honorable Mention
129, Zoe Jiang, Honorable Mention
102, Heidi Zhou, Honorable Mention
110, Lilian Chen, Honorable Mention
112, Nathan Tansathit, Honorable Mention
128, Hiram Zhou, Honorable Mention
130, Alva Wang, Honorable Mention

JUNIOR
Finalists
201, Luke Li, Waltz in F minor, Op. 70, No. 2, Nocturne in F minor, Op. 55, No. 1
208, Chloe Luo, Fantaisie-Impromptu in C-sharp minor, Op. 66
211, Eliana Tan, Waltz in A minor (Grande Valse Brillante), Op. 34, No. 2, Ecossaises, Op. 72, No. 1, 2, and 3
213, Sophie Qin, Polonaise in C-sharp minor, Op. 26, No. 1
214, Natasha Tansathit, Waltz in A-flat Major, Op. Posth., Nocturne in B Major, Op. 32, No. 1
219, Elias Yuen, Polonaise in D minor, Op. 71, No. 1
226, Olivia He, Rondo in C minor, Op. 1
229, Avery Nguyen, Souvenir de Paganini in A Major

Awards
201, Luke LI, Outstanding Waltz

204, Sara Kojima, Honorable Mention
206, Emily Yitong Jiang, Honorable Mention
207, Maggie Yihui Chen, Honorable Mention
209, Riyansika Krishna Kondam, Honorable Mention
218, Lucas Xue, Honorable Mention
220, Richard Cardillo, Honorable Mention
223, Audrey Pei, Honorable Mention
224, Ruoyan Qi, Honorable Mention
230, Catherine Chen, Honorable Mention
233, Andrew Lau, Honorable Mention


SENIOR

Finalists
303, Lillian Bai, Etude in F Major, Op. 10, No. 8
314, Kevin Li, Polonaise in A-flat Major, Op. 53
318, Zide Chen, Ballade in G minor, Op. 23
323, Brayden Cheang, Waltz in E-flat Major (Grande Valse Brillante), Op. 18
325, Michelle Hung, Waltz in C-sharp minor, Op. 64, No. 2
328, Minyang Xu, Ballade in F Major, Op. 38
332, Josephine Chow, Fantaisie in F minor, Op. 49
334, Vincent Cao, Barcarolle in F-Sharp Major, Op. 60

​Awards
303, Lillian Bai, Outstanding Waltz

301, Paul Joseph Naive, Honorable Mention
306, Josephine Wang, Honorable Mention
313, Michelle Cheng, Honorable Mention
317, Daniel Yarosh, Honorable Mention
329, Steven Harris, Honorable Mention
330, Elizabeth (Tianwei) Yao, Honorable Mention
331, James Martel, Honorable Mention
333, Grant Qu, Honorable Mention


RESULTS OF PRELIMINARY ROUND AND COMPETITION SCHEDULE
We have received 116 applications: 36 Elementary, 41 Juniors and 39 Seniors.

33 Elementary, 33 Juniors and 34 Seniors have passed to the Semifinal round. 

The schedule is shown below. ​Please arrive early and register at the desk. Each contestant will be given 10 minutes of warm-up time before their performance. Contestants should begin playing their repertoire without any announcements or preparatory scales, etc. The repertoire may be played in any order. It is not necessary to bring scores for the judges. 

Announcements of the Finalists and Honorable Mentions will occur about 30 minutes after each category completes and then posted on the website. The judges will request the piece(s) to be performed during the Final Round. Please return early for the Final Round. Again, the contestants will be given 10 minutes of warm up time.

The Final Round is scheduled to begin at 3PM on Sunday. Each category will play in turn: Elementary, Junior and then Senior. When done, the judges will deliberate. During deliberation, Honorable Mention winners will perform one piece of their choice. We encourage winners of Honorable Mentions to come to the Final round. There will also be a raffle to win prints of the Chopin portraits. The awards ceremony will follow the completion of deliberation and is expected to finish by around 7PM. 

Attendance during the competition is free and open to the public. Friends and family are encouraged to attend. Videotaping is allowed. 

ELEMENTARY
Saturday Morning, Concert Hall
9:30 AM               Cathy Shen
9:35 AM               Cyrus He
9:44 AM               William Yang
9:51 AM               Summer Zhang
10:00 AM             Sejun Cho
10:09 AM             Lindsey Zhao
10:16 AM             Saya Takahashi
10:21 AM             YangYang Zhan
10:39 AM             Alexandria Wu
10:46 AM             Stephanie Chen
10:54 AM             Angela Luo
11:02 AM             Hanson Shen
11:12 AM             Abigail Bai
11:21 AM             Sophia Wang
11:36 AM             Zoe Jiang
11:44 AM             Anderson Tan
11:53 AM             Tony Owour

Saturday Morning, Shigeru Room
9:30 AM               Heidi Zhou
9:39 AM               Nathan-Jin Sun
9:47 AM               Miloslava Tomina
9:53 AM               Steve Jicheng Jiang
10:00 AM             Lilian Chen
10:07 AM             Nathan Tansathit
10:16 AM             Aubrey Huynh
10:22 AM             Kate Wang
10:40 AM             David Li
10:48 AM             Austin M. Tang
10:56 AM             Mason Cheang
11:04 AM             Ellie Nguyen
11:12 AM             Alexandra Darmawi
11:20 AM             Hiram Zhou
11:37 AM             Alva Wang
11:42 AM             Grant Park
 
JUNIOR
Saturday Afternoon, Shigeru Room
1:30 PM                Luke Li
1:40 PM                Ebehizeme Ebalunode
1:47 PM                Ivy Zhang
1:58 PM                Sara Kojima
2:03 PM                Hayden Tran
2:14 PM                Emily Yitong Jiang
2:23 PM                Maggie Yihui Chen
2:43 PM                Chloe Luo
2:54 PM                Riyansika Krishna Kondam
3:06 PM                Xu Jonathan Ma
3:15 PM                Eliana Tan
3:25 PM                Ido Liu
3:35 PM                Sophie Qin
3:53 PM                Natasha Tansathit
4:04 PM                Nathan Guo
4:14 PM                Tim Chen
4:25 PM                Alexander Liew

Sunday Morning, Shigeru Room
9:00 AM               Lucas Xue
9:09 AM               Elias Yuen
9:20 AM               Richard Cardillo
9:30 AM               William Li
9:40 AM               Evelyn Kao
9:50 AM               Audrey Pei
10:10 AM             Ruoyan Qi
10:21 AM             Isaac Ze Lee
10:30 AM             Olivia He
10:43 AM             Emily Fu
10:50 AM             Grace Li
11:11 AM             Avery Nguyen
11:19 AM             Catherine Chen
11:32 AM             Justin Yang
11:41 AM             Claire Pei
11:51 AM             Andrew Lau

SENIOR
Saturday Afternoon, Concert Hall
1:30 PM                Paul Joseph Naive
1:41 PM                Erika Wang
1:50 PM                Lillian Bai
2:03 PM                Caitlyn Wu
2:12 PM                Hannah Nguyen
2:23 PM                Josephine Wang
2:43 PM                Brooks He
2:54 PM                Sewon Cho
3:08 PM                Isaac Sinaga
3:19 PM                Elizabeth Haeun Kim
3:41 PM                Lukasz Maciejewski
3:53 PM                Joy Li Weng
4:03 PM                Michelle Cheng
4:18 PM                Kevin Li
4:39 PM                Thomas Liew
4:52 PM                Leah Hong
5:05 PM                Daniel Yarosh
5:18 PM                Zide Chen

Sunday Morning, Concert Hall
9:00 AM               Joseph Chen
9:11 AM               Sheila Dickinson
9:22 AM               Jacob Temple
9:29 AM               Evelyn Park
9:38 AM               Brayden Cheang
10:07 AM             George Robinson
10:21 AM             Michelle Hung
10:36 AM             Takaaki Suzuki
10:53 AM             Owen Sun
11:17 AM             Minyang Xu
11:29 AM             Steven Harris
11:46 AM             Elizabeth (Tianwei) Yao
11:59 AM             James Martel
12:19 PM             Josephine Chow
12:32 PM             Grant Qu
12:51 PM             Vincent Cao

​Rules and Repertoire

The Fourteenth International Chopin Youth Competition will take place this Fall on Saturday and Sunday, October 18 and 19, at the Kawai Piano Gallery on Richmond Ave in Houston, Texas. It is open to pre-college pianists.

This year's required form is the WALTZ.

Application is now available in the store.

The application fee is $75. All information, including payment, are made through our web store.  Deadline is Friday, October 3 (note the date has been pushed back one week). To apply, purchase the appropriate category: Elementary, Junior or Senior. Then select the required Waltz. In the additional fields enter the remaining pieces (with times), the YouTube link (see following) and the teacher's name, email and phone number. Applicant contact information (student's name, email, address and phone number) will be entered when completing the purchase. Please apply on a computer and not a mobile device because the latter does not show all the required fields.

Contestants must enter a Preliminary round prior to the main event by preparing a video of the entire performance and uploading the video to YouTube. The link should be provided on the application form. No titles or names should appear on the recording but should be on the description of the video. Individual pieces may be recorded separately but no editing of individual pieces is allowed. Contestants must perform from memory in the video. Be sure to use a properly tuned instrument and to get good sound (a cell phone can do an adequate job). Concert attire is recommended. If recording on a grand piano, it is recommended the music desk be lowered or removed.

The Preliminary round is evaluated by outside judges plus members of the Chopin Society to screen students by a point system to determine who will play live at the event. Just as in all other competitions, we do not offer comments from this screening process, and hope that even if the student is not admitted, they find it very beneficial to learn, play and record this wonderful and difficult music. Those that do not pass into the Semi-Final round are not refunded their application fee. 

​Successful contestants that pass the Preliminary round will be posted on our Website and perform in the Semi-Final round, which normally takes place all day Saturday and Sunday morning and afternoon. Contestants that pass the Semi-Final round will pass to the Final round, which normally takes places on Sunday late afternoon into the early evening. The awards ceremony will follow.

The contestants will be judged by a panel of outstanding musicians. Written comments from the judges will be available following the competition for all who participated in the Semi-Final round.

Gold medalists of previous competitions may not compete in the same age category. They may compete in another age category if of the appropriate age.

Repertoire Requirements
Contestants are required to perform a selection of one longer or several shorter compositions of Fryderyk Chopin and, in addition, one Waltz chosen from the list given below. Contestants are limited to the total time including the required Waltz. Please note the repertoire limits below.

There are three different age categories and time limits (including the required Waltz):
•    Elementary: K1 - 5 (DOB on or after 9/1/14), 8-minute limit
•    Junior: Grade 6 - 8 (DOB between 9/1/11 and 8/31/14), 10-minute limit
•    Senior: Grade 9 -12 (DOB between 9/1/07 and 8/31/11), 12-minute limit

If several smaller works are performed, they should be contrasting in either style or tempo. If a contestant wishes to perform one larger composition (such as a Ballade or Scherzo), which exceeds the time limit, he/she is allowed to play it along with the required waltz. Judges reserve the right to cut a performance that exceeds the time limit. These rules apply to all age groups.

Contestants MUST pick a Waltz from the following list based upon the category:

Elementary
  •  A minor, Op. 34, No. 2  
  •  D-flat Major, Op. 64, No. 1
  •  B minor, Op. 69, No. 2   
  •  G-flat Major, Op. 70, No. 1         
  •  F minor, Op. 70, No. 2   
  •  A-flat Major, Op. Posth.               
  •  A minor, Op. Posth.
  •  E minor, Op. Posth.

Junior
  •  Any Elementary Waltz, plus
  •  E-flat Major, Op. 18
  •  A-flat Major, Op. 34, No. 1
  •  F Major, Op. 34, No. 3
  •  E-flat Major, Op. Posth.  

​Senior
  •  Any Waltz, including those in Elementary and Junior Categories

Repertoire Limits:
Contestants in the Elementary and Junior categories may only select works from the following lists:
Elementary
Mazurka
 B-flat Major, Op. 7, No. 1            
 A minor, Op. 7, No. 2     
 G minor, Op. 24, No. 1  
 G minor, Op. Posth. 67, No. 2     
 A minor, Op. Posth. 67, No. 4     
 A minor, Op. Posth. 68, No. 2     
 B-flat Major, Op. Posth. (Henle: KK II a Nr.3; National: WN 7; Paderewski: No. 52 or 52 bis)
 G Major, Op. Posth. (Henle: KK II a Nr.2; National: WN 8; Paderewski: No. 53 or 53 bis)
 
Waltz
 A minor, Op. 34, No. 2  
 D-flat Major, Op. 64, No. 1
 B minor, Op. 69, No. 2   
 G-flat Major, Op. 70, No. 1         
 F minor, Op. 70, No. 2   
 A-flat Major, Op. Posth.               
 A minor, Op. Posth.
 E minor, Op. Posth.

Polonaise
 B-flat minor, “Adieu”     
 G minor, Op. Posth.       
 B-flat Major, Op. Posth.
 A-flat Major, Op. Posth.
 G-sharp minor, Op. Posth.           
              


Prelude
 E minor, Op.28, No.4     
 B minor, Op.28, No.6    
 A Major, Op.28, No.7    
 B Major, Op.28, No.11  
 D-flat Major, Op.28, No.15         
 C minor, Op.28, No.20  
 F Major, Op.28, No.23
 
Nocturne
 E-flat Major, Op.9, No.2              
 F minor, Op.55, No.1     
 C-sharp minor, Op. Posth.           
 E minor, Op. Posth.        
 C minor, Op. Posth.        
                                                                          
 
​
Other Forms
 Etude in F minor, Op.25, No.2    
 Trois Nouvelles Etudes, No. 1, 2, 3           
 Ecossaises in G major, Wn 13, No.1         
 Ecossaises in Db major, Wn 13, No.2       
 Ecossaises in D major, Wn 13, No.3         
 Marche Funebre in C-minor, Op.72, No.2
 Contradanse in G-flat Major, B.17            
 Cantabile in B-flat Major, B.84                  
 Feuille D’Album in E, Op. Posth.                
 Largo in E-flat Major, Op. Posth.              
 Bouree No.1 in G major, B.160b1             
 Bouree No.2 in A major, B.160b2
 Gallop Marquis in A-flat Major, Op. Posth.
 Wiosna (Spring), Wn 52
Junior
Mazurka
 Any Elementary Mazurka, plus
 C-sharp minor, Op. 6, No. 2
 E minor, Op. 17, No. 2
 B minor, Op. 30, No. 2
 G-sharp minor, Op. 33, No. 1
 D major, Op. 33, No. 2
 E minor, Op. 41 (Henle: WN 1; Paderewski: No. 2)
 F minor, Op. 63, No. 2
 C-sharp minor, Op. 63, No. 3
 
Waltz
 Any Elementary Waltz, plus
 E-flat Major, Op. 18
 A-flat Major, Op. 34, No. 1
 F Major, Op. 34, No. 3
 E-flat Major, Op. Posth.               
 
 


Polonaise
 Any Elementary Polonaise, plus
 C-sharp minor, Op. 26, No. 1
 E-flat minor, Op. 26, No. 2
 B-flat minor, “Adieu”
 C minor, Op. 40, No. 2
 D minor, Op. 71, No. 1
 B-flat Major, Op. 71, No. 2
 
Prelude
 Any Elementary Prelude, plus 
 C Major, Op.28, No.1
 G Major, Op.28, No.2
 E Major, Op.28, No.9
 F-sharp Major, Op.28, No.13
 A-flat Major, Op.28, No.17
 G minor, Op.28, No.22
 
Nocturne
 Any Elementary Nocturne, plus
 B-flat minor, Op. 9, No. 1
 F Major, Op. 15, No. 1
 D-flat Major, Op. 27, No. 2
 B Major, Op. 32, No. 1
 A-flat Major, Op.32, No.2
 F minor, Op. 55, No. 1
 
Other Forms
 Any Elementary Form, plus
 Impromptu in A-flat Major, Op.29
 Impromptu in F-sharp Major, Op.36
 Impromptu in G-flat Major, Op.51
 Impromptu Fantasie in C-sharp minor, Op.66
 Tarantella, Op.43
 Berceuse, Op.57
 Variations on Souvenir de Paganini in A major
 Rondo in C-minor, Op.1
 Rondo a la mazur, Op.5
 Variations Brilliantes, Op.12
 Bolero, Op.19
Senior
Mazurka
 Any Mazurka, including those in Elementary and Junior Categories









Waltz
 Any Waltz, including those in Elementary and Junior Categories







Polonaise
 Any Polonaise, including those in Elementary and Junior Categories






Prelude
 Any Prelude, including those in Elementary and Junior Categories






Nocturne
 Any Nocturne, including those in Elementary and Junior Categories






Other Forms
 Any Other Form, including those in Elementary and Junior Categories.
All works must be performed by memory. No changes or substitutions will be accepted. Please note only original versions will be accepted – no transcriptions, no arrangements!

A warm-up time 10 minutes before the performance will be allowed in designated practice rooms.

Contestants are responsible for their own travel and lodging arrangements.

Awards
•    Gold, Silver and Bronze Medals in each category
•    Honorable Mentions as deserved
•    Special Prize for the best waltz from each category
•    Special Prizes for the best among the youngest performers
•    Jan Ekier Prize for the best performance of the most difficult work
•    Special Prize for the Best Performance of a Youthful Composition by Chopin

The judges’ decisions will be final and cannot be appealed.

Any further questions please contact us via email. We will answer in as timely a manner as possible.