Piano Division
General Information:
- Competition will consists of two stages: Prescreening and Live Performance
- Dates for Piano Division (January 30-31, 2027)
Requirements:
- Age Categories: Young Stars (7-12 years old) and Young Artists (13-18 years old)
- Currently residing in either South Carolina or North Carolina
- Repertoire Requirements:
Young Stars (ages 7–12): One solo piece, 3–8 minutes in length.
Young Artists (ages 13–18): One or two solo pieces, with a total performance time of 5–12 minutes.
All repertoire must be performed from memory for both the prescreening video and the Final Round.
Application Fee and Deadline:
- Application fee: $75 due along with application form and prescreening video uploaded to Youtube (For more information on how to upload, please go to “Prescreening” page)
- Deadline for application: December 7, 2026
Piano Division Schedule:
December 7, 2026 – Deadline for Application and Video Submission
December 14–21, 2026 – 12 Finalists Will Be Selected by Jury Members and Notified (Finalists Competition Fee $20 Due at Final Round)
January 30, 2027 – Final Live Performance Round at Chun University with Selected Finalists and Winners Announced
January 31, 2027 – Winners Concert
Prizes and Awards (selected from both age categories):
Young Star Division:
- First Place: $200, medal, and opportunity to perform in Winners Concert
- Second Place: $100, medal, and opportunity to perform in Winners Concert
- Third Place: medal and opportunity to perform in Winners Concert
Young Artist Division:
- First Place: $500, medal, and opportunity to perform in Winners Concert
- Second Place: $200, medal, and opportunity to perform in Winners Concert
- Third Place: medal and opportunity to perform in Winners Concert
Artistic Directors
Victoria Pan
Violin Faculty at Chun University
G.D. New England Conservatory
M.M. New England Conservatory
B.M. New England Conservatory
Yixuan Han
Piano Faculty at Chun University
D.M.A. University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
M.M. New England Conservatory
B.M. Oberlin Conservatory
2026 Piano Jury Members
Yutong Sun
Winner of Santander International Piano Competition
Piano faculty of Zhejiang Conservatory
A.D. New England Conservatory
M.M. New England Conservatory
B.M. New England Conservatory
Khanh Nhi Luong
Prizewinner of the Leeds International Piano Competition
D.M.A. University of Michigan
M.M. University of Michigan
B.M. Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music
Jennifer Martin
Vice President of the Charlotte Piano Teachers Forum
Piano Instructor at Charlotte Country Day School
Owner of Martin Music Studio
Traveling and Recording Artist 1976-1993
Alexander Agate
Winner of Thomas Hulbert International Piano Competition
Teaching Assistant Professor at East Carolina University
D.M.A. Manhattan School of Music
M.M. Manhattan School of Music
B.A. California State University, Northridge
Shijun Wang
Associate Professor of Piano and Keyboard Division Director at Baylor University
D.M.A. Eastman School of Music
M.M. The Juilliard School
B.M. The Juilliard School
Xu Guo
Winner of the V Thailand International Competition
D.M.A. Eastman School of Music
M.M. New England Conservatory
B.M. New England Conservatory
Mingyan Sally Yu
Postgraduate Diploma, University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna
D.M.A. Michigan State University
M.M. New England Conservatory
M.S.Columbia University
B.S. Cornell University
Gabriel Merrill-Steskal
Assistant Professor of Piano at New Mexico Highlands University
D.M.A. University of Michigan
M.M. University of Michigan
B.S. Whitman College
