We’re happy to announce the results of the final round of the sixth annual Piano Star International Competition🌟
Contestants from around the world competed in the Final Rounds on November 8–9, 2025, held in person in New York and virtually for all international participants. Our panels of judges gave live feedback to each contestant – and were impressed by the exceptional artistry, dedication, and musicality exhibited this year.
What’s next for our grand finalists?
The Grand Finals will be livestreamed on December 13–14, 2025 on the Piano League YouTube and Facebook pages. Join us that weekend to experience the performances of this year’s Grand Finalists as they compete for top honors. More details and livestream links will be announced soon.
THE GRAND FINALISTS BY GROUP ARE AS FOLLOWS:
FINAL ROUND SCORING AND RANKING
Why we use percentile ranking
Percentile ranking promotes fairness by evaluating contestants relative to others in the same age group and location. It takes into account differences in group sizes and scoring patterns, helping to create an equitable and representative selection of Grand Finalists.
(In general, the more contestants a location has, the more Grand Finalists it produces.)
Why we use the PL Star Score
The PL Star Score provides a consistent and transparent way to display results by rounding each contestant’s average score down to one decimal place (for example, 9.16 becomes 9.1). Doing so removes unnecessary precision and avoids overly fine distinctions between very similar performances.
Why we round down
In the Final Round, awards correspond to the following score thresholds:
First Prize: 9.5 and above
Second Prize: 9.0–9.4
Third Prize: 8.5–8.9
Rounding down ensures that a performance must truly meet or exceed each threshold to qualify for the corresponding prize. For example, a score of 8.98 rounds down to 8.9, meaning it does not reach the 9.0 cutoff for Second Prize. This approach keeps award qualifications clear, consistent, and objective.
We recognize that no scoring system can ever be perfectly objective, as musical performance will always involve an element of artistry and subjectivity. Our goal is to provide the most transparent and fair platform possible, giving every contestant a meaningful opportunity to learn, grow, and enjoy the experience of sharing their music.
THE STAR SCORES BY GROUP FOR ALL CONTESTANTS ARE AS FOLLOWS:
🏆 EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING AWARDS
Behind every outstanding performance is a dedicated teacher. We proudly recognize the following teachers whose students achieved a PL Star Score of 9.0 or above in either the Preliminary or Final Round.
Excellence in Teaching Awards
Allan Park
Anne Sun
Baichao Lan
Benjamin Wong
Byeol Kim
Caroline Hong
Chiu-Ling Lin
Chiu-Tze Lin
Christopher Guzman
Christopher Janwong McKiggan
Cindy Lee
Cong Ji
Cristina Huang
Deirdre O’Donohue
Donna Bender
Estelle Lin
Fidel Rodolfo Castro Montalván
Han Chen
Hanbo Liu
Hang Li
Ilya Blinov
Irina Dvoynoy
Jennifer Mihee Song
Joseph Kingma
Judy Huang
Kara Huber
Karina Cohen
Kathleen Stephenson-Sadoff
Kazuko Adachi
Koranit Dhanachoksiri
Luca Cubisino
Lucy DeSa
Margarita Nuller
Mary Elizabeth Stephenson
Natsuki Fukasawa
Nina Polonsky
Nutchaya Hankeereerat
Pattera Sutanthavibul
Pornphan Banternghansa
Qi Zhang
Robert Holm
Rufus Choi
San Jittakarn
Sandra Hebert
Sherry Kim
Silvana Grubb
Somin Choi
Sun Min Kim
Tatiana Kats
Tianyu Deng
Tomasz Robak
Vicky Lee
Violetta Zharkova
Wing Yin Wong
Xue Feng
Yoshikazu Nagai
Yun-Ling Hsu
About the Piano Star International Competition
The Piano Star International Competition, currently in its sixth season, is an annual competition that draws together hundreds of applicants from around the globe. It is an accessible opportunity for young artists to gain exposure and experience in professional, competitive environments, receive valuable feedback from industry-leading judges, and compete for cash prizes, scholarships, titles, and more. Need more information or have any questions? Email us at pi*******@************ue.com
About Piano League®
Piano League is a comprehensive platform that provides a centralized and professional space for pianists and artists of all ages, levels, and backgrounds to connect. The goal of Piano League is to create a community where individuals, both seasoned pianists and those who appreciate music casually, can come together to share their love of music – without the barriers that define the traditional landscape. Piano League offers the annual global Piano Star International Competition, Pianist Express™, and more at thepianoleague.com.
