Spotlight International Piano Competition | Competition Archive
Past Competition Highlights
2024 Competition
The 2024 Spotlight International Piano Competition welcomed over 100 outstanding performances from participants representing Australia, Canada, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Russia, South Korea, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Vietnam. A total of $13,000 in cash prizes was awarded to winners across multiple divisions.
2022 Competition
The 2022 competition welcomed 105 exceptional pianists from 18 countries around the world, with a total of $10,000 in cash prizes awarded.
2021 Competition
The inaugural online 2021 competition welcomed 146 talented pianists from 14 countries. A total of $6,750 in cash prizes was awarded to 16 outstanding winners.
2024 Junior
Winners
2024 Senior
Winners
2024 Young Artist
Winners
2024 Junior
Semi-Finalists
2024 Senior
Semi-Finalists
2024 Young Artist
Semi-Finalists
2022 Winners
2021 Winners
Past Competition Judges
Distinguished Jury PanelOver the years, the Spotlight International Piano Competition has been honored to welcome internationally renowned pianists, professors, concert artists, and distinguished educators as members of our jury panel. Their expertise, artistry, and dedication have helped inspire and support young musicians from around the world.
Olga Kern (2024)Roberto Plano (2024)Enrico Elisi (2024)
Robert Shannon (2022)Michael Berkovsky (2022)Spencer Myer (2022)
Michael Gurt (2022)Hana Bachmann (2022)
Robert Roux (2021)Christopher Harding (2021)Josh Wright (2021)
Past Coaches
In addition to the competition, the Spotlight International Piano Competition has proudly offered special coaching sessions and masterclasses led by internationally acclaimed pianists, professors, and distinguished pedagogues.These sessions provide participants with valuable opportunities to receive artistic guidance, performance insights, and mentorship from renowned musicians with extensive international performing and teaching experience. Through these educational experiences, young pianists are encouraged to deepen their musical understanding, refine their artistry, and gain inspiration for their continued musical journey.
Alan ChowMichael BerkovskyChristopher Harding
Rebecca PenneysIgor ResnianskiRobert Roux
Nancy WeemsBabara NissmanJosh Wright
Zhongshu Chen
China (9)

Piece 1:
Beethoven: Sonata F minor Op 2 No.1, I

Piece 2: Muczynski:  Toccata Op.15
Isabel Feng
USA (9)

Piece 1:
Mozart: Sonata in D Major, K.576, I. Allegro

Piece 2: Kapustin: Sonatina Op.100
Chelsea Gu
Canada (9)

Piece 1:
Haydn: Sonata in F Major, Hob. XVI:23, 1st mvt

Piece 2: Béla Bartók: Romanian Folk Dances, Sz 56
Wu Tiger Kaiyi
Canada (9)

Piece 1:
Chopin: Etude Op.25-Nr 1

Piece 2:
Beethoven: Sonata Opus 2 Nr 1
Thalit Pakittawatanasiri
Thailand (9)

Piece 1:
Chopin: Polonaise in G# Minor

Piece 2: Bach: Invention 13 in A Minor
Chanya Bayla Somboonvechakarn
Thailand (8)

Piece 1:
M. Martinez, Sonata No. 3 in A, movement 1

Piece 2: P. Tchaikovsky (arr. E. Wild), “Dance of The Four Swans”
Andrew Yin
USA (9)

Piece 1:
Beethoven: Six Variations on ‘Nel cor piu non mi sento’

Piece 2: Moszkowski: Tarentelle Op.77,No.6
Wendy Zhou
USA (8)

Piece 1:
Mozart: Sonata k311, 1st movement

Piece 2: Chopin: Waltz Op 64 no. 2
Taige Wang
USA (10)

Piece 1:
Bach: Capriccio on the Departure of a Beloved Brother in  B-flat Major, BWV992

Piece 2: Mendelssohn: Songs without  Words, Op. 67 No. 2 in F sharp minor
Chanya Methaprayoon

USA (11)

Piece 1:
Bach: French Suite No.5 in G  major, BWV 816, Allemande/Courante/Gigue

Piece 2: Glinka/Balakirev: The Lark
Zhi Xuan Wang
China (11)

Piece 1:
Mozart:  Sonata in B flat, K.281, I. Allegro

Piece 2: Alberto  Ginastera: Sedina Duo-Tres Danzas Argentinas
Chloe Tan
‍‍
USA (12)

Piece 1:
Liszt: Concert Etude 2,  Gnomenreigen

Piece 2: Beethoven: Sonata Opus 2 no. 3  in C major, I. Allegro con brio
Victoria Bi
USA (13)

Piece 1:
Mozart: Sonata KV 576, III.  Allegretto

Piece 2: Liszt: Rigoletto - Paraphrase  from Verdi's Opera
Eric Qian
‍‍
USA (13)

Piece 1:
Beethoven: Sonata No. 6, Op. 10  No. 2, III. Presto

Piece 2: Chopin: Scherzo No. 2, Op. 31 in  B-flat minor
Matthew Chien
USA (14)

Piece 1:
Liszt: La Campanella

Piece 2: Beethoven: Sonata Op. 109, I.  Vivace ma non troppo/Adagio Espressivo
Antian Jiang
‍‍
Canada (14)

Piece 1:
Beethoven: Sonata No. 23 in F  Minor, Op. 57 , ("Appassionata") 1 Allegro assai

Piece 2: Liszt Étude No. 3, Un sospiro,  Three Concert Études (Trois études de concert), S.144
Weetiwat Siriwattanakorn
Thailand (14)

Piece 1:
D. Scarlatti: Sonata in G Major,  K.14

Piece 2: Liszt: Hungarian Rhapsody No.2
Ella Sumanaseni
‍‍
USA (14)

Piece 1:
Beethoven: Sonata No. 17 in D  minor, Op. 31, No. 2, I. Largo - Allegro

Piece 2: Ginastera: Piano Sonata No. 1,  Op. 22 I. Allegro marcato
Duru Erdogan
‍‍
Turkey/UK (17)

Piece 1:
Beethoven Sonata op.31 no.2 (1st Mvt) 

Piece 2: Scriabin Valse Op. 38
Nicole Lam
USA (18)

Piece 1:
Beethoven: Sonata Op. 109 No. 30 Mov. 1 

Piece 2: Debussy: L'Isle Joyeuse
Aidan Lao
Canada (16)

Piece 1:
Beethoven: Sonata in E Flat Major Op. 31 No. 3, Mvt. 1

Piece 2: Chopin: Ballade in G Minor, Op. 23 No. 1
Angela Lee
USA (17)

Piece 1:
Beethoven: Sonata Op. 13, No. 8 in c minor, mvt. 1

Piece 2: Muczynski: “Desperate Measures” Op. 48
Lavinia Lee
Indonesia (16)

Piece 1:
Beethoven: Sonata No 2 in A major, Op 2 No 2, I, Allegro Vivace

Piece 2: Chopin: Ballade No 3 in A flat major Op 47
Byrant Li
USA (16)

Piece 1:
Chopin: Sonata No. 3 in B Minor, Op. 58 IV. Presto, non tanto 

Piece 2: Beethoven: Sonata No. 18 in E Flat Major Op. 31 No. 3, I. Allegro 
Bokun Liu
Canada (16)

Piece 1:
Bach: Prelude and Fugue in F major, WTC 2, BWV 880 

Piece 2: Beethoven: Sonata No.21 in C Major, Op53 “Waldstein”, I 
Sophia Si
USA (16)

Piece 1:
Beethoven: Sonata No7 in D Major I.Presto

Piece 2: Prokofiev: Sonata No6 in A Major IV.Vivace
Marie Wurtz
USA (17)

Piece 1:
Beethoven: Sonata no. 13 in E flat major, op. 27 no. 1

Piece 2: Rachmaninov: Etudes-tableaux in C minor, op. 39 no. 1 

Inaugural Competition Special Founder's Awards:

Advanced
Celine Chen, Joshua Cheng, Julia Huang, William Ji, Lucie Kim, Natalie Su, Angela Yi, Alex Zhang, Jing Zhang, Vivian Zhu, William Zhu

Junior
Brayden Cheang, Zide Chen, Yuan Dong, Nicholas Xilang Feng, Melody Guo, Audrey Haas, Junyuan (Jeremy) Liu, Pinn Mahasaranond, Ziyue Pang, Daniel Robbins, Claire Rong, Fayfay Sheng, Xuancheng Sheng, Samantha Wuo, Audrey Yin, Julie Zhang

Elementary
Lillian Bai, Jade Chen, John (Jack) Chen, Yena Cho, Jackson He, Annabelle Gong Ting Li, Elijah Robins, Aaron Su, Ivan Tan, Felicia Xie, Yiyao Yao, Yan Zhe Wang

This year there were 143 contestants participating from 14 countries: 46 entered in the Advanced, 64 in the Junior, and 33 in the Elementary categories.  Thank you to all participants and teachers who made this event possible!