Ettlingen, August 2026 – The twentieth edition of the Ettlingen International Piano Competition has successfully concluded, once again transforming the city into a global center for piano enthusiasts.
Held every other year, the competition brings together exceptional young participants, their families, esteemed teachers, and a top-class international jury. This year, the event drew an impressive 437 applicants from 39 nations, with 85 highly talented pianists admitted to the live rounds following a rigorous video preselection.
From August 2 to 8, the young musicians performed during the public auditions held in the stunning historical Asam-Hall inside the Ettlingen Castle. Beyond the high level of musical excellence, the event retained its signature warmth and charm, made possible by the dedicated local residents and numerous voluntary helpers who support the musicians throughout the week.
Since its founding in 1988, the Ettlingen Piano Competition has established itself as one of the most important events of its kind worldwide. It is a proud member of the European Union of Music Competitions for Youth (EMCY) and the Alink-Argerich Foundation.
The 2026 edition culminated on Sunday, August 9, with a spectacular Prizewinner’s Concert at the Ettlingen Town-Hall. Ten main prizes and several special awards, totaling around €20,000, were distributed to the top performers.
EMCY extends a special congratulations to Oliver Hak (Poland), who was awarded the prestigious EMCY Prize for his outstanding performances in Category B!
MAIN PRIZES 2026
Category A (Participants up to 15 years)
1st Prize: Chun-Ning Chen (Taiwan)
2nd Prize: Shengkai Wang (China)
3rd Prize: Zong You Alexander Han (Hong Kong)
4th Prize: Olivia Tianqing Ye (USA)
5th Prize: Mahault Claire J Ska (Belgium)
Encouragement Awards: Yubeen Kim (Republic of Korea), Naoto Kobayashi (Japan), Sosuke Mitobe (Japan), Alexandros Papatsonis (Australia), Eva Wang (Austria), Botian Yang (China)
Category B (Participants up to 22 years)
1st Prize: Jaeyong Lee (Republic of Korea)
2nd Prize: Toby Kai Rong Tan (Singapore)
3rd Prize: Yuto Hasegawa (Japan)
4th Prize: Oliver Hak (Poland)
5th Prize: Petr Akulov (Russia)
Encouragement Awards: Hou Ieong Chen (Macau), Zihao Nan (China), Haixiang Zhang (China)
EMCY Prize: Oliver Hak (Poland)
Congratulations to all the prize winners, participants, and the Ettlingen organizing team for another brilliant and inspiring edition!
