A series of prestigious international piano competitions concluded in October 2026, announcing a new cohort of winners across Europe and Asia. From the inaugural stages in Okinawa to established competitions in Italy and Russia, several young pianists have secured top honors and significant prizes.
In Monza, Italy, sixteen-year-old Pei-Heng Jiang claimed first prize at the 28th Rina Sala Gallo Monza International Piano Competition. Jiang was awarded the Città di Monza award as part of a prize pool totaling €20,000. The competition saw Yangrui Cai take second place, while Karina Tseng finished in third place.
In Russia, Mikhail Kan secured first prize in the piano category of the Fifth All-Russian Music Competition in Moscow. For his achievement, Kan received 300,000 rubles and earned automatic eligibility to compete in the 18th International Tchaikovsky Competition in 2027. Alexander Knyazev placed second with 250,000 rubles, while Gleb Romanchukevich and Alexander Martyanov shared third place, receiving 200,000 rubles each.
The inaugural Okinawa International Music Competition also announced its piano winners following finals held at the Nanjo Cultural Center Sugar Hall in Japan. In the junior-high division, Moritatsu Kyan took first place, followed by second-place finisher Raitaro Hattori. The high-school division saw Sokuma Yoshida claim first place, with Keiichi Ishibashi taking second. In the university/general division, Yuko Taira was named the winner, while Minato Shinzato placed second.
Further results from Japan included Nao Mizukami, who won the General A piano division of the 28th Japan Performers Competition at the Yokohama Minato Mirai Hall Small Hall. Soma Uemoto was awarded second place in that division. Additionally, the 42nd Delia Steinberg International Piano Competition, held in Oeiras and Cascais, Portugal, awarded a €5,000 prize. While the winner was identified as a Japanese pianist, the source text for the name was unavailable. Hanna Jang of South Korea finished in second place, and Barbara Prado of Mexico took third.