2022 WINNERS

THE NEW YORK INTERNATIONAL PIANO COMPETITION
Under the Auspices of The Stecher and Horowitz Foundation

Melvin Stecher, Joyce B. Cowin,
Illia Ovcharenko – Joyce B. Cowin First Prize Winner, Norman Horowitz

First Prize Winner Illia Ovcharenko, receives $20,000 and concert appearances at the Tenth New York International Piano Competition (NYIPC) Awards Ceremony, June 24, 2022

Illia Ovcharenko, age 21, studies with Arie Vardi at the Buchmann-Mehta School of Music in Tel Aviv, Israel. At age 9, he won his first competition, and at age 10 gave a solo recital in the Philharmonic Center of Ukraine. Since 2010, he has won more than 20 piano competitions in Israel and throughout Europe, including being named the first prize and special prize winner at the International Piano Competition “Kyiv” in 2018.

Other prizes awarded included:

Second Prize to a solo performer, $10,000 and concert/recital appearances

Jiahao Han, age 21 born in China and resides in New York. Mr. Han studies at The Juilliard School with Hung-Kuan Chen.

Third Prize to a solo performer, $5,000 and concert/recital appearances

Charles Berofsky, age 22 born in Ann Arbor, MI. Mr. Berofsky studies at the Eastman School of Music under the tutelage of Alan Chow

Fourth Prize to a solo performer, $2,500 and concert/recital appearances

Seth Schultheis, age 22 from New York. Mr. Schultheis studies at Manhattan School of Music with Solomon Mikowsky.

A distinguished feature of the NYIPC is the commissioning of new works by the Stecher and Horowitz Foundation for piano by American composers. This year’s composer was Avner Dorman. His Piano Sonata No. 6 was the commissioned work and was performed by all 22 pianists.

The Best Performance of a Commissioned Work, Piano Sonata No. 6 by Avner Dorman, a cash award of $2,000

Seth Schultheis, age 22 from New York, a student of Solomon Mikowsky at MSM.

The Melvin Stecher and Norman Horowitz First Prize for the one-piano, four-hands ensemble, a cash award of $3,500 divided by the winning team

Charles Berofsky and Yuhang Wang. Mr. Berofsky, age 22 studies at the Eastman School of Music with Alan Chow and Yuhang Wang, age 22, born in China studies at the Cleveland Institute with Sergei Babayan

The Melvin Stecher and Norman Horowitz Second Prize for the one-piano, four-hands ensemble, a cash award of $2,500, divided by the winning team

Jiahao Han and Ho Ting Kelvin Tang. Mr. Han, age 21 born in China studies at The Juilliard School with Hung-Kuan Chen. Mr. Tang, age 19 was born in Hong Kong and studies at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music with Alvin Chow

In addition to the prizes awarded to the winners, a cash award of $1,000 was presented to all finalists of the competition. No pianist was eliminated.

Receiving $1000:

Vladimir Acimovic, age 20, b. Serbia, a student of Milana Chernyavska, University of Music and Performing Arts, Graz, Austria
Carey Byron, age 17, b. New Zealand, a student of Nina An & Fabio Bidini, the Colburn Academy of Music
Andrew Jun Chen, age 21, b. US, a student of Alexander Kobrin, Eastman School of Music
Tony Yan Tong Chen, age 22, b. New Zealand, a student of Alan Chow, Eastman School of Music
Yihang Chen, age 20, b. Taiwan, a student of Alvin Chow, Oberlin Conservatory of Music
Miu Ishikawa, 22, b. Japan, a student of HaeSun Paik, New England Conservatory
Sophia Kim, age 16, b. US, a student of Hung-Kuan Chen, The Juilliard School
Ariya Laothitipong, age 18, b. Thailand, a student of Christopher Harding, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
Qinghong Lian, age 22, b. China, a student of Jeffrey Cohen, Manhattan School of Music
Guoannie Qin, age 20, b. China, a student of Angela Chen, Oberlin Conservatory of Music
Kasey Shao, age 18, b. US, a student of Ran Dank, Cincinnati, Ohio
Chia-Ying (Julia) Shen, age 22, b. Taiwan, a student of Yu-Jane Yang, Weber State University, Ogden, Utah
Emma Taggart, age 19, b. US, a student of Simone Dinnerstein, Mannes School of Music
Min Shan (Susan) Tsai, age 22, b. Taiwan, a student of Yu-Jane Yang, Weber State University, Ogden, Utah
Eashan Vagish, age 17, b. US, a student of Rufus Choi, Shammamish, WA
Xiaoru Wen, age 22, b. China, a student of Marc Silverman, Manhattan School of Music