Particle.news
Download on the App Store
4 ARTICLES
·
13h ago

Eric Lu Wins 2025 Chopin Piano Competition in Warsaw

A 17-member jury in Warsaw chose the 27-year-old for the €60,000 top award following extended deliberations.

Kevin Chen performs during the International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition in Warsaw, Poland, on Oct. 16.
10.19.2025 Warsaw, Poland. Music lovers line up on Sunday for a free concert by one of the contestants in the International Fryderyk Chopin Competition in Warsaw. The three-week event is held every five years, and it is considered the Olympics of piano. (Anna Liminowicz for The Globe and Mail)
Kevin Chen performs during the 3rd stage of the 19th International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition in Warsaw.

Overview

  • The decision, chaired by Garrick Ohlsson, was announced around 2:30 a.m. local time after hours of debate among jurors.
  • Canada’s Kevin Chen, 20, took second place with a €40,000 silver medal, while China’s Zitong Wang earned the €35,000 bronze.
  • The contest drew more than 600 applicants, with 84 selected for the first round and an expanded 11-person final after a tie.
  • All finalists performed the Polonaise-Fantasy, Op. 61, and a Chopin concerto with the Warsaw Philharmonic; Lu played the Polonaise-Fantasy and the F minor concerto.
  • Held every five years since 1927, the competition awards a gold medal funded by Poland’s president and is known for launching major international careers.