Young Artist Piano Competition & Masterclasses


Saturday, January 25, 2025

ECU School of Music

Application will be open soon!


Masterclass Instructors:


Keiko Sekino

Associate Professor of Piano

B.A., Yale University, M.M., Yale School of Music, D.M.A., Peabody Institute. Studies with Peter Frankl, Robert McDonald, and Elisso Virsaladze.


Kwan Yi

Associate Professor of Piano

B.M., Curtis Institute, M.M., Juilliard School, A.D. Peabody Institute. Studies with Leon Fleisher and Robert McDonald.


Eligibility:

Young Artist Piano Competition

  • The piano competition is open to pre-college students between the ages of 11 and 14 (Junior Division) and 15 and 18 (Senior Division), who are residents of the District of Columbia, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia or who have studied with a teacher residing in that area for at least six months prior to the date of the competition. The Division each contestant should enter is determined by his/her age on the date of the competition, in this case, January 27, 2024.

Masterclasses with ECU Faculty

  • The masterclasses are open to both competing and non-competing students (pre-college and college students, ages 11-26). There is no residency requirement.

Competition Rules:

  1. Current students of the judges in their division are not allowed to enter the competition.
  2. Contestants will be assigned a number and will not be referred to by name.
  3. Former first place winners may not enter in the same division.
  4. By submitting the online application form, the contestant agrees that the director of the competition may use the submitted video recordings in future media broadcasts or in advertising for the competition without compensation to the contestant.
  5. All judges’ decisions are final.
  6. All competitors are required to be present at the Lunch & Showcase Performance as well as the  Announcement of Winners & Winners’ Recital.

Junior Piano Division – Specific Rules & Prize Information

Senior Piano Division – Specific Rules & Prize Information


List of Winners from Previous Competitions

Previous Years


Contact Information:

Kwan Yi, Director (yik17@ecu.edu)
Kirsten Holley, Competition Coordinator (holleyk22@students.ecu.edu)
Sponsorship of the East Carolina University Young Artist Piano Competition comes completely from private donations. Persons who are interested in funding a prize or supporting the operating expenses of the competition through a tax-deductible contribution may contact Kwan Yi.