• Ages 6-10 as of September 1, 2025
• Two memorized pieces:
  1. One work must be written by a composer from the Classical period (can also be written by a contemporary pedagogy composer in the Classical style). 
  2. One work/movement by another composer in a contrasting style
• Maximum audition time will be 7 minutes 

• Ages 11-14 as of September 1, 2025
• Two memorized pieces:
  1. One movement from a sonata or sonatina written by a composer from the Classical style period. 
  2. One work/movement from another historical style period
• Maximum audition time will be 10 minutes.

• Ages 15-18 as of September 1, 2025
• Two memorized pieces:
  1. One movement from a sonata or sonatina written by a composer from the Classical style period. 
  2. One work/movement from another historical style period
• Maximum audition time will be 15 minutes.

This special award is given to a deserving participant in each age division who performs a work by an under-appreciated composer of color as part of their 2 required repertoire selections. The composer may be black, indigenous, or a person of color (all non-white people) from any style period and country.

In the unlikely event the adjudicators determine that no performance is prize-worthy, the award will be withheld.

Prize: Young Pianists – $25, Junior – $50, Senior – $50

Resources:

A Seat at the Piano: database with levels
Ebony Music: piano music by black composers
Piano Music of the African Diaspora - 6 graded levels
Pianolit.com – piano pieces by black composers

• First Place Winner: $75
• Second Place Winner: $35
• Diversity in Music Award: $25
• Honorable Mentions awarded at judges' discretion

• First Place Winner: $200
• Second Place Winner: $75
• Diversity in Music Award: $50
• Honorable Mentions awarded at judges' discretion

• First Place Winner: $200
• $3,000 Nazareth University Piano Scholarship awarded upon application and acceptance into the Nazareth University School of Music
• Invitation to present a senior recital in Wilmot Recital Hall, scheduled during the winner's senior year of high school and subject to hall availability
• Second Place Winner: $75
• Diversity in Music Award: $50
• Honorable Mentions awarded at judges' discretion

The Awards Ceremony and Winner's Recital will be held on the day of the competition at 4:30 p.m. in Beston Hall, Glazer Music Performance Center

Young Pianist Division
Dr. Beverly Smoker
Dr. Yi-Wen Chang

Junior Division
Dr. Gary Fisher
Dr. E-Na Song

Senior Division
Signe Zale
Dr. Sarah Rhee

Featured Composer: The Baroque Style

Young Pianist Division

1st Prize - Alex Chang, Pittsford, NY, student of Elier Suarez
2nd Prize - Noah Lee-Dank, Fairport, NY, student of Sarah Rhee
Honorable Mention - Hui Zhao, Pittsford, NY, student of Elier Suarez
Honorable Mention - Alan Wu, Pittsford, NY), student of Elier Suarez
Honorable Mention - Winston Chen, Pittsford, NY, student of Brian Preston
Honorable Mention - Elnora Budnack, Grand Island, NY, student of Rasa Stalygiene

1st Prize - Jasmine Wu, Pittsford, NY, student of Elier Suarez 
2nd Prize - Charlotte Anderson, Fairport, NY, student of Elier Suarez
Honorable Mention - Ella Yu, Pittsford, NY, student of Brian Preston 
Honorable Mention - Hanwen Li, Pittsford, NY, student of Elier Suarez
Honorable Mention - Helena Lu, Pittsford, NY, student of Tamari Gurevich
Honorable Mention - Edwin Xu, Pittsford, NY, student of Elier Suarez

Senior Division

1st Prize - Milo Anderson, Fairport, NY), student of Elier Suarez
2nd Prize - Doga Vanwesenbeeck, Amherst, NY, student of Karen Schmid
Honorable Mention - Timothy Pang, Jericho, NY, student of Veselin Ninov
Honorable Mention - Lindsey Shen, Pittsford, NY, student of Tamari Gurevich
Honorable Mention - David Yang, Rochester, NY, student of Elier Suarez
Honorable Mention - Weijun Wang, Pittsford, NY, student of Alla Kuznetsov

Judges
Young Pianist: Dr. Beverly Smoker, Dr. Yi-Wen Chang
Junior Division: , Dr. E-Na Song, Dr. Gary Fisher
Senior Division: Dr. Sarah Rhee, Signe Zale

Featured Composer: Character Pieces of the 19th Century

Young Pianist Division

1st Prize - Bryant Li, Williamsville, NY, student of Violeta Arakelova
2nd Prize - Alex Chang, Pittsford, NY, student of Elier Suarez
Diversity in Music Award - David Wu, Pittsford, NY, student of Jacob Ertl
Honorable Mention - Oliver Kulshrestha (Pittsford, NY), student of Bonnie Choi
Honorable Mention - Alan Wu (Pittsford, NY), student of Elier Suarez
Honorable Mention - Abigail Budnack (Grand Island, NY), student of Rasa Stalygiene

1st Prize - Max Thiele, Pittsford, NY, student of Kym Schifino
2nd Prize - Wenzhang Vazquez, Buffalo, NY, student of Violeta Arakelova
Honorable Mention - Jasmine Wu, Pittsford, NY, student of Elier Suarez 
Honorable Mention - Thea Costanzo, Hemlock, NY, student of Brian Preston
Honorable Mention - Kevin Zang, Manlius, NY, student of Scott Cuellar

Senior Division
1st Prize - David Fu, Delmar, NY, student of Julian Martin
2nd Prize - Nathaniel Shuhan, Ithaca, NY, student of Andrea Merrill
Diversity in Music Award - Nathaniel Shuhan, Ithaca, NY, student of Andrea Merrill
Honorable Mention - Shaila Man, Pittsford, NY, student of Brian Preston
Honorable Mention - Alexander Wu , Pittsord, Rochester, NY, student of Elier Suarez
Honorable Mention - David Yang, Rochester, NY, student of Elier Suarez
Honorable Mention - Logan Canfield, Penfield, NY, student of Elier Suarez 

Judges
Young Pianist: Dr. Kevin Nitsch, Dr. E-Na Song
Junior Division: Dr. Sarah Rhee-Tirre, Dr. Beverly Smoker
Senior Division: Dr. Gary Fisher, Dr. Yi-Wen Chang

Featured Composer: Haydn

Young Pianist Division

1st Prize - Frank Luo, Syosset, NY, student of Zhiye Lin
2nd Prize - Vivienne Liu, Buffalo, NY, student of Mary Handley
Honorable Mention - Oliver Santora, Buffalo, NY, student of Mary Handley
Honorable Mention - Alex Chang, Rochester, NY, student of Elier Suarez
Honorable Mention - Abigail Budnack, Grand Island, NY, student of Rasa Stalygiene
Honorable Mention - Elnora Budnack, Grand Island, NY, student of Rasa Stalygiene 

1st Prize - Weijun Wang, Pittsford, NY, student of Alla Kuznetsov
2nd Prize - Lindsey Shen, Pittsford, NY, student of Tamari Gurevich
Honorable Mention - Charlotte Anderson, Fairport, NY, student of Elier Suarez
Honorable Mention - Advik Anand, Rochester, NY, student of Gary Kong
Honorable Mention - Hanwen Li, Pittsford, NY, student of Elier Suarez
Honorable Mention - Milo Anderson, Fairport, NY, student of Elier Suarez

Senior Division
1st Prize -  Emma Wu, Buffalo, NY, student of Shirley Chan
2nd Prize - Julian Chumacero, Victor, NY, student of Elier Suarez
Honorable Mention - Allison Fan, Rochester, NY, student of Bonnie Choi
Honorable Mention - Gabe Foster, Rochester, NY, student of Sally Forgensi
Honorable Mention - Sophia Damico, Victor, NY, student of Bonnie Choi

Judges
Young Pianist: Dr. Gary Fisher, Dr. Yi-Wen Chang
Junior Division: Dr. Sarah Rhee-Tirre, Dr. Kevin Nitsch
Senior Division: Dr. Asami Hagiwara, Dr. Beverly Smoker

Featured Composer: Women Composers

Young Pianist Division
1st Prize - Haolin Jin, Buffalo, NY, student of Violeta Arakelova
2nd Prize - Hanwen Li, Rochester, NY, student of Elier Suarez
Honorable Mention - Oliver Santora, Buffalo, NY, student of Mary Handley
Honorable Mention - Charlotte Anderson, Fairport, NY, student of Elier Suarez
Honorable Mention - Jiaxi Gao, Buffalo, NY, student of Akina Yura Stalygiene
Honorable Mention - Thea Costanzo, Pittsford, NY, student of Brian Preston

Junior Division
1st Prize - Emily Yu, Pittsford, NY, student of Brian Preston
2nd Prize - Shaila Man, Pittsford, NY, student of Brian Preston
Honorable Mention - Lindsey Shen, Pittsford, NY, student of Tamari Gurevich
Honorable Mention - Surya Man, Pittsford, NY, student of Brian Preston
Honorable Mention - Weijun Wang, Pittsford, NY, student of Alla Kuznetsov
Honorable Mention - Milo Anderson, Fairport, NY, student of Elier Suarez

Senior Division
1st Prize - Rebecca Lee, Pittsford, NY, student of Jacob Ertl
2nd Prize - Amy Feng, Pittsford, NY, student of Elier Suarez
Honorable Mention - Madeleine Wang, student of Peter Vinograde
Honorable Mention - Paul Di Folco, student of Russell Posegate

Judges

Young Pianist: Dr. Asami Hagiwara, Dr. Sarah Rhee-Tirre
Junior Division: Dr. Gary Fisher, Dr. Beverly Smoker
Senior Division: Dr. Yi-Wen Chang, Dr. Gary Palmer

Featured Composer: Beethoven and his Contemporaries

Young Pianist Division
1st Prize - Rinchen Posel, Saugerties, NY, student of Janara Khassenova
2nd Prize - Oliver Santora, Kenmore, NY, student of Mary Handley
Honorable Mention - Tianying Tang, Beijing, China, student of Miao Tian
Honorable Mention - Charlotte Anderson, Fairport, NY, student of Elier Suarez
Honorable Mention - Abigail Budnack, Grand Island, NY, student of Rasa Stalygiene
Honorable Mention - Emma Yu, Pittsford, NY, student of Brian Preston

Junior Division
1st Prize - Jiatong Gao, Clifton Park, NY, student of Young Kim
2nd Prize - Shaila Man, Pittsford, NY, student of Brian Preston
Honorable Mention - Lindsey Shen, Pittsford, NY, student of Tamari Gurevich
Honorable Mention - Maureen Zhang, Pittsford, NY, student of Brian Preston
Honorable Mention - William Deinzer, Amherst, NY, student of Steven Bianchi
Honorable Mention - Milo Anderson, Fairport, NY, student of Elier Suarez

Senior Division
1st Prize - Elizabeth Zhang, Andover, MA, student of Alexander Korsantia
2nd Prize - Natalie Chow, Livingston, NJ, student of Beatrice Long
Honorable Mention - Amy Feng, Pittsford, NY, student of Elier Suarez
Honorable Mention - Giorgi Kharchilava, Getzville, NY, student of Rasa Stalygiene
Honorable Mention - Madeleine Wang, Ithaca, NY, student of Golda Tatz
Honorable Mention - Kaelem Michel, Fayetteville, NY, student of Natela Mchedlishvili

Judges
Young Pianist: Dr. Gary Fisher, Dr. Beverly Smoker
Junior Division: Dr. Asami Hagiwara, Nicholas Susi
Senior Division: Dr. Albert Kim Dr. Paul Sanchez

Young Pianist Division
1st Prize - Lindsey Shen, Rochester, NY, student of Tamari Gurevich
2nd Prize - Wenzhang Vazquez, Buffalo, NY, student of Violeta Arakelova 
Honorable Mention - Charlotte Anderson, Rochester, NY, student of  Elier Suarez

Junior Division
1st Prize - Rebecca Lee, Rochester, NY, student of Jacob Ertl
2nd Prize - Emily Yu, Rochester, NY, student of Brian Preston
Honorable Mention - Julian Chumacero, Farmington, NY, student of Elier Suarez
Honorable Mention - Weijun Wang, Rochester, NY, student of  Alla Kuznetsov
Honorable Mention - Matthew Barry, Rochester, NY, student of Howard Spindler
Honorable Mention - Milo Anderson, Rochester, NY, student of Elier Suarez

Senior Division
1st Prize - Maxwell Sun, Rochester, NY, student of Elier Suarez
2nd Prize - David Munechika, Rochester, NY, student of Gary Fisher
Honorable Mention - David Su, Buffalo, NY, student of Violeta Arakelova 
Honorable Mention - Katherine Yun, Buffalo, NY, student of Mary Handley
Honorable Mention - Giorgi Kharchilava, Buffalo, NY, student of Rasa Stalygiene

Featured Composer: Chopin and his Legacy

Elementary/Young Pianists Division

• First Prize: Weijun Wang, Rochester, NY, student of Alla Kuznetsov
• Second Prize: Emily Yu, Rochester, NY, student of Brian Preston
• Honorable Mention:
• Lauryn Lee, Rochester, NY, student of Seiko Yokoyama
• Emily Martin, Rochester, NY, student of Alla Kuznetsov
• Annie Sun, Rochester, NY, student of Bonnie Choi
• Tristan Zhang, Rochester, NY, student of Janet Koets

Junior Division

• First Prize: Maxwell Sun, Rochester, NY, student of Elier Suarez
• Second Prize: Christopher Shen, Rochester, NY, student of Tamari Gurevich
• Honorable Mention:
• Jeffrey Xue, Rochester, NY, student of Brian Preston
• Rebecca Lee, Rochester, NY, student of Jacob Ertl
• Margaret Bauman, Rochester, NY, student of Tamari Gurevich
• Madeleine Wang, Ithaca, NY, student of Deborah Martin

Senior Division

• First Prize: Jonathan Indajang, Albany, NY, student of Young Kim
• Second Prize: Robert Graziano, Rochester, NY, student of Hassan Al-Mufti
• Honorable Mention:
• Debosir Ghosh, NY, student of Mary Handley
• David Munechika, Rochester, NY, student of Gary Fisher
• Lillian Kahng, Buffalo, NY, student of Mary Handley

Featured Composer: Music after 1917

Junior Division

• First Prize: Celine Wang, Buffalo, NY, student of Violeta Arakelova
• Second Prize: Margaret Bauman, Rochester, NY, student of Tamari Gurevich
• Honorable Mention:
• Felix Huang, Rochester, NY, student of Bonnie Choi
• Maxwell Sun, Rochester, NY, student of Elier Suarez
• Clara Thiele, Rochester, NY, student of Kym Schifino

Senior Division

• First Prize: Raymond Feng, Rochester, NY, student of Elier Suarez
• Second Prize: David Munechika, Rochester, NY, student of Gary Fisher
• Honorable Mention:
• Edelia Liitvak, NY, student of Ubaldo Diaz-Acosta
• Michael Samodurov, NY, student of Natalya Hennings

Junior Division

• First Prize: Amy Feng, Rochester, NY, student of Elier Suarez
• Second Prize: Thomas Xue, Rochester, NY, student of Brian Preston
• Honorable Mention:
• Kaelem Michel, Syracuse, NY, student of Patricia DeAngelis
• Clara Thiele, Rochester, NY, student of Kym Schifino
• Serena Yang, Rochester, NY, student of Bonnie Choi
• Celine Wang, Buffalo, NY, student of Violeta Arakelova

Senior Division

• First Prize: Jimmy Berger, Buffalo, NY, student of Rasa Stalygiene
• Second Prize: Yulia Yang, Rochester, NY, student of Tamari Gurevich 
• Honorable Mention: 
• Elizabeth Schoewerer, New Paltz, NY, student of Valentina Shatalova
• Joshua McKinnis, Syracuse, NY, student of Patricia DeAngelis
• Robert Graziano, Buffalo, NY, student of Hassan Al-Mufti

Junior Division

• First Prize: Sabrina Yu, Rochester, NY, student of Elier Suarez
• Second Prize: Felix Huang, Rochester, NY, student of Bonnie Choi
• Honorable Mention: Fidel Cai, Rochester, NY, student of Joseph Irrea

Senior Division

• First Prize: Vivian Yu, Rochester, NY, student of Elier Suarez
• Second Prize: Grace Lineham, Rochester, NY, student of Tamari Gurevich Hill

Junior Division

• First Prize: Sherrie Wang, Buffalo, NY, student of Violeta Arakelova
• Second Prize: Hannah Sohn, Clifton Park, NY, student of Young Kim
• Honorable Mention:
• Jeana Chun, Poughkeepsie, NY, student of Ruthanne Schempf
• Tina Wen, Rochester, NY, student of Elier Suarez
• Sabrina Yu, Rochester, NY, student of Elier Suarez

Senior Division

• First Prize: Alexei Aceto, Ithaca, NY, student of Trudy Borden
• Second Prize: Rachel Sohn, Clifton Park, NY, student of Young Kim
• Honorable Mention: 
• Karen Cao, Troy, MI, student of Faye Mao
• Nicole Franki, Rochester, NY, student of Sarah Rhee-Tirre
• Mia Gorczyca, Rochester, NY, student of Bonnie Choi
• Demi Yang, Troy, MI, student of Faye Mao

Junior Category

• First Prize: Rachel Sohn, Albany, NY, student of Young Kim
• Second Prize: Lauren Kim, Rochester, NY, student of Bonnie Choi
• Honorable Mention:
• Tina Wen, Rochester, NY, student of Elier Suarez
• Muxing Zhao, Rochester, NY, student of Elier Suarez

Senior Category

• First Prize: Stuart Burtner, Rochester, NY, student of Bonnie Choi
• Second Prize: Mia Gorcyzca, Rochester, NY,  student of Bonnie Choi
• Honorable Mention: 
• Vivian Yu, Rochester, NY, student of Elier Suarez
• Nicole Franki, Rochester, NY, student of Sarah Rhee-Tirre

Featured Composer: J.S. Bach

Junior Category

• First Prize: Raymond Feng, Rochester, NY, student of Elier Suarez
• Second Prize: Rachel Sohn, Clifton Park, NY, student of Young Kim
• Honorable Mention:
• Daniel Yang, Rochester, NY, student of Gary Kong
• Vivian Yu, Rochester, NY, student of Elier Suarez
• Margaret Zhang, Rochester, NY, student of Alla Kuznetsov
• Muxing Zhao, Rochester, NY, student of Elier Suarez

Senior Category

• First Prize: Kate Blaine, Rochester, NY, student of Harriet Zimmerman
• Second Prize: Stuart Burtner, Rochester, NY, student of Bonnie Choi
• Honorable Mention: Mia Gorcyzca, Rochester, NY, student of Bonnie Choi