The other finalists are Sergey Belavsky and Filip Lynov from Russia, Saetbyeol Kim from South Korea, and Yasuko Furumi from Japan.
In the finals, on Friday and Saturday, the five remaining pianists will perform one of 18 concertos listed by the organisers, while being accompanied by the Pomeranian Symphony Orchestra under Jakub Chrenowicz.
Poland’s Pacholec has selected Tchaikovsky’s Concerto in B flat minor to play during the final stage of the competition.
Pacholec, 21, is a student of Ewa Pobłocka at the Music Academy in Bydgoszcz, where he moved after two years at the Music Academy in Katowice, southern Poland. His honours include First Prize at last year’s International Piano Competition in Livorno, Italy.
A total of 45 pianists from 15 countries, including seven Poles, initially entered the Paderewski competition.
The prizewinners will be announced late on Saturday.
A prizewinners’ concert will be held in Bydgoszcz on Sunday, followed by a performance in Warsaw a day later.
Launched in 1961, the Paderewski International Piano Competition in Bydgoszcz is now in its 11th edition.
(mk/gs)