Born in 2005 in Netanya, Israel, he spent the first eight years of his life near Jerusalem, beginning piano lessons with his sister at the age of four. After moving to Poland, he continued his education at primary and secondary music schools in Kraków, graduating in 2024. He is currently a student of Krzysztof Książek at the city’s Music Academy. He has won more than 30 competitions in Poland and abroad.
The day’s remaining nine contestants include three pianists from China, three from Japan, two from the United States and one from Italy.
The names of the pianists advancing to the third stage of the competition will be announced late on Sunday.
The performances are being streamed live on the official YouTube channel of the Fryderyk Chopin Institute and remain available for replay after each session.
A total of forty pianists representing fourteen countries are taking part in the second stage, twenty-eight of whom are competing in the Warsaw event for the second or even the third time.
The prizewinners’ names will be announced on 20 October. The winner will receive a cash award of €60,000, along with the promise of future solo and orchestral engagements, as well as recording opportunities.
Special prizes will also be awarded — among others, for the best performance of a mazurka, a sonata, and a concerto — plus the Audience Choice Award.
Past winners of the Warsaw Chopin Competition include such world-renowned pianists as Maurizio Pollini, Martha Argerich, Garrick Ohlsson, Krystian Zimerman, Rafał Blechacz, Seong-Jin Cho and Bruce Liu.
(mk/ał)