06/15/2026
The 2026 Pacific Stars International Piano Competition Finals and Winners Concert have just come to an end. I am finally back home late at late night—physically exhausted, but deeply fulfilled and moved.
When I founded Pacific Stars five years ago, I held onto one simple belief: a competition should not exist to produce more winners, but to create a space where excellence can truly meet excellence.
Los Angeles is never short of piano competitions. In fact, many of the students who reached our finals this year would be strong first-prize winners in most other competitions. But I always tell my students that true growth does not come from collecting titles—it comes from stepping onto a higher-level stage, facing stronger peers, listening to better performances, and honestly recognizing the distance between where we are and true artistic excellence.
This year, outstanding young musicians from five U.S. regional divisions, as well as our international division, gathered in California. Over two days and nearly twenty hours of competition, there were countless unforgettable moments. The focus, discipline, and respect these young musicians showed toward music and the stage reaffirmed my belief in the true value of music education.
Competitions eventually end, but growth does not.
I would like to sincerely thank our distinguished jury members for their professionalism and dedication, our staff for their tireless work behind the scenes, and all teachers and parents for their long-term support and guidance. Every student who stepped onto the finals stage stands on years of consistent effort and commitment.
Special congratulations to the winners from the final round. The official competition results have now been published on Pacific Stars website:
https://www.pacificstars.org/livecompetitionwinners
And congratulations to every finalist. Reaching this stage is already a testament to both talent and courage.
This has always been the core belief behind Pacific Stars.
