2020 Paderewski Youth Piano Competition Winners

Paderewski Festival Announces Winners of the 2020 Youth Competition
 

Paso Robles, CA- The Paderewski Festival in Paso Robles announces the winners of the 2020 Youth Piano Competition. Due to the pandemic, this year's Youth Competition auditions were held virtually and participants were invitied to submit their performance by video. The jurors - Cal Poly San Luis Obispo professors India D'Avignon and Paul Woodring, and Paderewski Festival Atristic Dirctor and USC Polish Music Center Director Marek Zebrowski - individually watched the students' performances and met by vieoconference on October 17 to select the winners.

There were 10 contestants in the Junior Category (ages 10-14) and five contestants in the Senior Category (ages 15-18). Competitors came from the Central California region, including Fresno, Monterey, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties. In both categories, the jurors heard several promising young musicians who demonstrated very high levels of accomplishment.

The 2020 Youth Piano Competition finalists in the Junior Division are:

Third Place and cash award of $200: Sela Yarbrough, a 10-year old 5th grader from Fresno County and a student of Andreas Werz.

Second Place and cash award of $300 each will be given to two contestants ex aequo: Suri Kim and Andy Shen. Suri Kim is a 12-year old 7th grader from Santa Barbara County, studying wth Lynn Garrett. Andy Shen is a 14-year old 9th grader from San Luis Obsipo County, studying with Andy Boehmer.

First Place and cash award of $400: Noelle Hadsall, an 11-year old 6th grader from Santa Barbara County, and a student of Pascal Salomon.

The 2020 Youth Piano Competition finalists in the Senior Division are:

Third Place and cash award of $500: Isabella Osgood, a 17-year old from San Luis Obispo County, and a student of Lynne Garrett.

Second Place and cash award of $600: Aidan Purtell, a 15-year old 10th grader from Fresno County, and a student of Andreas Werz.

First Place and cash award of $750: Holly Hadsall, a 15-year old 10th grader from Santa Barbara County, and a student of Pascal Salomon.

Any questions should be directed to our Youth Piano Competition Coordinator Emma Levine.
She can be reached at ellevine@calpoly.edu or 818.398.7639