Eric Lu at the piano during the 2025 International Piano Competition (Photo: Bartosz Seifert)
For the first time in 55 years, an American pianist has taken first place at the International Chopin Piano Competition. Twenty-seven year old Eric Lu of Massachusetts was crowned the winner of the coveted award on Tuesday, October 22, 2025.
The International Chopin Piano Competition is one of classical music’s most prestigious competitions, taking place every five years in Warsaw, Poland around the anniversary of Chopin’s death. Like the Olympics, preparations for the competition start years in advance as applicants between the ages of 16 and 30 undergo a rigorous selection process before a small group is approved to compete.
After hours of competition, this year’s 11 finalists included 25-year-old Polish pianist Piotr Alexewicz and 17-year-old Chinese pianist Tianyao Lyu. Contestants were asked to perform one Chopin piano concerto of their choice alongside the Polonaise-Fantasy Op. 61. It was a tight race as judges deliberated for hours before finally announcing their decision at 2:30 am local time.
Lu is the first American pianist to win the award since Garrick Ohlsson in 1970, and is no stranger to the competition. His first appearance in 2015 resulted in a 4th place victory. Lu is also one of the few winners in history with an already-established performing career, having released multiple albums and appeared with major orchestras, including the Los Angeles Philharmonic.
The first place prize is 60,000 euros and a gold medal. Other podium winners this year included Canadian pianist Kevin Chen in second place, and Chinese pianist Zitong Wang in third. Deutsche Grammophon has announced that a live album from the competition will be released on November 21, as part of a renewed collaboration with the Fryderyk Chopin Institute.
