Ralph Votapek International Young Artist Competition

Named for longtime piano Professor and Van Cliburn competition gold medalist Ralph Votapek, Michigan State University’s inaugural International Young Artist Competition aims to spotlight and support the next generation of top classical pianists. The competition culminates in a semifinal round Friday and a final round Sunday, both open to the public. Ten pianists, ages 14 to 18, will perform during each of the rounds, with more than $10,000 in prizes up for grabs.

“We are thrilled to welcome such a remarkable group of young musicians to Michigan State University,” competition director Eric Zuber, an assistant professor of piano, said. “It’s an incredible opportunity for audiences to hear the future of piano performance and celebrate the global talent converging right here in East Lansing.”

The finalists are Olivia Ajero, 16, of Texas; Yiming Chang, 18, of Massachusetts; Olivia Larco, 15, and Celicia Thendean, 17, of California; Alexander Liu, 14, of New Jersey; TongTong Liu, 16, of Georgia; Samuel Lu, 17, of Utah; Yunen Gu, 14, and Dayou Kim, 16, of Ontario, Canada; and Zhongkai Zhang, 16, of Beijing, China. Detailed bios are available at music.msu.edu/votapek.

Attendees will have an opportunity to vote for an audience favorite award, presented during the final round. A panel of judges, comprising College of Music piano faculty, will award top honors.

To reserve free tickets, visit music.msu.edu/events or call (517) 353-5340. The concerts will also be livestreamed at music.msu.edu/online.