During the recent culmination of the Naumburg International Piano Competition 2023, held at the 92nd Street Y's Kaufmann Concert Hall on November 4, four finalists showcased their prowess. Ultimately, the prestigious First Prize was awarded to Yang (Jack) Gao, a 19-year-old pianist from China. Gao, currently under the tutelage of Jerome Lowenthal at The Juilliard School, has an educational background that includes mentorship from Huiqiao Bao, Xu Fei, and Elmar Gasanov at China Conservatory of Music-affiliated institutions. Notably, Gao has secured victories in Juilliard's Gina Bachauer Piano Competition and its concerto competition.

As part of his triumph, Gao will receive a $25,000 prize, along with the honor of performing two recitals at Carnegie Hall. Additionally, a unique musical piece will be composed specifically for him.

The Second Prize of $15,000 was bestowed upon Anna Han, a 27-year-old American pianist who recently completed her Artist Diploma at the Barenboim-Said Akademie in Berlin, studying under the guidance of Sir András Schiff and Schaghajegh Nosrati.

The Third Prize, totaling $10,000, was claimed by Sahun (Sam) Hong, a 20-year-old American pianist renowned for winning the 2017 Vendome Prize at Verbier and securing the Second Prize at the 2017 International Beethoven Competition in Vienna. The honorarium of $2,000 was awarded to 26-year-old American-Canadian Carter Johnson.

The esteemed jury panel for the 2023 competition comprised co-chairs Anton Nel and Ursula Oppens, alongside John Corigliano, Seth Knopp, Nicholas Mann, Ann Schein, Diane Walsh, and William Wolfram.

For those eager to relive the captivating performances, the final round of the competition can be re-watched by following the provided link.