One of the world’s most prestigious showcases for young classical talent is set to return this summer — and Canada will be represented on the international stage.
Fourteen-year-old Ryan Huang of Ontario has been selected to compete in the 2025 Thomas and Evon Cooper International Competition, held July 18–24 at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music and Severance Music Center in Ohio. The competition culminates in a final round with the renowned Cleveland Orchestra, offering young pianists the rare opportunity to perform a full concerto with a major professional ensemble.
The Cooper Competition, which alternates annually between piano and violin, is open to musicians aged 13 to 18. In addition to cash prizes totalling $40,000 — including a $20,000 first prize — the top three finalists will receive full four-year tuition scholarships to Oberlin Conservatory, contingent on a successful application.
This year’s 21 piano competitors hail from around the world:
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Anna Avramidou, 17 – Nicosia, Cyprus
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Eunha Basu, 15 – Bedford, Massachusetts, U.S.A.
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Anwen Deng, 16 – Brisbane, Australia
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David Gatien, 16 – Bellevue, Washington, U.S.A.
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Xuanyan Gong, 18 – Shanghai, China
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Hanbei Han, 15 – Beijing, China
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Sawako Harada, 18 – Tokyo, Japan
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Minwoo Hong, 17 – Seoul, South Korea
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Ryan Huang, 14 – Ontario, Canada
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Qinyaoyao Ji, 15 – Nantong City, China
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Brian Lin, 18 – Fremont, California, U.S.A.
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Chongrui Luo, 17 – Guizhou, China
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Andrew Petrescu, 16 – Frisco, Texas, U.S.A.
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Jacob Rockower, 17 – Palo Alto, California, U.S.A.
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Yixin Shen, 14 – Shanghai, China
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Saya Uejima, 16 – Uniontown, Ohio, U.S.A.
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JingXing Wang, 16 – Shanghai, China
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Yangting Wang, 13 – Dalian City, China
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Zikang Wang, 17 – Shandong, China
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Kai-Lang Yang, 17 – New Taipei City, Taiwan
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Zhongkai Zhang, 16 – Beijing, China
Huang’s inclusion in this elite group adds to an already dazzling musical résumé. A Young Steinway Artist, he has appeared with major orchestras including the Moscow Philharmonic, Newfoundland Symphony, Wuhan Philharmonic, and Vienna Operaball Orchestra, and has performed in such venues as Carnegie Hall and Shanghai Symphony Hall. He was recently named a Lang Lang Foundation Young Scholar and was the youngest full scholar at the 2023 Morningside Music Bridge program at the New England Conservatory.
Among his many accolades, Huang has claimed first prizes at the Kaufman International Piano Competition, The Nutcracker International Competition in Moscow, and several Canadian national competitions. In 2023, he competed in the Cleveland International Piano Competition for Young Artists, further cementing his reputation as one of the brightest rising stars in classical music.
The 2025 jury includes internationally acclaimed pianists and educators: Robert Shannon, Angela Cheng, Alvin Chow, André Gremillet, Douglas Humpherys, Aljoša Jurinić, Yong Hi Moon, and Haewon Song.
As Huang prepares to take the stage in Ohio, his participation is not only a personal milestone but a proud moment for Canadian classical music on the global scene.