2023 PADEREWSKI YOUTH PIANO COMPETITION WINNERS
Paderewski Festival Announces Winners of the 2023 Youth Competition
This year’s annual Youth Piano Competition was held in Paso Robles on Sunday, October 15, 2023. Competition judges included Meredith Brammeier, a Cal Poly professor of music, India D'Avignon, a Paderewski Festival Board member, and Marek Zebrowski, Paderewski Festival Artistic Director and Director of the USC Polish Music Center.
Sixteen participants from the Central Coast Region (including Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, and Fresno Counties) participated in the Junior Division (ages 10-14) and Senior Division (ages 15-18). The 2023 Youth Piano Competition winners include the following young musicians, who will receive diplomas and cash awards ranging from $100 to $750:
The 2023 Youth Piano Competition finalists in the Junior Division are:
▪ 1st Place: Sela Yarbrough, student of Andreas Werz in Fresno
▪ 2nd Place: Jiyoo Kim-Jung, student of Miroslava Kisilevitch in Santa Barbara
▪ 3rd Place: Noelle Hadstall, student of Pascal Salomon in Santa Barbara
The 2023 Youth Piano Competition finalists in the Senior Division are:
▪ 1st Place: Suri Kim, student of Lynne Garrett in Orcutt
▪ 2nd Place: Sara Gutsall, student of Barbara Ruzicka in Carmel
▪ 3rd Place: Ellen Butler, student of Natasha Kilensko in Santa Barbara
▪ Legacy Award: Anna Albright, student of W. Terrence Spiller in San Luis Obispo
