2026 Winners
Paderewski Festival Announces Winners of the 2026 Youth Competition
This year’s annual Youth Piano Competition was held in Paso Robles on Sunday, October 11, 2026.
Competition judges included Janet Joichi, a Cal Poly professor of music, Deborah Lagomarsino, a Paderewski Festival Board member, and Marek Zebrowski, Paderewski Festival Artistic Director and Director of the USC Polish Music Center.
Fourteen 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 2026 Youth Piano Competition winners include the following young musicians, who will receive diplomas and cash awards ranging from $100 to $750:
The 2026 Youth Piano Competition finalists in the Junior Division are:
1st Place: Chloe Silva, student of Natasha Kilensko in Santa Barbara
2nd Place: Ezra Alamilla, student of Brandon Bascom in Fresno
3rd Place: Luke Taylor Hassan, student of Miroslava Kisilevitch in Santa Barbara
The 2026 Youth Piano Competition finalists in the Senior Division are:
1st Place: Noelle Hadsall, student of Pascal Solomon in Santa Barbara
2nd Place: Daniel Lien, student of Andreas Werz in Fresno
3rd Place: Ethan Ma, student of Andreas Werz in Fresno
