D Festival
Young Pianist Program

On the evening of July 31, the inaugural D Festival Young Pianist Program came to a successful close at the Quanzhou Grand Theatre. Spanning 14 days, the program featured multiple sections including concerts by renowned masters and artists, young pianists’ concerts, student solo recitals, chamber music ensemble concerts, masterclasses, themed lectures, and the 1st edition of the International D Masters Piano Competition. A total of 27 young pianists from mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, the United States, and Europe gathered to learn from one another and exchange musical ideas.

This edition of the D Festival Young Pianist Program was presented by Hong Kong Fantasia International Music Management Ltd. (HKFIMM), with Kayserburg Piano as the exclusive piano sponsor. World-renowned pianists Antonio Pompa-Baldi, George Li, Ruoyu Huang , Andrew Tyson, and others were specially invited as faculty.

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Through masterclasses and one-on-one lessons, they provided high-level guidance and artistic inspiration to the young pianists.

A Constellation of Masters · Striving for Excellence

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During the program, 12 artists and professors formed the “Master Team” for this year’s D Festival. Over 15 days, the program delivered 32 public masterclasses and 146 private lessons for the 27 young pianists from around the world, along with two piano improvisation workshop lectures and six Studio Classes (small-group piano seminar sessions). The intensive and efficient schedule not only gave participants professional instruction from top international pianists, but also supported well-rounded growth through diverse learning formats.

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Quartet Daedalus in Collaboration · A Transformative Stage

For this year’s program, the Quartet Daedalus was specially invited to take part in the curriculum and rehearsals. In addition to offering professional chamber music coaching, they also rehearsed and performed in multiple quartet projects together with the young pianists.

Through collaboration with a professional chamber ensemble, participants made notable progress in musical listening, ensemble coordination, and stage presentation. Many participants’ improvements over just two weeks were clearly visible. The process of moving from rehearsal to performance also gave the young pianists a more mature performing experience.

Renowned Artists Gather · Highlight Moments

As a key part of the program, the D Festival master concert series were a major highlight. The joint concert by Antonio Pompa-Baldi and George Li was presented at the Opera Hall of the Quanzhou Grand Theatre. With highly distinctive repertoire choices and stage presence, the two pianists delivered a listening feast of both depth and passion. Their collaboration not only showcased the performance standards of top international artists, but also illustrated for the participants how different musical traditions can engage, interact, and collide.

This year D Festival's was further elevated by the performances of Chun-Lam U and Ping-Hong Lin, both third-prize winners of the Maria Canals International Piano Competition. Chun-Lam U brought the prestige of having competed on the main stage of the International Chopin Piano Competition in Warsaw, while Ping-Hong Lin arrived fresh from his third-prize success at this year’s Paderewski International Piano Competition in Poland. Their appearances showcased a remarkable level of artistry, serving as a powerful inspiration for the younger students to see what is possible through dedication and talent.

In the “Piano Marathon Concert,” young pianists from different countries and regions took turns performing for several hours. From Bach to Chopin, from Debussy to Rachmaninoff, the unbroken stream of music immersed the audience. This unique format not only tested performers’ endurance and psychological resilience, but also gave more participants the opportunity to step onto the stage and gain real performance experience.

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Young pianists from different countries and regions also found a new language of exchange through intangible cultural heritage. Beyond music, they came to better understand the value of cultural diversity through comparison and experience, and learned to seek resonance through cross-cultural encounters.

Cultural Discovery · Exchange and Shared Understanding

Beyond the intensive courses and stage-based curriculum, the D Festival Young Pianist Program also arranged a cultural exploration day trip. Together, faculty and participants visited Quanzhou’s ancient city to learn about its historical and cultural heritage as the starting point of the ancient Silk Road. At a Nanyin performance, the young pianists heard for the first time the music known as a “living fossil of ancient music”; its delicate melodies and distinctive vocal style left them with a deep appreciation of the refinement and long continuity of Eastern musical traditions.

The puppet-theatre experience session allowed participants to directly experience the ingenuity and inheritance of Chinese theatrical performance. From the exquisite carving of puppet heads to the vivid stage manipulation, the activity offered fresh artistic inspiration. Young pianists from different countries and regions found a new language of exchange through intangible cultural heritage.

Beyond music, they came to better understand the value of cultural diversity through comparison and personal experience, and also learned to seek resonance through cross-cultural encounters.

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Competing on the Same Stage · Pianistic Skills in Contest

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As an important component of the program, the International D Masters Piano Competition welcomed its grand final at the Quanzhou Grand Theatre. Launched at the beginning of the year and lasting half a year, the competition went through preliminary and semi-final rounds before culminating in the final showdown, where outstanding young pianists from China, Hong Kong, the United States, and gathered in Quanzhou for the last stage of competition.

The competition included multiple categories such as the  Young Artist Division, Professional Division, and Emerging Talents Division. It not only provided a platform for future professional pianists to showcase themselves, but also created valuable opportunities for developing young pianists to gain experience. Contestants from different divisions each presented their own strengths on stage.

This year’s competition was not only a contest for honors, but also a comprehensive trial. Participants trained their psychological resilience on stage, accumulated valuable experience, and continued improving through peer exchange and expert feedback. A professional development fund with a total value of HKD 550,000, provided by Hong Kong Fantasia International Music Management Ltd. (HKFIMM), was specially established to support the future development of young pianists.

In addition, award-winning participants will receive D Festival 2026 scholarships to continue further study and practice on this international platform. At the awards concert, applause and cheers intertwined—witnessing the winners’ moments of glory while also demonstrating the program’s firm commitment to supporting young musicians’ growth and promoting international exchange.

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