23 year old Adam Adov from New South Wales received the $33,000 First Prize at the 2026 Australian National Piano Award, announced on Saturday night at Riverlinks Eastbank in Shepparton.
The $13,000 Second Prize went to 22 year old Alyssa Chalmers from New South Wales, who also won over the audience to take the $5,000 Rotary Club of Shepparton People’s Choice Prize, as well as the Shepparton News Prize for best Bach performance.
The $7,000 Third Prize went to 28 year old Oscar Wong from Queensland, who also received the Pam Wells Prize for best Chopin performance.
Across six days, 12 finalists performed 32 solo recitals, which totalled 24 hours of piano music by more than 50 composers spanning four centuries. Programs ranged from Bach, Scarlatti and Beethoven to Chopin, Rachmaninoff and Barber, alongside Australian works by Carl Vine, Ross Edwards and Kym Alexandra Dillon.
Unlike many piano competitions, no one wins this Award on a single standout performance. Each finalist presents at least two 45-minute solo recitals across a demanding breadth of repertoire. Five then advance to the semi final and three to the grand final.
This year’s finalists were selected from a record number of applications and they travelled from across Australia and overseas to compete on the Steinway piano at Riverlinks Eastbank.
Award President and co-founder Darryl Coote said the Award is a significant national arts event. “We’ve been so proud to present the Award in Shepparton since 1992. When we co-founded the Award with some passionate local residents, we never imagined it would become what it is today – a highly sought-after pathway for emerging Australian pianists,” said Coote.
Past First Prize recipients including Amir Farid, Kristian Chong, Jayson Gillham and Alex Raineri have gone on to distinguished national and international careers. The 2024 First Prize recipient, Joshua Han, has since performed across four continents and received First Prize at the International J.S. Bach Piano Competition in Germany.
This year’s adjudicators were Associate Professor Rae de Lisle MNZM (New Zealand), 2006 First Prize recipient: Amir Farid (Australia and USA) and Professor Timothy Steeves (Canada and USA). They assessed technical mastery, interpretive conviction, understanding of each work’s historical and cultural context, and consistency across each finalist’s full program.
Award Artistic Director Wendy Lorenz said audiences were treated to a festival of pianism. “Over six days, we heard everything from Bach and late Beethoven to Scriabin and new Australian works,” said Lorenz.
“What makes this Award special is that a whole community embraces a week of piano music, much like the great European festivals. The finalists feel that warmth from the moment they arrive, and it shows in how they play.”
The Award will return in 2028 for its 18th edition. It is run entirely by a volunteer Board, Associates and local residents, who contribute more than 5,000 unpaid hours to each Award.
The Award has also announced Australian pianist Andrea Lam as its new Ambassador. Lam will help champion the next generation of Australian pianists and raise the profile of the Award.
“Opportunities like this are incredibly important for young Australian pianists, giving them the chance to perform at a high level, be heard and experience the concentration, challenge and excitement of a major competition. I’m looking forward to supporting the Award and the remarkable young pianists who take part,” said Lam.
For more information about the Australian National Piano Award, visit: www.australianpianoaward.com.au for details.
Image: Adam Adov – photo by Lingy Harhangi