- Japan’s Rising Talent Shines at the “Piano Festival of the Decade”
- From Early Musical Roots to Berlin: A Journey of Growth
- Independent Spirit: Pursuing a Personal Sound
- From Queen Elisabeth to Chopin: One Email That Changed Everything
- Returning to Chopin After a Long Absence
- A Musical Narrative Across the Rounds
- First Round | 19th Chopin Piano Competition
- Second Round | 19th Chopin Piano Competition
- Third Round | 19th Chopin Piano Competition
- Final Round | 19th Chopin Piano Competition
- The Final: A Natural Sense of Ensemble
- From Ogikubo to the World
- Looking Ahead: Music That Heals and Resonates
- FUKUSUKE’s Reflection
- A Turning Point, A New Light
Japan’s Rising Talent Shines at the “Piano Festival of the Decade”
Every five years, the world’s attention turns to one of classical music’s most prestigious events: the International Chopin Piano Competition.
At the 19th edition, held in Warsaw, Poland in October 2025, a record-breaking 642 pianists from around the globe applied. After preliminary screenings, 84 competitors advanced to the main rounds—13 of them from Japan.
Following three intense stages, only 11 pianists reached the final. Among them, Shiori Kuwahara (30) of Japan earned an outstanding Fourth Prize, marking a significant achievement for Japanese musicians on the world stage.
“I feel I did everything I could. It is an honor that the results followed.”
— Asahi Shimbun, October 21, 2025
These words perfectly capture the essence of her Chopin—a quiet yet deeply felt passion.
From Early Musical Roots to Berlin: A Journey of Growth
Shiori Kuwahara was born in Ogikubo, Suginami Ward, Tokyo.
She began playing the piano at the age of four, though as a child she was equally fond of ballet, swimming, and physical activity.
During her junior high school years, she discovered the joy of performing on stage, which led her to enroll at the Tokyo University of the Arts Music High School. Her career gained momentum in 2013 when she received the Silver Prize in the PTNA Special Grade, followed by consistent success in competitions both in Japan and abroad.
She studied under Kei Itoh at Tokyo University of the Arts and graduated at the top of her class in 2018. That same year, she moved to Germany to study at the Berlin University of the Arts, completing the prestigious Konzertexamen program.
Her accolades include:
- 2nd Prize at the Busoni International Piano Competition (2019)
- 2nd Prize at the Rubinstein International Piano Competition (2021)
- Finalist at the Queen Elisabeth International Music Competition (2025)
Independent Spirit: Pursuing a Personal Sound
One notable aspect of Kuwahara’s success at the 19th Chopin Competition was her independence.
She is not a student of any jury member—an uncommon situation in a competition where many prizewinners often belong to jurors’ studios.
According to Wikipedia, her teachers include Emiko Saito, Mamiko Suda, Kei Itoh, and Klaus Hellwig, and she has also received guidance from Hiroko Nakamura, Michel Béroff, and Pascal Rogé.
Rather than adhering to a single national school, she has cultivated a flexible, multifaceted musical voice, shaped by diverse influences.
From Queen Elisabeth to Chopin: One Email That Changed Everything
In the autumn of 2024, Kuwahara applied to the Queen Elisabeth International Music Competition in Belgium.
Shortly after submitting her application—just before the November deadline—she received an unexpected email from the Chopin Institute (NIFC).
The message explained that pianists who had previously won Second Prize or higher at major international competitions were eligible to enter the Chopin Competition without preliminary screening or preselection.
“I couldn’t immediately feel lucky.
I knew that my exemption might mean someone else would lose their chance to compete.”
— ebravo interview
After three weeks of deep reflection, she chose to accept the invitation.
That quiet decision would become a defining turning point in her life, guiding her to the stage in Warsaw.
Returning to Chopin After a Long Absence
“It had been about ten years since I last played Chopin in front of an audience.”
— ebravo, October 24, 2025
Since the Rubinstein Competition in 2021, Kuwahara had focused primarily on German Romantic repertoire. Chopin, for her, was a reunion.
She reexamined her technique from the ground up, searching for Chopin’s unique colors and touch.
“It felt like discovering a new version of myself,” she reflects.
A Musical Narrative Across the Rounds
At the Chopin Competition, each stage unfolded like a chapter in a single story.
From the first round through the third, her sound matured organically, revealing a clear arc of growth—music speaking for itself.
(Official performance videos are available via the Chopin Institute’s YouTube channel.)
First Round | 19th Chopin Piano Competition
Venue: Warsaw Philharmonic Concert Hall
Piano: Steinway & Sons
Program:
• Etude in A minor, Op. 25 No. 11
• Nocturne in B major, Op. 9 No. 3
• Waltz in A-flat major, Op. 34 No. 1
• Ballade in F minor, Op. 52
▶ Watch First Round (Official YouTube)
Second Round | 19th Chopin Piano Competition
Program:
• Barcarolle in F-sharp major, Op. 60
• Preludes, Op. 28 (Nos. 13–18)
• Fantasy in F minor, Op. 49
• Polonaise in A-flat major, Op. 53
▶ Watch Second Round (Official YouTube)
Third Round | 19th Chopin Piano Competition
Program:
• Scherzo in C-sharp minor, Op. 39
• Mazurkas, Op. 33 (Nos. 1–4)
• Sonata in B minor, Op. 58
▶ Watch Third Round (Official YouTube)
Final Round | 19th Chopin Piano Competition
Program:
• Polonaise-Fantasy in A-flat major, Op. 61
• Piano Concerto No. 1 in E minor, Op. 11
– Allegro maestoso
– Romance: Larghetto
– Rondo: Vivace
▶ Watch Final Round (Official YouTube)
Program details are summarized based on official information published by the Chopin Institute.
The Final: A Natural Sense of Ensemble
In the final round, Kuwahara performed Polonaise-Fantaisie and Piano Concerto No. 1.
Despite this being her first collaboration with orchestra, she recalls:
“It felt less like effort and more like a natural overlap of energies.”
Under the baton of Andrey Boreyko, together with the Warsaw National Philharmonic, the performance conveyed an ease and unity reminiscent of longtime collaborators.
Within a quiet intensity, the hall was filled with music that transcended competition.
From Ogikubo to the World
A native of Ogikubo, Tokyo, Kuwahara has long maintained strong ties to her community, performing regularly at the Ogikubo Music Festival since her student days.
“Musical wings taking flight from Ogikubo to the world.”
— Ogikubo Music Festival Official Site, October 24, 2025
In 2024, she performed Brahms’ Piano Concerto No. 2 with the local Ogikubo Festival Orchestra.
One year later, she played Chopin in Warsaw—her locally nurtured sound now resonating on the world stage.
Looking Ahead: Music That Heals and Resonates
“Music contains not only beauty, but also anger and sorrow.
If I can offer even a moment where someone’s heart feels released, that is enough.”
— Shiori Kuwahara (ebravo)
Each note is born from solitude and dedication.
Because sound can move the human heart, she continues to believe in the power of music.
After the Chopin Competition, her artistry shines ever deeper—quietly, yet unmistakably.
FUKUSUKE’s Reflection
I am not a musician—just a devoted listener of classical music.
Yet Shiori Kuwahara’s sound felt unmistakably different.
Her tone is gentle, rounded, and clear, reaching the ear with remarkable comfort—like light wrapping around the air itself.
Through her playing, I realized anew how profoundly the sound of a piano can change depending on the pianist.
Warmth and stillness coexist in her music.
Listening alone is enough to bring tears to my eyes.
I long to hear her perform live in a concert hall.
For me, this Chopin Competition has a clear first place.
A Turning Point, A New Light
Kuwahara’s participation in the Chopin Competition was a doorway opened by chance—a single email that reshaped her path.
Life often moves forward through unexpected endings and beginnings, quietly intertwined.
I, too, experienced an ending when the company I had worked for many years went bankrupt.
Yet that ending led me to a new resolve: to live through design and words.
Like the honest clarity of Kuwahara’s sound, I want to keep walking forward, believing in small lights even in the dark.
Sources
- Asahi Shimbun Digital
- Shueisha Shinsho Plus (Izumiko Aoyagi, on-site report)
- ebravo interview (Haruka Kosaka)
- Ogikubo Music Festival Official Site
- Wikipedia: “Shiori Kuwahara”
From Ogikubo to the world—
and onward, to the soul of Chopin.
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