Calgary saw strong representation at the 2026 International Piano Professionals Association (IPPA) International Piano Competition. Hosted in Kansas, the annual competition showcases the best pianists around the world. This year, four young Calgary pianists all made their mark: “I really enjoyed performing there in Murphy Hall (at the University of Kansas), and I also really enjoyed overall just the place, and mainly performing,” Gavin said. “It’s really fun to play, and it’s pretty challenging,” Leo added. All four pianists are taught by Michelle Gao of Aspire Piano Studios. Gao has been honoured with a Distinguished Teacher Award from the IPPA in recognition of her students’ accomplishments. She says getting to the final IPPA International Piano Competition stage is very challenging in its own right. To reach the final stage in Kansas, you must perform in the preliminary round to be selected for the national round. In nationals, you have to earn the gold medal for the opportunity to perform at the international level. “Whoever made it to Kansas, they had already gone through all the selection process. They are all the gold medalists in their own locations. They have proven themselves as (some) of the strongest pianists in their age group,” Gao explained, speaking on the caliber of competition. Of the four pianists, Lin was the only one who had prior experience in this competition. He says his past experience helped him understand just how talented all the competition is, and gave him more insight into the level of preparation needed to succeed at the international level. “It’s the polish, the details, the little things. It’s what separates a good performance from a great performance,” Lin said. “For example, if I articulate the top notes, it’s so I could highlight the top voice instead of just playing a bunch of chords, I can actually have a melody in the top voice. And if I have crescendos in the bass, I can highlight maybe the certain notes in the bass while I play crazy notes in the right hand,” he continued. All the performers said they were quite nervous to compete at the highest level in the competition, but once it came to the actual performing part, they felt confident. “I was really nervous when I was backstage, but then when I walked onto the stage and started playing, I wasn’t so nervous so anymore because I was focused on my playing,” Gavin said. “I liked the part you’re playing on stage because before the practices, sometimes I’m like really nervous to go, but like on stage, it’s just like I have to stop being nervous and just focus on the piece,” Miao added. The IPPA International Piano Competition was part of a longer journey for these pianists, as over the past few years they have earned accolades at other international competitions. Gao adds some have been invited to perform at Carnegie Hall in New York City, N.Y. “I was so happy to see them shine on stage, and I was really proud of every single one of them,” Gao said. Gao also wanted to thank Michael Lipnicki Fine Pianos, as she says it has been a fantastic sponsor of the competition at the local level and has played a significant role in the success of her young students, including hosting the preliminary and sometimes national round.
