Canada’s Kevin Chen named finalist in prestigious Chopin piano competition

Kevin Chen performs during the 3rd stage of the 19th International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition in Warsaw Philharmonic Hall, Poland, 16th of October, 2025.

Canadian pianist Kevin Chen has advanced to the finals of the prestigious 2025 International Chopin Piano Competition.

Chen, 20, is among five Canadians who competed in this year’s event, held every five years in Warsaw, Poland. He was joined by fellow Canadian pianists Athena Deng, Eric Guo, Ryan Wang and Victoria Wong, who were among dozens of competitors from Asia, North America and Europe.

• Canadians in prestigious competition for world’s top young pianists

Born in Calgary in 2005, Chen made his orchestral debut with the Abbotsford Youth Orchestra and is now based in Hanover, Germany, according to his competition biography.

He has since performed with ensembles including the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, Taipei Symphony Orchestra, Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra, Hungarian National Orchestra and Orchestre de la Suisse Romande.

Chen has also appeared at prominent venues and festivals around the world, including Carnegie Hall in New York, and St John’s Smith Square in London.

He won the 2022 Geneva International Music Competition and the 2023 Arthur Rubinstein International Piano Master Competition in Tel Aviv.

Chen is set to open the third day of the finals on Monday, Oct. 20, with a performance of Chopin’s Piano Concerto in E Minor, Op. 11.

Videos of performances by Chen have been posted on the Chopin Competition website.

The last edition of the Chopin Competition was won by another Canadian, Bruce Xiaoyu Liu, in 2021.

With files form CTV News’ Kendra Mangione.