Congratulations to the Winners of the Inaugural Votapek Piano Competition

Congratulations to Ralph Votapek International Young Artist Piano Competition finalists Zhongkai Zhang, Samuel Lu, and Dayou Kim, and to all the competitors who qualified for the inaugural year of this new and exciting competition.

Sixteen-year-old Zhongkai Zhang of Beijing, China, took first place and Best Performance of a Romantic Work. Second Place was awarded​ to Samuel Lu (17, Salt Lake City), Third Place and Audience Favorite Award​ went to Dayou Kim (16, Ontario), and Best Performance of a Classical Work​ was presented to Alexander Liu (14, New Jersey).

Ten total competitors performed in the semi-final round which took place on August 15, 2025. Click here to learn more about each young artist. 

It was an unforgettable two days of performances as the young artists delivered excellent performances in their bid for top honors, with $10,000 in prizes awarded. Attendees voted for the special Audience Favorite Award which was announced during the judges’ presentations. The finals were generously sponsored by Michael and Paula Koppisch.