Carter Johnson wins the 2025 Dublin International Piano Competition
The winner of the 13th Dublin International Piano Competition (DIPC) has been announced as Carter Johnson from Canada, who takes home the coveted first prize, which includes a €20,000 cash award, international concert engagements, and a solo recital debut at Carnegie Hall in New York. The first prize was presented by the Lord Mayor of Dublin Emma Blain at the National Concert Hall last night (16.05.25) and is sponsored by KPMG.
Johnson, aged 28, was selected from a field of 25 exceptional young pianists from 12 countries, who qualified and competed in Dublin over the past week. These 25 quarter-finalists were chosen via rigorous online auditions from an initial global entry of 190 pianists.
Born on Vancouver Island, Canada, in 1996, Johnson studied piano with Shelley Roberts, Michelle Mares, Joseph Kalichstein, Matti Raekallio and Wei-Yi Yang. He is currently continuing his studies at Yale University, where he is a candidate for a Doctor of Musical Arts. The silver medallist of the 2024 Gina Bachauer Competition, he has also won prizes at numerous other international competitions. Johnson currently lives in Hamden, Connecticut, with his wife Hannah and their two young boys, Preston and Ambrose.
The second prize was awarded to Young-Ho Shin (18) from South Korea, with a cash award of €10,000, sponsored by Tom Corran. Third prize went to Anson Shin Yung Wong (24) from Hong Kong, receiving a cash award of €5,000, supported by Stewart and Avice Harrington.
A number of special category prizes were also presented:
The McCullough Bursary (€8,000) and Charles J. Brennan Prize (€1,500) were awarded to Dublin pianist Dida Condria (22) as the highest-placed Irish competitor in the competition. A former DIPC Finlay Programme participant who began her musical studies at the Royal Irish Academy of Music at the age of six, Condria has performed internationally at venues such as Carnegie Hall and Wigmore Hall, and is currently studying at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.
The Joe McCullough Prize for Chamber Music (€2,000), sponsored by the McCullough Family, was awarded to Canadian pianist Carter Johnson for the best performance of a piano quintet in the semi-final round.
The Ita Stephens Prize for Beethoven (€2,000), sponsored by the Stephens Family, was awarded to Anson Shin Yung Wong for the best performance of a work by Beethoven in any round of the competition.
The DIPC Founders’ Prize (€2,000), in honour of the four founders of the DIPC and in memory of Ida Delamer, was awarded to Korean pianist Jihyung Youn (26) for the best performance of the commissioned work by an Irish composer in the quarter-final round.
The Lord Mayor of Dublin Emma Blain said: “The Dublin International Piano Competition is a cultural gem in our city, showcasing musical excellence and fostering international talent. It has been a privilege to see the extraordinary standard of performance this year. My warmest congratulations to the winners and to all involved.”
Artistic Director of the DIPC and chair of the jury, Finghin Collins, added: “We have witnessed an outstanding week of performances from some of the world’s most promising young pianists. The level of talent and dedication on display has been truly inspiring. On behalf of the jury, I congratulate Carter and all of this year’s competitors on their extraordinary achievements.”
The final, held at the National Concert Hall, saw the three finalists perform concertos with the National Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Jonas Alber.
The semi-finals and quarter-finals took place earlier in the week at the Royal Irish Academy of Music, where the 25 competitors performed a broad range of repertoire, including works by leading Irish composers David Coonan, Ailís Ní Ríain and Judith Ring, specially commissioned by RTÉ lyric fm, and chamber music with the ConTempo Quartet.
For further information, visit dipc.ie.
ENDS
Contact: Sebastian Enke, Enkom PR, Tel: 087-3239496 / Email: media@enkom.ie