Follow-up Concerts 2025 - Kronberg International Piano Competition for Young Pianists

Follow-up Concerts

Fees totaling 10,000 €

For us, a piano competition is not the end, but the beginning of a musical journey. Through our follow-up concerts, master classes, and scholarships, we create a platform that provides long-term support for young talent and offers them a stage that extends far beyond the competition.

For young pianists, concerts are much more than just a performance. It is the moment when weeks of work pay off and the music comes to life—through direct interaction with the audience. Here, they learn to cope with stage fright, gain experience, and benefit from interacting with the other concert participants. Playing in front of an audience motivates the young pianists and fuels their passion for music. All artists receive a fee and a pro-rated reimbursement of their expenses.

Experience our award winners in seven unique concerts, featuring press coverage and personal insights!

Augustinum Senior Living Community

Augustinum Senior Living Community, Bad Soden, April 6, 2025, 5:00 p.m.

“Virtuoso—moving—extraordinary”

was the enthusiastic headline in the Bad Sodener Zeitung's review dated April 9, 2025.

In the beautiful theater hall of the Augustinum senior residence in Bad Soden, Linda Yuan, Martin Zhu, David Yifan Chen, Yulianna Beziazychna, Maximilian Hongcheng Zhu, Toni Gu, and Ei Fujimori (Groups II through V) delighted the large audience in attendance.

What Participants Are Saying

Thank you very much for your wonderful organization of the concert at the Augustinum, as well as for your kind words and the beautiful photos—please also extend my special thanks to Mr. Feldmann for the great photos and all his hard work behind the scenes! It was a great pleasure for us to participate in this special concert, and the atmosphere and warm hospitality made it an unforgettable experience.

Ling Cheng, mother of Maximilian Zhu

We would like to express our heartfelt thanks for the organization and the wonderful atmosphere!
The Martin Zhu Family

Thank you so much for your kind words and for organizing such a wonderful concert at Augustinum. It was a pleasure and an honor to be part of the event, and we truly enjoyed the warm atmosphere and the appreciative audience.

The Fujimori Family

We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to ganz for their extraordinary dedication in organizing this wonderful competition and concert. The impressive professionalism and remarkable commitment of the entire organizing team deeply moved us. For David, participating was a ganz special experience—the opportunity to make music and exchange ideas with so many talented young pianists from all over the world was an unforgettable and enriching experience. We are already looking forward with great anticipation to the next competition in two years and very much hope to be able to participate again then!

The Family Chen

The photos and the review are ganz wonderful! Toni was also very happy to experience the great atmosphere of the concert at the Augustinum. The venue, the audience, the hall, and the grand piano are simply fantastic! He also really enjoyed your hosting! It was also a great pleasure for him to witness the audience’s donations after the concert and to chat with the audience. It really motivates him when he plays the piano! Thank you very much again for your wonderful dedication!

Meng Li, Toni Gu’s mother

Thank you so much for everything!

Family Beziazychna

Augustinum Senior Living Community, Bad Soden, November 16, 2025

What an evening! Four award winners from Groups V through VII wowed the audience with their rousing performance at the second concert at the Bad Soden Augustinum Senior Residence on November 16, 2025.

Jueon Lee, 14, South Korea; Magdalena Pflüger, 16, Germany; Tatia Abashishvili, 19, Georgia; and Sebastian Rauch, 18, Germany, delivered a spectacular concert full of magical sounds and virtuosity. You can see just how enthusiastic the audience was—along with many other unforgettable moments—in the coming weeks and months on Instagram and Facebook in the coming weeks and months.

We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to the Augustinum Senior Residence and to our fantastic sponsor of this wonderful evening, Hansen & Heinrich AG from Frankfurt!

What Participants Are Saying

As a prize winner at the international piano competition in Kronberg, I was invited—along with three other participants—to a follow-up concert in Bad Soden, which took place a few months later. A wonderful memory of a fantastically organized competition! I had been looking forward to this concert for a long time, and we eventually gathered at the Augustinum in Bad Soden as a quartet of four prize winners. Together, we were able to present a very diverse program, which was elegantly woven together by Ms. Danne-Feldmann’s engaging commentary. I found the audience to be very interested in music and appreciative. The Augustinum has a Steinway B grand piano—I really enjoyed just warming up on it. Despite arriving late due to my long journey from Berlin, I was given plenty of time to warm up.
The S-Bahn trains to the main station were all canceled that week, so a colleague later drove me to the train station in Frankfurt—even all the way to the platform—which was truly extremely accommodating! The organization of the concert was fantastic, just like the competition back then. Kronberg simply has a very special atmosphere; the people there are very friendly. During the competition, the foyer was decorated with flowers, and there were plenty of information tables. It was the same in Bad Soden: food and drinks were provided for the artists. We were also invited to give an interview; I think the montage of the various clips is brilliant.
Despite my long trip—including the inevitable train delay on the way back and the resulting early-morning arrival—it was a wonderful experience filled with interesting encounters, lots of joy, and music.

The concert was an unforgettable moment for me. The warmth of the audience, as well as the sincere applause and words of encouragement after my performance, gave me—as a young musician—great courage and renewed strength. The entire organization—from the rehearsals to every detail on the day of the concert—was perfect. I’m also grateful that this trip allowed me to meet other wonderful German musicians, which gave me new inspiration and motivation.
I’d like to thank you personally from the bottom of my heart. Through our many messages, you organized so much for me and helped me incredibly. Without your support, this trip would never have been so special and meaningful.
The visit to the Mainz University of Music, the guided tour led by a Korean student, and the opportunity to observe Prof. Claudia Schellenberger’s class—and even to play for her myself—were unforgettable and exceptionally valuable experiences for me. These experiences give me great motivation and strength to continue moving forward as a musician.

I’m very happy to have been part of this wonderful concert. The hall and piano were lovely, and the whole atmosphere was warm and inviting. The organization was top-notch, and the audience was incredibly sweet, attentive, and kind. I’m grateful for the opportunity to perform in such a welcoming setting.

The concert at the Augustinum in Bad Soden was something special for me ganz . I was very happy to have the opportunity to perform there as part of the Kronberg Piano Competition. The atmosphere was very welcoming, and the audience was incredibly appreciative—I felt right at home from the very first moment. It was an evening I’ll always cherish.

“Art & Music - Encounters”

The close and very cordial collaboration with the “Barbara and Dr. Hans-Werner Dildei Art & Culture Foundation” has led to three follow-up concerts in 2025.

A big thank you goes to Dr. Dildei, who, with his exhibition and concert series “Art & Music – Encounters,” has set new standards in bringing the arts and people together. His passionate commitment to promoting talent, among other causes, is supported by the Taunussparkasse and the Hohemark Clinic in Oberursel, to whom we also extend our heartfelt thanks!

“Art & Music – Encounters,” Taunus Sparkasse Bad Homburg, April 29, 2025

Linda Yuan, Vadim Nikitin, Maximilian Hongcheng Zhu, Toni Gu, Raffaello Giannini, Ellie Jasmine Bauwens , and Ei Fujimori (Groups II through V) captivated the amazed audience with their fantastic performance at this concert.

It was wonderful to experience how the cultural enjoyment of music, painting, and the visual arts, combined with the excellent catering provided by Taunus Sparkasse, left a lasting and unique impression.

Interacting with artists in the fields of painting and the visual arts—and with their works—was also a source of inspiration for our young talents.

What Participants Are Saying

"One of the most important things for the growth of young musicians is to let them perform. Concerts are not competitions. They feel more freedom to interpret the pieces, and with stage experience, their musical studies can be inspired and enriched. From the competition to the laureate concerts, we see how the Kronberg Competition strives to promote and support young musicians with a focus on education. In this way, the competition not only motivates young musicians but also promotes classical music in general. It is a significant responsibility that requires a great deal of effort and passion from the competition organizers. We can only repay this effort and passion through our own dedication to our shared love: music. Many thanks to the Kronberg International Piano Competition for Young Pianists for welcoming Raffaello into this big family.'' Please feel free to quote any sentences you’d like!

There are still so many feelings and things to say—such as the food service, the venue, the audiences, and the entire experience you organized, and so on. We don’t take anything for granted. We are so grateful for this opportunity! We could write pages and pages about it!

Here’s some personal news regarding Raffaello and the Kronberg Competition that I’d like to share with you! Yesterday, Raffaello’s school told him that they’ll give him some flexibility in choosing his classes (because Raffaello skipped a grade and made it to the Math Olympiad finals. He likes math, so it’s just for fun, but the school takes it seriously). They asked Raffaello if he’d skip some classes to take others—which classes would he like to take? Raffaello told them: “I want to start learning German sooner and study it more, and of course, I also want to study math.” They asked, “Why do you want to learn German so much?” Raffaello said, “Because last week I went to Germany for the Laureate Concert of the Kronberg Competition, and I wish I could speak German to the Germans.”

Raffaello is inspired by every experience. Thank you!!!
Camille Giannini

It was a very meaningful and carefully organized event. The audience showed great respect for the art. Maximilian felt very honored to perform in such an atmosphere, and we, too, thoroughly enjoyed the special atmosphere of the concert. Thank you very much for all your efforts, and we look forward to future opportunities like this one.

The Zhu Family, Ling Cheng

Toni had a great experience and enjoyed a wonderful interaction with the audience. We’d like to thank him once again for his wonderful work and tremendous dedication! We hope to see him again soon!

Meng Li, Toni Gu’s mother

I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to the organizers of the piano competition in Kronberg. Everything was organized to the highest standard—thoughtfully planned down to the smallest detail. The jury consisted of renowned professors, and participating was a valuable experience for me.

A special highlight was the special prize: an invitation to the ART & MUSIC – Encounters concert, sponsored by the Barbara and Dr. Hans-Werner Dildei Art & Culture Foundation. The combination of visual art and music, the warm atmosphere, and sharing the stage with wonderful young musicians—all of this made for an unforgettable evening.
A beautiful memory of respect, connection, and a genuine love for music and art.

Vadim Nikitin

"We had a wonderful time at the concert organized by Art and Music Encounters and the Kronberg Piano Competition in Bad Homburg. Ellie had the opportunity to perform surrounded by art for a discerning and enthusiastic audience. As always, the organization was top-notch. The young pianists got to know one another in a warm atmosphere during and after the concert, while also having the chance to enjoy the art."

Yuliya Bauwens

This competition has greatly broadened my son’s horizons. Not only did he grow as a performer, but he also made many wonderful friends from different categories through the various events.
It was a truly valuable experience for him.

The Fujimori Family

It was a great idea to combine the piano concert with the art exhibition at the Taunus Sparkasse. It creates a special atmosphere for all of us. It was also fun to play the grand piano right in the middle of the audience.

The winners’ concert at the Taunus Sparkasse was very well organized, both by you and by the Taunus Sparkasse, and the piano concert was a great success. All the pianists gave their best, and it was also impressive to hear and experience how the piano music affected us in a space dedicated to the visual arts. The experience will remain in our memories for a long time.

Thank you very much for your efforts and support for the Kronberg Piano Competition project.

Linda Yuan and family

“Art & Music – Encounters,” Taunus Sparkasse Bad Homburg, September 9, 2025

Another unforgettable and thrilling concert evening! Yuewen Yin (15) from the Netherlands, Raffaello Giannini (14) from Belgium, and Felix Wu (18) from Germany captivated the spellbound audience at Art & Music in the Taunus Sparkasse Bad Homburg with their extraordinary performances.

Haydn, Beethoven, Chopin, Liszt, and Debussy performed at the very highest level, combined with the deeply impressive and moving paintings and sculptures by Andrew Friedrich and Oliver Czarnetta, all set against the backdrop of the Taunus Sparkasse campus and complemented by excellent catering—a truly unique experience! This concert was also hosted by Artistic Director Ulrike Danne-Feldmann.

Once again, we would like to extend our special and heartfelt thanks to the “Barbara and Dr. Hans-Werner Dildei Art and Culture Foundation” and the Taunus Sparkasse!

What Participants Are Saying

“We would like to sincerely thank you for providing such a wonderful venue at Taunussparkasse for the young pianists to perform. It was a truly meaningful opportunity for Yuewen to share her music and gain valuable experience. Meeting two other talented pianists from the Kronberg International Piano Competition was also a great joy—the exchange of ideas and experiences and the friendships we formed made the event even more special. We deeply appreciate the warm atmosphere, excellent organization, and the chance for the young musicians to connect through music.”

The Yuewen Yin family

“It was another unforgettable laureate concert in Germany, and the atmosphere was very cozy and warm. The venue is smaller than last time, but the audience is more intimate. In any case, even though the young pianists are mostly still conservatory students, they did not feel any less respected. They were treated as professional pianists. In this way, they developed respect for themselves as well as for their future profession. We really appreciate the smooth and professional standard operating procedures (S.O.P.) for the laureate concerts provided by the Kronberg Competition.
This time, we were also happy to meet an artist from another field, Mr. Andrew Friedrich. It is always beneficial to bring young musicians together with other artists in such settings.”

The Raffaello Giannini family

Between the master classes and concerts in Murrhardt, I, along with two other prize winners, also had the opportunity to perform at a concert for the Taunus-Sparkasse in Bad Homburg. Here, too, the organization was once again excellent. The freshly tuned Steinway grand piano from Frankfurt had a wonderful touch and a refined, brilliant sound. Although the room isn’t actually intended for concerts, the acoustics were surprisingly good. Following the musical performances, there was an art exhibition featuring the artists Andrew Friedrich and Oliver Czarnetta, as well as a lavish buffet, which successfully rounded out the evening.

As Felix’s mother, I believe that the Kronberg Competition is not just a simple competition, but also offers support for young talent through special prizes such as concert opportunities and master classes. The IKAM, too, is at once a master class, a concert series, and a competition. I hope that in the future, not only my son Felix but also other young pianists will benefit from the competition, and I wish the Kronberg Competition continued success.

“Art & Music – Encounters,” Hohemark Clinic, Oberursel, October 24, 2025

For the first time since we began collaborating with Art & Music, the event took place in the church hall of the Hohe Mark Clinic in Oberursel, with its beautiful acoustics.
Yulianna Beziazychna (11, Ukraine), Yad Barzinjy (14, Germany), and Tatia Abashishvili (19, Georgia) performed a fantastic program. The audience was absolutely thrilled! The cozy get-together that followed, featuring finger food and drinks, provided plenty of opportunity for interesting conversations—a perfect way to wrap up the evening. A big thank you to Klink Hohe Mark, Dr. Dildei, and Andrew Friedrich, who once again captivated everyone present with his art!

What Participants Are Saying

We are happy to be part of this competition.
The competition in Kronberg is an incredibly welcoming and perfectly organized event. Everything is thoughtfully arranged—from rehearsals and accommodations to direct contact with the organizers. The additional entertainment program was a wonderful surprise—we haven’t seen anything like it anywhere else!
At many competitions, you just show up, perform, and leave without really connecting with anyone. But here, taking part in two concerts after the competition gave us new experiences, insights, connections, and valuable stage time. We’ve never seen another competition organized with such care and attention to every participant. Yulianna is already planning to come back!

We would like to express our heartfelt thanks for this wonderful experience. The organization was truly perfect, and we were delighted by the friendly hospitality. The evening itself was an unforgettable experience—we’d like to express our sincere gratitude not only for the opportunity to perform, but also for the presence of such a cultured audience that day. It was—and remains—a wonderful experience to engage in conversations with people from the audience after the concert, who demonstrate their deep appreciation and enthusiasm for the music. So even after the actual performance, there’s still the opportunity to savor the moment and engage in conversation with those present about what’s so important to you. The extensive feedback is incredibly important for artistic development, so as an artist and as a person, you can only benefit from it. The concert program was entertaining and exciting—the allotted performance time was long enough for me to perform my improvisation and a classical piece. In general, the openness regarding the selection of program pieces is great and admirable. It was a special pleasure for me to be able to present one of my own works within the allotted time—this openness is very encouraging and valuable.

It was an interesting and special experience to perform in this setting. The atmosphere was warm, and I really appreciated the audience’s openness and connection to the music.

Weilburg Castle Concerts

Weilburg Castle Concerts 2026, June 7, 2026, 11:00 a.m., Upper Orangery

In the extraordinary and exclusive setting of the Weilburg Castle Concerts , Linda Yuan (Germany), Stefan Szypura (Switzerland), and Raffaello Giannini (Belgium) will perform a matinee filled with musical stories and pianistic mastery.

As winners of the AG V competition, they were personally invited to the concert by the new artistic director, Clemens Mohr. The Weilburg Castle Concerts place great emphasis on promoting talent, and we would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to Clemens Mohr and the Weilburg Castle Concerts for their fantastic collaboration!

We would also like to extend our heartfelt thanks to Hansen & Heinrich AG, an independent asset manager that is passionately committed to art and culture and is sponsoring this concert!

Program, photos, and participant testimonials to follow

Tidal Concerts 2026

“The youthful passion, the remarkable skill, and the unspoiled freshness continue to thrill the Gezeiten audience anew year after year.”

The “Gipfelstürmer” concerts, designed to support the next generation, are one of the many facets of this renowned festival in East Frisia. We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to Artistic Director Matthias Kirschnereit for giving us the opportunity to provide Sebastian Rauch (18, AG VII) from Germany with this wonderful stage!

Program, photos, and participant testimonials to follow