In 2025, she achieved the Special Grade Grand Prix at the 49th PTNA Piano Competition, also receiving the Audience Award, First Prize in the Online Audience Award, the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Award, and the Steinway Award. These outstanding accomplishments reflect her exceptional artistry and continued dedication to music.

Congratulations to Tomoka Inazawa on this well deserved recognition.

Tomoka Inazawa Bio

Winner of the Grand Prix at the 49th PTNA Piano Competition (2025), also receiving the Audience Award, Online Audience Award (First Prize), the MEXT Award (Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan), and the Steinway Prize.

Born in Mitoyo, Kagawa Prefecture, Japan, she has achieved notable success at the PTNA Piano Competition, including a Top Five Prize in the G Grade (2022) and Shilver Prize in the Pre–Superior Grade (2024). She has also won First Prizes at the Kagawa Junior Music Competition (High School Piano Categories A and B), the Sakai International Piano Competition, and the Tokyo International Piano Competition, as well as Third Prize at the Osaka International Music Competition.

Her performance appearances include concerts at Sunport Hall Takamatsu, the Chofu International Music Festival 2024, La Folle Journée Tokyo, the Polish Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, and recital tours in Tokyo and Osaka commemorating her PTNA Grand Prix win. She has performed with orchestra in concerts such as the Japan Philharmonic Orchestra × PTNA Chopin Concert at Suntory Hall and the IMA Classical Concert Series.

In addition to her solo career, she is active in arranging and accompanying, and performs as a member of the euphonium–piano duo “bouquet.”

She studied piano with Chigusa Hara, Kyoko Saito, Miho Yamamoto, and Ryoji Ariyoshi, and composition with Kyoko Hasegawa and Naoshi Kukiyama.

She is a graduate of the Music Department of Sakaide High School, Kagawa Prefecture, and is currently a fourth-year undergraduate student at Toho Gakuen School of Music.

The beautiful towns of Nałęczów and Kazimierz Dolny in Poland are once again set to become the epicenter of musical brilliance as they host the 28th International Piano Festival and Course (XXVIII Międzynarodowy Festiwal i Kurs Pianistyczny) from July 21 to August 1, 2025.

Under the artistic direction of Kazimierz Brzozowski and Tomoko Mack-Brzozowska, this prestigious event continues its tradition of bringing together world-class pianists, promising young talents, and music enthusiasts for nearly two weeks of inspiring performances and masterclasses.

Highlights of the Festival:

July 22 & 23 – TOMOKO AND YUKI MACK
The renowned piano duo returns with thrilling programs featuring works by Paderewski, Smetana, De Falla, Ravel, Gershwin, Piazzolla, Brahms, and Liszt, performed at both CSW Energetyk and Park Zdrojowy in Nałęczów.

July 24 – FILIP BOBROWSKI
Performing on a historical Erard piano in Kazimierz Dolny’s Wikarówka, Bobrowski offers a recital of Bach, Brahms, and Chopin—sure to enchant lovers of classical authenticity.

July 28 & 31 – KYOKA MINAMI
A rising star and PTNA Grand Prix laureate from Tokyo, Minami will grace the stage with performances of Rameau, Mendelssohn, Brahms, and Schumann in both Nałęczów and Kazimierz Dolny.

July 29 – ARTHUR GREENE
An acclaimed interpreter of Chopin and Liszt, Greene’s recital will include masterpieces by Bach, Chopin, and Liszt.

Student Concerts
On July 25, 30, and 31, student concerts highlight the progress and talent nurtured during the course—an opportunity to witness the next generation of pianists in action.

July 28 – Scholarship Competition
Promising young pianists will compete in a prestigious scholarship contest held at CSW Energetyk, spotlighting emerging talent.

August 1 – Grand Finale
The festival concludes with a majestic final concert featuring selected participants performing piano concertos by Bach, Haydn, Mozart, and Chopin, accompanied by a chamber orchestra under the baton of Kazimierz Brzozowski.

Join us for this celebration of piano artistry!
Whether you’re a devoted music aficionado or a curious newcomer, the 28th International Piano Festival and Course promises inspiration, emotion, and unforgettable performances in the idyllic surroundings of Nałęczów and Kazimierz Dolny.

Organizers: Nałęczowska Fundacja Muzyczna, Nałęczowski Ośrodek Kultury
Honorary Patronage: Ministry of Culture and National Heritage of Poland

A Trail of Achievements

Minami Kyoka’s career is a testament to her exceptional skill and passion for music. Among her many accomplishments, she claimed the grand prize and audience award at the 2024 PTNA Piano Competition Superior Grade, where she also earned the esteemed Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Award and the Steinway Award. She further demonstrated her musical prowess by securing first prize and the audience award at the Sakai International Piano Competition and was recognized as a top five winner in the PTNA Piano Competition for participants under the age of 22.

In 2023, Kyoka added another triumph to her list by winning the Boston Conservatory Concerto Competition. This victory led to a memorable performance of Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1 with the Conservatory Orchestra, a highlight in her already illustrious career.

Her collaborations with prestigious orchestras, including the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra, Virtuosi Brunenses Orchestra, Sao Paulo Youth Symphony Orchestra, and Ribeirão Preto Symphony Orchestra, have cemented her status as a sought-after soloist on the global stage.

A Foundation of Excellence

Kyoka’s musical journey began at just four years old when she started piano lessons, quickly revealing her prodigious talent. At the age of six, she moved to Boston to study at the Longy School of Music under Alice Wilkinson. By age ten, her studies took a significant leap forward under the tutelage of Claudio Soares.

Her academic achievements are equally impressive. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Piano Performance from Kyoto University of Arts in 2020, studying under the guidance of Kumiko Hattori and Hibiki Tamura. Continuing her education in the United States, Kyoka completed her Master of Music degree and Graduate Performance Diploma at the Boston Conservatory at Berklee, where she studied with the renowned Max Levinson.

Throughout her career, Kyoka has received support from notable scholarships, including the Mark H. Cooley Piano Scholarship, the Churchill Scholarship, and the Aoyama Music Foundation Scholarship, reflecting her dedication and the high regard in which she is held by the music community.

Looking Ahead to the Festival

Minami Kyoka’s appearance at the 2025 International Piano Festival promises to be a highlight of the event, offering audiences the chance to witness the artistry of one of today’s most exciting pianists. Her performances are known for their technical brilliance, emotional depth, and interpretative insight, qualities that have consistently set her apart on the international stage.

As we anticipate her contribution to this year’s festival, we celebrate not only her achievements but also her inspiring journey as a musician. Prepare to be moved and amazed by the incredible talents of Minami Kyoka—a true luminary of the piano world.

Stay tuned for the festival schedule and more updates on our extraordinary lineup!

Manami Suzuki won first place in both the 47th PTNA Piano Competition Superior Grade and the 92nd Japan Music Concours Piano Division, two of Japan’s largest competitions, in 2023. Her victories in both competitions in the same year mark the second occurrence.

Born in Osaka in 2002, Suzuki began playing the piano at the age of four. After graduating from Osaka Prefectural Yuhigaoka High School’s music course, she enrolled at Tokyo College of Music as a scholarship student. Currently, she is pursuing a master’s degree at Tokyo College of Music. She has received guidance from Chikako Inagaki, Miaki Sato, Rie Ishii, and Mizuho Nakada in the past. Presently, she is studying under Katsunori Ishii. Additionally, she has received instruction from world-class pianists and piano professors such as Elisso Virsaladze, Ronan O’Hora, Markus Schirmer, Noriko Ogawa, and Luis Fernando Perez at the Hamamatsu International Piano Academy (2023-2024) , the masterclasses of PTNA (Piano Teachers’ National Association of Japan) and other masterclasses.

Suzuki won First Prize in the Hupfer Division of the 27th HUPFER Tosu Piano Competition and Fourth Prize in the piano division of the 32nd Takarazuka Vega Music Competition. In August 2023, she received the Grand Prix and Audience Award at the 47th PTNA Piano Competition, as well as the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Award and the Steinway Award. In October of the same year, Suzuki won First Prize in the piano division of the 92nd Japan Music Concours, the Iwatani Prize (Audience Award), Nomura Prize, Iguchi Prize, Kawai Prize, Miyake Prize, Argerich Arts Foundation Prize, and INPEX Prize. Following these awards, recitals were held in Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, and various other locations, receiving favorable reviews. Additionally, Suzuki has performed with the Japan Philharmonic Orchestra, Tokyo Symphony Orchestra, and Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra. Furthermore, for the 2024 season, she is scheduled to perform solo recitals at the Beppu Argerich Music Festival and collaborate with the Central Aichi Symphony Orchestra and Kansai Philharmonic Orchestra.

14.10.2021
Sala Koncertowa Filharmonii Narodowej w Warszawie / Warsaw Philharmonic Concert Hall

XVIII Międzynarodowy Konkurs Pianistyczny im. Fryderyka Chopina
The 18th International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition