Kawai Musical Instruments Manufacturing Co., Ltd.

The 5th  Shigeru Kawai International Piano Competition was held in Tokyo, Japan from July 26th to August 3rd, 2025, with Spanish pianist Guillermo Hernandez Barrocal awarded the 1st prize and the audience award.

This year's 5th competition received 324 applications from 22 countries and regions around the world. The final round took place at Shibuya Cultural Center Owada “Sakura Hall" on August 2nd, and 6 finalists performed piano concertos for two pianos accompanied by prestigious pianists Prof. Andrey Pisarev of the Moscow conservatory and Alexei Melnikov. The competition was watched by a large audience at the venue and via live streaming and ended in great success.

Kawai will support Guillermo Hernandez Barrocal, the 1st prize winner, by providing opportunities to perform at concerts and recitals, or to attend the master classes organized by Kawai.

5th Shigeru Kawai International Piano Competition: Final Results

1st Prize winner: Guillermo Hernandez Barrocal

■ Comments from Guillermo Hernandez Barrocal

When I was awarded the first prize, I was overwhelmed with joy, satisfaction, and gratitude. It was one of the most emotionally intense moments of my life—I could barely control myself. I feel truly grateful to have taken part in this competition, and I’d like to thank everyone involved, as well as my family, friends, and teachers for their support.

From the very beginning, I appreciated how well-organized everything was. This is one of the few competitions that offers financial support for participants, and I’m truly thankful for that. Practice spaces and pianos were well prepared, and it's rare to find instruments in such excellent condition. At the hotel, I had breakfast almost every day with other participants. We talked about music, life, and shared many wonderful moments. I will always cherish the memories of this competition in Japan.

I have great trust in Shigeru Kawai. It's probably the most reliable piano I’ve played—consistent in any setting, regardless of the weather or hall. It feels like an old friend: very familiar and easy to connect with. And the sound—I especially love its sweet, gentle tone. The upper register is particularly distinctive and, to me, it’s the iconic sound of the brand. I could recognize it even with a blindfold on.

■ Comments from Prof. Katsumi Ueda, chairperson of the jury

We would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to all the pianists who chose to apply to this competition among the many international piano competitions, to the many individuals and companies who supported and sponsored the event, and above all, to the audience members who listened so attentively to the performances of these young artists and expressed their warm encouragement.

This competition is a unique opportunity for pianists to demonstrate how they can make the most of the Shigeru Kawai SK-EX　full concert grand piano, which is gaining increasing recognition around the world. From the preliminary rounds, we were deeply impressed by the high level of performance by the participants, and it was a great challenge for us to judge. If it had been possible, we would have loved to listen to even more performances by these talented young pianists in every selection round.

We sincerely wish all the young pianists continued success, growth, and further accomplishments in the years to come.

■ Shigeru Kawai International Piano Competition Official Website

　https://skipc.jp/en/

■ Shigeru Kawai International Piano Competition Official YouTube Channel

　https://www.youtube.com/c/SKIPCofficial

■ About the Shigeru Kawai SK-EX full concert grand piano

Unveiled in 2001 as the flagship instrument of the Shigeru Kawai line, the SK-EX concert grand piano is hand-crafted in limited numbers following a unique ‘prototyping’ creation process. In order to achieve the supreme range of expression required in a concert piano, each instrument utilises a variety of carefully selected materials, with premium aged spruce soundboards. Shigeru Kawai instruments adopt the advanced Millennium III keyboard action, featuring extended wooden keys and advanced ABS Carbon action parts, providing superior speed and responsiveness than conventional wooden action parts, allowing pianists to express a greater range of feeling and emotion in their performance.

Official website: https://www.shigerukawai.jp/en/