Victor Xie, 16, of Palo Alto, won the top prize at the 32nd annual San Francisco Young Pianists Competition, held June 14 – 15 at SF State and presented by the School of Music and Dance. He took home $750, donated by Keyboard Educations Inc.
Misha Galant, a 16-year-old from Newark, won the $600 Piano Technicians Guild Prize. Los Gatos resident Shota Homma, also age 16, won the $300 Special Prize for interpretation of a 19th-century romantic work. The latter prize is made possible by Philosophy Professor Anita Silvers, in memory of her mother, Sarah Silvers.
Xie, Homma and Galant will return to campus September 5 for an afternoon recital.
The other finalists were Karen Bao, 15, of San Ramon, and Hanson Tam, 17, of Hillsborough.
The competition, directed by Professor Victoria Neve, is open to Bay Area pianists between the ages of 15 and 25.