Dylan Zhang

Dylan Zhang, 12, is a sixth-grade student at Roosevelt Middle School in River Forest, Illinois, U.S.A. He studies piano with Sueanne Metz.

Dylan won First Prize at the XVII Chopin International Piano Competition in Hartford(Young Artist Category, 2026). He was selected as a performer in the Juniors Program of the PianoTexas International Festival & Academy (2026). At the Chicago International Music Competition (2025), he received the Jury Discretionary Prize and First Place in his age group.

Dylan was the Overall Winner of the Open Junior Division of the O’Malley Foundation National Concerto Competition (2025). He also won the 2025 Kishwaukee Symphony Orchestra Young Artists Concerto Competition and performed with the orchestra. He performed with the Symphony of Oak Park and River Forest after winning its 2026 Concerto Competition. He was awarded the NSMTA Betty Benton Summer Music Scholarship, which supported him to perform with orchestra at Music Fest Perugia in Italy.

Dylan’s additional international competition successes include First Prizes at the International Mozart Competition Vienna (2025), the 13th Swiss International MusicCompetition (2026), the Franz Liszt Center International Piano Competition (2024), and the Carmel Arts International Online Competition (2023). He received First Place and the Most Promising Young Pianist Award at the Chopin with a View International Festival and Competition (2023) and a Gold Medal at the Grand Metropolitan International MusicCompetition (2023). At the state level, Dylan won First Place in the Illinois State MusicTeachers Association (ISMTA) Piano Competition (Elementary Division, 2023; and JuniorDivision, 2024).

Additional prize-winning appearances include the Music Teachers National Association (MTNA) Piano Competition (Illinois State Level, 2025), the Silicon Valley Open Doors International Piano Competition (2025), the Elevato Stanza Junior Piano Competition (2025), the International New Star Piano Competition (2026), the Walgreens National Concerto Competition (2023), the DePaul National Concerto Competition for Young Performers (2024, 2026), Carmel Klavier International Competition (2023 and 2024), the Aloha International Piano Competition (2023), the Elevato Piano Competition (2023), the Odin International Music Competition (2022), the London International Music Competition (2022), and the WPTA Spain International Piano Competition (2022). Dylan was a winner of theAmerican Fine Arts Festival Competition (2022) and performed at Carnegie Hall in New York.