American pianist Eric Lu has been crowned the winner of the XIX International Chopin Piano Competition, concluding the prestigious event on october 21, 2025, at the National Philharmonic in Warsaw, Poland. The competition, held every five years to honor Polish composer Frédéric Chopin, celebrated its 100th anniversary this year with a record number of applicants.

The 27-year-old from the United States secured the first prize, which includes a gold medal and a cash prize of €60,000 (approximately $98,000 CAD). In the final round, Lu impressed the jury with his performance of Chopin’s Polonaise-Fantasy in A-flat major, Op. 61, and Piano Concerto in F minor, Op. 21. Calling the victory a "dream come true," Lu expressed his gratitude to the jury. This win adds to his previous major achievement, a first-place finish at the Leeds International Piano Competition in 2018.

The silver medal was awarded to 20-year-old Kevin Chen of Calgary, Canada, who received approximately $65,000 CAD for his second-place finish. The achievement marks a significant milestone in the young pianist's burgeoning career. The third prize went to Chinese pianist Zitong Wang.

The jury, chaired by renowned American pianist Garrick Ohlsson, awarded prizes to a diverse group of international finalists. The fourth prize was shared by Tianyao Lyu of China and Shiori Kuwahara of Japan. The fifth prize was jointly awarded to Piotr Alexewicz of Poland and Vincent Ong of Malaysia, while William Yang of the United States placed sixth. Honorable mentions were awarded to David Khrikuli, Tianyou Li, and Miyu Shindo.

In addition to the main prizes, several special awards recognized exceptional performances of specific works:
* Best Performance of a Concerto: Tianyao Lyu (China)
* Best Performance of Mazurkas: Yehuda Prokopowicz
* Best Performance of a Polonaise: Tianyou Li (China)
* Best Performance of a Sonata: Zitong Wang (China)
* Best Performance of a Ballade: Adam Kałduński

Known for launching the global careers of its laureates, this year's competition attracted a record 642 applications from pianists born between 1995 and 2009. Both Lu and Chen will perform at the upcoming award ceremony in Warsaw, where Chen is scheduled to perform Chopin’s six preludes from Op. 28, offering audiences a final showcase of the talent from this historic centennial event.