2026 Heida Hermanns

International Music Competition

Finalists Chosen for the 2026 Heida Hermanns International Music Competition

MoCA\CT is proud to announce the three exceptional pianists selected for The 2026 Heida Hermanns International Music Competition Final Round: Matthew Figel (USA), Juhee Lim (Korea), and Daria Podorozhnova (Russia).

Chosen from an extraordinary international field, these artists represent the imagination, individuality, and musical vision at the heart of the Heida Competition.

On Saturday, November 14, they will take the stage at MoCA\CT for an evening of compelling performances spanning the major musical eras—and a world premiere by acclaimed American composer Samuel Adams.

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Matthew Figel

Juhee Lim

Daria Podorozhnova

Meet the 2026 Finalists

Meet the 2026 Judges

Experience the Final Round

On November 14, each finalist will present a 45-minute program designed to reveal not only extraordinary technical command, but also artistry, creativity, and a personal connection with audiences. These talented musicians will perform repertoire across five principal musical eras and premiere a newly commissioned work by Samuel Adams—continuing the Heida’s longstanding commitment to living composers and adventurous musical expression.

The winner will receive a $20,000 First Prize and a solo recital engagement, joining a distinguished international community of Heida alumni. Second Prize is $10,000; Third Prize is $5,000. All are generously donated by Norman and Suzanne Sorenson.

The Heida Hermanns International Music Competition Final Round:
Saturday, November 14 | 4–8 PM
MoCA\CT, 19 Newtown Turnpike, Westport, CT 06880
Tickets

Schedule:

4 – 6:45pm: Finalist Performances (45 minutes each)
6 – 7:45pm: Refreshment Break & Judges’ Deliberation
7:45 – 8:00pm: Awards Ceremony

Thank You to Our Heida Competition Supporters
MoCA\CT gratefully acknowledges our Visionary Benefactors, Bill and Jodi Felton, and The Joyce Thompson Art Fund for their generous support of our Performing Arts Program.

The Artur and Heida Hermanns Holde Foundation + Suzanne and Norman Sorensen + The Beechwood Arts and Innovation / The Hive + The Lundberg Family Foundation + Kristin Foster + Dogan and Laura Perese + Conlon Amendola, Attorneys at Law + Leifer Properties + Anneruth Serman + The Walton Family + Ed Webb Design + Gold Sound Media

The Legacy of Heida Hermanns

Heida Hermanns, the founder of the Connecticut Alliance for Music, Inc. (CAM), was a pianist, teacher and philanthropist. She was born in Wiesbaden, Germany in 1906 and received her first piano lessons from her mother. At the age of 15, she enrolled at the Berlin Hochschule fur Musik. Her teachers included Egon Petri, Artur Schnabel, Carl Friedberg and Isabella Vengerova. She made her debut with the Berlin Philharmonic at age 18 and toured Europe as a recitalist and concerto soloist through the 1920s and early 1930s.

Past Winners

2025 Ye‑Eun Hyun and Zhu Wang (piano)
2024 Carter Johnson (piano)
2022 Artem Kuznetsov (piano)
2019 Priscila Navarro (piano)
2016 Bryan Murray (baritone)
2015 Wenjie Lu (piano)
2014 Xiao Wang (violin)
2013 Joshua Wright & Timur Mustakimov (piano)
2012 Kathryn Leemhuis (mezzo-soprano)
2011 Yue Chu (piano)
2010 Elizabeth Baldwin (soprano)
2009 Alexei Tartakovski (piano)
2008 Yohan Yi (bass baritone)
2007 Jonathan Yanik (saxophone)
2006 Sangyoung Kim (piano)
2005 Wen-lei Gu (violin)
2004 Elisa Vilbergsdottir (soprano)
2003 Dwight Parry (oboe)
2002 Spencer Myer (piano)
2001 Elena Hirsu (violin); Mary Petro (lyric soprano)
2000 Lluís Rodríguez Salvà (piano); Ashu Kejariwal (saxophone)
1999 Alison Trainer (soprano); Aurelien Sabouret (cello); Valissa Wilwerth (violin)
1998 Juyeon Kang (piano); Patrick Messina (clarinet)
1997 Amit Peled (cello); Younmok Jeong (tenor)
1996 Yi Dong (piano); Otis Murphy, Jr. (saxophone)
1995 Joohee Choi (soprano); Inbal Segev (cello)
1994 Andrew Russo (piano); Mark Timmerman (bassoon)
1993 Janna Baty (soprano); Francois Salque (cello)
1992 Andrew Armstrong (piano); Igor Begelman (clarinet)
1991 Bradley Garvin (bass baritone); Varty Manouelian (violin)
1990 Max Levinson (piano); Viviana Guzman (flute)
1989 Rajan Krishnaswami (cello); Christopheren Nomura (baritone)
1988 Yu-Sheng Ma (piano); Todd Palmer (clarinet)
1987 Alexander Simionescu (violin)
1986 Frederic Chiu (piano)
1985 Timothy McGovern (bassoon)
1984 Sharman Plesner (violin); Jeffrey Jamner (piano)
1983 Boston University Honors Woodwind Quartet
1982 Bart Feller (flute); Claudio Jaffe (cello); Barbara Kilduff (soprano)
1981 Alexander String Quartet Arioso String Chamber Ensemble
1980 Judith Malafronte (mezzo-soprano); John Sharp (cello); Richard Lalli (baritone)
1979 Madison Trio Schmidt-Verdery Duo (flute/guitar)
1978 Nai-Yuan Hu (violin)
1977 Rymour String Quartet Stephanie Conte (soprano); Diane Lesser (oboe); Kurt Nikkanen (violin)
1976 Amina Trio (including Christopher O’Riley, piano)
1975 New England Woodwind Quintet Tibor Szasz (piano)
1974 Laurian Laufman (cello)
1973 Eugene J. Moye, Jr. (cello); Emilia Simonem (soprano)
1972 Emilia Simone (soprano); William Westney (piano).