A Banner Year

Khai West is headed to UCLA to study with David Kaplan, capping a remarkable turnaround: he started with Chetan Tierra in 2023 barely playing seriously, and within seven months was winning prizes with Beethoven. See how far he's come, from Beethoven's Third Concerto to a 2026 competition sweep before college.

sdpa students swept all three top prizes in the 15-18 category at the Southern California State Concerto Competition. Read how Luna Lee's win sets up a full-circle final against a student of her teacher's own mentor.

Camila Mendoza and Brandon Swap each took second prize in their divisions at the 2025 San Diego Sonata Contest, their first-ever piano competition. See what they performed and the preparation behind their debut wins.

Five sdpa students placed at the 2025 San Diego Chopin Contest, spanning three studios and four divisions, led by Yoyo Wu's first-place finish in the Etude Division. See the full list of honorees and their winning pieces.

Arianna Gago won the Grand Prize at the IAMPT International Competition, performing Mendelssohn's Song Without Words, her first major competition win. The prize comes with a performance at Carnegie Hall this November. Watch the winning performance now.

Luna Lee, Khai West, and Yoyo Wu placed at the 2024 San Diego Concerto Competition, one of the toughest local contests for pianists, all while on the younger side of their divisions. See what they performed and what it signals for what's next.