42 Pre-Selected Pianists to Perform in Porto

The results of the pre-selection phase for the Main Category of the Santa Cecília International Piano Competition 2026 have now been announced, with 42 pianists selected to travel to Porto for the live rounds.

The pre-selection process was conducted by the jury composed of Álvaro Teixeira Lopes (Portugal), Olivier Moulin (France) and Paulo Oliveira (Portugal), who evaluated the submitted video applications.

The selected candidates reflect the strong international scope of the competition, bringing together pianists from a wide range of countries. There is a notable representation from Asia — particularly China, South Korea and Japan — alongside participants from Ukraine, Italy, the United Kingdom, the United States, Brazil, Israel, Taiwan, Bulgaria and Azerbaijan, among others.

Among the pre-selected pianists are also two Portuguese participants, Martim Cabete de Almeida and Rafael Kyrychenko, ensuring national representation at this stage.

The selected candidates will take part in the live rounds in Porto, performing before both the jury and the public, as part of the Santa Cecília Piano Festival programme.

Results of the pre-selection here.