Alex Zhang has won the 2022 Australian National Piano Award at Riverlinks Eastbank, amidst the approaching floods in Victoria’s Greater Shepparton City.

The Australian National Piano Award Board had decided less than an hour before the semi-final to merge it with the grand final on 14 October, which had been due to take place the following day, as a result of advice from the Great Shepparton City Council about the risk of flooding in the area. 

First Prize recipient Alex Zhang. Photo supplied.

For the award, the finalists are asked to perform two 45-minute solo recitals, with repertoire comprising of Baroque, Classical or Romantic music, 19th and 20th century music, or Australian works. This year’s adjudication panel, comprising of Stephanie McCallum, Ian Monro and Kristian Chong, based their decision on technical mastery, performance characteristics, and a sophisticated understanding of the works as informed by their context. The finalists compete for a prize pool of over $65,000.

Zhang, who is aged 27, was awarded the $22,000 City of Greater Shepparton Prize and the $5,000 Daphne and Ross Turnbull Bursary for music...