Joshua Han, 22, has claimed First Prize in the 16th annual Australian National Piano Awards, held in Shepparton, Victoria.

It was a big night for the NSW pianist. As well as received the $33,000 First Prize, Han also picked up four other awards: the $1000 Shepparton News Prize; the $1000 Leona and Bruce Sterling Prize; the $1000 Pam Wells Prize, and the $5000 Lorna Speechley Memorial Prize.

Han, a student of the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, came to the competition having already won the 2014 Ettlingen International Piano Competition Prize, the first prize and audience prizes at the Aarhus International Piano Competition in Denmark, and first prize in the New South Wales Division of the 2MBS Fine Music Young Virtuoso Awards.

The Australian National Piano Awards 2024: Rio Xiang, Joshua Han (centre) and Jude Holland. Photo © Lytfi Bekirofski

At the 2024 Lev Vlassenko Piano Competition, Han received the Concerto Prize, Queensland Symphony Orchestra Musicians Prize and the Dr Graeme Russell Virtuoso Study Prize.

The $13,000 Australian Piano Awards Second Prize was awarded to 25-year-old Rio Xiang (NSW). The $7000 Third Prize was presented to the 21-year-old West Australian Jude Holland (WA).

Previous First Prize recipients include Alex Zhang, Oliver She, Alex...