An interview with Piotr Alexewicz | The 5th prize at the 19th international Chopin piano Competition
Polish pianist Piotr Alexewicz made history at the 19th International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition in Warsaw, capturing both the 5th Prize and the prestigious Audience Prize. His triumph at the Chopin Competition 2025 marks a significant moment for Polish classical music, as the young Warsaw Philharmonic performer won over both the judges and the public.
A Hometown Victory at the International Chopin Piano Competition
Performing at the Chopin Competition Warsaw in his home country added special significance to Alexewicz’s achievement. As one of the Chopin Competition laureates, he joins an elite group of pianists who have distinguished themselves at this legendary event. The audience prize recognition particularly underscores his ability to connect emotionally with listeners—a quality that has become his signature.
Throughout the XIX International Chopin Piano Competition, Alexewicz performed on the Shigeru Kawai SK-EX full concert grand piano. He describes the instrument’s unique “chamber-like” quality as instrumental to his success, praising its intimate sound that allows for natural musical expression.
Interview
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How did you feel about winning the prize?
I’m extremely happy and honored to have received the fifth prize and the audience prize at the 19th International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition. Of course, for me, it’s a huge privilege and honor to be awarded such a prize in my home country. It’s an incredible opportunity to develop and share music with even more around the world. And I’m truly happy and honored to be able to present what I can do best to audiences around the world.
What are your impressions of the Shigeru Kawai SK-EX full concert grand piano?
Of course, piano selection is always a very hard process, but whenever I have to choose a piano, I always try to find the most colorful one, with the biggest variety of tones and colors. Kawai has a very particular quality, which is kind of chamber-like — I would call it a “chamber sound.” It’s not a piano that is loud or very open; it’s rather a very intimate instrument, one that is able to shape the music in the most natural and beautiful way. And especially worth mentioning here is that this Kawai’s instrument really helps a lot — it’s inspiring, and it greatly helps the pianist to achieve their goals while playing.
What are your plans for future activities and further challenges?
Talking about future goals, it’s very hard to find just one answer. Of course, my future goal is certainly to share music, to play even more concerts, and to travel a lot. One of the things I wish to do is certainly to make more recordings. I would like to record, probably, some complete Chopin works — not every piece that he wrote, but I would be very happy to record the complete Nocturnes for now. I would also be extremely happy to do another project that does not consist of music by Fryderyk Chopin. This idea is a little bit different — to record an album where the center is Chopin, but actually there are no pieces by Chopin. So, pieces like Rachmaninov Chopin Variations, and many other works by composers who were certainly inspired by Chopin. This is one of my dreams. And my biggest dream is still simply to communicate through music — to keep going, to keep doing what I love, to share my love of music with others, to connect with people. This is exactly what I really want to do in the future, and I truly hope that it will become a reality. Today, I just finished a rehearsal at the National Forum of Music in Wrocław, in the big hall, and right in front of me, there is a wonderful Shigeru Kawai piano, SK-EX, on which I’m going to play my recital tomorrow. I’m really looking forward to it, and I want to thank you for providing these wonderful instruments. I’m really looking forward to any occasion when I can have a Shigeru Kawai at my disposal.
Piotr’s Performance in the Final Round
Interested in experiencing the same piano that helped Piotr Alexewicz capture hearts at the Chopin Competition? Contact your local Kawai dealer to discover the Shigeru Kawai SK-EX and other world-class instruments.