2026 Finalists
Spanish pianist and organist Andoni Andrada (b. 1999, Madrid) began piano studies at age five and was admitted two years later to the Centro Integrado de Música “Padre Antonio Soler” in El Escorial. He studied piano for ten years with Lydia Rendón and Anatoli Povzoun and participated in masterclasses with renowned artists including Galina Eguiazarova and Vladimir Ovchinnikov. At fifteen, he began organ studies at the Monasterio de San Lorenzo de El Escorial, studying with several distinguished organists and earning the Premio Extraordinario de la Comunidad de Madrid in 2017.
In 2017, Andrada entered the Tchaikovsky State Conservatory in Moscow on a full scholarship, studying organ with Aleksei Parshin and piano with Aleksandr Vershinin and Andrey Pisarev. He later earned a Master’s in Piano Interpretation and Diplôme d’Artiste from the École Normale de Musique de Paris and received the Bach Prize at the 2025 St Albans International Organ Competition. He performs widely across Europe and continues advanced organ studies in Paris and Versailles.
Organist Songyeon Im, born in South Korea, began her musical studies on the piano at a young age under the influence of her mother, a pianist. She later studied at the Korea National University of Arts, earning her bachelor’s degree before turning her focus to organ.
In 2022, she began organ studies with Éric Lebrun at the CRR in Saint-Maur-des-Fossés, and was subsequently admitted to the master’s program at the CNSMD in Paris, studying with Olivier Latry, Thomas Ospital, and Maude Gratton. She completed her master’s degree there and continues advanced studies in Europe, pursuing dual training with Martin Schmeding in Leipzig and Jean-Baptiste Robin in Versailles.
Im has performed internationally across Europe and South Korea, with appearances at major venues including Notre-Dame, Saint-Sulpice, and Saint-Eustache in Paris, as well as churches in Germany, Italy, and Spain. A prizewinner at international competitions, she received First Prize and the Audience Prize at the 2025 Dudelange International Organ Competition and Second Prize at the Prague Organ Competition.
Organist Yeseul Jo began her musical studies in Korea as a pianist at Yewon School and Seoul Arts High School, where she developed a strong artistic foundation through performances with orchestras, choirs, and ensembles. She later turned her focus to organ, studying with Prof. So Hyun Park at Ewha Womans University, graduating in 2024 with highest honors.
During her studies, she appeared in numerous concerts, including Young Artist and New Year performances, and performed as a soloist with the Ewha Womans University Orchestra. She also served as organist for Light and Salt Church and Mokyang Church.
Jo earned her state music teaching certificate and taught music at Deoksong Elementary School. She has participated in international masterclasses in Germany with Zsigmond Szathmáry and Wolfgang Zerer.
Since 2024 she has been based in Germany, performing solo recitals and continuing her studies in the Master’s program in organ at the University of Music and Theatre “Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy” Leipzig with Prof. Martin Schmeding.
2026 Finalists
Japanese organist Mio Kuriyama studied organ performance at the Tokyo University of the Arts, where she completed both undergraduate and graduate degrees under Megumi Tokuoka and Prof. Rie Hiroe. During her studies she received numerous honors, including the Ataka Prize, Ryohei Miyata Prize, Akanthus Music Prize, and Douseikai Prize, as well as scholarships from the Aoyama Music Foundation and Nomura Arts Foundation.
Kuriyama has appeared in concerts across Japan and Europe, including the Japan Organists’ Association Newcomers’ Concert and the Fresh Organ Concert series. She has also performed with orchestra, including a performance of Widor’s Symphonie pour orgue et orchestre with the Geidai Philharmonia Orchestra Tokyo.
Her international recognition includes Second Prize at the International Orava Organ Competition (2023) and the Audience Prize at both the Toulouse International Organ Competition (2024) and the International Albert-Schweitzer Organ Competition (2025).
Currently a DAAD scholar, she continues advanced studies at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater Leipzig with Prof. Martin Schmeding and Nicolas Berndt.
Concert organist Grant Smith, a native of Fresno, California, is a graduate of Rice University, where he earned a master’s degree in organ performance studying with Ken Cowan. His performing career has taken him to major venues across the United States, Ireland, England, Germany, South Korea, and Japan.
Smith has received numerous competition honors, including Second Prize in Interpretation at the 2025 St Albans International Organ Competition, Third Prize in the 2024 Leipzig Bach Competition, and First Prize in both the Hall Organ Competition (2023) and the Feith Competition (2022).
While in Houston, he served as organist at several churches and accompanied the Houston Masterworks Chorus, performing major choral works and new repertoire.
He began studying piano at age five and organ at seventeen. Smith earned dual bachelor’s degrees in music and civil engineering from California Polytechnic State University and studied historical performance in Leipzig. He performs frequently as an organ duo with his wife, organist Sunkyung Noh.
Organist Julianne Zhu, born and raised in Shanghai, China, came to the United States in 2017 to attend Wake Forest University, where she double-majored in music and psychology and minored in German. It was at Wake Forest that she first began studying organ with Susan Bates.
During her undergraduate years she performed at significant university events, including the Wake Forest Lovefeast in 2020 and the 2022 inauguration of President Susan Wente. Zhu later earned a Master’s degree and Professional Artist Certificate from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, studying with Dr. Timothy Olsen.
She has also participated in the Organ Institute at the Oregon Bach Festival, studying with Paul Jacobs. Zhu previously served as music intern at Augsburg Lutheran Church and organist at Ardmore Moravian Church in Winston-Salem.
Currently, she is pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts at the Eastman School of Music in the studio of Nathan Laube. She is also an active composer and recently won First Prize in the Rochester Carillon Composition Competition.
The Elizabeth B. Stephens International Organ Competition is pleased to announce the Six Finalists for The Final Round Recitals.
Finalist Round Recitals
Saturday, June 27, 2026
10:00 am to 1:00 pm, and 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm, Atlanta, Georgia
All six recitals will be livestreamed.
An awards reception will follow at 7:00 pm.