South Korea Preliminary Round

Pianist Minju Jeon earned her Master’s degree with an entrance scholarship from the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama, following her studies at the University of Bristol. She performed Ravel’s Piano Concerto under conductor Tianyi Lu and refined her artistry through masterclasses with renowned pianists including Preddy Kempf, John McCabe, and Cordelia Williams.

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She gained recognition performing in the premiere of Karuna by Andrew Wilson-Dickson at St John’s Church, London. An active performer, she appears in solo recitals, chamber ensembles, and invited concerts at venues such as Seoul Arts Center and Sejong Center for the Performing Arts.

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A finalist of the Eric Hodges Beethoven Prize, she is Adjunct Professor at Kyonggi University, Head of Education at Music Eduventure, and author of Concours Etude (2026).

Japanese pianist Saya Okada began piano at age four and studied at Osaka College of Music with Takako Kawakami. In 2010, she moved to Cardiff to study under Richard McMahon at the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama, earning a diploma with distinction in 2012. She later received the Mary Rees Prize and Postgraduate Award, and completed her Master’s degree with a scholarship.

She won first place in the RWCMD Concerto Competition performing Bartók’s Piano Concerto No. 3, and gave a solo recital at St Martin-in-the-Fields, London. She also appeared on BBC Radio 3 for a BBC Proms pre-concert.

Returning to Osaka in 2016, she began teaching at Piano Salon Arco. She performs actively in duo and chamber settings, and works as a collaborative pianist under Maestro Giorgio Lormi.