Hasan İgnatov, a 22-year-old pianist of Bulgarian Turkish origin from Shumen, claimed first place at the 19th International Animato‑Chopin Piano Competition held in Paris, France.
İgnatov impressed the jury with his technical mastery and expressive interpretation, earning full marks for his performance.
In the final, his repertoire included Chopin’s Préludes op.28, Nos. 1, 2, and 3, Ballade No. 2 in F major, op.38, and Valse in E-flat major, op.18. This selection highlighted both his musical depth and virtuosity, securing his top placement in the competition.
The second prize was shared between Maximo Klyetsun and Mateusz Krzyżowski, while the fourth prize went to Miki Yamagata and Noam Bernel. The sixth and seventh prizes were awarded to Haoran Zhu and Zixi Chen, respectively. Additionally, the Audience Prize was presented to Maximo Klyetsun, and the special Valse New York award went to Noam Bernel.
The Animato‑Chopin Competition is recognized as a prestigious platform for discovering young pianists worldwide and rewarding talent in classical music. This year’s finalists performed at Paris’s historic Salle Cortot, delivering memorable performances to the audience.
