2026 Artists
Andrew J. Yang
U.S.A./Iceland
Artistic Director
Andrew J. Yang has an active performance career across the Europe, North America, and Asia. Deemed by The San Francisco Examiner as "a prodigy, [running] the emotional gamut from brooding introspection to manic exuberance” and by Ruth Slenczynska, legendary pianist and student of Rachmaninoff, as “a gifted musician and serious artist”, Yang has performed at venues such as Mozarthaus in Vienna, Harpa Concert Hall in Reykjavík, Musiikkitalo in Helsinki, Judaica Foundation in Krakow, and the Hoheikan in Sapporo. Yang was awarded the top prize at the 30th International FLAME Piano Competition in Paris, France, and has also received awards from numerous competitions including the International Heida Hermanns Piano Competition and the Metropolitan International Piano Competition in New York City. In 2018, Yang was awarded a "White Rose" Medal of Honor for musical excellence from President of Finland, Sauli Niinistö. Since 2020, Yang has resided in Iceland. He spent three years teaching at Tónlistarskóli Vesturbyggðar and is currently based in the Reykjavík area where he is on the piano faculty at Tónlistarskólinn í Reykjavík and Tónskóli Sigursveins. Yang also creates rock, R&B, and indie music where he sings and also plays guitar and violin.
Carl Zhang
Canada/Austria
Guest Artist
Canadian pianist, Carl Zhang, has garnered top prizes in various esteemed competitions, including the Concours de Musique du Canada, Concours de musique Sorel-Tracy, Concours de musique de Sherbrooke, Concours Clermont-Pépin, and the Concours Gustav Mahler. Zhang received two Master’s degrees in piano performance at two prestigious institutions: University of Montreal and the Geneva Haute École de Musique. In 2018, he was accepted into the PhD program at the University of Montreal, with a dedicated focus on exploring the music of the revered Viennese composer, Franz Schubert. However, the world had unexpected plans in store. During an exchange year at the University of Performing Arts in Vienna, the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted Carl's plans to return to Canada. Faced with uncertainties and unable to return home, he made the decision to stay in the vibrant Austrian capital, Vienna. Since then, Vienna has become the artistic hub of Carl Zhang's multifaceted career and life, where he performs in concerts, collaborates with various singers, teaches piano, coaches aspiring vocalists, and accompanies instrumentalists.
Website: www.carlzhangpianist.com
jakub urgoł
Poland
Guest Artist
Jakub Urgoł was born on December 6, 2005, in Rybnik. He began his school education at the age of 5 in 2010. At the same time, he began studying piano at the Józef Świder Primary and Secondary Music School in Jastrzębie-Zdrój under the supervision of Dr. Hab. Anna Miech. In 2020, he participated in the "1st MusicAlive international online piano competition," where he won second prize. In 2023, he graduated from the music school, simultaneously completing the Stanisław Staszic High School with bilingual classes in Jastrzębie Zdrój, majoring in mathematics and physics. After these events, he participated in the "Kraków Piano Summer" music course, taught by Adam Wibrowski, Gloria Campaner, Andrew Yang, Brenda Bruce, and Lesław Możdżer. He is currently continuing his piano studies at the Józef Staszic Academy of Music in Jastrzębie-Zdrój. Karol Lipiński in Wrocław in the piano class of Prof. Jan Kubica.
Matthías Tumi Ragnarsson
Iceland
Young Artist
Matthías T. Ragnarsson is a 19-year-old pianist and student of Andrew J. Yang at Tónskóli Sigursveins. He began studying piano in 2022 with Tobias Helmer at Listaskóli Mosfellsbæjar and made rapid progress as a pianist. From the outset, Matthías exhibited a strong affinity for the works of Bach and Chopin. He completed the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme at Menntaskólinn við Hamrahlíð in the summer of 2025. Since graduating, he has devoted himself primarily to the study of piano.
Tómas Bogi Bjarnason
Iceland
Young Artist
Tómas was born in Iceland but mostly lived in Denmark through his kindergarten years. His family moved to Iceland when he was six. One year later, Tómas start studying music at Tónskóli Sigursveins D. Kristinssonar where he still studies to this day as a Framhaldsnám student with Andrew J. Yang. He has also studied extensively with Laufey Kristinsdóttir. When he was nine years old, Tómas started learning the piano probably inspired by his father who also plays the instrument. Tómas has always been inspired by the varieties of colors and sounds which you can make with this one single instrument, presented by the different eras of history and composers individual styles. Tómas took the natural sciences route in high school and now studies engineering at the University of Iceland.