Maya Ando, a Japanese pianist based in Germany has received the top prize in the International Johannes Brahms Competition in Pörtschach.

She studied in Hochschule für Musik Detmold in Germany before pursuing further studies in Hochschule für Musik, Theater und Medien in Hannover.

The Japanese media has made quite a coverage of her already. Winning competitions can be a real career changer for classical musicians - we hope to see her perform in Japan (we will be there).

But for now, here is a performance of her a few years back - Chopin Polonaise in C minor, Op.26, No.1. She seems to have quite a flair and vigor, without losing subtlety:

If you liked her performance, why not check her official website and her Facebook page?