RIAM students take top three prizes at Irish Freemasons Young Musician of the Year 2026
Students from the Royal Irish Academy of Music have won first, second and third prize at the Irish Freemasons Young Musician of the Year 2026 competition, held at Freemasons’ Hall, Dublin. With more than €20,000 in cash prizes, and solo performance opportunities for the overall winner, the Irish Freemasons Young Musician of the Year competition is a major national platform for emerging classical musicians.
Pianist Ai Lin Sun was awarded First Prize and named Irish Freemasons Young Musician of the Year 2026. Cellist Andrés Vaccaro received Second Prize, while pianist Kwan Yee Lim took Third Prize.
Andrés also won the John Vallery Memorial Prize, awarded for the best performance by a string player in the competition.
Announcing the results, the organisers praised the exceptional standard of musicianship throughout the competition and acknowledged the challenging task faced by the international jury of Seamus Crimmins (Chair), Brian O’Rourke, Ingerine Dahl, Nicholas Daniel OBE, Fiachra Garvey and Matilda Lloyd.
RIAM warmly congratulates Ai Lin, Andrés and Kwan Yee, together with their teachers (Hugh Tinney, Ailbhe McDonagh and Therese Fahy) and the collaborators who support their development. Congratulations also to all prizewinners, finalists and semi-finalists who shared their music throughout the competition.