About Piano Cleveland

Jeffrey Dong

January 28th 2026

JEFFREY DONG, a 15-year-old pianist from Sydney, embarked on his musical journey at the age of six with piano, followed by violin at nine. 

In 2024, as the youngest participant, he won Second Prize and the Audience Prize at the 25th Young Lev Vlassenko International Piano Competition. In the Grand Final, he delivered an acclaimed performance of Saint-Saëns’ Piano Concerto No. 2 in G Minor, Op. 22, with the Australia Queensland Symphony Orchestra under Benjamin Northey. Earlier that year, he claimed Third Prize, the Best Ukraine Composers Piece Award, and the Audience Prize at the 15th International Vladimir Krainev Competition in Switzerland, where he performed Bach’s Keyboard Concerto No. 1 in D Minor, BWV 1052 with the Kharkiv Philharmonic Orchestra, earning high praise. 

In 2025, he was the youngest semi-finalist at the International Robert Schumann Piano Competition for Young Pianists in Düsseldorf, Germany. In September 2025, he gave a solo recital for ART BUNDANOON in Southland, Australia, receiving outstanding audience acclaim. In 2026, he was selected as the youngest participant in the Young Artist category of Gina Bachauer International Junior & Young Artists Piano Competitions. 

In January 2026, his engagements include solo recitals at the Steinway Centers in Jia Xing and Hangzhou. Further accomplishments include First Prize at the 4th International Hans von Bülow Competition (Germany, 2023) and a showcase performance at the Sydney International Piano Competition. A two-time state finalist for the Fine Music Young Virtuoso Award and a frequent Eisteddfod winner, Jeffrey is a dedicated scholar in the Sydney Conservatorium’s Rising Star program. 


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