Gabriel Michaud (France) won first prize and Yuan Xia (China) second prize in percussion at the 75th ARD International Music Competition, held in Munich, Germany, from September 4 to 13, 2026. They were the two competitors who reached the September 13 final.
Results
| Award | Recipient | Prize money |
|---|---|---|
| First prize | Gabriel Michaud | €15,000 |
| Second prize | Yuan Xia | €10,000 |
| Audience award — percussion | Yuan Xia | €2,000 |
| Best performance of the commissioned composition — percussion | Mariia Shmeleva | €1,000 |
The commissioned-composition award recognized a performance of Johannes X. Schachtner’s work. Gabriel Michaud also received the ARD Klassik media award. The table covers the main prizes and two percussion-specific special awards.
Marimba connections
Michaud also won first prize at the 8th World Marimba Competition in 2025. See our 2025 World Marimba Competition results .
Our ARD 2026 percussion announcement covers the round schedule and marimba repertoire.