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.
Final-round repertoire
The organizer required Friedrich Cerha’s Concerto for Percussion and Orchestra and a freely chosen work of no more than three minutes for a single instrument in the final. BR’s recordings of the final document the following performances:
- Friedrich Cerha: Concerto for Percussion and Orchestra — Gabriel Michaud, with the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra conducted by Bar Avni. Watch the final performance .
- Jean-Philippe Rameau: Allemande from the first Suite in A minor in Nouvelles Suites de Pièces de Clavecin — Yuan Xia . Watch the final performance .
The official sources consulted do not establish both finalists’ complete programmes, including their freely chosen pieces. The list above identifies performances documented by official recording pages; it is not a complete programme of the final. Official final-round requirements .
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.