An 18-year-old accordionist has won the 22nd edition of Eurovision Young Musicians, the prestigious international music competition, held this year at the Armenian National Opera and Ballet Theatre, in Yerevan, Armenia, by Public Television of Armenia. 

Poland's Michał Stochel impressed the jury with an outstanding performance of Mikołaj Majkusiak’s Concerto Classico for Accordion, 3rd movement. 

Sonja Misina from Latvia, who plays the marimba, took second place, while third place went to flautist Elen Virabayan from Armenia. Each musician delivered a stellar performance, reflecting the high standards of the competition, which is one of the most important platforms for showcasing emerging young classical musicians worldwide. 

Michał Stochel gave his country and public broadcaster TVP their fourth win at the Eurovision Young Musicians competition. 

Addressing fellow young musicians after his victory, Michał offered a message of encouragement: “Keep trying and never give up. I think that is very important. There will always be challenges along the way, but if you truly want something and are willing to work for it, you can achieve it."

Jury member Narek Hakhnazaryan praised his performance, saying: “I believe Michał performed brilliantly. He was bright, artistic and demonstrated a strong natural sense of rhythm. I am sure he has a brilliant future ahead of him.”

As part of the evening’s celebrations, it was announced that Latvian Public Service Media (LSM) will host the next edition of Eurovision Young Musicians in 2027. The competition will take place in Liepāja, one of the European Capitals of Culture 2027. LSM will serve as the host broadcaster, working in partnership with the Great Amber Concert Hall and the Liepāja 2027 programme. 

Eleven young musicians participated in this year’s competition, representing Armenia (AMPTV), Belgium (RTBF), Cyprus (CYBC), Czechia (CT), Germany (WDR), Latvia (LSM), Poland (TVP), Portugal (RTP), Serbia (RTS), Sweden (SVT), and Switzerland (SRF).  

Eurovision Young Musicians has been organized by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) since 1982. By celebrating creativity, cultural diversity, and the universal language of music, the event for talented 12 to 21 year-olds aims to inspire and connect people across borders. 

Armenian broadcaster Public Television of Armenia hosted this year’s event and produced the TV broadcast, which reached 11 European countries and millions of viewers. 

Hamlet Arakelyan and Hrachuhi Utmazyan hosted the TV broadcast from Yerevan. The young soloists performed with the Armenian National Philharmonic Orchestra.