Houston, Texas – April 1, 2026 —Symphony North of Houston spotlights 1st Place Piano Winner, Carl Rubly
Symphony North of Houston Honors Carl Rubly, 2026 First Place Piano Winner
Symphony North of Houston is proud to recognize pianist Carl Rubly as the 2026 Young Artist Concert Competition First Place winner in Piano. He will perform at the Late Spring Concert on May 17, 2026, where he will compete for Best Overall Performance.
Carl Rubly Named First Place Piano Winner
Symphony North of Houston is proud to spotlight Carl Rubly as the 2026 Young Artist Concert Competition First Place Winner in Piano.
At the Finalist Audition on February 21, 2026, Carl was awarded 1st Place Piano for his performance of the first movement of Sergei Prokofiev’s Concerto No. 1. His performance demonstrated remarkable technical command, musical maturity, and artistry, earning him top honors in the piano division.
Performing Again on May 17
Carl will appear at Symphony North’s Late Spring Concert on Sunday, May 17, 2026, at 4:00 PM at Salem Lutheran Church in Tomball, Texas, where he will compete for Best Overall Performance.
At this concert, the top winners in Strings, Piano, and Winds will perform, and one musician will be selected as the overall winner. Each category winner will receive a $500 scholarship and trophy, and the performer chosen for Best Overall Performance will receive an additional $500 scholarship and trophy.
A Young Pianist with Exceptional Achievement
Carl Rubly, age 14, lives in Houston, Texas, and studies piano with John and Nancy Weems. Since beginning his piano studies at the age of four, he has earned an impressive list of awards and performed in distinguished venues including Carnegie Hall, the Van Cliburn Concert Hall, and Stude Hall at Rice University.
Most recently, Carl won the 2026 Fort Bend Symphony Orchestra’s Ogletree Competition as well as the 2025 and 2026 Clear Lake Symphony Piano Concerto Competition. In 2025, he also won the Texas Music Teachers’ Association competition, the Baylor/Waco Piano Competition, and the Blinn College Piano Competition in the 7th and 8th Grade category, following his earlier win in the same competition’s 5th and 6th Grade category in 2023.
His accomplishments also include a performance at Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall and top honors in a wide range of national and international competitions. Among his first-place awards are the 2019 Golden Classical Music International Piano Competition, the 2020 London Grand Prize Virtuoso International Music Competition, the 2021 Rochelle Liebling Kahan Competition for Child Piano Prodigies, the 2022 and 2023 IMTA piano competitions, the 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023 Katy Music Teachers Association Jazz Festivals, the 2022 University of Houston Forum of Young Artists, the 2022 Critique’s Corner, the 2020 and 2022 Katy Music Teachers Association Sonatina Festival, the 2023 Thirteen International Chopin Youth Competition, the 2024 North Texas Young Artist Piano Competition, and the 2025 Texas Music Teachers’ Association competition.
Music, Performance, and Community
In addition to competition success, Carl finds joy and fulfillment in participating in concerts, recitals, music festivals, and master classes, and in performing at senior facilities. His love of music is reflected not only in his accomplishments, but also in the way he shares his talent with others.
Join Us for the Late Spring Concert
Symphony North of Houston invites the community to attend the Late Spring Concert and celebrate Carl Rubly along with the outstanding winners in Strings, Piano, and Winds.
We look forward to an inspiring afternoon of music on May 17, 2026, at 4:00 PM at Salem Lutheran Church in Tomball, Texas, as these exceptional young artists perform for top honors.
