She is only eight years old, yet she has already performed and won awards on stages across Europe, Asia, and the United States. Iliana Ioana Stanciu, a pianist from Galați with an artistic journey remarkable for her age, has been included in the national campaign “100 Young People for Romania’s Development,” organized by the Dan Voiculescu Foundation for the Development of Romania. This selection follows years during which Iliana balanced her childhood between school, practice sessions, international competitions, and meetings with piano teachers both in Romania and abroad.
Iliana’s story began around the age of three and a half, when she discovered the piano. Today, she is a second-grade student at Middle School no. 28 in Galați and studies piano under the guidance of teacher Emil Răileanu. However, behind her brief stage appearances lie hundreds of hours of study, rehearsals—including during school holidays—masterclasses, and trips abroad. Between 2024 and 2026, Iliana represented Romania in competitions held in Spain, Italy, the United States, Armenia, the Republic of Moldova, Thailand, Kosovo, and Austria.
At just five years old, she traveled to California for the World Championships of Performing Arts (WCOPA). She competed in four piano categories and returned home with three silver medals and one bronze medal. One of her most significant international achievements came in May 2026 in Bangkok. At the FourSeason WAPA / Thai Youth Music Competition, Iliana competed in the 5–12 age category, winning the title of Champion and the Grand Trophy in the piano division. This performance was all the more remarkable given that the young pianist was only seven years old at the time.
“I played for Romania, for the people who stand by me and believed in me,” Iliana said following her success in Thailand.
Indeed, 2026 was marked by an impressive series of competitions: First Prize at the Siberian International Asian Music (SIAM) competition; a notable result at the “Nicolae Știucă” International Competition in Cahul, Republic of Moldova; and Second Prize at the Rising Stars Competition in Kosovo—all followed by a summer dedicated almost entirely to piano study. Perhaps the most pivotal decision regarding the trajectory of Iliana’s musical journey was made that summer. Although she had qualified to participate in the WCOPA again—this time in Las Vegas—she also had the opportunity to study in Vienna.
On her teacher’s recommendation, her family chose Vienna, prioritizing her musical training over another world championship appearance. For two weeks, Iliana attended masterclasses and summer school programs, working with international instructors. While in Vienna, she also won the bronze medal at the “Wiener Klassik” International Vienna Piano Competition (7–9 age category), with the awards ceremony held at the Musikverein. This was followed by First Prize at the International Piano Balkan Competition Vienna and an invitation to perform at the Gala Concert in Vienna (at the Mozarthaus). The young pianist also received an 80% scholarship to study at the International Piano Balkan Academy under the official Trinity College London program, where she will be trained by Professor Giuseppe Devastato. Nationally, she has already amassed a record of over 50 awards. Her publicly recognized achievements include winning First Prize for two consecutive years—2024 and 2025—at the “Piano Art” National Piano Competition.
While the piano is the center of her artistic universe, it is not the only field in which Iliana achieves results remarkable for her age. In 2026, she became a champion at an arithmetic competition in Bucharest after correctly solving all 100 exercises in the test. In recognition of her talent and achievements at just eight years old, Iliana Ioana Stanciu was included in the “100 Young People for Romania’s Development” national campaign, organized by the Dan Voiculescu Foundation for the Development of Romania. The campaign identifies and promotes young Romanians who excel in fields such as science, education, culture, the arts, sports, and innovation, highlighting a generation capable of contributing to Romania’s development. In Iliana’s case, perhaps the most impressive aspect is not the number of awards she has won, but the fact that her story is only just beginning; at the age of eight, the piano has already taken her from Galați to California, Bangkok, and Vienna. And behind every medal lie the same things: hours of study, discipline, and the joy of a child who discovered very early on the language in which they can best express themselves—music.
