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Lina Elwood ’28 Takes Second Place At Prestigious Instrumental Competition
On January 29, Hopkins student and pianist Lina Elwood ’28 won second place at the 2026 Marianne Liberatore Instrumental Competition in Southport, Connecticut.
Open to advanced high school instrumentalists, the competition is renowned for its high-caliber performances and steep competition. Elwood secured second place with her performances of Franz Liszt’s Ballade No. 2 in B minor, S.171 and Lowell Liebermann’s Gargoyles, Op. 29, IV. Presto feroce.
“When my name was called for second prize, I was honestly surprised because everyone was so talented,” Lina reflected. “During the competition, I watched my competitors in awe, and afterward, everyone was talking and getting along.”
The competition required contestants to share their artistry through two rounds: an initial video submission and a subsequent live performance. From the initial pool, only six finalists—including Elwood—were selected to perform in a live "Winners Concert" and final audition.
According to Elwood, the event differs from her usual competitions because the field isn't limited to pianists; it includes prodigies of other instruments such as strings, woodwinds, and brass.
“It made the competition less about technique and more about interpretation, which is a very subjective thing,” Elwood said.
This honor follows a successful 2025 season, during which Elwood won the Connecticut Music Teachers National Association Competition, as well as the Young Artist Concerto Competitions for both the Norwalk and Hamden Symphony Orchestras. Additionally, Elwood has been selected as a finalist for the Emory University Young Artist Piano Competition in Atlanta, where she will compete this spring.
Hopkins is a private middle school and high school for grades 7-12. Located on a campus overlooking New Haven, CT, the School takes pride in its intellectually curious students as well as its dedicated faculty and staff.
Hopkins School admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs.