Menuhin Festival Honors YouTube Star Hayato Sumino
Pianist and YouTube star Hayato Sumino has been awarded the fifth Olivier Berggruen Prize by the Menuhin Festival Gstaad.
Hayato Sumino began as a musical prodigy and gained fame at the age of 13 through his YouTube channel «Cateen.» Winning the Grand Prix at the 2018 PTNA Piano Competition marked the start of his professional career. His debut album followed in 2019 Passion and international concert performances. At the 2021 Chopin Competition, he reached the semifinals and set a streaming record with 45,000 live viewers.
In the years that followed, he established himself worldwide as a concert pianist, performing with renowned orchestras such as the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the NHK Symphony Orchestra, and the Hamburg Symphony Orchestra, and releasing successful albums such as Human Universe (2024) and Chopin Orbit (2026). At the same time, the audience on his YouTube channel grew to over 1.5 million subscribers, making him one of the few figures to combine classical music and digital reach at the highest level.
According to a press release from the Menuhin Festival, the Olivier Berggruen Prize is dedicated to the long-term support of outstanding musical talent and has now been awarded for the fifth time. In addition to a concert as part of the festival program, the award includes a trophy specially designed by contemporary artist Olympia Scarry.
