Collin Parker-Szekely, Bart Pitman Candidate

Collin Parker-Szekely, 18, of Abington, PA, is an accomplished young musician actively engaged in a wide array of musical pursuits, with a primary focus on piano and a secondary concentration in cello.

 

In the fall of 2025, Collin will begin his Bachelor’s degree in Piano Performance at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto. He has studied piano under the esteemed concert pianist and Curtis Institute of Music faculty member Michelle Cann, and currently takes private cello lessons with Thomas Kraines (Daedalus Quartet) through the Settlement Music School. At Settlement, he is a multi-year recipient of the prestigious William B. McLaughlin III Scholarship.

 

Collin has performed as a pianist for the International Crescendo, Kiszely, and Dorothy Sutton festivals and competitions, as well as the Charleston Piano Competition, consistently earning top honors. Following his participation in the 2020 Crescendo Festival, he received a monetary award and an invitation to participate in an international tour.

 

His summer studies include attendance at notable programs such as Interlochen (2022), the Tanglewood Institute (2023), and the Vivace Music Foundation (2023). Collin was the overall concerto competition winner at the 2021 Philadelphia International Music Festival (PIMF), which culminated in a performance at the Spring Winners’ Circle Concert alongside members of the Philadelphia Orchestra.

 

In Spring 2022, Collin was awarded the Menges Scholarship and performed Edward MacDowell’s Piano Concerto No. 2 with the Ambler Symphony. That June, he was a featured soloist at the “Bach and Beyond” Music Festival in western New York, where he performed Mozart’s Concerto No. 12 in A Major, K. 414, and received a scholarship in recognition of his participation.

 

Collin reprised the Mozart concerto at the MostArts Festival and Young Pianist Competition, where he was selected as one of only five national finalists. His program also included works by Beethoven, Chopin, and Schumann.

 

Since 2021, Collin has been part of a piano trio (piano, violin, and cello), coached by Mitchell Newman (LA Philharmonic), as part of the Advanced Study Program at Settlement Music School. The trio were semi-finalists in the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition (2024, 2025) in South Bend, IN, and finalists at the 2024 Coltman Chamber Music Competition in Austin, TX.

 

In addition to his piano and cello studies, Collin participates in Temple University’s Music Preparatory Division’s Center for Gifted Musicians, where he performs with the top-tier Youth Chamber Orchestra and in various chamber ensembles.

 

Beyond his instrumental work, Collin is passionate about music theory, excels in singing, and enjoys exploring diverse musical genres. He also maintains strong interests in sports, history, philosophy, and social justice.