WESTPORT — A Russian-born pianist has won the 50th Heida Hermanns International Piano Competition, a three-day event culminating Saturday evening at MoCA Westport.

Artem Kuznetsov, the winner of more than 10 other international competitions, was selected over three other young pianists for the $10,000 grand prize awarded in the Heida Hermanns event. 

The competition, from Thursday through Saturday, included a series of performances and master classes with the pianists at both MoCA and the Westport Library.

The three other musicians — Katherine Benson, Nathan Cheung and Aaron Kurz — each received a $2,500 prize.

The four finalists in the competition “were selected through an extensive worldwide audition process,” according to MoCA Westport publicity for the event.

Kuznetsov also has been involved in organizations and concert series that raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for charities, including the Multiple Sclerosis Society and Direct Relief Covid-19 Response, according to information provided by MoCA.

In 2020, he was appointed an “Emissary of the Muses” of the city of San Antonio by Mayor Ron Nirenberg.

Kuznetsov’s passion for music took root when, at age 14, he first visited Sergei Rachmaninoff’s museum-estate and heard recordings of Rachmaninoff performing his own compositions, according to MoCA.

This year’s Heida Hermanns International Competition was directed by Alexander Platt, the curator of concerts at MoCA. Jurists were Frederic Chiu of Beechwood Arts & Innovation, the jury chairman; concert pianist Sara Davis Beuchner and Argentine/American pianist Miriam Conte. 

A celebration of Heida Hermanns competitions, featuring alumni finalists, will take place Nov. 19 at the museum. For more information and to purchase tickets, click here.