UK

St Albans International Organ Festival Competitions

Next competition: July 7-19, 2025

Application deadline:
March 31, 2025

Open to organists born after July 19, 1992, the biennial St Albans International Organ Festival Competitions is, as its name suggests, two competitions: Interpretation and Improvisation – both taking place within the St Albans International Organ Festival, but run on separate schedules so that those with the appetite to enter both are able to do so. The interpretation competition features repertoire from JS Bach, Russell, Widor and Alain, along with plenty of opportunities to showcase personal repertoire and programming strengths. It then carries a First Prize and Gold Medal (won in 2023 by Sunkyung Noh) of £12,000 plus recital engagements. Second is £5000, and there are various other special prizes. The improvisation competition meanwhile is designed specifically to celebrate creative and quick-thinking musicians in this specialist art, and its Tournemire Prize for Improvisation is £8000 plus recital engagements. Competitors for both competitions have the chance to get their hands (and feet) on the Harrison and Harrison organ of St Albans Cathedral in both the quarterfinal and final, while organs for the preceding rounds include Christ Church Spitalfields’s 1735 Richard Bridge organ, and the Royal Academy of Music’s 2013 Orgelbau Kuhn organ – with 50 minutes practice time plus further rehearsal time on each. Festival Artistic Director David Titterington chairs (non-voting) the jury comprised of Simon Harden, Nathan Laube, Jakyung Oh, Margaret Phillips, Robert Quinney and Martin Schmeding. He also sits on the separate pre-selection jury alongside Thomas Trotter and the author of this year’s commissioned work, Jean-Baptiste Robin.

organfestival.com/competitions

 

Bampton Classical Opera Young Singers’ Competition

Next competition: Autumn 2025

Application deadline: see website

Launched in 2013, this biennial event is aimed at identifying the finest emerging young opera singers and accompanists currently working in the UK. The 2023 competition was won by Australian mezzo Melissa Gregory (a 2023/24 Welsh National Opera Associate Artist), with Welsh counter-tenor Kieron-Connor Valentine taking Second, and Brazilian pianist André Bertoncini the Accompanist Prize. Previous winners include sopranos Cassandra Wright (2021) and Lucy Anderson (2019) and mezzo-soprano Emma Stannard (2017). Keep an eye on the website for the 2025 details.

bamptonopera.org

 

BBC Cardiff Singer of the World

Next competition: 2027

Application deadline: see website

Seasoned viewers of this career-changing biennial competition for emerging singers might have been anticipating 2025 being an ‘on’ year, but the next edition has in fact been postponed until 2027 while its usual Cardiff city centre venue, St David’s Hall, remains closed as its new roof is installed. The competition will instead stage a gala concert in October 2025 as part of the Wales Millennium Centre’s Llais international music festival, featuring previous winners and competitors from the show. The 2023 competition was won by Italian bass Adolfo Corrado.

bbc.co.uk/cardiffsinger

 

BBC Young Musician

Next competition: 2026

Application deadline: see website

Open to UK-based classical instrumental players aged 18 and under, this iconic biennial competition almost needs no introduction, such is the long list of leading musicians whose careers it has launched, such as cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason (2016), saxophonist Jess Gillam (2016), violinist Nicola Benedetti (2004) and pianist Benjamin Grosvenor (2004), all now recording on Decca; along with pianist Martin James Bartlett (2014) on Warner Classics and cellist Laura van der Heijden (2012) on Chandos. Clearly, we’ll now be keeping a keen eye on the newly-crowned 2024 winner, Ryan Wang from Vancouver, Canada. Keep an eye online for details on how to apply for the 2026 edition.

bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00bb3wt

 

Birmingham International Piano Competition (BIPC)

Next competition: 2026

Application deadline: see website

Open to pianists aged 18 to 28, the BIPC is run by the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire and stands out for the freedom it gives candidates to display their musical personalities and programming flair via free-choice programmes. The 2026 edition’s dates will be announced online in due course.

bipcomp.co.uk

 

Donatella Flick LSO Conducting Competition

Next competition: December 2-4, 2025

Application deadline: see website

The stakes are high for the three young European Union-based conductors aged 30 or under – plus those from the UK, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Lichtenstein – who make it through to the final of this biennial competition run by the London Symphony Orchestra and hosted by LSO St Luke’s, because in addition to its cash prize, the winner has the opportunity to become LSO Assistant Conductor for up to one year; and if you need comprehensive proof of its winners being true ‘ones to watch’, the 2014 winner was Elim Chan, Chief Conductor of the Antwerp Symphony Orchestra and Principal Guest Conductor of the Royal Scottish National Orchestra. There’s also the exposure it offers, thanks to its being streamed on medici.tv. Chairing the jury for the 2025 edition will be Sir Antonio Pappano, Chief Conductor of the LSO. More information will appear on the competition website during 2024.

donatellaflickcompetition.com

 

The Kathleen Ferrier Memorial Scholarship Fund Competition

Next competition: March/April 2025

Application deadline: February 1, 2025

Held every year, this prestigious competition is open to singers of all nationalities who are 28 or under on Friday 25 April, and who have completed at least one year of a postgraduate course in music in the UK or Republic of Ireland (ROI) at a recognised conservatoire or music school, and are currently resident in that territory; or singers who, having graduated with a first degree or equivalent at a recognised conservatoire or music college in the UK or ROI, have thereafter completed at least one year of continuous study in the UK or ROI as at February 1, 2025. It’s a high-profile list of former prizewinners too, including soprano Natalya Romaniw (2012) and tenor Ben Johnson (2008). Plus, running alongside the singing competition is the prestigious Help Musicians Accompanist’s Prize, whose notable past winners include Joseph Middleton (2007) and James Baillieu (2006). Following preliminary auditions in March at Henry Wood Hall, the semi-finals and finals take place before a public audience at London’s Wigmore Hall on April 23 and 25. First Prize is £12,500, Second is £6000, the Ferrier Loveday Song Prize is £5000, and the Help Musicians UK Accompanist’s Prize is £5000.

ferrierawards.org.uk

 

Pierre Fournier Award

Next Competition: 2026

Application deadline: see website

Founded in 1988 by cellist Ralph Kirschbaum to honour the memory of the great cellist Pierre Fournier, this triennial competition is open to applicants worldwide aged between 18 and 30. While the next edition is still a little way off, it still deserves to remain on your radars in the interim, because its top prize has not only traditionally been exceptionally covetable, but one that then proceeds to feed into the UK recording and concert landscape: 2023’s winner, American cellist Annie Jacobs-Perkins (playing Elliott Carter and Fauré) walked away with a recital in London’s Wigmore Hall complete with a professional film of the event, plus a recording on the Champs Hill label, a concerto performance with the Philharmonia Orchestra, and significant chamber music performances with affiliated organisations such as Oxford May Music and the Manchester Mid-Day Concerts Society.

pierrefournieraward.com

 

International Handel Singing Competition

Next competition: April 2025

Application deadline: January 2025

Open to the public as part of the annual London Handel Festival, this major international Baroque vocal competition for singers aged between 23 and 34 is a showcase for historically informed performances of Handel’s music. Its 2024 edition was won by bass-baritone William Frost, with sopranos Charlotte Bowden and Isabelle Haile sharing Second. Other past finalists include Ruby Hughes (2009), countertenor Iestyn Davies (2004) and Lucy Crowe (2002). On to 2025 – the exact dates for which will be announced in due course – and both the semi-final and final are held at St George’s Hanover Square, with singers performing to harpsichord accompaniment for the former, and with The Academy of Ancient Music for the latter. Cash prizes include a First of £5000 and a Second of £2000. Possibly most important of all, though, is the opportunity it offers to be spotted by the prominent industry figures who attend and/or adjudicate, because while the 2025 jury isn’t yet announced, recent jurors include David Gowland (Artistic Director of the Royal Opera House Jette Parker Young Artists programme) and Sonia Prina (contralto).

london-handel-festival.com/handel-singing-competition

 

Hastings International Piano Concerto Competition

Next competition: February 26 – March 7, 2026

Application deadline: see website

Open to pianists aged between 16 and 30, this competition under the artistic directorship of the Royal College of Music’s Vanessa Latarche offers its five concerto finalists the chance to perform at Hastings’s White Rock Theatre with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. The overall winner then receives further concerto performances, £15,000 cash, other performance engagements including in the USA, and also the Hastings Fellowship, a package of coaching and professional advice tailored to starting out as a professional soloist. Other prizes include £7000 for Second and £3000 for Third, and possibly also engagements.

hastingsinternationalpiano.org

 

Leeds International Piano Competition

Next competition: Autumn 2027

Application deadline: see website

Under the artistic direction of BBC New Generation Artist Scheme founder Adam Gatehouse, ‘The Leeds’ counts Radu Lupu, Murray Perahia, Mitsuko Uchida, Sir András Schiff and Lars Vogt among its former prizewinners. However it’s not just riding on its historic coat-tails, because these days it also boasts one of the competition circuit’s most career-boosting First Prize packages, which beyond £30,000 cash includes worldwide management with Askonas Holt, a debut recording with Warner Classics, and recitals at prestigious venues such as Wigmore Hall and Snape Maltings. Plus, 2024 finalists – including of course First Prize winner Jaeden Izik-Dzurko – got the priceless opportunity to perform with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra under Domingo Hindoyan, as well as Kaleidoscope Chamber Collective, to an interdisciplinary jury chaired by Dame Imogen Cooper; and all complemented by an award-winning, city-wide festival of public pianos and sculptures. You can still watch the 2024 edition on medici.tv and YouTube. While the next competition year isn’t until 2027, keep your eyes peeled for The Leeds International Piano Series, bringing the biggest talent to Leeds including Elisabeth Leonskaja, Anne Queffélec, Stephen Hough, Kathryn Stott and Benjamin Grosvenor.

leedspiano.com

 

London International Festival of Early Music Young Ensemble Competition

Next competition: Autumn 2026

Application deadline: see website

This biennial competition for early music ensembles from around the globe with an average member age of under 30 takes place within the London International Festival of Early Music (LIFEM). Alongside cash prizes for the finalists, the winner will be invited back to LIFEM the following year to perform their winners’ recital. The 2024 edition, which was underway as we went to press, was judged by LIFEM artistic director and recorder player Erik Bosgraaf, baroque cellist and viola da gambist Robert Smith and flautist Darina Ablogina.

lifem.org

 

The Parkhouse Award

Next competition: April 8-11, 2025

Application deadline: December 31, 2024

Established in 1991 in memory of David Parkhouse, founder-pianist of the Music Group of London, and with finals held at Wigmore Hall, the biennial chamber competition offers winning ensembles (piano and strings, of members no older than 32, with aggregate age rules applying) concerts in London and throughout the UK. 2023 winners the Paddington Trio followed 2021’s Trio Bohémo, who recently released their debut album of Smetana and Schubert on the Supraphon label.

parkhouseaward.com

 

RNCM James Mottram International Piano Competition

Next competition: November 24-29, 2025

Application deadline: Opening April 2025

Open to international pianists aged under 30, this Manchester competition run by the Royal Northern College of Music is named after the local academic and amateur pianist whose generous bequest – inspired by a lifetime ambition to see an international competition staged in Manchester – made it possible. It offers three cash prizes of £10,000 (First), £5000 (Second) and £2500 (Third); and with learning a strong element of its remit, it offers all those who compete onstage the opportunity to take part in a masterclass given by a jury member, however far they progress. The jury is chaired by Graham Scott, Head of Keyboard Studies at the RNCM.

rncm.ac.uk/jmipc

 

Royal Over-Seas League Annual Music Competition

Next competition: February 10–July 18, 2025

Application deadline: January 6, 2025

This multidisciplinary competition run by the Royal Over-Seas League (ROSL) was famously won in 1961 by a young Jacqueline du Pré, while other past winners include guitarist Sean Shibe, pianist Jonathan Plowright and soprano Susan Bullock. Split into solo and ensemble awards, the solo prize – divided into wind and brass, singers, strings and keyboard sections, which in 2024 saw Welsh tenor Dafydd Jones become the first singer to take home the top prize in 11 years – is open to musicians aged between 18 and 30 from current and former Commonwealth countries, plus (as of recently) the USA, all EU and EEA countries, Switzerland, Japan and South Korea. For ensembles, at least half of the group members need to be aged 18-30, with the group’s average age under 30. Awards include over £70,000 in cash prizes, including a £15,000 First Prize for solo performers (£10,000 plus £5000 professional development scholarship), and chamber ensemble awards of £10,000, along with performance opportunities at major venues. Recent years have also seen tours organised for prizewinners in countries including Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Singapore. Readers who can’t attend the live finals can watch on the ROSL’s YouTube channel instead.

rosl.org.uk/art/rosl-annual-music-competition

 

Scottish International Piano Competition

Next competition: September 2026

Application deadline: March 2026

Established in 1986, this triennial Glasgow-based competition, which runs an annual Youth Competition, offers its finalists the priceless opportunity to perform a concerto with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra (RSNO). Recital rounds meanwhile take place at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. Finer details of the jury and prizes weren’t yet available as we went to press, but we can tell you that 2023’s First Prize winner, Jonathan Mamora, was awarded over £15,000 in prizes, in addition to three concerto dates with the RSNO in the 2024/25 season and a number of recital opportunities, by a jury chaired by Artistic Director Professor Aaron Shorr and renowned pianists including Clare Hammond.

scotpianocomp.com

 

Society of Recorder Players/Moeck Solo Recorder Competition

Next competition: Autumn 2025

Application deadline: see website

Hosted by the London International Festival of Early Music (LIFEM), this biennial competition for recorder players under the age of 30 takes place at St Michael and All Angels, Blackheath, with notable past winners including Charlotte Schneider (2021) and Tabea Debus (2019). The 2025 competition will be marking its 40th anniversary, and while it’s too early for precise dates or confirmed jury members, we can tell you that the 2023 jury was presided over by Dutch recorder player and LIFEM artistic director Erik Bosgraaf, with Annabel Knight (head of recorder at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire) and Adrian Chandler (director of La Serenissima). In addition to the cash prizes, the winner will perform a recital in front of a live audience at LIFEM the following year – and this year that was Korean Jiyeon Bang, the competition’s first Asian winner.

srp.org.uk/srpmoeck-competition

 

Wigmore Hall/Bollinger International Song Competition

Next competition: 2026

Application deadline: see website

Celebrating the art of the song recital and hailing the Lied’s place at the heart of the genre – and thus with the Lieder of Schubert a compulsory part of certain rounds – this biennial competition is open to singers and pianists of all nationalities, aged 33 or under, who are keen to embark on significant recital careers. A total of £32,000 in prize money is on offer across First, Second, Third, Pianist, Duo and various repertoire prizes. The 2024 First Prize winner – and the youngest ever winner of the competition – was Austrian mezzo-soprano Anja Mittermüller.

wigmore-hall.org.uk/competitions

 

Wigmore Hall International String Quartet Competition

Next competition: April 1-6, 2025

Application deadline: closed

Under the auspices of Wigmore Hall since 2010, this respected triennial competition began life in 1979 as The Portsmouth International String Quartet Competition, when it was won by none other than the Takács Quartet. Fast forward to the present, and its talent for attracting and rewarding the stars of the future was again centre stage in 2022 when it was won by the Leonkoro Quartet, who shortly afterwards were announced as BBC New Generation Artists. So expect some exciting playing at the 16th edition of the competition, whose jury of internationally lauded quartet players, chaired by Wigmore Hall Director John Gilhooly, will comprise of cellists Peter Jarůšek (Pavel Haas Quartet) and Nina Lee (Brentano Quartet), violinists Heime Müller (formerly with the Artemis Quartet) and Mark Steinberg (Brentano Quartet), and viola players Lesley Robertson (St Lawrence String Quartet) and Milena Pajaro-van de Stadt (formerly with the Dover Quartet).

wigmore-hall.org.uk/competitions

 

Windsor Festival International String Competition

Next competition: 2026

Application deadline: see website

If strings are your thing, then look no further than this biennial competition for violinists, viola players and cellists aged 16-26 which time and time again awards interesting artists set for significant careers, not least 2023 Gramophone Concerto Award-winning viola player Timothy Ridout who came second in 2015. Our One to Watch slot meanwhile was recently taken by the Windsor’s 2021 winner, violinist Daniil Bulayev, whose debut solo recording on Champs Hill – part of his Windsor First Prize package – is shortly to be released. Beyond that invaluable recording opportunity, the Windsor also offers its overall winner a Windsor Festival concerto performance in Windsor Castle with partner orchestra the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO), plus further concertos in the RPO’s UK Touring Programme, and a London concerto performance with Orpheus Sinfonia. Cash prizes meanwhile are £5000, £2000 and £1000 respectively for First, Second and Third. All good reasons why you should check online for 2026 application details.

windsorfestival.com/international-string-competition

 

York Early Music International Young Artists Competition

Next competition: July 2026

Application deadline: January 2026

Based at York’s National Centre for Early Music, this biennial period performance competition takes place as part of York Early Music Festival. It invites applications from instrumental and vocal ensembles of three or more musicians whose average age is 32 or under, and who focus on historically informed practice with period instruments – and note that the time period for repertoire is broader than you might suppose, encompassing any period from the Middle Ages through to the 19th century. It’s a covetable bunch of prizes for any internationally ambitious ensemble, too: First Prize comes with a CD recording with Linn Records – and these winners’ albums have always done well in Gramophone’s reviews pages – plus a paid concert at the York Early Music Festival, and future recording opportunities with BBC Radio 3. Note too that the 2024 competition, presented by conductor and keyboardist Steven Devine and won by Ayres Extemporae, is still available for catch-up viewing on the competition website.

yorkcomp.ncem.co.uk

Europe

International Aeolus Competition for Wind Instruments

Next competition: September 9-14, 2025

Application deadline: April 30, 2025

Based in Düsseldorf and open to all nationalities under the age of 28, this major competition for woodwind and brass players rotates its disciplines each year. The 2025 is for horn, oboe and saxophone, with the cash prizes topped by €20,000 for First plus concert engagements on offer. The finals in the Tonhalle Düsseldorf are accompanied by the Düsseldorfer Symphoniker and the prizewinners’ concert will be streamed online.

aeoluswettbewerb.de/en

 

Andorra International Saxophone Competition

Next competition: April 27–May 4, 2025

Application deadline: closed

Alternating between the main competition for young professionals and a youth competition, this competition sits within the Andorra Sax Fest and is distinctive in both its stunning location amid the Pyrenees mountains, and its discipline: classical saxophone. The 2025 edition is for young professionals born after April 27, 1995, and among its prizes is a First comprised of a Selmer Paris alto saxophone Supreme worth €7000 and various performance engagements. Repertoire ranges from Schumann and Ysaÿe transcriptions through to the competition commission for solo saxophone by Arnau Bataller.

andorrasaxfest.com/competition

 

ARD International Music Competition

Next competition: September 1-19, 2025

Application deadline: March 28, 2025

Based in Munich, this is Germany’s largest classical music competition, with a starry list of previous winners including Jessye Norman, Mitsuko Uchida, and more recently Quatuor Ébène and Quatuor Arod. It’s also a competition with a notably wide range of rotating disciplines, which for 2025 are clarinet, trumpet and piano. The cash prizes on offer includes First, Second and Third prizes of €10,000, €7500 and €5000 respectively for each discipline. Most covetable of all are the concert opportunities on offer, such as at Bozar in Brussels or Konzerthaus Berlin.

br.de/ard-music-competition

 

Princess Astrid International Music Competition

Next competition: 2026

Application deadline: April, 2026

Established in 1953, this major biennial competition hosted by the Trondheim Symphony Orchestra and Opera rotates between violin and conducting. The next edition, in 2026, will be for conductors aged up to 35. The overall winner receives NOK160,000 in cash, plus a concert engagement with the Trondheim Symphony Orchestra and Opera.

tso.no/competition

 

International Violin Competition BCN ‘Victoria’

Next competition: April 18-20, 2025

Applications: February 12, 2025

Run by the Victoria Music Center in Barcelona, this intimate competition is split into three age categories: Junior, for those born 2009-2013; Advanced, for those born 2005-2008; and Senior, for those born 2000-2004. Each category winner is awarded a masterclass with Maxim Vengerov, while second and third prizewinners receive scholarship awards worth €300 (Second) and €150 (Third).

victoriamusicenter.com/violin-competition

 

Bartók World Competition Budapest

Next competition: 2025

Application deadline: see website

This Hungarian competition was launched in 2017 to mark the 135th anniversary of Bartók’s death. Its structure is a slightly unusual one, being built in a six-year cycle around the most characteristic strands of Bartók’s oeuvre – piano, violin, chamber music and composition – with the individual instrumental competitions taking place biennially, punctuated by composer competitions. 2025 is for pianists.

bartokworldcompetition.hu

 

Basel Composition Competition

Next competition: January 30–February 2, 2025

Application deadline: closed

This biennial composition competition open to composers of all ages and nationalities was established in memory of the conductor and patron Paul Sacher. Its focus is on chamber and symphony orchestra compositions, and it asks for new, non-premiered works. The selection process then sees the jury shortlist 10-12 pieces to be performed at the competition by the Basel Chamber Orchestra, the Basel Symphony Orchestra and the Basel Sinfonietta. The three winning works are then awarded cash prizes of €60,000 (First), €25,000 (Second) and €10,000 (Third).There’s also a new public prize this year of €5000.

baselcompetition.com/en

 

International Telekom Beethoven Competition Bonn

Next competition: December 4-13, 2025

Application deadline: see website

Based in Beethoven’s native city of Bonn, and taking place biennially, this Beethoven-themed competition for pianists aged between 18 and 32 encompasses works from every phase of his creative life, alongside the music of his predecessors, contemporaries and successors. The final focusses on Beethoven’s piano concertos. First Prize is €50,000, plus a prestigious clutch of concert engagements. Second and Third prizes are almost as covetable, comprised of €25,000 and €10,000 respectively, with prestigious recital engagements of their own, awarded by a jury featuring names including Robert Levin and Kim Daejin.

telekom-beethoven-competition.de

 

International Jeunesses Musicales Competition Belgrade

Next competition: March 21-30, 2025

Application deadline: January 15, 2025

International competitions for harpists are few and far between, but it is precisely the harp being honoured at the 2025 edition of this Belgrade competition whose disciplines rotate over a five-year cycle. It’s calling for harpists aged 15 or under on January 31, 2025. The jury and collaborating artists (there is a concerto final) will be announced in due course but there are cash awards of €3000 (First), €2000 (Second) and €1000 (Third).

muzicka-omladina.org

 

Luciano Berio International Composition Competition

Next competition: 2025

Application deadline: see website

A joint endeavour between the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia Foundation and its orchestra, the Centro Studi Luciano Berio, the Filarmonica della Scala, the RAI National Symphony Orchestra, and the Orchestra of the Carlo Felice Theatre, this triennial competition for composers aged under 40 bestows upon its winner a major career stepping-stone: a commission worth €20,000 for an original symphonic work to be performed by all the above orchestras. Applications must consist of two scores, the first for symphonic orchestra, and the second for any instrumentation for three instruments or more.

santacecilia.it/en/compositioncompetition

 

Besançon International Competition for Young Conductors

Next Competition: September 22-27, 2025

Application deadline: January 23, 2025

This biennial French conducting competition for those aged 35 and under is part of the Besançon International Music Festival, and puts its candidates through their paces with a wide repertoire ranging from classical to contemporary, including concerto and opera. Conductors are chosen through live pre-selections for 280 candidates, held this coming spring from April 14 to May 3 in Besançon, Paris, Berlin, Montréal and Seoul. President of the 2025 Jury is Michael Schønwandt, and its Grand Prize is €12,000, plus three months of artistic support and professional integration with partner orchestras. Most recently, the 2023 edition was won by Frenchman Swann Van Rechem, while names from further back include Seiji Ozawa (1959).

festival-besancon.com

 

Biagio Marini Competition

Next competition: 2025

Application deadline: see website

Held annually since 1999 in picturesque Neuburg an der Donau, this is Bavaria’s only permanent early music competition, aimed at young chamber ensembles committed to historical performance practice who play on historical instruments and whose members are aged 35 and under. Previous winners include the Protean Ensemble (2020) and Palisander (2022). The competition itself is held as a public performance in one of Germany’s most beautiful concert halls, the Neuburg Kongregationssaal. Its top two prizes are €2500 and €1500. 2025 details weren’t available as we went to press, so keep an eye on the website for more information.

sommerakademie-neuburg.com/biagio-marini-competition

 

Premio Paolo Borciani International String Quartet Competition

Next competition: 2027

Application deadline: see website

This prestigious triennial Italian competition in Reggio Emilia ran this past summer, won by Quartetto Fibonacci. Created in 1987 and dedicated to the founder and first violin of the Quartetto Italiano, and organised by the Fondazione I Teatri, its past 13 editions have produced six star quartets: the Keller, Artemis, Pavel Haas, Bennewitz, Kuss and Kelemen. There’s always a jury of well-known names, a generous prize pot of money, plus the First Prize package includes an international tour and a residency project.

premioborciani.it

 

Bordeaux International String Quartet Competition

Next competition: May 19-25, 2025

Application deadline: January 10, 2025

Under the artistic direction of Quatuor Modigliani, in close partnership with the Opera National de Bordeaux, this competition has historically been where you’re sure to catch quartets destined for international success, from the Hagen (1983) and Ysaÿe (1988), to the Belcea (1999) and Ébène (2003), through to the Schumann (2013) and BBC New Generation Artists the Leonkoro (2022). The 2025 edition is open to quartets aged up to 35, offering cash prizes, a set of bows by Edwin Clement valued at €40,000, an album recording on the Mirare label, a masterclass programme and an international tour. The jury is presided over by Martin Beaver and comprised of Corinna Belcea (violinist, Belcea Quartet), Hélène Clement (violist, Doric), Valentin Erben (cellist, ex Alban Berg), Miguel da Silva (violist, ex Quatuor Ysaÿe) and pianist Anne Queffélec.

quatuorsabordeaux.com

 

Bottesini Competition

Next competition: 2026

Application deadline: see website

Named after the Italian composer, conductor and double bassist virtuoso, Giovanni Bottesini, and under the artistic direction of conductor and double bassist Enrico Fagone – who also directs the accompanying Orchestra Bottesini – this Crema-based competition is a major one for double bassists. It’s currently a little early for 2026 details, but what we can tell you is that the 2024 edition was offering some serious prizes, topped by a First consisting of a double bass by Marco Nolli worth €30,000, and a Second consisting of a double bass by Richard Gonon worth €20,000.

bottesinicompetition.it/en

 

International Johannes Brahms Competition

Next competition: 2025

Application deadline: see website

Taking place annually in Brahms’s beloved Austrian lakeside retreat of Pörtschach, this chamber music competition runs sections for pianists, violin, viola and cello players, chamber musicians, and singers. It also attracts a hugely international complement of young artists from multiple continents, with only a tenth or so coming from Austria itself. Clearly one unique aspect is its inspiring setting. Equally distinctive is the marking: jurors have to give their marks immediately after the performance, in full view of the audience; scores for the last two rounds are added together, meaning victory goes to the best consistent performer. Prizes for the respective solo categories are €3000 (First), €1500 (Second) and €750 (Third). First for Piano also comes with a concert engagement for Brahms’s Piano Concerto No 1 with the Savaria Symphony Orchestra. First for Violin equally comes with a concert engagement, for Brahms’s Violin Concerto in Prague’s Smetana Hall. Chamber ensembles win €4000 (First), €2000 (Second) and €1000 (Third).

brahmscompetition.org

 

Queen Elisabeth Competition, Brussels

Next competition: May 5–June 11, 2025

Application deadline: closed

This prestigious Belgian competition rotates its disciplines annually between pianists, violinists, singers and cellists. Among its many famous laureates is Gramophone’s own 2023 Young Artist of the Year, violinist Stella Chen (2019). The 2025 edition is open to pianists aged 18-31. It’s a challenging competition scenario: two compulsory competition commissions to learn, one for the semi-final recital and one for the final at the Palais des Beaux-Arts with orchestral accompaniment from the Brussels Philharmonic and Kazushi Ono. Prizes, beyond the sheer glory, include a cash First of €25,000. You can catch it remotely via live and on demand streams on the website.

queenelisabethcompetition.be

 

Feruccio Busoni International Piano Competition

Next competition: August 27–September 7, 2025

Application deadline: closed

Launched in 1949, with an extraordinary honorary committee including Claudio Arrau, Dinu Lipatti, Arthur Rubinstein and Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli, this historic biennial competition’s past winners include a 16-year-old Martha Argerich in 1957. Its numerous draws for young pianists today include cash prizes topped by €30,000, €10,000 and €5000 respectively for First, Second and Third, and various concert engagements. The application process is very distinctive: preliminary stages named The Glocal Piano Project are held in 12 cities across three continents in collaboration with Steinway & Sons. Then a maximum of three candidates will be selected for the final rounds in Bolzano.

concorsobusoni.it/en

 

International Maria Canals Music Competition

Next competition: March 23–April 3, 2025

Application deadline: December 13, 2024

Founded in 1954 and held at Barcelona’s Palau de la Música Catalana, this piano competition for performers of all nationalities requires candidates to perform at least two works by Spanish composers, including a minimum of one work by a Catalan composer. It also asks that at least one work by a female composer be performed in each of the different rounds. The long and covetable list of prizes include a First package consisting of €25,000 cash, concert engagements, and a recording on Naxos. It’s streamed live on the competition’s YouTube channel.

mariacanals.org

 

Cascais Opera International Vocal Competition

Next competition: April 23–May 4, 2025

Application deadline: December 15, 2024

This Portuguese vocal competition under the artistic directorship of Sergei Leiferkus held its inaugural edition only in 2024, but is already looking like a major player. Open to singers aged between 18 and 32, of all vocal types, it holds its earlier rounds in the Centro Cultural de Cascais before moving to the Grand Auditorium of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation for its final, where the candidates are accompanied by the orchestra of the São Carlos National Theatre, the Portuguese Symphony Orchestra. The jury features names such as Pål Christian Moe (Glyndebourne) and Anna Samuil (Berliner Staatsoper). Beyond nine cash prizes worth a total of €40,000, the candidates will have the chance to sign contracts with various opera companies and festivals, including Teatro Nacional de São Carlos and FIMM, the Marvão International Music Festival.

cascaisopera.com

 

Cavalli Monteverdi Competition

Next competition: October 27–November 2, 2025

Application deadline: see website

Another new vocal competition, this one specifically for the Baroque repertoire, the CMC is a collaboration between the Fondazione Teatro Ponchielli of Cremona and the Associazione Musicale Giovanni Bottesini. Taking place biennially, it’s an opportunity to be seen and heard by some of the most influential names in baroque and early opera. The 2023 jury, chaired by Laurent Brunner, Director of Performances at the Château de Versailles, featured various artistic directors including Andrea Cigni (Teatro Ponchielli), Michael Chance (the Grange Festival) and Peter de Caluwe (Théâtre Royal de la Monnaie in Brussels). Excitingly, the competition winners get invited to participate in the opera productions of the following year’s Monteverdi Festival, both in leading and minor roles.

teatroponchielli.it/en

 

International Chopin Piano Competition

Next competition: October 2-23, 2025

Application deadline: December 15, 2024

The most important musical event in Poland and one of the most important competitions in the world, this legendary Warsaw competition’s recent winners include Seong-Jin Cho and Bruce Liu, while further back there’s the likes of Maurizio Pollini and Martha Argerich, meaning that a win here always makes the headlines – and thanks to its many broadcast and streaming options, its global viewership is only growing. The 2025 edition offers a total of €200,000 in prize money, along with concerts/tours including overseas, a recording, marketing/new website, artist management, workshops and career support.

nifc.pl

 

Debut Classical Singing Competition

Next competition: September 20-26, 2026

Application deadline: April 4–June 30, 2026

Held biennially in Weikersheim castle and TauberPhilharmonie, this German singing competition is for young opera singers aged 34 and under and is open to soprano, mezzo-soprano and alto, tenor, countertenor, baritone and bass. The accompanying orchestra is the Würzburg Philharmonic. Candidates are required to perform a competition commission, as well as art lieder. Prizes are topped by three top cash awards of €10,000 (Golden Victoria), €7500 (Silver Victoria) and €5000 (Bronze Victoria).

debut.de/en/contest

 

George Enescu International Competition

Next competition: September 2026

Application deadline: see website

Open to violinists, pianists, cellists, and composers (all disciplines running concurrently rather than on rotating years), and always with a starry bunch of jurors, this major biennial competition under the artistic direction of conductor Cristian Măcelaru sits under the brand of the George Enescu International Festival, Romania’s largest international cultural event. Further draws for the competitors themselves include the chance to perform at Bucharest’s most prestigious concert hall, the Romanian Athenaeum for the semi-finals and finals, and the fact that the prizes include invitations to perform at the following year’s festival.

concurs.festivalenescu.ro

 

Épinal International Piano Competition

Next competition: March 21-30, 2025

Application deadline: closed

The Épinal has no preselection – only the first 90 of its applicants aged between 16 to 30 will be allowed to enter. Its jury chaired by Akiko Ebi will then be awarding prizes including a cash First of €10,000, with various concert engagements open to all the laureates. Note too that the two theatres hosting the competition – the Théâtre Municipal d’Épinal, and the Théâtre de la Rotonde in Thaon-les-Vosges – are beautiful venues that would be a treat to perform in.

concours-international-piano-epinal.org

 

Ilona Fehér International Violin Competition

Next competition: 2026

Application deadline: see website

Founded in 2017 by leading Hungarian violinists Katalin Kokas and Barnabás Kelemen, and part of the Budapest Festival Academy, this biennial competition offers total prize money of €10,000 across its two age categories (under 15 and 15-22), and counts Daniil Bulayev among its recent winners. It’s too early for 2026 jury details, but the 2024 edition was judged by such names as Dmitry Sitkovetsky and Alissa Margulis.

fesztivalakademia.hu/en/v-ilona-feher-international-violin-competition

 

Leyla Gencer Voice Competition

Next competition: 2027

Application deadline: see website

Organised by the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts (IKSV), Borusan Sanat, and the Accademia Teatro alla Scala, this triennial competition is dedicated to the memory of ‘La Diva Turca’ Leyla Gencer, and was held under her patronage until she passed away in 2008. Previous winners include Pretty Yende and it’s judged by a high-level jury and offers special awards that are highly valuable in career terms. These include a three-month scholarship at the Accademia Teatro alla Scala, a performance with the Borusan Istanbul Philharmonic, a week of coaching sessions (minimum five) at the Royal Opera House and participation in a Deutsche Oper Berlin production.

leylagencer.org/en/home-page

 

Concours de Genève

Next competition: November 4-12, 2025

Application deadline: April 10 2025

Founded in 1939, this competition with annually rotating disciplines counts Martha Argerich and Emmanuel Pahud among its list of high-profile laureates, while its continued relevance is reflected by its 2023 Flute competition winner, Elizaveta Ivanova, being subsequently named as a 2024-26 BBC New Generation Artist. The 2025 competition is for two disciplines as usual: viola, with a jury chaired by Tabea Zimmermann, cash prizes topped by CHF20,000 (First), CHF12,000 (Second) and CHF8,000 (Third), and finalists accompanied in Geneva’s Victoria Hall by the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande. This is followed by the first two rounds of the conducting competition, at Studio Ansermet with the Orchestre de Chambre de Genève and the Orchestre de la Haute École de Musique de Genève. The conducting semi-finals and finals will then take place in November 2026, keep an eye on the website for updates. The competition will be live-streamed on the competition’s website and social media platforms.

concoursgeneve.ch

 

Géza Anda International Piano Competition

Next competition: 2027

Application deadline: see website

Established in 1978 in memory of the renowned Swiss-Hungarian pianist Géza Anda (1921-1976), this triennial Zurich and Winterthur-based competition is open to pianists from all over the world, and gives its semi-finalists a chance to play with both the Musikkollegium Winterthur and the Zürich Tonhalle Orchestra. For its 2024 edition, that meant being conducted by Mikhail Pletnev with the former, and Paavo Järvi with the latter. Prizes include generous cash awards, free artist management services and mentorship for all prizewinners for three years. The next edition won’t be until May-June 2027, so keep a close eye on its website for news.

geza-anda.ch

 

Gold International Classical Music Competition

Next competition: March 7, 2025

Application deadline: February 23, 2025

Taking place online via YouTube video uploads, and consisting of just one round, this competition has a huge spread of ages and categories: piano, chamber music, singing (classical, popular, folk), strings (including harp and classical guitar), woodwinds, brass, percussion, folk instrument. Each category awards a First, Second and Third prize, with each category’s best participant awarded the Grand Prize – ranging from €100 for five to seven-year olds to €600 for 19 years and over. There are also special prizes such as Child Prodigy, Young Talent and String Virtuoso and the jury is unnamed, in order to ensure fairness.

gicmc.com

 

International Edvard Grieg Piano Competition

Next competition: 2026

Application deadline: see website

Hosted by the KODE Edvard Grieg Museum Troldhaugen in Bergen, Norway, this competition holds its finals in Grieg Hall with the Bergen Philharmonic. Details for the next competition weren’t yet available as we went to press, but we anticipate it being in 2026.

griegcompetition.com

 

Clara Haskil Piano Competition

Next competition: August 28–September 5, 2025

Application deadline: April 9, 2025

Established in 1971, and hosted by the Swiss town of Vevey where pianist Clara Haskil lived from 1942 until her death, this biennial piano competition counts Mao Fujita, Steven Osborne, Till Felner and Christoph Eschenbach among its former winners, and most recently in 2023, Magdalene Ho. It stands out for having only one winner, who receives the main prize of CHF25,000 cash and various concert engagements. All finalists receive CHF5000. On to the 2025 edition, and it’s Gábor Tákacs-Nagy who conducts the Zermatt Music Festival Orchestra in the finals, before a jury presided over by the competition’s current chairperson Finghin Collins (another former winner) and comprised of pianists Silke Avenhaus, Piers Lane, Kathryn Stott, and cellist Marc Coppey.

clara-haskil.ch/en/home

 

Ilmari Hannikainen Piano Chamber Music Competition

Next competition: February 26–March 5, 2026

Application deadline: November 15, 2025

This triennial competition takes place during the height of winter in Jyväskylä, a small, highly cultural university town 62 degrees north and 570km from the Polar Circle, where Finnish composer and virtuoso pianist Ilmari Hannikainen (1892-1955) was from. It’s open to piano trios, violin and piano duos, or piano duos (four hands or two pianos) aged 16-35, all ensembles competing together across its three rounds, with concerto finals – because this chamber competition has a concerto final, with a repertoire list full of lesser-spotted gems – played with the Jyväskylä Sinfonia. Prizes-wise, beyond a total of €28,000 to be won, the competition offers recordings, marketing and career support; in addition to having their performances live-streamed, ensembles also receive recordings of their performances.

kesmes.fi

 

International Vocal Competition ‘s-Hertogenbosch

Next competition: Autumn 2025

Application deadline: see website

Founded in 1954, this is the Netherlands’ only classical vocal competition, with its rotating disciplines encompassing oratorio, art song and opera. Past winners include Sarah Connolly, Thomas Hampson and Pretty Yende. The 2025 edition is Lied Duo, and we expect it to offer the usual combination of generous cash prizes and career opportunities.

ivc.nu

 

Concours Ile-de-France International Piano Competition

Next competition: May 31–June 7, 2025

Application deadline: April 18, 2025

The old church within the park of Maisons-Laffitte just outside Paris is the atmospheric venue for this international piano competition whose honorary president is Anne Queffélec. It has categories for all ages, stages and walks of life: Levels 1, 2, 3 (Junior), Advanced, Excellence, Amateur (25 years and over), and the Concert Pianist category for professional concert artists aged 32 and under, whose first prize is €3000 plus seven French recitals.

concoursdepiano.com

 

Iturbi International Piano Competition

Next Competition: June 4-14, 2025

Application deadline: closed

Open to pianists of all nationalities born after June 4 1990, this Valencia competition’s 2025 jury is presided over by its artistic director Joaquín Achúcarro and includes Janina Fialkowska. Those who get to the finals at the Teatre Principal, performing with the Orchestra of Valencia, will be competing for prizes including a First of €30,000 plus a CD recording, a Second of €20,000, and a Third of €10,000, with a 2026 concert tour of Valencia for all three of them. Special prizes include for best performance of Spanish music, and of a Chopin piece. As ever, the competition will be streamed online.

pianoiturbi.dival.es

 

Concurso Internacional de Piano ‘Premio Jaén’

Next competition: April 24–May 3, 2025

Application deadline: January 31, 2025

Held annually in the stunning Andalusian city of Jaén, this Spanish competition for pianists under the age of 32 offers prizes totalling €60,000. Next year’s commissioned work – always by a Spanish composer – is by David del Puerto, and offers the opportunity to play a chamber semi-finals performance with Cosmos Quartet, before a final accompanied by the Málaga Philharmonic Orchestra.

premiopiano.dipujaen.es/en

 

International Joseph Joachim Chamber Music Competition

Next competition: March 30–April 6, 2025

Application deadline: January 19, 2025

Mounted by the University of Music Franz Liszt Weimar, this competition is open to either string trio and string quartet, or piano trio and piano quartet. Ensemble members need to have been born after March 30, 1990, and have their average age not exceeding 32 on March 30, 2025. Prizes include cash First, Second and Third prizes of €10,000, €5000 and €2500.

hfm-weimar.de/en/international-joseph-joachim-chamber-music-competition

 

Joseph Joachim Violin Competition

Next competition: 2027

Application deadline: see website

Under the artistic direction of Antje Weithaas and Oliver Wille, this major triennial competition for violinists stands out for its upper age limit of 32 being slightly higher than most, and for awarding a €10,000 cash prize to each finalist, plus the €30,000 Joseph Joachim Prize for one of them. There’s also a long list of covetable special prizes including a Warner recording, the three-year loan of a 1765 Guadagnini violin, a Kronberg Academy masterclass and 20-plus concert invitations. It’s definitely one of the most prestigious violin competitions in the world.

jjv-hannover.de/en

 

Khachaturian International Competition

Next competition: June 6-12, 2025

Application deadline: see website

This annual Yerevan-based competition’s disciplines rotate between piano, violin, cello and conducting. 2025 is for conductors, and while further details weren’t available as we went to press, we expect it to be offering a total cash prize pot of $18,000.

khachaturian-competition.com

 

Fritz Kreisler International Violin Competition

Next competition: September 18-27, 2026

Application deadline: see website

Austria’s most important violin competition became international in 1979 and now runs quadrennially at the Vienna Musikverein or the Vienna Konzerthaus. Prizes include cash awards, a Naxos recording and multiple concert engagements.

fritzkreisler.com

 

Leipzig Bach Competition

Next competition: March 13-21, 2025

Application deadline: closed

If Historically Informed Performance is your thing, this period performance competition should be high on your list. While previously this was a biennial event, it has now been reorganised to become an annual competition with rotating single disciplines – all under the artistic directorship of Michael Maul. The 2025 edition is for pianists, its jury presided over by Vanessa Latarche, with three top cash prizes of €20,000, €10,000 and €5000. Perhaps even more valuable, though, are the concert opportunities it offers in the Great Hall of the Gewandhaus as part of the June 2025 Bachfest Leipzig. Further special prizes include sponsorship awards and various concert engagements.

bachwettbewerbleipzig.de/en/bach-wettbewerb

 

Liszt Utrecht

Next competition: January 16-24, 2026

Application deadline: closed

This Utrecht-based competition festival at TivoliVredenburg for pianists aged 20-30 has a very unique set-up: a summer academy preceding the selections, then a two-week gap between the end of the first live round and the finals, in which time a festival takes place. As its name suggests, Liszt’s music features prominently. There’s also a different Liszt-themed musicological angle each edition, which for 2026 means highlighting a composer greatly admired by Liszt: Von Weber. Beyond the cash prizes, all three prize winners are offered a substantial career development programme. The entire competition will be live-streamed.

liszt.nl

 

Livorno Piano Competition

Next competition: September 2025

Application deadline: see website

Open to pianists up to 32 years old, the Livorno Piano Competition holds three live rounds in Teatro Goldoni (after video preselections), and offers over €12,000 in prize money. Running alongside is the Premio Enrico Galletta for 16-year-olds and under, which holds live finals after an online first round, and offers over €2000 in prize money.

livornopianocompetition.com

 

Ljubljana Festival International Competition

Next competition: February 24–March 1, 2025

Application deadline: closed

A brand new annual competition-within-a-festival, the Ljubljana Festival International Competition has rotating disciplines. 2025 is the inaugural edition for brass quintets and quartets. Ensemble members should be aged 30 and under, and obligatory repertoire includes a commission from Slovenian composer Nina Šenk. Cash prizes are generous, topped by €20,000 (First), €15,000 and €10,000. Looking ahead, 2026 will be for pianists.

ljubljanafestival.si/en/competition

 

Concours International Long-Thibaud

Next competition: March 25-30, 2025

Application deadline: closed

Established in 1943 and rotating between piano and voice, the 2025 LTC is for pianists, with the finals held at the Théâtre National de l’Opéra-Comique. Prizes are topped by €35,000 for First, plus the Prix de la Ville de Paris consisting of a recital in the prestigious Théâtre du Châtelet; Second Prize is €20,000, and there are also around ten festivals with concert engagements to offer the laureates. 2026 will be a violin year, with Maxim Vengerov among its jury members.

long-thibaud.org

 

International Percussion Competition Luxembourg

Next competition:
July 18-26, 2026

Application deadline: see website

This percussion-centred competition rotates between composition and performance, the latter’s participants being required to perform the winning work from the previous composition year. The 2026 edition takes place after a slightly longer gap than usual, due to renovation works at its official home, the Conservatory of Luxembourg City. Further information will appear on the website shortly.

ipcl.lu

 

Lyon International Chamber Music Competition

Next competition: April 23-26, 2025

Application deadline: January 15, 2025

Established in 2004, this chamber music competition focuses on a different instrumental grouping each year. The 2025 edition is open to voice and piano duos. As usual, it allows its candidates a huge amount of free choice programming and the jury is full of highest-level performing artists including mezzo Bernarda Fink, soprano Véronique Gens and tenor Mark Padmore. Prizes include €20,000 of cash as well as concert engagements.

cimcl.fr

 

La Maestra International Competition for Women Conductors

Next competition: 2026

Application deadline: see website

Co-directed by Paris Mozart Orchestra artistic director Claire Gibault and Philharmonie de Paris general manager Olivier Mantei, La Maestra was inaugurated in 2019 in response to the gender disparity that still exists in the orchestral world. There is no age limit, and beyond being only for women conductors, it also stands out for the Academy attached to it, offering all selected candidates targeted training, mentoring and career support. Notable laureates include the British Principal Guest Conductor of Barcelona Symphony Orchestra, Stephanie Childress (2020). The 2024 edition, won by Bar Avni, had its jury chaired by Nathalie Stutzmann and featured Leonard Slatkin. Prizes included a First of €20,000.

lamaestra-paris.com

 

Mahler Competition

Next competition: June 22–July 3, 2026

Application deadline: Autumn 2025

The Bamberg Symphony’s major triennial conducting competition counts Lahav Shani and Gustavo Dudamel among its past winners. Stand-out features include a commitment to no-barriers opportunities (no application fees, with travel and accommodation costs also covered), and a strong educational remit which means all candidates stay until the end, even if eliminated, so they can communicate with and learn from jury members. It equally stands out for generous cash prizes and for high-profile judges. Details for 2026 should appear online during 2025.

themahlercompetition.com

 

Malko Competition for Young Conductors

Next competition: 2027

Application deadline: see website

Established in 1965, the Danish National Symphony Orchestra’s triennial competition for conductors has a list of laureates including Ryan Bancroft (2018) and Rafael Payare (2012). The First Prize has serious career development potential: €20,000 in cash; a year’s career support and advice; mentoring from jury chair Fabio Luisi and engagements with a substantial list of international symphony orchestras. In 2024 it was won by South Korean Samuel Lee, so it won’t run again until 2027, but worth keeping it on your radars.

malkocompetition.dk

 

International Instrumental Competition Markneukirchen

Next competition: May 8-17, 2025

Application deadline: January 31, 2025

This annual competition alternates between string and wind instruments, and for 2025 is open to violinists and viola players. The top cash prizes for each discipline are €7000, €5000 and €3500, while the special prizes on offer include a concert engagement with the Chursächsische Philharmonie.

instrumental-competition.de

 

International Violin Competition Henri Marteau

Next competition: 2026

Application deadline: see website

This intimate triennial competition takes place in Haus Marteau, virtuoso violinist Henri Marteau’s Lichtenberg villa. There’s no preselection, a mixture of cash and non-cash awards, and a subsequent support programme including scholarships and broadcasts with media partner, Bayerischer Rundfunk.

violinwettbewerb-marteau.de

 

Eva Marton International Singing Competition

Next competition: August 30–September 6, 2026

Application deadline: see website

This Budapest competition was initiated in 2014 by the dramatic soprano Éva Marton, Professor Emerita of the Liszt Academy Budapest, and contributes to the international promotion of the Academy’s founder by featuring a compulsory performance of a Liszt song in the preliminary round. The top three cash awards are €30,000 (First), €20,000 (Second) and €10,000 (Third).

martoncompetition.hu

 

Menuhin Competition

Next competition: April 21-26, 2026

Application deadline: see website

This major violin competition is always one to watch, thanks to its particularly strong track record at picking talents who have got what it takes to forge an international career. Take 2021 winner, 18-year-old Spanish violinist María Dueñas, who was then quickly signed by both Deutsche Grammophon and the BBC New Generation Artist Scheme; or Ray Chen, who has forged an exceptional career since his win in 2008. There’s also always a vibrant surrounding programme of concerts and educational activities. The 2026 edition sees it begin a new chapter, permanently based in Geneva after previously rotating between cities, and with its categories slightly changed. Part of its refreshed mix will be a new programme for young violinists, The Menuhin Fellowship, designed to develop skills required to forge a successful career. menuhincompetition.org

 

International Stanisław Moniuszko Vocal Competition

Next competition: June 2-7, 2025

Application deadline: February 5, 2025

Hosted by Teatr Wielki – Polish National Opera in Warsaw, the triennial International Stanisław Moniuszko Vocal Competition is Poland’s biggest singing competition, founded in 1992. While its repertoire list features the core operatic repertoire, it also gives candidates the opportunity to explore Polish composers such as Moniuszko himself, Chopin, Szymanowski, Paderewski or Penderecki. The 2025 edition is open to singers born between June 2, 1992 and June 2, 2007, of all nationalities with the exception of citizens of the Russian Federation or those collaborating with institutions of the Russian Federation. This year’s jury is chaired by Opera Magazine editor John Allison and its prizes are topped by four main cash awards of €20,000 (First), €16,000 (Second), €13,000 (Third) and €10,000 (Fourth), plus many special prizes.

moniuszkocompetition.pl

 

International Piano Competition of Orléans for Youth ‘Brin d’herbe’

Next competition: April 10-13, 2025

Application deadline: February 4, 2025

Alternating annually between the main International Piano Competition of Orléans and the ‘Brin d’herbe’ youth competition, this contest is centred on music written between 1900 and the present day. 2025 is open to pianists born from January 1, 2007, and split into Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced categories. There’s one live round, consisting of a mandatory piece by Kurtág (for the Beginner and Intermediate), a commissioned work by a former winner of the main Orléans Competition, Miharu Ogura, and a free choice of 20th and 21st century pieces for the remainder. Each age category has three top cash awards and there’s an optional element for improvisation and composition.

oci-piano.com/en/evenements/junior-competitions-en

 

International Paderewski Piano Competition

Next competition: November 9-23, 2025

Application deadline: April 22, 2025

This competition was founded in 1961 to commemorate the memory of pianist, composer and politician Ignacy Jan Paderewski. Since 1998, the competition has been held every three years. The 2025 edition is open to pianists of all nationalities who are 16-32 years of age, with preliminary auditions in Warsaw, Seoul, Tokyo, Shanghai, New York, Vienna and Sacile. Those who make it to the finals will be competing for prizes of a total value of €62,000, plus concerts and recitals.

paderewskicompetition.pl

 

Premio Paganini International Violin Competition

Next competition: October 14-26, 2025

Application deadline: February 11, 2025

Founded in 1954, this prestigious biennial violin competition celebrates violin legend Niccolò Paganini, with his caprices, variations and concertos featuring strongly in its set repertoire. Former winners include Isabelle Faust (1993), Leonidas Kavakos (1988) and Gidon Kremer (1969). More recently, the 2023 edition was won by German violinist Simon Zhu. Preselections for the 2025 edition are taking place in Genoa, New York, Seoul and Guangzhou. Its jury is chaired by Uto Ughi and prizes include cash of €30,000 (First), €20,000 (Second) and €10,000 (Third), plus the opportunity to sign a recording contract with Platoon. Both the semi-finals and finals are held in the historic Teatro Carlo Felice, and finalists get to perform with its resident Orchestra Teatro Carlo Felice di Genova. premiopaganini.it

 

International Chamber Music Competition ‘Pinerolo e Torino – Città Metropolitana’

Next competition: March 3-9, 2025

Application deadline: closed

This Pinerolo and Turin competition is open to ensembles from duo to sextet whose average age is no more than 33. Five ensembles make it to the finals, where they’re competing for prizes totalling €31,500 (including a first of €13,500), plus concerts and special prizes.

concorsomdcpinerolo.it

 

Michele Pittaluga International Guitar Competition

Next competition: autumn 2025

Application deadline: see website

This annual Italian international guitar competition is doing its bit to expand the guitar repertoire by running a composition for guitar category alongside its main one for guitarists themselves. It’s too early for news on the 2025 edition but it’s worth keeping an eye online when previously the competition has offered a First Prize including €10,000 cash, a concert tour in Italy and abroad, and a Naxos recording.

pittaluga.org

 

International Competition of Polish Music

Next competition: 2026

Application deadline: see website

Run by Poland’s National Institute of Music and Dance, this biennial competition aims to showcase 19th and 20th century Polish music to an international audience, promoting talented young international musicians while encouraging them to include lesser-known works by Polish composers in their repertoires. It offers generous cash prizes, along with various concert engagements and media prizes. Keep an eye online for 2026 details.

polishmusiccompetition.pl

 

International Competition ‘Città di Porcia’

Next competition: November 2025

Application deadline: see website

Italy’s only competition specifically for brass instruments, and one of the world’s most important, this competition, open to players under the age of 30, operates a four-year cycle of rotating instruments: trombone, tuba, horn and trumpet. With a trumpet year just finished, 2025 turns again to the horn. Expect prominent experts in the jury, and a total of €21,100 cash to be won, along with concert engagements.

musicaporcia.it/concorso-internazionale.html

 

Porto Santa Cecilia International Competition

Next competition: June 2025

Application deadline: April 6, 2025

Taking place annually in the famous Casa da Música in Porto, Portugal, this piano competition began life in 1965 and it’s now both the largest in the country, and important on the international circuit. Finalists are accompanied by the Orquesta Sinfónica do Porto Casa da Música. There’s a total of €60,000 in prize money to be won, along with concerts, a recording, workshops and career support. Note too that a junior competition runs after the main one.

scecilia-competition.com

 

Portofino International Opera Singing Competition

Next competition: July 21-27, 2025

Application deadline: see website

Created in 2015 by the Associazione Bottesini in the beautiful Ligurian harbour town of Portofino, and with its jury presided over by La Scala director Dominique Meyer, this annual contest has in a short time already become one of the world’s leading opera singing competitions, offering a bridge to the main opera stages of Europe such as the Teatro alla Scala and the Vienna Staatsoper. Previous winners already enjoying notable career success include tenor Iván Ayón-Rivas, mezzo-soprano Lilly Jørstad, and sopranos Caterina Maria Sala, Federica Guida and Maria Nazarova.

portofinoclip.it/en

 

International Piano Competition Ettore Pozzoli

Next competition: September 20-28, 2025

Application deadline: see website

The winner of the 1959 inaugural edition of this Seregno competition was none other than Maurizio Pollini, who soon afterwards went on to win the Chopin Competition in Warsaw. It’s held every two years, in collaboration with the Giuseppe Verdi Conservatory in Milan and Universal Music’s Casa Ricordi, and candidates get to play in both the city’s historic San Rocco Theatre and its modern purpose-built L’Auditorium.

concorsopozzoli.it

 

Prague Spring International Music Competition

Next Competition: May 6-14, 2025

Application deadline: closed

Sitting within the prestigious Prague Spring Festival, this major Czech competition has annually rotating disciplines. 2025 is for oboe and cello players up to 30 years of age. Both finals take place in the Dvořák Hall of Prague’s Rudolfinum, with the oboists accompanied by the Prague Philharmonia under Robert Kružík, and violinists by the Prague Symphony Orchestra under Jiří Harant. Nancy Ambrose King chairs the oboe jury, and Natalie Clein the cello. Up for grabs is a concert engagement at the 2026 Prague Spring Festival, and cash for First, Second and Third prizewinners of CZK250,000, CZK150,000 and CZK100,000 respectively. The later rounds will be live-streamed on the website and social media platforms. Early birds may also like to know that 2026’s competition will be for flautists and pianists.

festival.cz/en/competition

 

Rina Sala Gallo Monza International Piano Competition

Next competition: October 2026

Application deadline: see website

Founded in 1947 in the Lombardy city of Monza by pianist Rina Sala Gallo and Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli, this biennial Italian competition counts Angela Hewitt among its former winners. It is such a major cultural event for its host city that the public is granted free access to all of its live rounds, including the concerto final accompanied by the Orchestra Sinfonica di Milano. Prizes include a cash award of €15,000 for the winner and a series of concerts within some of Italy’s most important classical seasons and concert halls through 2027.

concorsosalagallo.it

 

International Conducting Competition Rotterdam

Next Competition: June 2-13, 2025

Application deadline: closed

Still only on its second edition, this biennial conducting competition is not only already a major, but one with a very unique format: 24 conductors aged between 23 and 30 are selected from online auditions to be invited to the semi-finals, to conduct Sinfonia Rotterdam. Of these, six ‘designated winners’ are then selected to receive a year-long career development programme consisting of two academy weeks, various workshops, coaching and PR support. They also compete in the finals, conducting the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, the Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century, Klangforum Wien, Sinfonia Rotterdam and Laurens Symphony Orchestra. Prizes include a Grand Prize of €15,000, plus €5000 for all six finalists bestowed by a large and diverse jury. The 2025 finals will be live-streamed on the website.

iccr.nl

 

Concours International pour Orgue de Saint-Maurice

Next competition: August 3-10, 2025

Application deadline: May 10, 2025

As atmospheric venues for organ competitions go, this biennial one supported by the Fondation Georges Cramer takes some beating, based as it is in Switzerland’s beautiful Valais canton at the sixth-century Abbey of Saint-Maurice d’Agaune, with a second round in Sion Cathedral. The final, in the Basilique de Saint-Maurice, has a set programme of works by Athanasiadès, Franck, Vierne and Dupré, and there’s a total of CHF21,000 up for grabs, in addition to concerts, recordings, workshops and career support.
abbaye-stmaurice.ch

 

International Mozart Competition Salzburg

Next competition: February 2026

Application deadline: see website

Hosted by the University Mozarteum Salzburg, this biennial Mozart-centred competition rotates its disciplines – offering two per year – between voice, piano, violin and string quartet, offering prize money totalling €70,000. Its list of former prizewinners is an illustrious one too, featuring the likes of singers Diana Damrau, Renée Fleming and Magdalena Kožená, and the Novus String Quartet. The 2026 edition is for violin and piano. Keep an eye online for further details.

moz.ac.at/en/competitions/international-mozart-competition

 

International Schubert Competition Dortmund

Next competition: March 22-30, 2025

Application deadline: closed

Established in 1987, this competition in the heart of the Ruhr alternates between editions for pianists and for Lied duos. 2025 is a piano year, and those who make it to the final in the Konzerthaus Dortmund gets to perform with the Dortmunder Philharmoniker and compete for prizes including a First of €10,000 plus the opportunity to make a recording. Among the further special prizes up for grabs is the Scholarship of the Mozart Society Dortmund, offering a wide range of support over a period of approximately two years, and including a solo performance with an internationally renowned orchestra. Ian Fountain chairs the jury comprised of mezzo Ingeborg Danz, and pianists Julius Drake, Kevin Kenner, Mi-joo Lee, Pietro de Maria and Marianna Shirinyan.

schubert-wettbewerb.de

 

International Chamber Music Competition ‘Franz Schubert and Modern Music’

Next competition: February 8-15, 2025

Application deadline: closed

Established by the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz in 1989, this triennial competition has a mission to bring Schubert’s chamber music into relation with newly composed repertoire, with its chamber music competition preceded by a composition competition whose winning work then becomes a compulsory piece the following year. The 2025 edition is now a chamber competition split into three categories: duo for voice and piano (Lied), piano trio – featuring the 2024 edition’s winning compositions in its semifinal round, and for the first time, piano duo, with the Silver-Garburg Piano Duo artistically responsible. Those selected come to Graz to compete within a free-admission, multi-day festival of chamber music which has around €75,000 of prize money on offer. One further thing worth mentioning is that 325 musicians from 44 countries applied for this 2025 edition, suggesting that the standard of the performances is going to be exceptionally high – meaning it’s good news indeed that it’s being streamed on its Vimeo channel and, from semi-finals onwards, on The Violin Channel.

schubert.kug.ac.at/en

 

International Jean Sibelius Competition

Next competition: May 18-29, 2025

Application deadline: January 29, 2025

Ranking among the world’s oldest and most prestigious violin competitions, and held every five years, the International Jean Sibelius Violin Competition is one where a win is guaranteed to attract industry attention. Not least when previous winners include Pekka Kuusisto (1995), Leonidas Kavakos (1985) and Viktoria Mullova (1980). What stands out about the 2025 edition is the competition’s commitment to being current and contemporary with its repertoire, because finalists perform not just the Sibelius Violin Concerto, but also their choice of a modern violin concerto from an exciting-looking list that includes Kaija Saariaho’s Graal Théâtre, Unsuk Chin’s Violin Concerto No 1 and Oliver Knussen’s Violin Concerto (2002). The semi-final repertoire includes a competition commission from Finnish composer Outi Tarkiainen. Violinist and conductor John Storgårds chairs a jury which includes violinist Liza Ferschtman.

sibeliuscompetition.fi

 

Smetana International Piano Competition

Next competition: March 22-28, 2025

Application deadline: January 15, 2025

Held in Pilsen in the Czech Republic, this competition has three age categories: for age 16 and younger, for 20 years and younger, and for 30 years and under. As the name suggests, Smetana’s works are a compulsory element, and finalists in the latter category get to perform a concerto with orchestra, competing for cash First, Second and Third prizes of respectively CZK50,000, CZK25,000 and CZK12,000.

piano-competition.com

 

Queen Sonja Singing Competition, Norway

Next competition: August 15-22, 2025

Application deadline: April 1, 2025

One of the world’s leading voice competitions, always with a panel of prominent judges, this biennial contest’s past winners include Gramophone’s 2018 Young Artist of the Year, soprano Lise Davidsen (2015). 2023 meanwhile was won by America contralto Jasmin White. Applicants aged up to 32 are put through their paces over a mix of aria and Lied, and are encouraged (although not obliged) to include both Norwegian music and living composers among their repertoire choices. Finalists then get to perform with the Norwegian National Opera Orchestra at Oslo Opera House, competing for a generous clutch of prizes topped by a First of €50,000. There are also career development sessions and masterclasses running alongside the actual competition.

qssc.no/en

 

International Piano Competition Spanish Composers

Next competition: November 2025

Application deadline: October 1

Held in the Joaquín Rodrigo Auditorium, this Madrid competition for pianists aged up to 36 allows its competitors a good deal of free choice in their programming, while also requiring a certain amount of Spanish repertoire, including music by a specific Spanish composer – this year it’s Antonio Soler, a student of Scarlatti. For 2025 its finalists perform with the Virtuosos de Madrid International Orchestra, and the substantial list of cash and special prizes on offer includes a cash First of €14,000.

cipce.org

 

Wilhelm Stenhammar International Music Competition

Next competition: June 2026

Application deadline: see website

A seven-day vocal competition and music festival in Norrkőping, Sweden, the biennial WSIMC’s unique element is that contestants must perform a work by Wilhelm Stenhammar. Finalists are accompanied by the Norrkőping Symphony Orchestra. Keep an eye online for 2026 details.

stenhammarcompetition.se

 

Stuttgart International Violin Competition

Next competition: 2027

Application deadline: see website

One of especial appeal to young violinists looking for access to a fine old instrument, this triennial competition run by the Guadagnini Foundation receives 24 candidates no older than 28 at time of the application deadline to Stuttgart, who compete for the loan of a violin made by the famous 18th-century Italian luthier Guadagnini.

guadagnini-foundation.com

 

Tblisi International Piano Competition

Next competition: October 1-11, 2025

Application deadline: see website

Held every four years, this competition was founded in 1997 by the prominent Georgian pianist, Manana Doijashvili. Prizes include cash awards totalling $70,000, plus concerts, tours and recordings.

tbilisipiano.org.ge

 

Arturo Toscanini International Conducting Competition

Next competition: September 3-7, 2025

Application deadline: March 31, 2025

Since its inception in 1985, this competition in Toscanini’s Northern Italian birth city of Parma has been an important one, known for its rigorous judging process, for generous cash prizes totalling €25,000, and for the opportunities that it offers – not least the chance to conduct its resident orchestra, the Filarmonica Arturo Toscanini.

concorsotoscanini.it

 

Tromp International Percussion

Next competition: 2026

Application deadline: see website

Taking place every two years, this Dutch competition for solo percussionists aged up to 30 takes place within the Tromp International Percussion Festival. The competition does its bit to champion its national and international composers, with multiple commissions for solo percussion exploring the edges of the current music scenes by working with electronics, new instruments and different types of ensembles. All three top finalists receive a combination of cash and concert engagements. Keep an eye on the website for more details.

tromppercussion.nl

 

Trondheim International Chamber Music Competition

Next Competition: September 23-27, 2025

Application deadline: April 20, 2025

Running biennially since its inauguration in 2000, and attached to the Trondheim Chamber Music Festival, the Trondheim’s disciplines rotate between string quartets and piano trios, and when recent names carrying off its First Prize include current BBC New Generation Artists, the Mithras Trio (2019), it’s a competition that’s high up the list of possible targets for ambitious young ensembles. Worth noting too is that application is free of charge. Plus, far from being dormant on its ‘off’ years, it instead offers an Academy for the same kind of ensembles as for the next year’s competition. 2025 is a competition for string quartets, its jury chaired by Levon Chilingirian (Chilingirian String Quartet), and counting among its members Asbjørn Nørgaard (Danish String Quartet), Bjøorg Lewis (Vertavo Quartet)
and Cam Kjøll.

ticc.no

 

World Harp Competition Utrecht

Next competition: 2026

Application deadline: see website

Part of the Dutch Harp Festival, the biennial World Harp Competition describes itself as standing for creativity and innovation. It’s open to all harpists – from classical concert, Celtic lever and electric jazz harpists. Regional rounds are held in Hong Kong, Utrecht and New York City, with candidates presenting their own original programmes. Finalists are then invited to present their programmes at the Dutch Harp Festival. The 2024 edition had Catrin Finch chairing the multidisciplinary jury. Keep an eye online for details of the next edition.

worldharpcompetition.com

 

Tibor Varga International Violin Competition

Next competition: August 22-31, 2025

Application deadline: see website

Hosted by the Swiss town of Sion, the Tibor Varga competition works on a two-year cycle, alternating between the Tibor Junior Competition for violinists aged 14-17, and the Tibor Varga Competition for violinists aged under 26. 2025 is an adult edition. Finer details, together with the application process, will appear online in 2025.

sion-violon-musique.ch

 

International Beethoven Piano Competition Vienna

Next competition: May 16-24, 2025

Application deadline: closed

Taking place every four years, Austria’s oldest piano competition is hosted by the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna. It holds its finals in the Golden Hall of the Musikverein Vienna, and has a distinctly eye-grabbing First Prize: €30,000 plus a Bősendorfer Grand Piano Model 214 VC.

beethoven-comp.at

 

Gian Battista Viotti International Music Competition

Next competition: October 2025

Application deadline: see website

Running annually without a break ever since 1950, this competition in the Piedmont city of Vercelli rotates between disciplines. The 2025 edition is for singers. Finer details weren’t available as we went to press, but expect a complement of prizes comprised of generous cash awards and concert engagements.

concorsoviotti.it

 

Henryk Wieniawski International Violin Competition

Next competition: 2026

Application deadline: see website

The world’s oldest violin competition, founded back in 1935, this prestigious contest named after the 19th-century virtuoso violinist-composer is based in Poznań, Poland. It offers a prize pool of €115,000, along with various special prizes which for the 2022 last edition included – for the first time – an international concert tour for its laureates. Keep an eye on its website for 2026 details.

konkurs.wieniawski.pl

 

YPF European Piano Competition – Grand Prix Youri Egorov

Next competition: February 26–March 9, 2025

Application deadline: closed

This Amsterdam competition’s pedagogical slant means that, while it offers three covetable top cash awards of €15,000, €7500 and €5000, it’s the career development aspect of its prize package that it’s particularly passionate about. For 2025, this consists of various concerts in the Netherlands, as well as a series of individually tailored masterclasses, and of course precious feedback from the seven members of its jury. Candidates also get a lot of free rein over their repertoire, while being required to cover the most important stylistic periods. Further compulsory elements are a chamber music performance and, for the three candidates who make it to the ‘Grand Finale’, a concerto by Beethoven or Schumann performed with PHION (the Orchestra of Gelderland and Overijssel) led by Benjamin Levy, and a newly commissioned short work for solo piano by a soon-to-be-named young Dutch composer. Most of the competition will be live streamed.

ypf.nl

 

Rest of World

Azrieli Music Prizes

Next competition: October 2026 (Gala concert)

Application deadline: May 2, 2025

The Azrieli Music Prizes (AMP), created by Dr Sharon Azrieli CQ in 2014 celebrate excellence in music composition. Four biennial competitions are open to composers of all ages, faiths and genders within the international music community: the Azrieli Prize for Jewish Music (for an existing work); the Azrieli Commission for Jewish Music (a creation prize that addresses the question ‘What is Jewish Music?’); the Azrieli Commission for Canadian Music and the Azrieli Commission for International Music. The eventual four 2026 laureates each receive a substantial prize package including a C$50,000 cash prize, a premiere of their work at a Gala Concert in Montréal, two subsequent international performances, and a commercial recording.

azrielifoundation.org/amp

 

Banff International String Quartet Competition

Next competition: August 25-31, 2025

Application deadline: March 31, 2025

Hosted and run for over 30 years by the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity in Alberta, Canada, this triennial competition is one of the majors to win in the quartet world. Previous winners include the Dover Quartet, Miró Quartet, St Lawrence String Quartet, and most recently the Isidore String Quartet. In addition to generous cash prizes, its First Prize package – a custom-designed three-year artistic and career development programme – is significant for the visibility it affords on both sides of the Atlantic. Beyond that, all invited quartets benefit from a career development programme guaranteeing financial support. The icing on the competition cake is a jury full of acclaimed musicians whose ears and views would be priceless to any ambitious young ensemble, among them Artemis Quartet founding cellist Eckart Runge and Quatuor Ébène viola player Marie Chilemme.

banffcentre.ca/bisqc

 

Canadian International Organ Competition

Next competition: 2027

Application deadline: see website

The 2024 edition may only just be over, but when the triennial Montréal competition is one of the largest international organ competitions in the world, its 2027 edition will already be in the sights of many young organists. Coinciding with the annual Grand Organ Festival, it stages three live rounds in different Montréal churches, before a final at the Maison symphonique de Montréal on the Casavant Frères organ. Prizes for 2024 included a First of C$25,000, the recording and distribution of an album on the ATMA Classique label, three years of career management services for North America by Karen McFarlane Artists, and a three-year career development programme.

ciocm.org

 

Classic Violin Olympus

Next competition: April 22-28, 2025

Application deadline: closed

This global competition under the artistic direction of Pavel Vernikov is both huge and completely unprecedented. An expansion of the Classic Strings competition, it began in 2024 with six international violin competitions held in Tokyo, Vienna, New York, London, Rome and Dubai. These were open to all violinists irrespective of nationality and age, with each carrying a prize fund of €35,000, and putting their top two contestants forward to the 2025 Grand Final in Dubai. This will consist of two parts: the first requires finalists to perform both a concerto, and as the orchestra’s concertmaster; the second consists of the first movement of Beethoven’s Triple Concerto and a modern concerto by Alexey Shor; also an own-choice encore and a conversation with the jury panel. The outright winner then gets €200,000, and each of the remaining 11 finalists €10,000. Moreover, each member of the 23-strong jury will offer a number of finalists a concert engagement of their own. As befits such a grand-scale event, the remote viewing options are numerous: The Violin Channel, medici.tv, Bachtrack and Euronews are key media partners, along with numerous other streaming platforms, with the onstage performances complemented by behind-the-scenes content.

classicviolinolympus.com

 

Cleveland International Piano Competition

Next Competition: 2027

Application deadline: see website

Open to pianists aged 18-32, this major triennial competition was won this past August by Chinese pianist James (Zijian) Wei, culminating in a reimagined 50th anniversary edition whose new elements included increased repertoire flexibility, opportunities for candidates to share their career development goals and artistic vision with both jury and audience members, and innovative rounds including two-piano pop tune transcriptions hosted in the city’s theatre district, and a salon round held in a small, intimate venue. Beyond the usual significant cash sums and the First Prize package (which includes a Carnegie Hall Debut recital, a recital at Tonhalle Zürich, professional management services and mentorship, and a recording by Steinway and Sons), there was also a new Artist Development Program, open to quarterfinalists through to the finalists, for which prizes included residencies, performances, workshops on various aspects of career management, and mentorship opportunities with leading pianists such as Jonathan Biss and Angela Hewitt. The competition also further increased its equity by having different juries for different rounds.

pianocleveland.org

 

Concert Artists Guild Louis and Susan Meisel Competition

Next competition: Live finals, May 30, 2025

Application deadline: January 31, 2025

New York’s Concert Artists Guild has been helping young artists launch their concert careers since 1951, and the package of prizes for their annual competition for instrumentalists, singers and chamber ensembles reflects that remit. All winners receive North American management with CAG, a New York debut performance, career mentorship, and participation in CAG’s Citizen Musician Training and panels designed to prepare artists for managing all aspects of a professional career. Grand Prize winners also receive international management support through CAG’s partnership with London-based YCAT (Young Classical Artists Trust) and a performance at London’s Wigmore Hall. It’s all about launching and managing a professional career, as well as helping non-US-based young artists who want to break into that region and US artists searching for an entry point into the European scene. Semi-final performances are via video recordings and the finals will be live-streamed from The DiMenna Center’s Cary Hall in New York.

concertartists.org/competition

 

Thomas and Evon Cooper International Competition

Next competition: January 5-10, 2025

Application deadline: closed

One for younger musicians, this competition at Ohio’s Oberlin Conservatory of Music is open to 13-18 year olds and rotates annually between the piano and violin. The 2025 edition is for violinists, and those who make it to the finals get to perform a concerto with the ProMusica Chamber Orchestra, competing for cash prizes including a First, Second and Third of respectively $20,000, $10,000 and $5000. The overall winner will receive career mentorship with MKI Artists for the 2025/2026 and 2026/2027 seasons, plus various performance engagements and development opportunities with the ProMusica Chamber Orchestra. The top three finalists are awarded four-year tuition scholarships to Oberlin Conservatory, pending admission; and the jury chaired by Sibbi Bernhardsson also has Fourth, Fifth and Sixth cash prizes of $1,500 to hand out, as well as a $500 audience prize.

oberlin.edu/cooper

 

Guitar Foundation of America International Convention and Competitions

Next competition: June 16-21, 2025

Application deadline: see website

The Guitar Foundation of America’s annual International Convention features three competitions each year: the GFA International Concert Artist Competition, the GFA International Youth Competition and the GFA International Ensemble Competition. The largest is the International Concert Artist Competition, open to all guitarists aged 18 or over, which offers its Rose Augustine Grand Prize winner a package including $10,000 cash, a GFA-sponsored international concert tour including approximately 50 concerts throughout the USA and Canada, a Carnegie Hall concert in Weill Recital Hall and a Naxos recording. Other cash prizes include a Second of $7000 and Third of $5000. The 2025 edition is to be hosted by the University of Louisville. Finer details will appear online in due course.

guitarfoundation.org

 

The Gurwitz International Piano Competition

Next competition: 2028

Application deadline: see website

Having just presented its 2024 edition, the Gurwitz’s next competition isn’t until 2028, but we’re putting it on your radars now because this is its first appearance in our guide. Founded in 1983 and based in San Antonio, Texas, its unique defining feature is its desire to expand its pianists’ views beyond a traditional classical mindset, while simultaneously demonstrating their versatility. So in addition to standard concert repertoire, it asks them to perform works of music rooted in their native cultures, and also by Spanish and Latin composers – thus celebrating San Antonio’s own cultural make-up. There’s also a commissioned work with chamber ensemble – last year by San Antonio jazz pianist and composer Aaron Prado, whose piece was based on an ancient Aztec myth and featured Mexican and Cuban rhythms – before a concerto final with the Mexico City Philharmonic Orchestra.

musicalbridges.org/gurwitz

 

Hamamatsu International Piano Competition

Next competition: 2027

Application deadline: see website

This major triennial competition in the birthplace of Made-in-Japan pianos has just completed its 2024 edition, meaning its next ‘on’ year is 2027. Previous winners include Seong-Jin Cho, Alexander Gadjiev, Sergei Babayan and Alessio Bax, and it even inspired the best-selling Japanese piano-competition-themed novel, Honeybees and Distant Thunder by Riku Onda. Prizes this year included a First of ¥4m, a recording with Orchid Classics, an extensive tour of Japan and a showcase at London’s King’s Place in January 2026 arranged by Ikon Arts Management – awarded by a jury chaired by Noriko Ogawa. Equally exciting were the host of opportunities within the actual competition experience to explore the Japanese piano literature, and for the final to partner with The Tokyo Symphony Orchestra under Ken Takaseki, on a piano of their choice – Kawai, Yamaha or Steinway. All rounds were streamed and available to view on the competition website.

hipic.jp

 

Michael Hill International Violin Competition

Next competition: June, 2025

Application deadline: see website

The only New Zealand competition in these pages, this biennial Queenstown and Auckland-based competition for violinists aged between 18 and 28 offers the chance to play before a jury which in 2023 included violinists James Ehnes and Anthony Marwood, competing for an array of prizes and experiences that are both career-relevant, practical and generous. First Prize, for instance, comes with NZ$40,000 cash, a custom-made suit or gown from a New Zealand designer, and a significant multi-week Winner’s Tour of New Zealand and Australia comprised of recitals, a concerto and a recording on the Atoll label. The competition also spills out into its local community and music scene, meaning that those who enter – who do so with their air fares covered – are in for a properly all-round enriching experience. Keep an eye online for 2025 details.

michaelhillviolincompetition.co.nz

 

Honens International Piano Competition

Next competition: October 16-24, 2025

Application deadline: closed

This major triennial Canadian competition for pianists aged between 20 and 30 holds its quarterfinals in Berlin and New York, before a final ten battle it out in Calgary for prizes including a first prize of C$100,000. What really makes Honens stand out is that it also offers its Gold, Silver and Bronze laureates one of the most comprehensive and completely customisable post-competition artistic and career development programmes around: assistance securing worldwide representation; debut recitals in career-building markets which may include Berlin, London, New York, and Toronto; residencies and special projects; coaching and mentoring opportunities and the production, release, and worldwide distribution of professional recordings.

honens.com

 

The Hong Kong International Piano Competition

Next competition: September 29–October 16, 2025

Application deadline: see website

Run by The Chopin Society of Hong Kong, this triennial competition takes place in Hong Kong City Hall Concert Hall, within the city’s Joy of Music Festival. It not only invites its semi-finalists to play own-choice recitals, but pays them to do so. The finals then feature further free-choice chamber music, plus the opportunity to perform a concerto with a symphony orchestra under a top conductor. Jury members also perform in Gala Presentations, playing both solo and chamber works, and concertos. Add world-class guest performers, presentations on music, and free master classes (piano, strings and guitar) for invited students and the attending audience, and this competition sounds not just highly distinctive, but jolly good fun.

chopinsocietyhk.org

 

International Violin Competition of Indianapolis

Next competition: September 17–October 4, 2026

Application deadline: February 28, 2026

Launched in 1982 under the artistic leadership of legendary violinist and pedagogue Josef Gingold (whose pupils included Joshua Bell and current Artistic Director Jaime Laredo), this major quadrennial competition’s high-profile laureates include Leonidas Kavakos, Augustin Hadelich and Tessa Lark. The Indianapolis is renowned for comprehensive prize packages valued at over $350,000, including career management, concert engagements, use of the 1683 ‘ex-Gingold’ Stradivarius or any other instrument in the IVCI collection for four years, and a Carnegie Hall recital debut and recording contract.

violin.org

 

IPEA International Percussion Competition

Next competition: 2025

Application deadline: see website

The International Percussion Education Association (IPEA) International Percussion Competition is hosted by Shanghai Conservatory of Music and its International Percussion Center. Beyond the competing itself, it also has a strong focus on education, offering its candidates in-depth feedback and development sessions with the jury. Its repertoire meanwhile includes a newly commissioned work, as well as works by Chinese composers. Check the website for updates.

ipeacompetition.com

 

Isang Yun Competition

Next competition: 2025

Application deadline: see website

Named after composer Isang Yun (1917-1995), this annual competition run by South Korea’s Tongyeong International Music Foundation rotates its disciplines between piano, violin and cello. Isang Yun’s own music features prominently among the compulsory works, so it represents a golden opportunity for young artists to stretch their wings beyond the core western repertoire. Following its 2024 edition for violinists, the 2025 competition turns to cellists. While details weren’t yet available as we went to print, we know that finals usually take place in Tongyeong Concert Hall, and that beyond valuable concert engagements and cash prizes, air fares and accommodation for candidates selected for the first round were covered in 2024, while all rounds were streamed on its website and on YouTube.

isangyuncompetition.org

 

Jeju International Brass and Percussion Competition

Next competition: August 2025

Application deadline: see website

Few other international competitions could top the South Korean JIBC, established in 2000, for surroundings of stunning natural beauty, given that Jeju Island is a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site. The competition also sits within the multigenre Jeju International Wind Ensemble Festival Music. The 2025 edition has sections – as always for the odd years – for trumpet, horn, tenor trombone and brass quintet. Even years are for bass trombone, euphonium, tuba and percussion. Candidates get to perform with the Jeju Philharmonic Orchestra, and the competition is streamed on YouTube. Prizes-wise, there’s a total of $220,000 to be won, plus concerts and tours. Note too that the competition provides financial support for travel expenses.

jejuibc.org/english

 

Olga Kern International Piano Competition

Next competition: 2025

Application deadline: see website

Presented by the New Mexico Philharmonic, this competition in Albuquerque, New Mexico, is triennial, and when the previous edition was in 2022, we would expect 2025 to be its next ‘on’ year. Details weren’t available as we went to press, so keep an eye online.

olgakerncompetition.org

 

Kobe International Flute Competition

Next competition: August 29–September 7, 2025

Application deadline: closed

Established in 1985, and taking place every four years, the KIFC is one of the world’s only competitions dedicated solely to the flute. The highest prizewinner is invited to give solo recitals and concertos in Kobe and elsewhere in Japan. The jury for 2025, chaired by Hideaki Sakai, includes Silvia Careddu and Timothy Hutchins. All rounds are streamed, and the Final should make for fascinating watching, as candidates are required to all play-direct Mozart’s Concerto in D major K314 from memory.

kobe-flute.jp

 

Longwood Gardens International Organ Competition

Next competition: June 16-20, 2026

Application deadline: see website

Beyond offering the largest cash prize of any organ competition in the world ($50,000), this triennial Pennsylvanian competition offers young organists aged 18-30 an especially beautiful and unusual setting in which to compete: nearly 200 acres of landscaped gardens on what began as a Quaker farmstead and arboretum by the industrialist, horticulturalist and organ aficionado Pierre S du Pont. The Longwood Organ he had custom-designed, comprised of 10,010 pipes divided into 146 ranks, is the largest Aeolian organ ever constructed in a residential setting. 2026 details will appear online in due course.

longwoodgardens.org/international-organ-competition

 

Melbourne International Chamber Music Competition

Next competition: 2027

Application deadline: see website

Established in 1991, this prestigious quadrennial competition is open to string quartets and piano trios under the age of 35. Its prize pool of over $150,000 includes a Grand Prize worth $30,000, so while the next edition is still a little way off, ambitious ensembles will already be planning ahead to it.

musicaviva.com.au/micmc

 

Concours Musical International de Montréal

Next competition: May 25–June 6, 2025

Application deadline: closed

This competition with rotating disciplines for singers, pianists and violinists turns again to voice for 2025, calling for singers born between 1992 and 2005 inclusive, who are at the beginning of a professional career. Semifinalists and finalists get to perform with the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal and the jury is chaired by Canadian soprano Adrianne Pieczonka and includes soprano Harolyn Blackwell, mezzo Susan Graham and pianist Iain Burnside. The 2026 edition will be for violin, application information appearing online during summer 2025.

concoursmontreal.ca

 

Music International Grand Prix

Next competition: February–April 26, 2025

Application deadline: January 1, 2025

There’s a whole host of categories, plus three age groups, for this competition whose First Place winners get to perform and compete for the $5000 Grand Prix at Merkin Concert Hall in New York. Categories include voice (classical and popular), piano, strings, winds/brass, original composition, ensembles, and world music. The age categories meanwhile are Youth, Teen and Adult (no age limit). Beyond the cash prizes, there are also various scholarships to summer programmes on offer, as well as performance prizes and a special composition commission.

musicinternationalgrandprix.com

 

Ningbo International Vocal Competition

Next competition: 2026

Application deadline: see website

Hosted by Ningbo Symphony Orchestra, this triennial competition in China’s Zhejiang province has separate categories for men and women, and offers its international competitors a chance to explore the Chinese repertoire, thanks to a semi-final requirement to include a Chinese art song from a set list. Check the website for 2026 details.

en.nbso.org.cn

 

Elmar Oliveira International Violin Competition

Next competition: January 2026

Application deadline: see website

Founded in 2016 by internationally acclaimed violinist Elmar Oliveira, this triennial competition (EOIVC), open to violinists aged 18-30, takes place in Boca Raton, Florida, on the campus of Lynn University Conservatory of Music. The University’s Lynn Philiharmonia is its resident ensemble for the final concerto round. Details for the 2026 edition will be announced on the competition website in due course.

elevarfoundation.org/eoivc

 

Osaka International Chamber Music Competition and Festa

Next competition: May 17-24, 2026

Application deadline: see website

Organised by The Japan Chamber Music Foundation, this triennial event for under-35s carries yen cash prizes in the millions. Even more important, though, is its prestige, because a win in Osaka is one serious career gong. The 2026 edition is open to ensembles whose members were born on or after May 18, 1990, and its jurors – the usual complement of experienced chamber musicians and wise industry heads – will be chaired by viola player Monika Henschel. Check the website for more details.

jcmf.or.jp

 

Primrose International Viola Competition

Next competition: 2027

Applications: see website

Founded in 1979 as the first international competition solely for viola players, and hosted by The Colburn School in Los Angeles, this triennial competition has just had its 2024 edition – won by Emad Zolfaghari – but is such an important event in the viola calendar that its next ‘on’ year of 2027 should be on your radars now.

primrosecompetition.org

 

Arthur Rubinstein International Piano Master Competition

Next competition: 2026

Application deadline: see website

This triennial Tel Aviv competition is open to pianists of all nationalities aged between 18 and 32 within the calendar year of the competition. Its 2023 jury, chaired by Arie Vardi and including Noriko Ogawa and Robert Levin, awarded Canadian pianist Kevin Chen the first prize.

arims.org.il

 

Schoenfeld International String Competition

Next competition: July 11-25, 2025

Application deadline: February 14, 2025

Hosted by Harbin’s striking Grand Theater, along with Harbin Conservatory of Music, this biennial competition is split into three categories: violinists and cellists under the age of 32 who compete for a top prize of $30,000; then chamber groups aged between 17 and 32, divided into piano trio, piano quartet and string quartet, who stand to win $20,000. Past notable laureates include Anastasia Kobekina, who took Second in 2018, and YCAT ensemble Trio Concept (formerly Trio Chagall), which won Chamber in 2023.

schoenfeldcompetition.com

 

Sendai International Music Competition

Next competition: May 24–June 29, 2025

Application deadline: closed

This triennial Japanese competition was created in 2001 to commemorate the 400th anniversary of Sendai City, and in both its violin and piano sections – which run one after the other on the same year – concerto playing is central, the Sendai Philharmonic Orchestra accompanying contestants after the semifinal round. Open to musicians born on or after January 1, 1995, its prizes are topped by a Gold Medal package consisting of ¥3,000,000, concerts with the Sendai Philharmonic or other major orchestras in Japan, recitals in Japan and a CD recording. The juries chaired by Yuzuko Horigome (violin) and Ichiro Nodaira (piano) are also full of well-known names in their respective instruments’ performance and pedagogical worlds too. Also worth noting is that there are performance opportunities for some contestants such as mini-concerts during the competition period itself, after completion of the contestants’ last round, guaranteeing a rich and valuable cultural and learning experience however far you progress. Plus, there’s financial assistance for travel expenses.

simc.jp

 

Seoul International Music Competition

Next competition: 2025

Application deadline: see website

Established by the prestigious Southern Korean newspaper Dong-A Ilbo in partnership with the Seoul Metropolitan Government, this competition rotates annually between piano, violin and voice. Following Piano in 2024, the 2025 edition is open to violinists. Keep an eye open on the competition website for further details.

seoulcompetition.com

 

China Shenzhen International Piano Concerto Competition

Next competition: 2027

Application deadline: see website

Established in 2006, the triennial CSIPCC is held in one of this coastal city’s most architecturally striking landmarks, the Shenzhen Concert Hall designed by Arata Isozaki, and aims to give its competitors the richest possible introduction to China’s flourishing classical music scene via extensive media coverage, concerts, masterclasses and performances with the Shenzhen Symphony Orchestra. It has prize money totalling $115,000 to bestow, along with further special prizes such as concert engagements. The competition is also streamed on Amadeus.tv.

csipcc.com.cn

 

Mt Fuji International Opera Competition of Shizuoka

Next competition: November 14-22, 2026

Application deadline: see website

Set against a striking natural backdrop – Mount Fuji on one side, lakes and coastline on the other – this triennial competition was inaugurated in 1996 to commemorate 50 years since the death of the great Japanese opera singer Miura Tamaki (1884-1946), and takes place specifically on the western side of Shizuoka, in the city of Hamamatsu. It has a very distinctive second round, in that each contestant performs one or more pieces, specified by the judges, from the opera character they have chosen at his or her time of application. While we don’t yet have all the details about the 2026 edition, we can tell you that the accompanying orchestra for the ninth edition in 2023 was the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra.

suac.ac.jp/opera-en

 

Dr Luis Sigall International Competition

Next competition: October 2025

Application deadline: see website

The only Chilean competition to feature in these pages, this event was established in 1974 in the city of Viña del Mar on central Chile’s Pacific coast. The competition rotates between piano, classic guitar, violin, cello and singing. Following its 2024 guitar year, it invites cellists for 2025, offering a total of $16,000 in prize money, plus concerts and tours. Keep an eye on the website for further details.

culturaviva.cl

 

Singapore International Violin Competition

Next competition: 2026

Application deadline: see website

This triennial competition gives all its emerging violinists the opportunity to perform in major Singaporean venues such as Esplanade Concert Hall and Victoria Concert Hall. Dates and details for the next edition are not yet confirmed, but we would expect it to be in 2026 and to feature the usual mix of high-profile judges and generous cash awards. Check the website for up-to-date information.

singaporeviolincompetition.com

 

Takamatsu International Piano Competition

Next competition: February 10-23, 2026

Application deadline: August 20, 2025

In addition to discovering and fostering outstanding pianists from around the world, this quadrennial competition on Japan’s Shikoku Island aims to provide local young people with opportunities to nurture their dreams through international exchange and interaction with top-class musicians, while also contributing to the development of the wider local music culture. Finalists get to perform with the Seto Philharmonic Orchestra under Junichi Hirokami, and prizes include a top cash prize of ¥3m. Also up for grabs are solo and concerto performance opportunities in Japanese and overseas halls, and with Japanese and overseas orchestras. Note too that for overseas applicants, the competition covers all travel expenses.
tipc.jp

 

Tokyo International Conducting Competition

Next competition: Autumn 2027

Applications: see website

Open to conductors of all nationalities still aged under 38 by the final round, this triennial conducting competition was completing its 2024 as we went to press. However, ambitious young conductors will already be looking ahead to its next edition, which should be in 2027, given its combination of high-profile jurors and career-boosting opportunities. All 2024 rounds took place at Tokyo Opera City Concert Hall, with the applicants conducting the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra in the two preliminary rounds, and the New Japan Philharmonic Orchestra in the final. The top three cash prizes were then respectively ¥2m, ¥1m and ¥500,000, with all prizewinners also receiving an engagement with the NHK Symphony Orchestra.

conductingtokyo.org

 

International Organ Competition Musashino-Tokyo

Next competition: 2027

Application deadline: see website

Established in 1988 and taking place quadrennially, the IOCM – taking place in Musashino, Greater Tokyo – was started as the only international organ competition in Asia, and attracts young organists from around the world, drawn by its international jury and by prizes that include a First Prize package of a generous cash sum, a CD recording with Naxos, and a Japanese concert tour at the invitation of Musashino Foundation for Culture and Lifelong Learning. 2023 winner Niklas Jahn, who is just now stepping into a post as organist at Dresden’s Frauenkirche, releases his own winning Naxos CD next year. Whether you win or not, though, the overall competition experience should be a culturally enriching one, thanks to various opportunities to also participate in its surrounding city-wide programme of masterclasses and concerts.

musashino.or.jp

 

Unisa National and International Music Competitions

Next competition: 2025

Application deadline: see website

The only South African competition in our pages, this Pretoria-based contest counting tenor Johan Botha and pianist Marc-André Hammelin among its former winners alternates between several disciplines, and between a national and an international competition (in pairs, so a national competition for a discipline is followed by an international one for the same). Unusually, it also has categories for both classical and jazz styles. The 2024 edition was an international one for pianists and jazz pianists up to the age of 30, with travel and accommodation covered, and cash awards of R240,000, R150,000 and R110,000 for First, Second and Third. We believe that 2025 is likely to be a national competition for winds, but keep an eye on the competition website for announcements.

unisa.ac.za

 

Van Cliburn International Piano Competition

Next competition: May 21–June 7, 2025

Application deadline: closed

It is no exaggeration to describe this quadrennial competition, established in 1962, as one of the most prestigious and high-profile piano competitions worldwide. Most recently, its 2022 edition catapulted Yunchan Lim to international stardom after he became its youngest ever winner, aged 18 – that edition has now become one of the most-watched classical events in history, with more than 60 million views on Cliburn streaming channels across 177 countries. Paul Lewis chairs the 2025 jury featuring such names as Wu Han, Yevgeny Sudbin and Gabriela Montero, who has also composed this year’s commissioned work. Marin Alsop returns to lead the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra in the final round. Beyond the tremendous international visibility – the global online viewership is expected to again run into the tens of millions – and a total of $240,000 cash to be awarded, the Cliburn offers its medalists an extensive three-year career management package, and the cumulative value of all its services and concert bookings is an estimated $2m, making it one of the largest prizes in classical music.

cliburn.org

 

Vancouver Symphony Orchestra USA’s Young Artist Competition

Next competition:October 12, 2025

Application deadline: April 1–July 28, 2025

Based in Vancouver, Washington, the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra’s national competition for musicians aged up to 18 is split into piano, strings, and brass/woodwinds. The three top cash prizes for each discipline are $5000 (First), $2000 (Second) and $1000 (Third). Winners also have the opportunity to perform in January 2026 with the VSO USA under its Music Director and Conductor Maestro Salvador Brotons.

vancouversymphony.org/young-artists-competition

 

Washington International Competition

Next competition: April 1, 2025 (composition) May 23-25, 2005 (strings)

Application deadline: February 15, 2025

Established in 1950, the Washington International Competition rotates between singers, pianists, strings players and composers, with finals being held on May 25, 2025 at the Terrace Theater of Washington’s John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. The 2025 competition is for strings and composition and is open to composers aged 18-35 – offering $7500 in total prize awards for a chamber work for three to five players, and to strings players (violin, viola and cello, aged 18-30) who will compete for $40,000 in total cash prizes.

fmmcfoundation.org

 

Zhuhai International Mozart Competition for Young Musicians

Next competition: September 9-21, 2025

Applications: May 4, 2025

A partnership between China’s seaside garden city of Zhuhai on the west bank of the Pearl River estuary, and the University Mozarteum Salzburg, this biennial competition for pianists and violinists has Mozart specialists The Salzburg Chamber Soloists as its designated orchestra. As its name suggests, the competition has a distinct emphasis on youth. The two sections are each divided into three age categories: 12-year olds and under, whose four cash prizes range from $1000 to $7500; 13-16 year olds with three cash awards ranging from $5000 to $15,000; and 17-23 year olds with three cash prizes ranging from $7500 to $30,000.

en.zhmozart.org