Application:
Competitors must be aged between 16 and 30 for the duration of the competition. (26 February 2026 – 7 March 2026). First-prize winners from previous competitions may not enter again.
You must read the information below carefully before applying.
Once you have decided to apply, have all your information ready including your video audition, concerto choices and recital programme.
Then complete the application form, upload your video and photographs, and make your payment before submitting the form.
Apply here: https://hastingsinternationalpiano.org/application-form
Awards:
1st Prize – £20,000
2nd Prize – £10,000
3rd Prize – £4,000
4th Prize – £3,000
5th Prize – £2,000
Repertoire:
Preliminary Round:
Preliminary audition should be solo repertoire of two or more contrasting pieces from different periods. Performance time must be between 25 and 30 minutes. None of this repertoire may be repeated in the second stage of the competition.
Your video recording must be recorded and dated after 1 April 2025. You will need to upload your video audition to your own DropBox folder and paste the link in your application.
Please include full details of your audition repertoire with full details and timings. All works must have their Number/Title, opus numbers or other classifications, movements and timings.
Stage 1.
In Stage 1, competitors will perform a maximum of 28 minutes, including breaks and pauses, structured as follows:
Up to 14 minutes from a concerto in List A:
Ludwig van Beethoven Piano Concerto No 3 in C minor Op 37
Ludwig van Beethoven Piano Concerto No 4 in G major Op 58
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Piano Concerto No 9 in E flat major K 271
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Piano Concerto No 20 in D minor K 466
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Piano Concerto No 21 in C major K 467
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Piano Concerto No 22 in E flat major K 482
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Piano Concerto No 23 in A major K 488
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Piano Concerto No 24 in C minor K 491
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Piano Concerto No 26 in D major K 537
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Piano Concerto No 27 in B flat major K 595
Up to 14 minutes from a concerto in List B:
Béla Bartók Piano Concerto No 3 in E major Sz 119 BB 127
Ludwig van Beethoven Piano Concerto No 5 in E flat major Op 7
Johannes Brahms Piano Concerto No 1 in D minor Op15
George Gershwin Piano Concerto in F major
Edvard Grieg Piano Concerto in A minor Op 16
Franz Liszt Piano Concerto No 1 in E flat major S 124
Franz Liszt Piano Concerto No 2 in A major S 125
Sergei Prokofiev Piano Concerto No 2 in G minor Op 16
Sergei Prokofiev Piano Concerto No 3 in C major Op 26
Florence Price Piano Concerto in D minor
Sergei Rachmaninov Piano Concerto No 1 in F sharp minor Op 1
Sergei Rachmaninov Piano Concerto No 2 in C minor Op 18
Sergei Rachmaninov Piano Concerto No 3 in D minor Op 30
Sergei Rachmaninov Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini Op 43
Maurice Ravel Piano Concerto in G major
Camille Saint-Saëns Piano Concerto No 2 in G minor Op 22
Clara Schumann Piano Concerto in A minor Op 7
Robert Schumann Piano Concerto in A minor Op 54
Alexander Scriabin Piano Concerto No 1 in F sharp minor Op 20
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No 1 in B flat minor Op 23
Performances may include complete movements or excerpts, but both concertos must be represented.
The Jury may request specific sections from either concerto and has the discretion to stop any performance that exceeds the time limit.
This stage will be performed on two pianos.
Person playing a grand piano on a tile floor viewed from above.
Stage 2.
The 20 competitors who reach Stage 2 of the competition will be asked to give a solo repertoire performance of between 30 and 35 minutes including breaks and pauses, to include a mandatory piece of approximately 5 minutes in length.
At least two composers must be represented from two different periods, excluding the mandatory piece.
Concertos are not to be played and repertoire must differ from that presented in the video audition.
Mandatory piece – we have commissioned a new solo piano work by Stephen Hough of approximately 5 minutes in length. This will be issued to competitors when entry to the competition is confirmed.
The jury will be taking your programming into consideration, so please consider this when choosing your performance order.
Semifinal
The 10 competitors who reach the semi-finals will be asked to give a complete performance of their List A concerto choice with Sinfonia Smith Square. This will be the same concerto from List A played in Stage 1.
Final
The five finalists will give a complete performance of their List B concerto choice with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. This will be the same concerto from List B played in Stage 1.
More information: https://hastingsinternationalpiano.org/