Competitions

National and international classical music competitions.

KF Wieniawski Violin Competition

Hosted by the Kosciuszko Foundation in New York, this competition honors violinist-composer Henryk Wieniawski and is open to violinists aged 16 to 30 who are US citizens, permanent residents, or valid visa holders. More than $20,000 in cash prizes and performance awards are on offer.

Haydn Young Musician Competition UK

🇬🇧All instruments· United Kingdom (online)· Online

An online competition for instrumentalists, vocalists, composers, conductors and ensembles of any age or background, offering recorded feedback on every submission. Entries are accepted across autumn and winter seasons, with fees starting from £35.

LUM — Live Unwritten Memory Composition Competition

🇮🇹Composition· Turin, Italy

An international call for composers under 40 to write a new string quartet engaging with testimonies from witnesses of the Italian Resistance. Organized by ARCHEIA in partnership with the Museo Diffuso della Resistenza di Torino, the winning work receives a scholarship and a permanent sound installation at the museum.

Pazardjik International Conducting Competition & Masterclass

🇧🇬Conducting· Pazardzhik, Bulgaria

A tuition-based conducting masterclass and competition limited to twelve participants, each guaranteed substantial podium time with the Pazardjik Symphony Orchestra plus private coaching sessions. The winner conducts a full concert with the orchestra or receives a cash prize.

PCO — Piano Competition Online (16th edition)

🇵🇱Piano· Gdańsk, Poland (online)· Online

A fully online piano competition open to solo pianists and piano duos of any age, with optional expert categories spanning Baroque to contemporary repertoire. Now in its sixteenth edition, PCO has drawn more than 3,000 participants from over 65 countries.

Colors of Chopin — International Piano Competition

🇵🇱Piano· Warsaw, Poland (online)· Online

A one-round online piano competition open to pianists of all ages and nationalities, with additional distinctions awarded for outstanding Chopin interpretation.

Young Soloists Cello Competition

🇳🇱Cello· Amsterdam, Netherlands

A biennial competition for cellists under 28, offering cash prizes and a concerto performance with the host orchestra for the winner.

Global Voice & Opera Competition

🇺🇸· New York, USA

An international competition for emerging opera singers, featuring semi-final and final rounds accompanied by a full orchestra, with management contracts offered to top finalists.

International Chopin Piano Competition — Call for Entries

🇵🇱Piano· Warsaw, Poland

Applications are now open for the next edition of the International Chopin Piano Competition. Open to pianists aged 18–32. Preliminary rounds will be adjudicated by video submission.