2025 is for the pianists

According to the structure of the competition, pianists will compete at the Bartók World Competition Budapest in the first week of September. Applications are accepted by submitting video material here on the website until 26 May. Live rounds will be running from 31 August to 7 September at the Liszt Academy in Budapest. In the semi-finals, the two winning pieces from the 2024 Composers' Competition will be compulsory, they can be heard here on the website at the Repertoire section (see below), or by clicking on the sheet music. The performer is pianist József Balog.

Prizes of the competition:

1st prize: EUR 22000

2nd prize: EUR 14000

3rd prize: EUR 8000

Competition Announcement 2025

Repertoire 2025

Application

Competition rules

Jury

Prizes

schedule

News

Liszt Academy announces Bartók World Competition 2025

24 February 2025

With a total prize fund of more than 51,000 euros (20 million forints), the competition for pianists will open on 3 March, and the repertoire will naturally focus on Bartók's piano works.

Korean composer wins this year's Bartók World Competition

23 November 2024

The first prize of 5,000 euros was awarded to Korean composer Lee Hanuri, the second prize of 3,000 euros to composer Kim Shin, also Korean; and the third prize of 2,000 euros went to Hungarian composer Mátyás Papp, whose works was selected by an international jury led by world-renowned British composer Thomas Adès.

16 compositions shortlisted by the jury

16 October 2024

The preliminary jury of this year's competition for composers has selected 16 works - including a Hungarian piece - for the international jury, chaired by the world-famous British composer Thomas Adès.