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

Competition rules

Jury

Prizes

schedule

News

Thirty-one pianists will start Bartók World Competition

23 June 2025

The prestigious international jury of Liszt Academy's competition, which will be held in September for pianists with a total prize fund of more than 51,000 euros, will be chaired by Yoheved Kamplinsy, head of the department at the Juilliard School in New York.

Pianists from 19 countries from three continents entered this year's Bartók World Competition

13 June 2025

Among the applicants are 12 from Japan and 11 from Hungary, but there are also entries from Turkey, Indonesia and Canada. No minimum age limit has been set by the organising Liszt Academy, with the youngest competitor being 15.

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.