List of classical music competitions

European Classical music has long relied on music competitions to provide a public forum that identifies the strongest players and contributes to the establishment of their professional careers. This is a list of current competitions in classical music. Competitions offering a range of categories are listed under "General/mixed". Competitions with age restrictions are listed under "Young musicians".

Chamber music

Roman Kramsztyk Koncert (1918)

Asia-Pacific Chamber Music Competition for piano trios and string quartets (Melbourne, Australia)^[1]
Chesapeake Chamber Music Competition (Maryland, USA)^[2]
Duo Entendre Composition Competition for French horn and piano (Newcastle, Australia)^[3]
Forte International Music Competition (New York, USA)^[4]
Henri Tomasi International Woodwind Quintet Competition (Marseille, France)
International Chamber Music Competition Hamburg for piano trios and string quartets (Hamburg, Germany)^[5]
International String Quartet Competition Radom Chamber Orchestra (Radom, Poland)^[6]
Premio Paolo Borciani, International String Quartet Competition (Reggio Emilia, Italy)^[7]
St Martin's Chamber Music Competition (London, UK)^[8]
"Salieri - Zinetti" International Chamber Music Competition (Verona/ Mantova, Italy)^[9]
Sydney Eisteddfod Musica Viva Chamber Music Award (Sydney, Australia)^[10]
Terem Crossover International Music Competition instrumental ensembles (Saint-Petersburg, Russia)^[11]
Trondheim International Chamber Music Competition (Trondheim, Norway)^[12]

Choral/voice

Candlelight Master
Young Boy Singing (1650)

Barry Alexander International Vocal Competition (USA)^[13]
BBC Singer of the World competition (Cardiff, Wales)^[14]
Concurs Internacional de cant Jaume Aragall (Barcelona, Spain)^[15]
Concours International Nei Stemmen (Luxemburg City, Luxemburg)^[16]
European Grand Prix for Choral Singing
Forte International Music Competition (New York, USA)^[4]
International Johann Sebastian Bach Competition (Leipzig, Germany)
International Hans Gabor Belvedere Singing Competition (Vienna, Austria)^[17]
International Tchaikovsky Competition (Moscow, Russia)
International Vocal Competition ´s-Hertogenbosch ('s-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands)
International Voice Competition - Gerda Lissner Foundation (New York, USA)^[18]
Jan, Edward, Józefina Reszke Vocal Competition^[19]
Lotte Lehman League Art Song Contest^[20]
The Mirjam Helin International Singing Competition (Helsinki, Finland)
Montserrat Caballe International Singing Competition (Zaragoza, Spain)^[21]
National Anthem Bicentennial (Fort McHenry, USA)^[22]
Operalia, The World Opera Competition (Paris, France)
Prague Christmas (Prague, Czech Republic)^[23]
Queen Elisabeth Music Competition (Brussels, Belgium)
Queen Sonja International Music Competition (Oslo, Norway)

Composition

Laurent de La Hyre
Allegorical Figure of Music

"Città di Udine" International Composition Competition (Udine, Italy)
60x60 - International (New York, USA)
Fifteen-Minutes-of-Fame (New York City, USA)^[24]
Gaudeamus International Composers Award (Netherlands)
George Enescu International Composition Contest (Bucharest, Romania)^[25]
Henryk Mikołaj Górecki International Composers Competition (Cracow, Poland)^[26]
International Antonín Dvořák Composition Competition (Prague, Czech Republic)^[27]
International Uuno Klami Composition Competition (Kotka/Kouvola, Finland)^[28]
Isla Verde Bronces International Brass Composition Contest (Córdoba, Argentina)^[29]
Lake George Music Festival Composition Competition (New York,USA)
Midi & MP3 Composition Music Contest for Composers^[30]
PARMA Student Composer Competition (North Hampton, USA)^[31]
Project Trio Composition Competition (Brooklyn, USA)^[32]
Queen Elisabeth Music Competition (Brussels, Belgium)
RED NOTE New Music Festival Composition Competition (Illinois, USA)^[33]
Reveille Trumpet Collective Composition Prize^[34]
SAMADIS International Composition Competition (New York City, USA)^[35]
SAYAT NOVA International AGBU Composition Competition (Paris, France)^[36]
Tōru Takemitsu Composition Award (Tokyo, Japan)
Alexander Zemlinsky Prize for Composition (Cincinnati, USA)^[37]
Zvi Zeitlin Memorial International Composer's Competition^[38]

Conducting

Conductor Tetiana Kalinichenko

Cadaqués Orchestra International Conducting Competition (Spain)
Donatella Flick Conducting Competition (UK)
Guido Cantelli Conducting Competition (Italy)
Gustav Mahler Conducting Competition (Germany)
International Besançon Competition for Young Conductors (France)
Jorma Panula Conducting Competition (Finland)
Leeds Conductors Competition (UK)

General/ mixed

American Protege International Competition (New York, USA)^[39]
The American Prize (Connecticut, USA)^[40]
Cleveland Aradhana - South Indian Classical Music Competition (Cleveland, USA)^[41]
E-Gré National Music Competition (Brandon, Canada)^[42]
EUROPAfest (Bucharest, Romania)
Franz Schubert and Modern Music International Music Competition, Graz^[43]
Naumburg Competition (New York, USA)^[44]
International Crescendo Music Awards Competition (Tulsa, USA)^[45]
Long-Thibaud-Crespin Competition (previously International Marguerite Long-Jacques Thibaud Competition) (Paris, France)
The World Competition (entirely online) (New York & Bologna)^[46]
Washington International Competition (Washington, USA)^[47]

Instrumental

Bartolomeo Bettera Still Life with Musical Instruments and Books

Zlata Koruna Musical instruments

"Arrasate Hiria" International Accordion Competition (Arrasate, Spain)^[48]
ARD International Music Competition (Munich, Germany)
Brisbane International Youth Music Festival (Brisbane, Australia)
Budapest International Guitar Competition (BIGC) (Budapest, Hungary)^[49]
Canetti International Violin Competition^[50]
Classica Nova International Music Competition (Hannover, Germany)^[51]
Forte International Music Competition (New York, USA)^[4]
The 1st International IMMA Records Classical Music Competition^[52]
Gaudeamus Competition (Netherlands)^[53]
International Arthur Grumiaux Competition for Young Violinists (Namur, Belgium)^[54]
International Chopin Piano Competition (Warsaw, Poland)
International Guitar Competition & Festival (Berlin, Germany)^[55]
International Performers Competition Brno (Brno, Czech Republic)^[56]
Leos Janacek International Competition (Brno, Czech Republic)^[57]
Montreal International Music Competition (Montreal, Canada)
Matosinhos International Competition (Online)^[58]
Queen Elisabeth Music Competition (Brussels, Belgium)^[59]
TROMP international music competition & Festival (Eindhoven, Netherlands)^[60]

Musicology

Part of the autograph score for Applicatio in C major, BWV 994 by Johann Sebastian Bach

Annual Musicology Competition (Worldwide)^[61]
Central Academy of Arts and Expositions and Music Master Classes (Mdina, Malta)^[62]

Piano/keyboard

Steinway & Sons concert grand piano, model D-274, manufactured at Steinway's factory in Hamburg, Germany

Piano in the foyer of Tutzing castle

Maurizio Balzola at the piano

Hands at the piano

Aarhus International Piano Competition (Aarhus, Denmark)^[63]
American Paderewski Piano Competition (Los Angeles, USA)^[64]
Anton Rubinstein Competition (Dresden, Germany)^[65]
Arthur Rubinstein International Piano Competition (Tel Aviv, Israel)^[66]
Bradshaw and Buono International Piano Competition (New York, USA)^[67]
Ciutat de Carlet International Piano Competition (Valencia, Spain)^[68]
Clara Haskil International Piano Competition (Vevey, Switzerland)^[69]
Cleveland International Piano Competition (Cleveland, USA)^[70]
Concours Géza Anda (Zurich, Switzerland)^[71]
Dallas Chamber Symphony International Piano Competition (Dallas, USA)^[72]
The Dranoff International Two Piano Foundation (Dallas, USA)^[73]
Dublin International Piano Competition (Dublin, Ireland)^[74]
EPTA - International Piano Competition Svetislav Stančić (Zagreb, Croatia)^[75]
Eugen d'Albert International Music Competition (Giubiasco, Switzerland)^[76]
Ferruccio Busoni International Piano Competition (Bolzano, Italy)^[77]
Forte International Music Competition (New York, USA)^[4]
Gina Bachauer International Piano Competition (Salt Lake City, USA)^[78]
Holland International Piano Competition (The Hague, Netherlands)^[79]
Honens International Piano Competition (Calgary, Canada)^[80]
International Ettore Pozzoli Piano Competition (Seregno, Italy)^[81]
International Franz Liszt Piano Competition (Utrecht, Netherlands)^[82]
International Goedicke Organ Competition (Moscow, Russia)^[83]
International Johann Sebastian Bach Competition (organ) (Leipzig, Germany)^[84]
International Chopin Piano Competition (Poland)^[85]
International Mozart Piano Competition (Salzburtg, Austria)^[86]
International Piano Competition for Outstanding Amateurs (Paris, France)^[87]
International Tchaikovsky Competition (Russia)^[88]
ISANGYUN Competition (Seoul, South Korea)^[89]
José Iturbi International Piano Competition (Los Angeles, USA)^[90]
Julian Cochran Piano Competition (Poland/Australia)^[91]
Karlovac International Piano Competition (Karlovac, Croatia)^[92]
Kerikeri National Piano Competition (Kerikeri, New Zealand)^[93]
Leeds International Pianoforte Competition (Leeds, UK)^[94]
Maria Canals International Music Competition (Barcelona, Spain)^[95]
Paloma O'Shea International Piano Competition (Madrid, Spain)^[96]
Panama International Piano Competition (Panama City, Panama)^[97]
Peabody Mason International Piano Competition (Boston, USA)^[98]
Petr Eben International Organ Competition (Opava, Czech Republic)^[99]
Pilar Bayona Piano Competition (Spain)^[100]
Queen Elisabeth Music Competition (Belgium)^[101]
Sendai International Music Competition (Sendai, Japan)^[102]
St Albans International Organ Competition (St Albans, UK) ^[103]
Sussex International Piano Competition (Worthing, UK)^[104]
Sydney International Piano Competition (Sydney, Australia)^[105]
Valencia International Piano Competition Prize Iturbi (Valencia, Spain)^[106]
Van Cliburn International Piano Competition (Fort Worth, USA)^[107]
World International Piano Competition (Santa Fe, USA)^[108]

String instruments

Lady Blunt Stradivari violin (1721)

Animato International Violin Competition (Brisbane, Australia)^[109]
Brisbane International Youth Music Festival, (Brisbane, Australia)
Città di Brescia International Violin Competition (Brescia, Italy)
Henryk Wieniawski Violin Competition (Poznań, Poland)
International Brahms Competition (Pörtschach am Wörthersee, Austria)^[110]
International Fritz Kreisler Competition (Vienna, Austria)
International Jean Sibelius Violin Competition (Helsinki, Finland)
International Tchaikovsky Competition (Moscow, Russia)
ISANGYUN Competition (Tongyeong, South Korea)^[89]
Klein Competition (San Francisco, USA)^[111]
Lionel Tertis International Viola Competition (Isle of Man, UK)
Maurice Vieux International Viola Competition (France)
Michael Hill International Violin Competition (New Zealand)
Moscow International David Oistrakh Violin Competition (Moscow, Russia)^[112]
Paganini International Competition (Genoa, Italy)
Primrose International Viola Competition (Albuquerque, New Mexico)
Queen Elisabeth Music Competition (Belgium)
International Arthur Grumiaux Competition for Young Violinists (Namur, Belgium)^[54]
Rostropovich International Cello Competition (Paris, France)^[113]
Sendai International Music Competition (Sendai, Japan)
Washington International Competition for Strings (Washington, DC, USA)^[114]
Windsor International String Competition (Windsor, UK)^[115]

Woodwind instruments

Bassoon (made by Fox)

International Crescendo Music Awards Competition (Tulsa USA)^[116]
International Flute Competition Camerata Strumentale (Timişoara, Romania)^[117]
Henri Tomasi International Woodwind Quintet Competition (Marseille, France)^[118]

Young musicians

Violinist: Friedrich Wilhelm Pixis (1786—1842);
Pianist: Johann Peter Pixis (1788—1874)

Animato International Violin Competition (Brisbane, Australia)^[109]
Brisbane International Youth Music Festival Brisbane International Youth Music Festival (Brisbane, Australia)^[119]
Antonio Janigro International Cello Competition (Croatia)^[120]
Balys Dvarionas International Competition for Young Pianists and Violinists (Lithuania)^[121]
Boris Christoff International Competition for Young Singers (Sofia, Bulgaria)^[122]
William C. Byrd Young Artist Competition (Flint, USA)^[123]
Jeunesses Musicales International (Various)^[124]
Forte International Music Competition (New York, USA)^[4]
Gregynog Young Musicians Competition (Wales, UK)^[125]
International Competition for Young Classical Guitarists (Siracusa, Italy)^[126]
BBC Young Musician of the Year (UK)
Città di Barletta Young Musician International Competition (Barletta, Italy)^[127]
Cologne International Piano Festival and competition for young Pianists (Cologne, Germany)^[128]
Concours de Genève Prix international d'interprétation & de composition (Geneva, Switzerland)^[129]
Elena Obraztsova International Competition for young opera singers (St. Petersburg, Russia)^[130]
Festival for Creative Pianists (USA)^[131]
Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition (Indiana, USA)
Gillet-Hugo Fox Competition - Bassoon and Oboe competition (USA)^[132]
Hugo Kauder Society-International Music Competition (New Haven, USA)^[133]
International Carl Bechstein Piano Competition (various, Europe)^[134]
International Chamber Music Competition for ensembles 20-30yrs (Wollongong, Australia)^[135]
International Russian Rotary Children Music Competition (Russia)^[136]
International Tchaikovsky Competition for Young Musicians (Moscow, Russia)^[137]
International Violin Competition Henri Marteau (Lichtenberg, Germany)^[138]
International Independent Music Competition "Individualis" (Ukraine)^[139]
International Johann Sebastian Bach Competition (Leipzig, Germany)
Midwest Young Artists Discover National Chamber Music Competition (Illinois, USA)^[140]
National Young Artist Competition (Charleston, USA)^[141]
National Arts Centre Orchestra Bursary Competition (Ottawa, Canada)^[142]
Olympic Challenge Competition (Children) (Montclair, USA)^[143]
New York International Piano Competition (New York, USA)^[144]
PianoArts North American Piano Competition for High School and College Students (USA)^[145]
Prague Spring International Music Competition (Prague, Czech Republic)^[146]
RESEO Award (Brussels, Belgium) ^[147]
The Respighi Prize Music Competition for Young Composers & Soloists (New York, USA)
Russian Music Competition (USA)^[148]
Stulberg International String Competition (USA)^[149]
Tartini Music Competition for violin (Piran, Slovenia)^[150]
Vandoren Emerging Artist Competition - Saxophone and Clarinet (USA)^[151]
Wideman Piano Competition (Shreveport, USA)^[152]
Yehudi Menuhin International Competition for Young Violinists (London and Beijing)^[153]
International Arthur Grumiaux Competition for Young Violinists (Namur, Belgium)^[54]
Young Talents with Orchestra, competition for violin and piano with orchestra (Milan, Italy)^[154]