This is the leading and longest-running institution of its kind in Cyprus, which started in 1998 as the “Steinway PanCyprian Competition for Young Pianists” and has been organized every two years ever since. Since 2008 the competition has been renamed to the “Avantgarde PanCyprian Competition for Young Pianists” adopting the name of its organiser. The final stage of the competition is broadcasted live on radio and television by the Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation (CyBC / RIK).
The competition is open for children and young pianists under the age of 17 and the Prize is an all-expenses-paid trip for the winner and his/her parent/guardian to Germany, where the winner participates, representing Cyprus, at the Steinway International Festival in Hamburg.
Avantgarde Cultural Foundation
The competition is open to all children and young pianists under the age of 17, who compete in one category. Each candidate is judged on the same criteria: musicality, technical ability, adherence to music performed, degree of difficulty and overall performance. A national competition with international jury!
TBA | October-November 2026
TBA | 2026
The Avantgarde PanCyprian Competition for Young Pianists is open for children and young people under the age of 17 who are Cypriots or residents of Cyprus. The Competition is public and is held in Nicosia with its final round broadcasted live on national television by the Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation (CyBC / RIK).
The Competition comprises of one qualification/preliminary round and one final round. The finalists are announced immediately after the completion of the preliminary round. The Jury selects the finalists who will perform on the following evening for the First Prize. The Jury is international and consists of three distinguished pianists and/or university professors. Their decision is irrevocable.
The organisers are permitted to video and/or audio record all stages of the Competition and to use these recordings on any media to document or advertise the Competition. All rights remain with the organisers.
Each candidate must send his/her Application Form to the Avantgarde Cultural Foundation duly completed and signed, together with the following:
– Copy of Birth Certificate, Identity Card or Passport (proof of DoB)
– Proof of school attendance (only for non-Cypriots, as proof of residency in Cyprus)
– Copies of the compositions to be performed
– Short CV
– Registration Fee of €50.00 (non-refundable)
The deadline for sending in Applications is TBA 2026, and these can be submitted in one of the following ways:
– sent by post to: Avantgarde Cultural Foundation, P.O.Box 27780, 2433 – Nicosia
– handed in by hand at: Kyriakides Piano Gallery, 26 Nikis Avenue, 1086 – Nicosia (tel: +357 22356066)
Each candidate must interpret from memory two compositions from different eras, which must not exceed 12 (twelve) minutes in total. These compositions must be originally written for the piano.
The First Prize of the Competition is an all-expenses-paid trip for the winner and his/her escort to Hamburg (Germany), to represent Cyprus at the Steinway International Festival.
A Runner Up is also announce, in the event that the First Prize Winner cannot travel to Germany on the dates of the Steinway International Festival.
