The latest competition at the University of Music FRANZ LISZT, the International FRANZ LISZT Piano Competition for Young Pianists, was brought into being in 2005. Similar to the LOUIS SPOHR Competition for Young Violinists, it aims to offer the next generation of talented instrumentalists an international platform. In Weimar, musicians from all over the world will be able to meet at eye level, compare their abilities, and learn from each other. Feedback from a top-level international jury helps them in this regard.
Franz Liszt, the competition’s namesake, lived and taught in Weimar, first in the “Altenburg” (1848 to 1861) and then later in the old court nursery “Hofgärtnerei” (1869 to 1886). Every summer, he gathered a select group of young pianists from all over the world around him. He gave them free masterclasses and provided unforgettable inspiration. That great composer, pianist, conductor and visionary always strove to offer the next generation the best possible training conditions – by founding specialised music training institutions, amongst other things.
Like its “older brother”, the International FRANZ LISZT Piano Competition Weimar-Bayreuth which also takes place in Weimar, the Competition for Young Pianists feels a duty to carry on Franz Liszt’s ideals. By offering performance incentives in the form of prizes, the competition wants to help realise Liszt’s ideal of the musician with a general education who always passes on her knowledge to the next generation.
This is one of several competitions organised by the University of Music FRANZ LISZT Weimar
Hochschule für Musik FRANZ LISZT Weimar
The participants should be up to 17 years old.
The competition will take place in two or three rounds depending on the age category.
Every three years
TBA 2026
TBA 2025
Competition
The participants will be divided in 2 age categories.
-Category I born after the 4 November 2009
– Category II born from 4 November 2009 to 5 November 2005
The online registration portal will be available from March 2023. You can then create a user account and complete your data step by step. Changes will be possible until the registration is finally completed.
The following documents are required for registration:
• The competition is open for young pianists from every nation.
• The competition is open to the public. The order of performance for the pianists is determined by random selection in the form of a lottery system.
• The solo repertoire must be performed from memory. It is possible to apply exemption from this rule in the case of contemporary works. Chamber music works can but don’t have to be performed from memory.
• No programme changes will be accepted after the application deadline.
• The jury reserves the right to interrupt a performance if it exceeds the time limit.
• The jury reserves the right not to reward certain prizes. The first prize of each category cannot be shared.
• The decision of the jury is final; an appeal of the decisions is not possible. There may be possible changes within the jury.
• Members of the jury are not allowed to judge their own pupils. In the case of former pupils, the teaching activities must have ended at least one year prior to the competition.
• The competition organization reserves the right to produce web-streaming of each individual performance and the award-winners concert as well as making various contributions of the ensembles publically available online. There are no entitlements for competition participants in regards to both visual and audio recordings. All rights of live performance recordings will remain with the Hochschule für Musik FRANZ LISZT Weimar.
• The competition will cover accommodation costs for those candidates who have reached the second round (from then onwards), to a maximum of 25 Euro per person per night. This offer does not include accommodation costs for accompanying persons.
• Participants must pay for hotel and travel costs themselves. International participants, especially from Eastern Europe, may apply for a subsidy for these costs. No one is automatically entitled to receive a subsidy.
• In cases of doubt, the original German text of the competition brochure is legally binding
• All prize winners are obliged to perform at the prize winners’ concert on 4 November 2023 in Weimar without pay.
First Round
a) J. S. Bach: three pieces from Kleine Präludien und Fughetten
or two three-part Inventions (Sinfonias), BWV 787 – 801
or three consecutive movements from a French Suite, BWV 812 – 817
or D. Scarlatti: two Sonatas
b) C. Czerny: one etude from op. 299, no. 21 onwards (book 3 and 4) or op. 335 or op. 740
c) F. Liszt: one etude from Études pour le piano en douze exercices (Jugend-Etüden op. 1) excluding nos. 1 and 4
or from Grandes Études de Paganini, no. 4 or no. 5
d) J. Haydn: one sonata-allegro movement from a piano sonata
or L. v. Beethoven: sonata-allegro movement from op. 2/1, op.10/1 or 2, op. 13, op. 14/1 or 2, op. 49/1 or 2, or op. 79
Length of playing: 15 – 20 minutes in which repeats may be played.
Second Round
a) a chamber music performance performed together with musicians appointed by the competition:
W.A. Mozart: Piano Trio in G major, KV 564, 1st movement
or a piece composed by the candidate him/herself (For piano solo, the music must be handed to the jury)
or one improvised piece for which the candidate will be given a choice of themes
b) one or more pieces by E. Grieg, F. Mendelssohn Bartholdy, R. Schumann or P. I. Tschaikowsky
c) F. Liszt: one or more pieces from Consolations
or Nocturnes (Liebesträume)
or Valse-Impromptu
or Années de Pèlerinage I – Suisse (excluding nos. 5 and 6)
d) B. Bartók: one or more pieces of candidates’ own choice
Length of playing: 25 – 30 minutes in which repeats may be played.
Third Round
J. Haydn: Piano Concerto in D major, Hob. XVIII:11 (1782)
Contestants up to 10 years of age may choose to perform one movement (the 1st or 3rd) of the concerto.
Together with the orchestra of the Musikgymnasium Schloss Belvedere
First Round
a) J. S. Bach: one Prelude and Fugue from the Well-Tempered Clavier 1 or 2
or three consecutive movements from a Partita, BWV 825-830
or three consecutive movements from an English Suite, BWV 806 – 811
or D. Scarlatti: two Sonatas
b) F. Liszt: one etude from Grandes Études de Paganini, excluding no 4 and no 5
or from Three Concert Etudes: no. 2 or no. 3
or from Two Concert Etudes: Waldesrauschen or Gnomenreigen
c) F. Chopin: one virtuoso etude from Études op. 10 or op. 25
d) B. Bartók: one or more pieces of candidates’ own choice
Length of playing: A maximum of 20 minutes in which repeats may be played.
Second Round
a) a chamber music performance performed together with musicians appointed by the competition:
F. Mendelssohn Bartholdy: Piano trio no. 1 in d minor, op. 49, 1st movement
or a piece composed by the candidate him/herself (For piano solo, the music must be handed to the jury)
or one improvised piece for which the candidate will be given a choice of themes
b) L. v. Beethoven: one of the 2 or 3 movement sonatas (except op. 49, op. 53, op. 57, op. 101, op. 106, op. 109, op. 110, op. 111)
or F. Schubert: one of the following sonatas: op. 120 A major (D 664) or
op. 143 a minor (D 784) or op. 164 a minor (D 537)
c) F. Liszt: one work from: Ballades
or Hungarian Rhapsodies
or Two Polonaises
or Années de pèlerinage I – Suisse: no. 5 or no. 6
or Années de pèlerinage II– Italie: Book 1 (excluding no. 7) and Book 2
d) one work for piano solo composed after 1950, also an own composition by the candidate is possible (Works for which a preparation of the piano is necessary will not be admitted, sheet music must be submitted to the jury)
Length of playing: 35 – 40 minutes in which repeats may be played.
Third Round
E. Grieg*: Piano Concerto in A minor, op 16
Together with the orchestra of the Musikgymnasium Schloss Belvedere
| Category I | Category II | |
| 1st Prize | € 2.000 | € 3.000 |
| 2nd Prize | € 1.500 | € 2.000 |
| 3rd Prize | € 700 | € 1.000 |
Prize of the Junior-Jury 500 Euros
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