Dates and Information

The Friday Morning Music Club Foundation is pleased to announce the 2027 Washington International Competition (WIC) for Piano. Applications will be accepted from September 15, 2026, through February 15, 2027 from pianists around the world who are 18–30 years old as of May 22, 2027. Contestants will submit applications to compete in the Preliminary Round of the competition via app.getacceptd.com/wic.

Semifinals will take place on Saturday, May 22, 2027, starting at 9:00 a.m. at Phillips Hall, George Washington University, 801 22nd Street, NW, Washington, DC.

Finals will take place on Sunday, May 23, 2027, at 2:00 p.m., venue to be announced.

2027 WIC Piano Jury will be announced in August, 2027

Prizes & Performance Awards

  • $22,000 in total prizes!
  • Winners are eligible for Performance Awards of solo appearance opportunities in the Washington, DC area, including an appearance with the FMMC Avanti Orchestra.

Application Fee

  • New for 2027: The application fee has been reduced to $50.

Eligibility

  • Applicants must be between the ages of 18 and 30 as of May 22, 2027.
  • Proof of age will be required.
  • Pianists of all nationalities are welcome and encouraged to apply.
  • Applicants must not be under professional management.
  • Previous first-prize winners of the competition may not apply.
  • Current students of any of the judges may not apply.

Required Repertoire

The Washington International Competition values thoughtful artistic programming as an important part of a pianist’s development. While the repertoire requirements establish a broad framework, applicants are encouraged to create a program that reflects their individual musical voice, interests, and artistic imagination.

Pieces with multiple sections or movements must be prepared in their entirety.

    1. A substantial Baroque work (composed up to 1750)
    2. An entire Classical Sonata (composed from 1750-1825)
    3. A major work from the Romantic Period
    4. A modern or contemporary work from the 20th or 21st century
    5. A piece of the contestant’s choice, not to exceed 10 minutes

Additional Requirements

  • At least one selection must be composed by a living composer or by a composer from one of the following historically underrepresented demographics: Women; Black; Asian; Middle Eastern; Native American; or Latino/a (originating from Latin America) heritage.
  • Applicants should be prepared to perform all submitted repertoire for the semifinal and final rounds. The same repertoire list must be used for the application and live competition rounds.
  • Compositions using extended (inside-the-piano) techniques (i.e. introducing foreign objects into the workings of the piano to change the sound quality, strumming or plucking of strings) are not permitted.
  • All music must be performed from memory.
  • The submitted program should be a minimum of 60 minutes.

Application Video

All applicants must submit video recordings of a maximum of 35 minutes total for the preliminary round. The music for the video submissions must be chosen from your required repertoire selections above. Each movement must be recorded with one camera in a single, unedited take. The music selected for the recordings should present a representative sample of the applicant’s abilities and strengths. A list of format and other video instructions can be found on Acceptd’s HelpDesk. Note: The deadline for preliminary round application submissions is February 15, 2026, by 11:59 pm ET.

Acceptable File Types:

  • Video: MP4, MPEG, MPG, MOV, AVI, WMV, M4V, FLV, WEBM, MKV, M2V
  • Maximum video file size per media file: 4 GB

IMPORTANT

  • DO NOT include any identifying information for yourself or your school in the videos or the titles of the video files.
  • All submitted video selections must come from the submitted repertoire list.
  • No changes to repertoire will be allowed after the application is finalized.
  • Applicants must be prepared to present all repertoire on their list if chosen to participate in the semifinals.

Regulations and Instructions

  1. All selections must be performed from memory, both on the video and in the live auditions.
  2. No changes to submitted applications, including repertoire, will be permitted past the deadline date of February 15, 2027, 11:59 p.m. ET.
  3. Contestants should be prepared to perform all submitted repertoire in its entirety for the semifinal and final rounds.
  4. Repertoire for the preliminary round MUST be the same for the semifinal and final rounds.
  5. A separate preliminary round jury will review submissions and select 16 semifinalists.
  6. All applicants will be notified of the results by the end of March 2027.
  7. Selected semifinalists will be sent further instructions after the results of the preliminary round have been made public. They will be invited to compete in Washington, DC on May 22, 2027. Semifinalists will be offered local housing and transportation.

Additional Information

  1. FMMC Foundation assumes no responsibility for actions of or injuries sustained by applicants or their escorts during their course of stay in the Washington, DC area.
  2. All contestants are responsible for transportation to and from Washington, DC.
  3. The decision of the judges is final and not to be disputed. No contact with the judges is permitted until after the results have been announced.
  4. The WIC reserves the right to use any recordings or photographs originated during the competitions, or any photographs or recordings provided by the contestants.

Questions

  • For repertoire and general questions, please contact Competition Chair Trudi Benford at wicpiano@fmmc.org.
  • For technical questions please contact the Acceptd Support Team at support@getacceptd.com or by calling 1-888-725-2122. Check out the Help Desk for frequently asked questions.