2024 Washington International Competition for Piano

Dates and Information

The 2024 Washington International Competition (WIC) for Piano is underway. Between September 15, 2023, and February 15, 2024, applications were selected from young artists around the world, ages 18 to 30 (as of the date of the competition), to compete in the Preliminary Round of the competition.

The Friday Morning Music Club Foundation is pleased to announce that the semifinalists for the 2024 WIC for Piano have been selected by our five preliminary round judges. Sixteen extraordinary pianists have been invited to join our distinguished panel of jurors for the semifinal round, to be held in the Benjamin T. Rome Music Hall at George Washington University on Saturday May 25, 2024.

Six finalists will then be selected to perform in the Terrace Theater at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts on Sunday May 26, 2024. Admission to all sessions of the live competition is free. This is a chance to see and hear several of the finest young pianists in the world competing for cash prizes and other awards.

Additional details about the competition can be found below.

Semifinals

Saturday, May 25, 2024

• Semifinals will take place at George Washington University’s Benjamin T. Rome Music Hall at 801 22nd Street, NW, on Saturday, May 25, 2024, starting at 9:00 am.

Finals

Sunday, May 26, 2024

• Finals will take place on Sunday, May 26, 2024, at 2:00 pm in the Terrace Theater of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

2024 Semifinal and Final Round Judges

 John O’Conor
 Olga Kern
 Santiago Rodriguez

Prizes

• First Prize: $10,000
• Second Prize: $5,000
• Third Prize: $3,000
• Three Finalist Awards: $1,000 each
• Audience Prize: $1,000

Performance Awards

Performance opportunities in Washington DC include a solo recital at the Terrace Theater of the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts (Alice Nagle Fund) and a solo appearance with the FMMC Avanti Orchestra.

Information For Interested Applicants

Eligibility

Applicants must be between the ages of 18 and 30 (as of the date of the competition). Proof of age will be required. Applicants must not be under professional management. Previous first-prize winners of the competition and current students of the judges may not apply.

Applications

All applications must be submitted through 2024 Washington International Competition for Piano | Acceptd (getacceptd.com). The application portal is now open.

• For repertoire and general questions about the competition, please contact Competition Chair Simon Finlow or Assistant Chair Yuri Chayama at wicpiano@fmmc.org.
• For questions about the online application process, please visit the Acceptd Help Desk.
• We encourage applicants to read thoroughly and follow the competition guidelines and instructions carefully. Applications may be started, edited, and updated using the Acceptd portal at any time between now and the deadline for submissions. However, they must be completed and submitted by the deadline date.

Note: The deadline for preliminary round application submissions is February 15, 2024, by 11:59 pm EST.

Required Repertoire

1. J. S. Bach: Any work. (Pieces with multiple sections or movements must be prepared in their entirety)
2. An entire Classical Sonata by one of the following composers: Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven (excluding Op. 49), or Schubert
3. A major work from the Romantic period
4. A substantial work from the 20th or 21st century
5. A piece of the contestant’s choice not to exceed 10 minutes

• Applicants should be prepared to perform all submitted repertoire for the semifinal and final rounds.
• All music must be performed from memory.
• The submitted repertoire program should be a minimum of 60 minutes.

Application Video

All applicants must submit video recordings of up to 35 minutes total for the preliminary round. The music for the video submissions must be chosen from your required repertoire selections. The applicant’s hands and face must be visible at all times. The music selected for the recordings should present a representative sample of the applicant’s abilities and strengths.

Note: Please DO NOT include your name in the file names of your video recordings or in the videos themselves.

Regulations and Instructions

1. All repertoire selections must be performed from memory, both in the audition video and in the live auditions.
2. No changes to submitted applications will be permitted past the deadline date of February 15, 2024, 11:59 EST.
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 approximately 16 semifinalists. 
6. All applicants will be notified of the results by Mid-March 2024.
7. Selected semifinalists will be sent further instructions after the results of the preliminary round have been made public.

Housing and Transportation

• The WIC provides local housing for all selected semifinalists.
• Local transportation and meals are also offered at the convenience of the hosts.
• Housing is available for all semifinalists from May 24 to May 27, 2024.

Additional Information

1. The 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.