Lancaster International Piano Festival 2025 (Online) Piano Competition

CATEGORIES 

Young Artist (up to 35)

Junior (up to 16)

Amateur (18+)

APPLY BY JULY 1, 2025

WINNERS WILL BE ANNOUNCED: JULY 31, 2025

Apply this year’s competition, click here: http://www.lancasterpianofest.com/2025-sign-up

 Registration Instructions

  1. Upload the unedited video(s) of your performance onto a platform, such as YouTube or Youku. Your video MUST show your face and hands.

  2. Submit the link(s) together with the completed application form through the LIPF website.

  3. Registration Deadline: July 1, 2025.


Assessment Criteria

While we expect the recording will be made on an instrument that is in tune and in good condition, the judges will base assessment on the quality and musicality of the performance rather than the quality of the instrument.

 

This year’s judges will be LIPF Faculty members.

Judges from previous competitions include: 

  • Natalia Antonova

  • Boris Berman

  • Hung-Kuan Chen

  • Ruiqi Fang

  • Wael Farouk

  • Alessandra Feris

  • Eric Fung

  • Matthew Graybil

  • Amy Gustafson

  • Ivo Kaltchev

  • Alexander Kobrin

  • Songwen Li

  • Chongxiao Liu

  • Solomon Mikowsky

  • Francesco Mirabella

  • Milena Mollova

  • Xun Pan

  • Santiago Rodriguez

  • Victor Rosenbaum

  • Hedi Salanki

  • Ying Wu

  • Chenggang Yang


YOUNG ARTIST COMPETITION

Participants must NOT exceed 35 years of age by July 1, 2025. Former 1st prize winners of LIPF competition are NOT ELIGIBLE to participate. 

 Repertoire: (30-40 Minutes) 

  1. At least TWO (2) or more pieces of contrasting styles from different time periods.

  2. Memorization is required.

Application Fee: $150 


PRIZES

1st Prize $1,500 plus one solo concert and a concerto with the Lancaster Symphony Orchestra in Lancaster, PA, and one performance in New York City during the 2025-2026 season

2nd Prize $1,000 plus one solo concert at the Bulgarian Music Society Concert Series at the Bulgarian Embassy in Washington DC during the 2025-2026 season

3rd Prize $500

Honorable Mentions

 

JUNIOR COMPETITION

Participants must NOT exceed 16 years of age by July 1, 2025. 

 Repertoire (10-20 Minutes) 

  1. At least TWO (2) or more pieces of contrasting styles from different periods.

  2. Memorization is required.

Application Fee: $50

 

PRIZES 

1st Prize $300

2nd Prize $200

3rd Prize $100

Honorable Mentions

  

AMATEUR COMPETITION

Eligibility requirements:

-Participant MUST be at least 18 years of age by July 1, 2025.

-Participant MUST NOT be a professional musician or music teacher or music major in any institution to compete in this category. 


Repertoire: (10-20 Minutes) 

  1. Free choice of repertoire 

  2. Memorization is NOT required

Application Fee: $50


PRIZES 

1st Prize $300

2nd Prize $200

3rd Prize $100

Honorable Mentions