The World of Piano Competitions – issue 2 2025

The World of Piano Competitions magazine is a well-established reference for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of today’s international classical piano landscape. In this new issue, Chopin stands at the centre — not merely as the focus of a competition, but as a celebration of a unique musical legacy.

Frédéric Chopin remains the most frequently performed and most deeply cherished composer among pianists, and even readers who approach the concept of piano competitions with some reservation may still appreciate the magazine’s focus on artistic perspectives: great music, deeply considered interpretations, and the enduring relevance of Chopin’s sound world.

The new issue covers the 2025 Chopin Competition in depth, with performance reflections, critical essays, and interviews that illuminate both artistry and judgement. Following the Piano Street Team’s presence at the competition in Warsaw in October, we are happy to contribute to the magazine with three articles by Patrick Jovell.

Beyond Warsaw, the magazine explores Liszt Utrecht’s anniversary edition, major international competition profiles, and perspectives from performers, jurors, and technicians shaping today’s piano scene.

Free download!

As a collaborating partner, Piano Street is happy to share the 14th issue of WOPC with our readers free of charge: The-World-of-Piano-Competitions-issue-2-2025.pdf

Contents

Spotlight Chopin
Eric Lu wins the Chopin Competition 2025
Reflections on a Crowded Field of Talent
The Quiet Birthplace of Poland’s National Sound
John Rink on the Demands and Discipline of the Chopin Competition
Interview Ortwin Moreau: Tuning the Fazioli
Interview Zitong Wang: Going with the Moment

Spotlight Liszt
Interview Rob Hilberink: Liszt Utrecht’s 40th anniversary
Franz Liszt International Piano Competition 2026
Liszt City Budapest

News
WFIMC Piano Competitions 2026

Competition Profiles
Pearl River Kayserburg International Youth Piano Competition: Triumph and Trajectory
Globe International Piano Competition: Young Piano Talent in the Spotlight

Interview
Vincent Russo on Competitions

Column
Maria Nikiforov: An Open Letter to Musicians

Background

The piano enjoys a tremendous popularity worldwide and has the universal quality to be able to communicate through cultures, history and geographical borders. The value of piano competitions cannot be overestimated in terms of focus on the piano as an instrument and piano playing. The competition industry engages a multiplicity of concerns including hi-end piano manufacturing, media coverage and broadcast, repertoire spotlight and pedagogy, concert and lecture production and not least, career opportunity and exposure for laureates and non-laureates. All this contributes to a richer cultural life and can powerfully promote the aim we all share: to spread the joy and riches of the art of piano playing.

”Piano music, especially live, is incomparable and can be a great source of joy for players and listeners. We all should strive to allow as many people benefit from it as possible. For that, this edition of The World of Piano Competition is an excellent form of encouragement. I hope its message spreads widely! I wish everyone much joy reading it and, later on, attending a concert!”
— Guido Zimmermann, President Steinway & Sons Europe

THE WORLD OF PIANO COMPETITIONS
is published twice a year by PIANIST, as a part of the regular edition, and also worldwide as a separate magazine.

PIANIST (regular edition) is published four times a year in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Luxemburg, Liechtenstein, the Netherlands and Belgium.
www.pianist-magazin.de
www.pianistmagazine.nl