The Ljubljana Festival is pleased to announce that the deadline for applications for the Ljubljana Festival International Competition – Piano 2026 has been extended! Talented pianists from all over the world are invited to take advantage of this extension and submit an application to the competition, which will take place between 21 February and 1 March 2026 in the concert hall of the Slovenian Philharmonic and at the Cankarjev Dom congress and cultural centre. The new closing date for applications is 10 June 2025.
This is one of the most prestigious international piano competitions in this part of Europe, aimed at professional pianists of all nationalities born between 1995 and 2009. The artistic director of the competition is the renowned pianist and teacher Epifanio Comis, while the international judging panel will once again be chaired by Dubravka Tomšič Srebotnjak, one of Slovenia’s most prominent artists.
BIGGEST PRIZE FUND TO DATE – €111,000
This year the competition has a record-breaking prize fund totalling €111,000, of which the winner will receive €50,000. A total of six cash prizes will be awarded, along with special diplomas for the best interpretations of works from various periods, the best performance of a work by a Slovene composer and the highest-ranked Slovene pianist.
Competition schedule:
- 1st stage (21–24 February): recital (Slovenian Philharmonic)
- 2nd stage (25–26 February): recital with compulsory works from the Romantic period and the 20th century (Slovenian Philharmonic)
- 3rd stage (28 February–1 March): final performance with the RTV Slovenia Symphony Orchestra (Cankarjev Dom)
The announcement of the winners and the awarding of prizes will take place on 1 March 2026.
Application conditions
Applicants must submit the following:
- a video recording (25–30 minutes) of a programme of works by Chopin, Liszt, Haydn or Mozart
- evidence of date of birth (1995–2009)
- three current photographs
- a brief CV
- details of the programme performed
- two letters of recommendation
- proof of payment of the application fee
All documents must be in English. Applications are to be submitted exclusively via the online form, available on the official Ljubljana Festival website.
SUCCESS STORY: KAI-MIN CHANG
Taiwanese pianist Kai-Min Chang, the winner of the first edition of the competition in 2023, impressed both the judging panel and the audience with his outstanding interpretation of Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto No. 3. His success has opened the door to the international concert circuit. Since his victory he has performed in the USA and Italy, appeared at the inaugural concert of the 7th Winter Festival in Ljubljana and reached the final of the prestigious Leeds International Piano Competition.
