Concours International de Piano d'Épinal 2027

The Concours International de Piano d'Épinal, held every other year in eastern France, returns for its 31st edition on 12–21 March 2027, open to pianists born after 21 March 1996 and before 13 March 2011, roughly 16 to 30 at competition time. Registering costs €80, non-refundable except if the competition itself is cancelled, and a further €40 participation fee is due from selected contestants by 15 January 2027; finalists of other World Federation of International Music Competitions events held since January 2024 skip the video pre-selection stage but pay the full €120 upfront. Registration runs from 1 September to 30 November 2026, and late applications aren't considered. Applying means submitting, online, a copy of your ID or passport, a CV in French or English, a recent photo, proof you've paid the fee, and a single unedited YouTube video up to 15 minutes long, filmed on a fixed camera showing your face and hands, including a fast movement from a classical-era sonata by Beethoven, Clementi, Haydn or Mozart plus an étude of your choosing; minors need a signed parental consent form. From this, a pre-selection list of up to 85 contestants is published from 20 December 2026. Prizes run from a €10,000 Grand Prize down to €1,000 for fourth place, alongside special prizes for contemporary music, the best Chopin étude, French repertoire, the best French contestant (a Jeunesses Musicales de France award), and an audience prize for the concerto round, though the jury isn't obliged to award every special prize.