2026 Manhattan International Piano Competition
2026 New York Regional
2026 New York Regional - Manhattan International Piano Competition
Manhattan International Piano Concerto Competition
The 2026 New York Regional is the official Stage 2 (Live Round) of the Manhattan International Piano Competition (solo) and Manhattan International Piano Concerto Competition. Following the international video screening, selected participants are invited to perform live before a professional jury in New York, USA.
This New York round is scheduled for Sunday May 17th, 2026 at the
The Engelman Recital Hall,
Baruch College Performing Arts Center,
55 Lexington Avenue
New York, NY 10010
Live Competition & Jury Evaluation
Participants at the New York Regional will perform live before an international jury of distinguished pianists and educators. Each performance will be evaluated on interpretive depth, technical command, stylistic insight, and artistic presence.
All competitors receive professional written feedback, providing meaningful guidance for future artistic growth. The regional round emphasizes excellence, education, and international standards of performance.
Pathway to the Manhattan Final
Selected winners from the New York Regional will be invited to New York City to take part in the Manhattan Final Round & Manhattan PianoFest October 1-4, 2026, a multi-day international festival featuring:
• High-level solo performances
• Master classes with world-class faculty
• Collaborative cultural exchange events
• Winners recital in New York City
The New York Regional is a key milestone in the competition’s globally structured progression, connecting talented pianists with a prestigious international platform.
Application Deadline: April 15, 2026
Age Divisions
Rising Artist: Ages 8–12
Young Artist: Ages 13–17Professional Division : 18-35
The competition is open to pianists of all nationalities, age is determined as of March 15 2026.All materials must be submitted through the official online application portal and include:
1. Completed application form and non-refundable application fee of $150
2. Curriculum Vitae (CV) or professional biography
3. One unedited video recording for the Preliminary Round (Stage 1)
4. A recent vertical headshot (JPEG or PDF format)
Stage 1 – Preliminary Round (Video Submission)
All applicants must submit one unedited video recording for jury review. Selected candidates will advance to the Regional Round.
Stage 2 – Regional Round (Live Performance)
Candidates selected from Stage 1 will be invited to perform in person at their designated Regional Round location.
Stage 3 – Manhattan Final
Regional winners will advance to the Manhattan Final, held in New York City as part of the Manhattan International Piano Festival.
The New York Regional includes two separate competitions:
• Manhattan International Piano Competition (Solo)
• Manhattan International Piano Concerto Competition
Each competition is evaluated independently, and results are announced separately.
Applicants may apply to one or both competitions.
A separate application and fee are required for each.
Concerto Repertoire Requirements
Rising Artist Division (Ages 8–12)
Preliminary Round: One movement of a piano concerto (video submission)
Regional Competition: One movement of a piano concerto
Final Round: One complete piano concerto
Youth Senior Division (Ages 13–17)
Preliminary Round: One movement of a piano concerto
Regional Competition: One movement of a piano concerto
Final Round: One complete piano concerto
Professional Division (Ages 18–35)
Preliminary Round: One movement of a piano concerto
Regional Competition: One movement of a piano concerto
Final Round: One complete piano concerto
Orchestra Performance Opportunity
One Grand Prize winner may be invited to perform with orchestra during the 2027 Manhattan PianoFest in Manhattan.
Rising Artist Division (Ages 8-12)
Applicants must be at least 8 years old and not older than 12 years old as of March 15, 2026.
Preliminary Round
Video Submission
• One repertoire piece of the performer's choice. The piece should showcase the performer's technical skill and musical expression. The video should clearly show the performer's hands, face, and feet for pedaling.
Regional Competition
Live Performance (Maximum 6 minutes)
Participants may prepare a longer program. The jury may stop the performance once the time limit is reached.
Repertoire:
• One etude (classical or contemporary)
showing technical difficulty and musical expression
(e.g. concert etudes by Chopin, Liszt, Rachmaninoff, Ligeti or Moszkowski; traditional etudes by Czerny or Burgmüller; or pedagogical technical pieces by Kabalevsky or Kuhlau, appropriate to the applicant's level)
• One Free choice Piece of the Applicant's Choice ( Non - Etude )
Final Round (Manhattan)
Live Performance (Maximum 10-15 minutes)
• Contrasting program showing artistry and technical command
Young Artist Dvision (Ages 13-17)
Applicants must be at least 13 years old and not older than 17 years old as of March 15, 2026.
Preliminary Round
Video Submission
• One repertoire piece of the performer's choice. The piece should showcase the performer's technical skill and musical expression. The video should unedited, clearly show the performer's hands, face, and feet for pedaling.
Regional Competition
Live Performance (Maximum 8 minutes)
Participants may prepare a longer program. The jury may stop the performance once the time limit is reached
Repertoire:
• A contrasting program representing at least two musical periods
Final Round (Manhattan)
Live Performance (Maximum 20-30 minutes)
• Contrasting program showing artistry and technical command including one movement of a classical sonata (Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, or Schubert)
Professional Artist Division (Ages 18 - 35)
Applicants must be at least 18 years old and not older than 35 years old as of March 15, 2026.
Preliminary Round
Video Submission
• One repertoire piece of the performer's choice. The piece should showcase the performer's technical skill and musical expression. The video should clearly show the performer's hands, face, and feet for pedaling.
Regional Competition
Live Performance (Maximum 10 minutes)
Participants may prepare a longer program. The jury may stop the performance once the time limit is reached.
Repertoire:
• A contrasting program representing at least two musical periods
Final Round (Manhattan)
Live Performance (Maximum 20-30 minutes)
• Contrasting program showing artistry and technical command including one movement of a classical sonata (Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, or Schubert)
Awards & Scholarships
Awards in each division include:
• 1st Prize
• 2nd Prize
• 3rd Prize
• Honorable Mentions
• Special Prizes (at the discretion of the Jury)
Grand Prize – Overall Distinction
One Grand Prize may be awarded across all divisions to the highest-scoring participant of the entire competition.
To be eligible, the candidate must receive a score of 99 or 100. The Grand Prize recipient will be awarded a $1,000 Manhattan PianoFest Scholarship, applicable toward participation in the Manhattan International Piano Festival and Final Round in New York City.
The Jury reserves the right not to award the Grand Prize if, in their professional judgment, no participant meets the required artistic standard.
All award recipients will receive an official printed certificate presented during the Awards Ceremony.
Heading 4
International Jury
Prof. Alexandre Moutouzkine
Manhattan Schools of Music
Alexandre Moutouzkine has toured internationally as a soloist with over 60 orchestras across Europe, North and South America, and Asia, including the Cleveland Orchestra, Berliner Philharmoniker, Israel Philharmonic, Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal, and the Philharmonic Orchestras of Moscow and Kiev.
As a recitalist and chamber musician, he has performed at major venues worldwide, including Carnegie Hall (Stern Auditorium and Zankel Hall), Lincoln Center, the Kennedy Center, Wigmore Hall, the Berlin Philharmonic Great Hall, Palau de la Música in Barcelona, and Yokohama Minato Mirai Hall in Japan. His Wigmore Hall recital was praised by International Piano magazine as “grandly organic… technically dazzling.” His live recording of Chopin’s Études at the Moscow Conservatory was released in Russia.
He has won top prizes at more than 20 international competitions, including Naumburg, Cleveland, Montreal, Shanghai, Iturbi, Maria Canals, and Arthur Rubinstein. At age 19, he received the Special Award for Artistic Potential for his performance of Brahms’ Op. 117 Intermezzi, described as “heart-stopping… of great intimacy and elegance.”
His recordings with Steinway & Sons include Cuban piano music (named one of WRTI’s Top 10 Classical Albums of 2017 and winner of the Cubadisco Award) and “Ravel & Stravinsky” with violinist Chloé Kiffer, featuring his solo transcription of Stravinsky’s Firebird Suite.
Alexandre serves as Co-Head of the Piano Department at Manhattan School of Music and Artistic Advisor to the Lang Lang Foundation. He is an internationally sought-after teacher and adjudicator, and his students have won top prizes worldwide.
Scroll Down
2026 New York Regional -
Manhattan International Piano Competition
Manhattan International Piano Concerto Competition
The 2026 New York Regional is the official Stage 2 (Live Round) of the
Manhattan International Piano Competition (solo) and Manhattan International Piano Concerto Competition. Following the international video screening, selected participants are invited to perform live before a professional jury in New York, USA.
This New York round is scheduled for Sunday May 17th, 2026 at the
The Engelman Recital Hall,
Baruch College Performing Arts Center,
55 Lexington Avenue
New York, NY 10010
Live Competition & Jury Evaluation
Participants at the New York Regional will perform live before an international jury of distinguished pianists and educators. Each performance will be evaluated on interpretive depth, technical command, stylistic insight, and artistic presence.
All competitors receive professional verbal & written feedback, providing meaningful guidance for future artistic growth. The regional round emphasizes excellence, education, and international standards of performance.
Pathway to the Manhattan Final
Selected winners from the New York Regional will be invited to New York City to take part in the Manhattan Final Round & Manhattan PianoFest, a multi-day international festival featuring:
• High-level solo performances
• Master classes with world-class faculty
• Collaborative cultural exchange events
• Winners recital in Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, New York City
The New York Regional is a key milestone in the competition’s globally structured progression, connecting talented pianists with a prestigious international platform.
Application Deadline: April 15, 2026
Age Divisions
Rising Artist: Ages 8–12
Young Artist: Ages 13–17Professional Division : 18-35
The competition is open to pianists of all nationalities, age is determined as of March 15 2026.Application Deadline: April 15, 2026
Application Requirements
All materials must be submitted through the official online application portal and include:
1. Completed application form and non-refundable application fee of $150
2. Curriculum Vitae (CV) or professional biography
3. One unedited video recording for the Preliminary Round (Stage 1)
4. A recent vertical headshot (JPEG or PDF format)
Structure
Stage 1 – Preliminary Round (Video Submission)
All applicants must submit one unedited video recording for jury review. Selected candidates will advance to the Regional Round.
Stage 2 – Regional Round (Live Performance)
Candidates selected from Stage 1 will be invited to perform in person at their designated Regional Round location.
Stage 3 – Manhattan Final
Regional winners will advance to the Manhattan Final, held in New York City as part of the Manhattan International Piano Festival.
The New York Regional includes two separate competitions:
• Manhattan International Piano Competition (Solo)
• Manhattan International Piano Concerto Competition
Each competition is evaluated independently, and results are announced separately.
Applicants may apply to one or both competitions.
A separate application and fee are required for each.
Concerto Repertoire Requirements
Rising Artist Division (Ages 8–12)
Preliminary Round: One movement of a piano concerto (video submission)
Regional Competition: One movement of a piano concerto
Final Round: One complete piano concerto
Youth Senior Division (Ages 13–17)
Preliminary Round: One movement of a piano concerto
Regional Competition: One movement of a piano concerto
Final Round: One complete piano concerto
Professional Division (Ages 18–35)
Preliminary Round: One movement of a piano concerto
Regional Competition: One movement of a piano concerto
Final Round: One complete piano concerto
Orchestra Performance Opportunity
One Grand Prize winner may be invited to perform with orchestra during the 2027 Manhattan PianoFest in Manhattan
Rising Artist Division (Ages 8-12)
Applicants must be at least 8 years old and not older than 12 years old as of March 15, 2026.
Preliminary Round
Video Submission
• One repertoire piece of the performer's choice. The piece should showcase the performer's technical skill and musical expression. The video should clearly show the performer's hands, face, and feet for pedaling.
Regional Competition
Live Performance (Maximum 6 minutes)
Participants may prepare a longer program. The jury may stop the performance once the time limit is reached.
Repertoire:
• One etude (classical or contemporary)
showing technical difficulty and musical expression
(e.g. concert etudes by Chopin, Liszt, Rachmaninoff, Ligeti or Moszkowski; traditional etudes by Czerny or Burgmüller; or pedagogical technical pieces by Kabalevsky or Kuhlau, appropriate to the applicant's level)
• One Free choice Piece of the Applicant's Choice ( Non - Etude )
Final Round (Manhattan)
Live Performance (Maximum 10-15 minutes)
• Contrasting program showing artistry and technical command
Young Artist Dvision (Ages 13-17)
Applicants must be at least 13 years old and not older than 17 years old as of March 15, 2026.
Preliminary Round
Video Submission
• One repertoire piece of the performer's choice. The piece should showcase the performer's technical skill and musical expression. The video should unedited, clearly show the performer's hands, face, and feet for pedaling.
Regional Competition
Live Performance (Maximum 8 minutes)
Participants may prepare a longer program. The jury may stop the performance once the time limit is reached
Repertoire:
• A contrasting program representing at least two musical periods
Final Round (Manhattan)
Live Performance (Maximum 20-30 minutes)
• Contrasting program showing artistry and technical command including one movement of a classical sonata (Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, or Schubert)
Professional Artist Division (Ages 18 - 35)
Applicants must be at least 18 years old and not older than 35 years old as of March 15, 2026.
Preliminary Round
Video Submission
• One repertoire piece of the performer's choice. The piece should showcase the performer's technical skill and musical expression. The video should clearly show the performer's hands, face, and feet for pedaling.
Regional Competition
Live Performance (Maximum 10 minutes)
Participants may prepare a longer program. The jury may stop the performance once the time limit is reached.
Repertoire:
• A contrasting program representing at least two musical periods
Final Round (Manhattan)
Live Performance (Maximum 20-30 minutes)
• Contrasting program showing artistry and technical command including one movement of a classical sonata (Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, or Schubert)
Awards & Scholarships
Awards in each division include:
• 1st Prize
• 2nd Prize
• 3rd Prize
• Honorable Mentions
• Special Prizes (at the discretion of the Jury)
Grand Prize – Overall Distinction
One Grand Prize may be awarded across all divisions to the highest-scoring participant of the entire competition.
To be eligible, the candidate must receive a score of 99 or 100. The Grand Prize recipient will be awarded a $1,000 Manhattan PianoFest Scholarship, applicable toward participation in the Manhattan International Piano Festival and Final Round in New York City.
The Jury reserves the right not to award the Grand Prize if, in their professional judgment, no participant meets the required artistic standard.
All award recipients will receive an official printed certificate presented during the Awards Ceremony.
Dr. Deirdre O'Donohue
International Jury
New York University
Dr. Deirdre O’Donohue is a member of the piano faculty in the department of Music and Performing Arts Professions at New York University, as well as the college and precollege faculties of Manhattan School of Music. She has performed solo and chamber recitals throughout Austria, the Netherlands, Italy, Canada, and the United States, and has presented masterclasses and lecture-demonstrations at the Uniwersytet Muzyczny Fryderyka Chopina in Warsaw, the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki, the Shanghai Conservatory, the Rotterdam Conservatory, the World Piano Pedagogy Conference, and numerous institutions across North America.
She received the Sparrendam Medal for performance in the Netherlands and the Roger Phelps Award from NYU for her dissertation, “The Concept of Unity and Uniqueness in the Multi-Movement Works of Beethoven.”
Recent engagements include the Conservatorio Superior de Música de Castilla y León (Salamanca, Spain), Barcelona Piano Academy, InterHarmony International Music Festival (Germany), Adamant Music School (Vermont), Summer Trios (Pennsylvania), and lectures at Steinway Hall and the National Feis Ceoil Competition in Dublin. She has served as adjudicator for major festivals and conferences including MTNA, the Royal Irish Academy of Music, and Young Artists Festivals in the United States and Ireland. She has performed at Weill Recital Hall and at NYU.
Dr. O’Donohue co-edited Schubert and Friendship (Kahn & Averill, London, 2012) and is past president of the New York State Music Teachers’ Association. She has served in leadership roles with MTNA and founded the NYSMTA Empire State Performance Competition. Since 2001, she has been on the faculty of the Adamant Music School, where she coordinates masterclasses with distinguished artists, and she also serves on the faculty of InterHarmony International Music Festival.
Dr. O'Donohue holds degrees from NYU, the Hochschule für Musik und Darstellende Kunst in Vienna, Austria, and Mount Holyoke College.
International Jury
Prof. HieYon Choi
Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University
One of the most sought-after pianists of her generation, South Korean pianist HieYon Choi first gained international recognition after winning prizes at such high-profile competitions as Kapell, Epinal, Busoni and Viotti International. Since then, she has performed with renowned orchestras across Europe, the United States, and Korea. She has also been invited as a soloist at numerous festivals and concert series worldwide. Milestones of Choi’s performing career include complete cycles of Beethoven’s respective piano, violin, and cello sonatas, as well as his piano trios. She has collaborated with esteemed musicians including Truls Mørk, Tsuyoshi Tsutsumi, Peter Stumpf, and Jennifer Koh, among others. A devoted advocate of the new music, she was the inaugural artist-in-residence of Tong-Yeong International Music festival (Korea) and has performed works of a host of modern composers, including Olivier Messiaen, György Kurtag, and Sofia Gubaidulina, among others, for the LA Philharmonic Green Umbrella, Seoul Philharmonic Ars Nova, and Ilshin Prism series, as well as the Seoul International Music Festival. She has also directed contemporary music projects at Seoul National University (SNU). Choi’s recordings include Beethoven’s complete piano sonatas (Decca Korea) as well as releases dedicated to works by Debussy, Liszt, Isang Yun, and Chopin. She has been featured in television and radio broadcasts in Korea, the United States, Italy, Switzerland, Sweden, and Germany. In 2023, Choi joined the piano faculty at the Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University after serving for 24 years as a tenured professor at SNU. Many of her students have gone on to establish successful careers as performers and educators in Korea, Germany, France, and the United States. Choi has given numerous master classes worldwide at an array of prestigious institutions in the United States and across Europe. Winner of all four of Korea’s most prestigious competitions, she went on to study at the Berlin University of the Arts and the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. Her teachers include Joong-Won Koh, Klaus Hellwig, Hans Leygraf, and György Sebők.
© 2025 by Manhattan Music and Arts Foundation
All Rights Reserved.
Guest Artist
Aidan Siqi Zhao
pianist
Lang Lang Young Scholar
Aidan Siqi Zhao, aged 14, is a highly gifted young musician currently studying in Year 10 at King’s College School, London. He is a dual-instrumentalist, learning both piano and violin as first instruments at the Royal College of Music Junior Department, where he continues to flourish artistically. Aidan previously performed as a member of the National Children’s Orchestra of Great Britain, demonstrating his versatility and commitment to orchestral performance.
Aidan is presently studying piano under the guidance of Professor Ian Jones at the Royal College of Music, receiving mentorship that has helped shape his expressive and mature musical voice. His talent has attracted national attention; in 2021, he was interviewed by BBC News in recognition of his musical achievements.
In February 2024, Aidan was selected as a Young Scholar of the Lang Lang International Music Foundation, one of the most prestigious programmes worldwide for emerging young pianists. Through this opportunity, he has received invaluable support in the form of performance engagements, artistic development, and masterclasses with distinguished musicians.
Manhattan Music and Arts Foundation Presents
Co - Director
Jung Eun Hong
" I'm passionate about creating opportunities for young pianists from around the world to connect, learn, and share their artistry in one of the world's most vibrant musical cities - fostering access for all and celebrating music as a universal language."
"This Competition is dedicated to students who may not have access to the same resources, but whose dedication and love for music deserve to be celebrated. It's about giving them a platform to share their talent and dreams."
Co - Director
Peter James