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Nashville International Chopin Piano Competition 
First Amateur Edition

Competition Dates: Oct 9–11, 2026 (TBC)
Application Due Date: June 15, 2026 

The Nashville International Chopin Piano Competition (NICPC) invites outstanding nonprofessional pianists to apply for the NICPC First Amateur Edition, taking place on October 9–11, 2026 in Nashville, Tennessee. "This edition is a celebration of lifelong artistry. It is about community, inspiration, and the joy of sharing great music at a high artistic level," in the words of NICPC Artistic Director and Jury Chairman Graciella Kowalczyk. The Competition is open to amateur pianists age 35 and over who do not derive their principal source of income from piano performance, instruction, or composition. 40 pianists will be selected as competitors. In addition, 10 pianists will be selected as non-competing festival participants. They will play up to 15 minutes for comments from jurors and participate in other activities and events. Please read all rules and guidelines below before applying. Graciella Kowalczyk will chair the distinguished jury, whose other members will be announced during the winter of 2026.

NICPC defines “amateur” as an individual who does not derive their main income from piano performance, teaching, or composition. The term is hence not in any way indicative of the level of playing, but rather of career choice. For the NICPC Amateur Edition, we seek those who play the piano as a serious pastime rather than as a profession, sometimes having had to make the difficult choice between their profession and their potential career as a concert artist. From past Amateur Competitions, many participants have, at one time in their lives, received advanced piano degrees; others have never studied the piano professionally. Amateur Competition prizes have been awarded both to those with extensive public performing experience, as well as to those who have spent many hours playing mostly for their own enjoyment or for the pleasure of friends, family, and their local community. All, however, are united by their love of classical music-making and sharing this passion with others of like mind.

For questions about the application process or requirements, please contact our administration at admin@nashvillechopin.org. 

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ELIGIBILITY

  1. Applicants should be those who play piano for pleasure and dedication to the instrument and its repertoire. They may not perform, teach, or compose piano music primarily for professional pursuit or financial benefit. All eligibility decisions by NICPC are final.

  2. Applicants must be age 35 or over by October 9, 2026.

  3. Pianists who have won a prize in another non-amateur piano competition in the three years prior to October 9, 2026, are not eligible.


GENERAL INFORMATION

  1. The Nashville International Chopin Piano Competition First Amateur Edition will be held in Nashville, TN, at one of our partner institutions from October 9th to 11th, 2026. Competitors must be present for the orientation and welcome party on October 8th, 2026.

  2. NICPC will invite 40 competitors and up to 10 festival participants to take part.

  3. Competitors and festival participants will be responsible for their own travel and housing. Practice facilities and instruments will be available for all competitors during the week of the Competition.

  4. The application fee is $285. It is applied to NICPC’s music education and charity program, the Metro Nashville Piano Donation Initiative, which will be deeply involved with the Amateur Edition, providing exposure to great music for Nashville youth.

  5. In some cases, foreign competitors will need visas and will be responsible for securing them. NICPC will assist as needed after competitors are announced.

  6. In addition to Competition rounds, NICPC will organize several performance and social opportunities for all participants throughout the week, including public recitals, chamber music readings, and symposia.

IMPORTANT DATES

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February 4, 2026        Online applications open

June 15, 2026             Applications due

August 11, 2026         Competitors announced

October 8, 2026          Orientation and Welcome Party


RULES AND PROCEDURES FOR APPLICATIONS

  1. All applications must be completed and submitted through the online system via nashvillechopin.org using the application form below.

  2. All applications are due by 11:59 CST / GMT-6 on Monday, June 15, 2026. No late or partial applications will be accepted.

  3. All applicants must submit a nonrefundable application fee of $285 US, payable through the online application system which redirects to Stripe payment processor.

  4. Applications will include uploads of:

    • 15-20 minute video performance

    • Birth certificate or equivalent proof of age

    • High-resolution color photographs (300 dpi or higher), including one color headshot suitable for publicity purposes

    • A current curriculum vitae

  5. An acknowledgment will be sent to each applicant upon receipt of the completed online application. Applicants will not be allowed to submit unless all information is complete.

  6. All applicants should retain copies of their submitted applications. NICPC will accept no responsibility for applications not received.

  7. All applications will be reviewed by a selection committee and treated as confidential. NICPC reserves the right to request additional information from or about an applicant.

RULES AND PROCEDURES FOR THE COMPETITION

  1. The Competition will consist of two separate rounds following the Preliminary video submission with the application — Semifinal, and Final.

  2. The selection committee will invite 40 pianists to compete. The jury will advance 12 pianists to the Final Round.

  3. The order of appearance of pianists in the Semifinal Round will be determined by NICPC. The Semifinal Round of Competition will follow this order except for reasons of accident, illness, or other unusual circumstances at the discretion of the Administrative Director of NICPC, Joshua Izzard. The order of appearance in the Final Round will abide by the same guidelines and exceptions. All phases of the Competition will be open to the public.

  4. A choice of a Steinway and a Shigeru Kawai concert grand piano will be provided for pianists’ performances. All competitors will have 5 minutes to try out the pianos in the performance hall prior to the Competition.

  5. Competition performances may be webcast live and recorded for subsequent broadcast, video, or audio recording use. Crews may photograph and audio/visually record all Competition events. Neither NICPC nor its assignees or licensees may be held liable for any payments to pianists arising out of materials derived from Competition performances. Applicants are required to sign a release form yielding all rights on such materials to NICPC, its assignees, or its licensees.

  6. Pianists may not contact or speak with any member of the jury as long as they continue to compete in the Competition. Any violation of this rule may disqualify the pianist.


ROUNDS & REPERTOIRE REQUIREMENTS

Video Screening
All applicants must submit a 15-20 minute audition video with repertoire of the applicant’s choosing. Works performed in the screening videos may be performed during the Competition rounds. The video must be filmed with both the pianist’s face and hands in the frame at all times. Recordings may be paused between each repertoire selection and can be from different physical locations and times. Each work on the video must be a continuous and unedited performance. Videos must not be filmed more than one year prior to submission.

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Semifinal Round (October 9–10, 40 competitors)
Competitors will each present a solo recital, not to exceed 15 minutes in length, of repertoire of their choosing.

 

Final Round (October 11, 12 competitors)
Semifinalists will each present a solo recital, not to exceed 28 minutes in length, of repertoire of their choosing. Repertoire from the Semifinal Round may not be repeated.

RULES RELATED TO REPERTOIRE

  1. Competitors are free to choose their own programs for all recital phases of the Competition, subject to the remaining rules. Applicants may perform any work written for solo piano by a classical composer of any era, including contemporary music. It is suggested that the repertoire reflect a variety of musical periods and composers. Returning competitors are encouraged to present repertoire that they have not performed at previous competitions.

    • If an applicant also composes original music in a classical style, s/he may include such works, but at least 75% of the repertoire timing must be written by another composer and published.
       

    • Broadway show tunes, movie music, jazz, folk, and other forms of popular music generally will not be eligible for consideration.

  2. One work by Frédéric Chopin must be included in each round.

  3. No works may be repeated in subsequent rounds.

  4. Total performance times must include applause and pauses, and will be strictly enforced.

  5. Individual movements of larger works will be accepted but must be performed in their entirety.

  6. Repeats are at the discretion of the pianist.

  7. Works do not have to be memorized (a page turner can be provided on prior request).

  8. If requested, the pianist must supply a copy of the edition of the score used in preparation of each work performed to the jury.

 

RULES RELATING TO PRIZES

  1. The prizes and awards specified on the NICPC website will constitute the only prizes and awards of the NICPC First Amateur Edition. No other prizes, awards, or remunerations will be permitted, except by express decision of NICPC.

  2. Taxes will be deducted from prizes according to the United States tax laws in effect at the time of the Competition.

  3. The prize amounts are:

    • 1st: $2,000

    • 2nd $1,500

    • 3rd $1,000


RIGHTS AND RESERVATIONS

  1. Applicants may not commit any act or do anything which might tend to bring himself/herself into public disrepute, contempt, scandal, or ridicule, or which might tend to reflect unfavorably on NICPC, or any sponsor, donor, or partner of NICPC. If, at any time, an applicant is involved in any such situation or occurrence during the application process, the period between the selection of competitors and the Competition, and/or during the Competition, NICPC has the right, in its sole discretion, to take any action it deems appropriate, including but not limited to disqualification from the Competition or revocation of any awards.

  2. All rounds and auxiliary events of the Competition may be audio- and/or visually recorded and/or photographed. NICPC reserves the right to duplicate, distribute, broadcast, display, and otherwise use all recordings, and the names and/or likenesses of all competitors, for any purposes on any platform, whether now known or yet devised. Neither NICPC nor its assignees or licensees may be held liable for any payments to pianists arising out of materials derived from any Competition performances and/or events. All participants are required to sign a release form yielding all rights on such materials to NICPC, its assignees, or licensees.

  3. All information contained in this document is correct at the time of publication. However, NICPC reserves the right to make any changes if circumstances dictate.

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