2026 Adult competition

17th International piano competition of Orléans

In 2026, the International piano competition of Orléans continues to expand its international reach for its 17th edition. Among the thirty candidates selected for the first round, only 12 will be chosen to perform on the stage of the Salle de l’Institut in Orléans. These candidates will have previously traveled to the cities of Chicago, Shanghai, and this year, Frankfurt, which joins the list of European locations for the first round. Indeed, our candidates, coming from all over the world, will join the venue closest to their residence and will be hosted either at Roosevelt University (Chicago), Hochschule für Musik und Darstellende Kunst Frankfurt am Main, or the Shanghai Conservatory of Music.

During the first round, the public and the jury will have the opportunity to hear programs including a new work, unique to each candidate, competing for the Composition Prize, as well as a piece from the list Paris 1900-1930: a crossroads of musical innovation. This selection pays tribute to this glorious period when much of the international pianistic repertoire developed in Paris, thanks to the presence of the greatest composers and performers of the 20th century.

The program will continue in Orléans with the presentation of our special prizes, offered by our partners, whom we thank for their ongoing support. The candidates will also present full recitals.
One of the highlights of this edition will be the premiere of a new piano solo work, composed by Michaël Levinas for our candidates. The Ensemble intercontemporain will return alongside our finalists for the French premiere of the new version of the Concerto conciso by the great British composer, pianist, and conductor Thomas Adès.

The competition will conclude, as usual, with the Winners’ Concert at the Théâtre des Bouffes du Nord, where we will have the pleasure of presenting our finalists to the Parisian public.

A promising edition is ahead for 2026. We look forward to seeing many of you there to celebrate this grand piano festival!

Isabella Vasilotta, Artistic director

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Discover the Pdf rules of the 2026 Competition

NOVEMBER 26, 2025 APPLICATION DEADLINE
DECEMBER 16, 2025 NOTIFICATION OF CANDIDATES SELECTED FOR THE COMPETITION
JANUARY 12, 2026 DEADLINE FOR PROGRAMME MODIFICATION
MID JANUARY 2026 Online DRAW (to determine the running order of the candidates)

AROUND THE WORLD:

FIRST ROUND

– CHICAGO, USA: MARCH 28-29, 2026 / Roosevelt University — Rudolph Ganz Memorial Hall
– FRANKFURT, Germany: APRIL 11-12, 2026 / Hochschule für Musik und Darstellende Kunst Frankfurt am Main — Kleiner Saal
– SHANGHAI, China: MAY 16-17, 2026 / Shanghai Conservatory of Music — He Luting Concert Hall

MAY 25, 2026 JURY DELIBERATION and ANNOUNCEMENT OF SELECTED CANDIDATES

ORLEANS:

OCT. 27 – OCT. 28, 2026 SECOND ROUND
OCT. 29, 2026 SEMI-FINAL RECITAL
OCT. 31, 2026 FINAL

PARIS:

NOVEMBER 2, 2026 WINNERS’ CONCERT

1st ROUND:

CHICAGO
Roosevelt University
430 S. Michigan Ave.
Chicago, IL
USA
Rudolph Ganz Memorial Hall

FRANKFURT
Hochschule für Musik und Darstellende Kunst Frankfurt am Main
Eschersheimer Landstraße 29 -39 60322 Frankfurt am Main, Allemagne
Kleiner Saal

SHANGHAI
Shanghai Conservatory of Music
No. 20 Fenyang Road, Xuhui District,
Shanghai, P.R.China
Zip Code: 200031
He Luting Concert Hall

2ND ROUND & SEMI-FINAL RECITAL:

ORLEANS
Music Conservatory / Salle de l’Institut
4 Place Sainte-Croix
45000 Orléans – France

FINAL ROUND:

ORLEANS
Théâtre d’Orléans
Boulevard Pierre Ségelle
45000 Orléans – France

CONCERT OF THE FINALISTS:

PARIS
Théâtre des Bouffes du Nord
37 bis Boulevard de la Chapelle
75010 Paris – France

Participation conditions

The 17th International piano competition of Orléans will take place in two distinct stages: in the spring of 2026 in three locations around the world for the first round, and then in the autumn of 2026 in Orléans, France, for the rest of the competition.
The Competition is open, without distinction of gender or nationality, to pianists born on or after January 1st, 1990.
Pianists can participate in the Competition a maximum of three times. When a pianist is applying for the second or third time they must present a new programme. A maximum of two pieces already performed in previous years will be tolerated.
Performances from memory are not compulsory, but you are strongly advised to prepare for an independent performance. The Competition cannot provide page-turning assistance during the rounds.
Performances for the Competition rounds will be open to the public.
In the event that candidates selected at the end of the First Round for the rest of the Competition withdraw, other candidates from the First Round who have not been admitted but are on the waiting list may be asked to take part in the following rounds of the Competition in Orléans.

Applications

The deadline for applications is November 26, 2025 included (until 23.59pm French time).

Upon receipt of the applications, only the complete files will be examined and submitted to the Pre-selection Jury who will also view the videos and pre-select the candidates.

The Artistic Direction and the pre-selection jury will announce the list of pianists admitted to the 17th Competition. Each candidate will receive a notice of admission or rejection by email from 16 December 2025.

Applications should be submitted on the Competition website www.oci-piano.com or via email (info@oci-piano.fr) and must include the following documents (preferably in Word or PDF format):

- Identity information and contact details of the candidate + contact details of a relative to contact in case of emergency
- A copy of your valid passport
- Two recent photographs in high definition for the competition catalogue (JPEG – 300 dpi)
- A document confirming payment of the registration fee (bank transfer certificate)
- Curriculum Vitae and biography (maximum of two pages each) – written in English (+ French if mother tongue)
- Two recent letters of recommendation, written in English or French, dated and signed by the referees, sent in pdf format. Or sent by email, directly by the referees to: info@oci-piano.fr
- A list in order of preference of the places where the candidate will take the 1st round (between Chicago, Frankfurt, Shanghai): 1. first choice / 2. second choice / 3. third choice
- A recent video recording (less than 6 months old) of good quality and without editing of two short pieces of opposite musical language: ideally one piece from the 20th century repertoire + one piece from the 21st century repertoire (total length of the video: 10 minutes maximum). The two pieces can be recorded separately and edited one after the other in a single file.
  For help on how to film this video, applicants are advised to watch the videos of the online first round of the 14th International piano competition of Orléans 2020 on our YouTube channel: Concours international de piano d’Orléans.
  When sending the files, please indicate in writing the titles of the pieces and the names of the composers as well as the order of performance.
  See the following paragraph: *Tips for filming yourself
  Only Youtube links and MP4 files (sent by email/Wetransfer) are both accepted. Please contact us if you require further technical information.

- The chosen programme for the four rounds with full details and timings. The programme must be transmitted in the format indicated page 10.
  The chosen piece for the André Chevillion – Yvonne Bonnaud Composition Prize (6’-8’) can be submitted no later than: January 12, 2026 for the name of the composer and February 25, 2026 for the title of the piece. This piece must be performed without electroacoustic or video equipment.

- A short statement of intent written in English (+ French if mother tongue) for the programme of each of the four rounds (100 words maximum for each note).
- For pieces with electroacoustic devices or video (First round not concerned): a detailed list of the technical equipment (which will be sent to the Competition’s sound engineer).
- For the works for prepared piano (for each of the four rounds): a detailed list of the technical equipment (brought by the candidate) necessary for the piece, as well as the precise timing of the preparation.

=> Please ensure that the documents and files you submit are of adequate quality.

The registration fee is €100 and this is non-refundable.

It must be paid when submitting an application:

either online : https://www.helloasso.com/associations/orleans-concours-international/paiements/frais-d-inscription-registration-fees,

or by bank transfer to:

Bank: Société Générale Orléans, 14 avenue des Droits de l’Homme 45000 Orléans – France
IBAN code: FR76 3000 3015 4000 0509 0641 706
SWIFT code: SOGEFRPP
Beneficiary: Orléans Concours International

Payment by cheque only issued from a French bank account is accepted.

Do not hesitate to contact the Competition organisers if you need any help or have any questions (info@oci-piano.fr).

Registrations are open until November 26, 2025 included (until 23.59pm French time).
Only complete applications will be considered.

Aline Piboule, France, Pianist
Lorenzo Soulès, France, Pianist

Find here the 2026 Prize list & Awards

Discover the Call for applications for composers

André Chevillion – Yvonne Bonnaud Composition Prize – €5,000
Offered by the Foundation André Chevillion – Yvonne Bonnaud under the aegis of the Fondation de France.

This year’s Chevillion Bonnaud Composition Prize has a theme. We are asking composers to take their inspiration from Diego Velazquez’s painting ‘Saint Thomas’, which is in the Musée des Beaux Arts in Orléans. A video explaining the work and an exhibition presentation file dedicated to it can be found on the competition website.

The work should last between 6 and 8 minutes and should be composed for solo piano, without electronics.

Composers (including pianist candidates for the Competition and composers already chosen by a candidate) wishing to apply for this Prize must send a complete file by e-mail (info@oci-piano.fr) including:

three scores of their composition, at least one of which must be for piano (and recordings if possible)
a biography and CV in English (+ in French if mother tongue)
a short note of intent on the work they would like to compose for the Competition

Application fee for the candidates to the Compostion Prize: 40€ — payable online, until November 26, 2025, on: https://www.helloasso.com/associations/orleans-concours-international/paiements/frais-d-inscription-prix-de-composition-registration-fee-composition-prize

The registration deadline for composers is November 26, 2025 inclusive.

Only complete applications will be processed.

The names of the composers selected by the Artistic Direction will be announced from December 16, 2025.

The files of the selected composers will be made available to the candidate pianists admitted to the Competition, from December 17, 2025.

Candidate pianists will contact the composers of their choice directly and will be required to inform the Competition of the name of the composer chosen at a later date.

Only one piece per composer is allowed: each composer may compose for only one candidate pianist.

This call for applications is open to composers, regardless of gender or nationality. The age limit is 36 on 1 January 2026 (composers born on or after 1 January 1990).

The number of applications for the André Chevillion – Yvonne Bonnaud Composition Prize is limited to three.

If the pianist presenting the composer’s piece should withdraw, the piece cannot be evaluated by the Jury.

Click here for full details on the Composition Prize

Like all other awards, the Composition Prize will be announced and given to the laureate at the official ceremony following the Final of the Competition, on October 31, 2026.

France Musique Commission

France Musique accompanies musical life and supports creation in all its forms.

It will honour the winner of the Composition Prize by broadcasting a brand new work on its airwaves. Commissioned by Radio France, this piece will be recorded and presented in Anne Montaron’s programme “Création Mondiale”, available as a podcast on her website and the Radio France app.