XIII DARMSTADT INTERNATIONAL CHOPIN PIANO COMPETITION
09.10.2027 – 15.10.2027
Competition in 3 rounds. Works exclusively by Fryderyk Chopin:
- Works for piano solo
- Works for piano and orchestra (Concertos in E minor op. 11 and F minor op. 21)
- Improvisation on a given theme (optional)
PRIZES
€ 30.000, plus concert engagements
Taxes may be withheld from the prize money as required by German law.
MAIN SPONSORS OF THE COMPETITION
Sparkassen-Kulturstiftung Hessen-Thüringen, Frankfurt a.M.
Sparkasse Darmstadt und Dieburg
City of Darmstadt
State of Hessen
COMPETITION PROGRAMME 2027
The competition programme must be performed from memory and in any order chosen by the performer. Any reliable edition of Chopin’s works is permitted; however, the National Edition (edited by Jan Ekier) is recommended.
At this 13th Chopin Competition in Darmstadt, the first round will, for the first time, be conducted as a video round. The submitted recordings will be reviewed and evaluated by a four-member international jury. Based on this evaluation, 24 candidates will be selected to advance to the second round and invited to Darmstadt to perform their freely chosen programme of the second round live. Six candidates will advance to the final round, which will also take place publicly in Darmstadt.
Note: Further details regarding the technical and formal requirements for the video recordings will be published here shortly.
ROUND ONE = VIDEO ROUND (approx. 20 minutes)
Repertoire for the video round:
a) One of the following études from Op. 10 or Op. 25:
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- Op. 10 No. 4 in C-sharp minor
- Op. 10 No. 5 in G-flat major
- Op. 10 No. 7 in C major
- Op. 10 No. 10 in A-flat major
- Op. 25 No. 2 in F minor
- Op. 25 No. 3 in F major
- Op. 25 No. 5 in E minor
- Op. 25 No. 6 in G-sharp minor
b) One of the following works:
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- Nocturne Op. 9 No. 3 in B major
- Nocturne Op. 55 No. 2 in E-flat major
- Nocturne Op. 62 No. 1 in B major
- Nocturne Op. 62 No. 2 in E major
- Berceuse Op. 57 in D-flat major
- Étude in E major Op. 10 No. 3
c) One of the following mazurkas:
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- Op. 41 No. 4 in C-sharp minor
- Op. 50 No. 3 in C-sharp minor
- Op. 56 No. 1 in B major
- Op. 56 No. 3 in C minor
- Op. 59 No. 1 in A minor
- Op. 59 No. 3 in F-sharp minor
d) One of the following works:
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- Barcarolle Op. 60 in F-sharp major
- Scherzo Op. 39 in C-sharp minor
- Ballade Op. 38 in F major
- Polonaise Op. 26 No. 2 in E-flat minor
ROUND TWO – LIVE (50 to 55 minutes)
Repertoire:
A freely chosen programme that should showcase as many genres of Chopin’s music as possible and include both larger and smaller works. It is not required to perform complete sets (e.g. mazurkas from the same opus); rather, candidates are encouraged to create their own selection. An interesting and well-balanced programme will be taken into account in the evaluation.
Works performed in the first round (video round) may not be repeated.
Optional Improvisation:
After the second round, candidates may—in addition to the programme above—present an improvisation of up to five minutes on a theme given to them on the day of the competition.
The improvisation is optional, and there will be no point deductions for unsuccessful attempts. However, it is hoped that as many candidates as possible will take on this task. During the improvisation, the piano may not be prepared or altered in any way. The time for improvisation will be counted separately.
A prize of €500 will be awarded for the best improvisation.
ROUND THREE (FINALS) – LIVE
Candidates must prepare both piano concertos with orchestra (E minor Op. 11 and F minor Op. 21). Each finalist will perform one concerto. After the results of the second round are announced, it will be decided by drawing lots which concerto each finalist will perform.
The orchestral part will be performed by the Polish string quartet “Apollon-Musagète Quartet” and Sławomir Rozlach, double bass.
Guiding Principles of the Programme:
While the repertoire of the 12th International Chopin Piano Competition in Darmstadt (2022) focused heavily on Chopin’s early works, this time the first round (video round) emphasizes his later compositions.
With the freely chosen programme in the second round, we hope to encourage candidates to explore Chopin’s oeuvre in depth and to give them the opportunity to assemble their own desired and meaningful combinations of works. The programme selection will also assist the jury in making their decisions.
The optional improvisation after the second round is intended to inspire candidates to rediscover the largely neglected art of improvisation—especially since Chopin himself was a great master in this field.
SCHEDULE 2027
OPENING CONCERT with the jury members
Saturday, October 9, 2027, 6:00 PM
Orangerie, Bessunger Str. 44
ROUND ONE will take place in early summer 2027 as a video selection round.
COMPETITION ROUNDS TWO and THREE (open to the public)
Sunday, October 10 to Thursday, October 14, 2027
Akademie für Tonkunst, Ludwigshöhstraße 120
ROUND TWO
SOLO PIANO WORKS BY CHOPIN
Sunday, October 10 to Tuesday, October 12, 2027*
Free choice of programme
OPTIONAL IMPROVISATION
Wednesday, October 13, 2027*
ROUND THREE (FINALS)
PIANO CONCERTOS WITH ORCHESTRA
Thursday, October 14, 2027*
Piano Concertos in E minor Op. 11 and F minor Op. 21
The Apollon-Musagète Quartet (+ double bass) will accompany the finalists.
AWARD CEREMONY – PRIZEWINNERS’ CONCERT
Friday, October 15, 2027, 7:30 PM
Orangerie, Bessunger Str. 44
Solo piano works by Chopin
*Exact times will be announced later.
PARTICIPATION REQUIREMENTS 2027
The competition is open to pianists of all nationalities born in or after 1997.
The application form must be completed in German or English and submitted as a PDF file by email to the Chopin Society of the Federal Republic of Germany at:
competition27@chopin-gesellschaft.de
Applications will be accepted from March 15 to May 15, 2027.
Required documents:
- Link to your video recording
(Further details on technical and formal requirements will follow soon) - Birth certificate or passport (photocopy)
- Curriculum vitae (max. 1 page, A4) including major artistic activities, prizes, awards, etc.
- Certificates of musical education (photocopies)
- 2 references with contact details
(e.g., your teacher/professor and an internationally recognized pianist/pedagogue/musician) - 2 recent portrait photos in JPEG format, max. file size 2.0 MB
- Receipt of the application fee of €100 (net, free of charges for the recipient), including the candidate’s name and the note “Competition 2027”, transferred to the following account of the Chopin Society:
Sparkasse Darmstadt and Dieburg
IBAN: DE97 5085 0150 0000 6019 34
BIC/SWIFT: HELA DEF 1 DAS
Incomplete applications will not be accepted.
Confirmation of application will be sent by email. The results of the video round will be announced by June 30, 2027. Candidates who withdraw are expressly requested to inform the Chopin Society immediately so that other candidates may take their place.
Participants grant the Chopin Society the rights to the works they perform during the competition or the winners’ concert for audio and video recordings, reproduction, and distribution in any format, including radio, television, and internet broadcasting.
Prize winners who do not participate in the Prizewinners’ Concert forfeit their claim to prize money. In case of illness, a medical certificate must be provided.
The jury consists of internationally renowned musicians from Germany and abroad and is invited by the Chopin Society. Its decisions are final.
The Chopin Society will provide all participants with pianos or grand pianos for practice.
Candidates must arrange their own accommodation. The Chopin Society maybe able to assist in finding accommodation if requested.
As of: March 2026. Subject to change.