Orléans - Orléans International Piano Competition
The International piano competition of Orléans, founded in 1994 by the French pianist Françoise Thinat, focuses on piano repertoire from 1900 to the present day and is open to pianists of all nationalities, up to 36 years old. The Competition takes place every two years and offers public rounds, with a wide and free choice of works and with a compulsory piece commissioned to a renowned composer.
Deadlines
Agenda
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!
Contact
Aurélie Thirot
46 ter, rue Sainte-Catherine
45000 Orléans
France
