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Pécs, HUNGARY

Franz Liszt International Piano Competition concludes at the Kodály Centre

Competitions

On the occasion of the Filharmonia Hungary's 70th anniversary, the 2026 Franz Liszt International Piano Competition took place in Pécs

This year, for the 70th anniversary of the Filharmonia Hungary, the Franz Liszt International Piano Competition settled down in Pécs, a city internationally recognized as a European Capital of Culture. The decision reflects both tradition and renewal: honoring Liszt’s enduring legacy while highlighting Pécs’ dynamic cultural identity.

All live rounds of the competition took place at the renowned Kodály Centre, widely regarded as one of Hungary’s finest acoustic concert halls. Over the course of the competition, audiences witnessed performances of exceptional artistic quality, as a new generation of pianists brought Liszt’s music and the wider piano repertoire to life on the stage of the Kodály Centre.

 


 

The Koday Centre in Pécs

The competition received 75 applications from 24 countries across four continents. In September, selected finalists arrived in Pécs for live rounds judged by an international jury, led by Olga Kern. 

Four outstanding pianists took the stage in the Solo Final of the Franz Liszt International Piano Competition, performing Liszt’s monumental Piano Sonata in B minor, one of the most monumental and technically demanding works in the piano repertoire. 

The same four finalists advanced to the next round, the Final with orchestra. Accompanied by the Hungarian National Philharmonic Orchestra, led by György Vashegyi, they were able to perform before a passionate and supportive audience, and delivered unforgettable music. All three Piano Concerti by Liszt were represented: while Sebestyén Pellet and Calvin Abdiel shone with the Concerto in E-flat major, Ildikó Roszonits delivered an intense Totentanz and Barbare Tataradze reminded the audience of the extraordinary power of music through the Concerto in A major. 

2nd Prize winners: Barbare Tataradze and Ildikó Rozsonits with Jury chair Olga Kern

Third Prize winner: Sebestyén Pellet

The Jury decided not to award a First Prize this year. Instead, both Ildikó Roszonits and Barbare Tataradze were given Second Prize and Sebestyén Pellet received Third Prize. Alongside the main prizes, several special awards and future performance opportunities were also presented: the competition once again demonstrated the importance of creating meaningful international opportunities for young musicians. The performance invitations offered by leading orchestras and cultural institutions will allow the prize winners to continue developing their careers and to meet new audiences in the years ahead.

Barbare Tataradze

Ildikó Rozsonits

Laureates
First Prize: Not awarded
Second Prize: Ildikó Rozsonits (20), Budapest (also Audience award), and Barbare Tataradze (23), Tbilisi
Third Prize: Sebastyén Pellet (26), Budapest

Jury
Olga Kern (chair), János Balázs, Gergely Bogányi, Fali Pavri, Jan Jiracek von Arnim, Lei Meng, György Vashegyi

Artists
Hungarian National Philharmonic Orchestra/ György Vashegyi (conductor)