Hilton Head International Piano Competition

7 Lagoon Road, Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, 29928, United States

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The Hilton Head International Piano Competition, one of the leading international piano competitions in the United States, operates with a three year rotation of events: an adult competition for pianists 18–30 years of age, a young artist competition for pianists 13–17 years of age, and a festival—BravoPiano!—which showcases past prize winners and other prominent keyboard artists performing music ranging from classical to jazz. The competition events draw applicants, artists, and audiences from countries the world over.
Important Dates

June 1, 2025: Applications available online
September 30, 2025: Application deadline (midnight PST)
November 26, 2025: Invitation to the 20 applicants chosen to participate in the HHIPC. Others will be notified as to their status.
March 12 or 13, 2026: Competitors arrive in Hilton Head.
March 16 and 17, 2026: Round I of the Competition (recitals by all 20 competitors)
March 18 and 19, 2026: Round II of the Competition (recitals by all 20 competitors); Jury selects five finalists announced Thursday night
March 20. 2026: Master Classes (judges with selected competitors) and Ambassador Educational Outreach Program (non-finalists)
March 21, 2026: Round III Finals (5 finalists each play one concerto movement with HHSO) followed by Awards Ceremony
March 22, 2026: Competitors depart Hilton Head

CHAPERONES: Competitors under the age of 15 must be accompanied by a chaperone. Competitors 15 to 17 years of age may choose to come unaccompanied or be accompanied by a chaperone. Any competitor 15-17 who elects to come unaccompanied must have his/her parent or guardian sign a waiver which will be provided by the Competition office.

HOST FAMILY ACCOMMODATIONS: Each competitor and his or her chaperone will stay in the home of a Host Family from arrival on March 12 or 13 to departure March 22, 2026, who provides lodging, food, all local transportation, and a grand piano for practice. If a competitor wants to stay in the Hilton Head area for any days falling before or after the period of March 12 – 22, they will be responsible for arrangements and payment for their own lodging, food, and transportation for those extra days.

JURIES: There are two juries for the 2026 Hilton Head International Piano Competition.

The Competitor Selection Jury (CSJ) will meet in November to evaluate all video audition files on the basis of commonly accepted musical criteria. The CSJ will then select twenty (20) applicants to compete in the 2026 Hilton Head International Piano Competition. The CSJ will also provide the competition administration with a rank ordered list of alternates. The Jury’s decision is final.

Competitor Selection Jury

Robin McCabe – USA
Robert Shannon – USA
Christopher Taylor – USA

The Competition Jury will be on Hilton Head Island in March to listen to the 20 competitors’ live recital performances during Rounds I and II, after which they will select 5 finalists for Round III. Following the Finals concerto performances, they select the prize winners.

Competition Jury

Jeffrey Kahane – USA (Chair)
Angela Cheng – Hong Kong/Canada
Marian Hahn – USA
Spencer Myer – USA
Daria Rabotkina – Russia/USA

[NOTE: Any pianist who has studied regularly with any of the above jurors within the last five years is NOT eligible to apply for the 2026 HHIPC. Please check Eligibility guidelines for complete details before starting your application.]

Before proceeding with this application, please review the following pages on thewww.hhipc.org website in the 2026 Applicant Information section:

For guideline and requirement questions please contact: pianocomp@hhipc.orgor call +1 (843) 842-5880

For technical questions, visit the Applicant Support Help Desk.