ONLINE PRESELECTION

Based on the submitted video recordings, the Jury will select 12 competitors to advance to the First Round.
All works in this round must be performed from memory.

Video submissions: YouTube link
Submission deadline: April 15, 2026
Notification of selected participants: May 1, 2026

Repertoire Requirements

The works must be performed in the following order: A – B

A) One Liszt Étude of the competitor’s choice from the list below:

Liszt: Études d’exécution transcendante, R. 2/b; S. 139
2. Allegro molto
4. Mazeppa
5. Feux follets
8. Wilde Jagd
9. Ricordanza
10. Allegro agitato molto
11. Harmonies du soir
12. Chasse-neige

Liszt: Grandes études de Paganini, R. 3/b; S. 141
3. La Campanella (Allegretto)
6. Quasi Presto

Liszt: Zwei Konzertetüden, S. 145

1. Waldesrauschen

2. Gnomenreigen

B) One or more freely chosen original works or transcriptions/paraphrases by Liszt, excluding Études, within the remaining time limit.

The total duration of the Preliminary Round may not exceed 20 minutes per competitor.

PRELIMINARY ROUNDS

Liszt Academy of Music, Solti Hall — September 14–15, 2026
12 competitors

Repertoire Requirements

A) Two works of the competitor’s choice from the following list:

(Same as in the Online Round)
[Full Liszt Études list repeated as above]

B) One or more freely chosen original works or transcriptions/paraphrases by Liszt, excluding Études, within the remaining time.

C) A selection of works (maximum 5 minutes) from the following:
György Kurtág: Játékok "Spiele, Games" (Volumes 5, 6, 7)

This competition honors the 100th anniversary of György Kurtág, double Kossuth Prize and triple Erkel Prize-winning composer, pianist, and chamber music professor.

• Works performed in this round may not be repeated in subsequent rounds.

• The order of performance is at the competitor’s discretion.

• The same repertoire may be chosen as in the online round.

• All works must be performed from memory.

Total performance time: maximum 30 minutes per competitor.

SEMI-FINAL 

Liszt Academy of Music, Solti Hall — September 17, 2026
6 competitors

Repertoire Requirements

A) One freely chosen Liszt transcription or opera paraphrase from the following:

• Reminiscences de Don Juan de Mozart, R. 288; S. 418

• Reminiscences de Norma [Bellini], R. 133; S. 394

• Rigoletto – Paraphrase de Concert (Verdi), S. 434

• Ouverture zu Wagners Tannhäuser, S. 442

• Isoldens Liebestod aus Tristan und Isolde (Wagner), S. 447

• La Muette de Portici (Auber), S. 386

• Saint-Saëns–Liszt: Danse macabre, S. 555 (original version)

• Miserere du Trovatore (Verdi), S. 433

• La Valse de l’opéra “Faust” (Gounod), S. 407

B) One freely chosen Liszt work from the following:

• Any piece from Années de pèlerinage

• Any Hungarian Rhapsody (Nos. 1–19)

• Polonaise, S. 223/2

• Fantasia and Fugue on the Theme B–A–C–H, R. 22; S. 529

• Grand galop chromatique, S. 219

• Mephisto-Waltz (Dance in the Village Inn, from Lenau’s Faust), S. 514

• Rhapsodie espagnole, R. 90; S. 254

• Grosses Konzertsolo, S. 176

• Funérailles (Harmonies poétiques et religieuses, No. 7), S. 173

C) One or more freely chosen original Liszt works or transcriptions to complete the program.

• Works may be performed in any order.

• All works must be performed from memory.

Total performance time: maximum 50 minutes per competitor.

FINAL

Liszt Academy of Music, Grand Hall — September 19, 2026
3 competitors

Repertoire Requirements

Required solo work:
Liszt: Piano Sonata in B minor, R. 21; S. 178

In addition, competitors must prepare two Liszt concert works from the following list.
The Jury will select one to be performed in the Final Round:

• Liszt: Piano Concerto No. 1 in E-flat major, R. 455; S. 124

• Liszt: Piano Concerto No. 2 in A major, R. 456; S. 125

• Liszt: Totentanz, R. 457; S. 126

The Hungarian National Philharmonic Orchestra will accompany the finalists.
All works must be performed from memory.

INTERNATIONAL JURY

The seven-member international jury includes distinguished pianists such as Olga Kern, Barry Douglas, János Balázs, and other renowned artists of international acclaim.

APPLICATION

Application deadline: April 15, 2026 (23:59 CET)
Age limit: Open to pianists born after September 1, 1996.

Applicants must first complete the online registration form (link provided), then send the required attachments to
📧 competition@filharmonia.hu

Documents to be submitted by email:

• Proof of payment of the entry fee

• Copy of ID (EU citizens) or passport (non-EU citizens)

• Artistic and professional CV

• Two recent high-resolution photographs (portrait and landscape, at least 2–3 MB each)

VIDEO SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS (ONLINE ROUND)

• Videos must be recorded within 6 months prior to submission.

• Hands, feet, and the performer’s full figure must be clearly visible at all times.

• Each repertoire section must be recorded in a single, unedited take.
  A total of three (3) unedited videos must be submitted via unlisted YouTube links:

  1. A short introductory video (max. 60 seconds)

  2. Video of works chosen for part A of the Online Round

  3. Video of works chosen for part B of the Online Round

The total duration of all three videos must not exceed 20 minutes.
The application is considered complete once the online form is submitted and all required attachments and video links are sent via email.

ENTRY FEE

Entry fee: €100
The fee is non-refundable, regardless of the competition outcome.
Payment deadline: April 15, 2026 (23:59 CET)
Notification of results: May 31, 2026

Bank details:
IBAN: HU69 10004885-10002010-00223335
BIC (SWIFT): HUSTHUHB
Bank: Hungarian State Treasury, 1139 Budapest, Váci út 71.

Please include in the transfer reference:
[Competitor’s Name] – FLIPC
(e.g. John Smith – FLIPC)

PRIZES

First Prize: €35,000
Second Prize: €18,000
Third Prize: €9,000

All finalists will receive high-quality orchestral recordings of their performances, under the terms specified in the Competition Regulations.

Special Prizes: Concert engagements, performance opportunities, and additional awards offered by sponsors.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

The competition is open to the public. The Organizer — Filharmónia Magyarország Nonprofit Ltd. — reserves the right to record, photograph, film, and broadcast any performance, either live or in edited form.

By submitting the application, competitors grant the Organizer full and unrestricted rights to record, reproduce, and distribute all audio-visual material from the competition on any current or future media platform, free of charge.

For participants advancing to the Semi-Final I, Semi-Final II, and Final, accommodation may be provided or arranged upon request. Travel expenses are the responsibility of the competitors.

Scores may not be used in any round except the online preliminary round.
Participation in the Competition implies full acceptance of these Regulations.

📧 Further information: competition@filharmonia.hu