2024 prizewinners, Curtis Phill Hsu and Harmony Zhu return to Hastings this September for a concert with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra featuring two undisputed pillars of the Romantic piano repertoire.  

2022 third prizewinner Mariamna Sherling appears at this year’s South Downs Summer Music Festival in Alfriston on 18 July at 1pm.

Four of our previous prizewinners return to Hastings for a very special weekend of events at Fairlight Hall: Curtis Phill Hsu and Harmony Zhu, winner of first and second prize in 2024; Mariamna Sherling, who won third prize in 2022;  and Gabrielė Sutkutė.

Our own fab four - Curtis Phill Hsu, Harmony Zhu, Mariamna Sherling and Gabrielė Sutkutė - are all spectacular pianists in their own right. This afternoon’s concert offers a tantalising glimpse of each; all four will give a short but perfectly formed recital with music ranging from Rameau and Chopin, to Granados, Ravel and Debussy.

How do you prepare a piano for performance? How are keys balanced and hammers adjusted – and what difference does this make to pianist and listener? Julian Dendy of Steinway & Sons lets us into his trade secrets.

As part of our Picnic Weekend at Fairlight Hall, we're delighted to welcome you to be a fly on the wall as Curtis Phill Hsu, Gabrielė Sutkutė, Harmony Zhu and Mariamna Sherling take part in open Masterclasses with Professors Aaron Shorr and Vanessa Latarche.

As part of our Picnic Weekend at Fairlight Hall, we're delighted to welcome 2024 winner Curtis Phill Hsu and Gabrielė Sutkutė, who took part in the 2022 Competition and has since become a firm favourite in Hastings through her work for our Learning & Participation programme.

For the first time, Hastings International Piano is delighted to offer a special concert for schools as part of our Picnic Weekend. Pianist Gabrielė Sutkutė presents an informal and accessible one-hour programme specially devised for school groups.

A short recital by the Larisa Piano Trio and the Talland Quartet, , two talented young ensembles who are taking part in this year’s Chamber Studio residency at Fairlight Hall over the Bank Holiday weekend.

2022 second prizewinner Thomas Kelly appears at London’s premier chamber music venue, the Wigmore Hall, on Tuesday 13 May at 1pm.

Our Alumni Coordinator, Sarah Searle, caught up with 2018 prizewinner Rixiang Huang, about what he’s up to, and what difference the Hastings Competition made to his career.

We are looking for a Social Media and Communications Coordinator to work with the Communications Director on the organisation’s ongoing Communications Strategy and individual campaigns for different projects. In particular, we are looking for someone with the skills and drive to create and source interesting content for our social media channels and our website. However you will also work on other aspects of our communications, including producing print materials, developing relationships with other arts organisations and local press,  and liaising with our PR consultants.  

For the past few months, we’ve been hard at work behind the scenes, creating a beautiful new website for Hastings International Piano which has been designed and built by Larking, a creative agency based in St Leonards.

Sounds of Creativity, a free workshop series combining live classical piano with guided creative art sessions, launched this year at the White Rock Theatre. The workshops were designed to harness the therapeutic benefits of music and art and aim to support members of the Hastings community experiencing mental health challenges, social isolation, and a lack of access to cultural activities

We are thrilled that our patron, the world-renowned pianist, Sir Stephen Hough, has agreed to write a test piece for the 2026 competition

At Hastings International Piano, we’re committed to making a real difference in our community and our Learning & Participation programme aims to find ways to give back to the local area through the piano.

Join Sir Stephen Hough, our Patron for an intimate recital in the glorious surroundings of Fairlight Hall.

We have some truly fabulous prizes on offer, many of which are money-can’t-buy experiences— access to exclusive places and events. A weekend with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and tickets to Plumpton races…

At Hastings International Piano, we’re committed to making a real difference in our community and our Learning & Participation programme aims to find ways to give back to the local area through the piano.

Hastings Piano Competition’s 2022 third prize winner Mariamna Sherling returns to Hastings with a festive recital featuring Bach, Liszt, and Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker suite.