Hastings International Piano, the charity responsible for the Hastings International Piano Concerto Competition and the Hastings International Piano Festival is delighted to announce that Professor Vanessa Latarche – Head of Keyboard at the Royal College of Music in London, has been appointed as the President of the Jury for the 2021 competition.

The Hastings International Piano Concerto Competition is an internationally renowned biennial competition for young concert pianists from around the world, attracting 170 applicants in 2019 from across the globe, 40 of which came to compete in Hastings during February and March. Their prize: the opportunity to perform with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra on a two-night final and to win a first prize of £15,000.

Professor Latarche will join the competition team to curate the 2021 competition, oversee the audition process, as well as to preside over the international jury.

Professor Vanessa Latarche says – “I am absolutely thrilled to be joining the Hastings International Piano Concerto Competition as President for the next season. The competition has an international reach and is well known for its friendly atmosphere and warm audiences. I look forward to being part of such a distinguished organisation and to be working with Ian Roberts and his team to develop some exciting new ideas for the competition.”

Managing Director of Hastings International Piano Ian Roberts says – “We are delighted that Vanessa, one of the UK’s most respected pedagogues, is joining us at Hastings International Piano Concerto Competition as our new President of the Jury. It is exciting that as our competition continues to grow in stature and produce exceptional prizewinners, Vanessa will curate a competition with notable changes that will create even more artist performance experiences in Hastings in 2021”.

The next edition of Hastings International Piano Concerto Competition takes place in the cultural hub of Hastings, on England’s historic south coast in February and March of 2021.