Concerto Competition

The Hastings International Piano Concerto Competition is an internationally-renowned competition for young concert pianists from around the world. You can read more about it here. The 2024 competition took place between 22 February and 2 March 2024 and was won by the 19 year old pianist Curtis Phill Hsu.

Around 40 young concert pianists aged between 16 and 30 are chosen to participate in the competition, which takes place every other year. More than 240 musicians applied via video audition from 38 countries around the world, from Lithuania to China, Senegal to Tajikistan. These 40 participants take part in qualifying rounds before an international jury of specialists who have the difficult task of choosing just 10 to go forward to the semi-finals, 5 of whom will compete in the final round.  

This year all the qualifying rounds took place at the White Rock Theatre in Hastings, as well as the semi-finals and finals. Semi-finalists performed with the Southbank Sinfonia – a chamber orchestra made up of talented young professional musicians at the start of their careers – and finalists with the full forces of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Both rounds were conducted by Rory MacDonald.

The competition winner is awarded a generous cash prize of £15,000 as well as a fellowship award which includes concert and recital engagements, professional guidance, mentoring and advice on making a career in the music business.