Eligibility & Guidelines

Are you a classically trained pianist aged 18 to 35 years old and interested in embarking on an international career? Then apply to the Dallas International Piano Competition held biennially in June and do not miss the opportunity to perform your concerto with the Dallas Chamber Symphony and compete amongst top talent in your field.

Eligibility

Pianists of all nationalities aged 18-35 (born on or after June 23, 1990, and on or before June 23, 2007) are eligible to apply.
Professional and pre-professional, formally trained pianists, including students and those with advanced degrees in music are encouraged to apply.
Previous prize-winners of the Dallas International Piano Competition are not eligible to participate.
International participants are responsible for obtaining a visa to enter the United States and participate in the competition.
Current students of the competition jurors are not eligible to participate.

Repertoire

Contestants shall perform a complete piano concerto (or similar work for piano & orchestra) in Rounds 1 & 3, as applicable.
Those who advance to Round 2 shall perform a 30-minute solo recital program of their choosing. Solo recital repertoire may consist of a single, multi-movement work (such as a piano sonata), or a collection of short pieces. Solo repertoire may include works by more than one composer. Contestants are encouraged to design their recital program so that it displays the full range of their artistic ability. Pianists will perform their full recital program, without interruption.

Timeline

Application Opens: November 1, 2025 at 12:00 a.m. (central)
Application Deadline: December 15, 2025 at 11:59 p.m. (central)
Notification Date: January 15, 2026
Candidates arrive in Dallas: June 16, 2026
Check-in / Rehearsal Day: June 17, 2026 starting at 10:00 a.m.
Round 1: June 18, 2026
Round 2: June 19, 2026
Orchestral Rehearsals: June 22-23, 2026
Round 3: June 23, 2026

Rounds

Preliminary Audition Round

Pianists wishing to participate must submit an online application and recorded video audition in accordance with the requirements below. A selection committee will choose a maximum of eighteen candidates who will be invited to Dallas, Texas to participate in Round 1: Quarterfinals.

Round 1: Quarterfinals

Up to eighteen invited candidates will perform, from memory, their complete piano concerto (or similar work for piano & orchestra) with a collaborative pianist performing the orchestral reduction.

Round 2: Semifinals

Up to eight candidates advancing from Round 1 will perform, from memory, their entire 30-minute solo recital program, without interruption.

Round 3: Finals

Three candidates advancing from Round 2 will be invited to perform their entire piano concerto with the Dallas Chamber Symphony at Moody Performance Hall, located in the downtown Dallas Arts District.

General

Participants are strongly encouraged to choose a piano concerto (or similar work for solo piano and orchestra) from the standard repertoire. There are no orchestral instrumentation limitations.
All repertoire must be performed from memory.
Repeats are left to the discretion of the candidates, but must be taken into account when working out the timing of solo recital programs.
Candidates may not include in their program works that they themselves have composed or arranged.
The keyboard and hands should be visible throughout all audition videos.
Audition videos showing evidence of editing will result in disqualification.
Candidates not ready to perform during their scheduled time will be disqualified.
While the competition is underway, jury members and staff shall not have interactions with contenders beyond the scope of what is necessary and required by the competition.
All prizes will be awarded, and only one first prize winner will be announced.
Competition results submitted by the jury are final, and cannot be contested.
A jury member who has taught, or has immediate plans to teach, a contestant shall abstain from voting on that contestant’s performance in the competition. Abstentions shall be declared no later than one day prior to the start of the competition rounds.
All competition activities, including performances with the Dallas Chamber Symphony may be recorded, and participants of the competition agree to allow the Dallas Chamber Symphony unrestricted use of all video, audio, photographic and new media recordings for promotional purposes.
Although unlikely to occur, if unexpected circumstances arise in the execution of the competition rules and regulations, a resolution shall be decided by the competition director in consultation with the jury.
There are no registration or enrollment fees. Participation is free for those who are invited.

Apply

Deadline: December 15, 2025 11:59 p.m. (central)

To apply, submit the following via Acceptd before the deadline:

an unedited video recording of your performance, from memory, of the first movement of your piano concerto (or similar work for piano and orchestra) with accompaniment. Accompaniment by full orchestra or a collaborative pianist performing the orchestral reduction are allowed. If your repertoire does not have movements, then submit your performance of the first ten minutes. If your piece is shorter than ten minutes, submit your performance of the entire work.
textual details of your selected concerto repertoire (composer, title, movements, durations). This must be the same concerto as submitted for your video audition, above, and will be the concerto you will perform if invited to the live rounds in Dallas.
an unedited video audition, 10-15 minutes in duration, of your performance of solo recital repertoire. This can be anything you choose which best demonstrates the breadth of your artistic ability. You will not be required to perform this repertoire during your solo recital in Round 2, but you are welcome to if you wish. This audition may be a single work, or multiple works, and may include works by different composers. Multiple short recordings may be combined into one video or uploaded separately.
textual details of your 30-minute competition solo recital program (composers, titles, movements, durations). This can be anything you choose which best demonstrates the breadth of your artistic ability, and need not be the same as your solo recital repertoire audition video, above. Applicants are urged to choose their solo recital program carefully before applying, as it cannot be changed after submission.
contact information (name, title, email) for two references who we may contact if necessary. Your references need not submit recommendation letters and will not receive an automatic request to provide one from Acceptd. Competition staff will request references on a case by case basis, and only after audition videos have been reviewed.
JPG or PNG of your full color professional headshot, suitable for publicity.
your professional bio, up to 250 words, suitable for publicity.
a PDF of your résumé or curriculum vitae.
an image of your government-issued ID, to verify age.
payment of the application fee in the amount of $125.

Accompanists & Rehearsals

Contestants are welcome to secure their own accompanist for Round 1. However, the competition will provide a professional staff accompanist for a fee of $300. This fee covers a 1-hour rehearsal, and Round 1 performance.
Contestants will have an opportunity to request a staff accompanist upon acceptance of an invitation to participate in the competition.
Contestants will be provided one hour of practice time in a rehearsal room with two pianos on June 17, 2026. This time is intended for concerto rehearsal with piano accompaniment. Staff accompanists will be scheduled by the competition to meet you at this session, if applicable.
A warm up room, will be provided to each contestant for use during the 40 minutes prior to all scheduled performances.
A private dressing room will be provided to candidates performing during Finals at Moody Performance Hall.
20 minutes of rehearsal time on the main stage competition piano will be provided to all contestants on June 17, 2026. Staff accompanists will not be available during this time.
Limited access to reserved practice rooms will be provided to all candidates starting on the day prior to Round 1, and throughout the rounds of competition.
Access to additional practice rooms with one piano will be provided to all contestants on a first-come, first-served basis.

Check-in & Orientation

Invited contestants must check-in at the location of the competition at 10:00 a.m. on June 17, 2026 at which time contestants will participate in a drawing of lots to determine performance order.
Immediately following check-in and the drawing of lots, contestants will receive an itinerary of their reserved rehearsal locations and times, and Round 1 performance schedule.

Travel, Food & Lodging

All participants are responsible for the cost of food, travel and lodging through Round 2, as applicable. We recommend booking lodging near Murchison Fine Arts Center (check-in June 16, check-out on June 20).
Dallas Chamber Symphony will provide complimentary hotel lodging near Moody Performance Hall, for those who advance to Round 3 (check-in on June 20, check-out the day after finals, June 24).
Complimentary ground transportation between the hotel, and rehearsals and performances, will also be provided for those who advance to Round 3.

Awards & Concerts

The First Prize winner will receive a paid engagement to perform on a subscription concert with the Dallas Chamber Symphony’s during its 2026-27 season. Repertoire for the First Prize Winner’s subscription debut at Moody Performance Hall will be negotiated between the First Prize Winner and the Dallas Chamber Symphony’s music director.
First Prize: $2,500
Second Prize: $1,500
Third Prize: $1,000
Audience Choice: $500