I – Practical organization
The 31th Epinal International Piano Competition will be held from Friday 12th March to Sunday 21st March 2027 included, in Epinal. It is open to pianists born after 21st March 1996, and before 13th March 2011, and includes a video pre-selection as well as 4 rounds open to the public.
2. Registration will be closed on 30th November 2026. Registration forms received after this date will not be taken into consideration. The list of contestants admitted to compete following the pre-selection (maximum 85) will be published on the competition’s website as from 20th December 2026.
3. The 2027 competition might be cancelled due to sanitary conditions, the international situation, a governmental decision, or in case of an insufficient number of applications. In these cases, the application fee would be refunded.
4. An application fee (excluding bank charges and non-refundable) of 80 € must be transferred upon registration to participate in the pre-selection. Selected contestants will then have until 15th January 2027 at the latest, to confirm their participation and pay a participation fee of 40 € (excluding bank charges and non-refundable). No contestant will be accepted without this second payment. All bank transfers must be identified with the contestant’s name.
5. Contestants must register online on this page from 2026, September 1st and until 30th November 2026, by sending the following documents:
– copy of identity card or passport,
– curriculum vitae in French or English,
– a recent artistic photo,
– receipt of the registration fee,
– A recent and high-quality recording uploaded to YouTube, made using a fixed camera with the contestant’s face and hands clearly visible at all times, without editing or post-production, with a maximum duration of 10 minutes, including a fast movement from a classical sonata (Beethoven, Clementi, Haydn, Mozart) and an Etude of the contestant’s choice.
Contestants must provide the YouTube video link in the registration form (only one link, multiple links will not be accepted) and specify the names of the pieces played in the video description. Both pieces can be recorded separately and assembled one after the other, but in a single file.
By submitting their registration, contestants authorize the competition organization to share the video link with the judges and to publish these videos on the competition’s website and social media platforms. The Competition cannot be held responsible for any external technical issues related to accessing these links. In the case where the preselection jury could not access the video because notably of an invalid link or for any other reason, the contestant will be disqualified and there will not be any refund. We therefore strongly suggest to the contestants to check that the video included in the link communicated at the inscription remains accessible for the whole duration of the preselection.
The works chosen for this pre-selection video may be performed again during the competition rounds.
– for minor contestants (according to their national legal obligations), the enclosed authorization, completed and signed by their legal representative.
Finalists of a competition member of the World Federation of International Music Competitions held after January 1st, 2024, will be exempt from the video selection and will be automatically accepted to participate in the first round in Epinal. In this case, they must provide proof of their status during registration, fill out the online form attaching all required documents mentioned above, and pay the full registration fee of 120€ at the time of registration.
Each contestant must communicate on the registration form the contact details of a next of kin in case of need or emergency.
The association organising the competition is ensured against civil liability in the framework of the organisation of the competition. Contestants are reminded of the interest of having an insurance policy for civil liability as well as a policy covering personal injuries, including medical care.
The association organising the competition also reminds the legal representatives of minor contestants the interest of subscribing for them an insurance policy covering civil liability as well as personal injuries and medical care.
All changes of program must be requested by e-mail at secretariat.cipe@gmail.com (no program changes will be accepted after 15th February 2027).
6. The contestants admitted to compete must present themselves at the Théâtre Municipal d’Epinal, rue François Blaudez, to confirm their arrival in Epinal and to officialise their participation in the competition, on Friday 12th March 2027 between 01:00 and 05:00 pm. They must present proof of their identity: either a passport or a national identity card. The contestants will participate in a draw to determine the playing order for the first 3 rounds.
7. Travel and accommodation expenses are paid for by the contestant. However, free accommodation with host families is possible exclusively for the contestant, if requested at the moment of registration and according to availability. The contestants who have requested and received agreement for an accommodation with host families and who will arrive before 12th March, must notify the competition office (familles.cipe@gmail.com) as well as the host family as soon as possible.
8. A practice piano will be made available in the homes of the host families or at the Conservatory. Each contestant will be allowed to play the competition piano for 5 minutes, upon completion of their registration on Friday 12th March 2027, from 01:00 pm.
II – The Competition details
1. The competition consists of a video pre-selection as well as 4 rounds which are open to the public. The first 3 rounds are eliminatory. The first round will take place from Saturday, 13th March to Monday 15th March ; the second round will take place on Tuesday, 16th March and Wednesday, 17th March, and the semi-final round will take place on Friday, 19th March. At the end of the semi-final round, the jury will choose 4 finalists. A rehearsal with the accompanying Orchestra is scheduled for the finalists on Saturday, 20th March. The final round will take place on Sunday, 21rd March 2027.
2. The Jury is composed of 7 international personalities from the music world. The President of the Jury holds the deciding vote, should there be an equal number of votes. The Jury’s decisions cannot be questioned or appealed.
3. The Jury may interrupt the performance of a work in case the contestant’s playing is clearly insufficient, or if the time limit has been exceeded.
4. Prizes
First Grand Prize
10.000€
Second Prize
4.000€
Third Prize
2.000€
Fourth Prize
1.000€
Additional special prizes will be awarded by the Jury :
Contemporary Music Prize for the best performance of the piece « Last Cappricio» by Christian Lauba in the semi-final round
Prize for the best performance of the Chopin Etude
Prize for French music
Prize of “Jeunesses Musicales de France” for the best French contestant
Audience Prize attributed by the audience for the best interpretation of the Concerto.
The Jury is not obliged to award all the prizes.
Winners of the competition may also have the benefit of playing at events organized by regional festivals or associations. The organization of these concerts is solely the responsibility of their programmers.
5. Contestants in the first and second rounds are entitled to receive a certificate attesting of their participation in the competition.
6. The Competition’s public rounds may be broadcast live and/or re-broadcast by radio, television or Internet. The rounds may also be recorded and/or filmed for reproduction on various formats (CD, DVD, etc.). In keeping with the Competition’s reputation, the contestants give the Competition the right to record their performances and reproduce it or have it reproduced on any media without any financial compensation, as well as to distribute it by any means throughout the world to introduce and promote the Epinal International Piano Competition and communicate about it. This authorization is given for a 10 year period, renewable by tacit consent for the same duration, in the absence of notice of termination at least six months before expiration.
7. Entering the competition entails the acceptance of its rules and procedures; the French text stands as legal reference. In case of a dispute, French law will be applicable.