Piano Duo Festival Composition Competition 2025

Are you a composer under the age of 36, do you love piano duets, and would you like your composition to be performed at Europe's premier piano duo festival? Registration for the 2nd Piano Duo Festival Composition Competition opens on September 1, 2025!

The Piano Duo Festival Composition Competition (PFCC) is for young composers up to the age of 35 who live in the Netherlands and are studying or have graduated from the conservatory. The winner will be selected by a professional jury consisting of composers, programmers, and (piano duo) pianists.

Win

The prize package for the winning composer consists of: * Premiere of the winning composition by the Scholtes & Janssens Piano Duo at the Piano Duo Festival Amsterdam 2026. * Cash prize of €1,500 (including personal expenses such as travel and accommodation costs, materials)

When?

* Registration for the 2nd composition competition will open online on September 1, 2025. You will then have until December 1, 2025, to submit a 1-minute sketch clearly demonstrating your vision for the final piece for piano quatre-mains or two pianos. * The sketches submitted will then be studied, viewed, and listened to by the jury. The jury will determine which composer is the winner and will be selected to develop his/her sketch into a full-fledged composition of 6 to 7 minutes. * In consultation with Piano Duo Scholtes & Janssens, a date will be set for when the complete piece will be delivered to the duo. Together with the duo, you will work towards the premiere of your piece in October 2026.

Join in!

* Submit your 1-minute sketch before December 1, 2025. We would like to receive both the sheet music (PDF) and a MIDI file. If you would like to add additional explanations to the piece, you are welcome to do so. You can send your submission to info@pianoduofestival.nl, stating ‘Composition Competition’ in the subject line and including your name, date of birth, and a brief CV.

Regulations

* You will write a piece for four-hand piano or two pianos. The work must be acoustically performable. * Works for prepared piano are allowed, as long as they do not involve destructive elements. * Tunings other than the regular piano tuning are not allowed (e.g., quarter tones). * Theatrical elements such as the use of the voice are allowed. Jury Ralph van Raat, pianist Kate Moore, composer Jonás Bisquert, composer and programme developer Gaudeamus Piano Duo Scholtes & Janssens