2025 San Francisco Int'l Piano Competition

Professional Artists Category (Age 19-32)

2024 SFIPC Winner’s performances, click here.

 The 2025 San Francisco International Piano Competition welcomes the participation of all pianists in different ages from all over the world! 

Location: San Francisco Conservatory of Music

The 2025 SFIPC is thrilled to announce that we will have an Online + In-Person competition this year from May to August. The winners will receive trophies, certificates, and cash prizes, 2026 Festival Scholarships, with the first-place winner also offered a concert opportunity to perform in San Francisco in 2026.

The preliminary round will be conducted online, with performances evaluated through submitted videos. Six finalists will be selected to perform live before the judges at the Caroline Concert Hall at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music on August 6-7, 2025. Applications and performance videos must be submitted by May 1, 2025.

The total prize for the 2024 competition will exceed $20,000 USD including cash prizes, concert opportunities, and full scholarships of the 2026 Bay PianoFest.  ​

FAQs

Overview

The goal of the competition is for pianists from different cultures and ages to perform and communicate. And to explore and promote excellent and potential musicians to further opportunities and development.

GENERAL INFORMATION

The 2025 San Francisco International Music Competition and Festival is thrilled to announce that it will take place from August 4-August 13, at San Francisco Conservatory of Music, CA, USA. 

All stages of the Competition will be open to the public. 

The competition is open to pianists of all nationalities and ages by the application deadline, May 1, 2025.

Eligibility

First-prize winners of the past SFIPC (previous AIPC) in professional artists category are not eligible to apply.

Current or previous students of judges MAY enter the competition. However, the judges will not be a part of voting the final decision of his/her students if the student has studied with a specific jury member in the past 2 years. 

International competitors may need visas in certain cases. Therefore, applicants are advised to seek guidance from the nearest United States Embassy or Consulate.

While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information provided in this document, the SFIPC reserves the right to make changes if circumstances necessitate.

Important Date

  • February 20, 2025 - Applications Opens

  • April 1, 2025 - Applications Submission Deadline (Early Bird)

  • May 1, 2025 - Applications Submission Deadline

  • June 15, 2025 - Finalists announced (Online) 

  • July 15, 2025 - Last day to make changes to repertoire 

  • August 4, 2025 - Festival Opening Ceremony 

  • August 6, 2025 - Final Round Competition

  • August 7, 2025 - Awards Ceremony 

Repertoire Details

First Round (Video recording Only)

15-20 mins repertoire 

Free choice of repertoire. Links to your recordings must be submitted as a link to YouTube with the application, and either single or multiple links are acceptable.

Final Round (Live: San Francisco Conservatory of Music)

6-12 Finalists, 35-40 mins repertoire 

One movement of a Classical period sonata is required., and free choice of repertoire up to the time limit. Program from the preliminary stage may repeated. 

Programs from the preliminary round may be repeated in the finals. 

All finalists’ performances are open to the public. 

The 2025 SFIPC International Jury

*Click to view their complete biographies

First Round

Final Round

Competition Prize

Professional Artists Category (Age 18-32)

First Prize:

  • $3000 Cash Prize
  • Trophy & Medal
  • Certificate Diploma
  • San Francisco Solo Recital invitation to perform in 2026 Young Artist Series
  • Automatically Qualify and Full ($2500) Scholarship to 2026 Bay PianoFest at SF (Include 4 masterclasses/lessons with world-renowned artists, and unlimited access to all events)

Second Prize:

  • $2000 Cash Prize
  • Trophy & Medal
  • Certificate Diploma
  • San Francisco Winners Concert Invitation to 2025 Young Artist Series
  • Automatically Qualify with Full unlimited access to all 2026 Bay PianoFest events at SF (Masterclasses, Concert, Lectures, Forum, and etc.), and $500 scholarship toward.

Third Prize:

  • $1000 Cash Prize
  • Trophy & Medal
  • Certificate Diploma
  • San Francisco Winners Concert Invitation to 2025 Young Artist Series
  • Automatically Qualify with Full unlimited access ($750 value) to all 2026 Bay PianoFest events at SF (Masterclasses, Concert, Lectures, Forum, and etc.), and $300 scholarship toward.

2024 Winners

  • Yi-Chen Feng

    Gold Medalist

    Pianist Yi-Chen Feng is the recipient of numerous prizes from competitions such as the New York Liszt International Piano Competition, the Grand Canal International Piano Art Festival, the San Jose International Piano Competition, and the Virginia Waring International Piano Competition.

    Final Round Performance

  • Che Li

    Special Liszt Award

    Che Li is recently declared winner of the 2023 Fou Ts’ong International Concerto Competition. He won first place in the National Youth Piano Open Competition at Shanghai Conservatory of Music and second place in the German Grotrian Competition in China.

    Final Round Performance

  • Seonha Cheon

    Special Contemporary Award

    Seonha Cheon received many award such as the first prize of the 30th Sungjung Competition, the second prize of the 48th Samich Seller Piano Competition, the third prize of the Korea Chopin Piano Competition, and the third prize of the Chunchu Competition.

    Final Round Performance