INTRODUCTION:

Fifteen Years of Unwavering Passion: From Star-Gazing Dreamers to Determined Artists--the Macao Piano Competition has always been a brilliant and professional artistic pathway for countless piano students. Over the past fourteen years the Competition has accompanied numerous young pianists through seasons of growth, and witnessed generations of teenagers evolve from diligent practice in small studios to shining on an international stage. One by one once-distant dreams have become within reach.

As we approach the fifteenth year of the Competition, we remain true to our original mission while embracing innovation and change. The finals will be held in Macao in February 2026, with an anticipated increase in overseas participants further enhancing the Competition's international profile. In keeping with the Competition’s tradition, the winners of the Professional Category will have an opportunity to perform with a renowned string orchestra at the awards ceremony--a moment not only of honour but of dreams unfolding.

This year's Competition brings together a prestigious jury consisting of acclaimed pianists and educators from Austria, China, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, United States, United Kingdom and beyond. Each participant will receive one-on-one feedback from the judges, along with handwritten comment sheets. To further enrich their musical journey of all Competition participants, the organizing committee will also arrange exceptional expert concerts and masterclasses offering valuable opportunities for artistic growth.

Young talents from around the world will gather in Macao—a vibrant international cultural hub--to share music, forge friendships, and inspire one another through artistic exchange. Together we will let the world hear the new sound of the new rising piano generation! 

We firmly believe that a shining artistic journey begins with courage on stage, and that youthful talent blooms in fertile ground. The Macao Piano Competition has established partnerships with international institutions such as Matching Arts (Netherlands) and KNS Classical (Spain). Outstanding competitors will have the chance to participate in concert tours and will receive invitations to audition at international music conservatories, opening doors to global opportunities. 

In the years ahead we look forward to supporting more emerging pianists as they embark from this platform toward even greater artistic heights. Join us for the 2026 Macao Piano Competition--let's meet in Macao this February and compose together a moving chapter in the world of piano.

     SPECIFICATIONS & FEATURES OF THE COMPETITION 

1. All participants will receive a comment sheet and a certificate signed by the judges.

2. Jury member concerts. 

3.Masterclasses/Lectures.

4.Award ceremony. 

5.Music Summer Camp in Europe and China.

6. Cash Prizes. The winner of the Grand Jury Prize will receive  MOP 100,000 provided by the Organizing Committee.

7.Jury Prize. Outstanding contestants in each Competition category who achieve a score of 9.8 or above are eligible to compete for the Jury Prize.

8.Nicholas Michael Smith Piano Duet Award. Competing ensembles that achieve a score of 9.8 or above in the final round will be awarded a prize of MOP2,000. This award, presented by the Jury, aims to honor exceptional interpretation and outstanding performance of Nicholas Michael Smith's duet works.

9.INTERNATIONAL CONCERT TOUR. The winner(s) of the top level Jury Prize of the Professional Group will have the opportunity to perform in concerts in China and Europe. 

10. RECORD PRODUCTION. For talent identified by the Jury during the Competition finals, KNS Classical Records will, at its discretion, offer a contract for the release of a solo album.

ORGANIZING COMMITTEE: 

Ms. Rebecca Yang--Artistic Director and founder

Prof. Henry Kelder--Chairman of the Jury

Prof. Nicholas Michael Smith--Vice-Chairmen of the Jury 

Prof. Nicholas Michael Smith--Conductor

JUDGES

Prof. Henry Kelder--(Netherlands) Pianist, Composer and conductor, Professor of the piano department of HKU, founder of MatchingArts.

Prof. Nicholas Michael Smith--(UK) British conductor and recipient of the Order of the British Empire. 

Prof. Ratko Delorko--(Gemeny) pianist, Comporser, and Conductor. teaching in the Music University of Frankfurt and professor of Mozarteum University Salzburg.

Prof. Caroline Oltmanns--(USA) American International Steinway Artist and Tenured Professor of the piano department of Dana School of Music at Youngstown State University

Carles Lama Niebla --(Spain), soloist and CEO of European record company KNS Classical. 

Daniel Espen-(Italy)Classical pianist, composer and conductor.

Edoardo Turbil --(Italy) Piano Teacher, School of Music, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen

Prof. Francesca Volpicelli--(Italy) professor of piano department of Conservatorio di Musica San Pietro a Majella di Napoli.

Katarzyna Borek-- (Poland)  Currently teaching at the School of Art of 

Guangdong University of Foreign

Prof. Levina Elena--( Russia) Former Principle of the Rachmaninov State

Conservatory of Music, Russia

Liu Kan--(Macao,China) Macau pianist.

Michael Tsalka--(Netherlands)Professor of piano, conservatory of music, 

Chinese University of Hong Kong (Shenzhen).

Dr. Petrychenko levdkpiia--(Ukraine) -- Odessa National A.V. Nezhdanova Academy of Music,

Dr. Peter Brugge--(Austria) Principal of Bad Goisern State Music School, Austria.

Prof. Paolo Vergari--(Italy) Conservatory of Music, Benevento, Italy

Dr. Randall Faber--(USA) Author of Faber Faber Piano.

Prof. Raffaele Maisano--(Italy) Conservatory of Music, Naples, Italy

Dr. Sylvia Loh--(Malaysia) Doctorate from the Freiborg University..

Shen Yue--(China) Central Conservatory of Music China.

Dr. Shen Lu--(China) Xinghai Conservatory of Music, China..

Prof. Shi Jiangyue--(China) Xi'an Conservatory of Music, China.

Valerie Gligo--(Malaysia) Pianist.

Prof. Wang Dali--(China) South China Normal University School of Music.

Wu Chun--(China) Central Conservatory of Music China.

Prof. Xie Geng--(China)  South China Normal University School of Music.

Prof. Xian Jingsong--(China) Xinghai Conservatory of Music

Prof.Tan Xiaotang--(China) Central Conservatory of Music, China.

Yvonne Brugger--(Austria) Welles Music School, Austria

Dr. Zhang Xiaofeng--(China) Middle School Affiliated to the China Conservatory of Music.

Prof.Elinor Freer--(USA) Associate Professor of Piano and Chamber Music at the Eastman School of Music, 

Choi Sown Le--(Hongkong, China) Chairman of the Hong Kong Piano Music Association

Prof. Liu Chongxiao--( China) Wuhan Music Conservatory,China.

Robin Zebaida--(UK) British pianist. Steinway Artist.

Prof. Yuan Jie--(China)Director of the Piano Department at the Harbin Conservatory of Music.

Prof. Manuel Schweizer--(France) Lyon Conservatory of Music

Sofia Cabruja--(Spain) First artist approved to record under the KNS classical label. KNS-cIassical label.

Prof. Yang Lingyun--(China) South China Normal University.

Dr. Blanc Wan--(Hongkong) Steinway Honorary Teacher.

Marco Bidin--(Italy) Music at the HMDK Stuttgart.

Kanykey Medetbecova--(France) Lyon Conservatory.

COMMITTEE:

Linson Lin--Secretary-general

Penny He, Limei Huang--Under Secretary General

Mei Zhong, Christy Tan, Yongqi Sun, Shuangling Wu--Event Director

Mingjun Ou--Copyright

Yueping Du--Publicity

Fengen Yuan--Visual Designer

South China Live--Video Production Team

CATEGORIES:

A.NON-PROFESSIONAL:

1.Piano

2.Exam Repertoire

3.Chinese Piano Repertoire

4.Contemporary Repertoire

5.Four Hands

CATEGORIES AND REPERTOIRE REQUIREMENTS

[Infant Group]

Age: Below 7 years old (Born on or after Jan. 1st,2019)

Repertoire requirements: One piece for solo piano in any style. 

Time limit: 3 minutes.

[Junior Group A]

Age: 7 to 8 years old (born between January 1, 2017 and December 31,2018)

Repertoire Requirements: A single piece. Range of repertoire: etude, allegro movement of a sonata (or sonatina), , polyphonic work.

Time limit: 5 minutes.

[Junior Group B]

Age: 9 to 10 years old (born between January 1, 2015 and December 31,2016)

Repertoire Requirements: A single piece. Range of repertoire: etude, allegro movement of a sonata (or sonatina), , polyphonic work.

Time limit: 5 minutes

[Junior Group C]

Age: 11 to 12 years old (born between January 1, 2013 and Dec.31,2014)

Repertoire Requirements:A single piece. Range of repertoire: etude, allegro movement of a sonata (or sonatina), polyphonic work, a work classed at Grade 4 or higher from any examination syllabus (foreign or domestic).

Time limit:5 minutes

[ Teenager Group A]

Age: 13 to 14 years old (born between January 1, 2011 and December3t, 2012)Repertoire requirements: A single piece. Range of repertoire: etude, allegro movement of a sonata (or sonatina), polyphonic work, a work classed at Grade 6 or higher from any examination syllabus (foreign or domestic)).

Time limit: 6 minutes.

[ Teenager Group B]

Age: 15 to 16 years old (born between January 1, 2009 and December 31,2010)

Repertoire requirements: A single piece. Range of repertoire: etude, allegro movement of a sonata (or sonatina), polyphonic work, a work classed at Grade 6 or higher from any examination syllabus (foreign or domestic)).

Time limit: 6 minutes.

[ Youth Group]

Age: 17 years old and above (born on or before December 31,2008)

Repertoire requirements: A single piece. Range of repertoire: etude, allegro movement of a sonata (or sonatina), polyphonic work, a work classed at Grade 6 or higher from any examination syllabus (foreign or domestic)).

Time limit: 6 minutes.

Note

If a competitor exceeds the time limit should stop playing.  This will be without prejudice to that competitor’s mark. 

PROFESSIONAL

Students of the piano departments of full-time music academies, art schools,

teacher training academies, and middle schools and primary schools attached to music conservatories or similar, university students majoring in music or music education, students of secondary education art schools and music schools, professional pianists.

[Professional Teenager Group]

Age:16 years old and below (born on or after January 1,2009)

Repertoire requirements: 

1. One prelude and fugue from Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier OR the allegro movement of a sonata from the classical period; 

2. One other work for solo piano in any style

Time limit: 10 minutes.

[Professional youth Group]

Age: 17 years old and above (born on or before December 31 , 2008)

Repertoire requirements

1.One prelude and fugue from Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier OR the allegro movement of a sonata from the classical period; AND

2.One other work for solo piano from the romantic period.

Time limit: 12 minutes.

Note

All repeats should be omitted.   

PIANO EXAM REPERTOIRE 

Grades 1 to 10

Age/ No age limit

Repertoire requirements:

A piece from any examination board syllabus

.Contestants may choose a piano work from the relevant grade.

Grade 1- 5: 5 minutes

Grade 6-10: 6 minutes

    FOUR HANDS

Grouping by older contestants

Infant Group: Below 7 years old (Born on or after January 1, 2019)

Junior Group A: 7 to 8years old (born between January 1, 2017 and December 31, 2018)

Junior Group B: 9 to 10 years old (born between January 1, 2015 and December 31, 2016)

Junior Group C: 11 to 12 years old (born between January 1, 2013 and December31, 2014)

Teenager Group A: 13 to 14 years old (born between January 1, 2011 and December 31, 2012)

Teenager Group B: 15 to 16 years old (born between January 1, 2009 and December 31, 2010)

Youth Group: 17 years old and above (born on or before December 31, 2008)

8) Parent-Child Group/Teacher-Student Group

Repertoire requirements

(Contestants are permitted to use sheet music while performing.)

Select one work for piano 4 hands. Any style is allowed .

Time limit:5 minutes

The Nicholas Michael Smith Piano Duet Award

Age Requirement: No restrictions

Repertoire requirements:

Participants must select one piece from the following ten prescribed

works. Scores may be used during performance.

Digital sheet music can be purchased and downloaded directly from

the publisher’s official website:

https://jclinkmusic.com/product/digital-sheet- music-memories-of-ch

ildhood/

Prescribed repertoire list:

01. March of the Strawberries

02. Wiggly Worms and Creepy Crawlies

03. Waltz of the Snails

04. Running, Swimming and Skating

05. Stream Without Fish

06. On the Lake

07. Simple Pleasures

08. Snowfall

09. Stargazing

10. Lullaby

SCORING CRITERIA

The maximum score is 10 points. Scores may include up to 2 decimal places;

Your final score is the average of the scores given by all the judges who heard your playing.

Minimum score：6.00   Maximum score：10.00

These score ranges are provided to the jury panel for reference. Actual prize-giving is determined by the jury according to the number of contestants in

each category and group, the final score and the comments of the judges.

(Note: The jury has set up a score line for each award. If the jury decide that a certain standard has not been reached, no prize will be awarded.)

FINALS AWARD CRITERIA

The jury has set up a score line for each award. If the jury decide that a certain standard has not been reached, no prize will be awarded. The awards for each group are as follows: 

Jury Award, Gold Award, Silver Award, Bronze Award and Award for Merit.

Contestants will be awarded according to their scores . If two or more contestants have the same score, they will get the same award, and in the event there is a cash prize for that award, the prize money will be shared equally by the contestants.

FINALS AWARD CRITERIA

總決賽獎項設置

9.80-10.00 Jury Award. Winners will receive the finals award certificates, trophies and cash prizes.

9.00--9.79 Gold Award. Winners will receive the finals award certificates and trophies.

8.00--8.99 Silver Award. Winners will receive the finals award certificates and trophies.

7.00--7.99 Bronze Award.Winners will receive the finals award certificates and trophies.

6.00--6.99 Award for Merit.Winners will receive the finals award certificates.

SCORING CRITERIA

If the jury decide that a certain standard has not been reached, the prize will not be awarded.

JURY AWARD

Criteria for the Jury Prize

The jury of the Grand Final will select contestants from each competition category who have attained a score of 9.8 points or higher to compete for the Jury Award. The contestants will compete for the first, second and third prizes of the Jury Award at the award ceremony. The number of participants/awards may be zero, and more than one person may be awarded the same level of Jury Award, according to the actual situation. (lf you are eligible to compete for a Jury Award but do not attend the award ceremony, you forfeit your eligibility for a Jury Award.)

Selection method

During the award ceremony, the whole jury will vote together to select, the jury prizes (first, second and third prize).

Voting may result in a tie for a prize, and the jury have the right not to award the prize. The organizing committee and the contestants must respect the results of the jury vote.

COMPETITION RULES

1.A. Contestants should play from memory while performing, with the exception of teachers and the four hands groups

.B. The judges have the right to halt the performance at any time within the specified time limit for the contestants, but the score will not be affected.

C. Any contestant whose work does not meet the requirements of the competition

will be considered to have waived their eligibility for any award or prize.

D. Contestants must adhere to the time of appearance given. Any contestant who 

fails to report on time will be considered by the Organizing Committee as having given up their place in the competition, and the jury has the right to disqualify that contestant from the competition. (If contestants participate in multiple groups, and there is overlap between the competition times, the organizing committee will make proper arrangements for them).

E. The Organizing Committee arranges professional photographers and Video graphers to film and record the event and disseminate it on the Internet by means of live broadcasting and rebroadcasting. By participating in the Competition, you agree that the copyright in all recordings and dissemination belongs to the Organizing Committee . The Organizing Committee will not pay any fees to competition 

participants in relation to copyright or use of the competitor’s image .

F. Audience members must turn off their cell phones, refrain from making noise, ,

refrain from entering or leaving the arena when competitors are playing, and refrain from applause after competitors have finished playing.  Audience members may take video recordings, but may not use flash photography. Audience members may to film and videotape but may not use flash. Footage filmed or videotaped by

audience members may not be used for commercial purposes.

2A. The order of contestants' performances in the finals will be arranged by the

Organizing Committee. Please pay attention to announcements on our  official website.

B. All information related to the competition will be published on our official website and WeChat Official Account, including information concerning the place and time of your performance(s). The Organizing Committee will not inform contestants individually.Please check the information on our official website to avoid missing any

competitions.

C. Contestants should select "Professional Group" Or "Non- Professional Group"

at the time of application. Once confirmed, no changes are allowed. Contestants in non-professional groups may additionally sign up to compete in a professional group. Contestants from the professional groups are not permitted to sign up to compete in a non-professional group. Anyone found breaking this rule will be disqualified.

D. The prize-giving is finally determined by the jury, and all contestants should respect the decisions of the judges.

E. The Organizing Committee reserves the right to change the competition schedule. In the event of force majeure (such as bad weather), the competition on that day will be cancelled until further notice.

F. In the event of any discrepancy between the English and Chinese versions of this brochure, the Chinese version shall prevail. The right of interpretation vests in the Competition Committee.

HOW TO APPLY

報名須知

1 The competition is open to people of all nationalities.

2.You can apply online or offline to participate in the preliminary round and final competition.  

3.Please complete all items on the application form accurately and ensure their

authenticity. Contestants found to have submitted false information will be

disqualified.

    4 Contestants who meet the relevant qualifications can sign up under more than one competition category. They should fill in an application form for each category applied.

5. Online Preliminary round, contestants has to send video of 2 different pieces to Competition’s official email: info@sky-culture.com (by wetransfer) before 8th December 2025. 

FINALS ARRANGEMENTS:

Deadline for the Finals apply: 8th January 2026

Finals and award ceremony: 8th February 2026 to 10th February 2026

(For specific details, please contact the regional organizing committees of the competition.)

In the event that a Competition round cannot be held as scheduled due to force majeure, the Organizing Committee has the right to make suitable alternative arrangements based on the actual situation.

The Finals arrangements are for reference only. The specific site arrangements

will be in accordance with the specific plan prepared by the Organizing Committee.

Organizing Committee of 15th Macao Piano Competition in Mainland China 

Netherlands荷蘭: MatchingArtsFluitekamp 333828 WD Hoogland The Netherlands Tel: +31 6 101 900 53

Macao: AW, 1st Floor, New City Commercial Centre, Avenida de Artur Tamagnini Barbosa 

澳門:巴波沙大馬路新城市商業中心1樓AW 

Tel: 0085363418881

Shenzhen: 12th Floor, Block B, Union Square 5022, Binhe Road, Futian District

深圳:福田區濱河大道5022號聯合廣場B座12樓

Tel: 0755 8277 9662

Foshan: Block 18/2, 3 Shouyan Road, Chancheng District 

佛山:禪城區壽延路3號18座之二

Tel: 0757 8236 3896