The application process for The 2024 Gurwitz International Piano Competition 2024 has now opened! Application deadline is 1 July 2023.

Performers between the ages of 18 & 32 (inclusive) as of 26 January 2024 are encouraged to apply; 12 contestants will be accepted as competitors to be flown to San Antonio, Texas for four rounds of live competition.

An esteemed panel of judges led by Chief Conductor/Artistic Director of the Mexico City Philharmonic, Scott Yoo, will narrow down contestants each round until Gold ($30K), Silver ($20K), and Bronze Medalists ($10K) are selected in finale Round IV with full symphony orchestra!

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Every four years The Gurwitz participants and jurors from around the globe showcase the art of piano in San Antonio, Texas. Along with the standard piano concert repertoire pianists demonstrate their versatility by performing music rooted in their native cultures as well as Latin composers to celebrate San Antonio cultural makeup. Chamber Music round gives rare opportunity to perform newly commissioned piece for piano and World Music Instruments. The final round is a collaboration with the San Antonio Symphony.

Expanding the view of both participants and audiences beyond a traditional, classical mindset connects the next generation of award-winning pianists to a global audience as they develop their career and take the world stage. The Gurwitz will discover and promote versatile, well-rounded talent reflect the ever-changing cultural texture of our evolving planet.

The modern world is more interconnected than ever before. Art is a reflection of this interconnectivity. By opening classically trained pianists to world music, growth accessibility and interconnectedness.

The Gurwitz International Piano Competition (formerly known as The San Antonio International Piano Competition) was founded in 1983 by a group of fellow music lovers, some of whom are still involved with the Competition today, with the very first competition being held in the Laurie Auditorium at Trinity University in October 1984.

This quadrennial competition (sometimes referred to affectionately as “Piano Olympics” because of its 4 year iteration) features some of the most exhilarating young talents in the world with past participants hailing from Australia, Argentina, Armenia, Brazil, Belgium, Canada, Chile, China, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Israel, Italy, Japan, Lithuania, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Russia, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Taiwan, Thailand, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States, and Venezuela. Participation in The Gurwitz has inspired young pianists to greater heights, with many taking their rightful places among the most prestigious music faculties in the world and/or bringing joy to audiences around the globe through prestigious concert performances.

Over the years some of the most distinguished concert pianists/educators have served on The Gurwitz Jury panel, such as Abbey Simon, David Burge, Joseph Bloch, Ruth Laredo, Ann Schein, Peter Takacs, Ralph Votapek, Daniel Pollack, Robin McCabe, William Wolfram, Santiago Rodriguez, Lita Guerra, Boris Slutsky (former SAIPC Gold Medalist), Jeffrey Swann, Ilana Vered, Naoko Takao (former SAIPC Gold Medalist), Eduardo Delgado, Jeffrey Biegel, Gustavo Romero, Sebastian Lang-Lessing, Olga Kern, Afa Dworkin, Yaron Kohlberg, and Carolyn True.

All public performances of the Gurwitz International Piano Competition 2024 are free and open to the public and will be live streamed to audiences around the world.