It is an international piano competition with the participation of young musicians from all over the world.

The goal of the Competition is to honour the memory and legacy of the Valencian pianist José Iturbi, while establishing itself as a platform to support new talents which are breaking through in the competitive world of the piano, just as maestro Iturbi did in his early days.

The competition is organised by the Diputación de Valencia (Valencia Provincial Council), the institution responsible for the government and autonomous administration of the province of Valencia.

As a public administration, the Diputación de Valencia collaborates with other bodies, both in the public and private sectors, to make the International Piano Competition a reality.

The Iturbi Prize was born in June 1981, at the hands of distinguished maestro Joaquín Rodrigo.

It is a biennial competition (once every two years).

In 2023, the Iturbi Prize celebrated its 22nd edition.

In 2025, it returns with renewed enthusiasm for its 23rd edition.

All rounds of the competition are held in the city of Valencia, Spain.

Valencia is the third most populated city in Spain and the capital of the province of the same name, as well as of the Region of Valencia. It is located on the Mediterranean coast and is an important cultural centre, especially in the field of music.

For its 2025 edition, the Iturbi Prize returns to its usual venue: the Palau de la Música in Valencia.

The 23rd edition will take place from 4 to 14 June 2025.

The competition phase is made up of four (4) qualifying rounds that will take place successively:

• First round: Recital of 40 minutes.
• Semi-final: Recital of 60 minutes.
• Final: Concert with orchestra.
• Grand Final: Concert with orchestra.

The jury of the 23rd Valencia Iturbi International Piano Competition will be comprised of Catherine d’Argoubet, Nikolai Demidenko, Janina Fialkowska, Ana Guijarro, Paul Hughes, Jorge Luis Prats, Nicola Sani and Didier Schnorhk, with Joaquín Achúcarro as president.

Prizes:

• First Prize: €30,000 prize money and a CD recording.
• Second Prize: €20,000 prize money.
• Third Prize: €10,000 prize money.
• Finalist Prizes: €5,000 prize money for each of the three finalists not awarded first, second or third prize.
• Best Finalist Prize: €3,000 prize money to the best finalist not awarded the first, second or third prize.

In addition, those participants awarded with the first three prizes will participate in a concert tour in the province of Valencia (to be scheduled for 2026).

Special Prizes:

• Prize for the best performance of Spanish music: €2,000 prize money for the best performance of Spanish music.
• Prize for the best performance of a Chopin piece: €2,000 prize money for the best performance of a Chopin piece.

Apart from these prizes, other prizes financed by other sponsoring and collaborating entities may be awarded.

If the Jury decides to award the prizes ex aequo, the prize money will be divided between the winners. The first prize may not be awarded ex aequo.

Any of the prizes may not finally be awarded.

Young pianists of any nationality who meet the participation requirements may take part in this competition.

The age requirement is to have been born on or after 4 June 1990 (inclusive); meaning you must be 34 years old or younger on the day the competition begins (or that date must be exactly your 35th birthday).

Besides, any candidate who has won the First Prize in previous editions of the competition will not be admitted.

Likewise, applicants who have received lessons from members of the Jury (including master classes) during the two (2) years prior to the start of the competition, i.e. from 4 June 2023 (inclusive), will not be eligible to participate in the competition.

No, both registration and participation in the Iturbi Prize are completely free.

As a contribution to travel and living expenses, a grant of 1,000 euros will be provided to each of the contestants.

In addition, an additional grant of 300 euros will be awarded to each of the contestants who qualify for the Semi-final.

As regards the 2025 edition, no accommodation is provided for participants, nor is there any assistance programme planned by the organisation in this regard. There are also no plans for accommodation in private homes.

The period for submission of applications is open, since 8 May 2024, until 25 November 2024 at 23:59:59 Central European Time (CET) (UTC+1:00).

The registration form (with its attached documentation) is processed on this website, in the section: 2025 Competition > Registration Form.

Firstly, the registration form requests a series of basic personal data (name, nationality, age, contact information, etc.)

Besides, the applicant must indicate the web address (or web addresses) where an audiovisual document can be viewed, preferably in high-resolution HD, in which the applicant performs a free programme of between 20 and 30 minutes, which will be evaluated by the technical pre-selection body.

The registration form will include information about the titles of the works proposed to be performed in each of the four rounds of the competition and the approximate duration of the works (“repertoire” or “programme”).

Applications must include the following documents:

1. Official document (passport or national ID) stating the date of birth and nationality of the applicant.
2. Curriculum vitae indicating academic and artistic qualifications, a summary of his/her musical studies (with mention of the teaching staff), participation in international competitions, most important performances, musical recordings and radio or television recordings.
3. Two letters of recommendation from leading personalities in the world of music, with contact information (telephone and email).
4. A photograph.
5. Optional: Official or private documents that the applicant considers of interest for his/her candidacy (international awards, reviews, recordings, etc.)

The documents must be in PDF, JPG or PNG format.

The maximum size of each file must be 10 MB.

If the applicant chooses to submit additional documents that he/she considers of interest for his/her candidacy, they must all be merged into a single PDF file with a maximum size of 10 MB.

The video (or videos) must be hosted on a publicly accessible web address (YouTube or similar). The URL must be available for viewing and downloading until 31 January 2025.

It will preferably be recorded in high-resolution HD.

The candidate will perform a free program of between 20 and 30 minutes, which will be evaluated by the technical pre-selection body.

The repertoire may include works proposed by the applicant in the event of being selected for the competition phase.

Each of the works performed must have been recorded in a single take, without any cuts in the performance, so that the face and hands always appear visible.

The recording must have been made after 1 January 2024.

If the recommender so wishes, the letter of recommendation can be addressed directly to the pre-selection body by sending an email to the address pianoiturbi@dival.es. In this case, the applicant must provide, in that field of the form, a document indicating this circumstance.

The technical pre-selection body, based on the documentation and recordings provided by the candidates, will select the 22 people admitted to the competition phase. These sessions will be held in the city of Valencia during January 2025.

In addition, the technical pre-selection body will select the group of candidates who will form part of the reserve list, arranged in order of call, to replace those candidates who, before the start of the competition phase, renounce their participation.

The composition of the technical pre-selection body is as follows:

• Chair: Ana María Guijarro Malagón
• Member: Carles Marín Moret
• Member: Ángel Sanzo Herrera

The secretary of the technical pre-selection body is Josep. J. Vidal i Borràs, Head of the Culture Department of the Diputación de Valencia.

The list of those selected for the competition phase will be published on 15 January 2025, arranged in alphabetical order, on this website.

The reserve list, arranged in order of call, will also be published on 15 January 2025, on this website.

The competition phase is made up of four (4) qualifying rounds that will take place successively:

• First round (recital).
• Semi-final (recital).
• Final (concert).
• Grand Final (concert).

All the works performed throughout the competition will be performed from memory, with the sole exception of the original work of compulsory interpretation, commissioned for this edition of the competition to composer Sebastián Mariné, which forms part of the repertoire of the Semi-final, which may be performed with or without a score.

For the two first rounds, the contestant will offer two different free-choice programmes, one for each of the recitals of the competition (First round and Semi-final). The repertoire must include a work from each of the following sections, although they may appear in the programme of either recital:

1. A work by Beethoven.
2. A work by Mozart.
3. A Chopin Nocturne.
4. A piece from Goyescas by E. Granados; a piece from Suite Iberia, Navarra or La Vega by I. Albéniz; or Fantasía Bética by M. de Falla.

First round:

Qualifying round with the 22 people selected.

Recital with a maximum duration of 40 minutes.

Semi-final:

Qualifying round with 10 contestants.

Recital with a maximum duration of 60 minutes.

The repertoire of the Semi-final must include the original work of compulsory interpretation, commissioned for this edition of the competition to composer Sebastián Martiné, with an estimated duration of between 7 and 10 minutes.

The score of this original work of compulsory interpretation will be provided to the contestants, as well as to the members of the reserve list, once both lists have been published.

Final:

Qualifying round with 6 contestants.

Performance of one of Beethoven’s five concertos for piano and orchestra.

Grand final:

Round with 3 contestants.

Performance of one of the following concertos for piano and orchestra:

• Chopin: Concertos No. 1 and 2.
• Liszt: Concertos No. 1 and 2.
• Schumann: Concerto in A minor.
• Brahms: Concertos No. 1 and 2.
• Tchaikovsky: Concerto No. 1 in B flat minor.
• Saint-Saëns: Concertos No. 2 in G minor and 5 in F major.
• Prokofiev: Concertos No. 2 and 3.
• Ravel: Concerto in G major.
• Rachmaninov: Concertos No. 1, No. 2, No. 3 and Variations on a theme by Paganini.
• Britten: Concerto op. 13.
• Strauss: Burlesque.
• Bartok: Concertos No. 2 and 3.
• Joaquín Rodrigo: Heroic Concerto.
• Manuel Palau: Dramatic Concerto.

If the programme proposed by the contestant exceeds the time allowed in any of the rounds, the Artistic Committee will decide on the works or fragments to be performed.

Yes, changes to the programme proposed at the time of registration will be admitted until 28 February 2025.

Changes may only be admitted after 28 February 2025 for reasons of force majeure, duly justified and favourably evaluated by the organisation.

All the works performed throughout the competition will be performed from memory, with the sole exception of the original work of compulsory interpretation, commissioned for this edition of the competition to composer Sebastián Mariné, which forms part of the repertoire of the Semi-final, which may be performed with or without a score.

The work of compulsory interpretation is an original piece, commissioned for this edition to composer Sebastián Mariné, which all contestants must necessarily perform in the Semi-final round, as part of the recital of this part of the competition.

The estimated duration is between 7 and 10 minutes.

This work is the only one in the entire competition that can be performed with or without a score.

The score of this original work of compulsory interpretation will be provided to the contestants, as well as to the members of the reserve list, once both lists have been published.

• First round (recital of 40 minutes): June 2025, Wednesday 4th, Thursday 5th and Friday 6th.
• Semi-final (recital of 60 minutes): June 2025, Saturday 7th and Sunday 8th.
• Final (concert with orchestra): June 2025, Tuesday 10th and Wednesday 11th.
• Grand Final (concert with orchestra): June 2025, Friday 13th.

All the competition rounds will take place at the Palau de la Música in Valencia.

The order of performance will be established by means of a draw.

This draw will take place during the reception and identification of the selected candidates scheduled for the afternoon of 3 June 2025, in Valencia.

Each contestant will be assigned a number between 1 and 22 that will determine their order of participation.

This order of performance will be maintained throughout the competition, including the Grand Final, although the Artistic Committee may make occasional changes to this order, based on reasoned criteria, which will be communicated to the contestants sufficiently in advance.

The 22 persons selected for the competition phase will have to present themselves for reception and identification on 3 June 2025. The exact place (in the city of Valencia) and time (in the afternoon) will be notified sufficiently in advance.

Furthermore, in the case that participants will be able to choose between more than one competition piano, the test of the instruments will take place on 3 June 2025, at the Palau de la Música in Valencia.

Therefore, it is recommended to arrive in the city of Valencia before noon on Tuesday, 3 June 2025, in order to have sufficient time to travel where the reception and identification event will be held and, if that is the case, to the Palau de la Música to test the competition pianos.

All participants are invited to attend the closing gala of the Valencia Iturbi International Piano Competition.

The closing gala and award ceremony will take place on the evening of 14 June 2025.

This gala will include a recital in which the contestants in the Grand Final will be obliged to participate. They will perform one of the works they have performed during the different rounds of the competition, which will be chosen by the Direction of the competition.

During this ceremony, the winners of all the competition prizes will be announced and the diplomas will be handed over. Therefore, at least all the Final and Grand Final participants should attend this event.