MISSION
The mission of the Hilton Head International Piano Competition is to encourage and support excellence in the performance of classical piano music by showcasing the talents of young pianists on the threshold of their careers in competitions adjudicated by internationally acclaimed judges, and to offer additional performance opportunities.
ABOUT THE HHIPC
The Hilton Head International Piano Competition, one of the leading international piano competitions in the United States, operates with a three-year rotation of events: an adult competition for pianists 18–30 years of age, a young artist competition for pianists 13–17 years of age, and a festival—BravoPiano!—which showcases past prize winners and other prominent keyboard artists performing music ranging from classical to jazz. The HHIPC, inaugurated by the Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra in 1996, draws applicants, artists, and audiences from numerous countries the world over, and many HHIPC artists are now enjoying thriving professional careers.
Young Artist Piano Competition
The 26th HHIPC took place in March 2023, which was the 6th Young Artist competition in our history. Twenty pianists ranging in age from 13-17 (from six different countries) were selected to perform here in Hilton Head, with each of them playing two rounds of short recitals, leading to the selection of five finalists. Those five pianists each played one movement of a major concerto with the Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra and Maestro John Morris Russell, and our esteemed jury panel of five internationally renowned piano professionals awarded First Prize to 14-year-old Chinese pianist Zhonghua Wei. In addition to his $10,000 cash prize (from a total pool of $21,000 in cash prizes awarded at the finals), Zhonghua returns to play a concerto with the Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra and Maestro Russell in January 2024.
BravoPiano! Festival
As with our previous two festivals, BravoPiano! 2024 features outstanding HHIPC alumni—both prize-winners and judges—as well as prominent jazz pianists. This year’s theme is “PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS…” focusing on the piano’s countless collaborative capabilities. We feature stellar classical and jazz piano duos, along with a chamber music program of quintessential piano quintets, and a piano/bass duo playing jazz and classical Preludes & Fugues! Our finale is a spectacular three-concerto extravaganza with the HHSO and Maestro John Morris Russell entitled Rhapsody and Fantasy, including Gershwin’s iconic Rhapsody in Blue (in honor of the 100th Anniversary of the premiere), Busoni’s rarely heard Indian Fantasy for Piano and Orchestra, and Rachmaninoff’s thrilling Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini. Tickets for all BravoPiano! events will be on sale as of November 15, 2023, so please join us for as many of these performances as your schedule allows.
Adult Piano Competition
The 27th HHIPC takes place in mid-March 2025 for pianists ages 18-30 (with all the dates, requirements and other details to be announced in early 2024). Twenty competitors will be invited to Hilton Head to perform two preliminary recital rounds, with six semifinalists selected by the jury for the third recital round. After that, three finalists are chosen to perform a full concerto with the Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra and Maestro John Morris Russell. These talented pianists from all over the world will compete for a total cash prize pool of $34,000, with First Prize winner receiving $15,000, plus a solo performance for the HHIPC Mona Huff Recital at Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall in fall 2025, along with the following additional prizes: a return engagement with the HHSO in the 2025-26 season; a professional CD recording on the Steinway label; numerous performance opportunities (both in the Lowcountry and across the country); and professional career management services from HHIPC Director, Steven Shaiman.
Our prestigious jury will be comprised of ten internationally acclaimed pianists from across the globe, including three artists on the competitor selection jury, and seven on the finals jury panel (with juror details expected to be announced in early 2024). Special events during competition week–all of which are open to the public–include Master Classes by six finals judges working with competitors from the earlier rounds, and a special Lecture/Recital by the Jury Chair.
HHIPC in the Community
Competitors stay in the homes of generous host families, who provide lodging, meals, transportation, and access to a competition quality grand piano for practice. Island residents also host the judges for dinners in their homes during the week of Competition, and others offer the judges use of their grand pianos for personal practice. In all, over 200 dedicated volunteers devote their time, talents and energy to help staff the Competition events.
Most of the twenty competitors serve as Ambassadors to our local schools and in the community. Ambassadors perform at one of the public or private local schools and talk with students about themselves and life in their home countries. Several thousand students in the Lowcountry region have benefited from, and are inspired by, this wonderful educational outreach program. In addition, during the competition, hundreds of local senior citizens also benefit from our Ambassadors’ performances in various senior residence communities.
