The Arthur Rubinstein International Music Society

THE 18TH ARTHUR RUBINSTEIN INTERNATIONAL PIANO MASTER COMPETITION
28 April - 15 May 2026, Tel Aviv, Israel

Dear Pianists,

We are pleased to present the 18th Arthur Rubinstein International Piano Master Competition, to be held in April-May 2026.

Named after one of the 20th century’s greatest pianists, the Competition is a wonderful tradition going back over 50 years. Arthur Rubinstein’s friend, Jacob Bistritzky, founder of the Competition, recognized the importance of managing his musical legacy for future generations. Indeed, Rubinstein’s spirit has been the Competition’s inspiration since 1974 when it started, and it is considered one of the leading and most influential piano competitions in the world.

A look at the pianists performing on the best stages in the world shows that several of them began their careers at the Rubinstein Competition. I invite you to be a part of this celebration and continue the legacy of Rubinstein’s renowned winners, such as Emanuel Ax, Gerhard Oppitz, Angela Cheng, Alexander Korsantia, Kirill Gerstein, Alexander Gavrylyuk, Igor Levit, Khatia Buniatishvili, Boris Giltburg, Daniil Trifonov, Juan Pérez Floristán, and the most recent winner, Kevin Chen.

The Competition Jury, including some of the world’s leading musicians, come from all over the world; they aim to discover pianists whose music lies deep in their soul, and whose technical ability enables them to express their heart’s desire and touch the audience with their playing.

The competition is a celebration for lovers of music in general and piano in particular. For three weeks, Tel Aviv rejoices with the audience who come from all around the country and from abroad.

You are invited, young pianists, to take part in the Competition, express your music, excite the audience and the jury, have a great time and, of course, win prizes.

Yours,
Ariel Cohen
Artistic Director