Art of the Piano Festival and Foundation

Art of the Piano, led by Awadagin Pratt, is proud to present two programs for talented young pianists:

Art of the Piano Festival and the Nina Simone Piano Competition.

About Art of the Piano

The 2025 festival will be held June 22 - July 6, 2025 at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.

This festival is designed to raise your level of music making and piano playing.  I have chosen great artists and pedagogues to help you achieve these goals.

This is an intense program, but exposure to high-caliber musicians + teachers is inspiring and will stay with you for a lifetime.

It’s a platform for you to perfect your recital and competition repertoire, and to have a quiet, beautiful place to apply all that you’re learning at the keyboard.

Being an all-masterclass festival, your success depends on your playing and most attentive listening.  Almost all the days have only two events – either two classes, or a class + a recital.  This gives ample opportunity for practice and preparation.

In addition to classes and recitals, there are gatherings with the faculty.

A general openness is fostered in an exceptionally supportive environment.

We are inspired by the level of talent this festival attracts. Because of my strong belief in educating and lifting up talented young pianists, this festival is free.

The remarkably generous donors at the Art of the Piano Foundation are making this possible, so all you have to worry about is showing up and playing your best.

I look forward to hearing your audition.

–Awadagin Pratt

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About the Nina Simone Piano Competition

Art of the Piano, led by Awadagin Pratt, is thrilled to hold its second Nina Simone Piano Competition.  Taking place in the summer of 2025, this biennial competition is specifically for talented young African American pianists.  

The aim of this Competition is to give these young artists a highly visible platform to showcase their skills, gain opportunities, experience, and support.  Additionally, the Competition aims to get more African American artists on concert stages in general, to commission new works, and to add more African American pianistic voices to the classical canon.

The competition will be held on the campus of the San Francisco Conservatory of Music from June 20 - 22, 2025. 

For more information: www.ninasimonepianocompetition.org

For technical questions, please check out our Help Desk for frequently asked questions.