Clara Haskil International Piano Competition, Vevey, Switzerland

THE CLARA HASKIL COMPETITION

The Competition’s purpose is to discover a young musician capable of representing the Competition’s values: musicality, sensitivity, humility, constant re-evaluation, continual striving for excellence.

These values are inspired by the life and career of Clara Haskil, a Swiss pianist born in Bucharest, Romania in 1895 and who died in Brussels in 1960.

The programme reflects Clara Haskil’s vast repertoire in the form two recitals, a chamber music performance and a concerto with orchestra.

The first editions were held in Lucerne; since 1973, they have been held in Vevey, where Clara Haskil lived from 1942 until her death. A street in Vevey bears her name.

CONDITIONS FOR APPLICATION

1. The competition is open to pianists of any nationality born after 31 December 1997.

2. Application online only from 1 March 2024 on the website: https://clarahaskil.getacceptd.com

3. Application deadline: Wednesday, 9 April 2025.

4. Pianists who qualify for the public quarter-finals will receive a confirmation of participation and the score for the compulsory piece on 6 May 2025 at the latest.

5. The application fee is €100 and is non-refundable.
   
   

THE JURY

Finghin Collins (Chairman)
Silke Avenhaus
Hyoung Joon Chang
Marc Coppey
Nino Gvetadze
Piers Lane
Kathryn Stott

The jury for the first round will be composed of the President and two members of the Jury. They will meet in private in April 2025.

CALENDAR

1 March 2024 - Applications open
9 April 2025 - Application deadline
End of April 2025 - In camera Video Preliminaries
6 May 2025 - Announcement of Preliminary round results and invitation to compete in the quarter-finals 
27 August 2025 - Arrival of the selected pianists in Vevey and individual random drawing
28 to 31 August 2025 - Public Quarter-Finals in Vevey
2-3 September 2025 - Public Semi-Finals à Vevey
5 September 2025 - Public Final with orchestra in Vevey

CLARA HASKIL PRIZE

The Clara Haskil Competition only awards one Clara Haskil Prize, which cannot be shared; the jury may, however, decide not to award the prize. The winner will receive CHF 25’000–. The other finalists will each receive CHF 5’000–.

ENGAGEMENTS

The Competition will strive to establish partnerships with various concert organisers and orchestras in Switzerland and abroad in order to propose concerts to the winner of the Clara Haskil Prize. The list of partners is available on the website under the tab “Engagement of winners”. The Competition is furthermore prepared to help the winner find a concert agency with which he or she can collaborate.

AUDIENCE PRIZE

During the final round of the competition, the audience will have the opportunity to vote for the winner of the Audience Prize. The prize will be shared in the event of a tie. The prize amounts to CHF 3’000–.

MODERN TIMES PRIZE

This prize, created in 2013, is awarded for the best interpretation of a work specially commissioned for the competition. It amounts to CHF 3’000.- and will be awarded by the jury for the best performance of the newly commissioned work by Sam Perkin.

“COUP DE CŒUR” PRIZE

A panel of students, known as La Jeune Critique, has been put together as part of an academic project with the Musicology Department of the Geneva University. One of its tasks is to award the “Coup de cœur” Prize, amounting to CHF 3’000–.

CHILDREN’S CORNER PRIZE

As part of a collaboration with the Vevey Conservatoire, a jury of young children studying piano will award their “Children’s Corner” Prize for an amount of CHF 2’000.-.

TRAVELING EXPENSES

The pianists are responsible for their travelling expenses. These are, however, refunded on production of receipts, up to a value of CHF 1’000.-, to pianists who reach the semi-finals.

ACCOMMODATION

Accommodation with host families is guaranteed to pianists upon request (accommodation is free). The Competition office can also provide a list of partner hotels (accommodation at the pianist’s expense).

PIANOS

The pianists are guaranteed the use of a practice piano throughout the Competition.