The Leeds International Piano Competition has appointed Sir Stephen Hough as its new Artistic Director, with the acclaimed pianist also set to chair the jury for the 2027 edition.
Hough’s appointment comes as the prestigious competition unveils a series of significant changes aimed at reshaping its format.
Among the most notable reforms is the removal of compulsory repertoire requirements. For the first time in the competition’s history, candidates will be free to build programmes that best reflect their artistic identity rather than meeting a prescribed list of works.
The competition has also raised its upper age limit from 30 to 35, recognising that artistic development follows different paths and timelines. Existing measures designed to promote fairness—including anonymous preliminary selection and unconscious bias training for jurors—will remain in place.
The prize structure has also been revised. The first prize will increase to £50,000, while a new Prize-Winners Circle Award will provide additional long-term career development support for the Gold Medallist.
Commenting on his appointment, Hough said he had admired the competition since childhood, recalling its status as a major cultural event in Britain. He added that his vision is to create a competition that allows outstanding young pianists to reveal their individuality rather than simply competing against one another.
Founded in 1963, the Leeds International Piano Competition has helped launch the careers of numerous internationally recognised pianists and is widely regarded as one of the world’s leading piano competitions.
Applications for the 2027 edition open on July 2. The international preliminary rounds will take place from 30 March to 6 April 2027, with the concerto finals scheduled for 17 and 18 September at Leeds Town Hall.
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