Prague, 15 December 2025 | A total of 239 flautists and 231 pianists will compete in the preliminary round of the 77th Prague Spring International Music Competition. Compared with 2025, the overall number of applicants has risen by 13 to reach 470. This is the highest number since 1998, the year in which the competition adopted its two-field format. As in previous years, the greatest number of applications came from Asia, particularly from the Republic of Korea, China, Japan and Taiwan. Strong interest was also shown by young artists from France, Italy, Germany, Spain, the United States and the Czech Republic. Fifteen Czech pianists and nine Czech flautists have entered the competition.
“I am delighted that the figures have once again grown slightly compared with 2025, and that our portfolio of countries has expanded to include new destinations such as New Zealand, South Africa, Puerto Rico, Syria and Macau. Among the distinguished laureates in the flute and piano categories I would highlight flautists František Čech (1953), Michel Debost (1959) and James Galway (1968), as well as pianists Jan Panenka (1951), Anton Ginzburg (1957), Giovanni Bellucci (1993), and of course two Czech winners, Martin Kasík (1998) and Ivo Kahánek (2004),” says Competition Secretary Michal Vencl.
The chairs of the international juries will be the French flautist Philippe Bernold and the British pianist Daniel Browell. The flute jury will also include Emily Beynon (UK), Christina Fassbender (Germany), Barthold Kuijken (Belgium), Václav Kunt (Czech Republic), Jan Ostrý (Czech Republic) and Karl-Heinz Schütz (Austria). The piano jury, alongside Daniel Browell, will comprise Joonas Ahonen (Finland), Dina Yoffe (Latvia/Germany), Leonel Morales (Spain), Katarzyna Popowa-Zydroń (Poland), Martin Kasík and Ivo Kahánek (Czech Republic).
The competition will once again consist of three rounds. The list of candidates advancing to the first round will be announced by the end of January 2026. The in-person stages will take place in their regular slot from 6 to 14 May, with the final rounds on 13 and 14 May in the Dvořák Hall of the Rudolfinum, accompanied by the Hradec Králové Philharmonic Orchestra and the Prague Symphony Orchestra. The second and final rounds will once again be streamed live on the Prague Spring Festival’s YouTube channel.
Next year’s edition will again include a mentoring programme for competitors focused on PR communications within the music industry, as well as an invitation to perform at the following Prague Spring Festival for the first-prize winners in both disciplines.
The Prague Spring International Music Competition 2026 is held with the financial support of the ČEZ Foundation, the Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic and the City of Prague.
