Olga Kern International Piano Competition

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Olga Kern International Piano Competition

The New Mexico Philharmonic and pianist Olga Kern join in collaboration to present the new Olga Kern International Piano Competition.

The 2016 Olga Kern International Piano Competition will be held in Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA from November 13–November 20, 2016. The Competition is open to pianists of all nationalities who will be between the ages of 18 and 32 on November 19, 2016. Participation in the Competition is conditional on a candidate submitting the required documents and recordings by June 1, 2016. Candidates’ documents and recordings will be assessed by a Screening Jury who will admit 20–24 contestants. The list of candidates invited to the competition will be made public by August 1, 2016. The final round of this impressive new contest will feature the Competition’s finalists in performance with the New Mexico Philharmonic. In addition to a cash prize, the winner will be awarded concert engagements throughout the US and Europe.

08/10/2026

🎹 OKIPC 2019 Performance Highlight

Elizaveta Kliuchereva (.kliuchereva), Fourth Prize winner of the 2019 Olga Kern International Piano Competition, performs Rachmaninoff’s Piano Sonata No. 2 in B-flat Minor, Op. 36.

Watch the full performance on our YouTube channel.
https://youtu.be/9U4HtCpEMHQ?si=do5lQ4VluoImDhOu

06/10/2026

🎹 Behind the Competition: Choosing the Piano

Did you know that OKIPC participants get to choose their performance piano?

At the 2025 competition, pianists advancing to the Quarterfinal Round were given 15 minutes to try two official Steinway & Sons pianos and make their choice. Steinway & Sons (Steinway & Sons) is a sponsor of the Competition.

That piano was then carried over to the Semifinal Round, with no changes allowed.

For the Final Round, finalists could continue with the same piano or make one final change to the other piano before their first rehearsal with the New Mexico Philharmonic (New Mexico Philharmonic). After that, the decision was final.

It’s a part of the competition that audiences may never see, but an important decision for every pianist stepping onto the OKIPC stage.

01/10/2026

🎹 OKIPC 2022 Performance Highlight

Elzbieta Bilicka (Elzbieta Bilicka) performs Brahms’ Violin Sonata No. 1 in G Major, Op. 78 with violinist Alexandre Da Costa (Alexandre Da Costa) during the Semifinal Round of the 2022 Olga Kern International Piano Competition.

Elzbieta was awarded the Best Bach Interpretation Prize at the 2022 competition.

Watch the full performance on our YouTube channel.
https://youtu.be/_VyPV1KoY70?si=8EyR2OQay9CATbYS

29/09/2026

🎹 Acclaimed careers begin here.

The Olga Kern International Piano Competition gives audiences the opportunity to discover developing world-class pianists at the beginning of their professional careers.

Presented by the New Mexico Philharmonic (New Mexico Philharmonic), OKIPC brings pianists from around the world to Albuquerque, New Mexico, as they take an important step in careers that can lead to stages across the globe.

The competition takes place every three years in Albuquerque and is open to pianists ages 18–32.

We look forward to the next chapter in Fall 2028!

24/09/2026

🎹 OKIPC 2025 Performance Highlight

Delvan Lin, Finalist Diploma and Audience Award recipient at the 2025 Olga Kern International Piano Competition, performs Beethoven’s Six Bagatelles, Op. 126 during the Quarterfinal Round.

Watch the full performance on our YouTube channel.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1iaG7bWYCgI

22/09/2026

🎹 Behind the Competition: Chamber Music Round

What changes when a pianist who usually performs solo becomes part of an ensemble?

In the Chamber Music Round, the pianist is no longer performing alone. Chamber music can bring together different combinations of instruments, creating a completely different musical challenge.

Pianists must listen, react, find the right balance, and shape the music together with the other musicians in real time.

At the 2025 OKIPC, semifinalists performed piano quintets with the Dalí Quartet (Dali Quartet) — piano, two violins, viola, and cello — choosing from works by Brahms, Dvořák, Schumann, and Franck.

The round reveals another side of a pianist — not only how they play, but how they listen and collaborate.

17/09/2026

🎹 OKIPC 2022 Performance Highlight

Anthony Ratinov (Anthony Ratinov), Second Prize winner of the 2022 Olga Kern International Piano Competition, performs the third movement, Vivace, from Prokofiev’s Piano Sonata No. 8 in B-flat Major, Op. 84 during the OKIPC 2022 Winners’ Recital.

Watch the full performance on our YouTube channel.

https://youtu.be/Xw2eRj45Z18?si=iJBcsZi8sI6Z7o_e

16/09/2026

🎹 Home of OKIPC: Albuquerque, New Mexico

Albuquerque has been at the heart of the Olga Kern International Piano Competition since its first competition in 2016.

Over the years, OKIPC has taken the stage at Popejoy Hall (Popejoy Hall) and the National Hispanic Cultural Center (Nat'l Hispanic Cultural Center), bringing together pianists from around the world in the heart of New Mexico.

For the Final Round, finalists perform with the New Mexico Philharmonic (New Mexico Philharmonic), one of the most important moments of the competition.

We look forward to returning to Albuquerque in Fall 2028 for the 5th Olga Kern International Piano Competition!

08/09/2026

🎹 OKIPC Spotlight: Anna Dmytrenko

Congratulations to Anna Dmytrenko on joining the faculty of Florida State University College of Music as Assistant Professor of Piano!

Anna was a finalist at the first Olga Kern International Piano Competition in 2016, where she received Second Prize, the Best Contemporary Piece Award, and the Audience Award.

We are happy to celebrate this wonderful achievement and wish Anna all the best in her new position at FSU! 🎉

Learn more:
https://music.fsu.edu/person/anna-dmytrenko/

24/04/2026

Today we celebrate the birthday of our Artistic Director and one of the founders of the Olga Kern International Piano Competition, Olga Kern.

An artist of extraordinary brilliance and a visionary leader, you have shaped the identity and spirit of our competition with passion, integrity, and a deep commitment to excellence. Your dedication to nurturing young artists and advancing the art of piano performance continues to inspire musicians around the world.

With gratitude and admiration, we wish you a wonderful birthday filled with joy, inspiration, and continued success.

With warmest wishes,
Olga Kern International Piano Competition

Address

Albuquerque
87101–87125, 87131, 87151, 87153, 87154, 87158, 87174, 87176, 87181, 87184, 87

Telephone

505-814-5355

Website

http://www.olgakerncompetition.org/

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