Applications now open for the inaugural Nina Simone Piano Competition for African American Pianists

Applications for the inaugural Nina Simone Piano Competition for African American Pianists are now open. The deadline to apply is March 1, 2023, and applications can be submitted online. Taking place in the summer of 2023, this bi-annual competition is specifically for talented young African American pianists.

The Nina Simone Piano Competition is a partnership between the Art of the Piano Festival and Foundation led by Awadagin Pratt, the Sphinx Organization, the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and the UC College-Conservatory of Music.

The aim of this Competition is to give young African American 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 CCM's campus in June of 2023. Prize winners will have automatic admittance to the Art of the Piano Festival in 2024, in addition to cash prizes. Three finalists selected from the Artists and/or the Senior divisions will also perform with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra in October 2023 as part of the CSO's season subscription series, and as the concerto portion of the competition.

• Artist Division: ages 18 and up (born on or before June 24, 2005)
• Senior Division: ages 14-18 (born between June 24, 2005, and June 19, 2009)
• Junior Division: ages 10-13 (born between June 24, 2010, and June 19, 2013)

Grand Prize: $50,000

Artist Division Prizes (18 and up)

• 1st prize: $30,000 (+ $20,000 if this person wins the concerto portion/grand prize)
• 2nd prize: $20,000
• 3rd prize: $10,000

Senior Division (ages 14 - 17)

• 1st prize: $10,000 (+ $40,000 if this person wins the concerto portion/grand prize)
• 2nd prize: $5,000
• 3rd prize: $3,000

Junior Division (ages 10-13)

• 1st prize: $5,000
• 2nd prize: $3,000
• 3rd prize: $2,000

Applications are open now and full rules, including application information according to division, can be found on the Nina Simone Piano Competition website. The application portal can also be found on the competition's official website.

Contact Sara Danner Dukic, general manager of the Art of the Piano Festival/Nina Simone Piano Competition, for additional information.

Featured image at top: Promotional graphic for the Nina Simone Piano Competition for African American pianists.