Hilton Head International Piano Competition
A week of pianists playing for a jury each March, run by the Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra, with ticketed rounds and a finals night.
- When: March, with the next competition's dates not yet posted on the official site
- Tickets: The 2026 rounds were $20 each (students and children free), with a $60 Gold Pass for Rounds I and II. Finals night was $90, $70 or $25
- Hosted by: Hilton Head International Piano Competition
- Usual month: March. The 2026 competition ran March 16 to 21, and BravoPiano! 2027 is listed for March 10 to 15
- Who plays: Adults 18 to 30 in the adult competition and ages 13 to 17 in the young artist competition
- Next competition: No dates or venue are posted yet. Check the organizer's site
The Hilton Head International Piano Competition, usually shortened to HHIPC, was started by the Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra in 1996. Pianists from around the world come to the island to play in front of an international jury, and the public can buy tickets to hear the rounds and the finals.
The competition runs on a three-year cycle: an adult competition, a young artist competition and the BravoPiano! festival. The 2025 competition was the 27th and was for adults, and the 2026 young artist competition was the 28th. The organizer has not posted dates or a venue for the next competition, so this page gives the usual month and what the last one looked like.
How the Piano Competition Works
Each competition is judged by a jury and played in rounds, ending with a finals night and an awards ceremony. The 2026 week, which is the latest the organizer has published, ran like this.
Preliminary rounds
March 16 to 19, 2026, afternoons and evenings
St. Luke's Anglican Church, 50 Pope Avenue
Two days of Round I, then two days of Round II. Tickets were $20 for a round, with students and children free, or $60 for a Gold Pass covering both rounds.
Master classes and a lecture recital
March 20, 2026
St. Luke's Anglican Church, 50 Pope Avenue
Two master classes and a lecture recital on Chopin's études by jury chair Ian Hobson. Tickets were $20, with students and children free.
Round III and the awards ceremony
Saturday, March 21, 2026, 7 p.m.
First Presbyterian Church, 540 William Hilton Parkway
The finalists play and the prizes are announced. Tickets were $90, $70 or $25.
What the Winners Receive
The adult competition in 2025 had a $43,000 cash pool, with $20,000 for first prize, plus a return engagement with the orchestra, a professional CD on the Steinway label and career management. The 2026 young artist competition had a $25,000 cash pool, and the first-prize winner returns to play a concerto with the orchestra in the 2026-27 season.
Jueon Lee, age 14
Of South Korea. The 2026 prizes also went to winners from China, Australia and the United States, aged 13 to 17.
BravoPiano! 2027
The organizer and the Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra present BravoPiano! as the third year of the cycle. Its site lists the 2027 festival for March 10 to 15 and says that details, including ticket information, will be posted soon. It does not yet give a venue. Check the BravoPiano! page for updates.
More music on the island
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the Hilton Head International Piano Competition?
In March. The 2026 competition ran March 16 to 21, and the organizer has not posted dates for the next one. Its BravoPiano! festival is listed for March 10 to 15, 2027.
Where is the Hilton Head International Piano Competition held?
In 2026 the rounds and master classes were at St. Luke's Anglican Church, 50 Pope Avenue, and the finals were at First Presbyterian Church, 540 William Hilton Parkway. The organizer has not announced venues for the next competition.
Can the public attend the piano competition?
Tickets were sold for every part of the 2026 competition: $20 for a round (students and children free), $60 for a Gold Pass for Rounds I and II, and $90, $70 or $25 for finals night.
Who can enter the Hilton Head International Piano Competition?
Pianists aged 18 to 30 enter the adult competition, and ages 13 to 17 enter the young artist competition.
Who runs the Hilton Head International Piano Competition?
The Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra started it in 1996. It now runs as the Hilton Head International Piano Competition, and the organizer's site is hhipc.org.
How often is the competition held?
The organizer describes a three-year cycle of an adult competition, a young artist competition and the BravoPiano! festival. The 2025 adult competition was the 27th and the 2026 young artist competition was the 28th.
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