2023 Competition Prizes

A cash prize pool of $205,000 is on offer for The Sydney 2023. 

Prize Value
Ernest Hutcheson First Prize
Donated by The Friends of the Sydney International Piano Competition
$50,000
Percy Grainger Second Prize
Donated by founder of Philanthropy Initiative Australia Loz Copley
$25,000
George Frederick Boyle Third Prize
Donated by JBMandM in memory of Jim and Joan Bonner, Jane & Frazer Davey, Liz & Gundo Gibson, Gary Nash, Anonymous x 2
$20,000
William Murdoch Fourth Prize
Donated by Anonymous
$15,000
Arthur Benjamin Fifth Prize
Donated by Universal Music Australia
$10,000
Noel Mewtown-Wood Sixth Prize
Donated by Rosalind Carlson OAM
$7,500
Eileen Joyce Best Overall Concerto
Donated by Drs Keith & Eileen Ong
$5,000
Roy Agnew Best 18th Century Concerto
Donated by A/Prof Michael Stubbs in celebration of his aunt, Australian pianist Ruth Gerald
$5,000
Miriam Hyde Best 19th/20th Century Concerto
Donated by Janice Tuynman in memory of her husband Hank Tuynman
$5,000
Hephzibah Menuhin Best Sonata with Violin and Piano
Donated by David and Jan Robinson
$3,000
Geoffrey Parsons Best Sonata with Cello and Piano
Donated by Minnie Biggs
$3,000
Una Bourne Best Accompanist Prize
Donated by Margaret Taylor in memory of her late husband Major Derek Noel Taylor MBE ARCM LTCL psm JP
$3,000
Edward Cahill Best Preliminaries Round 1 Recital
Donated by Friends of Chopin Australia Ltd
$3,000
Isador Goodman Best Preliminaries Round 2 Recital
Donated by the Victorian Friends of The Sydney
$3,000
Ignaz Friedman Best Semi Final Recital
Donated by Dr Robert Mitchell in memory of Denis Condon
$3,000
Geoffrey Tozer Most Promising Pianist not Proceeding to the Finals
Donated by Joan Adler
$5,000
Nancy Weir Best Australian Pianist + additional $5,000 if competitor reaches the Final Round
Donated by Youth Music Federation Australia
$10,000
Malcolm Williamson Best Performance of an Australian Piece
Donated by Dr Robert Mitchell in memory of Denis Condon
$5,000
Rex Hobcroft People’s Choice
Sponsored by KAWAI
$10,000
Rhondda Gillespie Best Performance of a work from any period before 1950 by a rarely-played and unduly neglected composer
Donated by Dr Harold Fabrikant AM
$1,500
Best Program Presentation in the Semi Final
Donated by Barbara Leser
$3,000
Best Encore in the Semi Finals
Donated by Thomas (Tom) Chvojka and Supported by a gift from the late Mrs Jana Chvojka
$3,000
Prizes for each of the six Semi Finalists not proceeding to the Finals; $1,000 each
Donated by Mrs Wendy Weight OAM
$6,000
Medal Given to the Most Promising Competitor Plus $1,000
Donated by Graham Wickes in memory of Australian pianist Dennis Hennig
$1,000

 

Additional Prizes

The First Prize Winner will have the following engagements:

– A national tour of Australia supported by a grant from the Bequest of Harry Colligan and Lionel Hann

– A recital for the Australian Festival of Chamber Music

– An invitation to be Artistic Director of one edition of Out West Piano Fest

– A recital at Wigmore Hall in London

– A recording on the Hyperion Records label

– A digital release immediately after the competition and a double CD release taken from the live recordings during the competition on the Decca label

– A concert engagement at the Bard Music Festival, New York

– A recital for Music in the Studio Dubai Opera

– A concert engagement for the Amigos de Música Os Agostas Portugal

– Career development package from YCAT/CAG
The prize winners will receive advice and support from both Young Classical Artists Trust in London and Concert Artists Guild in NY. Alongside personal advice sessions focusing on next steps and challenges in building career opportunities, they will receive extra training on social media and digital platforms. Where possible, CAG/YCAT will help facilitate initial industry introductions.