FINALS!
| Congratulations to all our finalists!The finals will take place as follows: North Final – Date: Saturday 22nd March 2025 –Venue: The Clothworkers Centenary Hall, Leeds University School of Music, LS2 3AR –Adjudicator: Julian Saphir South West Final –Date: Saturday 22nd March 2025 –Venue: Bristol Music Club, 76 St Paul’s Rd, Clifton, Bristol, BS8 1LP –Adjudicator: Anthony Williams London Final – Date: Sunday 30th March 2025 – Venue: Royal Academy of Music, Marylebone Road, London, NW1 5HT – Adjudicator: TBC Finalists will attend one of three finals. They are expected to compete in the final for the region in which they originally entered. If, for any reason, the finalist is unable to attend their designated final but would like to compete in a different locations, please contact admin@epta-uk.org as soon as possible to discuss alternative arrangements. We also expect that the repertoire performed in Round 1 will remain unchanged for the final. If there are any concerns regarding this, please let admin@epta-uk.org know at the earliest opportunity. Nearer to the event, Andrew Higgins, EPTA Business Manager, will be in touch with further details, including the programme for the day. We greatly appreciate your participation in the competition and wish all our finalists the very best of luck. |
| Purchase your tickets for the final! |
| Entrance fee: Adults £5.00 Children under 14 receive free entrance. Please ensure you purchase a ticket for the correct final! Buy your tickets for North Final her – https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/epta-piano-competition-final-north-and-north-west-tickets-1262401680409?aff=oddtdtcreator Includes Nottingham, Newcastle, Manchester and Yorkshire. Buy your tickets for South West Final here – https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/epta-piano-competition-south-west-and-wales-tickets-1262446183519?aff=oddtdtcreator Includes Gloucester, Devon, Bristol and Swansea/Wales. Buy your tickets for London Final here – https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/epta-piano-competition-final-london-and-the-east-tickets-1262341129299?aff=oddtdtcreator Includes Kent, Essex, London, Cambridge and Norfolk. |
EPTA UK’s annual Piano Competition returns in 2025. Here’s what you need to know…
EPTA UK Piano Competition 2025 aims to inspire, encourage, motivate, and honour high levels of piano playing and piano teaching nationwide, and to promote musical awareness through participation in performing.
Rules of Entry
- The competition has an age limit of 25 and under (at 31st August 2025) for all graded categories.
- Entrants are allowed to enter one class only.
Categories
- Graded Classes – These are open to all pianists except for principal study pianists at specialist music schools or Junior Conservatoires. Participants from these institutions who are not principal study will need to confirm this on the entry form. The competition organisers reserve the right to contact the institution concerned if in any doubt.
- Age Range Classes – These are open to all pianists including those at a specialist music school or Junior Conservatoire. If the demand for any Age Range Class is substantial, the adjudicator retains the right to select in advance part of the programme.
Round 1
- All participants will receive verbal and written adjudications and certificates of entry.
- Round 1 adjudicators and venues will be chosen by the Regional Organiser.
- Certificates of ‘high commendation’ will be awarded where appropriate by the adjudicator.
- The adjudicator will choose one performer from each class in each category to go forward into the regional final rounds. A second can be considered only in exceptional circumstances if the adjudicator deems both performances to be ‘equally’ worthy.
- Performances selected for the regional final rounds must be “Outstanding”
It is not necessary or expected that anyone be ranked according to number or place. - If more than two performers received “Outstanding” a maximum of two may go through. There are no exceptions and this important rule must always be observed.
- If numbers are very small in a class, or no competitor achieves the required standard, there is no obligation to put students through to the regional finals.
- Winners for Classes below Intermediate I (Preparatory & Elementary) will be decided in the first round and prizes awarded accordingly. There will be no progression to the regional Final for these categories.
The preparatory class will have the option of non-competitive entries. All non-competitive entries will receive a certificate of participation. All first rounds must be completed by 28th February 2025.
Regional Finals
- There will be three Regional Finals during March and April; venues, dates and times TBC.
- Classes including and above Intermediate I will be represented in the Regional Finals with 1st, 2nd and 3rd places in each class.
Prizes
Prizes will be awarded to the Regional Heat winner of each of the Graded Classes as follows:
- Preparatory (competitive) Grade 1 or below £15
- Elementary Grades 2–3 £20
Prizes awarded to the Regional final winner of each of the Graded Classes as follows:
- Intermediate I £25
- Intermediate II £30
- Advanced I £35
- Advanced II £40
Prizes awarded to each of the Regional Final winners of each of the Age Classes as follows:
- 12 & Under : £35
- 15 & Under : £45
- 18 & Under : £60
- Over 18: £75
All Classes
Two or more contrasting pieces should be played in each round. The category entry for Graded Classes is determined by the piece of the highest grade in the set, all ages for Age Classes are their age on 31st August 2025.
A repertoire list is available to assist teachers in the categorisation of pieces. This is an ongoing list. For enquiries, please contact admin@epta-uk.org. The competition organisers reserve the right to re-allocate a participant to a different class.
Participants may play the same or different repertoire in round 1 and the regional final so long as the grading level remains the same.
Performance Rules
- No changes to the repertoire is permitted after the final entry date of the competition.
- Performance time limits must be observed. Time starts on the first note and includes the time in between pieces. Pianists are not required to announce their pieces; any spoken introductions must be included in the overall performance time.
- The adjudicator has the right to stop any performance that goes over the time limit. The performer will be adjudicated on the performance heard.
- The adjudicator(s)’s decision is final.
Categories for participants:
| Class | Level | Max. performance time (mins) | Fee (£) |
| Preparatory (non-competitive) | Grade 1 or below | 3 | 7.50 |
| Preparatory (competitive) | Grade 1 or below | 3 | 7.50 |
| Elementary | Grades 2–3 | 5 | 10.00 |
| Intermediate I | Grades 4–5 | 7 | 12.00 |
| Intermediate II | Grades 6–7 | 9 | 15.00 |
| Advanced I | Grade 8 | 10 | 18.00 |
| Advanced II | Post-Grade 8 | 11 | 20.00 |
| Class | Repertoire | Max. performance time (mins) | Fee (£) |
| 12 Years and Under on 31st August 2025 | Two or more contrasting pieces | 12 | 18.00 |
| 15 Years and Under on 31st August 2025 | Two or more contrasting pieces | 15 | 20.00 |
| 18 Years and Under on 31st August 2025 | Two or more contrasting pieces | 18 | 22.50 |
| Over 18 on 1st September 2025 | Two or more contrasting pieces | 25 | 25.00 |
All entries must be submitted via the EPTA UK website form by the closing date set by the organiser of the first rounds. Please check the competition webpage for updates and contact information.
Summary of the Structure of the Competition
Round 1
Please note, all regional competitions are now closed for registrations.
| Date | Region | Venue | Adjudicator | Entry Form Submission Deadline | Organiser |
| 09/02/25 | Kent | Penhurst Church, TN11 8BN | Mary Methuen | 27/01/25 | Nancy Litten |
| 08/02/25 | Essex | Brentwood School, CM15 8EE | Nancy Litten | 27/01/25 | Alex Gray |
| 09/02/25 | London | Mill Hill Library, Hartley Ave, London, NW7 2HX | Neysun Rouhani | 27/01/25 | Marta Maroto |
| 16/02/25 | Cambridge | Gonville & Caius College, CB3 9DS | Adam Swayne | 27/01/25 | Ilga Pitkevica |
| 15/02/25 | Norfolk | Springwood High School, KINGS LYNN, PE30 4AW | Jill Morton | 03/02/25 | Benjamin Howell |
| 09/02/25 | Nottingham | Trent College, Derby Road, Long Eaton, Nottingham NG10 4AD | Nadia Lasserson | 27/01/25 | Beate Toyka |
| 01/02/25 | Newcastle | Valley Gardens Middle School, Valley Gardens, Whitley Bay NE25 9AQ | John Treherne | 27/01/25 | Andrew Higgins |
| 02/02/25 | Manchester | 1 Windsor Road, Hazel Grove, STOCKPORT SK7 4SW | Adam Swayne | 24/01/25 | Amy Wakefield |
| 15/02/25 | Yorkshire | The Clothworkers Centenary Hall, Leeds University School of Music, 12 Cavendish Road, Woodhouse, LS2 3AR | V Proudler & J Garcia | 03/02/25 | Simon Burgess |
| 15/02/15 | South Wales | St. Theodore’s Church in Bridgend, CF33 6DU | Sue Bird | 05/02/25 | Hyelim Morris |
| 01/02/25 | Gloucester | The Ivor Gurney Hall, The King’s School, GL1 2BH | Nadia Lasserson | 24/01/25 | Pippa Harrison |
| 25/01/25 | Devon | St Nicholas Priory, The Mint, Exeter, EX4 3BL | Mark Tanner | 24/01/25 | Ekaterina Shetliffe |
| 23/02/25 | Bristol | Bristol Music Club, 76 St Pauls Road , Clifton BS8 1LP | Michael Young | 09/02/25 | Daniel Lloyd |
| TBD | Oxford | TBD | TBD | TBD | Julie Craven |
Regional Finals
| Date | Venue | Adjudicator | Organiser |
| North Regional Final – Saturday 22nd March 2025 | The Clothworkers Centenary Hall, Leeds University School of Music, 12 Cavendish Road, Woodhouse, LS2 3AR | tbd | |
| South West Regional Final – Saturday 22nd March 2025 | Bristol Music Club 76 St Paul’s Rd, Clifton, Bristol BS8 1LP | tbd | |
| London Regional Final – Sunday 30th March 2025 | Royal Academy of Music Marylebone Road, London NW1 5HT | tbd |
Register for the event here: https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=AEwh36KcZ0yvRLzLQKSb2QJoOrwSL39OpsEzRSwjVfFUOE1ON0RHR1A3RUdTSFY2UUxCVko3S082NS4u&route=shorturl
Pay the entry fee here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/2024-2025-epta-uk-competition-round-1-entry-tickets-1074226463269?aff=oddtdtcreator
