Bonn: International Centre of the Piano World
Telekom Beethoven Competition: 04. – 13. December, 2025
In December, Bonn will once again become the international centre of the piano world. In Beethoven’s birthplace, the renowned Telekom Beethoven Competition is challenging outstanding classical pianists from all over the world aged between 18 and 32 to compete for the top three places for the 11th time since 2005.
An international selection committee headed by Pavel Gililov, artistic director and jury president of the competition, hand-picked the 28 participants in spring 2025. They have been preparing for the competition ever since, as the repertoire is extremely demanding, the requirements and expectations are extremely high, and the competition is fierce. Half of the exceptional talents come from Asia, seven of them from South Korea alone, while Europe is represented by eight candidates, including Jonas Stark from Germany.
The competition begins in the concert hall of the Telekomzentrale (Friedrich-Ebert-Allee 140, 53113 Bonn) and is open to the public. Every music lover has the fantastic opportunity to attend the competition. Admission is free, only permitted between each audition. And if you have to wait a little while to get in, that’s no problem, as the competition is livestreamed around the world, including to the Telekom lounge, where you can sit down with a cup of coffee and listen.
In the first round, from Friday 5th to Sunday 7th December, all 28 participants will perform. (Time: 10 a.m. – approx. 9 p.m.) The programme includes a prelude and fugue by Johann Sebastian Bach and one of the last three sonatas, as well as another work by Ludwig van Beethoven. Wonderful piano works, sure to be played beautifully! It’s well worth going along to listen and compare. Don’t forget to keep your fingers crossed! The high-calibre jury will select the twelve most outstanding talents from among the competitors.
In the second round, on Monday, 8th and Tuesday, 9th December, the remaining 12 pianists will be back. (Time: 10 a.m. – approx. 9 p.m.) The competition requires the interpretation of a sonata or variations by Ludwig van Beethoven and a Romantic piano work. The audience, some of whom are very enthusiastic and regularly attend the competition, are now fired up, lively discussions taking place during the breaks about who is the most convincing, and everyone hoping that their favourite will progress. But the jury will decide which six of the participants will be admitted to the semi-finals. The audience will find out the result the next morning.
The semi-final for the six selected contestants will take place on Wednesday, 10 December. (Time: 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.) The programme includes another sonata by Beethoven and a modern work from the 20th century. It’s getting more and more exciting! Only the three pianists who excel in this preliminary round will advance to the next rounds of the competition. They will then have the opportunity to showcase their skills in a different context in two further concerts.
In the chamber music final on Friday, 12 December, the three finalists will perform together with members of the Beethoven Trio Bonn. (7 p.m.) Here they will demonstrate their sensitivity in musical interaction as well as their sense of balance and sound culture. But it begins with a solo performance of a contemporary work from the 21st century, followed by a piano trio by Ludwig van Beethoven performed together with Mikhail Ovrutsky (violin) and Grigory Alumyan (cello). With such contrasting pieces of music, the concert promises to be interesting. Incidentally, the works performed here are the only ones in the entire competition that do not have to be performed from memory. (Tickets are required to attend the chamber music final)
The absolute highlight of the Telekom Beethoven Competition is undoubtedly the orchestra final with the three finalists on Saturday, 13 December. (new venue: Telekom Forum, Landgrabenweg 151, 53227 Bonn, 7 p.m.) Here, the three contenders for the prize will take to the stage together with the Beethoven Orchestra Bonn and each perform a piano concerto by Ludwig van Beethoven under the musical direction of Oksana Lyniv. The exact programme is unknown until then, as the jury will decide which works the finalists will play based on their artistic profile and repertoire.
Before the three pianists begin, they will each introduce themselves in a video. This will allow the audience to learn about their training and mentors, some personal details, as well as their preferences and aspirations. And then the great piano concertos will begin! For anyone who loves Beethoven’s piano concertos and can’t get enough of them, this orchestra finale is a must! You can’t get more Beethoven piano concerto than this! (Admission tickets are also required here)
When the last note has faded away, there is a long, long pause. The audience waits eagerly in the foyer. Then, finally, the jury announces the rankings of the three finalists. The award ceremony, sponsored by Telekom, forms the festive conclusion to the concert evening: the 1st prize (€50,000), the 2nd prize (€25,000) and the 3rd prize (€10,000) are officially announced and presented to the winners.
However, for the young pianists, the concert engagements, long-term support and associated network of concert halls and event organisers that come with the top prizes are certainly more important than the prize money. For example, the first two winners will give their debut concerts at the Beethovenfest in 2026 and 2027, respectively, and the winner will go on a concert tour of Germany with the Klassische Philharmonie Bonn in 2026, visiting over 10 cities. Further concerts in Europe are planned. How wonderful! This gives the audience, who have been so excited about the young artists, the opportunity to hear them again and follow their development.
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