5th Shigeru Kawai International Piano Competition starts from July 26, 2025
Watch the 5th Shigeru Kawai International Piano Competition on the official SKIPC YouTube channel. The Shigeru Kawai competition is hosted in Tokyo, Japan, from July 26 to August 3 by Kawai. Honouring Mr Shigeru Kawai, the 2nd president of Kawai.
The Shigeru Kawai International Piano Competition (SKIPC), established in 2017, aims to discover and nurture the next generation of pianists, promote international exchange, and contribute to the development of global music culture. Since its inception, SKIPC has been held four times, attracting many promising pianists from around the world and concluding each time with enthusiastic responses from audiences and great success.
Competition Schedule and key dates
| Lottery | July 25, 2025 | Kawai Omotesando Concert Salon “Pause” | |
| 1st Round | July 26 – 28, 2025 | ||
| Semifinal Round | July 29 – 30, 2025 | ||
| Final Round | August 2, 2025 | Shibuya Cultural Center Owada “Sakura Hall” | |
| Prize Winners’ Concert | August 3, 2025 | Kawai Omotesando Concert Salon “Pause” | |
SKIPC Chairperson and Jury
Chairperson of the Jury
Katusmi UEDA (Japan)
Jury Members (in alphabetical order)
Philippe GIUSIANO (France)
Kevin KENNER (USA)
Kayo MIKI (Japan)
Pavel NERSESSIAN (Russia)
Noriko OGAWA (Japan)
Michiko OKAMOTO (Japan)
In the Final Round, as in previous editions of the Competition, piano concertos will be performed on two Shigeru Kawai SK-EX concert grand pianos. And for the first time in the competition’s history, two SK-EX full concert grand pianos with slightly different tonal characteristics will be prepared for the final round. Finalists will select their instrument the day before the performance. This new approach is designed to give young contestants—many of whom are expected to go on to compete in other international competitions—the valuable experience of making a quick yet critical decision in a competition setting: selecting a piano under time constraints.
The orchestral parts of the concertos will be performed by Andrey Pisarev, professor at the Moscow State Conservatory and world-renowned pianist, and Alexei Melnikov, an internationally acclaimed young pianist, both of whom studied under the late Sergei Dorensky. With their powerful musical support, the finalists will have the opportunity to fully express their artistic abilities.
The fifth edition of the competition has attracted 324 entries from 22 countries and regions around the world. A total of 56 contestants will compete in the first round: 55 who advanced through the preliminary screening, along with the winner of the Shigeru Kawai Piano Competition Spain‑Italy 2025, held in Madrid, Spain from May 13 to 16.
This year’s competition will be streamed live on the official Shigeru Kawai International Piano Competition YouTube channel. Don’t miss the remarkable performances of these promising young pianists. For full competition details, visit Shigeru Kawai International Piano Competition Official Website.
