Telekom Beethoven Competition 2025

Cash prizes & concert engagements

Our prizewinners receive, in addition to cash prizes, prestigious national and international concert engagements.

1st prize: 50,000 €

• Debut concert at the Beethovenfest Bonn 2026
• International concerts as part of the Steinway Prizewinner Concerts Network with contact to most renowed and lagerst concert halls in europe like Elbphilharmonie Hamburg, Tonhalle Düsseldorf and so on.
• Debut concert with the Beethoven Orchester Bonn at their New Year´s Concert 2026
• Concert tour with the Klassische Philharmonie Bonn in Germany with over 10 concerts, e.g. Berlin (Konzerthaus am Gendarmenmarkt), Hamburg (Laeiszhalle), Munich (Herkulessaal), Bremen (Die Glocke), Hannover (Funkhaus) in 2026/27
• European Academy for Music recital, Montepulciano, Tuscany, Italy
• “Junge Stars der Klassik” recital, Kirchheimbolanden
• Debut at Beethoven Easter Festival Krakow 
• Concerts with Beethoven Trio Bonn

2nd prize: 25,000 €

• Debut concert at the Beethovenfest Bonn 2027
• Chamber music hall recital at the Beethoven-Haus Bonn
• European Academiy for Music recital, Montepulciano, Tuscany, Italy
• “Junge Stars der Klassik” recital, Kirchheimbolanden

3rd prize: 10,000 €

• Chamber music hall recital at the Beethoven-Haus Bonn
• “Junge Stars der Klassik” recital, Kirchheimbolanden

and many more

Special prizes

Best interpretation of a piano concerto in the final
2,000 €

Special prize for chamber music, donated by the Beethoven Trio Bonn
2,000 €

Special prize for the best interpretation of a piece by a female composer in the second round

1,000 €

Entry to the Telekom Beethoven Competition 2025 is open to pianists from all nations, as well as stateless persons, who have reached the legal age of maturity under their respective domestic laws and who have not yet reached the age of 33. This means, for example, that participants must have been born after December 13, 1992 (corresponding to the completion of their 32nd year of life / 32nd birthday) and before December 3, 2007 (corresponding to the completion of their 18th year of life / 18th birthday). The person must have been born between December 13, 1992, and December 3, 2007, inclusive. Students of judging panel members (at the time of application, referring to regular instruction over a period of at least one year in the last three years before the Competition) are not eligible to participate. In addition, prior prize winners of the International Telekom Beethoven Competition 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021 or 2023 (1st, 2nd, or 3rd prize) are not eligible to participate again.

A selection committee will choose 28 Participants from all the completed registration forms received; they will be invited to the first round in Bonn.

Please download and read the competition rules before applying.

Please confirm your application only if you agree to have your participant data shared with Telekom and your profile data stored on Muvac even after the application period.

IMPORTANT: Please note that if you confirm your participation, we will need a video in which you answer the following questions in a short clip. The video must be submitted by June 11, 2025 (via email or as a Google Drive file). Therefore, it is advisable to record this video independently of your participation confirmation.

Questions:

• What is your name, how old are you, where are you from, and where are you recording the video?
• What are you most looking forward to during the competition?
• What is the most adventurous experience you have had in your concert life?
• What rituals do you have right before a concert?
• What goes through your mind when you step onto the stage?
• What is your best memory of participating in a competition?

The video should meet the following requirements:

Quiet Environment: Please ensure that your recording is made in a quiet environment with minimal distractions. Avoid background noise such as wind, street noise, or sounds from adjacent rooms (e.g., running showers or conversations).

Good Lighting: Proper lighting is essential so that your face and hands are clearly visible. Ideally, use natural daylight and position yourself so that the light falls on you from the front. If necessary, use additional lamps to avoid shadows.

Camera Position: Place the camera at eye level for a natural perspective. A position that is too low or too high may appear unflattering.

Stable Recording: Use a tripod or a stable surface to prevent shaky footage. A steady image makes it easier for the audience to watch.

High-Quality Audio: If possible, use an external microphone or ensure that your recording device captures clear and undistorted sound. Avoid excessive room echo or background noise in the audio track.