2025-2026 Utah Liszt Festival and Competition
January 20-22, 2026
Directed by Dr. Vedrana Subotic
Registration
Registration opens on November 5th and closes on January 5th, 2026
Competition Registration fee is $30 per each category entered
University of Utah cordially invites you and your students to take part in the 2025-2026 Utah Liszt Festival and Competition. The Utah Liszt Festival and Competition - sponsored by the American Liszt Society - includes masterclasses, competitions, and solo and ensemble performances. Admission to all Festival masterclasses and performance is free.
Festival Schedule
Tuesday, January 20
Concert: Dr. Steven Spooner
7:30 p.m. | Libby Gardner Concert Hall
Wednesday, January 21
Masterclass: Dr. Steven Spooner
12:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. | Libby Gardner Concert Hall
Concert: “The Art of the Transcription” Dr. Sergei Kvitko
4:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. | Libby Gardner Concert
Concert: Competition FInals - Young Artists, 7:30 p.m. | Libby Gardner Concert Hall
Thursday, January 22
Masterclass: Dr. Steven Spooner
12:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. Libby Gardner Concert Hall
Masterclass: Dr. Vedrana Subotic
4:00pm-6:00p.m. | Libby Gardner Hall
Concert: Competition Finals - MIni Artist & Junior Artists
7:30 p.m. | Libby Gardner Concert Hall
Competition
Issued rules and procedures are established to regulate all matters pertaining to applications, auditions, repertory requirements, calendar, scheduling, and operation of the competition.
The 2025-2026 Utah Liszt Festival Junior Piano Competition and Young Artists Piano Competition are open to pianists of any nationality, ages 10-13 (Mini Artist) ages 14-18 (Junior) and pianists currently enrolled in a collegiate undergraduate program (Young Artists).
Young Artist Liszt Piano Competition
First Prize: $300
Second Prize: $200
Third Prize: $100
Concert performance, January 21 at 7:30pm, Libby Gardner Concert Hall
Young Artist Romantic Era Piano Competition
First Prize: $300
Second Prize: $200
Third Prize:$100
Concert performance, January 21 at 7:30pm, Libby Gardner Concert Hall
Junior Liszt Piano Competition
First Prize: $300
Second Prize:$200
Third Prize:$100
Concert performance, January 22 at 7:30pm, Libby Gardner
Junior Romantic Era Piano Competition
First Prize: $300
Second Prize:$200
Third Prize:$100
First Prize $50 - Given by the UMTA Student Chapter
Concert performance, January 22 at 7:30pm, Libby Gardner Concert Hall
Mini Artist Romantic Era Piano Competition
First Prize: $100 and concert performance
Finalists - concert performance, January 22 at 7:30pm, Libby Gardner Concert Hall
Vedrana Subotic, President
American Liszt Society, Utah Chapter
Director, Utah Liszt Festival and Competition
v.subotic@utah.edu
801-230-2817
Application Materials
The following items must be submitted electronically and received by January 5, 2026. Complete and send following to v.subotic@utah.edu
- Registration form
- Liability Waiver
- Photo Release
- Color photograph in digital format, high resolution and suitable for publicity
- A copy of legal documents verifying date of birth
- Video Recording
2025 Jury
Live Round:
Steven Spooner
Sergei Kvitko
Paolo Gualdi
Steven Vanhauwaert
Vedrana Subotic
Gretchen Tanner
Video Round:
Vedrana Subotic
Steven Vanhauwaert
Gretchen Tanner
Competition Procedures and Repertory
- The 2025-2026 Utah Liszt Piano Competition consists of four Categories: Mini Artists (Liszt or Romantic work), Junior Artists - Romantic, Junior Artists - Liszt, Junior Artists - Romantic, Young Artists - Liszt, and Young Artists -
- Each Category consists of two Rounds: Video and Live
- Each competitor will submit one work by Liszt or/and by a Romantic Era Composer (1825-1900) for the Video Round. The Video Round jury will select up to 5 competitors to advance to the Live Round in each Competition Category. At the conclusion of the Live Round, the Jury will select three winners in each category.
- All competitors will furnish their own transportation to and arrange their own accommodations during the Live Round of the of the Competition.
- Competitors should submit completed application and release forms and a video recording to v.subotic@utah.edu no later than January 5, 2026
- Repertory
- Video Round: up to 30 minutes. Individual movements of large-scale works are permitted. The work or movement must be recorded in one take. The video must be uploaded via the method outlined in the application. Links to YouTube or other platforms are accepted. The video must be recorded in one take from one camera angle which shows the keyboard, face, hands, and feet from audience-view for the entire performance.
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- Live Round: Selected competitors must perform the same work from their video submission on January 21, (Young Artists) or January 22, (Mini Artists & Junior) in Libby Gardner Hall on the University of Utah Campus, in the order drawn at 7pm in Room 220 on each respective date. The Live Round is livestreamed.
- The names of the competition winners will be announced by email and on the SOM website under Community/Liszt Festival and Competition no later than January 24,