Prizewinners Announced at the International Beethoven Piano Competition Vienna

American pianist Derek Hartman won First Prize of €30,000 and a Bösendorfer grand piano

The 17th edition of the International Beethoven Piano Competition Vienna, hosted at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna, has recently come to a close.

Following the Grand Final in the Golden Hall of the Musikverein, the American pianist Derek Hartman was named the winner.  He receives a cash prize of €30,000, as well as a Bösendorfer Grand Piano Model 214 VC.

The Second Prize of €12,000 was divided between Martin Nöbauer and Jonas Stark.

In 2025, the competition jury comprised Jan Jiracek von Arnim (Chair), HieYon Choi, Ingrid Fliter, Sofya Gulyak, Robert Levin, Hélène Mercier, Ronan O'Hora, Antti Siirala, and Jasminka Stančul.

"We warmly congratulate Derek Hartman on winning the title," the competition's organizers wrote. "Martin Nöbauer and Jonas Stark also delivered outstanding performances and share second place in the competition."

"Many thanks to our partners and sponsors, the Vienna Symphony Orchestra, our conductor Petr Popelka, the Musikverein Vienna and of course to our amazing audience for making this event possible! We are looking forward to our next Beethoven competition in 2029."

A previous student of Boris Slutsky and James Giles, Hartman is presently a DMA candidate at the Yale School of Music.

His accolades include winning First Prize in the Chicago International Music Competition’s Professional Concert Artist category and Third Prize at the Washington International Piano Competition. Hartman is also currently a Lecturer of Piano at Vanderbilt University’s Blair School of Music.