The Concours International de Harpe de Paris will hold its inaugural edition in the fall of 2028, with specific dates to be announced. The competition was originally scheduled for Oct. 25–30, 2027, before being postponed to the fall of 2028 with an updated age eligibility range. The competition is open to harpists of all nationalities born between Oct. 23, 1996, and Oct. 23, 2013. Applications will open March 1, 2028, and must be submitted before May 31, 2028.
The competition will include a video pre-selection round followed by three stages of live competition in Paris. Prizes will be awarded to the top three competitors, as well as special prizes, with an estimated total value of €10,000. The first prize winner will receive a Camac Canopée harp (value of €55,000) and invitations to professional concert engagements and other projects. Alexandra Bidi, harpist of the Orchestre de Paris, is the competition’s artistic director. Harpist and composer Benoît Wery is the competition president. Isabelle Moretti will serve as president of the jury.
Required repertoire is listed below. Visit the competition website for more details and specific editions.
Video pre-selection stage
- Wilhelm Posse, Etude No. 4 in C minor
- Gabriel Fauré, Impromptu
- One free choice piece (maximum duration 8 minutes)
First stage
Maximum duration: 35 minutes onstage
- One free-choice published work written between 1600 and 1750
- Gabriel Fauré, Impromptu
- Choose one:
- Germaine Tailleferre, Sonate
- Marcel Tournier, Sonatine Op. 30
- Pierick Houdy, Sonate
Second stage (semifinal)
Maximum duration: 45 minutes onstage
Candidates must select a free-choice recital program with a suitable theme, and must give a one- to two-minute presentation in French or English articulating their chosen musical theme. The program must include:
- One contemporary work written after 2000 (maximum duration 8 minutes)
- Benoît Wery, Les Valses pour harpe
Third stage (final)
- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Concerto for Flute and Harp K299, with orchestra (candidate’s choice of cadenzas)
- One free-choice solo work written after 1870, which must not have been included in any of the previous stages (maximum duration 6 minutes)
