Derek Hartman wins the Beethoven competition in Vienna!

Derek Hartman wins the Beethoven competition in Vienna!

Wien, Österreich - On May 25, 2025, the 17th International Beethoven's piano competition came to an end in the Vienna Music Association. The 28-year-old US pianist Derek Hartman triumphed with his impressive interpretation of the piano concert No. 4. Under the direction of Petr Popelka, Hartman played with the Viennese symphonists and delighted both jury members and the audience.

The victory not only brought Hartman the main prize, but also a prestigious Bösendorfer wing in the model 214 VC as well as prize money of 30,000 euros, donated by the Vienna Insurance Group and the Vienna City Insurance Association. The competition is considered one of the most renowned of its kind and has established itself over the past 60 years as a significant platform for young pianists, as [MDW] describes.

award winners and special features

second place, endowed with 12,000 euros, Jonas Stark shared from Germany and Martin Nöbauer from Steyr. In addition, Nöbauer received the Klemens Kramert special price of 2,000 euros for the best performance among the Austrian participants. Another special prize, the Dichler special prize, went to Tianyou Li. The jury, chaired by Jan Jiracek von Arnim

Hartman is an experienced pianist and lecturer who has already won numerous competitions, including the first prize at the Chicago International Music Competition in 2024. He also achieved third place at the Washington International Piano Competition. He is currently working as a piano lecturer at the Blair School of Music at Vanderbilt University after studying at Northwestern University and the Yale School of Music.

A look at the competition

A total of over 300 applicants from 32 nations competed, 18 of whom were selected for the live rounds in the Golden Hall of the Vienna Music Association. These took place from May 16 to May 22, 2025. Hartman was previously active in the competition and was able to convince with his performance in several rounds, including an online video round.

The historical importance of the competition, mentioned by [ots], is also shown in the list of past winners, which includes well -known pianists such as Mitsuko Uchida and Stefan Vladar. The competition is not only an opportunity for young talents to profile themselves internationally, but also an important event in the classical scene.

The distribution of price and the great interest in the event illustrate the high appreciation that the competition enjoys. Hartman's success marks another milestone in his career and will undoubtedly influence his future concert appearances and pedagogical initiatives.

The following links are available for more information about Derek Hartman and the competition: [Vienna] and [MDW].