Competitions › Boston Bach International Organ Competition
Boston Bach International Organ Competition
Overview
International organ competition devoted to the music of J.S. Bach, held every four years in Boston (2018, 2022, 2026; next 2030). Open to organists of any nationality who have completed their degree in organ or church music and are in their first professional position; previous prizewinners and students of jury members are excluded.
- Organiser
- Boston Bach International Organ Competition (BBIOC)
- Instruments
- Organ
- Category
- Organ
- Age limits
- 26–37 (2026: born between 2 September 1988 and 31 August 2000)
Rules & repertoire
Registration & fee
Application by email with form, fee confirmation, ID, CV, short biography, photo, unlisted YouTube recordings of the required repertoire and a signed witness statement.
Rounds & time limits
- Preliminary: recorded submission; 16 selected for live rounds
- Round 1: about 15 minutes per portion
- Round 2: 45 minutes
- Final: 60 minutes
Repertoire
2026 preliminary recording: one trio movement (BWV 527/iii or 528/iii), one large prelude and fugue (BWV 544 or 543), one Orgel-Büchlein chorale (BWV 617 or 624) and one Buxtehude chorale prelude (BuxWV 206 or 209); further Bach repertoire for live rounds per official repertoire list.
Jury & prizes
Jury
- Stephen Farr (Chair)
- Simonetta Fraboni
- Bernhard Klapprott
- Ludger Lohmann
- Rosalind Mohnsen
- Robert Huw Morgan
- Peter Sykes
Prizes
- 1st prize: USD 10,000 (Yuko Hayashi Memorial) and recital at the Boston Bach Birthday
- 2nd prize: USD 7,000
- 3rd prize: USD 5,000
Past editions
- 2026 — Boston (First Lutheran Church, Church of the Advent, Old West Church), 6–13 September 2026 source
1st: Josef Laming; 2nd: Sunkyung Noh; 3rd: Eriko Yamaji
Summarised from official sources, last checked 11 Nov 2026. Main source