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Queen Elisabeth Competition

Brussels, Belgium

Next edition

Edition: 2027
Dates: 9 May to 2 June 2027 (Voice 2027)
Location: Brussels
Registration deadline: Wednesday 25 November 2026, 12:00 noon GMT
Fee: €120 non-refundable

Overview

The Queen Elisabeth Competition is a four-discipline competition in Brussels that rotates by discipline, with Voice 2027, Violin 2028, Piano 2029 and Cello 2030 announced. Candidates apply online via the competition site after a video-based preselection behind closed doors; there are public Round 1, semi-final and final rounds, with the final performed with a symphony orchestra.

Organiser: Queen Elisabeth Competition, an independent non-profit association (per official site)
Instruments: Piano, Violin, Cello, Voice
Category: Solo piano, Solo violin, Solo cello, Opera & general voice
Rotating: Voice 2027, Violin 2028, Piano 2029, Cello 2030
Next edition: Voice
Violin: next in 2028 · Piano: next in 2029 · Cello: next in 2030
Age limits: Voice 2027: at least 18 and under 32 on 31 December 2026

Rules & repertoire

Registration & fee

Born from 1 January 1995 to 31 December 2008, any nationality, based on age 18 through 31 on 31 December 2026. Previous Voice laureates cannot enter; nobody may appear in the public Voice rounds more than twice.
Apply and pay the non-refundable €120 in the official online form by 25 November 2026 at 12:00 GMT (13:00 in Germany). Submit the full programme and three videos. The published rules do not specify whether the online form requests a recommendation letter. Results by 15 March 2027.

Rounds & time limits

Video preselection · three works · piano accompaniment

Choose three works covering at least two languages and two periods. Piano accompaniment is mandatory. Upload one unedited single-take file per work, with chest and face visible, and enter the date and place for each recording. Record within a year of the application deadline. Confirm authenticity, soloist identity, no edits and clearance for each recording in the form. Fixed camera and professional audio are recommended. Video works may carry into live rounds.

First round · 9–10 May · max. 10 min

Perform two self-selected pieces with piano, in different languages and different periods. Choices are opera arias, oratorio arias, Lieder and art songs, with at least one opera or oratorio aria. Both must fit within 10 minutes. Choose your order. Twenty-four advance.

Semifinal · 12–13 May · about 20 min

Prepare two separate piano-accompanied recital programmes, each up to 18 minutes, plus the commissioned voice-and-piano work of about 3 minutes. No first-round repeats. One work up to 9 minutes may appear in both programmes. At most two works by any one composer per programme; cycles and portions of cycles each count as one.
Perform the unpublished commission and one of the programmes, selected by the jury about 29 hours before your appearance. The commission arrives after definitive acceptance and may not be performed publicly before the competition. Twelve advance.

Final · 20–22 May · about 20 min · orchestra

Choose three to five works, at least one opera aria, at least two languages and at most two works by any one composer. Exclude works performed in the semifinal. The organizer may request orchestral material or changes if parts or forces are unavailable.

Repertoire

Sing in original language and key, from memory except oratorio arias. Use published transpositions for piano-accompanied songs. Request permission to use scores for contemporary works by 9 March 2027. No self-composed or self-arranged works.
Programme locks at the deadline subject to organizer-required changes. Accepted singers submit scans for all works and indicate cuts, using full scores or vocal reductions for the final. Arrive 6 May and attend draw on 7 May. First six laureates may be required for engagements through 30 June 2027.

Source: Official Voice 2027 application · Official Voice 2027 rules (PDF)

Jury & prizes

Jury

Not published on the official pages we could check.

Prizes

2026 Cello prizes (EUR): 1st 25,000 (Queen Mathilde Prize); 2nd 20,000; 3rd 17,000; 4th 12,500; 5th 10,000; 6th 8,000; unranked laureates 4,000 each; Klara Prize 2,500; Prix RTBF Musiq3 2,500. First prize also receives the Casals Goffriller cello on four-year loan.

Past editions

2026 — Brussels (Palais des Beaux-Arts / Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel) source
Cello: 1st Ettore Pagano (EUR 25,000, Queen Mathilde Prize / International Queen Elisabeth Grand Prize).
2025 — Brussels source
Piano: 1st Nikola Meeuwsen.
2024 — Brussels source
Violin: 1st Dmytro Udovychenko.
2023 — Brussels source
Voice: 1st Taehan Kim (baritone).
2022 — Brussels source
Cello: 1st Hayoung Choi.

Summarised from official sources, last checked 14 Nov 2026. Main source