In 2026 we proudly continue the Ljubljana Festival International Piano Competition, an event that combines first-class organisation and the highest level of musicianship. This edition is expected to set even higher standards of artistic excellence. From its outset, the competition has established itself as an important international platform for young pianists and a springboard for their further professional development. Victory at the first edition opened the door to international success for winner Kai-Min Chang and brought him numerous new opportunities. His career since then, which has led him to prestigious competitions such as the Leeds International Piano Competition and the Chopin Competition in Warsaw, as well as performances with renowned orchestras including the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and the National Taiwan Symphony Orchestra, confirms that our competition supports and helps shape the future of outstanding musicians. The forthcoming 2026 edition promises an even higher level. With a distinguished 11-member international jury chaired by Dubravka Tomšič Srebotnjak, a prize fund of more than €100,000 and numerous performance opportunities at important cultural institutions, we aim to offer competitors far more than a prize alone. The culmination of the competition will be the final round, in which the finalists will perform with the RTV Slovenia Symphony Orchestra – one of Slovenia’s finest ensembles, with an established international reputation. Our goal is to provide young pianists with visibility, experience and the opportunity to establish themselves on the international classical music scene. I am confident that this edition will once again reveal a new rising star and that, with the support of the Ljubljana Festival, we will help them take their place on the world’s leading concert stages.