International Competitions

The University of Music and Performing Arts Graz (KUG) organises and coordinates the following international competitions.

The International Competition "Franz Schubert and Modern Music" (FS&MM) - member of the World Federation of International Music Competitions and the Alink-Argerich-Foundation - is a chamber music competition that was launched in 1989. Since then, musicians from all over the world have come to Graz every three years to face a top-class jury. The presidium of this competition is artistically responsible (chair: Rector Georg Schulz, Joseph Breinl, Chia Chou). Next competition: 2025 (new category: Piano Duo).

The amplification of the chamber music repertoire is being actively promoted in connection with the FS&MM-competition. At the same time, Composition Competitions in alternating categories are announced internationally. Next competition in the category Trio for Piano, Violin and Violoncello: 2024.

The Jazz Comp Graz - organised by the KUG Institute for Jazz - took place for the fourth time in 2021. Next competition:  2024.

The Johann Joseph Fux Opera Composition Competition of the State of Styria is an invited competition, with the aims to promote the creation of new works for musical theatre and to promote the performance of contemporary works for musical theatre as an important element of training. Internationally recognised composers are invited by a jury of experts to submit concepts and composition samples. In a three-stage process, two selected works will be premiered by students of the  University of Music and Performing Arts Graz in cooperation with ORF musikprotokoll and steirischer herbst.The current competition edition runs until 2023, with world premieres by the Institute for Music Drama/Opera in October 2022 and 2023.

The 7th International Jenö Takács Piano Competition to promote young piano talent will take place in Oberschützen from November 6 to 9, 2024, under the supervision of Aima Labra Makk.

In February 2020, the International Cello Competition "Anna Kull" took place for the first time. This newly designed competition for young talents mainly focused on promoting young artists.

| Foto: Alexander Wenzel
| Foto: The Schubidu Quartet
| Foto: Alexander Wenzel