Art of the Piano, led by Awadagin Pratt, is thrilled to hold its inaugural Nina Simone Piano Competition.  Taking place in the summer of 2023, this biennial competition is specifically for talented young African American pianists.  Anyone looking to book an African American pianist of any age will not have to work hard to find them!

The aim of this Competition is to give these young artists a highly visible platform to showcase their skills, gain opportunities, experience, and support.  Additionally, the Competition aims to get more African American artists on concert stages in general, to commission new works, and to add more African American pianistic voices to the classical canon.

The competition will be held on the campus of University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music in June of 2023.  Prize winners will have automatic admittance to the Art of the Piano Festival in 2024, in addition to cash prizes.  Three finalists selected from the Artists and/or the Senior divisions, will also perform with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra in the fall of 2023 as part of their season subscription, and as the concerto portion of the competition.