Please introduce in a few words your competition, its history and legacy.
What do you offer to your laureates in terms of career support?
Cara McCool Woolf: Founded in 1989, the New Orleans International Piano Competition (NOIPC) began as an augmentation to our annual summer keyboard festival. Without delay, the competition began expanding in scope, attracting competitors and audiences from around the globe, and quickly became regarded as one of the finest showcases of pianistic talent. Ten years later, an intensive piano academy was also added to the Keyboard Festival called the New Orleans Piano Institute providing talented young students the opportunity to study with our faculty and competition jury members while attending the rounds of the NOIPC. The NOIPC was presented annually until 2012, and now is presented biennially on even-numbered years.
Our laureates receive cash, performance and recording prizes including orchestral and solo performances in New Orleans, the state of Louisiana and throughout the country. Our first prizewinner also receives a contract to record on the Steinway & Sons label. They receive opportunities to teach masterclasses and connect with established artists and pedagogues throughout the world. Are there any novelties/ new aspects of your competition that you have introduced or will introduce? We are looking forward to introducing two new exciting aspects to our 30th New Orleans International Piano Competition in 2026 - A Commissioned Work and a Chamber Music Performance. We are thrilled to feature one of our piano institute alumni - the celebrated composer, pianist Courtney Bryan as the composer of our Commissioned Work to be performed during the Semifinal Round. We are also very excited to be adding a Chamber Music performance to our Final Round.
Tell us a little about your city!
There is no place like New Orleans! We are a city with a rich history and many traditions of the cultural arts - musical, visual, and culinary of course. There’s a dish in New Orleans called Gumbo... everything goes into the same pot with a strong roux holding it together. The result is a delicious mix of flavors and spices that is food for the soul. This is New Orleans. Historically known for our jazz (which some might say is the musical version of gumbo :)), New Orleans also has a rich classical history. Home of the first opera performed in the United States, there is a strong love for the classical arts.
What are your expectations for the membership in the WFIMC?
We are thrilled for what this membership will mean to our laureates having you all as a support network for them as well, and we hope to potentially form partnerships with other WFIMC members. While we are one of the smaller competitions, we still offer our support to the Federation however we can, and look forward to all that this new partnership will bring.
« Cara McCool Woolf, Executive and Artistic Director, NOIPC ©Victoria Z Photography
New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
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