Piano Academy Eppan
The piano academy of Appiano in the footsteps of Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli
About Piano Academy Eppan
An academy in the spirit of Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli
Every year in early November, the town of Appiano sulla strada del vino (Eppan an der Weinstraße) in the province of Bolzano transforms into a piano capital thanks to the Piano Academy Eppan. Organized by the KulturKontakt Eppan association, the academy is an intensive week of masterclasses and concerts that draws young talents from all over the world to South Tyrol.
The connection to this corner of South Tyrol is no coincidence: in the 1960s, the great Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli, while teaching at the Bolzano Conservatory and residing at Schloss Paschbach in Eppan, held his famous masterclasses here for his best students. In 2009, pianist Andrea Bonatta revived that tradition by founding the Piano Academy, which has also included a Junior Academy for younger musicians since 2011.
How the academy works
Each edition selects twenty-four pianists under 30 of any nationality through a video pre-selection. For several days, participants work closely with three internationally renowned professors, receiving individual lessons from each. It is a rare opportunity to engage with different masters and refine one's interpretation, technique, and repertoire.
The path is not only educational but also competitive: at the end of the masterclasses, the professors select the six best performers to advance to the public final.
Public concerts
The week opens to the public with the Open Concert at the Lanserhaus, where all participants present a short program, and culminates with the Michelangeli Concert in the Kultursaal of Appiano. In this gala evening, the six finalists each perform an eighteen-minute program before a jury and the audience, competing for the prizes.
The prizes
- Michelangeli Prize (Municipality of Appiano) — 8,000 euros
- KulturKontakt Eppan Prize — 4,000 euros
- Audience Prize (Rotary Club Bolzano/Bozen) — 3,000 euros
- Special Prize (Volksbank) — a recital in the following concert season of KulturKontakt Eppan
With its high-level masterclasses, evening concerts, and the prestige of the Michelangeli Prize, the Piano Academy Eppan has become a benchmark in the international piano scene and one of the most significant cultural events in the province of Bolzano and the entire Trentino-Alto Adige region.
Piano Academy Eppan — edition 2026
Piano Academy Eppan 2026
From November 2 to 6, 2026, Appiano sulla strada del vino (Eppan an der Weinstraße) in the province of Bolzano hosts a new edition of the Piano Academy. Twenty-four pianists under 30, admitted after a video pre-selection, work with three internationally renowned professors, receiving individual lessons from each.
The week opens to the public with the Open Concert at the Lanserhaus and culminates on November 6 with the Michelangeli Concert in the Kultursaal of Appiano. Applications closed at the end of June 2026; the final list of finalists will be known at the end of the masterclasses.
Programme Piano Academy Eppan 2026
Masterclasses (November 2-5, 2026)
Twenty-four selected pianists attend individual lessons with three international professors. For the 2026 edition, the announced faculty includes Michel Béroff, Andreas Frölich, and Andrea Bonatta, founder and artistic director of the academy.
Open Concert — Lanserhaus (Raiffeisen Forum), Appiano
Participants introduce themselves to the public by performing a short program. Free admission.
Michelangeli Concert — Friday, November 6, 2026, 7:00 PM, Kultursaal, Appiano
Gala evening and competition final: the six finalists selected by the professors each perform an eighteen-minute program. Prizes are awarded at the end.
The names of the twenty-four participants and the six finalists will be announced by the organization during the academy.
Highlights Piano Academy Eppan 2026
The highlight is the Michelangeli Concert on November 6 at the Kultursaal, featuring the six finalists and the awarding of the Michelangeli Prize of 8,000 euros offered by the Municipality of Appiano.
Prices Piano Academy Eppan 2026
Practical information — Piano Academy Eppan
Location
Public concerts are held in Appiano sulla strada del vino (Eppan an der Weinstraße), in the province of Bolzano. The Open Concert takes place at the Lanserhaus (Raiffeisen Forum), while the final, the Michelangeli Concert, is held in the Kultursaal of Appiano.
How to get there
Appiano is just a few kilometers from Bolzano: by car, take the Bolzano Sud exit on the A22 Brenner motorway; by train, arrive at Bolzano station and continue with the SAD bus lines to Appiano.
Tickets and registration
Participation as a pianist is by selection (registration fee and participation fee, with applications closing at the end of June). Evening concerts are open to the public; for schedules and tickets, please visit the official website pianoacademy-eppan.com.
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Where does it take place — Piano Academy Eppan
Kultursaal Eppan / Lanserhaus
Via Gravosa/Krafussweg 25, 39057 Appiano sulla strada del vino/Eppan an der Weinstraße