WILLEM PIJPER COMPETITION
FIRST EDITION 2027
An award for creativity and innovative musicianship
The Willem Pijper Foundation, together with HKU Utrechts Conservatorium and the Order of Freemasons in the Netherlands, invites musicians to revive the music of one of the most important Dutch composers of the twentieth century, in a way that touches contemporary listeners.
THE ASSIGNMENT
Turn 30 minutes of music into an unforgettable experience
Design a concert programme of 30 minutes. At the heart should be a minimum of ten minutes of music by Willem Pijper, one of the most influential Dutch composers of the twentieth century. Add any works that shed a new light on Pijper’s music, or put his music in a new perspective that appeals to today’s audiences.
You are the architect of this musical experience. You determine the setting, the audience, the story. Will it be an intimate chamber music concert? The opening of an exhibition? An outdoor music festival? A musical opening of a symposium? The choice is yours, as long as Pijper’s music plays an essential role.
THE CONTEXT
| What sort of event is your performance? Who is in the audience, where and when will it take place?
THE PROGRAMME
| Which compositions, poems, stories or audiovisual elements does it include and in what order?
COHERENCE
|Why this combination? How will you connect the different elements?
THE STORY
| What do you want your audience to remember?
THE PERFORMERS
| Which musicians, artists or actors play a role?
THE AUDIENCE
| What audience do you aim at and how will you find them?
A video presentation
15 MINUTES – RECORD WITH YOUR SMARTPHONE
5 minutes
Who are you and what is your plan? Introduce yourself and put the concert immediately into context. Why is this concert a good idea, what is the setting, who are you hoping to reach? Why does Pijper’s music appeal to you?
10 minutes
Pijper’s music. Perform one or more fragments from Pijper’s work that you have chosen to present. No more than 15 seconds of silence in between. The jury wants to hear that you have a feel for Pijper’s music. What makes his musical language unique? What do you read behind the notes? Convince the jury.
All participants must be professional music students or have finished their education no longer than four years ago. Send your document and video pitch to info@willempijper.nl before 15 December 2026. You will receive written feedback before 1 February 2027.
THE PROCEDURE
Two rounds, one winner
01
Preselection
Entrepreneurship
Is the proposal professionally sound, clearly written and well thought through?
Musicianship
Is the idea original, authentic and inspired? Is the proposal artistically coherent? Are structure, balance and contrast well thought through?
Storytelling
Is there a musical story? How is Pijper made relevant for today’s audience?
—
Send in your proposal before 15 December 2026.
02
Final
Musical interpretation
Does your performing style fit Pijper’s musical language and the other elements of your programme?
Performance
How do you bring your ideas to life?
Persuasiveness
Do you succeed in really getting the story across?
—
Finals are held on 27 March 2027 – HKU Utrechts Conservatorium, Utrecht.
WHO CAN PARTICIPATE?
The competition is open to students (soloists and ensembles) of all Dutch conservatoires as well as to musicians who graduated up to four years ago. You don’t need to have a degree, but you must be a professional musician.
Participants who dare to think creatively about programming, audiences and the story they want to tell and who are capable of bringing their ideas to life on stage, should feel at home in this competition.
DEADLINE
15 December 2026
info@willempijper.nl
FINAL
27 March 2027
Sunday - HKU Utrechts Conservatorium, Utrecht
Concert open to all - free admission
PRIZE
€ 2,000
for the winner(s)
plus € 1,000 extra for a concert to be organised by the Order of Freemasons
CRITERIA
| Entrepreneurship
| Musicianship
| Storytelling
| Interpretation
| Performance
| Persuasiveness
THE JURY
The jury consists of a minimum of seven members from different backgrounds: the Grand Master of the Freemason’s Grand East of the Netherlands (chair), chair of the Willem Pijper Foundation (vice-chair), director of the HKU Utrechts Conservatorium, board members of the Willem Pijper Foundation and an external specialist in 20th and 21st century music. The jury remains unaltered during an edition of the competition.
The members of the jury will be announced in the autumn of 2026.