Univ.-Prof. Jan Gottlieb Jiracek von Arnim

Artistic Director & Chairman of the Jury

Born into a family of musicians, pianist Jan Jiracek von Arnim was described by BBC Music Magazine as one of the leading pianists of his generation. A top prize winner at the Busoni Competition (Italy) and Maria Canals Competition (Spain), Jan Jiracek von Arnim was one of the winners of the Tenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition (USA). He regularly performs in musical centers such as the Musikverein Vienna, Philharmonie Berlin, Suntory Hall Tokyo, and others.

He was appointed professor for piano at the Vienna University of Music and Performing Arts (mdw) in Austria in 2001, making him the youngest tenured professor in the history of that school.

His students are prizewinners of major international piano competitions, e.g. in 2021 first prize winner at “Géza Anda” (Switzerland), 2020 first prize winner at “Unisa” (South Africa), 2019 first prize winner of the “Top of the World” (Norway) and Tucumán International Piano Competition (Argentina), 2018 first prize at the “Maria Canals Barcelona”.

Jan Jiracek von Arnim is currently guest professor at the Elisabeth University of Music in Hiroshima (Japan) and at the China Conservatory in Beijing. He was visiting professor at Yale School of Music in 2022 – 2023.

He gives master classes on a regular basis in North America, Asia and Europe. From 2017 – 2023, he was teaching the annual “Beethovenkurs” as successor to legendary pianist Wilhelm Kempff at the “Casa Orfeo” in Positano, Italy, teaching selected international piano talents on the German and Austrian traditions of Beethoven interpretation.

Upcoming projects include performances and teaching activities at the 2024 summer academy of Mozarteum Salzburg, 2024 Chopin Festival in Duszniki, Poland, the 2024 Tianjin Juilliard Piano Festival in China, the 2024 International Piano Festival in Hangzhou China, as well as several masterclasses in Japan.

Mr. Jiracek von Arnim is frequently invited as a judge at international piano competitions, e.g. the “Hamamatsu International Piano Competition” in Japan, the “Busoni International Piano Competition” in Italy, the “Tchaikovsky International Piano Competition for young musicians”, the “Shenzhen International Piano Competition”, and in 2024 at the “Montréal International Piano Competition” and the “China International Music Competition” in Beijing.

Since 2011, he is the Artistic Director and Chairman of the “International Beethoven Piano Competition Vienna”.