Our story

Every year, Chestnut Piano welcomes both professional and amateur pianists of all ages to participate in our competitions and series of concerts.

The story of our festival began in Kyiv back in May 2013 when Chestnut Piano became the first ever competition for piano amateurs held in Ukraine. With over 20 amateur pianists participating in the first competition, several of our winners had the opportunity to perform with a chamber orchestra the following year. We also successfully held our first concerts in the Masters & Amateurs series.

During our second festival in 2014, we expanded our scope to include the Competition for Young Pianists (for children who pursue a professional music education), and the Competition for Piano Teachers: The Art of Performance, as well as introduced the Solo with Orchestra category.

Over the years, our winners have performed in countless concerts at different venues and events in Kyiv, including DIM MasterKlass, Chocolate House, National Museum of the History of Ukraine, Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, St Sophia Cathedral, Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, Kyiv House of Scholars, Book Arsenal, Gogolfest, and others.

We have collaborated with different orchestras in our competitions and concerts, including Baturynska Skarbnytsia Chamber Orchestra, State Academic Variety Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine, National Presidential Orchestra. Since 2018, we have partnered with European music festivals and some of our winners in the Competition for Young Pianists are selected to perform at Klassiek op het Amstelveld in the Netherlands, Stage4Kids in Germany, and International FEURICH Competition in Austria.

Chestnut Piano is a unique festival that brings together professional musicians and amateurs, young and adult pianists, students and their teachers, and we are grateful to each and every member of our community, to every participant in our competitions and concerts and every teacher guiding them, to our every guest and supporter for letting music into your hearts and making this world a little bit brighter and better.