Set within the historic Adriatic town of Kotor, a UNESCO World Heritage site, the Montenegro International Piano Festival (MIP) has emerged as a distinctive platform dedicated to piano performance, advanced artistic education and international competition.

The festival unfolds through three central pillars: the MIP Gala Concert Series, the MIP International Piano Competition, and an intensive programme of advanced masterclasses, bringing together distinguished performers, renowned pedagogues and young pianists from across Europe and Asia.

The Gala Concert Series presents internationally acclaimed pianists in remarkable heritage venues, where architecture, history and musical interpretation converge in a singular cultural setting. Artists appearing in the 2026 edition include Eva Gevorgyan and Andrey Gugnin, continuing the festival’s commitment to presenting leading voices of the international piano scene.

At the centre of the festival stands the MIP International Piano Competition, culminating in the Montenegro Grand Prix. Conceived not merely as an award but as a professional platform for emerging artists, the prize includes a professional CD recording and international concert engagements.

The first result of this initiative has already taken shape: Faruk Kalaycı, laureate of the 2025 Montenegro Grand Prix, recorded the album Divine for KNS Classical, marking the beginning of the festival’s commitment to supporting its laureates through international artistic projects.

The competition is judged by an international jury chaired by Nataliya Trull (Tchaikovsky Moscow State Conservatory), with members Ian Jones (Royal College of Music, London), Giuseppe Devastato (Universidad Alfonso X El Sabio, Madrid), Michel Bourdoncle (Conservatoire d’Aix-en-Provence) and Danijel Gašparović, founder of Cristoforium Art and President of WPTA Croatia, who serves as Deputy Director of the festival.

The festival was founded by Montenegrin pianist Vasilisa Lopušina, who serves as its Artistic Director, shaping the artistic vision of the festival and establishing an international piano platform in Montenegro dedicated to excellence in performance, pedagogy and artistic collaboration.

Through this integrated concept, the Montenegro International Piano Festival positions Montenegro as an emerging meeting point of international pianistic culture.

15–21 June 2026

Kotor, Montenegro

Apply at mipfestival.com