Washington International Piano Arts Council (WIPAC) was established in 2001 to promote international friendship and mutual understanding among nations, to provide an educational forum for all levels of professional and non-professional pianists, to help generate a renaissance of interest in great piano artistry and live performance, and to provide venues worldwide where classical music can flourish in many communities.

Over the past 24 consecutive years, WIPAC has hosted an annual Festival of Music and an International Piano Artists Competition for nonprofessional piano artists 31years and older in Washington, DC during the months of July/August. It is the only competition of its kind in the USA that has been presented consecutively year after year for so long. In 2024 our sister competition in Paris will be in its 32nd consecutive year, while WIPAC will be in its 22nd consecutive year. WIPAC also hosts annually the unique and exciting “Winners Grand Prix Piano Concert” in April, which features winners of international piano competitions for nonprofessional adult piano artists, as well as several other piano events in Washington, DC, all featuring highly distinguished piano artists, both professional and non professional..

WIPAC presents piano concertsin cooperation with universities, orchestras, museums and embassies throughout the Washington, DC METRO area, and has branches of cooperation in Maryland, Pennsylvania (Cheney U.), Azerbaijan; Japan & Poland. In 2015, WIPAC presented the First Festival of Piano Music in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan, in partnership with Maryland State Sisterhood Program under the auspices of the Office of the Secretary of State and The Kanagawa Prefecture Government.

For sample recordings by WIPAC PIANISTS, visit our HIGHLIGHTS PAGE (see tabs above). These feature non-professional artists, who are eager to share their love for piano with you. Earlier recordings are audio, but more recently, video recordings have been made available. Programs from the competition are included in these presentations. The recordings are available to the general public at no charge, and are not available for commercial use without permission from WIPAC. All rights are reserved.

There are Press Reviews of WIPAC EVENTS dating back to 2005 with "Washington Post's" Pulitzer Prize Winning Music Critic, Tim Page.. These can be seen on the PRESS CORNER PAGE. (See Tabs Above).

WIPAC is registered as a non-profit entity under IRS Section 501(c)(3) and derives its support from the generosity of those who believe that music and the performing arts contribute to the enrichment of our lives. We are a 100% volunteer organization. In the case of the pano competition, the piano jury is professional and receive honorariums for their work on WIPAC's behalf.

Detailed information on the WIPAC piano competition is provided as soon as available on the main page of the www.wipac.org website and on the COMPETITIONS page of the website. Interested pianists are encouraged to contact WIPAC for further information on dates, eligibility, and preparation requirements. Previous year requirements may be used by applicants as a basis to prepare repertoire. Final application forms for the next competition are posted in March or April. Detailed venue locations are announced later.

Over the past years since its inception, WIPAC has been very privileged to have presented annual piano concerts at foreign embassies and various locations in Washington, DC, and the Board is very grateful for the ongoing cooperation from the embassies of Argentina, Hungary, Romania, Slovakia, France, Bulgaria, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Portugal, Austria, Poland, Germany, Serbia, Iceland, Philippines, Cambodia, Malaysia, Finland and Luxembourg, the Mexican Cultural Institute, and the Kosciuszko Foundation (DC Chapter). All international embassies are welcomed to request WIPAC's assistance in hosting cultural piano events.

We cordially invite our audiences and supporters to join our membership and support groups so that we may continue to make piano music artistry flourish in our community. Let great music live and continue to enrich our hearts and minds and bring peace to our world!