mdw – University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna - Petyrek Lang award

Petyrek-Lang song competition

You are taking part in a public singing competition for the interpretation of art songs, with prize money at stake. In the last (8.) competition, the prize money was 1,500 EUR for each of the two runners-up and 1,000 EUR for third place. No first prize was awarded in that round. The competition is organised by the Petyrek-Lang Foundation and hosted by the mdw (University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna). It takes place every three years, and the repertoire changes from one round to the next. The prize money for future rounds is not fixed in advance.

Who can apply

• Where you study: You must be enrolled at an Austrian art college at the time the competition is announced.
• Enrolment type: You are a regular student or a participant in a registered course. Postgraduate students are not eligible to take part.
• Field: You sing songs (art songs) and focus on vocal interpretation.
• Nationality: All nationalities can apply.
• Age: No age limit.

How to apply

The competition is open to the public. The mdw will announce the date of the next round as soon as it has been finalised, together with the registration deadline, any entry fee and the full terms and conditions. At the time of writing, no date for the next round had yet been announced.

How realistic are your chances?

This is a singing competition, not an application form to be filled in. You win by singing well in front of a jury; your chances therefore depend on your musical ability, not on whether you fit a particular profile. The entry criteria are strictly defined (enrolled students at an Austrian university of the arts, limited exclusively to the art song repertoire), which keeps the field of entrants small, but the few prizes go to the strongest performances. If you are a well-prepared art song singer at one of these colleges, it’s worth registering as soon as the next round begins.