The 17th Paloma O'Shea International Piano Competition took place in the Festival Palace of Santander, Spain from July 27 to August 8, 2012. Twenty pianists from ten countries took part in the competition. For the fifth time the First Prize was not awarded; Ahn Ah-ruem won the Second Prize while Tamar Beraia and János Palojtay shared the Third Prize. Beraia was awarded the Audience Prize.
Jury
Antoni Ros Marbà (chairman) Peter Alward (vice-chairman) Luis Pereira Leal (vice-chairman) Lorenzo Fasolo Ralf Gothóni Márta Gulyás Elisabeth Leonskaja Oleg Maisenberg Tomás Marco Ferenc Rados Gérard Wyss Jenő Nyári (preselection) Luis Fernando Pérez (preselection)