Regulations

In 2021, all the competitions are held online. The Solo with Orchestra category is cancelled.

The application deadline has been extended until May 29, 2021 (inclusive).

REGULATIONS OF THE VIII CHESTNUT PIANO INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL (2021)

  • Competition for Young Pianists

  • Competition for Piano Amateurs

  • Competition for Piano Teachers: The Art of Performance

  • How to apply

  • Requirements for the performance video

  • Titles and diplomas

Competition for Young Pianists

CATEGORIES

  • Solo

  • Piano Plus (Ensemble)

Solo category

Programme: two or more pieces of different character and style, classical and contemporary music (XVIII-XXI centuries).

Participants in the Middle and Senior group are required to perform one of the following musical forms: sonata-allegro, rondo, variations, or a polyphonic piece.

 

Junior group (6-9 years old)

Duration: 4-8 minutes

 

Middle group (10-12 years old)

Duration: up to 10 minutes

 

Senior group (13-16 years old)

Duration: up to 15 minutes 

Piano Plus (Ensemble) category

Ensembles of different compositions, including piano: one or two pianos, as well as piano + any instrument or vocals.

Group А: ensembles of two or more students.

Group В: student-teacher ensembles, as well as ensembles with the participation of other professional performers.

Programme: two pieces of different character and style, classical and contemporary music (XVIII-XXI centuries).

Participants are allowed to perform one jazz or popular music piece.

Duration: up to 10 minutes.

Competition for Piano Amateurs

SECTIONS

  • Amateur (17 years old and older). Categories: Solo, Piano Plus (Ensemble), Singing Pianist (singing to your own accompaniment)

  • Grand Amateur (25 years old and older). Categories: Solo, Piano Plus (Ensemble), Singing Pianist (singing to your own accompaniment)

  • Young Amateur (children up to 16 years old). Categories: Solo, Piano Plus (Ensemble), Singing Pianist (singing to your own accompaniment)

AMATEUR SECTION

Participation requirements: amateur pianists without professional music education and who are not students of professional music schools.

Age of participants: 17 years old and older

Solo category

Group А (Elementary)

Free programme of different genres and styles.

Duration: up to 5 minutes.

 

Group В (Intermediate)

Free programme of different genres and styles. Participants are allowed to perform one jazz or popular music piece, or their own composition.

Duration: up to 10 minutes.

 

Group С (Advanced)

Free programme of different genres and styles. Participants are allowed to perform one jazz or popular music piece, or their own composition.

Duration: up to 15 minutes.

Piano Plus (Ensemble) category

Ensembles of different compositions, including piano (2-4 people): one or two pianos, as well as piano + any instrument or vocals, as well as family ensembles.

Programme: two pieces of different character and style.

Duration: up to 10 minutes.

 

Singing Pianist category

Programme: two pieces of different character and style

 

GRAND AMATEUR SECTION

Participation requirements: pianists with a fairly high level of performance, for whom piano performance has not been a primary occupation for at least three years. Piano teachers and students of piano faculties of music colleges are not eligible to participate in the Grand Amateur section.

Participants can have higher or secondary music education. Professional musicians specialising in other instruments are eligible to participate.

Age of participants: 25 years old and older

Solo category

Programme: Free programme of different genres and styles. Participants are allowed to perform one jazz or popular music piece, or their own composition.

Duration: up to 20 minutes.

Piano Plus (Ensemble) category

Ensembles of different compositions, including piano (2-4 people): one or two pianos, as well as piano + any instrument or vocals.

Programme: two pieces of different character and style.

Duration: up to 10 minutes.

Singing Pianist category

Programme: two pieces of different character and style

YOUNG AMATEUR SECTION

Age of participants: up to 16 years old.

Solo category

Programme: two pieces of different character and style.

Duration:2-5 minutes (up to 12 years old) and 5-7 minutes (12-16 years old).

Piano Plus (Ensemble) category

Ensembles of different compositions, including piano (2-4 people): one or two pianos, as well as piano + any instrument or vocals.

Programme: two pieces of different character and style.

Duration: 3-6 minutes.

Singing Pianist category

Programme: two pieces of different character and style

 

Participants in the Young Amateur section are allowed to perform jazz and popular music, as well as their own compositions.

Competition for Piano Teachers: The Art of Performance

Age of participants: 25 years old and older

Piano students of music colleges are not eligible to participate in this competition.

 

Solo category

Programme: classical and contemporary music (XVIII-XXI centuries).

Duration: up to 15 minutes.

Piano Plus (Ensemble) category

Ensembles of different compositions, including piano (2-4 people): one or two pianos, as well as piano + any instrument or vocals.

Programme: two pieces of different character and style, classical and contemporary music (XVIII-XXI centuries).

Duration: up to 10 minutes.

How to apply

The participants should fill in and submit the Google Form with the following attachments:

·       performance video

·       confirmation of charitable donation

·       certificate of birth or ID (for participants of the Competition for Young Pianists)

The charitable donation amount is USD 20 / EUR 20 for all participants, payable via a MoneyGram transfer to one of the following recipients:

·      Varvara Semenchuk (EUR/USD) Kyiv, Ukraine finanwen@gmail.com, OR

·      Olena Bondarenko (USD) Kyiv, Ukraine olenabondarenko052@gmail.com

Application period: April 1 – May 29, 2021

All submitted video materials will be published on the official YouTube channel of the Chestnut Piano International Festival on June 9-13, 2021.

By submitting the application, the participants confirm their acceptance of the terms and conditions of the competition and transfer all the rights to the provided video recording and its publication to the Organising Committee of the Chestnut Piano International Festival.

Requirements for the performance video

  • format: MP4, AVI

  • horizontal orientation

The entire programme must be recorded in one video file. Combining multiple videos into one is not allowed.

The recording must be uninterrupted and without any additional editing (jump cuts, sound editing, etc.)

The instrument and the performer (full body) must be clearly visible in the frame.

At the beginning of the video recording, the participants must introduce themselves as follows:

Name and surname, age (for Young Pianists and Young Amateurs only), country. Recorded for the 8th Chestnut Piano International Festival.

Sample: Jane Smith, 9 years old, England. Recorded for the 8th Chestnut Piano International Festival.

ATTENTION! The participants of the Competition for Young Pianists are required to use an acoustic instrument for their performance.

Titles and diplomas

No cash prizes are awarded to the participants.

The titles awarded in the competitions are as follows:

·       Grand Prix

·       Laureate Diploma (1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th place)

·       In the Young Amateur section: Winner Diploma, Runner-up Diploma

All other participants shall receive a participant’s diploma.

Diplomas will be sent to all participants after the festival concludes to the email address specified in the application.

The Jury and the Organising Committee of the competition can award special and sponsorship prizes.

The decision of the Jury is final and not subject to appeal.