Entry information · International German Piano Award 2015

Key requirement

Pianists may enter who demonstrate artistically and in terms of their overall presence that they have the potential for a concert career and/or are already performing concerts.

Only solo artists are admitted.

The following is to be taken into account as guidance for applications:

  • artistic personality and independence
  • technical skill
  • intellectual capabilities
  • ability to develop
  • autonomy
  • freedom of expression
  • musical aesthetics.

Please note that the closing date for entries is Friday, 28 November 2014!

Application material for the pre-selection jury

  • A DVD lasting 40-45 minutes. The recording should be as recent as possible and not more than two years old and is expected to be a professional recording of very high sound quality . Image or sound editing within the pieces is not permitted. Each pianist is kindly asked to send in 5 copies of his or her DVD.
  • No information about the individual (name of the pianist) should be identifiable on the DVD.
  • Repertoire : A variety of styles is desired.
  • Other than that, the artist is free to choose the repertoire. If applicants play their own compositions, a professionally printed score must be available to the jury or sent in with the application.
  • When submitting an application, entrants must declare their piano concerto selection for 18 April 2015 in the Alte Oper in Frankfurt (see »Saturday 18 April«).
  • Curriculum vitae, picture and contact details.

On this 5th anniversary of the »International German Piano Award«, 10 pianists from all the entries will be shortlisted by the pre-selection jury. The 10 pianists will be contacted by the International Piano Forum at the end of January 2015 and their names officially made public .

  • All 10 pianists must be in Frankfurt am Main/Wiesbaden from Thursday, 16 April 2015 until at least Friday, 17 April 2015 inclusive.
  • In the event of nomination for the International German Piano Award 2015, the four nominees must also be in Frankfurt am Main/Wiesbaden on Saturday, 18 April 2015.
  • Accommodation:  Das Kleine Hotel, Feldstrasse 6, Wiesbaden (www.smallhotel.de)

Application documents must be marked »Private and confidential« and sent directly to:

Ms Maryam Maleki

International Piano Forum

Wiesenau 1

60323 Frankfurt am Main

Process · International German Piano Award 2015 · 16 – 18 April 2015

Thursday, 16 April 2015, Frankfurt am Main

  • All pianists arrive in Frankfurt am Main by 3pm .
  • Performance times for the recital on 17 April 2015 randomly (per drawing) determined:
    4pm (venue to be announced).

Friday, 17 April 2015, Chancellery State of Hesse, Wiesbaden, 10am to 6pm

  • The 10 pianists each present themselves to the nomination jury with a 30-minute recital.
  • Free choice of repertoire.
  • A variety of styles is desired, including early classical, Viennese classic, romantic and modern classical music.

Nomination Process

  • The members of the nomination jury will individually cast their votes immediately after the performances of all 10 pianists in a secret vote supervised by a notary .
  • The 4 pianists with the most votes will be nominated for the International German Piano Award 2015 on 18 April 2015.
  • The jury's decision is final.  The individual results of the vote will not be published since being nominated is already a distinction in itself.

Saturday, 18 April 2015, Chancellery State of Hesse, Wiesbaden, 9am to 2pm

  • The 4 nominees from the previous day’s performances each present themselves to the Laureste jury in a recital lasting 45 to 50 minutes . All performances are open to the public.
  • Free choice of repertoire .
  • A variety of styles is desired, including early classical, Viennese classic, romantic and modern classical music.
  • The programme for this performance may not contain any pieces from the previous day.
  • The members of the Laureate jury will individually cast their votes immediately after the performances of all four nominees in a secret vote supervised by a notary .
  • The jury's decision is final.  The individual results of the vote will not be published since being nominated is already a distinction in itself.

Saturday, 18 April 2015: Alte Oper Frankfurt, Mozart Saal, 7pm

Concert of the 4 nominees followed by the announcement of the Laureate.

Repertoire selection : to be declared when applications are submitted:

  • L. van Beethoven: Piano concerto No. 4 in G major, Op. 58
  • F. Chopin: Piano concerto No. 2 in F minor, Op. 21
  • W.A. Mozart: Piano concerto No. 14 in E-flat major, KV 449
  • R. Schumann: Piano concerto in A minor, Op. 54

Rehearsals

  • Saturday, 18 April 2015, in the morning in parallel with the recital: 1 hour each
  • Saturday, 18 April 2015, final rehearsal in the concert hall from 2pm

Announcement of the Laureate

  • The members of the laureate jury will individually cast their votes immediately after the piano concertos of all 4 nominees in the Alte Oper Frankfurt in a secret vote supervised by a notary .
  • The decision on the laureate of the International German Piano Award 2015 comprises the 2 performances on Saturday, 18 April 2015 (recital and piano concerto) and is announced immediately after the concert .
  • The nominee with the most votes is the winner of the International German Piano Award 2015.
  • The jury's decision is final.  The individual results of the vote will not be published since being nominated is already a distinction in itself.

Awards and distinctions

  • The prize is EUR 20,000.
  • Montblanc prize.
  • All nominees receive a highly-valued certificate. Furthermore benefits such as performance opportunities and contacts with record labels, orchestras and event programmers are provided.

Audience Award

  • After the concert in the Alte Oper Frankfurt on Saturday, 18 April 2015, audience voting to select the winner of the Audience Award.
  • Montblanc prize.
  • Further endowments will be announced shortly.

Confidentiality

  • The names of the pianists who entered the International German Piano Award and were not among the ten pianists invited to Frankfurt in 2015 will not be made public out of respect for their individual artistic performance!

Information about the Jury

  • The names of members of the pre-selection jury will be announced at the same time as the names of the nomination jury and laureate jury on 10 April 2015.
  • The members of the pre-selection jury are not informed about their fellow jurors. This guarantees as much independence as possible during the evaluation of the entries.

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