Competition Rules
64th Ferruccio Busoni International Piano Competition 2022/2023
1. ENTRANTS
Who: Pianists born between 1st January 1992 and 31st December 2006. Past winners of the Busoni Prize are excluded.
Where: Online registration at www.busoni-mahler.eu
When: Registration deadline is 19th May 2022.
How: Applicants need to complete the appropriate form, together with the following: personal data, copy of passport/identity card, a recent photograph, biography/CV (including qualifications) and video recording [see section 2(a) below].
Entry fees: Only candidates admitted to the Glocal Piano Project are required to pay an application fee of € 150.00 (excluding bank charges), which is non-refundable in case of withdrawal on the part of the participant and is payable exclusively to the bank account of the Busoni – Mahler Foundation:
IBAN: IT 79 O 06045 11601 000000 068200
BIC: CRBZIT2B001
Reason for payment: F. Busoni Competition entry fee (NAME/SURNAME of the applicant)
WFIMC Winners: Registration for the competition finals – for WFIMC Winners only (World Federation of International Music Competitions). Pianists who have won first or second prize in music competitions affiliated to the World Federation of International Music Competitions (between 01/01/2019 and 30/10/2022) may directly enter the F. Busoni competition finals. The appropriate entry form (available on the www.busoni-mahler.eu website as from 1st July 2022) must be completed and received not later than 31st October 2022. The Glocal Piano Project panel of judges will nominate 3 candidates for participation in the final rounds.
Please note: Dual registration (i.e. in the Glocal Piano Project, as well as direct entry in the final phases) is prohibited.
2. COMPETITION STAGES
a) Video Selection (100 entrants)
A total of 100 candidates with applications received within the specified deadline will be able to participate in the competition. The date on which their names will be announced depends upon the total number of submissions and, in any case, not later than 2 months before the start of the Glocal Piano Project competition.
Video recording criteria: 15 minutes (maximum). File size: up to 5Gb. File format: MP4. The recording is filmed using only one static camera, in a single take – without any editing. The video recording must be under two years (24 months) old.
≫ For the music programme, see section 4.1.
b) Glocal Piano Project – TOP 100 (solo piano):
7th – 16th November 2022
The 100 candidates passing the initial video-recording examination will perform at the Glocal Piano Project – a hybrid music festival to be broadcast in front of live audiences. All performances shall be professionally recorded, and distributed via an online platform. From their remote location, the panel of judges will select 26 pianists – who shall take part in the competition finals in Bolzano/Bozen.
Thanks to an exclusive agreement with Steinway & Sons a network of international concerts is guaranteed under the same conditions, and the recordings will be streamed on an online platform for up to 10 months.
Members of the public will be able to vote online for up to 4 competitors, who will move on to the next round.
≫ For the music programme, see section 4.2.
c) Final Rounds:
23rd August – 3rd September 2023
The last rounds will be played live in Bolzano, as follows:
TOP 33 – solo piano performance: 23rd – 25th August 2023
TOP 12 – solo piano performance: 26th and 27th August 2023
TOP 6 – chamber music performance: 29th – 31st August 2023
TOP 3 – Grand Finale: 3rd September 2023
Daily open workshops hosted by the panel of judges and eliminated candidates will take place between 29th August and 1st September, at a time and venue still to be decided.
≫ For the music programme, see section 4.3.
3. CONVOCATION, ACCOMMODATION & TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS FOR PARTICIPANTS
a) Convocation
Before every round of the competition, participants will be notified as to where and when they need to present themselves, with each participant required to carry valid personal identification.
b) Accommodation
For the duration of the Glocal Piano Project candidates shall receive free accommodation (i.e. from the day prior to their performance until one day after). Participants in the Final Phases in Bolzano will enjoy free board and lodging from the day of their convocation, for as long as they remain in competition. A number of upright pianos are available for practicing.
c) Travel arrangements
Each participant taking part in the finals will be offered a € 800 lump-sum as reimbursement for travel expenses, payable by bank transfer during the course of the finals. Banking details shown on the form must be complete and accurate, to enable successful transfer of the funds.
4. MUSIC REPERTOIRE
4.1. Video Selection:
Videos to last between 10 – 15 minutes.
One (or more) works selected by the candidate shall be performed, and the same repertoire may be repeated in subsequent rounds of the competition.
4.2. Glocal Piano Project – TOP 100 – Solo piano:
Candidates shall perform a programme lasting 15 – 20 minutes.
The programme must include:
→ one Etude by F. Chopin (Op. 10 or Op. 25), or by F. Liszt;
→ one Etude by any of the following: C. Debussy, B. Bartok (Op. 18), S. Rachmaninoff, S. Prokofiev, I. Stravinsky, A. Scriabin or G. Ligeti;
→ one or more works chosen by the candidate.
Any changes to a candidate’s repertoire must be made using the appropriate form, and submitted no later than 15th September 2022.
4.3. 2023 Finals Repertoire:
A special form will be issued, to be completed and submitted no later than 31st March 2023.
The music programme for the final rounds must differ from that presented in the Glocal Piano Project. The same piece may not be performed more than once in the different rounds of the finals.
a) TOP 33 – Solo piano
Performances by 33 candidates lasting 25 – 30 minutes.
The programme must include:
→ One of the following compositions by F. Busoni:
– Elegy from BV 249
– Sonatina No. 1 BV 257
– Sonatina Seconda BV 259
– Sonatina “In diem nativitatis Christi MCMXVII” BV 274
– Toccata (Prelude – Fantasy – Ciaccona) BV 287
– Indianisches Tagebuch (I), either No’s 1, 2, 3 or 4 BV 267
– Preludes Op. 37 BV 181: a choice of 3 preludes
– Fantasie nach Johann Sebastian Bach BV 253
– 10 variations of Chopin Präludium (Klavierubungen Teil 5) BV 213a
→ other published works selected by the candidate.
b) TOP 12 – Solo piano
Performances by 12 candidates, lasting between 50 – 55 minutes.
The programme must include:
→ one work by J.S. Bach/F. Busoni;
→ a Sonata by L.v. Beethoven, M. Clementi, J. Haydn or W.A. Mozart – differing from those presented in previous rounds (excluded music performed in the video submission);
→ one or more contemporary works for piano selected by the Concours International de Piano d’Orlèans for the F. Busoni International Piano Competition between 2019 and 2021. The list of contemporary works will be made known to candidates as from 1st February 2023;
→ other works chosen by the candidate, differing from those presented in previous rounds (excluded music performed in the video submission).
c) TOP 6 – Chamber music
Performances by 6 candidates.
The programme must include:
→ Chamber Music Section – one of the following quintets:
– R. Schumann: Quintet for piano and strings Op. 44
– J. Brahms: Quintet for piano and strings Op. 34
– C. Franck: Quintet for piano and strings
– A. Dvořak: Piano Quintet No. 1 Op. 5
– A. Dvořak: Piano Quintet No. 2 Op. 81
– D. Shostakovich: Quintet for piano and strings Op. 57
→ Solo Programme:
A work of the candidate’s own choice lasting not more than 30 minutes.
d) TOP 3 – Grand Finale
For the TOP 3 – Grand Finale, the three chosen candidates should present two of the following piano concertos. The final choice of which concerto from the two indicated is to be performed in the competition round will be made in agreement between the members of the jury and the Artistic Director at the end of the chamber music final round (on 31st August 2023).
– W.A. Mozart: Piano Concertos K 466, K 456, K 467, K 491, K 595, K 488
– L.v. Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 3, No. 4, No. 5
– B. Bartok: Piano Concerto No. 2
– F. Chopin: Piano Concerto No. 1 and No. 2
– M. Ravel: Piano Concerto in G Major
– S. Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto No. 1 and No. 4
– S. Rachmaninov: Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini Op. 43
– P.I. Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto No. 1
– S. Prokofiev: Piano Concerto No. 3 and No. 5
– F. Liszt: Piano Concerto No. 1 and No. 2
– C. Saint-Saëns: Piano Concerto No. 2 and No. 5
– R. Schumann: Piano Concerto in A minor Op. 54
– A. Scriabin: Concerto for piano and orchestra Op. 20
Possible changes to the programme must be made using the appropriate form, and submitted to the administration no later than 15th June 2023.
General remarks concerning the musical repertoire
All pieces performed must be published works, and only complete works are acceptable. This includes single etudes, intermezzos, or pieces performed in concert outside of the composition cycle. Single tempos from sonatas and suites are, however, inadmissible. The sequence of the music programme indicated on the online application form is compiled at the candidate’s discretion. Candidates should note the length of each work as accurately as possible, in order to fit into the total allotted duration of the exam performance (intervals included). Aside from contemporary and chamber music pieces, the programme will be performed from memory. Music scores of the works to be performed (in the correct edition) must be submitted to the administration in electronic format within the due deadline, for use by the panel of judges on the voting platform.
5. PANEL OF JUDGES
The panel of judges is made up of music professionals of different nationalities. In the event of any tutorial or family relationship between a member of the panel and a candidate, the member of the judicial panel concerned will abstain from voting. At each stage of the competition (i.e. Video Selection, Glocal Piano Project and Final Rounds), the composition of the panel of judges will vary. For the duration of the competition, there are strict rules barring contenders from contacting members of the jury. Only as from 1st October 2023, will the votes of the finals of each jury member be made public.
6. PRIVACY RIGHTS
On registering for the competition, a candidate implicitly authorises the Busoni – Mahler Foundation administration to utilise, at their discretion, personal data and photographic images provided as well as the audio-visual recordings. This extends to internet distribution of the competition rounds, to which the competitor will have been admitted (see the attached form and privacy text).
The Busoni – Mahler Foundation assumes full ownership of all audio-visual recordings it has produced, while claiming exclusive commercial and non-commercial rights thereof. Candidates may, however, request a copy of the recordings (provided it is for non-commercial use), together with certification authenticating the audio track, and any editing limited only to the video.
7. ADDITIONAL CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS
The Busoni Prize winner is obliged to comply with all contractual obligations entered into between the Foundation and music organisations – both Italian and foreign, aimed at promoting the artist’s career. Fourteen days after the awarding of the prize (i.e. between 4th and 18th September 2023), the Busoni Prize winner must formally accept performance engagements to which the Foundation management has already committed.
After being declared winner, the victorious entrant will be asked to prioritize concert bookings fixed by the Busoni – Mahler Foundation management above all other engagements for the consecutive 24 months (i.e. September 2023 – August 2025).
8. PRIZES
Busoni Prize: € 30.000,00
The Busoni Prize may not be shared.
The winner of the Busoni Prize will also receive a prize in the amount of € 5,000 named in memory of Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli – provided that the Busoni Prize is unanimously awarded.
Negotiations are underway for major concert engagements in Italy and abroad.
2nd Prize: € 10.000,00
3rd Prize: € 5.000,00
4th Prize: € 4.000,00
5th Prize: € 3.000,00
6th Prize: € 2.500,00
Other special prizes will also be announced.
Taxes will be withheld from the awards as required.
Upon request, Semi-Final participants who do not advance to the Finals may receive a participation certificate.
INFORMATION
Ferruccio Busoni – Gustav Mahler Foundation
Via Portici 19/A
39100 Bolzano – Italy
Tel. (+39) 0471 976568
info@busoni-mahler.eu
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