Sponsored by:
Allegheny College is proud to announce its second biennial “Unusual Combinations” Piano Competition on November 16, 2019 in Meadville, northwest PA. Over $10,000 in prizes and scholarships are available with a $1000 cash First Prize sponsored by Kawai America Corporation.
Deadline: Friday, November 1
Eligibility:
The competition is open to students currently in Grades 10-12. Students must reside in Pennsylvania, eastern Ohio (zip codes beginning with numbers 439 through 446), western New York (zip codes beginning with 140 through 144) or West Virginia (zip code beginning with 260).
Repertoire Requirements:
With a performance time of between 6-15 minutes, you must perform at least two contrasting pieces from memory, from two different composers. Pieces may be from the same era as long as they show different sides of your personality. More than two pieces may be performed, as long as it fits within the 15-minute limit.
There will be two rounds in the competition; preliminary rounds held in the morning and early afternoon, and a final round recital (featuring up to eight finalists) held in the late afternoon. Different judges will be used for each round, so students may repeat the same repertoire for both rounds if they wish.
Prizes:
First Prize: $1000 (sponsored by Kawai America Corporation)
Second Prize: $500
Unusual Combinations Prize: $500 (optional entry, see details below)
Third Prize: $250
Various small, fun jury discretionary awards: $???
In addition, several Allegheny Music Department Scholarships will be offered to qualified participants, regardless of their intended course of study in college.
Unusual Combinations Prize (optional entry):
At Allegheny, students are encouraged to explore unusual combinations of interests and talents. Our music students study to be great musicians, but also future doctors, lawyers, scientists, environmentalists, artists, and writers. In that spirit, we are offering an Unusual Combinations Prize.
If you would like to be considered for the prize, choose from one of the following and submit by the application deadline of November 1:
- Essay option: In under 500 words, write about how music and another passion you have
outside of music intersect in your life in a meaningful way. Your essay can take any form (formal essay, poem, etc); - Visual option: If you feel something other than an essay would more effectively capture your unusual combination, you may submit something else in place of an essay. Forms this might take include a youtube video, sculpture, painting, etc. If necessary, you may include up to 50 words explaining your entry if you choose this option.
Faculty from various academic departments at Allegheny will judge the entries and a winner will be announced on the day of the competition between the preliminary and final rounds.
Guest Artist/Jury Chairman:
We are delighted to welcome Thomas Yu of Calgary, Alberta, Canada to Allegheny for our competition this year. Thomas, a periodontist, is one of the most recognized amateur musicians in the world. He has redefined what it means to be an amateur pianist, having performed with BBC Orchestra of Wales, Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra, Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra, Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, and Orchestre Symphonique du Conservatoire de Paris, to name a few.
In 2016, Yu was the unanimous winner of the prestigious 7th Cliburn International Amateur Piano Competition in Texas, taking home the gold medal as well as Press and Audience Awards. Ten years earlier, he also swept the Paris International Competition for Outstanding Piano Amateurs. In the span of this decade, Yu also won the 2015 CBC’s Piano Hero, 2014 Honens Pro-Am Competition (Calgary), 2012 International Amateur Piano Competition (Manchester), 2010 B&B International Piano Competition (New York), and 2009 Bösendorfer International Piano Competition (Vienna).
To Apply:
To register for the competition, fill out our secure form and electronically submit the registration and $25 entrance fee.
Unusual Combination essays or web links should be submitted by the November 1 application deadline to Dr. Douglas Jurs at djurs@allegheny.edu with “Unusual Combinations Prize” in the subject heading. Entries that need to be mailed should be sent to:
Dr. Douglas Jurs
Allegheny College Music Department, Box 31
520 N. Main St.
Meadville, PA 16335
All competition details will be emailed to competitors by Sunday, November 3. If you have any questions, contact Dr. Douglas Jurs at djurs@allegheny.edu