Application Guideline
The 2020 West Virginia International Piano Competition and Festival will take place at the Creative Arts Center of West Virginia University in Morgantown, West Virginia from March 27-29, 2020.
The West Virginia International Piano Competition and Festival welcomes pianists of all nationalities.
The Young Artist Division is open to pianists who will be between the ages of 18-36 on March 29, 2020. Applicants older than age 36 but currently enrolled as students in schools are eligible.
The Junior Division is open to pianists who will be between the ages of 13-17 on March 29, 2020.
Participation in the competition is conditional on a candidate submitting required documents, application fee, and recordings by the deadline.
Incomplete applications will not be considered.
Twelve Junior contestants and twelve Young Artist contestants will be selected by the pre-screening jury to compete at the live semifinal round at WVU.
Three finalists will be selected from each division.
Application Deadline
All materials, including applications, recordings, and application fee must be received by at 11:59 pm EST on January 5, 2020.
Application Fee: $120. Non-refundable. Payments are only accepted through Eventbrite.
How to apply
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Competition Rules and Regulations
All contestants must submit an official document that verifies their date of birth; photocopies and scans are permitted for this purpose.
All contestants are required to attend the opening ceremonies, in order to draw lots that determine the order of performance in the competition. Young Artist Division’s opening ceremony begins on Thursday, March 26, 2020, at 8:00 p.m. Junior Division’s opening ceremony begins on Friday, March 27, 2019, at 6:30 p.m. Both ceremonies will take place in the Main Lobby of WVU’s Creative Arts Center.
All contestants must attend the closing ceremony on Sunday, March 29, 2020. All prize-winners will perform in the masterclasses as part of the closing ceremony.
Contestants cannot be current students of any members of the jury.
Jury members will not make contact with contestants while such contestant is continuing to compete.
The decision of the jury is final and not subject to questions, revisions, or appeal.
Selected semifinalists will be notified on February 1, 2020.
Selected semifinalists are to confirm attendance at the live rounds by February 8, 2020.
Changes to the semifinals’ and finals' repertoire are to be made no later than March 1, 2020. No changes will be permitted afterwards.
All works are to be performed from memory, with the exception of music written after 1950.
Candidates may present their choice of works in any order.
