COMPETITION RULES

1.    ELIGIBILITY 

    1.1          The solo division of the 2020 William Knabe International Piano Competition is open to pianists of any nationality, aged 7-25, born on or after July 27, 1994 and no later than July 26, 2013. Applicants should choose their category based on their age on the day of the final round (July 26, 2020).

    1.2          The concerto division of the 2020 William Knabe International Piano Competition is open to pianists of any nationality, aged 10-25, born on or after July 27, 1994 and no later than July 26, 2010. Applicants should choose their category based on their age on the day of the final round (July 26, 2020).

    1.3          Admission is open to all eligible applicants with appropriate repertoire.
 
2.    APPLICATION PROCEDURES
 
    2.1          To qualify for admission to the Competition, applicants must either mail a completed application or complete the application (or have an authorized agent complete the application) and pay the enrollment fee. There can be no exceptions made for any applicant.

    2.2          Applicants of the appropriate age may submit both a solo competition application and a concerto competition application (this requires 2 separate applications and application fees).

    2.3         Initial deadline: April 20th, 2020.  All applications must be submitted electronically or received no later than May 20, 2020 (additional $50 fee beginning April 21st).

    2.4         Applications consist of the following:
          a.            Completed online application form.
          b.            A registration fee of $120.00 submitted online with application.
          c.            A biographical statement of approximately 200 words which includes information about applicant’s background in piano and how piano has impacted the applicant’s life (may be submitted later if/when applicant is accepted into the live semi-final rounds).

          d.            Any supporting materials (not required) should be mailed to:
                                William Knabe International Piano Competition
                                C/O ARTIST Music
                                PO Box 43072
                                Baltimore, MD 21236
 
    2.5          The Competition Staff cannot assume responsibility for any personal documents lost in the mail. Competitors should retain copies of all materials sent to the Competition Office. Submitted applications, including videos any supporting documents, will not be returned.

    2.6          Competitive applicants for the Solo and Concerto competition will receive an emailed response with audition comments on or before June 10th, 2020.  If the applicant is being invited to the semi-final round, then a letter of invitation will be included with the comments.  If the applicant is being invited to the semi-final round, then the invitation will be included in the response.  The judges’ comments will be emailed no later than June 30th, 2020.

 
3.    REPERTOIRE REQUIREMENTS: SOLO COMPETITIONS
 
    3.1          Applicants to Group 1 (ages 7-9) must submit a video of two (2) contrasting pieces from different historical periods.  The preliminary round judges will adjudicate up to 5 minutes of performance time (there is no penalty for submitting more or less than 5 minutes).  One (1) of the compositions must be from the Classical or Romantic periods (composed between 1750 and 1900).

    3.2         Applicants to Group 2 (ages 10-13) must submit a video of two (2) or three (3) contrasting pieces from different historical periods.  The preliminary round judges will adjudicate up to 8 minutes of performance time (there is no penalty for submitting more or less than 8 minutes).  The recorded repertoire must include an original work from the Classical or Romantic Period (composed between 1750 and 1900), such as a movement of a sonata or sonatina.

    3.3          Applicants to Group 3 (ages 14-17) must submit a video of three (3) contrasting pieces representing at least two (2) different historical periods.  The preliminary round judges will adjudicate up to 15 minutes of performance time (there is no penalty for submitting more or less than 15 minutes).  The recorded repertoire must include a movement of a sonata or a selection from a large-scale work from the Classical or Romantic Period (composed between 1750 and 1900) and an etude or other virtuosic piece.
 
    3.4          Applicants to Group 4 (ages 18-25) must submit a video of four (4) contrasting pieces representing at least three (3) different historical periods.  The preliminary round judges will adjudicate up to 20 minutes of performance time of a submitted video of approximately 40 minutes (there is no penalty for submitting more or less than 40 minutes).  The recorded repertoire must include a work from the Baroque period, a movement of a sonata in sonata-allegro form from the Classical or Romantic Period (composed between 1750 and 1900), and an etude from any period.

    3.4          Only original piano compositions are allowed, however, certain exceptions may be made for piano arrangements by famous composers (such as transcriptions by Franz Liszt).  Such works must receive prior approval from the competition office.
 
    3.5          Complete movements are required.  Non-structural repeats should be avoided.
 
    3.6          All repertoire must be listed precisely, including composer, title, key and opus number, on the application form. Indicate exact timings of each piece exclusive of pauses between the movements.
 
    3.7          Original compositions by the applicant may not be included.
 
    3.8          Those admitted to the semi-final live rounds may choose to perform the same or different works from that submitted to the preliminary round. Any changes to the repertoire must still conform to the requirements above.
 
4.    REPERTOIRE REQUIREMENTS: CONCERTO COMPETITION
 
     4.1         Applicants to Concerto Group 1 (ages 10-17) may apply with a single movement of any original published piano concerto.  Preliminary round judges reserve the right to listen to no more than 8 minutes of the preliminary round recording.

     4.2         Applicants to Concerto Group 2 (ages 18-25) may apply with one or more movements of any published concerto. Preliminary round judges reserve the right to listen to no more than 15 minutes of the preliminary round recording.

    4.3         For both groups, the preliminary video application should include a full movement and may be recorded with or without an accompanist.

5.    THE COMPETITION ROUNDS
 
    5.1          Preliminary Rounds (Video Application Rounds)
Members of the Knabe Competition’s prestigious jury will review video applications and write comments for all applicants. Comments and scores from at least 2 jurors will be returned to each applicant.  Based on published criteria, the jury will select up to 90 solo applicants and up to 20 concerto applicants to advance to the semi-final rounds.
 
    5.2          Knabe Competition Solo Semi-Final Rounds (July 22-25, 2020)
Applicants who progress to the next round will be invited to July semi-final rounds that will take place at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. The jury will select between two (2) and six (6) competitors from each group to advance to the finals.  Semi-finalists may perform their submitted repertoire, or they may choose new repertoire within the application guidelines.  Performance repertoire may exceed time limits without penalty, but judges will stop the audition once the time limit is reached.  Time limits are as follows:
 
Solo group 1 (ages 7-9): 5 minutes; Solo group 2 (ages 10-13): 8 minutes;
Solo group 3 (ages 14-17): 12 minutes; Solo group 4 (ages 18-25): 20 minutes
 
    5.3          Knabe Competition Concerto Semi-Final Rounds (July 24-25, 2020)
Applicants who progress to the next round will be invited to July semi-final rounds that will take place at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. Applicants may elect to pay an extra fee to use a Knabe Institute accompanist, or applicants may bring their own accompanist.  A warm-up opportunity with the staff accompanist will be provided.  Between two (2) and four (4) finalists from each age group will be chosen to advance to the finals. Each concerto semi-finalist (both groups 1 and 2) will perform an entire movement of a concerto.   
 
    5.4          Knabe Competition Final Round (July 26, 2020)
Both solo and concerto competitors will perform on stage in front of an audience. Concerto applicants will perform a concerto movement of their choosing.  Solo finalists will perform one or more pieces of their choice within the prescribed time limit.  All finalists may choose to perform works already performed in the semi-finals except for finalists from solo group 4 (ages 18-25), who must perform pieces not played during their semi-final performance.
 
Finalists should be prepared with a program of complete work(s) without cuts or alterations that fits within the time limits listed below. After the performances, the jury will deliberate and present awards to the winners.
 
Solo group 1 (ages 7-9): 5 minutes; Solo group 2 (ages 10-13): 8 minutes;
Solo group 3 (ages 14-17): 12 minutes; Solo group 4 (ages 18-25): 20 minutes;
Concerto groups 1 and 2: a complete concerto movement (no time limit)

  
6.    COMPETITION PROCEDURES
 
    6.1          Fees include the following: 
                              Application Fee:                                                           $120
 
                              Admission Fees for those attending the July live rounds:
                                                            Solo Group 1 (ages 7-9):                  $20
                                                            Solo Group 2 (ages 10-13):              $30
                                                            Solo Group 3 (ages 14-17):              $40
                                                            Solo Group 4 (ages 18-25):              $60
                                                            Concerto Group 1 (ages 10-17):      $40
                                                            Concerto Group 2 (ages 18-25):      $60
 
                                             Accompanist Fees (for Concerto Round Participants.  See Rule 6.4)
                                                            Semi-Final Round:                          $135
                                                            Final Round:                                     $85
 
    6.2          Applicants invited to the live rounds at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, in July, will be required to submit the admission fee and age verification (a copy of a passport, drivers license, or birth certificate) in order to confirm attendance.   
 
    6.3          Although it is not guaranteed, the competition will make every effort to provide to provide practice facilities to competitors during the competition.
 
    6.4          Live concerto round competitors must perform with an accompanist (at both the semi-final and final rounds). Competitors may bring their own accompanist (the accompanist may not be the competitor’s private instructor).  Or, competitors may use a Knabe Institute accompanist for a fee of $135 for the semi-final round (1/2-hour rehearsal + performance), and an additional $85 for the final round (20-30 min rehearsal + performance).
 
    6.5          All live rounds will be open to the public. The final round and semi-final Honors Concert (for non-advancing semi-finalists) are ticketed events.
 
    6.6          All live-round competitors must be ready and willing to perform earlier than their assigned time due to any cancellations or reassignments.
 
    6.7          Competitors who fail to participate in required activities and/or competition rounds forfeit their rights to any prize money they might otherwise have received.
 
    6.8          Applicants may choose to submit a “non-competitive” application (written review and points only), or a “competitive” application (consideration for invitation to the semi-final rounds). 
 
    6.9          Competitors waive all claims and fees for the broadcast of their competition performances and/or video applications on radio, television, or on the internet, either live or recorded. The Knabe Piano Institute reserves the right to video tape/record all rounds of the Competition for its own archives, and to use such recordings and/or application videos at any time without payment of fees or royalties to the performers.
 
7.    PRIZES
 
    7.1          Final cash prize amounts are in-part dependent on fundraising and donations, and actual amounts may be higher than what is listed below. Projected minimum 2020 cash prizes are:
 
               SOLO COMPETITION:
                       GROUP 1 (ages 7-9):
                              ​First Prize:           $300
                              Second Prize:      $200
                              Third Prize:           $100
                              Audience Award:  $50
 
                       GROUP 2 (ages 10-13):          
                              First Prize:           $500
                              Second Prize:      $300
                              Third Prize:          $200
                              Audience Award:  $50
 
                       GROUP 3 (ages 14-17):          
                              First Prize:            $800
                              Second Prize:      $500
                              Third Prize:           $300
                              Audience Award:  $50 

                       GROUP 4 (ages 18-25):          
                              First Prize:            $1,000
                              Second Prize:      $800
                              Third Prize:           $500
                              Audience Award:  $50 
 
               CONCERTO COMPETITION:
                       GROUP 1 (ages 10-17):
                              First Prize:            $800
                              Second Prize:      $500
                              Third Prize:           $300
                              Audience Award:  $50

                       GROUP 2 (ages 18-25):
                              First Prize:            $1,000
                              Second Prize:      $800
                              Third Prize:           $500
                              Audience Award:  $50

    7.2          Cash prizes are subject to United States tax withholding.
 
    7.3          All prizewinners must be present in person at the Awards Ceremony which will be held on Sunday, July 26th, 2020 after the Final Rounds, or prize(s) will be forfeited.

 
8.    GENERAL RULES
 
    8.1          In all matters of the Competition management, the decisions of the President and/or Board of the William Knabe Piano Institute and Competition shall be final. Changes in the arrangements for the Competition may be made by the President and/or the Board without prior notice.
 
    8.2          The decisions of the Jury at every stage of the Competition are final and are not subject to question, review, or appeal.
 
    8.3          The jury reserves the right to choose not to award one or more prizes.

    8.4          In the event that a member of the Jury is related to or has taught a competitor, the Jury member will abstain from voting on that competitor.
 
    8.5          The William Knabe Institute will be sole arbiter of any allegation.
 
 
 
2019 INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION PERSONNEL
 
Competition Jury
               Dr. Daniel Pesca (University of Maryland, Baltimore County)
               Dr. Ming Ge (Xi'An Conservatory, China)
               Marian Hahn (The Peabody Institute)
               Additional jurors TBA
  
Board of Directors
               Dr. Jarl Hulbert, President
               Thomas Cossentino, Treasurer
               Debra Potts, Secretary
               Jane Jones
               Irene Hulbert

​Staff
              Kristal Parker, Coordinator
               Justin Monroe, Coordinator

Artistic Director
To be announced