2021 Washington International Competition for Piano

Dates and Information

Originally scheduled for May 23 & 24, 2020, and twice rescheduled due to the global pandemic, the 2021 67th Annual Washington International Competition for Piano, sponsored by the Friday Morning Music Club Foundation, was held VIRTUALLY on June 5 & 6, 2021. In March 2020, preliminary judges selected 16 semifinalists from among the 148 applicants, 14 of which were able to participate virtually in 2021.

Semifinals

Saturday, June 5, 2021

• Our distinguished panel of judges viewed and evaluated the contestants’ submitted programs in a closed session and selected 6 pianists to proceed to the finals.
• At the conclusion of the Semifinal round, the judges selected the Finals program to be broadcast from the pre-recorded videos submitted.
• We were delighted to present our competition in this virtual format while maintaining the most important aspects of an in-person event. At the conclusion of the Semifinals, those who did not advance to the Finals were invited to confer one-on-one with each of the judges over Zoom, receiving valuable feedback and comments.

Finals

Sunday, June 6, 2021, 1:00pm

• The Finals were broadcast via Zoom Webinar, open to the public and free of charge. Audience members were able to vote for their favorite contestant using the polling feature within Zoom. The event concluded with the announcement of the winners after the judges’ deliberations.

Judges

• Robert McDonald
• John Perry
• Simone Dinnerstein

Preliminary Judges

• Paul Leavitt
• Scott Beard
• Bok Hwa Kim
• Rhoda Jeng
• Charles Timbrell

Prizes

• First Prize: $10,000
• Second Prize: $5,000
• Third Prize: $3,000
• Three Finalist Awards: $1,000 each
• Audience Prize: $1,000

Performance Awards

Performance awards include solo appearance with the Avanti Orchestra, and a solo recital in Washington, DC (Alice Nagle Fund)

Virtual Competition Updates

The Preliminary Stage of the competition was concluded in March 2020 and 16 semifinalists, and alternates, were selected. All contestants have been notified of the new arrangements and have reconfirmed their availability for the competition.

Contestants will record their entire program and upload it to the platform designated by the competition officials. The FMMC Foundation Board agreed to offer an honorarium of $400 to each semifinalist to help defray costs associated with the recording of their program for the competition.

Recording Guidelines

• Video Recordings must be made on a single instrument, with a fixed point of view focused on the contestant, with only one camera in one location, as if from the audience’s perspective. The camera should show a full side view of the contestant, with hands and pedals visible.
• The video cannot include any corrective editing and should only include basic transitions between pieces. No sound enhancements are allowed.
• Multi-movement works (Preludes & Fugues, Sonatas, Character Pieces/groupings of pieces by a single composer, etc.) must be recorded in a single take. All compositions will then be combined and submitted in a single file, with the contestant’s choice piece placed at the beginning of the video.
• The recording is meant to be a true representation of a live performance and give the judges a true and honest view of your playing.
• Videos must include timestamps for every piece and movement, to allow judges easy access to locate specific points in the performance.
• Submit a high-quality file. The best type for submission is MP4.

DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION OF VIDEOS: MAY 9, 2021 (SUNDAY) AT 11:59PM (Eastern Time).

Information For Future Interested Applicants

Eligibility

Applicants must be between the ages of 18 and 30 (as of the date of the competition). Proof of age will be required. Applicants must not be under professional management. Previous first-prize winners of the competition and current students of the judges may not apply.

Application

Application are found at www.getacceptd.com/wic. Please direct all questions about the application process to Getacceptd.  Specific repertoire questions should be directed to the Co-Chairs at wicpiano2020@gmail.com. Applications will be accepted from September 15, 2019, until the deadline on February 15, 2020.

Required Repertoire

1. J. S. Bach: Any work. (Pieces with multiple sections or movements must be prepared in their entirety)
2. An entire Classical Sonata by one of the following composers: Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven (excluding Op. 49), or Schubert
3. A major work from the Romantic period
4. A substantial work from the 20th or 21st century
5. A piece of the contestant’s choice not to exceed 10 minutes

• Applicants should be prepared to perform all submitted repertoire for the semifinal and final rounds.
• All music must be performed by memory.
• The submitted repertoire program should be a minimum of 60 minutes.

Regulations and Instructions

1. No changes in repertoire permitted past the deadline date.
2. Submit a maximum of 35 minutes chosen from your required repertoire for the audition video. List of formats allowed on the Getacceptd site. The selections should present a representation of your playing.
3. A jury will review submissions and select 16 semifinalists.
4. All applicants will be notified of the results at least 2 months prior to the competition date.
5. Semifinalists will be sent further instructions as needed.

Housing

Housing will be offered to all semifinalists, with local transportation and meals offered at the convenience of hosts.  These accommodations in private homes will include access to an excellent piano.

Additional Information

1. The FMMC Foundation assumes no responsibility for actions of or injuries sustained by applicants or their escorts during their course of stay in the Washington, DC area.
2. All contestants are responsible for transportation to and from Washington, DC.
3. The decision of the judges is final and not to be disputed. No contact with the judges is permitted until after the results have been announced.
4. The WIC reserves the right to use any recordings or photographs originated during the competitions, or any photographs or recordings provided by the contestants.

Contact

Further information about the competition and the application process is available from the Competition Co-Chairs at wicpiano2020@gmail.com.