​Regulations – ISCHIA International  Piano Competition  PIANO PERFORMANCE ( SECTION III)​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

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Par. 1     The competition is open to young italian or foreign musicians.

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Par. 2     The main goal of the competition is to promote musical culture,  encouraging  youth to study music.

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Par. 3     Structure and Eligibility

 

The competition consists of two consecutive phases:

• Video Preselection Round  - Approximately 20 pianists will be selected for the live competition.

• Live Competition,  on July 10 and 11, 2026, will take place in  “ VILLA ARBUSTO ”  , in Via  Angelo Rizzoli   in  the municipality of   LACCO AMENO  Ischia Island , Naples, Italy.

 

The competition is open to pianists of any nationality who are 35 years old or younger as of May 25 , 2026.
 All repertoire must be performed from memory.

  

Par. 4     Repertoire

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Video Preselection

(Submission deadline: May 25th , 2026 )

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Video Preselection Round

Each competitor must submit a video with a program lasting between 15 and 20 minutes, which must include:
a single Étude, chosen from the works of one of the following composers:
F. Chopin, F. Liszt, A. Scriabin, S. Rachmaninov, S. Prokofiev, C. Debussy, or G. Ligeti.  More etudes of course are possible.
The remainder of the program is free.

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Live First Round

(10th July 2026 – Maximum 20 pianists will be selected for the Live First Round)
Each competitor must present a free-choice program lasting between 15 and 20 minutes, which must include:

a single Étude, chosen from the works of one of the following composers:
F. Chopin, F. Liszt, A. Scriabin, S. Rachmaninov, S. Prokofiev, C. Debussy, or G. Ligeti. Only one Étude is required. More etudes of course are possible. The remainder of the program is free, 

Repeating pieces performed in the Video Preselection Round is allowed.

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Live Second Round – Final – July  11th, 2026

(Max. 6 finalists)

Each finalist must present a free-choice program, lasting 30 to 35 minutes.

Free choice program

 

Works already performed in the Video Preselection may be repeated,
but not those performed in the Live First Round.

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Video Recording Requirements

Performance Format

• Each piece (or movement / set of variations) must be recorded in one continuous take — no cuts.

• Different pieces may be recorded separately. All recordings can be combined into one final video.

• Submit preferably one single link containing the complete video.

• Fixed camera angle (zooming permitted)

• Face and hands must always be clearly visible

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Editing

• No audio or video editing is permitted during the performance

• Videos that appear edited may be disqualified

 

Works

• Variations: must be recorded in one take

• Sonatas or multi-movement works: preferably one video, but movements may be submitted separately if necessary

 

Recording Date

• Must be recorded in 2025 or 2026

• Videos made before 2025 are not eligible

 

Recording Environment

• Professional studio not required – home recordings are accepted

 

Usage Rights

• By submitting a video, you authorize the competition to share it with the jury and publish it on competition channels

 

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Par. 5 

Compatibility with Ischia International Piano Competition ( Section 1 and Section 2)  and Online Competitions.

 

Applying to the Piano Performance ( Section III) Ischia  Piano Competition does not exclude participation in:

• Ischia International Piano Competition  Section 1 and Section 2  (if eligible by age)

• Ischia International Piano Online Competition                                                                                                          Pianists may apply to multiple competitions, as each has a different jury panel.

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Par. 6    The association  may apply some changes to this announcement in the future  and possibly suppress a category, if 

              competitors are not enough. In that case, the attendance  fee will be refunded.  Furthermore, the association will not   

              be responsible for any damages  or losses due  to competitors, during all the competition.

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Par. 7    Competitors will be allowed to test the piano following  a timetable  provided by  the  association.

Par. 8    Before any examination,  competitors will be asked by the examination board   to show the following documents:

                1) ID card            2) Two copies of the sheet  music  program.    Simplified piano pieces are not allowed.

Par. 10  Competitors will be examined   starting from letter will be drawn 8 days  before the 

               opening  of the competition, in order to  ease the staying of the competitors.

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Par. 12  Competitors will be able to test the piano checking a timetable that will  be  available on the  website  

               www.ischiapianocompetition.com   a few days before the beginning of the competition.

               Competitors are kindly invited to inform themselves about  .

Par. 13   Results will be published at the end of the examinations for each category.

Par. 14   Competitors who have been taking lessons in the last two years from  members of the examination board (or are   

               related to any of them) are not allowed to take   part in the competition. In the application form is strictly   

               necessary to put  the teacher’s name.  The full list of the examination board  will be available on the website  

               www.ischiapianocompetition.com  

Par.15   The examination board will be formed by musicians, teachers and renowned musical personalities.

Par.16   The examination board may stop players, if  the max. time is expired.

Par.17   The board’s decisions  are final and irrevocable. The examination board may also decide not to give any prize due  

               to a low-level general performance of the candidates.                                                                                             

Par. 18  The award ceremony for the First, Second , Third and Fourth winners will be held at the end of the examination of  

               each category.  Absolute First Prize Winners   of each category will take part in the Major Award  Ceremony  that  

               will be held  on  June  1st 2025  at    “ VILLA ARBUSTO    ”,  in via  Angelo Rizzoli – Lacco Ameno , Ischia   .

               Absolute First Prize Winners who won’t be present at the final concert, won’t be  awarded any prize.

Par. 19  The calendar of the examinations and the date of convocation (from which each competitor will know the day and the  

               time of the call for his/her category) will  be  published on the association website  www.ischiapianocompetition.com

               Each candidate, therefore, in order to know the day of convocation, will have to visit  the website or call the secretary   

               of the association “Note sul Mare”  (tel. 0039/ 081 5071403  or  0039/ 333 3283159 ) .

              “Note sul Mare” will not be  responsible  in this case; no other forms of convocation are considered.

Par. 20   Candidates will have to provide for their staying during the competition.

Par. 21     Pursuant to Art. 10 of the Law n° 675/96 on Personal Data Protection,   the  musical association  “Note sul Mare”

               declares that all requested personal datas will  be used only to send informations strictly related to the competition.  

                However,  pursuant to  Art. 1 of the same Law, the owner of the data can forbid its use.

Par. 22    The application to the competition entails the unconditional acceptance of the rules of the present announcement.

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°PRIZES°           

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  Competitors of all sections and categories

 FIRST  classified           (score not less than  95/100 )       1st prize  medal and degree

 SECOND classified       ( score from 94/100 to 90/100)   2nd prize  degree

 THIRD  classified          ( score from 89/100 to 85/100)   3rd prize  degree

 FOURTH classified       (score from 84/100t o 80/100)    4th prize  degree

-Each not awarded competitor will be given an Attendance Certificate.

-FIRST ABSOLUTE WINNERS  of each category   cup and degree (score  99/100-100/100) , will be also awarded the following prizes :

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SECTION 1 (Piano solo)

Cat. Junior       Scholarship     €         60,00        Cat. A             Scholarship     €         80,00       

Cat. B               Scholarship     €         100,00       Cat. C             Scholarship     €         140,00

Cat. D              Scholarship      €         200,00

Cat. E               Scholarship      €         300,00    - A Concert  to be held during the season 2026 . The concert is listed  in

                                                                                       “ CLASSICA FESTIVAL NOTE SUL MARE” in Ischia

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                                                                        “ISCHIA ISLAND PRIZE”

For the Category Junior , A , B , C , D and E       Scholarship       €     200,00

The Prize  will be awarded at the discretion of the Jury to one competitor chosen among First Absolutes .

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SECTION 2  (Piano Four Hands )

Cat. G           Scholarship                  €          100,00 in two                Cat. H     Scholarship            €          150,00 in two

Cat. I             Scholarship                  €          200,00 in two               

Cat. L            Scholarship                  €          400,00 in two     And  1  Concert  to be held during the season 2026  .

The concert is listed  in  “ CLASSICA FESTIVAL NOTE SUL MARE”   in Ischia

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Section 3  (Piano Performance)

First      prize scholarship      of  €uro    1.500,00*       and two concerts

Second  prize scholarship      of  €uro    600,00**       and one concert.

Third     prize scholarship      of €uro     300,00     

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*€uro 800,00 will be delivered after the competition, €uro 700,00 will be distributed during the concerts as an

   expense reimbursement

**€uro 300,00 will be delivered after the competition,  €uro 300,00 will be distributed during the concert as an expense reimbursement

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  - The  Concerts Prize   will be held during the season 2026   of :

   Musical Association Note Sul Mare in  Ischia , 

   Trapani Classi Festival in Trapani ( Sicily), 

   Musical Association "Rospigliosi"  in Pistoia 

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 - For the First Prize of Section 3 there will be also “Andrea Monte” Prize : Holiday –Concert *Double room for two people from

  June 2nd   to  June 4th 2025 ( 3 days , 2 nights) at the “Hotel Terme Providece” ( Forio - Ischia) with half board  .The Concert (without compensation to the winner ) will be held on June 2nd 2025 at the 9 pm (21:00). The holiday period is not replaceable . If the winner is not available for these dates , the prize will be awarded to the next winner in the ranking.

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                                      * Just a formal reimbursement is provided for all award concerts.

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Par. 23    Private agreements are being made with several musical associations, in order  to give prize winners the opportunity to play in their festivals. – At the end of the Competition the Absolute Winner  of the Ischia Piano Competition will be mentioned.

Par. 24    Recordings , television or  radio broadcasting of the performances won’t give competitors any right to any reward

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•PARTICIPATION MODE•

Par. 25   Candidates will have to fill out the application form and send it within and not beyond  May  10th 2025 via e- mail to ischiapianocompetition@gmail.com  .     Proof of payment must be  attached to the mail.

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•REGISTRATION FEES•

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Cat. Junior    €   45,00   1^ section     Cat. A-B-C    €   55,00   1^ section     Cat. D-E     €   70,00   1^ section     

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Cat. Piano Performance    €  85,00   3^ section

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Cat G-H          €    90,00  in two 2^ section            Cat I-L    €  110,00  in two 2^ section

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 Payment must be net of charges banking                                  

 The registration fee can be payed by bank transfer:    Banca Prossima   - C/C n° 69467  headed to   “Associazione Musicale   

  Note sul Mare”   IBAN:   IT47S0306909606100000069467  ;  BIC/ SWIFT :   BCITITMM

   Filiale di Milano  20121 -  Piazza Paolo Ferrari 10 – Milano