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Competition Overview

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Purpose

Judging Format

Application

Repertoire Requirements

Video Requirements

Winners’ Recital

Prizes & Awards

Letter of Recommendation & Transcripts

Miscellaneous Terms and Conditions

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Purpose: The Marion B. Scott International Piano Competition will hold its inaugural competition in 2022, and will continue as an annual event. The Competition will hold officially in Abuja, Nigeria, with the aim to discover and nurture pianists from across the African continent through opportunities to hear and meet world-class musicians, and to contribute to the development of international exchange of music from different cultures and traditions.

 

Organized by Piano Maestro Limited, 12 Amazon St, Maitama, FCT Abuja, Nigeria

 

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Judging Format

 

The competition will be divided into the Initial Selection, 2nd Round and Final. For the 2022 Competition, the Initial Selection Round will be judged using video data which should be included in the application as a YouTube or Vimeo link. The Secondary Round and Final will happen via Zoom online meetings.

 

A list of all advancing contests for the Initial Selection and 2nd Round, as well as the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Winners for the Final will be publicly announced on the competition website. 

 

The Jury members shall have no contact with the contestants during the entire duration of the Competition. Attempts to privately contact any of the jury members (for any form of consultation, notwithstanding lessons, masterclasses, etc.) is strictly prohibited and will lead to disqualification. If a member of the jury has taught a competitor within the last five years, he/she will abstain from assessing that competitor.

  

Cash prizes will be awarded at the discretion of the jury. The jury reserves the right to not award any of the prizes; to offer a shared prize (ex aqueo) splitting an award or prize between several deserving contestants. 

 

Decisions of the jury are FINAL and are not subject to review or appeal. The jury reserves the right of not awarding any prizes if the expected performance standard is not met.

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Application

 

 

Eligibility: Any pianist of appropriate age may register

 

        Junior: Ages 12 years and under

                                                                  Classical Piano

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        Young Artists: Ages 13 through 18

                                                                  Classical Piano

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        Senior Artists: Ages 19 and over

            Classical Piano

     Jazz Piano

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Application Period

 

All registrations and fees must be submitted by Saturday, April 22nd, 2022. Late registrations will be accepted until Saturday, May 7th, 2022 with an additional charge of N10,000 ($20) per application. Submissions later than May 7th, 2022 will not be reviewed or considered for a prize.

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How to apply online

 

Applicants should apply online through the 2022 Application Form provided on this website. Email inquiries will not be considered unless a completed Application Form is attached to the email inquiry, including all appropriate documentation (photograph, receipt of payment, music score).

 

           Enter the required information in the Application Form making sure to include:

                  1) YouTube or Vimeo link of the piano repertoire (one piece); Private links                                        will be not accepted

                  2) A color photograph taken within 6 months of the application date

                  3) Receipt of Payment:

                             Junior: Ages 12 years and under        N20,000 or $45

                             Young Artists: Ages 13 through 18    N25,000 or $55

                             Senior Artists: Ages 19 and over        N40,000 or $85

                  4) Electronic music score of performance repertoire (pdf format)

 

One piece of music per application - this refers to one musical work, or one movement of a larger scale work (e.g. a Sonata, concerto, etc). There are no time limits for the 2022 Competition. 

 

Applicants are required to submit a separate application should they wish to submit different repertoire pieces or enter more than one category (Senior Artists Division). Each entry will require an independent submission, with the inclusion of the appropriate application fees and completion of a separate Application Form, including documentation.

 

Full payment of application fees must be made before application form will be processed. All application fees are non-refundable.

 

The Competition Committee will review all entries in order to ensure adherence to the requirements of this event. Participants will be notified by email if they have advanced to the 2nd and Final Rounds, which will also include information concerning the Zoom link, performance date and time after all entries have been received and processed. A list of selected contestants for the 2nd Round will be posted to the competition website by June 11th, 2022. Contestants who advance to the Final Round will be notified no later than June 25th, 2022.

 

Incomplete applications or those not including the required documentation will not be processed. 

 

Submission of application materials will constitute permission to use the applicant’s name and likeness for publicity and promotional materials. Participants cannot claim legal rights to recordings and photos submitted or broadcasts that may be made in connection with the competition. All legal rights are reserved by the Marion B. Scott International Piano Competition and no fee is payable to any contestant for performances, photos, recordings or television broadcasts in which they appear. 

 

Please direct any further questions to the Competition Committee, Marion B. Scott International Piano Competition.

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Repertoire Requirements

 

Classical Piano (Junior, Young Artists, Senior Artists)

 

Contestants must perform a memorized solo work for the piano from any of the standard repertoire pieces (baroque, classical, romantic, 20th century). Contestants must not perform their own compositions or any simplifications or arrangements, but may include modern compositions for piano such as Peter Lieberson, Esa-Pekka Salonen, Paavo Heininen, Akin Euba or Ayo Bankole whose compositions follow the classical music genre.

 

One movement or individual dance within a larger work is considered as one selection. A prelude and fugue, however, may be entered as one or two pieces.

 

Junior repertoire pieces must be at least 12 measures in length.

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Repeats should not be taken during the Initial Selection Round. Judges will advise contestants concerning performance instructions in subsequent rounds.

 

All repertoire selections will be screened and approved for performance by the Competition Committee. No exceptions to the above rules will be allowed; the Committee's decision is final.

 

While contestants may perform the same piece for the Initial Selection and 2nd Rounds, preference will be given to those contestants who present different repertoire at each round. All contestants who advance to the Final round must perform a different repertoire piece than their repertoire during the Initial Selection Round.

 

The judges may stop a performer at any time after 8 minutes for Junior, and after 15 minutes for Young Artists and Senior Artists classifications.

 

Participants are required to submit electronic copies of their scores with their application. It is the responsibility for the applicant to submit their scores. The Marion B. Scott International Piano Competition will not remind applicants about the submission of their scores.

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Jazz Piano (Senior Artists Division Only)

 

Contestants may choose one of any of the following options:

 

                1) Songbook of the World

                    Any standard tune by a composer generally considered part of the tradition of                     jazz music, pop music, musical theater, films, theater productions or other                           incidental sources.

 

                2) Compositions by Jazz Musicians & Composers:

                     Examples: Ellington, Strayhorn, Fats Waller, Miles Davis, Bill Evans,                                      Thelonious Monk, Wayne Shorter, Freddie Hubbard, Sonny Rollins, Charles                        Mingus, John Coltrane, Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Bud Powell, Ornette                        Coleman, Clifford Brown, Fred Hersch, Chick Corea, Joe Henderson, Herbie                        Hancock, Oscar Peterson, Keith Jarrett, Louis Armstrong, Antonio Carlos                            Jobim, Claire Fischer, Pat Metheny, Lee Morgan, Gary Burton, Tom Harrell,                          Horace Silver, Benny Goodman, Jelly Roll Morton, Benny Golson, Cedar                              Walton, Dave Brubeck, Cannonball Adderly, or other well-known jazz                                    musicians and composers.

 

                 3) Free Choice: Original compositions (limit of one per round)

 

 

All jazz piano submissions for the Initial Selection Round must include the element of improvisation, as well as during each subsequent round if the contestant is selected to advance.

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The use of live or recorded accompaniments are not permitted for the 2022 competition. Submissions should be made of only solo piano, without the use of any other enhancing features (drum beats, recorded bass lines, comping, etc.), with the exception of speakers or other means of amplification for those applicants who are using digital pianos.

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Video Requirements

  

It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that the video link is openable. Failure to provide a working link could lead to disqualification. We do not accept files that require to be downloaded (e.g. mp3, mp4 files will not be accepted).

 

An unedited video of the performance forwarded to the Marion B. Scott International Piano Competition as a Youtube or Vimeo PUBLIC LINK.  Videos edited in any way to alter the performance will not be accepted. The video must clearly show the face and hands of the performer and the complete instrument. The video has to be in one take. Maintain a stable camera angle and do not move the camera (do not pan, tilt, zoom).  

 

The submitted video recordings must be original recordings of the participants.

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Winners’ Recital

 

Winners of first, second, and third place in each division will choose one of their competition performances as their selection for 

The Marion B. Scott International Piano Competition Winner's Recital

 

Due to Covid, the Marion B. Scott International Piano Competition Winner's Recital 2022 will be broadcast via our YouTube Channel on or before July 16th, 2022

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Prizes & Awards 

 

Junior Division

1st Prize - N100,000

2nd Prize - N70,000

3rd Prize - N30,000

 

Young Artists Division

1st Prize - N500,000

2nd Prize - N200,000

3rd Prize - N100,000

 

Senior Artists Division

1st Prize - N1,000,000

2nd Prize - N500,000

3rd Prize - N200,000

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Letter of Recommendation & Transcripts

 

Participants who have participated in the Marion B. Scott International Piano Competition for four (4) years may quality for a Letter of Recommendation or transcript for College/ University application. Please send us your request for the letter and photos of your the Marion B. Scott International Piano Competition winners' certificates when it is time for you to apply. 

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Miscellaneous Terms and Conditions

 

It is the responsibility of the contestant to ensure adequate internet bandwidth and data to complete your audition performance in the 2nd and Final Rounds. Selected Contestants should also ensure to have logged onto the given Zoom meeting at least 10 minutes prior to the performance time, as it will be up to the discretion of the judges whether or not to accommodate late arrivals. Contestants who miss their performance time for any reason will be disqualified.

 

The Marion B. Scott International Piano Competition reserves the right to make any changes in the rules, schedule or other information related to the competition.

 

The Competition Committee will not respond to questions about other applicants or regarding their submissions.

 

The award of prizes are entirely subject to the discretion of the jury. Jury may withhold prizes if the performances are not up to the expected standard.

 

All the information provided to us in the application must be truthful. Provision of incorrect or inaccurate information will result in disqualification, as well as the forfeiture of all prize money.

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Purpose
Judging Format
Application
Repertoire Requirements
Video Requirements
Winners' Recital
Prizes & Awards
Letter of Recommendation & Transcripts
Miscellanous Terms and Conditions
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