The 28th Epinal International Piano Competition

Disciplines: Piano

COVID-19 UPDATE : NEW INSTRUCTIONS !!

Because of the Covid-19 health crisis and in order to avoid large gatherings of contestants in Epinal, we have decided that the first round would exceptionally be held online.

The new format means that contestants will be required to upload a video on YouTube or Vimeo of themselves performing the first-round program, and to send us the link until February 6, 2021 (at the latest) via e-mail to the following address : inscriptions.cipe@gmail.com

The videos will be then viewed by the jury and the results of this first round will be published on our Facebook page and website. The list of the competitors accepted for the second round will come out on February 15, 2021.

The new dispositions will take place as such :

  • February 4, 2021 : deadline for application and program change
  • February 6, 2021 : deadline for sending us the video-link of the first round
  • February 15, 2021 : the list of competitors accepted for the second round will come out on our Facebook Page and website (25 to 30 contestants will be accepted for the second round)
  • March 20 and 21, 2021 : Arrival of the competitors, accepted for the second round, in Epinal. The contestants who required to be hosted by families will, then, meet their host families
  • March 21, 2021 : The competition piano is tested by the contestants
  • March 22, 23, and 24, 2021 : Second round
  • March 25 and 26, 2021 : Semi-final
  • March 27, 2021: Rehearsal of the finalists with the orchestra
  • March 28, 2021: Final with the Metz National Orchestra

Important notice :

  • Although the first round is sent through a video, the required music program of the competition stays the same, in particular the one concerning the first two rounds.
  • The competitors must make sure that their recorded video remains all the time on YouTube or Vimeo until the results come out on February 15, 2021.
  • The video-recording of the first round must be recent (less than a year) and should not be edited. The competitor’s hands and face must be clearly seen. Due to the present circumstances, it is possible to send one or two recordings, performed at different dates and different places.
  • In case a competitor, registered before December 19, 2020, would refuse this new organization and want his registration-fee back, he must let us know and e-mail us : inscriptions.cipe@gmail.com until January 8, 2021 at the latest. Beyond this date, it will be impossible to be reimbursed.
  • All the same, any competitor who would not send the link of his video in time (deadline : February 6, 2021) would be disqualified.
  • The competition might always be cancelled at any moment, due to sanitary conditions or government decision, or in case of unsufficient applications.Prizes

    First Grand Prize Epinal la Belle Image
    10.000€

    Second Prize du Conseil Régional Grand Est
    4.000€

    Third Prize du Conseil Départemental des Vosges
    2.000€

    Fourth Prize de la Caisse d’Epargne
    1.000€

    Additional prizes will be awarded by the Jury :
    Contemporary Music Prize of SACEM for the best performance of the piece by Guillaume Connesson in the semi-final round
    Prize of “Jeunesses Musicales de France” for the best French contestant
    Audience Prize attributed by the audience for the best interpretation of the Concerto.
    The Jury is not obliged to award all the prizes.

    Winners of the competition will also have the benefit of playing at festivals such as : Festival Musicorum de BruxellesConcerts Classiques d’Epinal, Rencontres Internationales de Musique de Mirecourt, Musique Espérance Saint-Dié, Musique à RemiremontFestival Bach de Toul

    5. Contestants in the first and second rounds may receive a certificate attesting to their participation in the competition.

    6. The Competition’s public rounds may be broadcast live and/or re-broadcast by radio, television or Internet. The rounds may also be recorded and/or filmed for reproduction on various formats (CD, DVD, etc.). In keeping with the Competition’s reputation, the contestants give the Competition the right to record or film a performance, to reproduce it or have it reproduced on any format and to broadcast it by any and all means throughout the world. This transfer of rights is valid for a period of 50 years from the moment of the performance.

    7. Entering the competition entails the acceptance of its rules and procedures ; the French text stands as legal reference. 

Program of the Competition

Warning: No work shall be repeated at any stage of the competition. All the pieces, with the exception of the obligatory contemporary piece, must be played from memory.

First round – Second round :

The contestant must present the following program, dividing the pieces between the first round (20’ maximum) and the second round (35’ maximum), in the order of his/her choice and within the allotted time limit. Each round is qualifying :
– One prelude and fugue from “The Well-Tempered Clavier” by J.-S. Bach,
– One Etude from opus 10 or 25 by Chopin,
– One Etude by another composer,
– One work or one suite of works of the same opus from the romantic repertory of a duration of 7 to 20 minutes composed between 1828 and 1897.
– A complete Sonata by Beethoven, Clementi, Haydn, Mozart or Schubert (repeats are optional).

Semi-final: Recital (40′ minimum, 50′ maximum)

A program of the contestant’s choice including the piece “Spirite” by Guillaume Connesson (commissioned by the Competition – duration : about 5’ – score sent on reception of the registration form and fee), and one work of a French composer written between the 17th and 21st century.

Final round: One Concerto to choose among the followings :

Mozart : Concerto No.23 in A major, K. 488
Beethoven : Concerto No.1 in C major, op. 15
Chopin : Concerto No.1 in E minor, op. 11
Grieg : Concerto in A minor op. 16
Saint-Saëns : Concerto No.4 in C minor, op. 44
Ravel : Concerto in G major

More information here.