Competition Guidelines

Eligibility

Senior Division: Applicants must be at least 19 years of age and not older than 27 by January 21, 2012.
Junior Division: Applicants must be at least 15 years of age and not older than 18 by January 21, 2012.

Past Schmidbauer first-prize winners, musicians under current professional management, or current students of 2012 judges of the Schmidbauer International Competition are ineligible.

Repertoire (All music must be performed from memory and remain the same in each round)

Senior Division

Total repertoire will be comprised of a complete concerto and a solo work of competitor's choice (either a single movement work or movement taken from a larger multi-movement work). Concerto repertoire must be chosen from the list of approved concertos found here. The selection of the second work will be left at the competitor's discretion.

  • Preliminary Round (DVD or VHS)—First or final movement of concerto (with accompanist) and second work.
  • Semifinal Round—Time limit 30 minutes; live performance to include first movement of concerto and second work.
  • Final Round—Live performance of complete concerto.

Junior Division

Total repertoire will be comprised of the following four components: two movements of sonatas by two contrasting composers, one of which must be by Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, or Schubert, the other of the competitor's choice; one etude; and single-movement solo work of competitor's choice.

  • Preliminary Round (DVD or VHS)—Sonata movement by Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, or Schubert; etude; and single movement work.
  • Semifinal Round—Time limit 30 minutes; live performance to include one sonata movement of competitor's choice and etude.
  • Final Round—Live performance of remaining sonata movement and remaining single movement solo work.

Live Performance

Judges may select movements from complete works at their discretion and may mediate the performances as they feel best fits the time allotment during performances. Judges may declare no winner or finalists if performances do not meet minimum artistic standards. Decisions of the judges are final.

Accompanists

Competitors may bring their own accompanist. Staff accompanists may be requested for a non-refundable fee of $110; payment for accompanist fee must be received no later than January 3, 2012. Competitors will forfeit the privilege to use a staff accompanist if payment is not received. Competitors must request a staff accompanist upon acceptance to semifinal round. If, in an emergency, a personal accompanist becomes unavailable, the competition director should be contacted at once. A staff accompanist will only be assigned if schedules allow. Rehearsal schedule with accompanist will be included with notification of acceptance to semifinal round.