The Philadelphia International Music Festival Concerto Competition
This event is one of the most intense of the performance opportunities at the Philadelphia International Music Festival. Musicians participating in the Philadelphia International Music Festival Concerto Competition must be ready to perform with orchestra if selected. Repertoire must be performed by memory and readily available for orchestral accompaniment. Please note that rehearsal with faculty accompanist will constitute preliminary round. So please be sure to arrive at the festival ready to perform competition repertoire. Final rounds are performed in public at an evening concert event at Bryn Mawr College. One Grand Prize Winner will be selected to represent PIMF as a soloist with the popular New Jersey orchestra: Ocean City Pops!
Participation and Performance
The Concerto Competition is open to all Festival participants.
Participants choosing to enroll in the competition must complete the Concerto Competition Registration Form mailed with student confirmation packet. The preliminary rounds are not open to the public. Scheduled rehearsal with faculty pianist will constitute preliminary round. Finalists will be selected by faculty pianists and/or adjudicator.
PIMF Concerto Competition Finals will be performed before a live audience at Bryn Mawr College in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania.
Performances may be audio or video taped.
If time is limited, judges may choose not to hear piece in its entirety.
Age divisions of competition will be consistent with orchestra divisions determined by PIMF faculty and staff.
The Grand Prize Winner(s) of the previous year's festival may enter Concerto Competition, but will not qualify for Grand Prize (see "winners" below).
Qualifying Pieces
Participants must complete from memory one movement from a concerto of choice.
Competitors must select and perform music with available orchestral accompaniment.
Competitors must provide name of composer, name of piece, name and number of movement, publisher, and length of movement on Concerto Competition registration form.
Accompaniment
Sheet music for piano accompaniment must be provided by student and turned in to the PIMF faculty accompanist upon registration.
Competitors will be accompanied by a PIMF faculty pianist.
Rehearsal schedule will be posted at several prominent locations throughout festival grounds.
Competitors are responsible for attending scheduled rehearsal for the preliminary round.
Missed or partial rehearsals will not be replaced.
Winners
The decision of the judges is final.
The panel of judges will consist of PIMF faculty members and/or representatives of the Ocean City Pops Orchestra.
One winner from each division will be chosen.
One Grand Prize winner will be chosen.
The Grand Prize winner will perform as soloist with the Ocean City Pops Orchestra. Concert date to be determined.
The Grand Prize winner may be selected from First Place winners based in part on repertoire considerations and performance needs of the Ocean City Pops Music Director.
