Revised Deadline - April 11!

2024 Classical Viennese Festival

The Seattle International Piano Festival (SIPF) is proud to present the thirteenth annual Classical Viennese Festival (recorded video edition) for pianists, and now inviting all instrumental performers. Participants of any nationality may participate. This competitive event was created to showcase classical and pre-classical sonata forms. Important for clarity and formal understanding, the sonata and related classical forms are often neglected or underrepresented in competitive events, and to provide performers with constructive feedback from performing and teaching masters. Participants will receive educational evaluations by performing for adjudicators, and a chance to receive certificates and medals during this competitive event.

This festival sets forth a number of age groups (ages 7 and under non-competitive, ages 8 and under fully competitive, 9 to 10, 11 to 12, 13 to 14, 15 to 16, and 17 to 18), as well as several narrowly defined performance categories so that they may be fairly judged, and generously decorated.

Notable Changes

The 2024 Classical Viennese Festival is conducted exclusively by video recording submission. Those familiar with previous years should review the rules for the 2024 carefully, as there are a number of lesser and more significant changes. These include:

  • Open registration for all instrumentalists, including smaller performance divisions for non-pianists (pre-classical sonatas, classical sonatas, miscellaneous classical works, classical variations, duos/duets, and instrumental classical concerti)
  • Return to age categories by one two-year brackets rather than single year, as well as collegiate, professional, and adult amateur participation groups
  • Clarified rules and application form
  • Elimination of spoken introduction requirement (links must bear the performer’s name in the title and/or contents area)
  • As usual, video links from our distinguished gold medalists will be displayed on the winners’ page
  • As usual, distribution of certificates and comment sheets will be exclusively digital via email communication; physical medal distribution will take place at a time and manner to be published after results are released

Results will be published on or shortly after April 1 April 24 on the winners’ page

New award changes (published March 20):

  • Distinguished Gold Medalist. A gold medal, diploma, and adjudicator comment sheet. All distinguished gold medalists will have their winning videos linked to the awards page. Additionally, the top four DG medalists will be selected to participate, free of charge, in a special master class with the international jury of the 2024 Seattle International Piano Competition on Friday, September 20. For more information, visit the competition page.
  • Gold Medalist. A gold medal, diploma, and adjudicator comment sheet, as well as a listing on the awards page. All gold medalists will receive a scholarship for participation in the Amici International Music Festival as listed above.
  • Silver Medalist. a silver medal, diploma, and adjudicator comment sheet, as well as a listing on the awards page. All silver medalists will receive a scholarship for participation in the Amici International Music Festival as listed above.
  • Bronze Medalist. a bronze medal, diploma, and adjudicator comment sheet, as well as a listing on the awards page.
  • Honorable Mention. A diploma and adjudicator comment sheet, as well as a listing on the awards page.

Classical Viennese Festival General Rules

pdficonApplication Deadline: All applications must be completed by 9:00 pm, Monday, March 18 Thursday, April 11, 2024 Pacific Standard Time (UTC-8). Click on the icon to the left to download a copy of the rules.

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Classical Viennese Festival Guest Adjudicators

Junheng Chen
Brian Keng-Lun Hsu, pianist
Brian Hsu
Alina Rosevear
Alina Rosevear
Jeffrey Savage
Karen Savage