Competition Process

Preliminary Round

The Preliminary Round deadline is midnight, March 31. The midnight deadline is determined by the applicant’s time zone. The registration program we utililze will read the time the application was submitted from the server used to submit the application and accept the application as valid or not. Thus, someone in Europe will have to submit their application and materials sooner than someone on the West Coast of the United States.

Online registration is addressed under the Application Process section below. You must be prepared to pay your fees and upload video recording and proof of age (for student divisions) during this application process. Only credit cards (MasterCard and Visa) will be accepted (unless special accommodation is made prior to March 29).

Multiple work/movement and multiple excerpt submissions must be contained on ONE (1) video file, and ONLY in the order specified in the Required Music listing. The video recording of the preliminary round music must contain no spoken words or have identifying information in the title or inside the file (i.e. no names of individuals, schools, or teachers in the file title or in the metadata). More detailed information about recordings can be found in the Recording Guidelines. Specific details concerning repertoire are provided on the Required Music page.

The recordings will be presented to the Preliminary Round adjudicators anonymously; they will listen to and rank the recordings for selection of Festival participants (semi-finalists and alternates) in each division. Written comments may be requested at the time of application. Applicants will receive comments on their audio recording from three preliminary judges for their division. These judges will make comments as if teaching a private lesson: suggesting ways to improve, referencing literature and recordings, etc. Comments will be sent out early June.

Semi-finalists and alternates are announced in early May. If a semi-finalist cannot attend, the alternate list would be consulted for the next person to be invited to attend. Because historically we have had contestants withdraw from the competition even within a week prior to the competition, we encourage all alternates to keep up their preparation of the competition pieces. We have had alternates who have placed first!

During the Falcone Festival held at Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp in August, contestants will be photographed and finalists will have their performances live streamed. These photographs may be used by the Falcone Festival on its website and published in the Falcone Festival albums on Flickr. No images will be sold nor any compensation given to the contestant. All semi-finalists and alternates will be asked to fill out and sign a Photo, Live Stream and Recording Release Form.

Semi-Final Rounds

Participants prepare required music, both unaccompanied and accompanied pieces. Festival adjudicators listen to and rate the performances at the Festival, but competitors are identified by letters and numbers, not by name. Performances are NOT open to the public. It is the responsibility of the contestant to bring the piano sheet music accompaniment.

Final Round

Finalist competitors are announced at the Sunday luncheon and have until the following day to polish and rehearse. All Festival adjudicators rate the final round competitors. The public is invited to attend all finals and the Festival will live stream them. It is the responsibility of each contestant to bring the piano sheet music accompaniment unless they are playing with band accompaniment.