Rules and Regulations
The registration deadline for the individual competitions can be found within the age categories
on the pages –Steps to Bach– and –The Bach Pianist
Competition Background
The PLAY BACH! International Online Piano Competition pursues multiple goals:
The primary goal of the competition is to encourage pianists of all ages and levels, to explore, study and perform works by J. S. Bach and his circle.
Through the multiple sections, and age categories, the competition aims to encourage an ongoing preoccupation with the keyboard works of J. S. Bach and his circle.
The competition aims to promote excellence in Bach Interpretation and Pedagogy, and help artists launch their careers.
We provide a platform for pianists of all ages, levels and nationalities to compete in their interpretations, without the need to travel to participate in the competition.
We provide a platform for teachers to promote their achievement in pedagogy and to draw attention to the teamwork with their students.
1st Prizes
The competition promotes prizewinners through the publication and dissemination of prizewinning Solo recordings.
Prizewinners and their teachers
The names of the First Prize Winners with their recordings will be uploaded onto the Competition’s YouTube Channel.
All prizewinners and their teachers are listed on the prizewinners page of the PLAY BACH! Online International Piano Competition.
Teachers of prizewinners will receive a certificate from the competition.
Every participant will receive a written report from the Jury.
Programs
The free choice of program allows for more flexibility for students and teachers, while the list of suggested works showcases rarely performed works from the Bach circle, as well as works by Bach’s contemporaries, students, and grand-students (e.g. J. W. Hässler). Through this we aim to increase awareness of Bach’s impact on the development of numerous genres and styles.
For the convenience of teachers and participants, a PDF copy of the music scores of all suggested works listed in each age category for the first six age categories of the competition (from the 6-year-old and under category to the 11-year-old and under category) are available for download for a small fee. This score includes performance indications, including suggested tempo, structure, phrases and articulation markings, dynamics and fingering. You can find some samples of these scores, and a selection of required repertoire provided by La Folia publications for this competition, by clicking on Scores published by La Folia.
All generated funds from the entry fees and music sales go towards the International Piano Competition J. S. Bach, in memoriam Walter Blankenheim.
The Play Bach! Online Competition is held every year.
Competition Dates
Please check different dates for each age category in your chosen section
(go to Repertoire).
The results will be announced by:
please check different dates for each age category in your chosen section
(go to Repertoire).
Rules and Regulations
Each section is open to contestants born on or before the dates listed for every age category.
A scan of a passport or other official document confirming the date of birth is required for participation.
To be accepted into the competition, the contestant must submit:
* a fully completed entry form (including all required documents)
* a video recording with the complete program (please see Application for video recording requierements)
* the application fee (see APPLICATION FEE below for details)
* scan of passport
These must be submitted before the closing date.
Late or incomplete entries will not be accepted.
On receipt of the complete application, the applicant will receive a confirmation from the competition office.
Entrants to the Open Age Amateurs and Open Age Professionals section must submit a short brief biography.
By submitting an application, the entrant agrees to the contest rules.
Children’s applications must be completed and submitted by their parents or legal guardian.
The application fee is not refundable.
Structure and Categories
Steps to Bach – with one required own choice work by J. S. Bach (or a selection from the suggested works) in each category + a work of your own choice. Both works can be played with sheet music (no memorisation required).
The Bach Pianist – with extended programs of own choice works by J. S. Bach (or a selection from the suggested works) that have to be played by memory.
A candidate may register for one, or for more sections of the competition and may win more than one prize (e.g. a prize in each of the sections).
Each section is ordered by age categories, from 6 years old and under to 16 years old and under, and includes an open age category.
The age divisions are calculated based on the contestant’s age on the application date (closing date of entries).
*** Closing dates for each category: please go to Repertoire, click on your chosen section and your age category!
A candidate may register and submit repertoire for any age category higher than their own (e.g. a 9 year old may enter the 12 years and under category).
Contestants are evaluated and ranked within the category they have entered.
First prize Winners of a category cannot enter the same category again (e.g. If a 9 year old wins the First Prize in the 10 years and under category, they may not participate in the 10 years and under category next year).
Voting Procedure
The following point system is in place:
FIRST PRIZE – is awarded to the highest-ranking competitor with 95-100 points.
The 1st Prize must be awarded if there are 2 or more pianists competing in the same age category, with the EXCEPTION of open ages categories. Participants are being evaluated on a high standard of performance. Thus, the jury is not obliged to award all the prizes. The first Prize cannot be shared.
SECOND PRIZE – is awarded to the competitor(s) with 85-94 points.
THIRD PRIZE – is awarded to the competitor(s) with 75-84 points.
FOURTH PRIZE – is awarded to the competitor(s) with 65-74 points.
ENTRY FEES
The entry fee for the Steps to Bach Section: Age Categories:
6 and under, until 8 and under: €50
9 and under, 10 and under: €70
11 and under, 12 and under: €90
13 and under until 16 and under: €100
The entry fee for the Amateurs Open Age category: €150.
The entry fee for The Bach Pianist Section: Age Categories:
6 and under, until 8 and under: €60
9 and under, 10 and under: €80
11 and under, 12 and under: €100
13 and under until 16 and under: €120
The entry fee for the Professionals Open Age category: €150.
JURY
OUR JURY MEMBERS ARE INTERNATIONALLY RENOWNED PERFORMERS AND PEDAGOGUES.
The Jury includes:
- Prof. Anne Borg (Malta)
- Dr Georgi Boykin (Bulgaria)
- Hongyi Sophia Cai (Australia)
- Dr Chihyu Chen (Taiwan)
- Dr Paul Rickard-Ford (Australia)
- You-Jeong Kim (South Korea)
- Prof. Arne Torger (Sweden)
- Philipp Adrian Voepel (Germany)
- Jingjing Zhang (China)
- Prof. Inge Rosar (Germany) Artistic Director
- Dr Kirill Monorosi (Australia) Artistic Director
-Jury members must report any students participating in the competition, and are excluded from voting for their own students.
– Work of the Jury is regulated by rules.
– All Jury decisions are final and irrevocable.
– The jury provides written feedback to each contestant.
The names of the First-Prizewinners with their recordings will be uploaded onto the Competition’s YouTube Channel.
The teachers of prizewinners will be announced too
(name, place, country).
