Aevea Piano Prize (APP)
II/2020 — Jury@Home Edition!

Application deadline: 2 September, 2020

 

 

Total Prizes: Euros 15,000+
Toward the Productions of Recordings as well as Concerts

 

 

Verona, 19-23th September, 2020
Sala Maffeiana - Accademia Filarmonica

For Solo Piano / Chamber Music Duo & Trio w/ Piano / Piano 4-Hand

 

The Aevea Piano Prize (APP) is an International Competition whose purpose is to promote selected participants through relevant performance opportunities and the worldwide distribution of their recordings.

 

The competition takes place at the prestigious Sala Maffeiana in Verona, located nearby the Arena. Considered the oldest concert hall in Italy, it hosted performances of 13-year-old Mozart, in 1770.

 

The international jury includes renowned pianists, producers, music critics, and agents.
The First Prize winner will be chosen after the recording of the final live session.

 

Application deadline: 2 September, 2020

Rules

• Requirements:
  • A recital-length program (55-70 minutes)
  • Any composition by one composer (monographic program)

   

• Categories:
  • Piano
  • Piano Duo & Trio (piano & strings, wind, etc.)
  • Piano 4-hands

   

• No age limit.

 

I. Pre-selection (click to enlarge)

1. Registration.
   To register for the competition, the candidate shall complete the application form, specify the chosen composer and repertoire, its approximate duration, and attach the video and the receipt of payment of the registration fee.
2. Video.
   Each candidate will provide a link to a YouTube or Facebook or Vimeo video featuring a performance of at least 15 (fifteen) minutes from the program chosen for the APP (Aevea Piano Prize):
   - The video must be recorded within the last 12 months.
   - Edited videos are not allowed.
3. Pre-selection.
   A pre-screening jury (different from the final jury) will screen the submitted material, and will select up to 12 (twelve) candidates; of these, 10 (ten) will be admitted to the final round, while the other 2 (two) will be considered in stand-by should any of the ten finalists forfeit their participation in the APP.
   The organization reserves the right to select a different number of finalists given the level of the partecipants.
4. Confirmation.
   The finalists will be notified no later than September 12, 2020, and must confirm their participation no later than September 14, 2020.
   In order to ensure the correct development of the APP, each finalist will have to make a second payment of 100 euros, which will be fully refunded upon arrival. In case of non-confirmation, the finalist could be replaced by the 11th and/or 12th candidate(s), who shall confirm their participation in the same modality.
   In case of last-minute cancellation, the fee will be not refunded.
5. Anonymity.
   All the candidates, who do not advance to the final round, will remain anonymous.
   The admitted candidates (finalists) will receive all necessary info via email.

 

II. Final Round (click to enlarge)

1. Arrival.
   Between September 19-23, each finalist will arrive at Sala Maffeiana according to the agreed schedule that will be fixed.
2. Final Round / Recording.
   - The ten finalists will play behind closed doors. Only technical staff will be present (no jury): 1-2 recording engineer, 1 piano technician, and possibly 1 photographer.
   - Each finalist will perform as in a normal competition/concert; performances will be recorded "live" with pauses/breaks allowed between pieces.
   - Each finalist will bring scores to be used during the recording production: this copy will be used by the recording producer, and will not be returned.
3. Final Round / Editing.
   - Each candidate will have the chance to record 90 minutes of extra takes to be used for eventual editing (to correct errors, substitute passages, etc.).
   - The editing’s purpose is that of having a final master to be submitted to the jury for the final verdict.
4. Verdict.
   - The final masters will be evaluated by a renowned jury of professionals of international reputation, including pianists, producers, and music critics.
   - Each jury member will make an independent decision, and will not know about the other jurors’ selections.
5. Publication/Awarding of prizes.
   - The jury’s deliberation will be publicly announced in November/December (the exact date will be posted on this site).
   - The voting system , the pre-screening jurors’ names, the names of the ten finalists and the candidates to whom will be given a special mention (11^th and/or 12t^th), will be made public.

 

III. Agreement (click to enlarge)

The candidate hereby agrees with the following:

1. The recording will be made as if during a live performance, and the editing session is only intended to improve it, should that be needed.
2. In the event that the recording during the performance at the competition may be disrupted by outside interference, such as a thunderstorm, excessive bird noise, etc., the producer may decide to start over, or to have a longer recording session.
3. The recording is made with 4-8 microphones, and might require a 15/30-minute set-up before each performance. Competitors will be engaged in the process.
4. The producer will send the recorded material (both the live session and the editing session) to the finalist, who will ensure that the final takes be chosen within thirty (30) days.
   In case the deadline is not met, the producer reserves the right to complete the final master.
5. The final masters will be sent, unlabeled, to each jury's member.
   The Jury will have thirty (30) days to reach its verdict.
   Its verdict is definitive and not contestable.
   The producer and technical staff present at Sala Maffeiana will not be part of the jury.
6. The 10 final recordings will be published by the label OnClassical (Naxos distribution) on the major platforms (Spotify, iTunes/Apple Music, Deezer, Amazon, Youtube Music, HDTracks, HighResAudio, and many others).
7. The producer has the exclusive, irrevocable, unrestricted right, to use the final recordings, as well as the photos submitted by the finalists, in all territories, in whatever form necessary – including but not limited to, the production, the copying, the sale and distribution of physical copies, digital sales (downloads), internet streaming, third-part licensing, etc.
8. The candidate agrees to renounce any and all rights on the recording, including any payment and/or royalties that may derive from the publication or licensing, and guarantees to indemnify the producer for all losses, damage, claims, costs and expenses by third parties regarding the rights assigned, including, but not limited to, claims arising out of copyright, trademarks, and image rights.
9. The competitor is entitled to have a printing of the final master for his/her own purposes (as made by the label).
   The competitor will bear any costs related to the printing.
10. The awarding of concert prizes are the responsability of the respective societies.

 

Covid-19-related guidelines (click to enlarge)

Given the current situation, we want to reassure everyone involved that the personnel at the Aevea Piano Prize will be taking all the necessary precautions.
We care about the health and safety of our contestants.

- The competition will take place behind closed doors, in a large performance space.
- In addition to the contestant, there will be two audio technicians, the sound engineer, and the piano technician.
- Inside the music hall, social distancing will constantly be maintained on behalf of the organization.
- Use of face masks is mandatory for distances of less than one meter (three feet).
- The performers will be able to play without the use of face masks.
- The piano will be disinfected regularly, and the microphones will be more than one meter away from the piano.

We inform our contestants that they are allowed to enter Italian territory for a maximum of 120 hours and/or for work-related activities without having to undergo quarantine (participation in a music competition may fall under the category of work-related activity). 

We trust that the experience will be enjoyable, despite our inability to shake hands and come in close physical contact.
Music will provide enough enjoyment!

 

The competition, for reasons not depending on our will, may be postponed to a new date.

 

Prizes

Prizes for *all* finalists.

• Live professional recording (+ editing session) with the label OnClassical made during the APP [Value: euros 1,000+]°

 

1st Prize: assigned by the Jury.

• Contract with the label Piano Classics / Brilliant Classics for the production of a Physical CD distributed worldwide [Value: euros 2,500+]*

• Concert at Sala della Filarmonica, Trento [Paid: euros 2,500+ by the Filarmonica di Trento]

• Live professional recording (+ editing session) with the label OnClassical made during the APP [Value: euros 1,500+]°

Special Prizes: assigned by the Jury.

• 'Chopin Prize': Best performance of an all-Chopin program [Paid: euros 1,000 via PayPal or similarly]

Other Special Prizes: in agreement with Società Filarmonica di Trento.

• 2 Concerts to be scheduled during the 2020/21 season [Paid: euros 500/each by the Filarmonica di Trento]

Special Prizes: assigned by the OnClassical label owner Alessandro Simonetto.

• 'OnClassical Prize': Audiophile Studio Recordings assigned to 3-5 finalists  by the label owner Alessandro Simonetto [Value: euros 1,500+/each]*

_________

Total prizes paid to musicians (including concerts): ~euros 5,000.
Recordings value (not paid to musicians): 15,000+

 

° All finalists will experience the process of a professional recording made during their performances, a special editing session, and the release of a final master distributed online by Naxos of America.

Artists will also have, at sole their discretion, the possibility to print their own recordings, made during the APP-Competition, at cost price.

* High non-quantifiable value.
100% free-of-charge for the Artist/s.
Repertoire and details to be agreed with the label.
Prizes will be awared at the sole discretion of the labels's producers.

Apply

 

 

Modality to make the payment:

Deutsche Bank Bassano del Grappa, Vicenza - Italy To: IBAN*: SWIFT: OnClassical IT08H0310460160000000821474 DEUTITM1516   Write the specification: AEVEA - Subject: APP 2020   PayPal (click here to send the application fee)   Write the specification: AEVEA - Subject: APP 2020

* Copy (CTRL+C or CMD+C) and Paste (CTRL+V or CMD+V) the IBAN code for avoiding errors.

 

Agenda

2020

The competition schedule will be determined soon after the deadline.

 

Saturday, September 19
Monday, September 20
Monday, September 21

Tuesday, September 22

Wednesday, September 23

- Two pianists playing and making editing session.

 

October/November

- Editing of the recordings done.

 

December

- Jury will decide the winner.

 

December (date to be announced)

- Announcement of the winners.

Jury

Andrea Bedetti

Musicologist, music critic, and director of the i-magazine MusicVoice

 

Gala Chistiakova

Concert pianist; Winner of over thirty international piano competitions; Director of the international department of association Recondite Armonie

 

Tom Deacon

Executive Producer of Philips Great Pianists of the 20th Century; Retired executive of Universal Music

 

Lorenzo Di Bella

Concert pianist; Artistic director of Civitanova Classica & Mugellini festivals; Founder of La Palma d'Oro International Piano Competition

 

Massimiliano Ferrati

Concert pianist; Professor at IKIF (New York), Tel Hai (Israel) and A. Steffani Conservatory (Italy)

 

Roberto Poli

Concert pianist and author; Professor at Boston Conservatory and New England Conservatory; Artistic Director of The Chopin Symposium

 

Evgeny Starodubtsev

Concert pianist and professor; Winner of over thirty international piano competitions

 

Cesare Venturi

Artist manager and music journalist

 

Pieter Van Winkel

Producer, founder and artistic director of the Brilliant Classics and Piano Classics labels

The APP-2020 AEVEA PIANO PRIZE is located @

Sala Maffeiana
Via Roma 1, 37121 - Verona

(Click on the address to open the map)

 

Airports (closest):
Verona/Villafranca [Valerio Catullo] (VRN)
Milan-Bergamo/Orio al Serio (BGY)
Milan Malpensa (MXP)
Milan Linate (LIN)
Venice [Marco Polo] (VCE)
Treviso [Antonio Canova] [(TSF)

 

Trains:
Milano-Venezia
Bologna-Brennero

 

Highways:
A22 (Brennero)
A4 (Torino-Venezia)

 

Distances from the closest cities:
Trento km. 103
Bozen km 157
Vicenza km 51
Venice km 114
Milan km 161
Bologna km 142

FAQ

Q.: How many categories are there?

A.: You can enroll in the solo-piano, piano-4-hands, piano-duo, and piano-trio categories. One First Prize will be awarded to a pianist or one ensemble for each category (in the case of ensembles, the prize will be shared among the group’s members).

 

Q.: How many rounds are there?

A.: There are two rounds: 1) A pre-selection stage through videos sent by the candidates. 2) A final stage in which 10 candidates/finalists will be playing in Verona, September 19-23.

 

Q.: Can I send a video with different repertoire?

A.: No, the same repertoire must be represented.

 

Q.: I do not own a piano. Can I send a video recorded with an electronic piano (Clavinova or similar)?

A.: Yes, as long as it is recorded live, with no internal cables or via MIDI.

 

Q.: Are there any compulsory pieces to play?

A.: No, the program is free. There is a requirement, however - that only one composer be represented. In other words, the program must be “monographic,” and the duration should be 55-70 minutes.

 

Q.: When will the jury deliberate? When will the prizes be awarded?

A.: Once all the finalists have performed, we will move on to the editing session, and will complete the recordings in the following months. In November/December the jury will listen to the final masters. The final verdict will be announced in December.

 

Q.: Will the jury know who is playing in the recording?

A.: No. Recordings will not be labeled in any way that would disclose the contestant’s identity. The names of the finalists will be made public, but not the their repertoire. We encourage the contestants to not reveal their repertoire until a deliberation from the jury is made available.

Read more about the jury.

 

For other questions please .

About us

OnClassical is a classical music label based in Italy.
OnClassical was the first label* to allow the free download of entire files from its catalog, while at the same time offering the purchase of a high-resolution version. While remaining a niche reality, over the years OnClassical has received accolades from international critics and specialized magazines and blogs for the quality of its recordings.
In over fifteen years of activity, the OnClassical catalog has downloaded by millions of users worldwide, with over 40,000,000 streams on Spotify alone.
Much of its repertoire has been licensed by Brilliant Classics, one of the major classical labels worldwide.
OnClassical is currently distributed by Naxos USA.

 

Andrea De Biasi is a certified Steinway Academy piano technician.
In over 20 years of activity he has worked inside renowned concert halls preparing pianos for some of the most renowned musicians in the world.
Pianists he worked with includes: Martha Argerich, Murray Perahia, Ivo Pogorelich, Yuja Wang, Daniil Trifonov, Nelson Freire, Louis Lortie, Daniel Barenboim, Fazil Say, Denis Matsuev, Severin von Eckardestein, Alexander Lonquich, Khatia Buniatishvili, Pietro De Maria, Kirill Gerstein, Lise de la Salle, Simon Trpceski, Behzod Abduraimov, Alexander Romanovsky, Jan Lisiecki, Saleem Ashkar, Ingolf Wunder, Rudolf Buchbinder, Elisabeth Leonskaja, Peter Jablonski, Emanuel Ax, Olga Kern, Kirill Gerstein, Seong-Jin Cho, Jean-Yves Thibaudet, Beatrice Rana, Kristian Bezuidenhout, Rafal Brechacz, Francois-Joèl Tiollier, Roberto Cominati, Stanislav Bunin, Till Fellner, Elisabeth Leonskaja, Michele Campanella and many others.
His company Piano Vintage is a leader in the restauration of pianos in Italy.

Our Partners

Accademia Filarmonica di Verona
Brilliant Classics
Nuova Coppa Pianisti
OnClassical / ÆVEA
Piano Vintage
Polo Music Managment
Società Filarmonica di Trento
Steinway Society
Venturi Music Managment

 

Alessandro Simonetto, Founder of OnClassical
Luigi Tuppini, President of Accademia Filarmonica, Verona

Contacts

APP-2020 AEVEA PIANO PRIZE

c/o Sala Maffeiana
Via Roma 1, 37121 - Verona

(Click on the address to open the map)