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That would rule me out... I'm about as ignorant of poetry as a teapot. :s

Actually, that's not quite true, I do know some modern Haiku, hence my signature

I like the extramusical reference idea too. But we probably need to make it something which is relevant not just to those in the US. (I'm assuming memorial day is something like our Anzac Day, but I haven't heard of Randall Jarrell so I can't comment specifically)

A passage from literature?

A piece of art?

We could do this year's Cliburn Competition Artwork...

Chapter One of James Joyce's Ulysses?

The Last Judgment by Michelangelo in the Sistine Chapel?

Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien?

Tar mentioned haiku. What about a single haiku, an impression if you like, which people can take as a basis for an idea. Just as an example, the one Tar has in his sig line gives us a couple of images. Someone might use the snowflake falling, someone else might think of the blind musician sitting there. It's just going to be a short piano work, so we just need a common starting point. What people do with it is up to them.

a piece of art or literature sounds good or a poem may be a Sonnet



now that might fit a good orchestral piece with piano parts

I wonder how many works would begin with "D... C... CC D..." [ G A Bb.... A G F..... G A G..... etc etc etc]

I like the idea of an extramusical reference, too. Never heard of Randall Jarrell, but I'd be willing to do some reading. Literature or visual art is both suitable, of course.

There are two broad options in terms of one vs. multiple topics:
1.) We agree on a common topic for all our efforts
2.) We assemble a list of topics that are somehow connected and distribute the topics to the participants. In this way we could arrive at something like Pictures at an Exhibition, Seasons, etc. On the other hand, our styles and skills will differ so widely that the idea of a cycle is maybe overambitious anyway.

Just in case people like the idea of (2), another idea would be to pick a variety of emotional states, e.g. happiness, fear, anger, being silly, in love, etc. and distribute them.

Okay, I love the idea of extramusical reference as well as any of you. However, as this is the first in some time, I think we should just stick with a simple set of rules and guidelines. Also, we come from a range of musical backgrounds and experience. I agree that it should be for piano, maybe let's say between two and four minutes. I can be in any form, or style. Published and award winning compositions are excluded. And instead of having people submit previous compositions, let's say that it must be a new work composed specifically for this purpose. Maybe, we should have the piece represent Pianoworld? In some way could one try to interpret the essence and feeling of this forum and connect it to music? About judging, I agree with the audience comments, but I also believe we should have a small panel of judges, that aren't going to compete. About the voting, we should have PW members choose their top two compositions based on a couple of guidelines: creativity, interest, mood, style, etc. And then a space to give a short paragraph or two on how they liked the composition, and how it could improve. We should have the judges' scores count half and the voting count half. The voters might not understand everything or comment on all compositions, and the judges are just a small population. We should combine judges and voting. To do this, we would have to set up some kind of webpage, and tools, something maybe Frank and the moderators could do. But before, that happens, we should finalize what the competitions is going to be exactly.

Someone needs to take charge here. The idea is good but lacks direction and focused goals.

I know you are all trying to work together to come up with a good composition competition, but good competitions come from three things:

1) Clear and fair guidelines and rules that are not negotiable.

2) An incentive for the winning piece(s). I.E. Publish/perform and/or cash.

3) Professional attitudes of the organizers/judges that do not get personal when decision making.


We have run our own yearly brass band competition since 2005 and it has been very successful. I do think you are stabbing yourselves in the foot by allowing an open forum to discuss the competitions details; you may think it's fair but it just creates more confusion to exactly what is being asked, when and how it should be submitted, etc.

Try not to get too hung up about details, keep it as open and free as possible and instead network with the right people/companies to offer a real incentive to boost the winning composers career.

I really doubt that we're going to have a professional competition with cash prizes and non biased judges out of this forum idea...

...what seems more appropriate is a contest involving a piece of a certain length in any chosen style...the idea of an extramusical reference is good...and probably a collective forum vote on a winner.

At least, that's just my opinion.

I wonder that too. Somehow I feel that it would end up being a vote-based contest rather than a panel-judged competition.

Also, this may be a completely crazy idea, but if anyone feels that the spirit of this contest is to encourage composers to compose as opposed to winning, then why not make it into a "Piano World Composers CD Project"? Would Frank approve? The extramusical reference could then be the "title" of the CD...

I know it might take away the competitiveness, and I can't speak for others, but I do wonder whether the incentive of having a composition recorded and included in a CD fully backed by Piano World is a nicer motivation for everyone than the incentive of a couple of people winning prizes?

Just a thought.

P.S. Completely random, but I take my final exams for my Master's today and tomorrow (yes, Saturday!). Wish me luck!!

Hope it goes smoothly for you!

I'm of the same opinion - better to create a compilation than hold a competition. It would be almost impossible to find good volunteer judges who would take it seriously and subject everything to a thorough examination.

I like the compilation idea, though, although the issue with making a CD would be that of performance. We would need everything recorded - I doubt a CD of Finale default MIDI playback would be particularly interesting to anyone.

I am not interested in competing with anybody but would contribute a few things to a compilation. The other performance CD was really good but a tremendous amount of work for one or two people. Presumably contributors to a piano composition CD would provide both a recording and a pdf or similar of a corresponding score ? I wonder if there would be enough contributors here of original piano music to fill a CD.

I hate to be a pessimist, but I doubt it.

Maybe we could take a survey of how many people would participate, and then of course take off 30% who will inevitably cancel eventually.

So have we decided to scrap this idea or....

We need somebody to take charge - make regular posts and keep in touch with participants.

I don't mind co-ordinating. I think I'm going to make a new thread as to not hijack the original idea of a competition should this be pursued further.

P.S. Horowitzian, thank you so much! I think they went alright. Results come out on the 10th and I only need a pass to do my PhD (but a 2.i would be nice )