The first Chicago Amateur Piano Competition will be held next year from June 24 – June 27, 2010 (Thursday through Sunday). Applications are now being accepted from amateur pianists who pursue piano playing through love of the instrument and its repertoire, rather than as a professional occupation or for financial benefit. Competitors are expected to be at least 30 years of age at the time of the competition, and may be neither a faculty member at a music school nor a student pursuing a degree in piano performance.

Competitors are expected to perform up to 10 minutes of solo repertoire in the first round, up to 20 minutes in the semi-final round, and from 20 – 30 minutes for the five competitors who reach the final round. There are no restrictions on the type of repertoire that may be performed, and competitors may perform more than one selection in any round, as long as no selection is repeated in later rounds. Individual movements from larger works may be performed, and competitors need not perform from memory.

Applications must be accompanied by a ten minute CD or DVD recently recorded and featuring two or more selections representing different musical styles and technical demands.

Competitors who do not advance to the next rounds will be given an opportunity, if they wish, to perform their prepared programs publicly during the competition, which will also feature a master class and lectures.

Up to eight cash prizes will be awarded. The first prize winner will receive $1,000 and the opportunity to perform a recital hosted by the PianoForte Foundation.

The competition will take place at the Sherwood Conservatory of Columbia College, located in downtown Chicago. Contestants will have access to practice pianos at Sherwood Conservatory. During the competition, the piano showrooms of PianoForte Chicago, located a few blocks from Sherwood Conservatory, will be open to competitors and the public. Anyone who wishes may sign up for 30 minutes of private practice in any of three showrooms featuring Schimmel, Grotrian, Wendl & Lung, and Steinway grand pianos, plus a selection of Fazioli pianos.

If you are interested in competing, or simply interested in attending the competition as an audience member, visit the website of the Chicago Amateur Piano Competition:

http://chicagopianocompetition.org/

I might do it. It sounds good.
And by the way.....although I'm not one of those who wants to be really severe on the definition of "amateur," I think it's very good that there are these restrictions:

-- "30 years or older" -- IMO this is perhaps the most important detail of all. I don't think the boundary necessarily needs to be quite 30 -- I would be happy with something like 28 -- but I think it's absurd to allow 18 year olds (as the Paris competition does) or 21 year olds (as some others do) into amateurs competitions. One way to see it is, how can someone really be considered an "amateur" musician who isn't old enough to have become a "professional" at anything yet? Many of the very young contestants at amateur competitions have simply been young people who were on their way to becoming professionals.

-- "Must not be faculty members at a college/conservatory level music department" -- This might perhaps seem so obvious that it need not be stated, but astonishingly, at least one amateur competition has felt this wasn't an important restriction.

-- "Must not be actively pursuing a degree in piano performance" -- This overlaps with the minimum-age thing (above) and is an important addition to it.

In short: GOOD JOB on the requirements. I had been thinking of "taking the year off" but this makes me want to come to the Chicago competition.