Australian National Piano Award Final
The Australian National Piano Award was designed by Professor Max Cooke A.O. and Darryl Coote to meet the need for a bridging competition to ready emerging young Australian pianists for international competition and a concert career. It recruits young pianists via circulating its application booklet to university schools of music, leading music teachers and other advanced institutes of music in all states.
Advertisements are run in Australian Music Teacher magazine to alert teachers to its imminent advent. The booklet, outlines competition rules and music requirements and is sent to applicants who then submit audition CD containing demonstrations of the required repertoire.
The award usually receives about thirty CD's from Australia's leading music teaching institutions and universities. From these audition CD's, the judges, all of whom are experienced at international competition level, select 10 to 12 young entrants; These successful entrants come to Shepparton in September for a week and each play three recitals of 40 minutes, exhibiting the ability to play classical repertoire from baroque, romantic and modern works.
They must also play one work by an Australian composer. The competition does not allow "flash in the pan" playing, but must demonstrate extensive, varied and comprehensive repertoire and capability.
After these recitals, six semi-finalists are chosen and again play for the judges to reach the finals. From the semi finalist the three finalists proceed to the grand final, which is held on a Saturday evening before a large and appreciative audience, many of whom travel from capital cities to attend.
During the week of the day-time recitals local secondary students are admitted free of charge as an encouragement in their musical appreciation and education.
The ABC comes to Shepparton to record and host the grand final and excerpts are played on its Young Australia program.
The total prize money offered is $40,000. Past major funding has come from the Sir Andrew and Lady Fairley Foundation and Dame Elisabeth Murdoch. Other monies were donated from Shepparton News, a financial services company and local benefactors.
Past winners and place getters from the five previously held awards have succeeded in gaining entry to international piano competitions. Two were accepted to the prestigious British Leeds Piano Competition, one gained entry to Canada's Calgary Piano Competition, selected from 600 applicants and reaching the final six in the competition. Three were given entry to the Sydney International Piano Competition, with two reaching the final 12 selected from the 200 starters. One has embarked on and international solo career. Several have been accepted as students for advanced tuition by renowned British, Russian and American teachers overseas. Many regularly play in such venues as the Melbourne Concert Hall, Robert Blackwood Hall and other are heard on ABC programs. Some have given concerts in London and on the continent.
www.pianoaward.com.au
