PONCE PROJECT FOUNDATION
SECOND INTERNATIONAL PIANO COMPETITION
Resuscitating the Classical Piano Music of Latin America.
Featuring music by Manuel M. Ponce.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Ponce Project Foundation (PPF) invites pianists of all nationalities to participate in its Second Piano Competition 2024.
First-prize winners of the 2023 competition are ineligible to participate in the same division.
The 2024 competition will have two different formats: VIRTUAL & LIVE.
We ask all participants, teachers, parents and guardians to read carefully all the information provided below. There will be no exceptions to disqualifications, nor will there by any exceptions for points lost if the competition rules are not followed accordingly.
Competition Chairs: Rodolfo Morales & Omar Herrera Arizmendi.
Questions: omarherrera@theponceproject.org
LIVE COMPETITION
APPLICATION DEADLINE
July 1, 2024. All applications must be completed and submitted via the online application form. No partial or late applications will be accepted.
APPLICATION FEE
$75 US dollars. There will be no refunds.
LOCATION
Houston, Texas, USA, @ Kinder HSPVA (790 Austin St. 77002).
DATE & TIME
The 2024 Competition will take place in late July or early August 2024. The exact date and time will be announced by mid-February 2024.
DRESS CODE
All participants must dress formally: no tennis shoes, sandals, shorts, t-shirts, jeans. Long hair should be properly arranged to avoid covering the face. Suits and long dresses are recommended.
DIVISIONS
Participants may enter one of the following divisions by age as of July 1,2024:
DIVISION 1:Ages 6-8
DIVISION 2:Ages 9-12
DIVISION 3:Ages 13-15
DIVISION 4:Ages 16-18
DIVISION 5:Ages 19-25
JUDGES
This year judges will be Rodolfo Morales, Timothy Hester, and Omar Herrera Arizmendi.
The 2024 competition will be adjudicated by three distinguished pianists and teachers. The judges´ names will be announced by the end of February 2024.
There will be an alternate judge to adjudicate in case a participant studies with one of the judges.
PRIZES
Participants will receive written comments from the judges and a certificate of participation.
Each division will have a first, second and third place winner.
First-prize winners of each division will be invited to perform at one of the Ponce Project Foundation´s Fall 2024 Season events in Houston.
First-prize winners in each category will receive the following cash prizes in US dollars:
DIVISION 1: $100
DIVISION 2: $200
DIVISION 3: $300
DIVISION 4: $400
DIVISION 5: $500
Judges reserve the right to award honorary mentions, to declare ties, or to declare no winners. The decisions of the judges will be final and irrevocable.
Winners will be announced the day of the competition following the judges´ deliberations.
Each participant must pick only one piece from the three options given.
All pieces must be performed from memory.
All pieces must be performed with repeats (if indicated in the score).
All performances will be judged using the scores provided on the PPF website.
Younger participants must bring pedal extenders.
VIRTUAL COMPETITION
APPLICATION DEADLINE
July 1, 2024. All applications must be completed and submitted via the online application form. No partial or late applications will be accepted.
APPLICATION FEE
$75 US dollars. There will be no refunds.
VIDEO SUBMISSION
Participants will compete by submitting a video with the following requirements:
1. The piano must be in tune.
2. The participant's hands and face must be visible while performing.
3. Landscape or portrait view are both acceptable.
4. The recording must be continuous with no editing of any kind.
5. The recording can be made with smartphones, laptops or tablets. Camera resolution should be 720p. Lower resolutions will produce an unclear video. Higher resolutions will result in an overly large file.
6. All participants must dress formally. No tennis shoes, sandals, shorts, t-shirts, jeans. Long hair should be properly arranged to avoid covering the face. Suits and long dresses are recommended.
7. The participant should announce to the camera the following information before beginning the performance: FULL NAME, AGE, COUNTRY, NAME OF PIECE. This can be done preferably in English or Spanish. If this is not possible, any other language is acceptable.
8. Videos must be submitted via the application form by July 1, 2024.
DIVISIONS
Participants may enter one of the following divisions according to their age on July 1, 2024:
DIVISION 1:Ages 6-8
DIVISION 2:Ages 9-12
DIVISION 3:Ages 13-15
DIVISION 4:Ages 16-18
DIVISION 5:Ages 19-25
JUDGES
The virtual competition will be adjudicated by two or three distinguished judges. The judges will be announced by the end of February 2024.
PRIZES
Participants will receive written comments from the judges and a certificate of participation.
Participants in each division will be competing for first, second and third place.
First-prize winners in each category will receive the following cash prices in US dollars:
DIVISION 1: $100
DIVISION 2: $200
DIVISION 3: $300
DIVISION 4: $400
DIVISION 5: $500
Judges reserve the right to award honorary mentions, to declare ties, or to declare no winners. The decisions of the judges will be final and irrevocable.
Winners will be announced live together with winners of the LIVE competition. Exact date and time will be announced at a later time.
Each participant must pick only one piece from the three options given.
All pieces must be performed from memory. A participant may be disqualified if the judges suspect that the music is within view.
All pieces must be performed with repeats (if indicated in the score).
All performances will be judged using the scores provided on the PPF website.
Pedal extenders may be used by young participants if they are properly set up for effective pedaling.
