How to apply • Repertoire Requirements

The application process starts in the summer of 2019. By then, we will have announced the cities and dates of our Live Auditions. The Auditions are not public. You can either apply by choosing to perform live, or by sending in a recording (see below).

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live Screening Auditions:

The audition itself lasts approximately 15-20 minutes.

All pieces must be prepared entirely and played by memory.

The piece you are starting with can be chosen freely.

Please note that the Jury is allowed to interrupt and to ask for another movement.

All repeats must be played within Variations but can be chosen freely within Sonatas.

Time for trying out the audition piano is limited to 5 minutes just before the actual audition.

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Video Auditions:

Anyone incapable of participating at one of our International Screening Auditions may send in his or her recorded audition no later than January 15th, 2020 (no exceptions) instead of participating at one of the locations of our Screening Auditions. The recording can be send either by DVD or USB-Stick to our competition office (Lothringerstrasse 18, 1030 Wien, Austria) or via YouTube-Link, Dropbox-Link, WeTransfer or any other comparable service to info@beethoven-comp.at. It is mandatory that you apply for the competition via our online application form and that you pay the application fee (95 Euro) before sending in your application video.

Please understand that we cannot send back material sent to our office. Please mark your DVD or USB-Stick with your name.

The recording shall be taken by one camera, showing the right profile of the performer. To improve sound quality, the use of external microphones is advised.

The required program for the recorded Audition is the same as for the Live Auditions (for details, please refer to our Repertoire requirements). The recordings need to include all movements of all the chosen works!

We recommend the participation at one of our Live Screening Auditions, however, we want to offer this possibility to anyone unable to participate at those locations.

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The final invitation to the 16th International Beethoven Piano Competition Vienna will be announced on the 1st of March 2020 after completion of all pre-selections.

 

Repertoire Requirements

In selecting his/her competition programme, the candidate is requested to choose works from each of the following 6 groups and has to include one of the pieces marked by an asterisk (*).

  • Group 1: One of the sonatas from op. 2/1 to op. 26
    (with the exception of op. 14/1 and 14/2)

  • Group 2: One of the sonatas from op. 27 to op. 90
    (with the exception of op. 49/1, 49/2 and op. 79)

  • Group 3: One of the sonatas op. 101*, 106*, 109, 110, 111* or
    variations op. 120* (Diabelli Variations)

  • Group 4: One of the following variation-works: op. 34, 24 variations
    on the ariette: “Venni amore” by V. Righini (1790) WoO 65, 12 variations
    on a Russian dance from the ballet “Das Waldmädchen” by
    R. Wranitzky WoO 71, 32 variations c-minor WoO 80

  • Group 5: One of following pieces:
    Bagatelles op.33, Variations op. 35*, both Rondos op. 51/1, 51/2,  Fantasy op. 77, Polonaise op. 89, Bagatelles op. 119, Bagatelles op. 126, Rondo op. 129, Andante favori WoO 57

  • Group 6: Two piano concertos, one from each group:
    a) op. 15 or op. 19 or op. 37
    b) op. 58 or op. 73

 

Screening Audition Repertoire

For the Screening Audition, the candidate must perform the following:

  • One work chosen from Group 2 or 3

  • One work from Group 4

(Please note: In case of a Video Audition, the works must be performed completely with all movements. In case of a Live Audition, the Screening Jury will interrupt the performance and/or ask for individual movements.)

First Round

For the First Round in Vienna, the candidate must perform

  • One work each from Group 2 and 5

Semi Final Repertoire

For the Semi Final Round in the Brahms-Saal of Musikverein Wien, each candidate must perform

  • One work each from group 1 and 3

FInal Round Repertoire

The Final Round of the 16th International Beethoven Piano Competition will take place on May 14th, 2020, in the Golden Hall of the Musikverein Wien. The three finalists must prepare two piano concertos from Group 6. On May 12th, 2020, the Jury will choose one of the piano concertos, to be performed with the Camerata Salzburg.