The International Competition for Young Pianists Arthur Rubinstein in memoriam has been organised in Bydgoszcz since 1993. The idea of the competition came from Arthur Rubinstein’s words, which he said while he was giving concert performances in new-built Pomeranian Philharmonic Hall in 1960: “You have a magnificent concert hall so you should hold international concerts here”.
Arthur Rubinstein State Music Schools in Bydgoszcz
The Competition is open to pianists of all nationalities born from 01 January 2002.
Two rounds followed by a final.
Every two years
TBA 2026
TBA 2026
1. The Application Form must be returned to:
Sekretariat Konkursu “Arthur Rubinstein in memoriam”
Państwowy Zespół Szkół Muzycznych im. Artura Rubinsteina
ul. Andrzeja Szwalbego 1
85-080 BYDGOSZCZ
P o l s k a
Tel. +48 52 322 97 18
e-mail: dyrektor@szkolamuzyczna.bydgoszcz.pl ,
janpopis@gmail.com and must arrive not later than 10th of September 2024.
2. The following enclosures are required from each applicant:
– a completed application form
– 3 black and white photos (9×12 cm)
– a copy of a document confirming the candidate’s age
– a brief artistic biography
– a bank receipt showing that the entrance fee of EUR 150 or an equivalent sum in foreign currency has been
paid, for pianists from Poland PLN 500, to the following bank account:
PAŃSTWOWY ZESPÓŁ SZKÓŁ MUZYCZNYCH
im. Artura Rubinsteina
ul. Andrzeja Szwalbego 1, 85-080 Bydgoszcz, Polska
SWIT – NBPLPLPW
IBAN PL 10 1010 1078 0020 2013 9134 0000
the transfer description: “XIII Międzynarodowy Konkurs Młodych Pianistów” must be clearly shown on the receipt.
Application form you can find HERE
3. Participation in the competition for pupils of polish national public art schools and institutions is free of
charge.
4. Applications sent on time will be formally verified by the Admissions Committee appointed by the
Competition Organizer, chaired by the artistic director of the competition. Verification of applications will take into account the documented artistic achievements of each candidate. The Admissions Committee will generally qualify no more than 30 candidates for the competition. Applications with incomplete documentation will not be accepted. Documents will not be returned. If candidates are not qualified, the entry fee consists of a refund in the
amount of the entry fee paid less the costs of fees and bank commissions.
5. All applicants will be informed of their acceptance or rejection not later than 23rd of September 2024.
6. Acceptance of the application entitles the applicant to participate in the Competition on terms set hereunder.
7. Entrance fees of unsuccessful applicants will be returned after charging a transfer fee.
8. Entrance fees of candidates resigning after 23rd of September 2024 will not be returned.
1. Competitors waive free of charge all rights for publication, broadcasting and recording of their performance
and image related to:
– performing during the Competition,
– performing during the winners’ concerts,
– rights to one’s own image (taken using all photographic and recording techniques) recorded during participation in the Competition and concerts of the winners.
2. Participants transfer free of charge the above-mentioned rights for use by the Competition Management in an unlimited time and territorial manner in the following fields of use:
a) recording,
b) reproduction in any technique,
c) introduction to commercial circulation,
d) entering into computer memory and the Internet or other network,
e) public reproduction and performance,
f) displaying,
g) display,
h) hire,
i) lease,
j) broadcasting via wired or wireless video or audio via terrestrial or satellite stations,
k) simultaneous and integral radio, television and Internet transmissions and retransmissions
The exploitation of the above rights in the above-mentioned fields will be carried out by persons, companies, radio and television stations, and record companies with the consent of the Artistic Director of the Competition.
2. The cost of travel, accommodation and meals will be covered by competitors.
3. Competitors will be provided with practice facilities in classrooms and will have a right to one rehearsal in the concert hall.
4. Competitors who will qualify for the final will have one rehearsal with an orchestra.
Competitors will play in public. The Competition consists of two stages and the final.
5. The playing order of competitors will be decided by a draw before the first stage and will be adhered to
throughout the Competition.
6. The Jury may change the playing order of competitors on specific days. For a good reason, in exceptional situations a competitor may be allowed to perform at the end of the stage.
7. The Jury will select competitors in the following way:
– no more than twelve competitors will be admitted to the second stage
– no more than six competitors will be admitted to the final.
8. In exceptional cases a competitor may be asked by the Competition Director to play the concerto with
accompaniment by a second piano to prove their readiness for performing with an orchestra.
More information about the competition rules and jury voting you can find: HERE
The programme of the Competition consists of the following pieces. Competitors play them from memory in the order stated in their application form. The order of pieces is optional.
1st STAGE – 18 – 20 minutes.
1. A short composition by Johann Sebastian Bach.
2. Two virtuoso etudes played one after another:
– Chopin
– Liszt
3. One of the following Chopin’s compositions:
– Scherzo in B minor, Op. 20
– Scherzo in B flat minor, Op. 31
– Scherzo in C sharp minor, Op. 39
– Scherzo in E major, Op. 54
– Ballade in G minor, Op.23
– Ballade in F major, Op. 38
– Ballade in A flat major, Op. 47
– Ballade in F minor, Op. 52
– Fantasia in F minor, Op. 47
– Barcarole in F sharp major, Op. 60
2nd STAGE – 35 – 40 minutes.
1. One of the following compositions by Karol Szymanowski:
– 4 Mazurkas from Op. 50 No. 1, 2, 3, 4
– Serenade of Don Juan No. 3 from “Masques” Op. 34
– Variations in B flat minor, Op. 3
2. One Classical or Romantic sonata (Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Chopin, Schumann, Liszt, Brahms).
3. A selection from D. Scarlatti’s sonatas – one or more
3rd STAGE – Final. One of the following piano concertos with an orchestra:
– Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart:
XII in A major KV 414
XX in D minor KV 466
– Ludwig van Beethoven:
in C minor, Op. 37
in G major, Op. 58
– Fryderyk Chopin:
in E minor, Op. 11
in F minor, Op. 21
1. The following prizes will be awarded:
1st prize – PLN 30,000
2nd prize – PLN 15,000
3rd prize – PLN 9,000
4th prize – PLN 8,000
5th prize – PLN 6,000
6th prize – PLN 4,000
Special Prize of PLN 4,000 for the best performance of a work by Karol Szymanowski
Chopin Prize of PLN 5,000
2. The above-mentioned prizes will be reduced by taxes payable in accordance with applicable regulations.
3. The prize winners will receive the title of the laureate of the 13TH INTERNATIONAL
COMPETITION FOR YOUNG PIANISTS ARTHUR RUBINSTEIN IN MEMORIAM.
4. The competitors of the second stage not qualified for the final will be awarded diplomas
of honour.
5. The Jury reserves the right not to select the winner and change the number of prizes.
6. The decisions of the Jury are final and competitors cannot appeal against them.
7. The laureate of 1st, 2nd and 3rd place the 13th International Competition for Young Pianists ARTHUR RUBINSTEIN IN MEMORIAM obtains the rights referred to in Art. 44zh of the Act of September 7, 1991 on the polish education system, art. 132 of the Act of December 14, 2016 – Educational Law or regulations issued on the basis of art. 162 of this act.
8. The finalist of the competition receives the rights referred to in the regulations issued pursuant to Art. 162 of the Act of December 14, 2016 – Education Law (method of converting individual criteria into points during the recruitment procedure for secondary schools).
The prizewinners will receive the title of the laureate of the 12th INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION FOR YOUNG PIANISTS ARTHUR RUBINSTEIN IN MEMORIAM.
The competitors of the second stage not qualified for the final will be awarded diplomas of honour.
The Jury reserves the right not to select the winner and change the number of prizes.
The decisions of the Jury are final and competitors cannot appeal
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