Project

VIVAPIANO

International competition
for non-professional
pianists.

Founded by Daniela Dikova and inspired by the distinguished Bulgarian piano pedagogue Andrei Stoyanov, the VIVAPIANO International Competition for Non-professional Pianists is for amateur pianists of all ages and nationalities.

About VIVAPIano

Vivapiano is for you!

If you study piano privately, at a local music school, or a specialized music institution (but not as your major instrument) and do not perform or teach piano on a professional basis, then VIVAPIANO is for you!

AGENDA

Тhe new edition of the Vivapiano 2023 international competition for non-professional pianists will take place on 8 – 9 April 2023.

APPLICATION

VIVAPIANO 2023 ONLINE-APPLICATION FORM

The completed VIVAPIANO online-application form has to be sent until 24 March 2023.


ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS
• Copy of document for age verification of the candidate.
• A photo of the participant in PASSPORT FORMAT, in SEPARATED FILE with the participant’s name.
• Bank document for the transfer of the application fee.
GDPR consent

The additional documents have to be send to the following e-mail address: ardenzafoundation@gmail.com

FEES

A single application fee of 70€ allows participation in the VIVAPIANO as a soloist in one of the groups 1 to 8, as a duo partner in Group 9, or both.

The fee should be paid by bank transfer to:

Ardenza Foundation
First Investment Bank
Narodno sabranie square 3, Sofia, 1000
IBAN – BG76FINV91501203661767
BIC/SWIFT – FINVBGSF

Please include the text “Application fee for VIVAPIANO 2023 for (name and surname of the participant)”

All bank fees and commissions are to be covered by the participant.

*Families with more than one participant in the competition enjoy an additional discount. They should pay a fee of 50 EUR for each of their participants.

RULES

1. Who may participate?

The International Competition for Non-professional Pianists VIVAPIANO in Sofia, Bulgaria is open to participants of any age and nationality who:
• study piano privately, at a local music school, in a music program at their regular grade, high school, or at a specialized music institution (pre-college or collegiate), but the piano is not their major instrument;
• do not perform or teach piano on a professional basis;
• want to have the unforgettable experience of performing – as a solo pianist, a partner in a piano duo, or both – at a prestigious concert hall in Sofia.

Participants in previous editions of the VIVAPIANO can participate in the competition again, except for past winners of the VIVAPIANO and VIVAPIANO JUNIOR Grand Prizes.

2. Organizer, dates and location

The VIVAPIANO Competition, founded by Daniela Dikova in 2010, is organized by the Ardenza Foundation. The twelfth edition of the Competition will take place on 8-9 April 2023.

3. Competition round, Gala concert, prizes

The competition has only one competition round. The jury will rank the participants in each group (see No. 5 below) first, second, or third prize. All participants will receive diplomas and medals . A number of special prizes will be awarded, on the names of prominent Bulgarian piano artists. The participants ranked first in their group, will participate in the Gala concert. On the basis of the performances in the Gala concert, the following prizes will be awarded:

• VIVAPIANO Grand Prize (awarded to a first-prize winner from Groups 5-8)
• VIVAPIANO Junior Grand Prize (awarded to a first-prize winner from Groups 1-4)
• Piano Duo Prize (awarded to a piano duo from Group 9)

4. Competition program

The pieces performed during the competition round are freely chosen by each participant, and have to be listed in the participant’s application form. It is acceptable to perform single movements from sonatas, suites or other works. It is acceptable to perform from music sheets (i.e., non-memorized).

Those who wish to compete for a Signature Suites prize should include in their competition program at least:

2 pieces from Signature Suites (for groups 1-5)

1 complete suite of pieces (Signature Suite No. 1, No. 2, or No. 3) (for groups 6-8)

Persons from Bulgaria and all other countries may participate in the competition in the following 9 groups, each with a different age range and maximum timing for the pieces to be performed:

Group Age Range Max. timing

1 born between 01/01/2017 and 12/31/2018 (4 – 6 years old) 3 min.
2 born between 01/01/2015 and 12/31/2016(6 – 8 years) 5 min.
3 born between 01/01/2013 and 12/31/2014 (8 – 10 years) 7 min.
4 born between 01/01/2011 and 12/31/2012 (10 – 12 years) 9 min.
5 born between 01/01/2009 and 12/31/2010 (12 – 14 years) 10 min.
6 born between 01/01/2007 and 12/31/2008 (14 – 16 years) 12 min.
7 born between 01/01/2003 and 12/31/2006 (16 – 20 years) 15 min.
8 born before 12/31/2002 (at least 20 years old) 15 min.
9 Four-hand or 2 pianos duo (any combination of ages) 15 min.

6. Schedule for the competition round

The schedule will be arranged by date of birth within each group. Additional pianos are available for warming up. All participants must appear at least 30 minutes prior to their performance time to be officially registered in the competition. The competition round is open for audience.

7. International jury

The competition jury of well-known musical pedagogues from Bulgaria and abroad will work according to the competition regulations and policies, approved by the VIVAPIANO Organizing Committee. All decisions of the jury, including the ranking of the participants within each competition group and the repertoire to be performed by first-prize winners at the Gala Concert, are final and cannot be appealed.

8. Participant expenses

All expenses related to participation in the competition (travel, accommodations, meals, etc.) are covered by the participant.

9. License and copyrights

The participant authorizes the Ardenza Foundation to take photographs and make audio and video recordings in order to document his/her participation in the competition, and unconditionally waives his/her right to receive royalty payments or other compensation for the use of these materials to promote the competition.

10. Agreement with the Competition Rules

With the sending of the participant’s completed application form and documents the participant agrees with the competition rules.

JURY

The competition jury of well-known musical pedagogues from Bulgaria and abroad will work according to the competition regulations and policies, approved by the VIVAPIANO Organizing Commitee. All decisions of the jury, including the ranking of the participants within each competition group and the repertoire to be performed by first-prize winners at the Gala Concert, are final and cannot be appealed.

PRIZES

Prizes, awarded on the basis of performance in the competition round

• First, Second, and Third Prizes in each group from 1 to 9

• Special prizes on the names of prominent Bulgarian piano artists:

Andrey Stoyanov Prize

Anton Dikov Prize

• Two special monetary prizes for the best performance of pieces from Signature Suites by Geoffrey Dean

• UBC award for the best performance of a work by Bulgrian composers

Prizes, awarded on the basis of performance in the Gala Concert

• VIVAPIANO Grand Prize (awarded to a first-prize winner from Groups 5-8)
• VIVAPIANO Junior Grand Prize (awarded to a first-prize winner from Groups 1-4)
• Piano Duo Prize (awarded to a piano duo from Group 9)

MUSICAL SCORES
Contact us if you wish to purchase the printed musical scores and CDs of our VIVAPIANO collection –

pieces for piano by bulgarian composers.

VIVAPIANO VIDEOS

Gala Concerts

VIVAPIANO

FAQ

Where will VIVAPIANO take place?
VIVAPIANO will be held in the concert halls of NMU “L. Pipkov”, Sofia.
I do not have a regular piano teacher. Can I participate in VIVAPIANO?
Yes
What is the deadline for submitting documents for participation in the competition?

25 March 2022

What is the participation fee?

EUR 70 for foreign participants.

If more than one member of my family participates in VIVAPIANO, do I have to pay the full fee for each of them?

No. Families with more than one participant in VIVAPIANO must pay EUR 50 for each family member who participates in the competition. See the How to Participate in VIVAPIANO page for more details.

Do I have to pay two participation fees if I participate in VIVAPIANO both as a soloist and as a member of a duo?
No. The participation fee is one-time and allows candidates to compete in both categories.
How do I pay the participation fee for VIVAPIANO?
The participation fee must be transferred to the account of the Ardenza Foundation. A copy of the bank statement must be attached to the online registration form.

Ardenza Foundation
First Investment Bank
National Assembly Square 3, 1000 Sofia
IBAN – BG76FINV91501203661767
BIC / SWIFT- FINVBGSF

Grounds for the translation: “Fee for participation in VIVAPIANO on / name and surname of the participant /”.

Bank fees and commissions are at the expense of the participant.

The participation fee for Bulgarian families with more than one participant in the competition is BGN 50 for each participant in the family.

Are students in specialized music schools allowed to participate in VIVAPIANO?
Only if they do not study the piano as a major instrument.
Why are there two Grand Prizes in VIVAPIANO 2022?
We decided to add a separate Grand Prize for groups 1 to 4 due to the large number of younger participants. This idea was welcomed by all who completed our questionnaire at the second edition of the competition in 2012. The winners of the first prizes in groups 1 to 4, who participate in the Gala concert, compete for the Vivapiano Junior award, and the winners of the first prizes in groups 5 to 8, who participate in the Gala concert, compete for the Vivapiano Grand Prix.
Do I need to win first prize in my age group to compete for VIVAPIANO special prizes?
No. Special prizes for performances by certain composers will be awarded based on the performance of the competition tour. You do not need to be ranked first, second or third in your group to win one or more of these prizes (based on the performance of the competition tour and depending on how many works by these composers you have included in your competition program. ).
What prizes can be won at VIVAPIANO?
Each participant in VIVAPIANO receives prizes. They can be CDs, music, various musical souvenirs, and more.
Is it possible to win more than one prize?
Yes. It is possible to win first, second or third prize both as a soloist and as a member of a piano duo, a special prize for performance of a work by a certain composer, as well as one of the big prizes Vivapiano Junior, Vivapiano Grand Prix and / or Vivapiano Duo.
Is it possible to win more than one special prize?
It is possible if you have included works by more than one composer nominated for an award and the jury considers that your performances of these works are the best.
Are there first, second and third prizes in each group?

No. Each winner of the first, second or third prize receives a medal, diploma and prizes. Any winner of the first prize of VIVAPIANO can compete in the Gala concert for one of the big prizes. Оnly live performances will be allowed.

How many first, second and third prizes can there be in an age group?
Depending on the number of participants in a group and their results from the competition round, at the discretion of the jury it is possible to have several first, second and / or third prizes in each group.
What will be the conditions for individual exercise during VIVAPIANO?

Anyone wishing to practice during the VIVAPIANO competition can do so in the premises provided by the organizers for this purpose.

How to choose the composers and works included in the competition program if the participant wants to compete for the VIVAPIANO Grand Prix?

Among the goals of the competition is the encouragement of Bulgarian composers to create new pieces for piano, as well as the preservation of the existing piano repertoire.

Is an acoustic rehearsal provided in the hall before the competition round for all participants in VIVAPIANO?

Yes. Each participant in a group will be provided with access to the piano for acoustic rehearsal with a specific duration for the group in the hall before the competition round. The time for the acoustic rehearsal will be controlled by members of the VIVAPIANO team.

Do I have to play by heart in the VIVAPIANO competition?

No. Playing by notes is allowed at the VIVAPIANO competition.

Is it obligatory for my competition program to have the maximum duration specified in the regulation?

No. The duration for your age group, specified in the regulation, is the maximum allowed for your competition program. The jury has the right to suspend performances exceeding the specified duration.

How will the results of the competition round be announced?
The minutes, signed by the jury, will be displayed on the board in front of the hall where the competition is held.
Who are the members of the VIVAPIANO jury?
The jury of VIVAPIANO is composed of prominent piano teachers from Bulgaria and around the world. The members of the international jury will be officially announced after the registration for the competition.
If my piano teacher is a member of the jury, can I participate in the VIVAPIANO competition?

Yes, but your educator will not participate in your assessment.

I want to participate in VIVAPIANO only as a member of a piano duo. Is it possible?
Yes.
I want to participate in VIVAPIANO both as a soloist and as a member of a duo. Is it possible?

Yes, as the participation fee in the amount of EUR 70 remains one-time and unchanged.

Can I participate in VIVAPIANO in a piano duo with a partner who is in a different age group?
Yes.
Can I participate in VIVAPIANO in a piano duo with my piano teacher?
No.
Can I participate in VIVAPIANO in a piano duo with my parent?
Yes, if he is not a professional pianist.
If I participate in VIVAPIANO both as a soloist and as a member of a duo, do I have to pay two participation fees?

No. The participation fee in the amount of EUR 70 remains one-time and unchanged.

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ardenzafoundation@gmail.com

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