General Application Rules

1. The Póvoa de Varzim Piano Competition is intended for all piano students residing in Portugal or abroad, who meet the age, program and/or qualification requirements in accordance to the regulations for each of the different participation degrees.

2. The participation degrees are divided into five categories:
     i. CATEGORY A - Students up to 8 years old
     ii. CATEGORY B - Students up to 10 years old
     iii. CATEGORY C - Students up to 13 years old
     iv. CATEGORY D - Students up to 15 years old
     v. CATEGORY E - Students up to 17 years old

3. The age limit for each category uses December 31st of the preceding year of the contest reference date.

4. Auditions will be open to the public and will take place on the 18th and 19th of May, at the Municipal Auditorium of Póvoa de Varzim. The alignment and schedule will be announced later on.

5. The winners' concert will take place on May 19th, the last day of the Piano Contest, at the Municipal Auditorium (4:30pm).

6. Applications should reach Escola de Música da Póvoa de Varzim, duly completed, no later than May 12th.

7. The application form (together with a photo of the candidate) must be sent to Associação Pró-Música da Póvoa de Varzim in the following address: Escola de Música da Póvoa de Varzim, Rua D. Maria I, nº 56, 4490-538 Póvoa de Varzim, Portugal. Passport or citizen cards must be presented on arrival for checking.


8. Alternatively, the same information can be sent via email to:  geral.cppv@gmail.com
For more information see  the website: http://concursodepianodapovoadevarzim-eng.blogspot.pt/p/documents.html. Registrations will be validated upon payment confirmation.


9. Payment of the application fee can be made (a) by bank transfer to IBAN nr. PT50 0035 0666 0007 9949 330 60 (please append the bank transfer receipt); (b) by cheque addressed to Associação Pró-Música da Póvoa de Varzim; (c) by cash.

10. The application fee is €35 for contestants in categories A, B and C, and €50 for contestants in categories D and E. Students at Escola de Música da Póvoa de Varzim will benefit from a 30% discount.

11. The application fee is non-refundable.

12. First prize winners of previous contests cannot compete in the same category.

13. The organizing committee will close applications as soon as the maximum logistical capacity is reached for each of the different categories.

14. Applications will be accepted and numbered by order of arrival.

15. Only original solo piano works will be accepted.

16. Works performed in the eliminatory auditions will not be accepted in the final.

17. All pieces must be performed from memory.

18. Upon arrival, all competitors must address the organizing committee and deliver the scores of the works they intend to play.

19. Ex-aequo first prizes will not be awarded unless no second prize is awarded.

20. In case of ex-aequo prizes, their amount will be divided in equal parts by the awardees.

21. The jury reserves the right not to award any of the prizes if the merit of the competitors is considered insufficient.

22. The jury may award honourable mentions.

23. The jury's decisions are final and not subject to review.

24. All contestants will receive gifts and participation certificates.

25. Laureates must be present at the awards ceremony. Otherwise, the organization reserves the right not to award the corresponding prize.

26. Pictures and audio or video recordings are not permitted during the auditions. The organization reserves the right to make recordings of the competitors and their auditions for archiving or disclosure purposes, or for activities directly related to the Póvoa de Varzim Piano Competition. Participants cannot require any remuneration in this respect.

27. Participants are on their own concerning accommodation and meals. 

28. Unexpected situations not covered by these rules will be promptly dealt with by the organizing committee in the best possible way.

29. General Data Protection Rules: The data collected and processed by the organization are necessary for the correct registration of the participants in the piano competition and it will be used for this purpose only. Personal data may be subject to computer processing under the guarantee that they will not be released to entities other than those falling within the scope of the activity of the promoters of the competition: Associação Pró-Música da Póvoa de Varzim / Escola de Música da Póvoa de Varzim. In compliance with the promoters’ legal obligations, such data may be transmitted to public authorities, namely those that supervise music teaching activities such as the Ministry of Education. Contact information may be used by Escola de Música da Póvoa de Varzim to contact the competitors and / or their parents concerning issues related to the competition only. The data will be kept for the purposes of registration and archiving concerning the Póvoa de Varzim Piano Competition. The data subject exercising his or her rights of access, rectification, opposition, erasure or limitation of personal data (in accordance with the terms of the GDPR  and the law governing the competition) should write to geral.cppv@gmail.com


AWARDS

CATEGORY A (up to 8 years old)
1st Prize: €140
2nd Prize: €70
3rd Prize: €35

CATEGORY B (up to 10 years old)
1st Prize: €180
2nd Prize: €90
3rd Prize: €45

CATEGORY C (up to 13 years old)
1st Prize: €300
2nd Prize: €150
3rd Prize: €75

CATEGORY D (up to 15 years old)
1st Prize: €400
2nd Prize: €200     
3rd Prize: €100
                 
CATEGORY E (up to 17 years old)
1st Prize: €500
2nd Prize: €250
3rd Prize: €125

“Best Interpretation of a Portuguese Piece” Award
(Afonso Pinhão Ferreira Prize)