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WASHINGTON INTERNATIONAL PIANO ARTISTS COMPETITION
    
(Last Revision: March 13, 2008)
COMPETITORS, PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING GUIDELINES IN DOC AND PDF FORMATS:
WIPAC 2008 COMPETITION GUIDELINES & APPLICATION FORM (DOC)
(Microsoft Word Document File)
WIPAC 2008 COMPETITION GUIDELINES & APPLICATION FORM (pdf)
The 2008 Festival of Music and The Sixth Washington International Piano Artist Competition WIPAC welcomes outstanding piano artists 31 years of age and older from around the world to Washington, DC July 16 to July 20, 2008, to compete for honors, recognition, and cash awards, and the opportunity to demonstrate your exceptional musical talents to a wider audience. Highlights from the 2007 competition can be found below.
The Polish Embassy will again be offering an award to a competitor for the best performance of any Polish Composer. We encourage performers to explore the words of Karol Szymanowski.
[If you would like to know more about Mr. Karol Szymanowski, please see the following internet location: http://www.culture.pl/en/culture/artykuly/os_szymanowski_karol ] . If the Polish Embassy provides any other details on their preferences, competitors applying will be informed as soon as possible. Keep in mind that 2010 is the 200th Birthyear Anniversary of Chopin and that all of us should look forward to celebrating that year in a special way with music of Chopin.
Please note: that the competition guidelines also contain a list of many different awards offered each year at the WIPAC competition. The first prize award includes $1,000, a solo concert during WIPAC's Fall Season at The Anderson House Museum in Washington, DC, and an invitation to perform in the annual "WINNERS GRAND PRIX" concert, held annually in April. WIPAC's award structure is designed to maximize benefits to as many participants as possible and to reward various areas of artistic excellence. But there are several other awards, and these may be added to or changed in some ways to accomodate the changing needs of our organization, the various embassies in Washington DC which might indicate discretionary awards, and the jury of the competition.
WIPAC 2008 COMPETITION GUIDELINES & APPLICATION FORM (DOC)
(Microsoft Word Document File)
WIPAC 2008 COMPETITION GUIDELINES & APPLICATION FORM (pdf)
(Adobe PDF File Format)
For detailed information regarding competition event locations, maps, and other travel information, please see the following link:
COMPETITION LOCATIONS AND TRAVEL INFORMATION
A limited number of dormitory rooms are available on the George Washington University campus. Call Chateau: 703 728-7766 to make these arrangements or, inquire by email at wipac@cox.net.
The public is cordially invited to all rounds of the competition. Most events are free and open to the public. The WIPAC Celebratory Dinner at the Madison Hotel following the last day of competition requires advanced reservation and payment, and certain masterclass events require an audit fee at the door. Please contact WIPAC@COX.NET for more details and to make your reservation arragnements..
WIPAC solicits your membership donations in support of its mission and relies heavily on public support to achieve its mission. Your donations are tax deductible to the extent permitted by law.
The competition in 2006 was sponsored in cooperation with The George Washington University Music Department, Washington, DC's Classical Radio Station, 104.1 WGMS, and the IFC Cultural Center at the World Bank Building (entrance on K St NW), Washington, DC. Our welcome reception was hosted by the Polish Embassy in Washington, DC. A Piano Marathon event was hosted by the Arts Club of Washington, DC. The response of the public and the competitors to all events was outstanding.
The competition in 2007 was held in cooperation with many of the same organizations as in 2006. In 2007, the Welcome Receptiion on Wednesday evening, July 18th, wasl hosted by the Embassy of Bulgaria through the kind invitation of the Ambassador of Bulgaria, Her Excellency, Elena Borislavova Poptodorova. This event took place at the residence and many pianists performed that evening. The George Washington University and the Arts Club of Washington, The Embassies of Mexico, France, and Poland, will also be working in cooperation with WIPAC in 2007. The final round of the competition was held at La Maison Française, the Embassy of France, with a sumptuous buffet reception in the atrium following the awards presentations..
Each pianist competitor is required to send in a fully completed application form with current photo (passport size or larger) and a tape or CD recording of no less than 25 minutes to an hour of performances of classical piano music. If you plan to participate, we would appreciate your confirmation as soon as you are able to inform us.
The competition is always juried by a panel of professional pianists. The chair of the jury is chosen from the diplomatic corps in Washington, DC. The chair's function is to moderate the jury, and to cast a tie-breaking vote only when absolutely necessary. There is also a press jury award and an audience award for best pianist in the final round. and several other special prizes offered which are not limited to finalists, but may be chosen from amongst any one of the competitors participating, and based on performances in any round of the competition. All awards offer cash prizes. The final round of the 2005 WIPAC Festival of Music was reviewed by Tim Page, Pulitzer Prize winning editor of the “Style Section” of The Washington Post.
The Festival of Music Winning Pianist is awarded a Debut Recital at The Anderson House Museum in Washington, DC, and is also invited to participate in the annual WIPAC "Winner's Grand Prix" Concert in April each year. The latter event hosts winners of up to four international piano competitions from amongst those organizations that host similar competitions around the world, including Van Cliburn (Fort Worth), Gina Bachauer (Salt Lake City), Rocky Mountan (Colorado Springs), Boston, Paris and Berlin.
Additional details regarding awards can be found in the WIPAC Competition Guidelines (see above).
The atmosphere of the WIPAC Festival of Music is congenial, and attendees will have an opportunity to enjoy many wonderful social events. Candidates and their guests will meet with diplomats, career pianists and other luminaries in the Capital City.
Traditionally, we begin in grand fashion with a Welcome Reception, hosted by a foreign ambassador either at his embassy or residence. Washington, DC is a wonderful city to visit in the summer months. Tourism is at its height; museums and galleries are open to the public and are located close to The George Washington University, which is our central meeting place for the duration of the competition.
Workshops, piano marathons and master classes are offered to participating pianists and open to the public as well, during the festival.
In 2006, we added a "free critique" by a professional pianist to those who participated in the piano marathon session. Those pianists not advancing from the preliminary round took part in the marathon session, which provided an opportunity for useful feedback and informal commentary on performances. David Witten, a juror from Montclain State University, has been the pianists' favorite commentator at these events.
Complimentary cocktail receptions are held after early rounds of the competition. After the final round, a fabulous Celebratory sit-down Buffet for all candidates, friends, and patrons is offered for a nominal fee at La Mason Francaise, the French Embassy. A grand piano is available..
Competitors register upon arrival at The George Washington University Music Department, Phillips Hall, Office: B-144. Competitors will find practice rooms, congregate and perform for each other both informally and in master classes at the music department.
PAST WINNERS OF THE WASHINGTON INTERNATIONAL PIANO ARTISTS COMPETITION ARE AS FOLLOWS:
2003 Paul Romero
2004 Jim Allison
2005 Henri Delbeau
2006 Christopher Shih
2007 Jelena Vladikovic
HIGHLIGHTS FROM JULY 18-22, 2007
THE FIFTH WASHINGTON INTERNATIONAL PIANO ARTISTS COMPETITION
& 2007 FESTIVAL OF MUSIC
LAST UPDATED: 16-MARCH-2008
Press Review of 2007 WIPAC piano competition: click here: PRESS CORNER
PHOTO OF 5 FINALISTS WITH MARIUSZ BRYMORA, CHAIR OF JURY AND CHATEAU GARDECKI, PRESIDENT OF WIPAC (Left to Right: Gala Gurinovich, Monika Mockovcakova, Mariusz Brymora-Jury Chair, Robert Finley, Jee-Ean Kim, Chateau Gardecki-President of WIPAC, Jelena Vladikovic)
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