The 6th Steinway Youth Piano Competition
Welcome to the 6th edition of the Steinway Youth Piano Competition (SYPC), a biannual event that brings together talented young pianists from Singapore.
Registration for the SYPC 2022 begins on the 15th of December 2021, with the auditions commencing in March 2022, culminating in the grand finals on the 18th and 19th of June 2022. The competition focuses primarily on young, aspiring musicians under the age of 17, and comprises two classes.
The first is The Professional Class: where the winner will represent Singapore in The Southeast Asia Regional Finals and will compete for a coveted spot to perform at the International Steinway Festival. Next is The Amateur Class, first launched in 2020, that is aimed at students who enjoy playing the piano but still wish to have formal recognition of their progress.
Schedule
Professional Class
Recording for taped-audition
Date: 19 – 20 Mar 2022 (Sat – Sun)
Venue: Steinway Production Studio, #01-02 Halcyon Building, 39A Jln Pemimpin, 577183
Semi-finals
Date: 28 May 2022 (Sat)
Venue: Steinway Production Studio, #01-02 Halcyon Building, 39A Jln Pemimpin, 577183
Grand finals
Date: 18 Jun 2022 (Sat)
Venue: Steinway production Studio, #01-02 Halcyon Building, 39A Jln Pemimpin, 577183
Amateur Class
Heats
Date: 16 – 18 Mar 2022 (Wed – Fri)
Venue: Steinway Production Studio, #01-02 Halcyon Building, 39A Jln Pemimpin, 577183
Semi-finals
Date: 29 May 2022 (Sun)
Venue: Steinway Production Studio, #01-02 Halcyon Building, 39A Jln Pemimpin, 577183
Grand finals
Date: 19 Jun 2022 (Sun)
Venue: Steinway production Studio, #01-02 Halcyon Building, 39A Jln Pemimpin, 577183
* Please note that all dates of the competition are correct at the time of publication and subject to change in response to the COVID-19 situation. The organizer reserved the right to cancel, postpone or change the venue of the competition.
Class, Repertoire requirements & Entry fee
Professional Class
Categories
- Category 1 – Ages 11 and below (i.e. born on or after January 1, 2011)
- Category 2 – Ages 12 to 14 (i.e. born between and inclusive of January 1, 2008 and December 31, 2010)
- Category 3 – Ages 15 to 17 (i.e. born between and inclusive of January 1, 2005 and December 31, 2007)
Repertoire requirements
- Participants must present 3 contrasting selections.
- Repertoire must include the first movement of a Sonata by Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Clementi, or Schubert.
- No concerti or transcriptions are allowed.
- Participants are required to perform the exact same repertoire for further stages of the competition.
- Auditions will be conducted in a continuous, live-recording manner. Re-takes are not allowed.
Duration
Maximum 20 minutes
Entry Fees
$250
Amateur Class
Categories
- Category 1 – Ages 6 and below (i.e. born on or after January 1, 2016)
- Category 2 – Ages 7 to 10 (i.e. born between and inclusive of January 1, 2012 and December 31, 2015)
- Category 3 – Ages 11 to 14 (i.e. born between and inclusive of January 1, 2008 and December 31, 2011)
- Category 4 – Ages 15 to 17 (i.e. born between and inclusive of January 1, 2005 and December 31, 2007)
New category
- Youth-at-Heart – Ages 35 and above (i.e. born on or before January 1, 1987)
Repertoire requirements
- Participant’s own choice of a minimum of 2 works of contrasting style.
- Participants are required to perform the exact same repertoire for further stages of the competition.
Maximum Duration
- Category 1 – 5 minutes
- Category 2 – 8 minutes
- Category 3 – 12 minutes
- Category 4 – 15 minutes
- Youth-at-Heart – 15 minutes
Entry Fees
$250
* Choice of pieces must be clearly indicated on the application form.
* All pertinent program details (Composer, Work, Key, Op., No., Hob., K.designations) for each movement of the work intended for performance must be listed
COvid vaccination guidelines
SYPC 2022 will be an in-person event. In the light of the ongoing pandemic however, the organizers endeavors to provide an environment that is as safe as possible for all participants, adjudicators and audience in line with prevailing safe management measures.
For 13 years old and above
In this, the competition requires that all participants between aged 13 and above to be fully vaccinated at time of the participant’s performance at the competition.
We understand that some may have underlying medical conditions which do not make vaccination possible. In this, we seek your understanding to produce a note of medical exemption.
For those who are unvaccinated and to not fall in any of the above, you may participate the competition online from home i.e you may perform via zoom from your home. In this instance, the participant will be solely responsible for the technical set up at home.
For 12 years old and below
Participants 12 years of age and below who unvaccinated may take part in the competition but must observe all safe management measures.
Thank you for your forbearance and once again, we hope to be able to work with you to create a safe environment for all during the competition.
SYPC 2022 will feature a new category for pianists aged 35 and above within its Amateur Class. Called “Youth-at-Heart”, this category is open to anyone aged 35 and above whose main livelihood is not that of piano performance or pedagogy, but who enjoys playing the piano and wishes to share their passion for piano playing with the public.
Most piano competitions in Singapore to date have focused only on young talents below the age of 25, and we are excited to welcome musical talent from all age groups.
#STEINWAYIGSTARS2022 PUBLIC VOTING CONTEST
Be a Steinway IG Star today! Alongside the 6th Steinway Youth Piano Competition 2022, the public can vote for their favorite contestants! The three pianists with the most votes will get their very own professional video produced by Steinway Gallery Singapore. Get voting now!
SYPC 2022 will be professionally recorded at the Steinway Production Studio and participants will be able to order their hi-resolution audio and video recordings, which will be sent after the competition.
Prizes for the National Competition
Professional Class
Category 1 - Ages 11 and below (i.e. born on or after January 1, 2011)
First Prize
$500 Cash Prize, Trophy & Certificate of Recognition
Second Prize
Trophy & Certificate of Recognition
Third Prize
Trophy & Certificate of Recognition
Category 2 - Ages 12 to 14 (i.e. born between and inclusive of January 1, 2008 and December 31, 2010)
First Prize
$500 Cash Prize, Trophy & Certificate of Recognition
Second Prize
Trophy & Certificate of Recognition
Third Prize
Trophy & Certificate of Recognition
Category 3 - Ages 15 to 17 (i.e. born between and inclusive of January 1, 2005 and December 31, 2007)
First Prize
$500 Cash Prize, Trophy & Certificate of Recognition
Second Prize
Trophy & Certificate of Recognition
Third Prize
Trophy & Certificate of Recognition
Amateur Class
Category 1 - Ages 6 and below (i.e. born on or after January 1, 2016)
First Prize
The First prize winner will have the opportunity to be featured in a professionally produced video by Steinway Gallery Singapore.
Second Prize
$200 Cash Prize & Certificate of Recognition
Third Prize
$100 Cash Prize & Certificate of Recognition
Category 2 - Ages 7 to 10 (i.e. born between and inclusive of January 1, 2012 and December 31, 2015)
First Prize
The First prize winner will have the opportunity to be featured in a professionally produced video by Steinway Gallery Singapore.
Second Prize
$200 Cash Prize & Certificate of Recognition
Third Prize
$100 Cash Prize & Certificate of Recognition
Category 3 - Ages 11 to 14 (i.e. born between and inclusive of January 1, 2008 and December 31, 2011)
First Prize
The First prize winner will have the opportunity to be featured in a professionally produced video by Steinway Gallery Singapore.
Second Prize
$200 Cash Prize & Certificate of Recognition
Third Prize
$100 Cash Prize & Certificate of Recognition
Category 4 - Ages 15 to 17 (i.e. born between and inclusive of January 1, 2005 and December 31, 2007)
First Prize
The First prize winner will have the opportunity to be featured in a professionally produced video by Steinway Gallery Singapore.
Second Prize
$200 Cash Prize & Certificate of Recognition
Third Prize
$100 Cash Prize & Certificate of Recognition
Category: Youth-at-Heart - Ages 35 and above (i.e. born on or before January 1, 1987)
First Prize
The First prize winner will have the opportunity to be featured in a professionally produced video by Steinway Gallery Singapore.
Second Prize
$200 Cash Prize & Certificate of Recognition
Third Prize
$100 Cash Prize & Certificate of Recognition
Adjudicators
Professional Class: SEMI FINALS
FRANK DEMEGLIO
Classical Music Educator and Writer. Lecturer at Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music & LASALLE College of the Arts
JULIE TAN
Lecturer at Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music; President of The Singapore Music Teachers Association; National Arts Council Performing Arts external assessor
LOW SHAO SUAN
Award-Winning Pianist and Composer. Graduate of the famed École Normale de Musique de Paris in France
DR ABIGAIL SIN
Young Steinway Artist; Academic faculty at Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music; Co-founder of the More Than Music concert series
DR NELLIE SENG
Head of Keyboard Studies Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts; Organizing Committee Member of the Nanyang International Music Competition and the Nanyang International Piano Academy
Amateur Class: Semi Finals
DR CHANG TOU LIANG
Artistic Director of the Singapore International Piano Festival (2004-2008), Founder of the Young Virtuoso Recital Series
CLARENCE LEE
Piano Faculty at LASALLE College of the Arts, Adjunct Collaborative Pianist at the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music, Program Director of the Young Artist Program at MW Fine Arts Academy, Vice-President of the International Performing & Visual Arts Examination Board (IPVAEB).
DR IRYNA VOKHMIANINA
Piano Professor of the Department of Music Performing Arts at Kharkiv National Pedagogical University (Ukraine), Founder and Artistic Director of the project “Symphony of Motherhood”, Honorary President WPTA Singapore
NABILLAH JALAL
Founder and Head Teacher of NJ Studio, Committee for CLF Labs, Anugerah Belia Cemerlang, and the People’s Association Youth Movement
LENA HUANG
Pianist, Music Educator, Founder of Music Forest Studio
Professional Class: Grand Finals
BENJAMIN LOH
Steinway Artist, Steinway Honorary Professor, Piano Faculty at LASALLE College of the Arts
LENA CHING
Vice Dean, School of Music at Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts
LIM YAN
Senior Lecturer at Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music, Artistic Director of Singapore International Piano Festival
KSENIIA VOKHMIANINA
International Concert Pianist, Music Faculty at School of the Arts, President of the World Piano Teachers Association (Singapore)
ALBERT TIU
Professor of Piano at Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music
Amateur Class: Grand Finals
DR LEE PEI MING
Music Educator, Founder of STACCATO! Music, Former-Assistant Professor at Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music
LOW SHAO YING
Award-winning Classical Pianist and Composer, Piano Collaborator, Songwriter, and Music Arranger
DR WU YANG
Music Educator, Artistic Director of International Music Culture Association Singapore (IMCAS) and Founder of Finger Waltz Music
TANG WERN NING
Piano Faculty at Mandeville Conservatory of Music.
OUYANG LEI LEI
Music Educator and Member of the Musician Society of Singapore
Entry Deadline
Registration is now closed
Online registration
Please submit the online application form and settle the registration fees during the online registration.
*Registration fee will be charged via Stripe during online application and is non-refundable.
*Do remember to disable your pop-up blocker when signing up, so as to ensure the application goes through smoothly.
Rules and Regulations
- The Professional class is only open to all Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents aged 17 and below.
- The Amateur class is open to all nationalities.
- Applicants for the Amateur category may not perform, teach, or compose music for primary professional pursuit or financial benefit.
- Previous winners of the Steinway Youth Piano Competition are not eligible to participate in the same age category in previous participation.
- The registration fee of $250 SGD is payable upon application and is non-refundable.
- Steinway Gallery Singapore reserves the right, at any time in its sole and absolute discretion, to substitute, withdraw, add to or alter any of the prizes offered without notice to the participants.
- All decisions of the Jury are final.
About Steinway Festival
The festival is a biennial event organised by Steinway & Sons in Hamburg, Germany. Its purpose is to identify, encourage and promote young pianists in the formative stages of their careers.
Since 1987, the much anticipated International Steinway Festival takes place every two years in Hamburg, Germany. Young pianists from different countries come together for a musical congregation, also known as a “Laeiszhalle”. Programs such as harbour tour or an exclusive dinner at the Steinway Factory would be amongst the many highlights of the Steinway Festival; where an important aspect of the festival is for these young talents to experience the culture of performing on stage, without having competition pressure.
The competition
The competition seeks to identify, encourage and promote young aspiring pianists in the development stages of their careers. In the national competitions, local Steinway dealers will administer countrywide auditions in the following Asian countries: Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam (Auditions for China and Japan are managed under separate auspices).
