Sydney International Piano Competition
| Sydney International Piano Competition of Australia | |
|---|---|
| Awarded for | Exceptional piano performance |
| Country | Australia |
| Presented by | Australian Broadcasting Corporation |
| First awarded | 1977 |
| Last awarded | 2016 |
| Official website | sipca.com.au |
The Sydney International Piano Competition of Australia (SIPCA) is a music competition, presented by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation in association with the University of Sydney and broadcast live throughout Australia and internationally. It is held every four years, over a three-week period in July–August, and is internationally recognised as one of the world's great piano competitions. It was established in July 1977 by Claire Dan, with co-founders Rex Hobcroft and Robert Tobias, and was admitted as a member of the World Federation of International Music Competitions in 1978.
The Artistic Director from its inception until 2015 was Warren Thomson, who also served as Chairman of the jury from 1992 until 2012. In April 2015, following Thomson's death in February, Piers Lane (a former competitor and juror) was announced as the Artistic Director of the 2016 competition.
A total of 32 (originally 36) pianists are selected to participate in the competition. Worldwide auditions are held to select the entrants, who must be aged between 17 and 30.
Traditionally, the previous winner presents a Gala Opening Recital.
The competition proper consists of five stages. All 36 competitors appear in the first two stages, which each involve a 20-minute solo recital. Competitors must include an Australian work chosen from a group of pieces set by the organizers. Miriam Hyde's Valley of Rocks was one of the pieces set for the 1988 competition; it was chosen by 23 of the contestants, and it went on to become her best-known work.
After this the best 20 are chosen to proceed to the third stage, a 40-minute recital. Twelve pianists are selected to proceed to the fourth stage, a 50-minute recital and participation in a chamber work. Six competitors are selected for the final stage, in which they play two piano concertos with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra.
Up until 2016, the first four stages took place at the Seymour Centre, University of Sydney; in 2016 the venue was changed to Verbrugghen Hall, Sydney Conservatorium of Music. The fifth stage is held in the Concert Hall of the Sydney Opera House. The winner receives a prize of $25,000, with smaller prizes awarded for other placings. All stages are broadcast live on radio throughout Australia and to the world online, by ABC Classic FM. From 2016 the competition in its entirety is streamed live and free on SIPCA's website.
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