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27TH ANNUAL PIANO COMPETITION
Overview
Serious piano students of high school age (18 and under) are invited to enter this prestigious annual event. Each year up to four pianists are recognized as McKee Laureates and receive a $1,500 cash award to support their musical career development.
Competition Dates
Application with Video Submission Due: September 1, 2024
Semi-Finalists Notified: September 15, 2024
In-Person Semi-Finals: November 17, 2024
Laureate Concert: December 15, 2024
Round One: Application with Video Submission
To enter, pianists must submit an application and a $50.00 non-refundable application fee. Each application must be accompanied by a 20 minute high-quality VIDEO recording of the student’s performance. The repertoire may be selected from any era but should demonstrate the depth and range of the applicant’s abilities.
The high-quality video link(s) should be shared on the application as a Google Drive link. Each video file should be titled [TITLE OF PIECE, COMPOSER OF PIECE, CONTESTANT FIRST & LAST NAME]. If the video contains more than one piece, please include the titles & composers of all of the pieces in the file title. The General Access Share setting should be set to "anyone with the link can view."
How to upload videos to Google Drive: https://tinyurl.com/2pfw4u5m
How to share a file publicly: https://tinyurl.com/5x7xswxj
Video submissions with the application are due
on September 1, 2024 at 11:59 PM.
Round Two: In-Person Performance
Those advancing to the second round will be notified on September 15. All contestants will perform the Competition's required piece, Promptu by Elinor Armer, in the live round. The score can be purchased at this link. The required piece need not be memorized. Contestants are welcome to provide your own page turner for the required piece.
Contestants typically perform the same pieces from their video submission, but they are free to select other repertoire that demonstrates a breadth of musical knowledge, technique, and sensitivity. Their performance, including the required piece, should not exceed 25 minutes.
This LIVE round of the McKee Competition will be held on Sunday, November 17, 2024 at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music Recital Hall (50 Oak Street, San Francisco) between 10:00 AM-2:00 PM. Following their deliberations, the judges will announce up to four Laureates who will perform in the final Laureates Concert.
*All judging is anonymous. Each pianist is assigned a number by which they are known throughout the first and second rounds. The identity of each performer and their teacher can be revealed only after finalists are announced. No teacher whose student enters the Competition may serve as a judge.
2024 Laureate Concert
All entrants should save the date of Sunday, December 15, 2024. This public event is the exciting culmination of the Ross McKee Piano Competition and features the most outstanding performances heard in the previous round. At this time, the Best Performance of the Required Composition is also announced and performed by the winner of that award. The concert will be held at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music Recital Hall (50 Oak Street, San Francisco) at 5:00 PM.