Art. 1

Any pianist may apply to the Sigismund Thalberg International Piano Competition, with no age limits. 

 

Art. 2

The Pre-selection will be online, whereas the Final and Semifinal Round will take place at the San Pietro a Majella Conservatory (Sala Martucci and Sala Scarlatti) in Naples from 19th to 25th May 2027.

 

Art. 3

Candidates have to send the Application form no later than 15th March 2027 by email to info@centrothalberg.it.

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The documents mentioned below must be attached to the application form:

- photocopy of an identity document

- curriculum vitae mentioning the name of the current piano teacher

- application fee of € 50

- a video file as described in Art. 5

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The application fee can be paid by:

- Bank transfer

to: Centro Studi Internazionale Sigismund Thalberg

bank: BancoPosta

IBAN: IT18Y0760103400000037944808

SWIFT: BPPIITRRXXX

- Paypal

on the account: info@centrothalberg.it

 

Application unprovided with the registration fee will not be accepted.

 

Art. 4 

The Competition will consist of the following three rounds: 

- Pre-selection (Online)

- Semifinal Round (In Person)

- Final Round (In Person)

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Art. 5

The required program for each round is as follows:

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Pre-selection

A video recording of about 10 minutes which has to include the performance of a study and one or more compositions of free choice. The video must be recorded live and cannot contain cuts. At the beginning of the recording the candidate has to declare their name, surname and nationality.

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Semifinal Round

A recital program lasting about 60 minutes of free choice which has to include a classical sonata and a free piece by Sigismund Thalberg (the score can be demand free, contextually to the registration, to the secretary office of the Study Centre).

The Semifinal Round may include pieces performed during the Pre-selection.

The Jury reserves the right to hear the whole Program presented or any part thereof.

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Final Round

Candidates admitted to the Final Round shall perform, with second piano accompaniment (provided by the Organization), one of the five Piano Concertos by Ludwig van Beethoven chosen by the candidate.
The Jury reserves the right to hear the whole Concerto or any part thereof.

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Art. 6

Received videos will be evaluated by the Jury of the Competition in video-conference and the results will be published on the website www.centrothalberg.it no later than 30th March 2027. Candidates selected for the Semifinal Round will also receive the results by email.

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Art. 7

Each candidate has to report to the Semifinal and Final Round with an identification document. 

 

Art. 8

Candidates shall perform in alphabetical order in both the Semifinal and Final Rounds. Latecomers will be excluded from the Competition. Requests to reschedule a performance will be considered only for justified grounds, subject to timetable constraints.

 

Art. 9

An adequate number of practice pianos will be available for candidates. Each candidate will be given the opportunity to test the competition piano for the Semifinal and Final Rounds according to the schedule set by the Secretary's office. 

 

Art. 10

The Semifinal and Final Rounds will be recorded. The rights connected with those video recording and any use of such material shall not involve any payment or financial claim by the participating candidates.

 

Art. 11 Jury

The Jury is composed of distinguished musicians. No person with family ties to any candidate may serve on the Jury. Jury members who currently teach or have taught a candidate in the two years prior to the Competition shall abstain from voting on that candidate. In accordance with the above, each Jury member shall sign a declaration stating their position regarding the candidates at the beginning of the Competition.

 

Art. 12

The First Prize will only be awarded by unanimous decision of the Jury.

 

Art. 13

The Semifinal and Final Rounds will be public. 

 

Art. 14

The decisions taken by the Jury are final and unappealable. 

 

Art.15 Prizes

The following three grants will be awarded for the Final Round:

- First prize € 5,000

- Second prize € 2,000

- Third prize € 1,000

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The First Prize winner will also be offered a concert performance of the Ludwig van Beethoven Piano Concerto presented during the Competition. The concert will take place on 25th May 2027 (with rehearsals on 24th May 2027) at Sala Scarlatti of the San Pietro a Majella Conservatory in Naples, with the Conservatory Symphonic Orchestra.

 

​The awarding of the First Prize is subject to the winner's actual participation in the concert on May 25, 2027.

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Art.16 Special Prizes

The following four grants will be awarded for the Semifinal Round:

Vincenzo and Francesca Princes of Strongoli Prize € 1,000

(for the best Thalberg’s piece performance)

Vincenzo Vitale Prize € 1,000 

(for the youngest Semifinalist)

Ninetta Mangoni Prize  € 1,000

(for the best woman Semifinalist)

Italo and Diana de Feo Prize € 1,000

(for the best italian Semifinalist)

 

Art. 17

The awarding of the Prizes will take place during the Award Ceremony to be held on 22nd May 2027 at Sala Scarlatti of the San Pietro a Majella Conservatory in Naples.
Attendance at the Award Ceremony is mandatory for Prize Winners in order to receive their awards.

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Art.18

Independently of the votes cast for each candidate,prizes may be withheld, not awarded, or shared ex aequo at the Jury’s discretion All prizes shall be subject to tax withholdings pursuant to Italian law.

 

Art. 19

Any candidate who doesn't fulfill all requirements set down in the present Regulation shall immediately lose all right to the Competition and to any refund. 

 

Art. 20

In case of claims the official regulations are those written in Italian.