There are four age groups for the Solo Piano Competition: 

1. Young Musician (ages 6 to 10)

2. Junior Star (ages 11–14)

3. Senior Virtuoso (ages 15–18)

4. Artist (ages 16 and older)

• *Participants ages 16–18 may choose to enter either the Senior Virtuoso or Artist category. There is no upper age limit for the Artist category.
• Within Young Musician (ages 6–10), Junior Star (ages 11–14), and Senior Virtuoso (ages 15–18), contestants may choose to enter one or more of the following categories, each of which is a separate competition with prizewinners. Maximum performance times for each category are listed below. 

Baroque Category—Contestants perform one or more pieces by a Baroque composer. 

Young Musician – 6 minutes max.

Junior Star – 8 minutes max. 

Senior Virtuoso – 10 minutes max.

Classical Category—Contestants perform a composition or movement(s) by a composer from the classical era, including but not limited to: Kuhlau, Clementi, Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven.

Young Musician – 6 minutes max.

Junior Star – 8 minutes max. 

Senior Virtuoso – 10 minutes max.

Chopin Category—Contestants perform one or more pieces by Frédéric Chopin.

Young Musician – 6 minutes max.

Junior Star – 8 minutes max. 

Senior Virtuoso – 10 minutes max.

Romantic Category—Contestants perform music by one or more composers from the Romantic era (except Chopin). For a detailed list of Romantic composers, please refer to the MTNA Composer Classification.

Young Musician – 6 minutes max.

Junior Star – 8 minutes max. 

Senior Virtuoso – 10 minutes max.

Impressionist/Contemporary Category—Contestants perform music by one or more composers from the 20th or 21st centuries, including Impressionist composers such as Debussy and Ravel. For a detailed list of Contemporary composers, please refer to the MTNA Composer Classification. 

Young Musician – 6 minutes max.

Junior Star – 8 minutes max. 

Senior Virtuoso – 10 minutes max.

Transcription Category—Contestants perform an arrangement, transcription, paraphrase, reminiscence, or other adaptation of music originally written for another medium. Participants are also allowed to perform their own transcriptions in the competition. Find more details in the dropdown box KIPFC 2027 – TRANSCRIPTION CATEGORY

Young Musician – 6 minutes max.

Junior Star – 8 minutes max. 

Senior Virtuoso – 10 minutes max.

The Artist Competition consists of two rounds: a Preliminary Round with a maximum performance time of 15 minutes on Saturday, March 20, and a Final Round with a maximum performance time of 25 minutes on Sunday, March 21. The judges will select a limited number of finalists to perform in the Final Round. Repertoire is free choice, and participants may perform the same or different repertoire in the two rounds. If a performance exceeds the allotted time, judges will stop the contestants at the time limit. 

Ages will be calculated as of the start of the competition on March 19th, 2027. 
Application fees for the Solo Piano Competitions are as follows: 
1. Young Musician (ages 6–10) — $40 for the first category, $20 for each additional category
2. Junior Star (ages 11–14) — $50 for the first category, $20 for each additional category
3. Senior Virtuoso (ages 15–18) — $60 for the first category, $20 for each additional category
4. Artist (ages 16 years and older) — $120

• Contestants may enter the Piano Ensemble Competition as an ensemble of two or more pianists performing on one or two pianos. Eligible formats include piano duo, piano four-hands, piano six-hands, and piano eight-hands.
• The repertoire is free choice. 
• Concertos performed with an orchestral reduction on a second piano are not permitted.
• There is no age limit for the Piano Ensemble Competition.
• The maximum performance time is 15 minutes per ensemble.
• Application fee for the Piano Ensemble Competition is $80

• Application Deadline: Completed applications and entry fees must be received no later than February 1, 2027, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time. All applications must be submitted through the online application portal.
• Late Applications: Applications received after the February 1 deadline will be subject to a $20 late application fee. No applications will be accepted after March 1, 2027, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time.
• Applicants have the choice to participate in the Solo Piano Competition, the Piano Ensemble Competition, or both. The Solo and Ensemble competitions require separate applications. 
• The application fees are non-refundable and include free entry for participants and their
• families to all concerts, lectures, and masterclasses of the Festival and Competition.
• Currently enrolled UTK students have a 50% application fee discount.
• Minors must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian at all times during festival and competition activities.
• All decisions of the judges are final.
• Every participant must bring a printed copy of each piece in their program for the judges to consult during the performance. Original copies are encouraged; photocopies are allowed.
• All repertoire must be performed from memory, except for the following exceptions:
  • Piano Ensemble contestants
  • Contemporary repertoire for which performance from the score is customary or necessary
• Contestants may be stopped by the judges if their performance exceeds the time limit for their age group. A performance stopped by the judges for exceeding the time limit will not negatively affect the contestant’s evaluation.
• Prepared piano techniques, including but not limited to plucking and touching the strings, is permitted only in the Artist competition, and will be performed on a designated piano. Please note in your application repertoire if a piece requires prepared piano. 
• Participants agree to the use of their photographic image in social media and website content related to the competition unless otherwise expressed.
• All participants will receive written comments from the judges.

1. Young Musician (ages 6-10) – Prizes awarded for each competition category

1^st Prize – $60 cash prize and certificate

2^nd and 3^rd Prizes – Certificates 

Honorable Mentions – Certificates

2. Junior Star (ages 11-14) – Prizes awarded for each competition category

1^st Prize – $80 cash prize and certificate

2^nd and 3^rd Prizes – Certificates 

Honorable Mentions – Certificates

3. Senior Virtuoso (ages 15-18) – Prizes awarded for each competition category

1^st Prize – $100 cash prize and certificate

2^nd and 3^rd Prizes  – Certificates

Honorable Mentions – Certificates

Scholarship opportunities valued at up to $10,000 toward study in Piano Performance at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, subject to admission to the University and all applicable scholarship requirements.

4. Artist (ages 16 years and older)

1^st Prize – $1,500 cash prize and certificate

2^nd  Prize – $800 cash prize and certificate

3^rd Prize – $500 cash prize and certificate

Honorable Mentions – Certificates

Prize for Best Performance of a Transcription – $300 cash prize and certificate

Prize for Best Performance of a Work by Chopin – $300 cash prize and certificate

Scholarship opportunities valued at up to $10,000 toward study in Piano Performance at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, subject to admission to the University and all applicable scholarship requirements.

1^st Prize – $150 cash prize and certificate

2^nd and 3^rd Prizes – Certificates

Honorable Mentions – Certificates

The Transcription category celebrates the art of adapting music originally written for another medium or purpose for performance on the piano. This may include arrangements, paraphrases, reminiscences, and other adaptations. 

Examples include Schubert/Liszt Lieder transcriptions, Liszt’s Réminiscences de Don Juan, Bach/Busoni’s Chaconne in D Minor, Manuel de Falla’s transcription of El amor brujo, Prokofiev’s ballet transcriptions, as well as transcriptions of popular songs, video-game music, film music, and other repertoire.

Contestants may perform a transcription by any composer or a transcription of their own creation. Students who perform their own transcription are encouraged to be creative and imaginative in their choice of source material. As always, contestants must provide a score of the piece they perform.

Transcription Category — Time Limits

• Young Musician: 6 minutes maximum
• Junior Star: 8 minutes maximum
• Senior Virtuoso: 10 minutes maximum