The 2027 Edition has no Application Fee for the Contestants
Rules and Application form in pdf format
30th International Piano Competition
‘Mauro Paolo Monopoli Prize’ 2027 Edition
May 3rd – May 9th, 2027
Curci Theatre – Barletta – Italy
“Wishing the Young Generations will be at the service of the Music and can present, through the Sound, what the Great Composers created for enrich the Spiritual Life of the Human Beings”
†Carlo Maria Giulini Past Honorary Chairperson
The International Piano Competition “Mauro Paolo Monopoli Prize”
is dedicated to the young pianist Mauro Paolo Monopoli
(Barletta 19 – 7 – 1975 Genoa 3 – 8 – 1996)
High artistic figure, with a refined sensitivity, bright, enthusiastic and of cheerful and friendly disposition, even though he was injured by an incurable leukaemia, he courageously kept on with piano studies all his life. He won several Piano Competitions and obtained enthusiastic professional qualifications during his piano recitals, thanks to an incomparable sound and phrasing and for a perfect control of piano technique and an extraordinary feeling.
RULES
1) Announcement
The 30th International Piano Competition “Mauro Paolo Monopoli Prize”, member of the WFIMC – World Federation of International Music Competitions, organized by the “Cultura e Musica – Giuseppe Curci – ETS ” Music Association and sponsored by the the Barletta Town Administration, the Ministry of Culture – Music Department and the Apulia Region, will take place from 3rd to 9th May, 2027 in the Curci Theater, Corso Vittorio Emanuele, 71 – Barletta – Italy. The Competition is open to pianists of all nationalities born after 1st January 1995 and not later than 1st January 2011.
2) Purpose
The International Piano Competition “Mauro Paolo Monopoli Prize” try to increase the piano culture all around the world, giving a chance to the young pianists for comparing their musical thinking and for starting a professional musician career.
3) International Video Preselection
Admission to the live First Round is subject to preselection by video.
Not later than 28 February 2027, applicants must submit link to a recording totalling a minimum of 15 minutes and a maximum of 20 minutes, with a free programme
Video must has been recorded on or after 1 January 2025 and made available by YouTube (including unlisted videos) or Vimeo link accessible without a password.
Only one continuous single-camera recording is permitted, without cuts, editing or audio manipulation. The pianist’s face, hands and keyboard must be clearly visible; the camera must remain steady and audio quality must be good. All works must be performed from memory. An artistic selection committee will assess the recordings and, at its sole discretion, admit a maximum of 30 pianists to the live First Round. Results will be communicated by 15 March 2027. Admission will not be based on the order in which applications are received. Works submitted by video may also be performed in the live rounds.
N.B. Winners of First, Second or Third Prize at a competition recognised by the WFIMC – World Federation of International Music Competitions will be admitted directly to the live First Round upon submission of a copy of the diploma certifying their prize.
4) Repertory
Candidates must play the following pieces, with the following provisional timetable:
First Stage (May 3 – 4 – 5, 2027)
A programme of your choice, no longer than 30 min. and not less than 25 min. in duration.
Semi Final Stage – Piano Recital (May 6 – 7, 2027)
A piano recital of your choice, no longer than 50 min. and not less than 45 min. in duration.
Works performed in the First Stage may be included in the recital.
Final Stage – Piano Concerto (May 9, 2027)
Contestants will play one of the following concertos with the I.C.O Suoni del Sud Simphony Orchestra:
W.A. Mozart
Concerto in E flat maj. KV 271
Concerto in D min. KV 466
Concerto in C maj. KV 467
Concerto in A maj. KV 488
L. van Beethoven
Concerto N. 1 in C Major Op.15
Concerto N. 2 in B-flat Major Op.19
Concerto N. 3 in C minor Op. 37
Concerto N. 4 in G Major Op. 58,
Concerto N. 5 in E flat Major Op. 73
F. Chopin
Concerto in E min. Op. 11
Concerto in F min. Op. 21
R. Schumann
Concerto in A min. Op. 54
F. Mendelssohn Bartholdy
Concerto N. 1 in G min. Op. 25
Concerto N. 2 in D min. Op. 40
F. Liszt
Concerto N. 1 in E flat Maj. S.124
Concerto N. 2 in A Major S.125
P. I. Tchaikovskij
Concerto N. 1 in B-flat Major Op. 23
E. Grieg
Concerto in A min. Op. 16
S.V. Rachmaninoff
Concerto N. 2 in C min. Op. 18
All works in the competition must be performed from memory and must be performed in their entirety
if it is not otherwise specified by the Jury. Performances, which exceed the specified time limit, may be interrupted by the Judges. The playing order of the works is left to the contestant’s discretion. The contestants must give to the Jury a copy of each piece of the Editions they will play. They must show their passport or identity card before their first stage.
5) Schedule – Candidate Roll Call
All the candidates must be present in the Curci Theatre – Barletta for the roll call at 10.00 a.m. on May 5, 2025. The order of participation will be decided with a draw, immediately after the roll call. The absent will be not admitted to the Competition.
6) Jury and Evaluation
The Jury will be composed of well-known national and international musicians. If a member of the Jury had teaching relations during the last two years, or relationship (until the third degree of kinship), he can’t take part in the Jury. “Yes” or ” No” will judge the First Stage.Not more than 10 contestants can pass to the Semi Final Stage and not more than 3 contestants to the Final Stage. For the Semifinal Stage and the Final Stage, the Jury will make a secret centesimal voting with arithmetic mean and with the exclusion of the lowest and highest scores. The President may round the results up or down. Pass to the Final Stage the three contestants which will get the highest score. The Prizes will be awarded to the Finalists following the order of score they will get. The Absolute First Indivisible Prize, in any case, will be awarded to the candidate who will get the highest score and not less than 98/100; the 2nd to the Finalist who will get not less than 94/100 and the 3rd to the Finalist who will get less point.
7) Prizes
1st Absolute Prize:
- 3.000 Euros offered by Buzzi Unicem – Barletta Factory – Medal and Diploma
– Online CD release by Moto Armonico Recording Studio (recording and mastering produced by the
winner)
- 10.000 Euros for covering all the expenses for a Project of a Tour of 5 Concerts (to be confirmed) offered by NUOVO IMAIE
“Progetto realizzato con i fondi dell’ex art.7 L.93/92″
2nd Prize:
2.000 Euros, offered by Megamark Onlus Foundation, Medal and Diploma
3rd Prize:
1.000 Euros, Medal and Diploma offered by prof. ing.Luca Dimiccoli
Special Prize “Audience Prize” of 500 Euros dedicated to the memory of Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli for the finalist who will get more votes from the audience for the Final Concert in the Curci Theatre.
For each contestant who will pass to the Semi Final Stage
Semifinalist Diploma
To all the other participants: Participation Diploma
Each prize will have the tax deduction at source.
All the money Prizes will be paid not later than 1 month from the end of the Competition by Bank Transfer.
The Artistic Direction reserves the right to assign additional Concerts-Prizes for the 2027 Musical Season
8) Application and Information
Entry to the Competition is completely free of charge in order to encourage the participation of young musicians.
Application must be received not later than 28 February 2027
via the application form at www.culturaemusica.it
or
by email to concorsompm@culturaemusica.it.
Application must include:
- a recent artistic color photograph, half-length, portrait orientation, in JPG/JPEG format (3:4 aspect ratio, at least 1200 × 1600 pixels, maximum 3 MB, with no alterations to the face),
- identification document
-artistic resume,
-list of video with composers/titles/durations and link to the video,
or (for winners of 1st, 2nd, and 3rd prizes in a piano competition recognized by the WFIMC) the relevant diploma or certificate
-planned program for the 3 live rounds of the competition (this program may be updated by April 1, 2027).
Incomplete applications may be rejected.
For information:
concorsompm@culturaemusica.it · Tel. +39 0883 528026 · Mob. +39 380 3454431 · www.culturaemusica.it
Candidates are personally responsible for obtaining any visa required to enter Italy.
9) Copyright
For any performances that take place during the Competition or during the prize winners concerts held by the Organizer, the Organizer reserves the right to:
- Broadcast it via television, radio, or Internet.
– Record it, irrespective of whether the recording will be broadcast or not.
– Record, reproduce or sell it via CD, tape, record etc.
– Take photos or a video and then reproduce, distribute or sell these photos or videos.
No payment can be required from the contestants for this utilization.
10) Final Rules
The enrolment to the Competition entails the unconditional acceptance of the present Regulations.
For any controversy the Trani court is competent.
Any disputes that arise due to this outline will be resolved according to the original Italian text and
Italian Law.