WISCONSIN YOUTH PIANO COMPETITION

The MSO and PianoArts Wisconsin are pleased to announce that the WYPC will be offered on June 13-16, 2025.

ELIGIBILITY

Open to pianists who, by June 13, 2025 will have reached their 10th birthday, but who will not have reached their 17th birthday by June 16, 2025. Must be a Wisconsin resident to apply.

JURIES

Two distinguished panels of professionals will judge the competition: one panel for the preliminary round and one panel for the June competition.

AWARDS

• First Place: $1,000 and the opportunity to perform with the MSO
• Second Place: $750
• Third Place: $500

LOCATION

Wisconsin Conservatory of Music
1584 N. Prospect Avenue
Milwaukee, WI 53202

TO APPLY

The 2025 Application Form is now available here. The Statement of Agreement is available here. Please select a concerto from the Approved Repertoire List, available here.

PROCEDURE OF THE COMPETITION

1. Preliminary Round: Contestant creates audio recording of a performance of the approved movement of (1) a selected concerto with a second pianist performing the orchestral reduction and (2) a selected work of the contestant’s choice.
   1. Recording Your Audition:
      1. Audio files can be recorded using a smart phone or any other recording device.
      2. All audio recordings will be a performance of both movements of:
         1. Selected concerto with a second pianist performing the orchestral reduction.
         2. Selected solo work of the contestant's choice.
      3. Please do not send a video submission in order to maintain the anonymity of our judging process.
      4. Accepted audio file forms include: .mp3, .wav, .ogg, .oga, .wma, .m4a, .aac, .aif, .aifc, .aiff
   2. Submitting Your Audio:
      1. Upload your audio file to https://spaces.hightail.com/uplink/mso. You can upload directly from either a smartphone or a computer.
      2. After you add your first recording, the "Message" field and the "Add More Files" field will appear.
      3. In the "Message" field, include the student's first and last name, the pieces and composers performed in the audition, and an email address.
      4. The "Add More Files" Field should be used to include additional audio recordings with your submission.
      5. Audio files must be uploaded no later than: April 14, 2025
   3. Questions? Please contact the Milwaukee Symphony Education Department at edu@mso.org.
2. To be considered, the pianist must digitally submit their audio recording and then send their application form, signed Statement of Agreement and check for $15 made payable to the MSO to: Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, 212 West Wisconsin Avenue, Milwaukee, WI 53203. Postmark deadline is April 14, 2025.
   1. If you wish to digitally submit your application form, signed Statement of Agreement, and $15 Credit Card payment, please email these materials to edu@mso.org.
3. Invitations will be sent in early May to up to twelve contestants selected as semifinalists.
4. Registration and classes on June 13-14: Semifinalists will rehearse and attend workshops on working with a conductor ($50 registration fee).
5. Competition and Semifinal Recitals on June 15: Contestants perform the selected movement of their concerto with professional second pianists. Using their own words, contestants speak to the audience about the music they are playing. Three finalists are chosen to perform in the prize round.
6. Rehearsal on June 16: Three finalists rehearse with a conductor and quintet from the MSO. Other semifinalists participate in a solo master class.
7. Finals and Awards Concert on June 16: Three finalists perform with a conductor and the MSO quintet to compete to perform with the MSO and for cash prizes.

Contestant recitals are free and open to the public.

Semifinalists must arrive in Milwaukee by June 13 and attend all scheduled events through the afternoon of June 16.

Proudly presented by the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra and PianoArts North American Biennial Piano Competition.

Sponsored by the JoAnne Krause Education Endowment Fund.