The Dranoff International 2 Piano Competition cycle spans 18 months and features top scholars and performers as judges of hundreds of young artist applicants vying for cash and performance awards. Two piano artist teams must prepare four hours of repertoire for four rounds of competition.
The Dranoff Competition begins with the seating of the Competition Committee who establishes the competition rules, selects the juries and commissions a new 2 piano work from an internationally prominent composer. Competition Applicants’ first step is to a 45-minute, unedited DVD of an original audition performance. It may not be a recording of a prior performance. Winners selected from this round go on to the Regional Live Audition Rounds which take place in a music and cultural capital of the Americas, Europe and Asia. From this pool, ten teams are selected to travel to Miami for the Semi-Final and Final Rounds.
At the end of the fifth day of the Semifinals Round, the Jury Chair announces the awards for best performance of the newly commissioned work and the top three teams. These six artists then play with orchestra, competing for a First Prize of $25,000, a Second Prize of $15,000 and a Third Prize of $10,000, plus an additional Best Performance prize.
