Rules

GENERAL INFORMATION

• The Toronto International Piano Competition (TIPC) will be held on the campus of York University in Toronto, ON, Canada, from August 14–16, 2026. 

• A total of 36 pianists will be selected to compete in the TIPC; 12 participants in each of the three categories (Junior, Intermediate, and Young Artist).

• Practice room access will be provided for all 36 participants on the York University campus according to a pre-assigned schedule.

• ​Housing, meals, and transportation are the responsibility of the participants and are not provided or subsidized by TIPC.

• ​Following the official notice of acceptance, TIPC will provide invitation letters and supporting documentation to assist international participants with their visa applications.​

KEY DATES

• May 15 – Application deadline 

• May 25 – Notice of acceptance

• July 1 – Last day to make repertoire changes

• August 14 – Competition begins

• August 16 – Competition ends

ELIGIBILITY

• TIPC is open to pianists of all nationalities up to 21 years of age, specifically:

• Junior category (12 or under): Born on or after August 17, 2013.

• Intermediate category (16 or under): Born on or after August 17, 2009.

• Young Artist category (21 or younger) born on or after August 17, 2004.

• Participants may apply for a category above their designated age range, but each pianist is limited to one entry. 

APPLICATION RULES

• All applications must be completed and submitted through the online system.

• All applications are due by 11:59 p.m. EST / GMT-5 on Friday, May 15, 2026. No late applications will be accepted. 

• All applicants must submit a non-refundable application fee of $150 CAD (~$110 USD), payable through the online application system. Applicants who apply on or before April 20 are eligible for the early bird rate of $100 CAD.

• ​An acknowledgment will be sent to each applicant upon receipt of the completed online application.

• All applications will be reviewed by a selection committee and treated as confidential.

• All applicants should retain copies of their submitted applications. TIPC will accept no responsibility for applications that are not received.

COMPETITION RULES

• The competition will consist of three separate categories: Junior Intermediate, and Young Artist. 

• The competition will consist of two separate rounds in the Intermediate and Young Artist categories: Semifinal and Final. The Junior category will comprise a single round. All rounds will be open to the public and will be streamed live and on demand.

• Twelve (12) pianists will be invited to compete in each category, for a total of thirty-six (36) participants. The jury will advance five (5) pianists to the Final Round in the Intermediate and Young Artist categories.

• The order of appearance will be determined by drawing. The competition will follow this order in all rounds, except for reasons of accident, illness, or other unusual circumstances, at the discretion of the director.  

• ​Competing pianists may not contact or speak privately with any member of the jury for as long as they continue to compete. Any violation of this rule may disqualify this pianist.

• Taxes will be deducted from prizes according to Canadian tax laws in effect at the time of the competition.

REPERTOIRE REQUIREMENTS

Video Submissions

Video submissions must not exceed 20 minutes in total length and must include works by at least two different composers. There is no minimum duration. Works performed in the screening videos may be repeated during the live rounds. The video must be filmed with the pianist’s face, hands, and feet in the frame at all times. Recordings may be paused between each repertoire selection. Each work on the video must be a continuous, unedited performance of memorized repertoire. Videos must be filmed within 2 years of submission. Participants may use previously recorded videos and don't have to record specifically for TIPC.

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General Requirements

• Each pianist in the Intermediate and Young Artist categories must program at least one work by Frédéric Chopin in either the Semifinal or Final Round. Programming works by Chopin in both rounds is permitted. Programming works by Chopin in the Junior category is optional. 

• Each pianist must program at least two different composers in the Final Round.

• Works from the video submissions may be performed in the subsequent rounds, but works from the Semifinal cannot be performed in the Final Round. 

• The jury retains the right to stop a performance if the pianist exceeds the allotted time.

• All works must be performed from memory.

• Separate movements of larger works will be accepted but must be performed in their entirety. Optional repeats are at the discretion of the pianist. 

• If requested, the pianist must supply a copy of the score.

• ​Changes in submitted repertoire may be made only with the permission of TIPC. No changes will be accepted after July 1, 2026. Any proposed changes must include timings.

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JUNIOR​

• Final: A performance not to exceed 10 minutes in length.

INTERMEDIATE

• Semifinal: A performance not to exceed 12 minutes in length.

• Final: A performance not to exceed 20 minutes in length.

YOUNG ARTIST​

• Semifinal: A performance not to exceed 15 minutes in length.

• Final: A performance not to exceed 30 minutes in length.​

JURY RULES

• Any jury member who has ever taught a participant regularly (not including masterclasses), or who will teach a participant in the immediate future, or has a family relationship with a participant, must abstain from voting on that participant. 

• The jury will score participants from 1 to 10, with 1 being "failed to meet basic requirements" and 10 being "almost flawless" in two separate criteria: (1) Professionalism (e.g., technical proficiency, stylistic accuracy) and (2) Artistry (e.g., mastery of sonority, expressive vision).

• To prioritize musical expression, Artistry scores will be doubled, comprising two-thirds of the total possible points.

• Example calculation: (1) Professionalism (score of 8) + Artistry (score of 6 x 2) = 20 total; (2) Professionalism (score of 6) + Artistry (score of 8 x 2) = 22 total.