Sendai International Music Competition

The Repertoire – Piano Section | Sendai International Music Competition Official Website

The Repertoire Piano Section

01. Pre-Selection

The Applicant must upload video data of his/her performance of all the pieces listed below (①②③).
The performance duration must not exceed 40 minutes in total.


  • ① One piece from the piano sonatas by Haydn, Mozart, or Beethoven (all movements)
  • ② Select one piece from the seventy-three below.
    Chopin Etudes, op.10
    Etudes, op.25
    Liszt Études d’exécution transcendante, S139
    (except for No.9 “Ricordanza” and No.11 “Harmonies du soir”)
    Grandes études de Paganini, S141
    3 Études de concert, S144 (except for No.1 “Il lamento”)
    2 Konzertetüden, S145
    Debussy 12 Etudes
    Rachmaninov Etudes-tableaux, op.33
    Etudes-tableaux, op.39
  • ③ Solo piece(s) of the Applicant’s choice (except piano sonatas by Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven)

Notes about the Video Recordings

  • ・Video recordings must be unedited and made on or after October 1, 2023.
  • ・All performances must be performed from memory.
  • ・There is no restriction on the duration of each piece.
  • ・It is the Applicant’s choice whether to play the repeat(s) or not.
  • ・Solo piece(s) must NOT be concertos.
  • ・A separate video recording can be made for each piece. Each piece can be uploaded as a separate video file (no need to create one file). HOWEVER, all the movements of each piano sonata from ① must be performed continuously in one take and uploaded as one file.
  • ・The Video Data must be taken from the same camera angle throughout and must clearly show the Applicant’s hands and face.
  • ・The Video Data must be of excellent technical quality and preferably recorded professionally.
  • ・The Video Data will be excluded from judgment if it was perceived that the hand movement of the Applicant during his/her performance does not synchronize with the sound.
  • ・The video camera’s automatic audio volume control function must not be used. This is because it reduces dynamics and nuances and often results in a recording which does not accurately represent the performance. The Video Data shall not have extremely loud (or quiet) sound volume, and shall not contain noise.
  • ・The Video Data must NOT contain, in image or in sound, the name of the Applicant, as the Pre-Selection will be carried out anonymously.
  • ・The Video Data may be excluded from judgment if the Video Data does not fulfil the requirements above.

02. Preliminary Round

The Contestant shall perform a recital program which consists of any solo pieces selected freely, with a total performance duration that exceeds 30 minutes but does not exceed 35 minutes. However, the program must include one piece or more which last(s) 10 minutes or more in total from the works of the composers listed below.

J.S.Bach, Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Mendelssohn, Chopin, Schumann, Brahms, Debussy, Ravel

  • ・There is no restriction on the number of pieces and duration of each piece. However, all movements must be performed in the case of selecting a piano sonata to perform.
  • ・In the Preliminary Round, it is acceptable to perform the same pieces which were performed for the Pre-Selection.
  • ・Pieces that include exceptional playing techniques such as inner playing or prepared piano must not be selected.
  • ・A performance may be stopped if it exceeds 35 minutes in duration.

03. Semifinal Round

The Contestant shall select one piece from the list below and perform it.

  • Mozart Piano Concerto in B flat major, K450
    Piano Concerto in D major, K451
    Piano Concerto in G major, K453
    Piano Concerto in B flat major, K456
    Piano Concerto in F major, K459
    • ・The Bärenreiter edition shall be used.

04. Final Round

The Contestant shall perform both ① and ② below.

  • ① Select one piece from the list below.
    Mozart Piano Concerto in D minor, K466
    Piano Concerto in C major, K467
    Piano Concerto in E flat major, K482
    Piano Concerto in C minor, K491
    Piano Concerto in C major, K503
    Piano Concerto in B flat major, K595
    • ・The Bärenreiter edition shall be used.
  • ② Select one piece from the list below.
    Beethoven Piano Concerto No.3 in C minor, op.37
    Piano Concerto No.4 in G major, op.58
    Piano Concerto No.5 in E flat major, op.73 “Emperor”
    Chopin Piano Concerto No.1 in E minor, op.11
    Piano Concerto No.2 in F minor, op.21
    Schumann Piano Concerto in A minor, op.54
    Liszt Piano Concerto No.1 in E flat major, S124
    Brahms Piano Concerto No.1 in D minor, op.15
    Piano Concerto No.2 in B flat major, op.83
    Saint-Saëns Piano Concerto No.2 in G minor, op.22
    Piano Concerto No.5 in F major, op.103 “Egyptique”
    Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No.1 in B flat minor, op.23
    Rachmaninov Piano Concerto No.2 in C minor, op.18
    Piano Concerto No.3 in D minor, op.30
    Bartók Piano Concerto No.3, Sz119
    Prokofiev Piano Concerto No.2 in G minor, op.16
    Piano Concerto No.3 in C major, op.26
    YASHIRO Akio Piano Concerto

〈Notes about the performance〉

  • ・All performances must be performed from memory.
  • ・All performances shall be open to the public.

〈Note about changing the pieces〉

・If a Contestant wishes to change his/her program for the Preliminary, Semifinal and/or Final Rounds, he/she must give notice to the Secretariat in writing no later than Wednesday, March 12, 2025. (E-mail is acceptable.)