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Frequently Asked
Questions (FAQ)

Piano Island Festival | 5th edition
kuala lumpur, Malaysia
2 - 11 December 2022

  • Is there an age limit to participate in Piano Island Festival 5th Edition?
    There is no age limit to participate in Piano Island Festival 5th Edition as a festival participant, or observer. However, the age limit for our competition is 35 years old.
  • What is Piano Island Festival all about?
    Piano Island Festival is created by Piano Island Management Pte. Ltd. based in Singapore. Currently we are doing our 5th edition of Piano Island Festival in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Our festival boasts a series of events during the festival period which includes: 1 on 1 masterclasses with invited faculty, public masterclasses, concerts by faculty and participants, competition (infantile, youth and professional category), public lectures, and a post-festival tour.
  • Is there any audition or pre-screening to join our festival?
    There is no audition, but there will be a pre-screening. We recommend students to send links of their online recordings recorded within the last 2 years. This will help us determine the participant's level, and know how we can classify the masterclasses accordingly. Video recordings is compulsory for students who wish to be considered for scholarship. (proof of financial hardship required)
  • Is it possible to participate in the festival without participating in the competition?
    Of course! No student should feel obliged to participate in any competition. We encourage our festival participants to participate in the competition. However, if the participant chooses not to participate in the competition please notify us before hand.
  • If I am of intermediate level, can I apply for the standard or premium package?
    Yes, you can. However, for premium applications, if your standard is not high enough for to enter the finals for infantile and youth category / semi-finals for professional category, or if your standard is not high enough to perform in our students' concert, your premium application will be rejected, however, you will be offered with the standard package option.
  • When and where is the Piano Island Festival 5th Edition going to be held?
    The 5th Edition of Piano Island Festival will be taking place in Dominus Arts Venue, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from the 2nd of December 2022 to the 11th of December 2022. Post festival tour will take place on 12th of December 2022 to 15th December 2022.
  • I am unable to attend the full festival period. Can I come late?
    Yes, you can come later if you like, however, you may miss certain events and participations, which is not recommended. We encourage all festival participants to attend the whole period of the festival, and also join our tour package which includes day tour, half day tours, night tours and a 4 days 3 nights Genting Highlands and Malacca tour after the festival period from 12th December 2022 to 15th December 2022.
  • If I am a professional pianist, can I apply for the basic or standard package?
    Yes, you can. However, please note that the basic package does not include competition entry. Basic package holders will also not be able to choose their preferred choice of faculty members for their masterclasses.
  • I am a piano teacher, but I want to learn from your faculty masters to improve myself and the way I can teach my students. Can I join as a festival participant but not as a competitor?
    Yes of course. Many piano teachers do apply for our festival participation package to learn from our faculty and not join the competition. This will be able to give a one on one experience with lessons from the masters, and also build connections. We welcome all piano teachers and pianists to come to our festival to learn and build connections as that is what we promote as well, for participants to be able to build life-long friendships with other participants, and to be able to improve themselves through our programs during our festival.
  • Which faculty members will be performing in the concerts?
    Almost every faculty member will be performing as a solo piano recital through the festival periods. These concerts will run throughout the day on the 3rd and 10th of December 2022 (which are Saturdays).
  • Can I purchase tickets for the faculty concerts?
    Yes, tickets will be available for sale through our website nearer to the dates of the festival.
  • Can I just apply for the competition and not a festival participant?
    Yes, of course you can. However, it is highly recommended that competitors apply as a festival participant to learn from our faculty before participating in our competition. Piano is not just about passing the exams. Piano is a form of art, a form of music, and our faculty (mostly professors and lecturers in universities) are here to give all festival participants a different form of education in piano, to broaden their horizons and to express piano as a form of art and music, and how to express and convey their emotions into a piece of piano music. Skills will also be thought by the faculty, including lectures by different faculty members on different topics which will be useful to pianists. Piano education is very broad, and most of these masters do not accept private students due to their commitment to their universities. It is only through Piano Island Festival that we are very delighted to be able to invite these prestigious faculty members through these 10 days to give masterclasses to our festival participants. From these masterclasses, it will help you as a participant to improve yourself and perform your best for the competition. Faculty members are also part of the jury for the competition.
  • Is there a requirement for repertoire?
    We recommend our students to: Have at least 3 prepared works, which can be performed at the festival concerts. Have the same or different pieces ready to be played during individual lessons and /or masterclasses. Students who would like to participate in The Piano Island Festival Competition, which is a part of the festival, will be allowed to play the same pieces.
  • What category of competition should I apply for?
    Infantile category is for 10 and under. Youth category is for 11 to 17 years of age. Professional Category is for 18 to 35 years of age. As competition live rounds will be held on the 7th to 9th of December 2022, the date to follow will be the 7th of December 2022. For example, if applicant is 10 and under before the 7th of December 2022, applicant should apply for Infantile category. If applicant is 11 years old on or after the 7th of December 2022, applicant should apply for the Youth Category.
  • If I join the festival as a participant and learn from the faculty members, does that mean that the faculty member who is my masterclass teacher will not be able to score me for my competition?
    If you join the festival as a participant, and learn from any of our faculty members, they will still be qualified to give you a score during your competition. The only exception is only if before the festival, if you already happened to be a student from any one of our faculty members, then the score from that faculty member will be considered void.
  • By when should I apply for the competition?
    Competitors are advised to register early, as we need time to go through all the applications. Screening round will be held on an ad-hoc basis as applications are received. Although the cut off date is 30th October 2022, and as we need to announce the names for live rounds by 1st November 2022, competitors are strongly advised to register early. Late registrations may result in disappointments for entry into the live rounds, as selection criteria will be stricter when applications are closer to the dateline. Professional Category will be on a strict evaluation procedure.
  • Can I play the same pieces for the screening and live rounds?
    Yes of course you can, as long as it fulfils the time requirements for screening round and live round of your category. These information can be found under rules and regulations in our competition page at www.pianoislandfestival.com/competition.
  • Can I attend the festival as an observer? I am not a musician.
    Yes of course. Purchase your observer pass at www.pianoislandfestival.com/observerpass.
  • Can I book my own hotel?
    Yes, of course. It is recommended that participants check in the latest on the 1st of December 2022, so as to have enough rest before the start of festival on the 2nd of December 2022.
  • Do you provide transport around Malaysia?
    All participants, competitors, observers, and accompanying family members will need to arrange their own transport in and around Malaysia. If you have booked one of our hotel packages, we will provide airport transfer from KLIA international airport to your hotel on the 1st of December 2022. Shuttle service transfers through festival dates may be also provided to participants who booked our hotel option (depending on the number of bookings).

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