Competitions · Humanities and writing · American Protege Piano and Strings
American Protege, the Piano and Strings Competition.
A video audition judged by four people, and the winners play Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall. Before you enter, understand the economics: $200 to apply, and second and third prize are a certificate and a medal.
Read this first
This is a performance opportunity, not a prize fund.
American Protege is worth entering for what it is. It is worth being clear about the money before you do, because the arithmetic runs one way.
It costs $200 to apply
Non-refundable, per solo entrant. Duo and trio members pay $150 each. The fee is due whatever the outcome.
First prize is $300, and not for everyone
The cash first prize applies only to what the rules call age groups C, D and E - the older bands. The groups are not labelled A to E anywhere, which makes this harder to read than it should be.
Second and third prize carry no cash
A certificate, a gold-plated commemorative medal and a certificate for the teacher. Honourable mention brings a commendation certificate and a medal.
And New York is at your own expense
Travel, accommodation and your own accompanist. What you are buying is a judged audition and, if you win, a recital at Carnegie Hall. That is a real thing to buy - just know that is the transaction.
At a glance
What the competition is.
American Protege runs a series of international music competitions from New York, drawing entrants from 64 countries. Everything is decided on a submitted video; there is no live round before the winners’ recital.
- Who can enter
- School students and adults, of any nationality. Adults have no upper age limit
- Instruments
- All of them - piano, strings, voice and wind are all named as welcome
- Age groups
- Young 5 to 10, Junior 11 to 14, Intermediate 15 to 18, Amateur 18 and over (no professional degree), College and Professional 18 and over
- The 18-year-old rule
- An 18-year-old still at secondary school enters Intermediate. An 18-year-old at university enters College and Professional
- Time limit
- Young 5 minutes, Junior, Intermediate and Amateur 6 minutes, College and Professional 7 minutes - the longest allowance in the series
- Repertoire
- One or two pieces from the standard repertoire - Baroque, Classical, Romantic or Contemporary. A sonata, or one fast movement of one, is accepted as a standalone work
- Pianists
- Original works only. Shortened versions are not accepted
- From memory
- Required, with no repeats. Ensemble music need not be memorised
- Application deadline
- Late January
- Fee
- $200 solo, $150 per member for duo or trio. Non-refundable
The application
Five things to submit.
The same list applies across the series, and two items catch people out.
| What | Detail |
|---|---|
| The online form | Completed in full. Personal details cannot be changed after submission |
| A video link | YouTube, Vimeo or another video-sharing site. Your name and the exact title of the audition work must appear in the video description |
| A CV | In Microsoft Word, no more than 150 words, listing past competitions, festivals and other public performances |
| A portrait photograph | Electronic, for printing in the competition programme |
| The fee | By cheque or money order for US entrants, or PayPal with a surcharge. International entrants use a certified bank cheque or international money order sent by courier with a tracking number, or PayPal with a surcharge |
The video must be a single unedited take. Spliced segments and edited clips are not accepted. It need not be professionally produced, but it must fairly reflect what the performer can do.
The fees, in full
Every charge in one place.
The additional fees are spread across several sections of the published rules. Collected, they look like this. All are non-refundable.
| Charge | Amount | When it applies |
|---|---|---|
| Application | $200 | Solo entrant |
| Application | $150 each | Per member of a duo or trio |
| Re-submitting an over-length video | $50 | If your audition exceeds the time limit, you are asked to submit another. Only after that second audition is a recital slot arranged |
| Changing your recital piece | $55 | Within two months of the performance, submitted through the contact page |
| Extra performance time | $100 | Up to one additional minute at the winners’ recital |
| Winner’s package instead of travelling | $300 | For winners who cannot or prefer not to travel to New York. Includes online recognition, a winner’s certificate, a teacher’s certificate, four booklets with biography and photograph, and a participation medal |
The winner’s package is worth reading carefully if you are outside the United States. The organisers state that they do not post packages abroad - an international winner has to arrange delivery to a friend or relative in the US. And certificates are only awarded at the recital itself: a winner who chooses not to attend, for any reason, may be disqualified.
How it is judged
Four judges, five criteria, no appeal.
The judging is unusually transparent about its mechanics and unusually closed about its reasoning.
Scored 0.0 to 10.0
Four judges score each aspect from 0.0, least satisfactory, to 10.0, most satisfactory. Five criteria: technique, rhythm, difficulty, musicality and tone.
Difficulty is a criterion
What you choose to play is scored, not only how you play it. That makes repertoire selection a real strategic decision rather than a matter of taste.
No feedback, and no appeal
Judges’ comments are not released and their decisions are final. The whole result rests on the submitted video recording.
Judges’ own students are barred
Students of any judge may not apply that season. It is a genuine integrity rule and worth noting.
The winners’ recital
What Weill Recital Hall actually involves.
Winning means a recital. The practical conditions are worth knowing before you plan a repertoire around it.
One piece, from your audition
Winners play a single work drawn from their audition repertoire. A set of different pieces is not accepted.
Bring your own accompanist
The organisers do not provide a pianist, though they can recommend one. Only piano accompaniment is permitted at the recital.
One grand piano, no sound equipment
Weill Recital Hall provides a single grand piano and nothing else. Anything requiring amplification will not work there.
And no recording by the audience
Photography, video and audio recording by the audience are not permitted at Carnegie Hall, so family should not plan to film it.
Preparation
How Hanlin prepares an entry.
Everything rests on one unedited video. That is a narrower target than it sounds, and it is preparable.
Recording a clean single take
No edits, no splices, from memory, within the time limit. That is a performance under pressure with no audience - a specific skill, and one that improves quickly with practice.
Choosing repertoire against the criteria
Difficulty is scored alongside technique and musicality. A well-played harder piece and a flawless easier one are not equivalent here.
Watching the clock
Going over the limit costs $50 and a second submission. Timing the piece before recording, not after, is free.
And planning for the recital in advance
If the student wins, they need an accompanist in New York and the funds to get there. Deciding that before applying, not after winning, avoids a difficult conversation.
Talk to an advisor
Hanlin does not coach American Protege Piano and Strings. Ask what it does coach.
The services below are real, but not for this competition. An advisor will say plainly whether there is a route here and what is worth entering instead.
Competition entry and planning
Which competitions suit this student, in what order, and by when - then we handle the registration, including the ones that can only be entered through a school or a centre.
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Taught by full-time subject tutors, on a course tier chosen by placement paper rather than by year group.
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IB, AP, A-Level, IGCSE and the US high school curriculum, taught alongside school and timed around the exam calendar.
Competition past papers, free
A large library of past papers, mark schemes and syllabus breakdowns across every competition on this site. No charge and no enrolment.
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Piano and Strings, briefly answered.
What students and families ask before entering.
Who can enter?
School students and adults of any nationality. All instruments are welcome - piano, strings, voice and wind are all named. Adults have no upper age limit.
What are the age groups?
Young 5 to 10, Junior 11 to 14, Intermediate 15 to 18, Amateur 18 and over without a professional degree, and College and Professional 18 and over. An 18-year-old still at secondary school enters Intermediate; an 18-year-old at university enters College and Professional.
How long can I play?
Young 5 minutes, Junior, Intermediate and Amateur 6 minutes, College and Professional 7 minutes. These are the longest allowances in the American Protege series.
What can I play?
One or two works from the standard repertoire - Baroque, Classical, Romantic or Contemporary. A sonata, or one fast movement of a sonata, counts as a standalone piece. Pianists must play original works, not shortened versions. Performance must be from memory, with no repeats; ensemble music need not be memorised.
What does it cost?
$200 for a solo entrant and $150 per member for a duo or trio, non-refundable. Further charges may apply: $50 to re-submit an over-length video, $55 to change your recital piece, $100 for an extra minute at the recital, and $300 for a winner’s package in place of travelling.
What do winners receive?
First prize is $300 for the older age groups, plus a certificate, a gold-plated commemorative medal and a certificate for the teacher. Second and third receive the certificate, medal and teacher’s certificate without cash. Honourable mention receives a commendation certificate and a medal.
How is it judged?
Four judges score technique, rhythm, difficulty, musicality and tone from 0.0 to 10.0. Comments are not released and decisions are final. The result rests entirely on the submitted video. Students of any judge may not apply that season.
Does the video have to be professionally made?
No, but it must be a single unedited take that fairly reflects your ability. Spliced or edited clips are not accepted. Your name and the exact title of the work must appear in the video description.
What happens if I win but cannot travel to New York?
A winner’s package is available for $300, non-refundable, including online recognition, certificates, booklets and a medal. The organisers do not post packages outside the United States, so an international winner must arrange delivery to someone in the US. Certificates are otherwise awarded only at the recital, and a winner who does not attend may be disqualified.
Can I change my piece after applying?
Personal details cannot be changed after submission. Changing the recital piece costs $55 and must be done within two months of the performance.
Related
The other American Protege competitions.
Seven run each year, on different calendars and different repertoire rules.
American Protege enquiries
One video, four judges, and a clear-eyed budget.
The seven competitions in this series run on different calendars and different repertoire rules, so the first question is which one fits the student and when. Tell us the instrument and the age, and an advisor will map the year - and be straight with you about what it costs.