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I'm not going either, and I wouldn't be surprised if none of our active members are since it doesn't seem like anybody has said anything. I'll also be interested to hear news about it from anyone who can share.

I know Fuzzy 8 Balls (??) is going.

....(or was it already the year before that? I lost track...)

In any case, my bet is he'll be a likely candidate for the finals...if not more.

but I wonder what types of musicians do.

I'm going to skip the Paris this year.

.....but we expect to see you at the CHOPIN in a couple of years.

.....but we expect to see you at the CHOPIN in a couple of years.

If they have a sub-amateur Liszt competition in Missouri, I'll consider entering. I don't travel well.

For those of us who are relative newcomers, could someone please provide some information about this competition?

More generally, I'm not sure what an "amateur" piano competition is and what types of players enter one.

I'm guessing that these are very, very skilled players, but where and how is the line between "amateur" and "unrecognized professional" drawn?....

BTW I think you'd have to be in the super-sub-amateur division....

That wasn't very nice.

Hey folks, why shouldn't we give him more of an answer right here....

Your guess about the level of the players is right, although there's a fair range within any given event and from one event to another. To be admitted to some of them, like the Cliburn, you have to be real good. How good is that? Let's say, good enough that it wouldn't be insane to think of becoming a professional. I mean, it would be insane for most of us to actually do it but....you get the idea. For some of the competitions, it's OK to give it a try if you're at least what I'd call upper-level-intermediate. Some of the people in these events are really at a professional or near-professional level, and some of them have advanced degrees in piano and in some cases have actually been professionals in the past, which of course raises legitimate questions about whether they're really amateurs. The people who win are usually from that highest group.

For anyone wondering if they're ready to enter one of these events, more important than how far you are above "upper intermediate" is that your pieces should be extremely well-prepared and that you be very comfortable with them. The repertoire requirements are very flexible. Basically you can play whatever you want.

Maybe we'll be seeing you at some of the events!