ODYSSIAD® ONLINE PRELIMINARY ROUND
SOLO
DIVISION
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The International Keyboard Odyssiad® Competition Solo Division is open to three age groups (age as of June 1, 2026):
Please refer to the following age levels for video time limits for ONLINE Preliminary Round auditions. These time limits also apply to the Semifinal and Final Rounds of the competition.
Level A (13 and under): minimum of 10 minutes, maximum of 15 minutes
Level B (14-18): minimum of 15 minutes, maximum of 20 minutes
Level C Professional Young Artist (19-35): minimum of 20 minutes, maximum of 30 minutes
The judges will not view videos exceeding the maximum time limit.
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Two or three pieces of solo piano repertoire selected from at least two or more stylistic periods:
One Baroque or Classical piece (required)
One Romantic, Impressionistic, or 20th/21st Century piece.
The style of the pieces performed should be varied to reflect the abilities of the performer.
All music performed must be played from memory.
The same repertoire must be used for each progressive round.
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ONLINE Preliminary Round application opens: March 1, 2026, and closes on June 1, 2026.
Solo Competition Division: $175
Concerto Competition Division: $175
If entering BOTH Solo and Concerto Divisions: $300
See below for accompanist fees associated with the Concerto Divisions.
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Two or three pieces of solo piano repertoire selected from at least two or more stylistic periods:
One Baroque or Classical piece (required),
One Romantic, Impressionistic, or 20th/21st Century piece. The style of the pieces performed should be varied to reflect the abilities of the performer.
All music performed must be played from memory.
The same repertoire must be used for each progressive round.
Current biography (maximum 150 words) in a WORD document file (.doc, .docx).
One (1) color photograph (headshot) uploaded as a HI-RES 300dpi JPEG file.
Repertoire List with timings (composer, title of piece, exact timing) uploaded as a WORD file.
The Online Preliminary Round audition requires uploading a video as part of the application. Videos must show hands and face of the applicant at all times, and must have been recorded within the previous twelve (12) months of the application deadline.
NO EDITING of an individual work is permitted in submitted videos.
Caution: Upload the online video as early as possible to avoid last-minute difficulties in the process. It is helpful to upload one movement at a time in longer sonatas or concertos, otherwise the process can be extremely time consuming, and you may miss the deadline for entry.
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For the ONLINE Preliminary Round, a team of judges will evaluate each performance for technical and artistic merit using the Odyssiad® scoring sheet.
Competitors with the highest scores will progress to the LIVE Semifinal Round in Fort Collins, Colorado.
CONCERTO DIVISIONS
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One complete concerto from the standard repertoire with either second piano or orchestral accompaniment. The Tchaikovsky Concerto No. 1 is not allowed in 2026.
All music must be played from memory.
No changes in concerto repertoire may be made after June 1, 2026.
One winner will be chosen to perform the complete concerto with the Fort Collins Health and Wellness Community Orchestra during the 2026-2027 season.
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A complete concerto from the standard repertoire with second piano or orchestral accompaniment. The Brahms Piano Concerto No. 2 is not allowed in 2026.
All music must be played from memory.
No changes in concerto repertoire may be made after June 1, 2026.
One winner will be chosen to perform a complete concerto from the standard repertoire with the Boulder Symphony in Boulder, Colorado, during the 2026-2027 season series, Devin Patrick Hughes, conducting.
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ONLINE Preliminary Round application opens: March 1, 2026, and closes on June 1, 2026.
Solo Competition Division: $175
Concerto Competition Division: $175
If entering BOTH Solo and Concerto Divisions: $300
Concerto applicants must provide their own accompanist for online preliminary rounds, but may choose to use an Official Staff Accompanist during the festival for a $150 fee,
if selected for the Semifinal and Final Rounds. The accompanist fee must be paid at the registration table prior to the Semifinal Round.
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Current biography (maximum 150 words) in a WORD document file (.doc, .docx).
One (1) color photograph (headshot) uploaded as a HI-RES 300dpi JPEG file.
Repertoire List with timings (composer, title of piece, exact timing) uploaded as a WORD file.
The same repertoire must be used for each progressive round.
The Online Preliminary Round audition requires uploading a video as part of the application.
Videos must show the hands and face of the applicant at all times, and must be recorded within the previous twelve (12) months of the application submission.
NO EDITING of an individual movement is permitted in submitted videos. The time limit for the Semifinal Round is also 25 minutes, but the complete concerto is allowed for the Final Round.
Caution: Upload the online video as early as possible to avoid last-minute difficulties. It is helpful to upload one movement at a time in longer sonatas or concertos; otherwise, the process can be extremely time-consuming, and you may miss the entry deadline.
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Video submissions for the online auditions must contain the entire concerto; however, judges may limit their viewing to 25 minutes. (Long orchestral introductions and interludes may be reduced, but any solo performance changes or omissions are not allowed.)
NO EDITING of an individual movement is permitted in submitted videos. The time limit for the Semifinal Round is also 25 minutes, but the complete concerto is allowed for the Final Round.
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For the Online Preliminary Round, a team of judges from around the U.S. will evaluate each performance for technical and artistic merit using the Odyssiad® scoring sheet.
Judges' scores will be averaged by Odyssiad® staff, and up to 12 competitors with the highest scores in each level and division will advance to the LIVE Semifinal Round in Fort Collins, Colorado.
ADDITIONAL DETAILS
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June 14: Judges send their Online Preliminary Round scores to the competition co-directors
June 16: Odyssiad® Competition co-directors announce competition results and notify competitors of their advancement to the LIVE Semifinal Round in Colorado
June 22: Semifinalists notify Odyssiad® co-directors of
Intent to participate in the Live Semifinal Round in Colorado
Register and pay the festival fee of $325 (includes all Odyssiad® Competition and Festival events, the LIVE Semifinal and Final Rounds of the Odyssiad® Competition, and a series of exciting evening concerts by international piano competition winners and world-renowned guest artists.
Confirm request to stay with a host family rather than a hotel (list the age, and gender of each person in your group requesting a host family). Host families are not guaranteed, so hotels should be preemptively reserved.
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If you have any questions once you have started your application, please contact Odyssiad® Competition co-directors, Dr. Cindy Lindeen-Martin and Dr. Iris Zhang, through the Acceptd site messages.
For technical questions, please visit the Acceptd Help Desk.