Live Competition Rounds: FREE and Open to the Public

  • LIVE Semifinal Rounds: All Solo and Concerto Division Rounds will take place on Aug. 4, 2025, at the University Center for the Arts (UCA), 1400 Remington, Fort Collins, Colorado

  • LIVE Final Rounds: All Solo and Concerto Division Rounds will occur (TBD) at the UCA, 1400 Remington, Fort Collins, Colorado.

The Odyssiad® Semifinal and Final Rounds are FREE and open to the public to attend. Attendees may quietly enter and leave the venues between competitors.

Applicants will be notified of their acceptance to the Semifinal Round by email through the Acceptd application site no later than July 1, 2025. Please check the Acceptd site frequently for announcements and important updates.

All pianists selected for the Semifinal Round, which will take place in Fort Collins, Colorado, must confirm by email their intent to participate by July 5, 2025. The Semifinal schedule will then be prepared, and each competitor will receive their performance time.

Repertoire requirements:

Repertoire for the Semifinal and Final Rounds may be the same as for the Preliminary Round. If the Odyssiad® Competition participant wants to change the solo repertoire in any round, the changes must be noted in the Preliminary Round application where the competition repertoire is listed. Any repertoire listings for subsequent rounds may not be changed after June 9, 2025. Concerto listings may not be changed from the Preliminary Round.

SOLO DIVISION/Ages and Time Limits

The International Keyboard Odyssiad® Competition, Solo Division, is open to three age groups (age as of June 9, 2025):

  • Level A (13 and under): minimum of 10 minutes, maximum of 12 minutes

  • Level B (14-18): minimum of 12 minutes, maximum of 15 minutes

  • Level C Young Artist (19-35): minimum of 15 minutes, maximum of 20 minutes

CONCERTO COMPETITION/Ages and Time Limits

Junior Young Artist Complete Concerto Division (Ages 18 and under by June 9, 2025):

  • Repertoire requirement: One complete movement from the standard repertoire with either second piano or orchestral accompaniment. All music must be played from memory.

  • No changes in concerto repertoire may be made after June 9, 2025.

Professional Young Artist Complete Concerto Division (Ages 19-35 by June 9, 2025:

  • Repertoire requirement: A complete concerto from the standard repertoire with second piano or orchestral accompaniment. All music must be played from memory.

  • No changes in concerto repertoire may be made after June 9, 2025.

Time Limits:

  • 25 minutes maximum for the Semifinal Round; complete concerto for the Final Round.

Accompanist: Junior Young Artist Complete Concerto Division:

  • An official staff accompanist may be requested for the Live Semifinal and Final Rounds of the competition for a fee of $50 USD.

  • The $50 fee includes one-half hour of rehearsal time before the Semifinal Round and performances in the Semifinal and Final Rounds.

  • Accompanist fees must be paid in full at the registration table before any rehearsal. If the fee is not paid, the competitor will forfeit all services of the accompanist.

Accompanist: Professional Young Artist Complete Concerto Division:

  • An official staff accompanist may be requested for the Live Semifinal and Final Rounds of the competition for a fee of $100 USD.

  • The $100 fee includes one hour of rehearsal time before the Semifinal Round and performances in the Semifinal and Final Rounds.

  • Accompanist fees must be paid in full at the registration table before any rehearsal. If the fee is not paid, the competitor will forfeit all services of the accompanist.

Judging the LIVE Semifinal Round:

For the LIVE Semifinal Round, a team of judges will individually evaluate performances for technical and artistic merit using the IKOF scoring sheet, and then conference together to select the six (6) finalists to compete in the Final Round.

Judging the LIVE Final Round:

For the LIVE Final Round, a new team of judges will rate performances using the IKOF scoring sheet AND assign a numerical score for technical merit and artistic merit. Scores of each judge will be displayed to an announcer who will read each judge’s score aloud to the audience. The Odyssiad® finalists with the highest composite scores for technical and artistic merit will receive the Gold, Silver, and Bronze medals, and other awards. All judges’ decisions are final.

Deadlines

  • June 9, 2025: Competition Application deadline

  • July 1, 2025: IKOF staff announces competition results and notifies competitors of their advancement to the LIVE Semifinal Round in Colorado.

  • July 5, 2025: Deadline for Semifinalists to:

    • Notify IKOF staff of their intent to participate in the Live Semifinal Round in Colorado

    • Register and pay the discounted festival fee of $250 (highly recommended)

    • Indicate intent to play in a masterclass by one of the Festival Guest Artists (must be a Festival registrant)

    • Request a host family.

Arrival Dates:

Selected Semifinalists in the Concerto Division should arrive in Fort Collins, Colorado on (date TBD) 2025. Concerto rehearsals with IKOF staff accompanists take place on (date TBD). A schedule of rehearsal times, accompanist assignments, and room numbers will be sent to all Concerto Semifinalists via email through Acceptd.