PIANO
The next festival will be held on Saturday 10 May and Sunday 11 May 2025
Entries will be accepted online via this website from
Saturday 1 February 2025
Click here
The venue is Eltham College, Grove Park Rd, Mottingham, London SE9 4QF
Performers and listeners are all invited to Blackheath Music Festival. There is a modest entry fee on the day to cover essential expenses
Adults £3.00
Non-performing children £1.00
Performers & Patrons FREE
Programmes £2.50
Performers gaining one of the four highest levels of achievement will be awarded a Platinum, Gold, Silver or Bronze Award. In total there will be seven categories of achievement, and all categories will be awarded certificates.
Platinum and Gold Award performers will be announced but not ranked. No 1st, 2nd or 3rd placings are awarded at Blackheath Music Festival. This is to encourage performers to continue to aspire to even higher achievements as they continue to learn.
All performances will be timed from the start of the first note of the first piece to the end of the last note of the second piece to ensure the time limits are strictly adhered to. Performances that fall out side these minimum and maximum limits will be adjudicated, but no Award will be given.
Performers and listeners are all invited to Blackheath Music Festival. There is a modest entry fee on the day to cover essential expenses
Adults £3.00
Non-performing children £1.00
Performers & Patrons FREE
Programmes £2.50
Performers gaining one of the four highest levels of achievement will be awarded a Platinum, Gold, Silver or Bronze Award. In total there will be seven categories of achievement, and all categories will be awarded certificates.
Platinum and Gold Award performers will be announced but not ranked. No 1st, 2nd or 3rd placings are awarded at Blackheath Music Festival. This is to encourage performers to continue to aspire to even higher achievements as they continue to learn.
All performances will be timed from the start of the first note of the first piece to the end of the last note of the second piece to ensure the time limits are strictly adhered to. Performances that fall out side these minimum and maximum limits will be adjudicated, but no Award will be given.
Dates: |
Saturday 10 May and Sunday 11 May 2025 |
Closing date for entry: |
Sunday 23 March 2025 (or earlier if class lists are full) |
Age qualification: |
Age as at Thursday 1 May 2025 |
Venue: |
Eltham College, Grove Park Rd, Mottingham, London SE9 4QF |
Adjudicators: |
Timothy Barratt and TBA |
The Piano Secretary is: Geoffrey Molyneux: |
12 Christchurch Road, Sidcup, DA15 7HE Tel: 07546 348903 and 020 8300 7255 Email: [email protected] |
(Message dated 27 September 2024)
The piano syllabus for the 2025 is being substantially revised, and will be updated over the coming weeks. When this message no longer appears, potential performers and teachers can be confident the update is complete.
All performances will be timed as they occur starting at the first note of the first piece and finishing with the final note of the final piece. This will ensure adherence to the stipulated minimum and maximum time limits. Performances falling outside these time limits will be adjudicated, but no Award will be given.
PIANO SOLO CLASSES
Class 100: 5 years & under
Entry £10.00
Total maximum time limit is 2 minutes. There is no minimum time limit.
Own choice of two pieces. Any music will be accepted. There are no restrictions on the pieces chosen to be played, although some elements of hands together playing must be shown. The chosen pieces played in this class do not need to be declared at the time of entry.
Class 101: 6 years only
Entry £10.00
Total maximum time limit is 3 minutes. There is no minimum time limit. (Performers wishing to play for longer must play in class 105).
Own choice of two pieces. Any music will be accepted. There are no restrictions on the pieces chosen to be played. The chosen pieces played in this class must be declared at the time of entry.
Class 102: 7 years & under
Entry £10.00
Total maximum time limit is 3 minutes. There is no minimum time limit. (Performers wishing to play for longer must play in class 105).
Own choice of two pieces. Any music will be accepted. There are no restrictions on the pieces chosen to be played. The chosen pieces played in this class must be declared at the time of entry.
Class 103: 8 years only
Entry £10.00
Total maximum time limit is 3 minutes. There is no minimum time limit. (Performers wishing to play for longer must play in class 105).
Own choice of two pieces. Any music will be accepted. There are no restrictions on the pieces chosen to be played. The chosen pieces played in this class must be declared at the time of entry.
Class 104: 9 years only
Entry £10.00
Total maximum time limit is 3 minutes. There is no minimum time limit. (Performers wishing to play for longer must play in class 105).
Own choice of two pieces. Any music will be accepted. There are no restrictions on the pieces chosen to be played. The chosen pieces played in this class must be declared at the time of entry.
Class 105: 6 - 9 years - long recital
Entry £11.00
The performance must last between 3 minutes (minimum) and 6 minutes (maximum).
Own choice of two or three pieces. Any music will be accepted. There are no restrictions on the pieces chosen to be played. The chosen pieces played in this class must be declared at the time of entry.
Class 106: 10 & 11 years
Entry £10.00
Total maximum time limit is 4 minutes. There is no minimum time limit. (Performers wishing to play for longer must play in class 107).
Own choice of two pieces. Any music will be accepted. There are no restrictions on the pieces chosen to be played. The chosen pieces played in this class must be declared at the time of entry.
Class 107: 10 & 11 years - long recital
Entry £11.00
The performance must last between 4 minutes (minimum) and 7 minutes (maximum).
Own choice of two or three pieces. Any music will be accepted. There are no restrictions on the pieces chosen to be played. The chosen pieces played in this class must be declared at the time of entry.
Class 108: 12 & 13 years
Entry £10.00
Total maximum time limit is 5 minutes. There is no minimum time limit. (Performers wishing to play for longer must play in class 109).
Own choice of two pieces. Any music will be accepted. There are no restrictions on the pieces chosen to be played. The chosen pieces played in this class must be declared at the time of entry.
Class 109: 12 to 13 years - long recital
Entry £11.00
The performance must last between 5 minutes (minimum) and 7 minutes (maximum).
Own choice of two or three pieces. Any music will be accepted. There are no restrictions on the pieces chosen to be played. The chosen pieces played in this class must be declared at the time of entry.
Class 110: 14 & 15 years old
Entry £11.00
Total maximum time limit is 6 minutes. There is no minimum time limit. (Performers wishing to play for longer must play in class 111).
Own choice of two pieces. Any music will be accepted. There are no restrictions on the pieces chosen to be played. The chosen pieces played in this class must be declared at the time of entry.
Class 111: 14 & 15 years - long recital
Entry £12.00.
The performance must last between 6 minutes (minimum) and 10 minutes (maximum).
Own choice of two or three pieces. Any music will be accepted. There are no restrictions on the pieces chosen to be played. The chosen pieces played in this class must be declared at the time of entry.
Class 112: 16 years & over - long recital
Entry £12.00.
The performance must last between 7 minutes (minimum) and 15 minutes (maximum).
Own choice of two or three pieces. Any music will be accepted. There are no restrictions on the pieces chosen to be played. The chosen pieces played in this class must be declared at the time of entry.
GRADED LEVEL CLASSES
Class 113: Grades 1 & 2 level. 10 - 17 years inclusive.
Entry £10.00
There is no minimum time limit. Maximum time limit is 3 minutes. Performers can play one or two pieces at this level of difficulty. The piece(s) can be from either current or old examination lists, free repertoire, or a combination of both. These piece(s) must be declared at the time of entry.
Class 114: Grades 3 & 4 level. 10 - 17 years inclusive
Entry £10.00. Time limit 4 mins
There is no minimum time limit. Maximum time limit is 3 minutes. Performers can play one or two pieces at this level of difficulty. The piece(s) can be from either current or old examination lists, free repertoire, or a combination of both. These piece(s) must be declared at the time of entry.
Class 115: Grades 5 & 6 level. 10 - 17 years inclusive
Entry £10.00. Time limit 4 mins
There is no minimum time limit. Maximum time limit is 4 minutes. Performers can play one piece at this level of difficulty. The piece can be from either current or old examination lists or free repertoire. This piece must be declared at the time of entry.
Class 116: Adults - 18 years and over. Grades 1 - 5 level
Entry £10.00. Time limit 4 mins
There is no minimum time limit. Maximum time limit is 4 minutes. Performers can play one or two pieces at a level not higher than Grade 5. The piece(s) can be from either current or old examination lists, free repertoire, or a combination of both. This piece(s) must be declared at the time of entry.
EXAMINATION MUSIC-ONLY CLASSES
Class 117: Grade 6 examination-only music, any age
Entry £11.00. No time limit. Two current examination-only pieces are to be played. Any music currently valid in Trinity, ABRSM or LCM examination syllabuses will be accepted. These pieces must be declared at the time of entry.
Class 118: Grade 7 examination-only music, any age
Entry £11.00. No time limit. Two current examination-only pieces are to be played. Any music currently valid in Trinity, ABRSM or LCM examination syllabuses will be accepted. These pieces must be declared at the time of entry.
Class 119: Grade 8 examination-only music, any age
Entry £11.00. No time limit. One current examination-only piece is to be played. Any music currently valid in Trinity, ABRSM or LCM examination syllabuses will be accepted. This piece must be declared at the time of entry.
ONE PIECE-ONLY CLASSES
Class 120: 14 – 17 years
Entry £12.00
One piece. Minimum time limit 4 minutes, maximum time limit 8 minutes. The piece can be from either current or old examination lists or free repertoire. The piece must be declared at the time of entry.
Class 121: 18 – 29 years
Entry £12.00
One piece. Minimum time limit 4 minutes, maximum time limit 8 minutes. The piece can be from either current or old examination lists or free repertoire. The piece must be declared at the time of entry.
Class 122: 30 years & over
Entry £12.00
One piece. Minimum time limit 4 minutes, maximum time limit 8 minutes. The piece can be from either current or old examination lists or free repertoire. The piece must be declared at the time of entry.
DUETS - PUPIL & TEACHER CLASSES
Class 123: Duet 9 years & under with teacher.
Entry £10.00
This class can be an ideal first festival experience. One or two pieces. No minimum time limit, 3 minutes maximum time limit
Class 124: Duet 10 - 15 years with teacher.
Entry £11.00
One or two pieces. No minimum time limit, 4 minutes maximum time limit
Class 125: Duet 16 years & over with teacher.
Entry £12.00
One piece only. No minimum time limit, 6 minutes maximum time limit
DUETS or TRIOS (not to include teachers)
Class 126: Duet, any age, not to include teacher
Entry £11.00
One or two pieces. No minimum time limit, 5 minutes maximum time limit
Class 127: Family Ensembles, any instruments/voice, any number of players
Entry £12.00
No minimum time limit, 6 minutes maximum time limit
TWO INSTRUMENT/VOICE CLASSES
Performers should present one instrument from any two of the following categories – piano, strings (including guitar), brass, wind or singing – i.e. combinations such as singing & recorder, piano & trumpet, flute & trombone – but not two instruments within a category. Performers need to provide their own accompanist (if being used). Instruments/voices and pieces are to be declared at the time of entry. These classes will be heard by the piano adjudicator.
Class 128: Two instruments, 12 & under, 1 piece on each instrument/voice.
Entry £11.00. Total performance time 5 minutes (including change of instrument)
Class 129: Two instruments, 13 & over, 1 piece on each instrument/voice.
Entry £12.00. Total performance time 7 minutes (including change of instrument)
OWN COMPOSITION CLASSES
- Please note the following two classes will be held within the piano section and will be heard by the piano adjudicator.
- All entries for this class should be made online by going to the Piano Syllabus section of the online entry form in order to find the correct class number.
- Entries for these two classes cannot be made via the Singing Syllabus section of the online entry form.
Class 130: 11 years & under - Own composition. The following class will be adjudicated by the piano adjudicator
Entry £12.00. Time limit 3 mins
- The composition can be for any group from 1 - 4 players, singers or a mixture of both, and can be a free or fixed-form composition. The composer must be one of the performers
- The composition must be written down and a copy provided for the adjudicator.
- A paper copy of the composition must be submitted to the Piano Secretary by Thursday 1 May 2025 so that it can be sent to the adjudicator for pre-festival assessment
- All performers must perform ‘live’ on the day - no pre-recorded parts
- Only the composition (not the performance) will be adjudicated
Class 131: 12 years & over - Own composition. The following class will be adjudicated by the piano adjudicator
Entry £12.00. Time limit 3 mins
- The composition can be for any group from 1 - 4 players, singers or a mixture of both, and can be a free or fixed-form composition. The composer must be one of the performers
- The composition must be written down and a copy provided for the adjudicator.
- A paper copy of the composition must be submitted to the Piano Secretary by Thursday 1 May 2025 so that it can be sent to the adjudicator for pre-festival assessment
- All performers must perform ‘live’ on the day - no pre-recorded parts
- Only the composition (not the performance) will be adjudicated
Chamber music (including piano and any other instruments). See String syllabus – Classes 317 & 318
Entries will be accepted online from Saturday 1 February 2025. Please enter using the green 'Click here' button (below) on or after that date.
Click here
Click here
