PLEASE NOTE THAT DUE TO COVID REGULATIONS, IT WAS WITH REGRET THAT WE NEEDED TO CANCEL THE INSTITUTE (MASTERCLASSES) IN 2020, 2021 and 2022. AT PRESENT THERE ARE NO PLANS TO PRESENT AWARDS at IKIF 2023. IKIF WILL HOWEVER PRESENT A SIX EVENING CONCERT SERIES AT MERKIN HALL AT KAUFMAN MUSIC CENTER IN JULY 2023. PLEASE KEEP PRACTICING. THANK YOU FOR YOUR LOYALTY TO IKIF. WE HOPE TO SEE YOU IN JULY!


At IKIF 2020, participants who attend for the full two weeks of IKIF, will be eligible to enter our IKIF James E. Swanton Artist Recognition Scholarship Awards Competition. Participants may compete for $10,000 in Scholarship Awards.

The Scholarship Awards granted will be divided at the discretion of the Jury.

The competition supports and recognizes the artistic endeavors of participants in the festival, and encourages excellence and dedication. There are three phases of the competition: Preliminaries, Semi-Finals and Finals. The length competitors will be heard in the Preliminaries and Semi-Finals will be at the discretion of the Jury. For the Final phase of the competition a one hour program, of varied and substantial repertoire, will be required. This phase will take place in the presence of the Jury and a public audience.

The Scholarship Awards Competition is open to full-session participants only. The Scholarship Awards are intended to be used for payment of further musical studies.

There will be a sign up sheet for the Awards available after the start of IKIF 2020. At IKIF 2020, participants desiring to enter the competition will be required to have already prepared a full recital of substantial repertoire lasting one hour and twenty minutes and including a major sonata with all movements. In addition to the sonata, or a work of equal length, another major work lasting 10-15 minutes should be included. If you wish to participate in the competition, after the start of the Festival, you will have to submit your repertoire to Michiyo Morikawa for the approval of the Chairman of the Jury, Eduard Zilberkant. All of this will be explained at the General Meeting on Monday, July 13 at 11:00 am.

Please note that a professional level of playing is required for this competition.

For further information about IKIF 2020, masterclasses, practicing and signing up for the IKIF Competition, please read the FAQ section.