THE Australian National Eisteddfod Piano Competition is up and running from today until September 7 at the Austral Asia Church in Isaacs and the Wesley Music Centre in Forrest.

This year the recently formed ACT Keyboard Association has come on board and introduced a number of new sections in the competition syllabus. In particular, entrants will be encouraged to play more pieces by Australian composers.

Piano is one of the five competitions offered throughout the 2014 year – the other four are Bands and Orchestras, Choirs, Singing, and Speech and Drama. Each year over 4,000 individuals perform at Australian National Eisteddfod events.

On display in the Piano Competition will be a variety of music styles with a focus on Australian, Romantic or Impressionist period, Bartok, Baroque and Modern (including jazz) styles, and works from composers such as Haydn, Chopin, Mozart, Bach, Beethoven and Schubert. The event is one of the largest piano competition in the Canberra musical year in terms of the number of performances and entries. Ages range from 7 to 18 years as well as young adult, open and accompanist.

The week’s finale will be the Open Recital competition on Sunday 7 September 7 from 9am at the Wesley Music Centre. The event offers a $1,200 first prize, $600 for second place and $400 for third, and features aspiring young professionals from the local region as well as from interstate.

This year the National Eisteddfod has engaged Glen Riddle from Melbourne and Jody Heald from Hobart as Piano adjudicators.

Each group or individual who performs is provided with feedback and guidance from experienced specialists in the field.

Australian National Eisteddfod Piano Competition, Austral Asia Church in Isaacs and the Wesley Music Centre in Forrest, for all program details visit nationaleisteddfod.org.au