Registration Process

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All contestants will receive medals, certificates
and comments from our highly qualified adjudicators.

Winners of each category of the Open Category will be invited
to perform in the Winners’ Concert
at the Steinway & Sons Showroom, Gaysorn Centre
on Sunday, September 21st, 2025.

Platinum and Gold Prize Winners will be eligible to apply to the
"Muso Method x Asia Pacific 3-Day Festival"
in Perth, Australia in June 2026.

The 5th Bangkok International Performing Arts
Piano Competition
(BIPAC) 2025

On-site

  • Recital Hall of Shrewsbury International School Bangkok Reverside Campus.
  • Date: September 6-7, 2025
  • Announcement of the result: On the day of the competition.

Online

  • Submit a YouTube link
  • Registration Deadline: The completed application form and payment, as well as the video link and copy of the music score (pdf file), must be received by 11:00 pm of Friday, August 22nd, 2025. (GMT +7)
  • Announcement of the result: The result will be announced on Cornerstone Music Facebook Fan Page and website no later than August 31th, 2025.

Registration Process

  1. Pay The Registration Fees to the following account
    Bank: Siam Commercial Bank
    Account Name: Cornerstone Music Company Limited
    Account Number: 414-095910-5
  2. Take a clear photo of your personal ID card or Passport ready to upload.
  3. Prepare your sheet music in PDF file.
  4. Complete an online application form click
  5. If an applicant wants to compete in more than one category, please complete another application form and make separate payment for each category.

Note: Registration fees are non-refundable.

Objectives of the competition

In the world today, there are many young people who take piano lessons seriously and who are highly enthusiastic about classical music. Classical music is a performing art of which the learning process cannot be completed without the learner actually performing, either in front of a real live audience or online. Yet, besides taking graded examinations once or twice a year, and besides taking part in the concerts that their teacher organizes once or twice a year, these music enthusiasts rarely have an opportunity to perform.

The mission of Cornerstone Music is to close this gap by organizing competitions so that these young music enthusiasts will have a stage on which to share their talents and discover their musical potential. Therefore contestants are encouraged to compete on-site if possible.

It is the intention of The 5th Bangkok International Performing Arts Piano Competition (BIPAC) 2025 Organizing Committee to emphasize the joy of music making and self improvement of every contestant. Thus, the competition is divided into 2 types:

  1. The Challenging type, called the Open Category, is suitable for more serious and competitive contestants. In the Open Category, contestants will compete against one another and the adjudicators will award first, second and third prizes, plus trophies.
  2. The Encouraging type, each contestant will be assessed on their performance without regard to the music chosen. The performances will not be assessed based on the age of the performer, nor on the difficulty of the music chosen, nor by comparison with other contestants. No first, second or third prizes will be awarded, and no one will be eliminated from the competition. The adjudicators will assess each contestant based on the standard criteria and contestants will be awarded with a Platinum, Gold, Silver or Bronze medal.

Benefits for the Contestants:

  • Having a definite goal will increase motivation in practicing which will lead to improvements in performance skills.
  • Performance opportunities and experience will boost self-confidence.
  • Contestants will learn to enjoy performing and learn to impart the joy of music to the audience.
  • Contestants will be inspired by the performances of other contestants which will lead to the willingness to work harder and to further improve.
  • Contestants will learn to handle disappointment and be resilient when the result does not turn out the way they had hoped.
  • Contestants will receive constructive and detailed comments from highly qualified adjudicators that can be used to further improve their playing.
  • The results and experience from the competition will be a wonderful addition to the contestant’s portfolio.

Benefits for the Teachers:

  • Preparing students for a competition will help you set tangible and challenging goals for them, and will help push them to reach their fullest potential.
  • Preparing students for a competition will give you a great opportunity to explore new and beautiful repertoires with your students beyond their examination pieces.
  • Sending students to a competition is a wonderful opportunity to present your students to the public and to receive professional development and recognition.

Score System

Place Scores Prizes
First, Second, Third
  • Only for applicants with 3 highest scores in each category of the Open Category.
  • Score must be at least 91.
Trophy and Certificate plus an invitation to perform in the Winners' Concert at the Steinway & Sons Showroom, Gaysorn Centre on Sunday, September 21st, 2025.
Platinum 91-100 Medal and Certificate
Gold 81-90.99 Medal and Certificate
Silver 71-80.99 Medal and Certificate
Bronze 70.99 and below Medal and Certificate

Platinum and Gold Prize Winners will be eligible to apply to the "Muso Method x Asia Pacific 3-Day Festival" in Perth, Australia in June 2026.

Category and Repertoire

A. Open Category
B. Graded Examination Category
C. Composer Category
D. Piano Method Category
E. Amateur Category

Notes to All Categories:
  • Each applicant can apply for more than one category.
  • Each applicant can play the same piece for different categories.
  • If an applicant wants to compete in more than one category, please complete another application form and make separate payment for each category
  • If an applicant applies for an incorrect category, his application will be cancelled with no refund.

A. Open Category

No. Category Age Born After Repertoire On-site / Online Fee
(Thb)
1 Kids Age 6 and under Born on or after August 1st, 2019 Any piece(s); within 2 mins 4,200
2 Children A Under 8 y/o Born on or after August 1st, 2017 Any piece(s); within 3 mins 4,500
3 Children B Under 10 y/o Born on or after August 1st, 2015 Any piece(s); within 5 mins 4,500
4 Junior A Under 12 y/o Born on or after August 1st, 2014 Any piece(s); within 6 mins 4,800
5 Junior B Under 15 y/o Born on or after August 1st, 2010 Any piece(s); within 5-8 mins 4,800
6 Youth A Under 18 y/o Born on or after August 1st, 2007 Any piece(s); within 6-10 mins 5,000
7 Youth B Under 24 y/o Born on or after August 1st, 2001 Any piece(s); within 8-12 mins 5,000
8 Piano Duet (One Piano) No age limit, but teacher is not allowed to participate Any piece(s); within 5 mins 5,000
Notes to the Open Category:
  • Each applicant can play one or more pieces, but the total length of the performance must NOT exceed the time limit.
  • Timing starts when the contestant starts playing and includes the short break between pieces.

B. Graded Examination Category

Applicant can use any ACTIVE repertoire which can be used in 2025. Repertoire can be selected from the current syllabus of ABRSM, Trinity College London, LCM, or Central Conservatory of Music

No. Category Repertoire On-site / Online Fee
(Thb)
9 Prep or Initial Level Applicants must be 7 years old or under (born on or after August 1st, 2018)
  • For Prep Level - Must play 2 pieces
  • For Initial - Must play 2 pieces
4,000
10 Grade 1 Must play TWO pieces 4,800
11 Grade 2 Must play TWO pieces 4,800
12 Grade 3 Must play TWO pieces 4,800
13 Grade 4 Must play ONE piece 4,800
14 Grade 5 Play only ONE piece 5,000
15 Grade 6 Play only ONE piece 5,000
16 Grade 7 Play only ONE piece 5,000
17 Grade 8 Play only ONE piece 5,000
18 Diploma Play only ONE piece from
  1. Trinity Board Exam (ATCL, LTCL, FTCL)
  2. ABRSM (ABRSM, ARSM, FRSM)
5,000

C. Composer Category (No Age Limit)

No. Category Repertoire On-site / Online Fee
(Thb)
19 Bach Junior Any one piece from First Lessons in Bach, Book I or II 4,500
20 Bach A Any one piece from Two-Part Inventions or Three-Part Inventions 4,800
21 Bach B Any one set of Prelude and Fugue from WTC I or WTC II 4,800
22 Bach C Any two contrasting dances from Bach French Suites, English Suites or Partitas 4,800
23 Bach D Any Bach's piece(s) that is not in category number 18-21 4,800
24 D. Scarlatti Any two contrasting sonatas 4,800
25 Burgmüller Any one piece from Op. 100 or Op. 109 4,500
26 Czerny A Any one or two works from Op. 599, 636, 718, and/or 849; within 5 mins 4,800
27 Czerny B Any one or two works from Op. 299 and/or 740; within 5 mins 4,800
28 Heller Etude Any one or more etudes; within 5 mins 4,800
29 Cramer Study Any one Cramer study 4,800
30 Sonatina Any one fast movement from any sonatinas of the Classical period 4,800
31 Haydn Sonata Any one fast movement from a Haydn’s sonata 4,800
32 Mozart Sonata Any one fast movement from a Mozart’s sonata 4,800
33 Beethoven Sonata Any one fast movement from a Beethoven’s sonata 4,800
34 Schubert Sonata Any one fast movement from a Schubert Sonata 4,800
35 Schubert Impromptu Any one Impromptu 4,800
36 Mendelssohn Any one work by Mendelssohn 4,800
37 Chopin Ballade/Scherzo Any one Ballade or Scherzo 5,000
38 Chopin Etude Any one Etude from Op. 10, 25, or Op. Posth. 4,800
39 Chopin Impromptu/ Prelude Any one Impromptu OR any two contrasting Preludes from Op. 28 4,800
40 Chopin Mazurka Any one Mazurka 4,800
41 Chopin Nocturne Any one Nocturne 4,800
42 Chopin Waltz Any one Waltz 4,800
43 Chopin Polonaise Any one Polonaise 4,800
44 Chopin Free Choice Any one work by Chopin beyond category nos. 36-42 4,800
45 Liszt Etude Any one Etude 4,800
46 Liszt Free Choice Any work(s) by Liszt; within 10 mins 5,000
47 Brahms Any one Intermezzo, Romanze, Ballade, or Capriccio 4,800
48 Schumann A Any one piece from Album for the Young, Op. 68 4,800
49 Schumann B Any work(s) by Schumann except Op. 68; within 7 mins 4,800
50 Grieg Free Choice Any work(s); within 5 mins 4,800
51 Bartok Free Choice Any work(s); within 5 mins 4,800
52 Russian Composer* Any work(s); within 5 mins 4,800
53 Spanish Composer** Any work(s); within 5 mins 4,800
54 French Composer*** Any work(s); within 5 mins 4,800
55 American Composer**** Any work(s); within 5 mins
* include - William Gillock
4,800
56 Own Composition Any work(s); within 5 mins 4,800
Notes to the Composer Category:
  • No age limit is applied to any category of the Composer Category
  • When a time limit is applied, timing starts when the contestant starts playing.

D. Piano Method Category (Age 12 or Under: applicant must born on or after August 1st, 2014.)

No. Category Repertoire On-site / Online Fee
(Thb)
57 John Thompson A Any one or two works from John Thompson's Modern Course, 1st Grade Book 4,500
58 John Thompson B Any one or two works from John Thompson's Modern Course, 2nd Grade Book 4,500
59 Piano Pieces for Children A Any one or two works from Piano Pieces for Children Book, Grade 1 and/or 2 4,500
60 Piano Pieces for Children B Any one or two works from Piano Pieces for Children Book, Grade 3 and/or 4 4,500
61 Alfred’s Book Levels 2-3 Any one or two works from Alfred's Basic Piano Course, Lesson Book, Level 2 and/or 3 4,500
62 Alfred's Book Levels 4-5 Any one or two works from Alfred's Basic Piano Course, Lesson Book, Level 4 and/or 5 4,500
63 Piano Adventures Levels 1-2 Any one or two works from Piano Adventures, Level 1 and/or Level 2A and/or Level 2B 4,500
64 Piano Adventures Levels 3-5 Any one or two works from Piano Adventures, Level 3A and/or Level 3B and/or Level 4 and/or Level 5 4,500
Notes to the Piano Method Group:
  • Applicants must be 12 years old or under.

E. Amateur Category

No. Category Repertoire On-site / Online Fee
(Thb)
65 Amateur Any contrasting works; within 10 mins 5,000
    Applicants must be at least 18 years old (born on or before August 1st, 2007), have never attended music school at the collegiate level, and do not hold professional music degrees.  
66 Popular Music Any one piece or cover of contemporary music (in the style of pop, jazz, blues, rock, musical, anime/movie/TV-Series soundtracks, or broadways); within 5 minutes OR any one original composition in a musical style mentioned above; within 5 minutes 4,800

Rules and Regulations

General Rules
  1. BIPAC is open to pianists of all nationalities.
  2. The registration fees are payable upon application and are non-refundable. Applicants are responsible for any transfer fees, if any.
  3. The maximum number of applicants might be limited by the BIPAC Organization Committee on a first-come-first-serve basis.
  4. The order of the performance is determined by the BIPAC Organizing Committee.
  5. If a performance exceeds the time limit, BIPAC’s adjudicator panel may stop the performance or the video. Yet, this will have no consequence on the applicant’s performance score. The applicant will be assessed from the performance heard by the adjudicator panel.
  6. Announcement of result for On-site: On the day of the competition at the Recital Hall of Shrewsbury International School Bangkok Reverside Campus.
  7. Announcement of result for Online: Announced on Cornerstone Music Facebook Fan Page and website no later than August 31th, 2025.
  8. *If you choose to only receive an e-certificate in the application form, the e-certificate will be sent to the e-mail given in your application form.
    *If you choose to receive the hard copy of the trophy (Open Category only), the medal and the certificate, they will be sent to the address given in your application form by mail.
    *The comment sheets of the adjudicators will be sent to your e-mail.
  9. No appeal shall be made against the decisions by the jury and BIPAC Organizing Committee. The decision of the adjudicator panel is final.
  10. All organizational decisions concerning the competition remain the responsibility of the Competition Organizing Committee. The Committee reserves the right to make all final decisions in the event of any misunderstanding.
  11. By electronically signing the application form, contestants acknowledge that they have read, understand and agree to the terms and conditions mentioned in the Rules and Regulations of The BIPAC 2025. If applicants do not follow the competition’s terms and conditions, the BIPAC Organizing Committee reserves the right to cancel their application with no refund.
  12. By Electronically signing the application form, contestants acknowledge and give permission that their photos and video clips during the competition can be used by Cornerstone Music Company Limited to publicize the competition on any social media.
Performance Rules
  1. Every solo piece and concerto must be performed by memory. Exceptions are made for categories Number 55 (own composition) and 65 (popular music); applicants for these two categories can perform with a music score.
  2. Duet pieces can be performed with or without a music score.
  3. Applicants must upload an electronic copy of the music score (must be PDF file) with the applicant’s name and category applied during the application process.
  4. Applicants should omit the repeat signs in the music score including in the exposition of a sonata/sonatina, except when the repeat is specified such as D.C. al Fine or D.S. al Coda.
  5. For online competition, contestants are strongly encoraged to use acoustic piano, either an upright or a grand piano. If this is not posible, contestancts may use a digital piano but this may effect their score result.

Requirements for Video Submissions

  1. Applicants must submit a video of their performance. The BIPAC Organizing Committee must receive the video by 11:00 pm of Saturday, August 22nd, 2025. (GMT +7)
  2. The videos should be in at least 720p resolution with good sound quality. Hand-held videos are not accepted. The performer’s upper body, hands, face, and feet must be captured throughout. If any of these parts of the body are obscured, the performance will not be assessed.
  3. The videos must be unedited. Post-production handling that affects the acoustic quality of the videos is not permitted.
  4. The videos must be recorded within 4 months prior to the first date of the competition.
  5. The videos submitted to the competition must be used ONLY for this competition. Videos that have been used in other events are not allowed for this competition.
  6. In any Categories where more than one pieces can be performed, the video must be recorded in one continuous sitting.
  7. For online competition, contestants are strongly encoraged to use acoustic piano, either an upright or a grand piano. If this is not posible, contestancts may use a digital piano but this may effect their score result.
  8. Please upload the video on YouTube and copy the link into the application form.
  9. Please title the video using this format:
    “BIPAC2025_Category Number_First Name_Last Name”.
    For example: “BIPAC2025_1_Jane_Lee”.

Contact Information

Email: cornerstonemusic.thailand@gmail.com
Line: @cornerstonemusic