David D. Dubois Piano Festival and Competition

The 14th Annual David D. Dubois
Piano Festival and Competition: 
February 2-4, 2024


photo of Robert McDonald

Gilles Vonsattel

Guest Artist & Finals Judge

Piano Faculty at Bard College Conservatory of Music &
University of Massachusetts-Amherst

Winner of Naumburg and Geneva Piano Competitions

Avery Fisher Career Grant

2024 Winners: 

1st Prize ($3,000) – Ryan Lu (Englewood Cliffs, NJ)

2nd Prize ($2,000) – Ella Kim (Herndon, VA)

3rd Prize ($1,000) – Jarmin Weng (Vaughan, Ontario, Canada)

Honorable Mention – Erik Jacoby (New Albany, OH) and Benjamin Luo (Apex, NC)

Finalists:
Zack Lam, Josephine Yoo

Finals Judges:
Vicky Chow
Peter Takacs
Gilles Vonsattel

Dubois-Prizewinners
Prizewinners left to right: Ryan Lu (1st), Ella Kim (2nd), Jarmin Weng (3rd)
Dubois-Winners-and-HMs
Winners and Honorable Mentions left to right: Benjamin Luo, Erik Jacoby, Ryan Lu, Ella Kim, Jarmin Weng
Dubois-Finalists-with-Trustee
Finalists with Judges & Trustee left to right: Bob Swinehart, Gilles Vonsattel, Vicky Chow, Peter Takacs, Zack Lam, Benjamin Luo, Erik Jacoby, Ryan Lu, Josephine Yoo, Ella Kim, Jarmin Weng

2023 Winners: 

1st Prize ($3,000) – Aurora Wang (Student of Alexandre Braginsky) – Shoreview, MN

2nd Prize ($2,000) – Cory Wu (Student of Kathleen Sadoff/Nina Polonsky) – Powell, OH

3rd Prize ($1,000) – Erik Jacoby (Student of Kathleen Sadoff/Nina Polonsky) – New Albany, OH

Honorable Mention – Sophia Lin (Student of Marjorie Lee) – Falls Church, VA

Finalists:
Levi Li – (Student of Nina Polonsky) – Powell, OH
Jean Yu (Student of Logan Skelton) – Rochester Hills, MI
Katia Jacoby (Student of Kathleen Sadoff/Nina Polonsky) – New Albany, OH

Finals Judges:
Julia Siciliano – Chicago, IL
Yu-Lien The – Western Michigan University
Anton Nel – University of Texas at Austin, Butler School of Music

Dubois-Prizewinners-Finalists-2023
photo credit: David Dupont

2022 Winners: 

1st Prize ($3,000) – Sophia Kim, Juilliard Prep, Wayne, NJ

2nd Prize ($2,000) – Noah Kim, Chicago, IL

3rd Prize ($1,000) – Munan Cheng, San Jose, CA

Honorable Mention – Gabriella Wei, Westlake, OH

Judges included Robert Shannon (Oberlin), Haewon Song (Oberlin), Frank Huang (Miami U), Matthew Hill (Goshen), Tian Tian (Oakland U), and Robert McDonald (Juilliard/Curtis).

Dubis 2022 semifinalists & judges
Finalists & judges (From left) : Sophia Kim, Kejia Gabriella Wei, Munan Cheng, Robert McDonald, Robert Shannon, Tian Tian, Keliang Yao, Noah Kim, Khoa Ho, and Cory Wu
Dubois 2022 semifinalists
Finalists (from left); Sophia Kim, Kejia Gabriella Wei, Munan Cheng, Keliang Yao, Noah Kim, Khoa Ho, and Cory Wu
3-Dubois-2022-winner-Sophia-Kim
Winner: Sophia Kim
Dubois 2022 winners & judges
Winners with judges (from left): Sophia Kim, Kejia Gabriella Wei, Munan Cheng, Robert McDonald, Robert Shannon, Tian Tian, Noah Kim

All photos credit of David Dupont / BG Independent News

2021 WINNERS:

1st Prize - $3,000 – Shiv Yajnik (Dallas, TX)

2nd Prize - $2,000 – Katherine Liu (Wellesley Hills, MA)

3rd Prize - $1,000 – Natalie Chow (Livingston, NJ)

Winner's Concert- https://youtu.be/uVlyCdiIsIA

2021 Dubois Piano Festival & Competition Winners

Shiv Yajnik
Shiv Yajnik
Natalie Chow
Natalie Chow
Katherine Liu
Katherine Liu

Eligibility

Classically-trained pianists in grades 8-12 (age 18 or under at the time of the competition)

Prizes

  • 1st Prize: $3,000
  • 2nd Prize: $2,000
  • 3rd Prize: $1,000

Additional scholarships may be awarded to seniors successfully completing the application process for undergraduate study in BGSU’s piano program. Judges’ decisions on all prizes and scholarships are final. 

Scholarships to BGSU Summer Music Institute (Piano Camp) are also available to all competitors.

Application  

  1. The application process and fee are done in one form.
  2. Fill out the application form and submit by January 11th, 2024
  3. Once finished filling in the information, be sure to go to check out by clicking "Add to Cart" at the end of the application page.
  4. Click "Check Out" and add payment form to pay for the $25 application fee.

You must also email the following to meltonL@bgsu.edu by January 11, 2024:

  • Proof of date of birth (driver's license, passport, birth certificate, etc.)
  • Photo (high-resolution jpg)
  • Bio (100-150 words in paragraph form)
  •  A link to a pre-screening video recording of one piece from competition repertoire. Video may be uploaded to YouTube or Vimeo.
  • Release Form

Apply Here

Repertoire Requirements

Repertoire should include selections from at least three of the following style periods: Baroque, Classical, Romantic, Contemporary. One movement from a Classical sonata must be included. All works must be memorized with the exception of those written after 1945. Students should aim for a program 20-30 minutes in length.

Lessons with BGSU Piano Faculty are available via Zoom between January 9-31, 2024 or in-person at BGSU on February 1-2, 2024. Indicate on your application if you would like a lesson.

Notification

January 13, 2024 – Notification of semi-finalists via email

Contact

If you have any questions about the application or repertoire requirements, please contact Dr. Laura Melton at meltonL@bgsu.edu.

Dr. David D Dubois, an internationally recognized consultant, author and speaker had a love of music and a special passion for piano and organ performance. In 2008, after reviewing proposals from major music schools from around the nation, the David D. Dubois Trust established the David D. Dubois Piano Competition at Bowling Green State University to enhance the piano program in the College of Musical Arts.

 

The David D. Dubois Piano Competition supports student pianists at several levels. It provides a number of scholarship opportunities for high school students to attend BGSU, it encourages undergraduate piano students to develop innovative programming ideas for outreach projects and it supports current piano students to participate in music festivals around the world.

In his memory, the College of Musical Arts celebrates the life of Dr. David D. Dubois and his passion for music and gratefully acknowledges the David D. Dubois Foundation for making this exciting program possible.

 

David D. Dubois Piano Competition and Festival 2024 Schedule

Lessons with BGSU Faculty (if indicated on application):

January 9-31       via Zoom

February 1-2       In-person

Friday, February 2, 2024

Guest Artist Master Class with Gilles Vonsattel        2:30-4:30 pm (Bryan Recital Hall)

Saturday, February 3, 2024

Semi-Final Round                      9:15am – 5:00pm (Kobacker Hall)

Guest Artist Solo Recital          8:00pm (Bryan Recital Hall) – admission is free

Announcement of Finalists       ca. 5:30pm (Bryan Recital Hall)

Sunday, February 4, 2024

Final Round       9:00am – 12:30pm (Kobacker Hall)


COVID-19 Protocols

Covid-19 Protocols: BGSU will follow guidance from the Wood County Health Department. Individuals may choose to wear face coverings at any time.

Updated: 02/05/2024 02:57PM