Terms and Conditions
2026 Edition
The association Orium APS organises the "Maria Golia" International Piano Competition, open to pianists of all nationalities.
The Competition will take place on 1, 2 and 3 May 2026 at the Castello Ducale di Agliè, Piazza Castello 2, 10011 Agliè (TO), Italy.
Competition Structure
The Competition is open to the public and is organised into two sections to support your pianistic development.
Section I
Young Talents • Categories A-F
Age: 6-20 years
Friday 1 and Saturday 2 May 2026
- Single round with free-choice programme
- Duration: 3-20 minutes (depending on category)
- Diplomas up to First Absolute Prize
- Opportunity for scholarships and special prizes
- Accessible fees from €30 to €50
Section II
Advanced Competitors • Single category
No age limit
Final round: Saturday 3 May 2026
- Prizes up to €1,000 + concert opportunities
- Online pre-selection + final round in person
- Free final round for the 10 selected candidates
- Free accommodation with host families
- Certificates of merit for all finalists
Section I Details - Young Talents
The youth categories consist of a single round with a programme of one or more pieces freely chosen by the candidate.
Age categories
| Category | Year of birth | Max duration |
|---|---|---|
| Cat. A | 2019 and later | 3 minutes |
| Cat. B | 2017 and 2018 | 5 minutes |
| Cat. C | 2015 and 2016 | 8 minutes |
| Cat. D | 2013 and 2014 | 11 minutes |
| Cat. E | 2010, 2011 and 2012 | 15 minutes |
| Cat. F | 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009 | 20 minutes |
Scoring and prizes
The Jury, upon completion of each category's auditions, will draw up a ranking expressed out of one hundred.
- Score of 98/100 or above: First Absolute Prize, indivisible
- Score of 95/100 or above: First Prize Diploma
- Score of 90/100 or above: Second Prize Diploma
- Score of 85/100 or above: Third Prize Diploma
- All participants scoring below 85/100 will receive a Participation Diploma.
The Jury may award scholarships and special prizes at its discretion.
Participation fees
| Category | Fee |
|---|---|
| Cat. A | €30 |
| Cat. B | €30 |
| Cat. C | €35 |
| Cat. D | €40 |
| Cat. E | €45 |
| Cat. F | €50 |
What to know
- For Section I, performance from memory is not required; competitors may perform with or without sheet music.
- Competitors are allowed to enter a category above the one corresponding to their age.
Section II Details - Advanced Competitors
Single category with no age limit. Participation involves two rounds: an online pre-selection and a final round in person.
Selection process
The Jury will select a maximum of 10 candidates from the video submissions to participate in the final round in person on 3 May 2026.
Selected finalists will be invited to compete at no additional cost. The Organisation will send selected candidates the schedule with the times for the final round.
Online pre-selection — maximum duration 18 minutes
The pre-selection will be carried out by submitting a video recording.
Video recording requirements:
- The pianist must be visible and recognisable, along with the keyboard
- Pieces may be submitted in a single video or in separate files; in no case must the video contain cuts or interruptions during the performance of a piece
Accepted platforms: YouTube, Vimeo, Bilibili (permanent links).
Required repertoire:
- A Prelude and Fugue from the Well-Tempered Clavier by J.S. Bach
- A virtuosic Study by F. Chopin or F. Liszt
- A free-choice piece by the candidate
Final round — maximum duration 35 minutes
Free programme. No piece from the pre-selection may be repeated.
For Section II, performance from memory is mandatory for all compositions presented.
Prizes and benefits
| Place | Prize | Concerts |
|---|---|---|
| 1st Prize | Scholarship €1,000 | 3 concerts |
| 2nd Prize | Scholarship €500 | 2 concerts |
| 3rd Prize | Scholarship €300 | 1 concert |
Non-winning finalists will receive a certificate of merit.
Fees and benefits
- Online pre-selection: €40
- Final round (in person): Free for selected finalists
- Free accommodation with selected host families for the first registered candidates admitted to the final round
- Practice pianos made available by the Organisation throughout the Competition
Ready to compete?
Regulations
- Art. 1 — The association Orium APS organises the "Maria Golia" International Piano Competition, open to pianists of all nationalities. The Competition will take place on 1, 2 and 3 May 2026 at the Castello Ducale di Agliè, Piazza Castello 2, 10011 Agliè (TO), Italy.
- Art. 2 — All participants must pay an annual membership fee of €30 and, where applicable, a contribution towards organisational costs. The participation fees indicated for each category are inclusive of the membership fee and any organisational contribution. Registration for the Competition constitutes a request for admission as a member of Orium APS for the current year. The Competition does not constitute a commercial activity within the meaning of Art. 148 of the TUIR and D.P.R. 633/1972.
- Art. 3 — The Artistic Director has the authority to appoint the members of the Jury, selecting them from among concert performers and teachers of proven reputation.
- Art. 4 — For Section I, performance from memory is not required; competitors may perform with or without sheet music. For Section II, performance from memory is mandatory for all compositions presented.
- Art. 5 — Competitors are allowed to enter a category above the one corresponding to their age, provided they comply with all other conditions set out in these regulations.
- Art. 6 — Competitors must make their sheet music available upon request by the Jury, for the purpose of verifying the repertoire performed.
- Art. 7 — Members of the Jury who have or have had, specifically in the two preceding years, a teaching relationship, whether private or within a public institution, with one or more candidates, are required to declare this in advance and to abstain from voting for those candidates.
- Art. 8 — The judgements expressed by the Jury are final, unappealable and not subject to dispute.
- Art. 9 — Performances may be recorded, transmitted, reproduced and distributed by the Organisation, in any form and by any means, for documentary, archival and promotional purposes related to the Competition, without entitling competitors to any compensation or claim.
- Art. 10 — Winners of the First Absolute Prizes are required to participate in the Winners' Concert.
- Art. 11 — Failure to participate in the Winners' Concert, without a justified reason recognised by the Organisation, will result in the automatic forfeiture of awarded prizes.
- Art. 12 — Diplomas will be awarded at the end of the final Concert or subsequently sent by post, with shipping costs borne by the recipient.
- Art. 13 — The Organisation reserves the right to modify these regulations and to cancel or merge categories, should it deem necessary for organisational, logistical reasons or force majeure.
- Art. 14 — For any matter not expressly covered by these regulations, the Artistic Director shall decide definitively and without appeal.
- Art. 15 — The association Orium APS declines any civil or moral liability towards participants in the Competition, who remain responsible for their personal safety throughout their stay and related travel.
- Art. 16 — Participation in the Competition implies full, complete and unconditional acceptance of these regulations, without any reservation.
- Art. 17 — For any dispute, the Court of Turin (Torino), Italy, shall have exclusive jurisdiction.
How to Apply
Registration must be completed online at www.mariagolia.com.
Required documents
- Copy of identity document or passport
- Recent photograph
- Complete programme for the rounds
- Brief curriculum vitae
- Receipt of bank transfer
- Pre-selection video submission for Section II
Payment
Payment must be made by bank transfer to Orium APS.
Orium APS
IBAN: IT89M0503401008000000014174
Banco BPM — SWIFT: BAPPIT21A91
Reference: Surname and Name of the candidate, 2026 membership fee and organisational contribution
Deadlines
- Registration opens: 25 February 2026
- Section II registration deadline: 3 April 2026
- Section I registration deadline: 20 April 2026
- Section II finalists announcement: by 12 April 2026
- Competition: 1–3 May 2026
For participation fee details, please refer to the Section I Details and Section II Details in the Competition Structure section.
Data Protection
In accordance with Regulation (EU) 2016/679 (GDPR), the privacy policy on the processing of personal data is available at Privacy Policy.
Contact
- Email: info@mariagolia.com
- Website: www.mariagolia.com
- Organisation: Orium APS