Scarlatti Sonata Journey for Piano Experts: The Scarlatti Sonata Journey is a unique online competition for pianists to document their progress as they master one, self-chosen Domenico Scarlatti Piano Sonata. This challenge combines artistry and innovation, encouraging participants to share their preparation process, upload a polished final performance, and engage with the PianoRoll community. Repertoire: One Scarlatti Piano Sonata, self-chosen by the participant. Contest Duration: January 21, 2025, 00:00:00 (UTC) – March 4, 2025, 23:59:59 (UTC). How to Participate:

1. Select a Scarlatti Sonata: Participants choose the presented piece on their own. It can be something you already know, or a new position in your repertoire. It’s ok to practice multiple Scarlatti sonatas as well as other repertoire but you can only submit one Final Performance of a single piece (see section 3 - Upload Final Performance).
2. Practice Sessions: Participants must upload at least 7 practice recordings over the 6 weeks challenge. These practice sessions should showcase your process of preparing for the Final Performance of your chosen Sonata. They may also include additional material, such as scales, exercises or other musical pieces relevant to your preparation.
3. Upload Final Performance: Record and upload your best performance of the chosen sonata, and title it "Final Performance: [Exact Title of the Sonata]", e.g., "Final Performance: Domenico Scarlatti Piano Sonata in d minor K.141". You can record multiple performances of the sonata and use PianoRoll to select your best one. This recording will be judged for its artistic value. For guidance on how to use the tool, refer to the SegmentBrowser section.
4. Accompanying Explanations: Using a post description, provide detailed notes with each recording, discussing the piece, the challenges you faced and your reflections.
5. Want to share more? You can submit multiple sonatas, follow the steps 1-4 for each.
6. Survey Submission: Upon registration, each participant will receive a link to a Google survey. The survey, titled PianoRoll Feedback Survey, must be completed and submitted no later than the end of the challenge. It includes questions about your experience as a user and helps us improve the PianoRoll app.

Scoring Details: Check the section in the rules titled "Scoring Details" to learn how points are awarded for each aspect of the challenge. Bonus Points: Earn additional points by:

• Referring friends to the app by sharing a "Referral link".
• Commenting on posts and engaging with other users.

Recording format: The preferred format for all recordings is MIDI. You may use any MIDI recording software or the built-in recording feature on the platform. While audio recordings are permitted, they should only be used as a last resort if recording in MIDI is not possible. Prizes: 475$ 1st prize, 350$ 2nd prize, 175$ 3rd prize All prizes will be subject to the tax laws relevant to the participant country of residence. Announcement of Results: The contest results will be announced on March 17th, 2025, at 6 PM UTC on the Pianoroll.io website, via email to participants, and through our communication channels. Community: You can connect with the organizers and other contestants on our Discord server.

1st prize 475$ 2nd prize 350$ 3rd prize 175$ All prizes will be subject to the tax laws relevant to the participant country of residence

Scarlatti Sonata Journey for Pianists

1. Registration and Participation:
   To join the contest, create an account on the pianoroll.io platform and click the "Join Challenge" button.
2. PianoRoll Posts:
   Participants are required to post recordings: one recording of a complete Scarlatti Sonata, played cleanly, titled "Final Performance: [Exact Title of the Sonata]", e.g., "Final Performance: Domenico Scarlatti Piano Sonata in d minor K.141", plus at least seven recordings documenting preparation for the performance, practice, and work on the piece. The recordings do not need to be made consecutively, but they must be completed within 6 weeks after joining the challenge. Each recording should be accompanied by a detailed description - explaining how the pianist worked on the piece, the challenges encountered.
   We would also like to hear users’ opinions in a broader context—both positive feedback and suggestions for improvement, so the users are very welcome to leave their feedback.We encourage you to share your thoughts and engage in discussions to help us create a space that fosters growth and collaboration among pianists.
   The preferred format for all recordings is MIDI. MIDI recordings are highly encouraged as they offer better integration with our platform's features, ensuring a more detailed analysis of your performance. You may use any MIDI recording software or the built-in recording feature on the platform.
   While audio recordings are permitted, they should only be used as a last resort if recording in MIDI is not possible. By choosing MIDI, you help us provide a more comprehensive evaluation of your artistic value.
3. Contest Duration:
   January 21, 2025, 00:00:00 (UTC) – March 4, 2025, 23:59:59 (UTC).
4. No Plagiarism:
   The organizer reserves the right to disqualify participants who use pieces that are not their own or are sourced from other places.
5. One User - One Account:
   Each user is entitled to only one account on the platform.
6. Sharing your data with the scientific community:
   There’s a growing interest in the mathematical modelling of performance nuances in piano music. Your data will be shared as an open-source asset for experimentation. Please note that there will be no transfer of copyrights to any of your music.
7. Evaluation Criteria:
   Recordings will be evaluated based on performance level, difficulty, and originality by a jury consisting of two pianists and an artistic director. The jury's decision is final.
8. Prizes:
   The prize includes a cash reward of $1000 in total (475$ 1st prize, 350$ 2nd prize, 175$ 3rd prize). The method of awarding the prize will be determined between the winner and the organizer. To claim the prize, participants must be of legal age or provide written parental consent if underage. All prizes will be subject to the tax laws relevant to the participant country of residence.
9. Scoring Details
   The final evaluation consists of the following components:
   1. Practice Sessions (40%):
      • Participants must upload at least 7 practice recordings over the 6-weeks challenge period.
      • These sessions should demonstrate progress, preparation, and engagement with the chosen Sonata.
      • Additional recordings, such as scales, exercises or recordings of different musical pieces may positively influence this score if they align with your preparation. The more active you are, the higher your chances of success—don’t limit yourself!
   2. Final Performance (40%):
      • The final recording, titled "Masterpiece" will be assessed for its artistic value.
      • Use the SegmentBrowser tool to select and refine your best fragment for submission (to learn how to use see point 10)
   3. Additional Contributions (20%):
      • Detailed Commentary: The quality and depth of your accompanying explanations for each recording. Thoughtful reflections on challenges, insights, and your overall experience are key.
      • Community engagement: Points will also be awarded for active participation on the platform, such as following the progress of other competition participants, providing musical feedback to other users, exploring app features, or regularly updating your progress.
10. Segment Browser
    A tool for selecting specific parts of your recording for presentation or analysis. Once you upload a recording, our application automatically selects a fragment. However, you can choose which part of your practice or recording to publish as a piano roll. You can also analyze the recording, select one of the available fragments, or create a custom one.
    Once you upload your recording, click the magnifying glass icon below it to go to the Details page. There, you'll find our tool.

    1. Choose a Fragment: On the left, you'll see a table with pre-generated fragments to pick from.
    2. Create Your Own Fragment: Below the timeline, you can select any part of your recording. Just click the Create Fragment button, switch to Operate on Fragment mode, and draw your chosen fragment in the piano roll view. When you're done, click Save..
    Your new fragment will appear in the table and as a piano roll on the page.
11. Announcement of Results:
    The contest results will be announced on March 17th, 2025, at 6 PM UTC on the Pianoroll.io website, via email to participants, and through our communication channels.
12. Privacy Policy:
    Applicable data protection laws and regulations will protect participants' personal data.
13. Final Provisions:
    The organizer reserves the right to modify the rules. The current version of the rules will be available on the pianoroll.io website.

If you have any additional questions or need further clarification, please contact us at this email address: [email protected].