About The SFIPC

The Santa Fe International Piano Competition provides a competitive opportunity for elementary to college-level pianists, to showcase their performative skill and personal interpretation of works from the international piano literature and new works for the instrument. We encourage participation from across the state of New Mexico along with national and international participation for both private students, and those from our great music institutions. As an international event, we aim to promote high-level performance.

Our organization seeks to not only reward these talented performers, but support their lessons with their personal teachers. Our prizes include scholarships to attend the two-week international Summer master course and concert series, Klavierfestival Lindlar, in Germany. We are proud to support the composers of our community, and strongly encourage the performance of new works especially, but not exclusively from local artists. We look forward to highlighting these composers as part of the performance program.

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Our Mission:

The mission of the Santa Fe International Piano Competition is to honor exceptional pianists, who dedicate their lives and art to outstanding individual and unique interpretations. At the same time,the Competition builds international bridges and connections for pianists of all ages as a life changing opportunity through performing a comprehensive selection of repertoire.

A pianist’s personal style has to be the most honest power he or she possesses and this power can only come from subconscious sources. Just as a dream can only manifest itself by being consciously reflected, so too can the artist give life to the subconscious inspiration or his or her creativity by mental reflection. In order to achieve this, meditation, concentration and technique are part of a process to develop uniqueness and honesty. When meditation turns into thought and concentration and technique turn into art, the subconscious gains life.

The artist, who is able to touch his or her subconscious inspiration is also able to touch an audience. In this process, there is no room for dogmatism, but only for inner coherence. Technique is the basis for flexible and spontaneous expression. It is the realization of subconscious emotions that allows creativity to manifest itself as physical movement. If body awareness correlates with the music, expression becomes sound.

Working on a piece is a never ending process and the growing understanding of the technical side of it leads to the transformation of emotions and vice versa. The Santa Fe International Piano Competition seeks to evaluate and honor the balance between emotional and rational aspects of a unique performance and creates opportunities for pianists to strive for excellence through dedicated study.

– Falko Steinbach

_{Falko Steinbach instructs at the Lindlar Klavierfestival, July 2015}

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Prizes

Stay tuned for detailed information about awards and scholarship opportunities

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Our Board of Directors

Organization Charter & Bylaws

ARTICLE  I:     NAME: The name of this organization shall be SANTA FE INTERNATIONAL PIANO COMPETITION, also known as SFIPC and referred to as the Organization.

ARTICLE II:     PURPOSE: Section 1.  The Organization shall be organized and operated exclusively for charitable and educational purposes within the meaning of Section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954. ​Section 2.  All activities of the Organization shall be centered around one piano competition to be held annually in Santa Fe, NM for the promotion of the art of music. Section 3.  The Organization will support a piano competition for ages 6-26 for which the overall Santa Fe winner will have all expenses paid to participate in the Klavierfestival Lindlar in Germany.

ARTICLE III:   MISSION STATEMENT: The mission statement of the Santa Fe International Piano Competition is to honor exceptional pianists who dedicate their lives and art to outstanding individual and unique interpretations. At the same time, the Competition builds international bridges and connections for pianists of all ages, providing a life changing opportunity through performance of a comprehensive selection of repertoire. 

Acknowledging the Individual Performance and Method of Study: This competition uniquely aims to support the individual competitors, and their chosen method of study by awarding, among other prizes, personal scholarships for individual prize winners in the first and second age groups. These private tuition awards are granted not only to honor the performers but to acknowledge the students’ private teachers, and celebrate their individual contributions to the furtherance of piano studies as a worldwide discipline. Individual approaches to technique, and interpretive decisions based on personal insight are welcomed and celebrated at this event.

Our Philosophy: A pianist’s personal style has to be the most honest power he or she possesses and this power can only come from subconscious sources. Just as a dream can only manifest itself by being consciously reflected, so too can the artist give life to the subconscious inspiration of his or her creativity by mental reflection. In order to achieve this, meditation, concentration and technique are part of a process to develop uniqueness and honesty. When meditation turns into thought and concentration and technique turn into art, the subconscious gains life. The artist, who is able to touch his or her subconscious inspiration is also able to touch an audience. In this process, there is no room for dogmatism, but only for inner coherence depending on psychological development and age.

Technique is the basis for flexible and spontaneous expression. It is  the realization of subconscious emotions that allows creativity to manifest itself as physical movement. If body awareness correlates with the music, expression becomes sound. Working on a piece is a never-ending process and the growing understanding of the technical side of it leads to the transformation of emotions and vice versa.

The Santa Fe International Piano Competition seeks to evaluate and honor the balance between emotional and rational aspects of a unique performance, and creates opportunities for pianists to strive for excellence through dedicated study.-Falko Steinbach

ARTICLE IV:   NON-PROFIT STATUS: ​Section 1.  The Organization is not for profit and no part of its net earnings through fund raising or monetary donations shall benefit any individual or entity other than for the distribution of competition award money to a primary winner who will attend the Klavierfestival Lindlar in Germany and secondary winners receiving scholarships to further their music studies with a teacher of their choice. ​Section 2:   Competition rules and regulations concerning specific requirements of the competition as determined by the board will be listed separately. Section 3:  The organization shall not participate in any other activities not permitted by (a) by an organization exempt from Federal income tax under Section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 (or the corresponding provision of any future United States Internal Revenue Law or (b) by an organization to which contributions are deductible under Section 170 (c) (2) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 (or the corresponding provision of any future United States Internal Revenue Law). ​Section 4:   Upon the dissolution of the Organization, the Board of Directors shall after paying or making provision for the payment of all liabilities of the Organization, dispose of all of its remaining assets by donation to another organization or organizations organized and operated exclusively for charitable and educational purposes as shall at the time qualify as an exempt organization or organizations under Section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 (or the corresponding provision of any future United States Internal Revenue Law) as the Board of Directors shall determine.

ARTICLE V:  GOVERNANCE: Section 1.  The initial slate of officers hereby known as the Board of Directors have consented to their appointments. Their charge will be to conduct business meetings, raise funds to cover expenses for the Competition, as well as plan and execute the Competition. It will be up to the discretion of the Board to determine governing policies and the adoption of rules and regulations for the conduct of the Competition. It may also appoint such agents as it may consider necessary, including but not limited to a CPA. Section 2. Board members will include a President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer and Three Members At Large.nSection 3. The Board will meet as often as necessary to conduct business. In order to transact business a quorum consisting of four out of seven members of the Board must be present. Telephone or electronic polling may be used if needed. Section 4.  Vacancies:  A Board member wishing to vacate his/her position will notify the rest of the Board in writing 30 days in advance of the desired vacancy date. The vacating member will turn over all pertinent notes to the remainder of the Board during that time. Section 5.  Officers will serve a two year term and may be re-appointed with the approval of the Board. New officers may be chosen by a majority of the Board.

ARTICLE VI:   OFFICERS AND DUTIES Section 1.  The President shall be, in principal, the Founding member and inspirational support for the Competition. Section 2.  The Vice President shall support the President in all endeavors of this Competition. Section 3.  The Secretary shall take notes at business meetings, regularly communicate with the other Board members and handle written correspondence. The Secretary may assist the Treasurer in issuing proper thank you letters and receipts for tax deductible donations. Section 4.  The Treasurer shall maintain the Organization’s website and receive and process competition applications and fees. He/she will maintain a bank account, pay all bills, keep an accurate record of all transactions and prepare an annual report to be supplied to the Board of Directors and the CPA for IRS reporting as a 501 (c) (3). Section 5. The Members At Large shall fill in supplemental duties in support of the entire Board and its endeavors. 

ARTICLE VII:   INDEMNIFICATION: Section 1.  Any person who is or was made or threatened to be made a party to any legal proceeding by reason of the fact he or she is or was an officer of the Organization, or is or was serving at the request of the Organization as an officer or chair or employee of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, shall be indemnified by the Organization to the maximum extent authorized by the New Mexico Nonprofit Corporation Law, as amended.

ARTICLE VIII:    AMENDMENTS: Section 1. The Board of Directors shall have the power to amend these by-laws as needed as long as the proposed amendments are agreed upon by at least four out of seven board members and duly recorded.

ARTICLE  I:     NAME: The name of this organization shall be SANTA FE INTERNATIONAL PIANO COMPETITION, also known as SFIPC and referred to as the Organization.
ARTICLE II:     PURPOSE: Section 1.  The Organization shall be organized and operated exclusively for charitable and educational purposes within the meaning of Section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954. ​Section 2.  All activities of the Organization shall be centered around one piano competition to be held annually in Santa Fe, NM for the promotion of the art of music. Section 3.  The Organization will support a piano competition for ages 6-26 for which the overall Santa Fe winner will have all expenses paid to participate in the Klavierfestival Lindlar in Germany.