Dear performer,
After two long years, we are finally back and I am delighted to announce that the next Elena Cobb Star Prize Festival at the Royal Albert Hall will take place on 6 April 2022.
Memories of your performance at the Elena Cobb Star Prize Festival on the world-famous stage will stay with you forever. It will build your confidence, character and self-esteem and one day, when you are older, you will be telling your own children:
“When I was your age, I played the piano at the Royal Albert Hall.”
Elena Cobb
Founder
Video auditions
23 October - 23 November 2021
For the audition, we require a video of one free choice piano piece by any composer recorded during last year.
Results
1 December 2021
The successful candidates will be notified via email starting from 1 December 2021.
Brand new format
The Festival will run one day with a brand new format:
- 09:00 Concert with the Jazz Band
- 12:30 Solo Classical Contemporary Concert
These are two separate events and young pianists will be able to choose in which one they would want to perform:
Awards ceremony
As always, all pianists and their teachers will receive our memorable Certificates of Participation.
Video
Professional video recording will be made during the events.
Concert with the Jazz Band
Perform with the professional band
9.00
That's right! The recital will include Jazz, Blues and Rock-n-Roll pieces by EVC composers that are currently available with play-along tracks.
Rehearsals will take place on 5 April at Peregrine's Pianos. Time to be confirmed.
apply now!Contemporary Classical Music
Solo performances
12.30
A unique opportunity for the pianists to play works by EVC composers as well as pieces by contemporary composers selected especially for this event.
Practice sessions on 5 April can be booked at the Peregrine's Pianos, London.
Apply now!Performer Registration Form & Fee
£95
Available on 1 December 2021
The successful applicants who will be invited to perform in the event, will be required to fill in a Performer Registration Form and pay full fee (no discounts) that will cover the following:
- Event admission ticket £45
- Professional video, sent to each performer after the event
- Rights to take your own photos at the designated time
- Certificate for the pupil and his/her/their teacher
- Other admin costs and fees
Audience Ticket
£45
Available on 1 January 2022
- Event admission ticket
- Required for all who will be attending the event, eg, family, friends, guardians, and teachers
- Two tickets per performer will be reserved
- Email if you require additional tickets as soon as possible to be added to the waiting list
- 20% discount for the audience tickets for the returning families: parents and siblings of the performer, once the participation for 2022 was confirmed
Repertoire Lists
- IMPORTANT NOTE TO TEACHERS
Before making a selection for the event, please email organisers to check whether your selected piece is already booked for performance by someone else. Should this happen, I will be more than happy to suggest several options for the young pianists. - Tap on the book title to visit the page with previews and audio.
Concert with the Jazz Band
Higgledy Piggledy Jazz for piano by Elena Cobb
- Super Duck (PreGrade 1)
- I Ate All the Choc’late (Grade 2)
- Nerdy Cat’s Twist (Grade 2)
- Blues for Little People(Grade 2)
- Time to Catch a Train(Grade 3)
- Polka Butterfly (Grade 3)
- Higgledy Piggledy Jazz (Grade 3)
- Take Three Jazz Waltz (Grade 5)
- Peony Pink (Grade 5)
- Blue River (Grade 7)
- Pearls & Blues (Grade 6)
- Star Dust (Grade 6)
- Mrs Van Der Blond DUET (Grade 6)
Sam Wedgwood’s Project Jazz Piano by Sam Wedgwood
- Blue Onions (Grade 2)
- Shark Soup (Grade 4)
- I’ve Got Groove (Grade 5)
- Fourth Street (Grade 6)
- Super Sleuth (Grade 4)
- Bee-Baba-do-Bop DUET (Grades 2-3)
- Insomniac DUET (Grade 4-5)
- Piña colada DUET (Grades 2-3)
- Carefree in Rio DUET (Grades 2-3)
Grooves for Piano Dudes by Heather Hammond
- Good Mood Boogie (Grade 3)
- Blast Off (Grade 3)
Piano Tales for Alice by Nikki Iles
- Caterpillar Blue (Grade 2)
- The Cheshire Cat (Grade 2)
- Pink Flamingos DUET (Grade 2)
Piano Tales for Peter Pan by Nikki Iles
- Tick-Toc the Croc DUET (Grade 4)
- Tink DUET (Grade 4)
Paul Birchall
- Slimline Blues (Grade 5)
- Rock-n-Roll (Grade 4)
Victoria Proudler
Contemporary Classical Recital
Birds Études-Tableaux by Andrew Higgins
Advance level
- Penguins
- A Wise Old Owl
- The Swan
- Albatross
- Hummingbirds
- Lovebirds
New York Night by Philip Martin
Advanced level
- Alley Stomp Blues
- Lozano Blues
- O’Keeffe Blues
- Spirit of Liberty Blues
Celtic Piano Music by Donald Thomson
Late intermediate to advanced levels
- Heriot Water
- Brodie’s Jig
- Innerleithen Air
- Melrose Abbey
- The Grey Mare’s Tail
- The Silvery Tay
- The Corryvreckan Whirlpool
- The Legend of Loch Ness
- The Guddly Burn
- St Mary’s Loch
- Luskentyre Lullaby
- Harris Tweed
- The Isle of Staffa
- The Callanish Stones
- Colonsay Ceilidh
- The Brownie of Ballachulish
- Song of the Selkies
- The Kelpies’ Jig
- The Grey Lady
- The Fairy Pools
Art Preludes by Graham Lynch
Grades 6-8
- RENOIR Prelude Nr.1 – The Luncheon of the Boating Party
- DEGAS Prelude Nr.2 – Ballerinas
- MORISOT Prelude Nr.3 – Julie Daydreaming
- MONET Prelude Nr.4 – The Gardens at Giverny
- MANET Prelude Nr.5 – At the Folie-Bergère
About Time Six Preludes by Mark Goddard
Grade 6-8
All the Fun at the Fair by Lindsey Berwin
Intermediate to Advanced levels
Digressions by Melanie Spanswick
Intermediate level
Piano Waves by Melanie Spanswick
Intermediate level
Album for the Young by Irina Nenartovich
Late elementary to advanced levels
Nancy Litten
Recital PIano Solos book 1 and 2 by Elena Cobb
About festival
In recent years the Russian-born pianist, teacher, composer, entrepreneur and educator extraordinaire Elena Cobb has made a huge international impact on young pianists. Her name and her extraordinary festival at London’s Royal Albert Hall have attracted considerable attention – and with good reason! Cobb is in the business of allowing young pianists the confidence and energy to fly, to express their enthusiasm and desire to communicate.
Elena Cobb Star Prize Festival at the Royal Albert Hall is a unique event with performance opportunities for young pianists from around the world. It was first introduced in 2014 when Elena Cobb began working with the UK and overseas music festivals. Today, many of them cherish the opportunity to perform at the annual Elena Cobb Star Prize at the Royal Albert Hall Elgar Room on the red piano that used to belong to Sir Elton John himself!