Since when is everybody with a piano degree a professional pianist? That seems unduly restrictive. The Cliburn amateur competition only says "Applicants may not derive their principal source of income from public performances or piano instruction. "
Just not my concept of what an amateur is, that all. Not really worth arguing about, they can set whatever terms they choose.[/quoteread the reasoning and think, don't just take whatever a definition of amateur blindly. You have a brain, you should be able to think.
These events are open to all adult amateur pianists, over the age of 27, who make their living from sources other than playing or teaching piano, do not hold any degree in piano performance or piano pedagogy, and study piano as a hobby.