About Our Piano Competition

In April of each year, MTAC Sonoma County sponsors a piano competition for students of member teachers. Students compete with others of equivalent age level and experience. Adjudicated by professional judges, awards are given for 1st place, 2nd place, and honorable mention. Trophies and prizes are presented at an Awards Recital.

Competing in local arenas on a smaller scale provides those who choose to enter, an opportunity to mature their performance skills and work to a new level of skill.

Rules and Guidelines for the Competition

Competition 2021 is TBA, depending on the health situation next spring.

Eligibility

Piano solo and piano duets are open to students residing in Sonoma, Lake, or Mendocino counties, who study with active, provisional, or contributory members of MTAC Sonoma County. They must in school or home study grades 1-12, and have studied with the current teacher for at least 6 months.

Participation

1) All entrants must have performed in at least one branch-sponsored recital before the competition takes place (Recital, Festival, or CM Honors Recital).

2) In the Elementary Division the students will compete by level. In the Junior and Senior Divisions, students will compete by group.

Elementary Division School grades 1-6

Levels 2-Advanced. Time limit 8 minutes

Junior Division School grades 7-9

Group A. Levels 4-5. Time limit 10 minutes

Group B. Levels 6-7. Time limit 10 minutes

Group C. Levels 8-9. Time limit 12 minutes

Group D. Advanced. Time limit 12 minutes

Senior Division School grades 10-12

Group B. Levels 6-7. Time limit 15 minutes

Group C. Levels 8-9. Time limit 15 minutes

Group D. Advanced. Time limit 15 minutes

Due to time limits, some pieces may be interrupted before completion.

3) Previous first place winners in piano solo must advance to the next level in the Elementary Division and to the next group in the Junior and Senior Divisions.

Please note: Senior Division levels B-D have been changed to correspond to the same level numbers as in the Junior Division:

therefore if a student won the Senior Group level 6-7 before, they must move to level 8-9, regardless of the group letter.

4) Original scores of music to be performed must be provided for the judges. No photocopies. Purchased on-line copies may be used with proof of purchase.

5) No changes in repertoire will be allowed after the submission deadline, April 13, 2020

6) Only official entry forms with one check per studio, payable to MTAC Sonoma County, will be accepted.

7) All teachers entering students are required to work on the day of the competition.

Repertoire requirements

Piano solo

1). Two memorized compositions from contrasting periods of music history must be performed. Choose from: Baroque, Classical, Romantic, Impressionist through the present.

2) One composition must be in the 2012 CM Syllabus. In groups with combined levels, the repertoire may be from either level.

The other composition is free choice. Registration levels for the competition do not have to correspond to the student’s current Certificate of Merit level.

3) Single movements from longer works should be performed without repeats except "da capo". Short compositions from the same opus number may be grouped as a single work.

Duets

1) Two short works or one longer work may be performed, without repeats. Time will be limited to 6 minutes.

2) Memory is not required. Performers will provide page-turner and bench.

3) Repertoire must be original works or transcriptions by the composer him/herself. No "popular" tunes, thematic excerpts, or simplifications will be accepted.

4) The student in the highest school grade determines the division.

Prizes

Prizes will be available for each level in the Elementary Division (trophies) and for each group in the Junior and Senior Divisions.

To receive awards, students must perform in the Awards Recital on Sunday May 5, 2019

Registration Fees. Solo $25, Duet $25. Registration deadline April 13, 2020, NO exceptions