News

Description and Purpose: Determines, through solo competition, the most gifted young pianists from our association.

Competitors in age categories 6 to 14 perform a set of technical warm-up routines followed by two pieces: one required piece from list A and one chosen piece from list B; (see the repertoire list below.) There is a preliminary round (closed audition), and a final round (open to the public).

Competitors in age categories 15-18 perform two chosen selections from the required repertoire categories. Their performances are open to the public.

The winners in age categories 15 – 18 perform and receive their rewards at the final round for ages 6 – 14.

Eligibility: Piano students age 6-18 (age determined as of 11:59 p.m. on December 31)

Registration Deadline: Form(s) and fee due at the January meeting.

Dress Code: Formal Attire

Awards:

Preliminary round (ages 6-14) and age categories 15-18

1. Contestants will be ranked in 4 divisions and all will receive a certificate of participation.

2. The bronze medals will be awarded to those who are placed in division 3.

3. The silver medals will be awarded to those who are placed in division 2.

4. The gold medalists (those who are placed in division 1) will be called back to compete in the final round. In addition, they will be invited to participate in the Ford Bend Junior Piano Festival for cash prizes.

5. For age categories 15-18, there will be only one round that is open to the public. Only the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners will be called back for the mandatory performance on the day of the final round. Special awards will be given to the winners of the age categories 15-18 for outstanding performance of Baroque, Classical, Romantic and 20th Century compositions. Additionally, three years-in-a-row participants will be recognized with awards.

Final Round:

There will be 1st, 2nd, 3rd place and honorable mention winner from each age category, each receiving a trophy.

Event rules:

1. Entry levels: It is recommended that each competitor enters the contest at his/her age level. A competitor may enter a higher age category provided he/she has not previously received a division 1 rating at that level. No competitor may enter a lower age category.

2. The competitors in age categories 6-14 must bring to the registration desk on the day of the contest his/her original music book or sheet music with his/her name (or that of a sibling’s) printed in indelible ink on the cover. If he/she fails to do so, a $50 fine will be assessed to the teacher. If the student has forgotten the music but brings an original score before the contest ends, the fine will be exempted.

The competitors in age categories 15-18 must bring the original music; however, their names should not be printed on the books (the music is needed for the judges).

3. Each competitor in age category 6-14 shall perform from memory the technical requirement and the 2 selections chosen for the age category entered. There is no technical requirement for ages 15-18.

4. Prompt arrival is mandatory. Any contestant who misses his/her assigned audition time will be disqualified.

5. Two judges will listen to each competitor in a private audition (preliminary round for age categories 6-14). No one other than these three will be allowed in the room at the time of the performance. A panel of two judges will be present at the final round and at the auditions of age categories 15-18 (both open to the public). The judges’ decisions are final!

6. Online registration is available for this event.

Fee: $25 per student studying with an HMTA member. $100 per student studying with a not HMTA member.

Teacher Responsibility: See standing Rules #1 and #6.

Technical Requirements:

Here is a list of technical requirements. Please note the keys of scales and arpeggios are not linked to the repertoire selections anymore. As we plan to keep the same list of keys for years to come, we hope this new system will make it easier for our regular participants to become familiar with all the keys around the circle of fifths.

AGE CATEGORY 6 Keys: C-major, A minor

one-octave major scale - right hand

one-octave major scale - left hand

one-octave major scale - both hands together in contrary motion

no scales in parallel motion

major arpeggio through two octaves (LH: 5 3 1 RH: 1 3 5 LH over RH: 2 RH: 5 3 1 LH: 1 3 5)

one-octave harmonic minor scale - right hand

one-octave harmonic minor scale - left hand

one-octave melodic minor scale - right hand

one-octave melodic minor scale - left hand

minor arpeggio through two octaves (LH: 5 3 1 RH: 1 3 5 LH over RH: 2 RH: 5 3 1 LH: 1 3 5)

no chords

AGE CATEGORY 7 Keys: C major, A minor, G major, E minor

one-octave major scale - right hand

one-octave major scale - left hand

one-octave major scale - both hands together in parallel motion

no major scales in contrary motion

major arpeggio through two octaves (LH: 5 3 1 RH: 1 3 5 LH over RH: 2 RH: 5 3 1 LH: 1 3 5)

tonic chords in root position - both hands together

one-octave harmonic minor scale - right hand

one-octave harmonic minor scale - left hand

one-octave harmonic minor scale - both hands together in parallel motion

one-octave melodic minor scale - right hand

one-octave melodic minor scale - left hand

one-octave melodic minor scale - both hands together in parallel motion

no minor scales in contrary motion

minor arpeggio through two octaves (LH: 5 3 1 RH: 1 3 5 LH over RH: 2 RH: 5 3 1 LH: 1 3 5)

tonic chords in root position - both hands together

AGE CATEGORY 8 Keys: D major, B minor, F major, D minor

one-octave major scale - both hands together in parallel motion

one-octave major scale - both hands together in contrary motion

major arpeggio through two octaves (LH: 5 3 1 RH: 1 3 5 LH over RH: 2 RH: 5 3 1 LH: 1 3 5)

cadence I V7 I - both hands together

one-octave harmonic minor scale - both hands together in parallel motion

one-octave melodic minor scale - both hands together in parallel motion

no minor scales in contrary motion

minor arpeggio through two octaves (LH: 5 3 1 RH: 1 3 5 LH over RH: 2 RH: 5 3 1 LH: 1 3 5)

cadence i V7 i - both hands together

AGE CATEGORY 9 Keys: A major, F-sharp minor, F major, D minor

two-octaves major scale - both hands together in parallel motion

two-octaves major scale - both hands together in contrary motion

two-octaves major arpeggio - both hands together in parallel motion

cadence I IV I V7 I or I IV I V V7 I - both hands together

two-octaves harmonic minor scale - both hands together in parallel motion

two-octaves melodic minor scale - both hands together in parallel motion

two-octaves minor arpeggio - both hands together in parallel motion

cadence i iv i V7 i or i iv i V V7 i - both hands together

AGE CATEGORY 10 Keys: E major, C-sharp minor, B-flat major, G minor

Requirements are identical to those in age category 9 (except keys)

AGE CATEGORY 11 Keys: B major, G-sharp minor, B-flat major, G minor

four-octaves major scale - both hands together in parallel motion

two-octaves major scale - both hands together in contrary motion

four-octaves major arpeggio - both hands together in parallel motion

cadence I IV I V7 I or I IV I V V7 I - both hands together

four-octaves harmonic minor scale - both hands together in parallel motion

four-octaves melodic minor scale - both hands together in parallel motion

four-octaves minor arpeggio - both hands together in parallel motion

cadence i iv i V7 i or i iv i V V7 i - both hands together

AGE CATEGORY 12 Keys: F-sharp major, D-sharp minor, E-flat major, C minor

Requirements are identical to those in age category 11 (except keys)

AGE CATEGORY 13 Keys: G major, E minor, A-flat major, F minor

four-octaves major scale - both hands together in parallel motion

major grand scale - both hands together in parallel and contrary motion through four octaves

four-octaves major arpeggio - both hands together in parallel motion

cadence I IV I V7 I or I IV I V V7 I - both hands together

four-octaves harmonic minor scale - both hands together in parallel motion

four-octaves melodic minor scale - both hands together in parallel motion

four-octaves minor arpeggio - both hands together in parallel motion

cadence i iv i V7 i or i iv i V V7 i - both hands together

AGE CATEGORY 14 Keys: D major, B minor, D-flat major, B-flat minor

Requirements are identical to those in age category 13 (except keys)

Repertoire: HMTA Piano Contest 2015 Repertoire List

---