The Annual Awards Competition is an opportunity for students to play one piece from memory before a judge. Monetary awards are given for 1st and 2nd place winners in each of four divisions: Senior, Intermediate, Junior II and Junior I.
The Awards Competition is an excellent way for students and their teachers to explore, study, and perform a wide range of piano repertoire. Each year the Competition will focus on a particular aspect of piano literature: an important composer, stylistic periods, genres, or music of particular countries. Scroll down for instructions specific to this year's event.
2025 Theme: Exploring the Repertoire of 20th Century Composers
Date: Saturday, April 19, 2025
Location: Calvin University, Covenant Fine Arts Center, 1795 Knollcrest Circle SE
Enrollment Deadline: March 28, 2025
Fee: $15
Make checks payable to Piano Teachers' Forum of Grand Rapids (see registration form for details on where to send checks) or pay using our PayPal account: grptfluncheons@gmail.com
RULES OF THE ANNUAL AWARDS COMPETITION
1. The teacher must be a member of the Piano Forum, MMTA, and MTNA, with dues for the current year paid in full.
2. There is no limit to the number of students that a teacher may enter in any of the four Divisions.
3. Students are eligible for entry in the Junior I Division if they are in elementary school grades up through 6th grade, Junior II Division if in grades through 8th grade, Intermediate Division if in grades through 10th grade, and Senior Division if in grades through 12th grade.
4. Entrants will be assigned a number and judges will only know them by number, not by name or teacher.
5. Compositions must be memorized. No repeats should be taken except in the case of first and second endings and da capo and dal segno designations. The following time limits should be observed for each Division: Junior I: 5 minutes, Junior II: 6 minutes, Intermediate: 8 minutes and Senior: 10 minutes.
6. Awards will be granted as follows:
Senior Division: 1st Place - $100, 2nd Place - $60
Intermediate Division: 1st Place - $75, 2nd Place - $50
Junior II Division: 1st Place - $50, 2nd Place - $30
Junior I Division: 1st Place - $50, 2nd Place - $30
7. Each contestant will receive a certificate for participating. A First Place winner in one Division may not compete in the same Division the following year.
8. Judges shall be selected by the Awards Competition Committee/Director.
9. A First and Second Place winner will be named in each category. Judges shall be allowed to declare only a First Place winner or “no winner” in any Division if performances do not meet contest criteria. In the case of ties, the awards will be split between the two winners. The decision of the judges will be final.
10. No tape recording or video recording will be allowed.
11. The teacher should submit a single check covering all of his/her students’ enrollment fees. The check should be made payable to the Piano Teachers’ Forum of Grand Rapids and can be turned to the Awards Director at the meeting preceding the competition, or mailed directly to the Director.
12. Online registration and fees must be submitted by the deadline posted above.
13. The teacher should complete enrollment forms as accurately and completely as possible. Enrollment must be done online at www.ptfgr.org (click on Member Resources, then click Online Registration.) Select the Annual Awards Competition registration.
14. The performance times of participating students will be emailed to each teacher as soon as scheduling has been completed.
15. Teachers should be certain that students are able to appear at their scheduled time. No re-scheduling is possible.
16. First place winners will be asked to perform at the May meeting of the Piano Forum. The Second place winner will be asked to perform if the first place winner is unable to attend. At the discretion of the judge and Awards Competition Director Second place winners in all divisions may be asked to perform.
THEME & REPERTOIRE REFERENCES
Theme: Exploring the Repertoire of 20th Century Composers
This year’s Awards Competition will continue to explore piano repertoire by recognized twentieth century composers. The provided list includes works by both American and internationally-known composers that offer a broad spectrum of styles. It offers an opportunity to engage students in music that reflects their individual interests and musical growth while at the same time broadening their exposure to music they may not be familiar with. The list groups Juniors I and II together and Intermediate and Senior levels together. The teacher will decide which composition(s) best meets the needs of their individual students. The choice is dependent on the specific grade designations in the competition guidelines, though students may choose pieces that are above their school grade. All literature listed gives a source for obtaining the music. Most examples can be found on YouTube to help in making repertoire decisions.
Repertoire References:
Junior I and II
Suite for the Young by Norman Dello Joio (SM+)
Poemetti by Gian Carlo Menotti (Alfred)
Enfantines by Ernst Bloch (SM+)
A Collection of Piano Teaching Music by Florence Price ( ClarNan Pub.)
Fables, Op.21 by Robert Muczynski (SM+)
Diversions, Op. 23 by Robert Muczynski (SM+)
Portraits in Jazz by Valerie Capers (OUP)
Eleven Children’s Pieces by Alfredo Casella (J.W.Pepper)
Intermediate and Senior
Preludes for Piano, Op. 6; Suite for Piano, Op. 13 by Robert Muczynski (SM+)
American Preludes, Books I and II, by Alberto Ginastera (JW Pepper)
Rondo on Argentine Folk Tunes (1947) by Alberto Ginastera
Three Tone Pictures by Charles Tomlinson Griffes (ISMLP)
Three Preludes (1938) by Kent Kennan (SM+)
Four Piano Blues by Aaron Copland (JW Pepper)
American Ballades by Roy Harris (SM+)
If pieces in a collection are short, two or three may be performed.
Sources: (SM+) is www. Sheetmusicplus.com
(OUP) is Oxford University Press
ClarNan pieces by Florence Price are available at classicalvocalrep.com.
ISMLP.org. Available on this site from Performer’s Reprints.