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.
2026 Theme: Exploring the 2nd, 3rd or 4th movement of a Sonatina or Sonata
Date: Saturday, April 25, 2026
Location: Mayflower Congregational Church, 2345 Robinson Rd SE, Grand Rapids, MI
Enrollment Deadline: April 3, 2026
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. Winners in one Division may not compete in the same Division in subsequent years.
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. At the discretion of the Awards Competition Director, Second place winners may also be asked to perform.