Student Activities

National Competitions

MTNA Performance and Composition Competitions

Information for national competitions may be found online at the MTNA website or by calling MTNA at 1-888-512-5278 or the Connecticut State Competition Coordinator, Margreet Francis. The website provides guidelines, online forms, and computer assistance. All national competitions begin at the state level. State winners advance to the Division Competitions. Division winners advance to the National Competitions, held each spring at the MTNA National Convention.

The entry deadline is always the second Tuesday after Labor Day, and entries may be submitted only online through the MTNA website. The next online entry deadline is September 14, 2010, for the 2010–2011 Competitions. Now is the time to begin reviewing repertoire possibilities for the Performance Competitions or to start composing for the Composition Competition.

State-Wide Competitions, Festivals and Events

CSMTA Concerto Competition (for Grades 7-9)

The CSMTA Concerto Competition for Piano & Strings (for grades 7-9) has been suspended for 2009. It will be restructured and offered again in 2010.

David Westfall, Chair

The first-place winner will perform with the Farmington Valley Symphony, conducted by John Eells. The performance date, usually set during the following academic year, will be arranged between the winner and Maestro Eells.

Rules and Regulations

Students must provide their own accompanists.
Students will be required to perform a first or last movement of a concerto from memory.
Judges reserve the right not to announce a first-place winner.
The application fee is $20.00, and is non-refundable.
The teacher must be a member of CSMTA and have paid dues by November 1.
Teacher or student must have legal residency within the state of Connecticut.
A student must have studied with the current teacher for at least 6 months immediately prior to the competition.

Musicianship Achievement Program (MAP)

The MAP program is a guide to the study of music for the independent teacher to use for private students in the pre-college years. The materials included at every level divide into the general areas of theory and performance. This well-integrated program is designed to be flexible enough to serve the needs of all students without compromising high standards and offers a complete pre-college theory course together with a performance opportunity.

The student is made to feel proud of his/her accomplishments. The teacher has another organizational and motivating tool to use. The parents are able to follow their child's progress at first hand and in close detail. All teachers are urged to consider MAP as a part of every student's course of study.

The student participates in yearly auditions. MAP is a non-competitive event to recognize the individual achievement of a student in the areas of theory (written and aural awareness) and performance (keyboard skills and playing of several memorized pieces). A written and aural theory exam covering all aspects of musical study is graded and certificates are awarded in three categories:

Pass
Honors
High Honors

In addition, students who have participated successfully for five years are awarded a plaque. (See Guidelines and Rules for more information.) The student is also given the opportunity to demonstrate keyboard skills and performance ability (including knowledge of the score and the composer) for a qualified judge. Although this is not graded, the student does receive the written comments of the judge and a pin in recognition of participation. Students may choose to take only the theory exam or to participate in the full program. There are no rules governing age and levels.

MAP Date	Registration Deadline (Postmark)	Place	Chapter	Local Chair
Nov. 14, 2009	Sept. 28, 2009	St. James Church, Southbury	Western	Felicia F. Zhang
April 10, 2010	Feb. 22, 2010	Asylum Hill Cong. Church	Hartford	Suzan Korman
April 24, 2010	March 8, 2010	1st Cong. Church, Madison	Middlesex/NL	Joyce Baxter
May 1, 2010	March 15, 2010	1st Hill Cong. Church, Branford	New Haven	Linda Franklin-Biggs

Download Registration Form (PDF)

Download Materials Order Form (PDF)

Guidelines and Rules
Teachers may register students at any of the MAP sites; use a separate registration form for each place and send it to the local chair. (You may make multiple copies of the form.) Be sure to note the deadlines for submission.

Teachers entering students in the audition are expected to assist on audition day. Please indicate your preferred time on the registration form. (A teacher registering students in two places need only volunteer in one of them.)

Once the audition schedule has been set (shortly after the registration deadline), no changes in audition times can be made by the chairs. If you need to change an audition time for a student, arrange to switch times with another of your own students, preferably a student of a similar level (so the lengths of the auditions are the same). Then notify the chair, at least a week in advance, so the schedule can be corrected and the adjudicator can be given the appropriate materials.

On the registration form, indicate which students are eligible for the 5-year plaque. Any student who has completed 5 years of MAP successfully is eligible for a plaque. The 5 years need not be consecutive. Students may have done the full MAP or theory only. After the exams are corrected, and after the state chair has verified 5 years of successful participation, the teacher will be sent the plaque to present to the student.

Full MAP (Performance Audition and Theory Exam)
A student should plan to spend at least 1 1/2 to 2 hours doing the full MAP. This includes arriving 15 minutes early to register, 15-20 minutes for the performance audition (depending on the level), and about 45 minutes for the theory test. The time allotted for the performance audition includes keyboard skills, sight reading and transposition, and rhythm as well as repertoire.

Levels 1 and 2: 15 minutes
Levels 3 and 4: 18 minutes
Levels 5-10: 20 minutes

The non-repertoire portion of the audition takes 5 - 10 minutes, depending mostly on the proficiency of the student. Please consider the time available when selecting repertoire. All music must be in the original form for the piano; no arrangements or simplifications are permitted.

In keyboard skills, although the student must prepare all the required keys, he or she will be tested in only one or two keys.

In playing of repertoire:

Eliminate repeats when possible.
Judge may need to halt the performance of a piece to stay within the allotted audition time.
Students must provide a copy of the music for the judge. No Xeroxes allowed unless accompanied by a letter from the publisher.
Please number the measures at the beginning of each line.

Theory Exam Only
Theory exams are not scheduled for a specific time. The local chair will designate hours on MAP day during which exams may be taken and notify teachers.

MAP Materials
Use the Materials Order Form (PDF) to order the syllabus (theory and performance). Practice theory tests can also be ordered. Teachers can use these tests to prepare their students.

Download 2009 Registration Form (PDF)

Download Materials Order Form (PDF)

Young Artist Piano Competition

Tuesday April 6, 2010 at 5:00 PM

Applications must be postmarked by March 29, 2010

Location: Shawn's Piano, 221 Newfield Avenue, West Hartford

Sponsors:
The Musical Club of Hartford, Inc., Music at St. James Concert Series, Harmony Hill Concerts and the Maxwell Shepherd Memorial Arts Fund, Inc.

Awards:
Gold Medal $1,500 + performance with Beth El Symphony Orchestra conducted by Joseph Ness + solo recital opportunities
Silver Medal $800 + solo recital opportunities
Bronze Medal $600 + solo recital opportunities

For high school graduates who are under the age of 30 by the date of the competition and are studying with a CSMTA member.

YAPC Application (PDF)

Chapter Competitions

Please refer to each chapter's website for information about their individual chapter competitions.