Student Programs

Achievement Auditions

UPDATE: Achievement Auditions is set to take place on May 15, 2021. It will take place in-person at Kansas City Piano (formerly Schmitt Music) with safety measures fully enforced (temperature check, masks required, hand washing/sanitizing before and after playing, etc.). The Honors Recital that usually takes place the day after the auditions may or may not be held if enrollment is low and/or a location cannot be secured. This event is fully prepared to be pivoted to online means (via recordings) if conditions surrounding Covid-19 do not improve by Spring. It will be decided a month before the registration opens whether this event will take place entirely in-person or entirely virtually through video recordings—participants will not have the option of choosing one way or another. Please read this event’s General Guidelines, Syllabus, and Technical Requirements carefully laid out below to determine if this is the right event for your student. The appropriate level the student should enter in is at the discretion of the teacher with the consideration of the student’s capabilities. Registration WILL NOT open until April 3rd.

Chair:	Linda Chen space
Locations:	Auditions at Kansas City Piano (formerly Schmitt Music) Recital at TBD
Dates:	Auditions: Saturday, May 15, 2021 (or videos due if held virtually) Honors Recital: TBD
Enrollment period:	Opens April 3, 2021-April 24, 2021 (Enrollment link below not active until April 3)

Space is limited and will be filled on a first come first serve basis. Enrollment will be closed once all available slots are filled.

The Achievement Auditions are private auditions with an adjudicator where students will perform technical requirements and repertoire. All students receive a written evaluation, certificate, ribbon and rating.

Eligibility: Students may enter at any level. Participation is not based upon year in school or years of music study. The level of the student is to be determined at the discretion of the student’s teacher — it should reflect the student’s playing ability in BOTH repertoire and technical facility.

Technique and Repertoire: Students are required to play technique and either two or three pieces and several technical requirements (please refer to the syllabus and the technical samples on the links below).

Fee: $20 per student with no teacher fees for KCMTA members

$35 per student plus $25 teacher fee for members of MTNA

$35 per student plus $75 teacher fee with no MTNA membership

Enrollment: Enrollment will be online only through Google Forms by following this link Achievement Audition Enrollment Form (this link will not be active until April 3) with checks mailed in to Linda Chen (address will be included at the end of the Google Enrollment Form). Once all spaces have been filled, the above link will be deactivated and will not be able to process any more enrollments. All teachers who enroll students will be assigned to help with the event.

Honors Recital: TBD. If recital held, notable performers (selected by the judge) will be announced (and their teachers notified) by the end of Saturday to participate in the Honors Recital the next day at a TBA time/location. If recital not held, these performers will be acknowledged through a KCMTA webpage blog.

General Guidelines:

All music must be memorized.
Original copies with numbered measures should be provided to the adjudicator.
Audition times listed are maximum time allowed for each audition. Shorter exams are permitted. For timing and scheduling purposes, students will be stopped during their audition if their maximum time has been reached for their level.
Level chosen should reflect the student’s playing ability in BOTH repertoire and technical facility.
All of the technique will be heard and should be presented in an efficient manner (no longer than 1/3 of the total audition time; technique that is not properly prepared could jeopardize the student’s overall rating). A metronome is optional at the student’s discretion. Metronome markings are suggested practicing speeds and should be considered minimum tempo for the exam. Students may play faster, however, all technique played at a chosen faster tempo MUST be steady.
Octave placement for technical portion of the audition is at the discretion of the student.
Pauses may be taken between each exercise (i.e., students need not go straight from one scale to the next activity)
For consistency, please refer to the samples on how the technique should be presented.

Achievement Auditions Rating Sheet
Technique examples levels 1-10 (PDF)
Achievement Audition Syllabus