Performance competitions are sponsored by MTNA and KMTA and designed to challenge and encourage exceptionally talented young students in pursuit of musical achievement. These competitions provide an opportunity for students to receive professional adjudication in a competition setting with rules and repertoire requirements.
Performance Competition Information
The Kentucky Music Teachers Association (KMTA) is excited to announce that beginning with the 2023 MTNA Performance and Composition Competitions, to be held November 11-12 at Campbellsville University, we will now be awarding $200 cash prizes to the First-Place Winners or State Representatives of each category of the MTNA Competitions.
Additionally, for the 2023 Bluegrass Competitions, a cash prize of $100 will be awarded to first-prize winners in each category. Thanks to an anonymous donation, Dennison’s Roadside Market, Krystal Music, Dr. Naomi J. Oliphant, The Piano Shop and Lewis Auction and Realty for sponsoring the Bluegrass Competition awards!
The 2023 MTNA and Bluegrass Competitions will be held November 11-12 at Campbellsville University. Registration is due by 3:00 pm Eastern on September 13th, 2023.
Music Teachers National Association (MTNA) Competitions start at the state level and are hosted by the Kentucky Music Teachers Association(KMTA). We are indeed grateful that Magnolia Bank of Hodgenville, KY has agreed to sponsor the MTNA Performance Competitions this year. Funds previously used for the David Moore Competition will now be used to fund the MTNA Composition Competition cash prizes. David Moore was a talented young Kentucky pianist and composer taken from us far too soon.
In order to be eligible for the cash prize, all first-place performance competition winners will be required to perform on the Winner’s Recital at the end of the competition day; cash prizes will be presented during the recital. The rules of the MTNA Competitions indicate that if there is only one entrant in a State-level category, this person will automatically be named a State Representative and advance to the Southern Division level of the competition. In order to receive the $200 prize money, however, the performance competition State Representative will be required to participate in the competition by playing for comments only and must also perform in the Winner’s Recital. Composition first-place winners and/or State Representatives are invited and encouraged to perform at a Winner’s Recital, but this is not a condition for accepting the award. Performances must be on the instrument(s) for which the submitted composition was written. Only live performances are permitted.
Competition categories include:
- BRASS: Senior, Young Artist
- COMPOSITION: Elementary, Junior, Senior, Young Artist
- PIANO: Junior, Senior, Young Artist
- PIANO DUET: Senior
- STRING: Junior, Senior, Young Artist
- VOICE: Senior, Young Artist
- WOODWIND: Junior, Senior, Young Artist
Current plans are to have the MTNA and Bluegrass Competitions in person.
General Competition Notes
- Repertoire may NOT be changed once the application is submitted.
KMTA/MTNA Competition Chair
Naomi J. Oliphant
8304 Dinah Way
Louisville, KY 40242
(502) 594-3265 (cell)
naomi.oliphant@louisville.edu
MTNA Competitions
MTNA Competition dates, rules, and information can be found here.
Note that rules applicable to all MTNA competitions, except those referring to division and national levels, also apply to KMTA Bluegrass Competitions.
MTNA Composition Competitions
MTNA Composition Competition dates, rules, and information can be found here.
Entrants and teachers must meet the MTNA Entrant and Teacher Requirements. All submissions must follow the Composition Competition Rules.
KMTA Bluegrass Competitions
KMTA Bluegrass Competition dates, rules, and information can be found here.
KMTA Bluegrass Competitions end at the state level, but they provide an opportunity for some students to compete with more accessible repertoire requirements. Students capable of meeting more demanding repertoire guidelines should be encouraged to enter the MTNA competitions since those provide the added opportunity of advancing to division and national levels.