Music Academy

Solo and Ensemble Competition

Do you play a musical instrument? Would you like an opportunity to receive feedback from professional musicians on your playing? The Covenant Life Music Academy is holding its Solo and Ensemble Competition on Saturday, April 30, 2011 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Winners of the competition will perform in a recital on Thursday, May 12, 2011, at 8 p.m.

Questions? Contact Nancy Chouinard.

SOLO COMPETITION

Due to the fact that age is not always the best indicator of musical skill, we are basing the solo competition divisions on ability level, rather than age. There will be three divisions: lower, middle, and upper division.

Please see the guidelines below for help in determining what category is right for your child. If you are unsure, ask your child’s teacher what his/her assessment would be, or feel free to contact Rachael Boer (strings), Ben Chouinard (winds/brass/percussion) or Amy Yang (piano). Or, you may simply make your best guess. If we believe your child belongs in a different division based on repertoire and number of years studied, we will contact you about making a change in division.

Please note: in order to simplify the judging process, only classical music will be allowed. This includes anything from the standard classical repertoire, as well as any method books (Suzuki, Alfred, etc.) but does not include genres such as sacred (worship songs, hymns), jazz, or fiddle.

Lower Division 
9 – 10:30 a.m.

Guidelines for strings: lower division is for students who have studied for approximately 1-3 years and are in Suzuki books 1 and 2 (or equivalent). Generally, students in this division have not studied vibrato or shifting into 3rd position, or they may have just begun learning these skills recently. Most students in this division have a basic understanding of note-reading and may play their selection with music or from memory, although memorization is encouraged. Piano accompaniment is optional at this level. In addition to their solo, students will also be asked to play a 1-octave scale of their choice.

Guidelines for winds/brass/percussion: lower division is for students who have studied in a band context for approximately 1-2 years. Generally, students in this division have a basic understanding of note-reading and may play their selection with music or from memory, although memorization is encouraged. Piano accompaniment is optional at this level. In addition to their solo, students will also be asked to play a 1-octave scale of their choice.

Guidelines for piano: lower division is for students who have studied for approximately 1-2 years. Generally, students in this division have completed level one or two method books, and have a basic understanding of note-reading and music theory. They should be able to play pieces that require hands together playing, and may play their selection with music or from memory, although memorization is encouraged. In addition to their solo, students will be asked to play a 1 or 2-octave scale of their choice.

Middle Division 
10:45 a.m. – 12:45 p.m.

Guidelines for strings: middle division is for students who have studied for approximately 3-5 years and are in Suzuki books 3 and 4 (or equivalent). Generally, students in this division are skilled in vibrato and are comfortable in 3rd position (and possibly higher positions as well). They are also musically expressive and skilled in note-reading. Memorization is required, and piano accompaniment is strongly encouraged at this level. In addition to their solo, students will be asked to play a 2-octave scale of their choice.

Guidelines for winds/brass/percussion: middle division is for students who have studied in a band context for approximately 3-4 years. Generally, students in this division are musically expressive and skilled in note-reading. Memorization is required, and piano accompaniment is optional at this level. In addition to their solo, winds and brass students will be asked to play a 1 or 2-octave scale of their choice.

Guidelines for piano: middle division is for students who have studied for approximately 3-4 years. Generally, students in this division are musically expressive, skilled in note-reading, and have completed any method book level 3 or so. Classical repertoire examples might include any of the early Bach Dances (minuets, gavottes, polonaises), Bach short preludes, easier pieces by Clementi (Sonatinas), Burgmuller (Arabesque, Ballade), Schumann’s Wild Rider, etc. Memorization is required. In addition to their solo, students will be asked to play a 2-octave scale of their choice.

Upper Division
1 – 2:30 p.m.

Guidelines for strings: upper division is for students who have studied for approximately 5 years or more and are in Suzuki book 5 or above (or equivalent). Generally, students in this division are comfortable in many high positions and are fluent sight-readers; they also should have solid technical skills including vibrato, intonation, and musical expressiveness. Memorization is required, and piano accompaniment is very strongly encouraged at this level. In addition to their solo, students will be asked to play a 3-octave scale of their choice.

Guidelines for winds/brass/percussion: upper division is for students who have studied for approximately 3-4 years or more in a band context and have also taken some private lessons. Generally, students in this division are fluent sight-readers; they should also have solid technical skills including excellent intonation and musical expressiveness. Memorization is required, and piano accompaniment is very strongly encouraged at this level. In addition to their solo, winds and brass students will be asked to play a 2-octave scale of their choice.

Guidelines for piano: upper division is for students who have studied for approximately 5 years or more. Generally, students in this division are fluent sight-readers; they should also have solid technical skills and musical expressiveness. Classical repertoire examples might include Bach Two-Part Inventions, Preludes and Fugues from Well-Tempered Clavier, any sonata movements by Beethoven, Mozart or Haydn, Chopin Waltzes, Nocturnes, Preludes, works by Liszt, Debussy, Prokofieff, Rachmaninoff, etc. Memorization is required. In addition to their solo, students will be asked to play a 3 or 4-octave scale of their choice.

 

ENSEMBLE COMPETITION

Junior Division
2:30 – 3:15 p.m.

Senior Division
3:15 – 4 p.m.

The ensemble competition will be broken up into “junior” and “senior” divisions. To enter the correct division, determine the average age of all the children in the ensemble as of April 30, 2011. If their average age is 7-13, they should enter in the junior division. If their average age is 14-18, they should enter in the senior division.