Awards Competition

The Awards Competition has been canceled, due to health concerns and the closing of Harper College.

The Awards Competition takes place at Harper College in April each year.  Students enter in one of five categories, based upon their grade and age:  Primary, Elementary, Junior, Intermediate, and Senior.  Each category has a list of required pieces, from which students and their teachers choose two. Students receive constructive comments from judges. First, Second, Third place and Honorable Mention winners will be featured in two winners recitals a week later, where they will receive their certificates, trophies or monetary awards. Each participant is asked to perform only one piece from his or her program. We expect all the winners to perform at the celebratory concert !

  • Date: TBD
  • Location:  Harper College,  Building L (Park in Lot 2)    1200 W. Algonquin Road, Palatine, IL  60067  google map
  • Online registration Deadline: TBD
  • Repertoire :  TBD
  • Entry fees (per student):  
  • $35 (NWSMTA members)
    $40 (NWSMTA members late registration: Up to 3 days late)
    $45 (non-members)
    $50-very late registration ( Up to 3 weeks after the deadline).
 
  • Make checks payable to NWSMTA.  Only teachers are allowed to submit checks. Write one check for all students. 
  • PLEASE NOTE: ENTRY FEES ARE NON-REFUNDABLE.
  • Mail checks to:
              Awards Competition Chair: Olga Ulitsky & Olga Bornovalova
                                                         1478 Pinehurst dr. Vernon Hills IL 60061
  • Awards Competition Winners' Recital Date:  
         TBD 
​         Rolling Meadows Library

Eligibility and Rules 
  • Teachers can submit as many students as they like and mail one check for all his/her students.
  • Each teacher must serve as a room monitor on the day of the competition.  Substitutes are allowed.  Please indicate your availability on the registration form.
  • Students shall be eligible for entry as follows:
  
Primary Division
Elementary Division
Junior Division
Intermediate Division
Senior Division
Age 8 and under
Age 10 and under
Age 12 and under
Age 15 and under
Age 18 and under
  • Students may enter only one division.
  • Students are responsible for bringing original scores (no photocopies) of their selections to the competition.  All measures must be numbered.
  • Compositions must be selected from the Awards Repertoire List.  One from List A and one from List B.  They may be performed in any order.  All pieces must be memorized.  No repeats.
  • Students are allowed one scale as a warm-up. Parents are not allowed to be in a room. Photographing, videotaping or audio taping is not allowed. Warm Up rooms are available on the First Floor.
  • Judges will be selected by the Awards Competition Chairperson from either piano faculty of colleges or conservatories, or piano teachers considered experts in their field.  Judges will not be members of NWSMTA.
  • Judges' decisions are final.
  • First-prize winners cannot re-enter the same division the  following year. 
  • All winners are eligible to perform at the winners' recital.
  • Prize money for Awards Competition: (Primary Division winners will receive trophies)
 
Elementary
Junior
Intermediate
Senior
1st Place:  $40
1st Place:  $50
1st Place:  $60
1st Place:  $70
2nd Place:  $30
2nd Place:  $40
2nd Place:  $50
2nd Place:  $60
3rd Place:  $25
3rd Place:  $30
3rd Place:  $40
3rd Place:  $50
  • Results: Comment sheets will be mailed to teachers the week after the competition or handed out at winners' recitals, which all teachers are welcome to attend. Teachers whose students have been selected for the recital will be notified by email on Sunday after event.
  
Registration