Saturday, October 19, 2024
Registration Deadline:
October 1, 2024
12:00 NOON
PAYMENT Deadline:
October 8, 2024
12:00 NOON
Pay after receipt of PayPal Invoice
No registrations will be accepted
after the deadline.
No refunds will be given for
missed or cancelled auditions.
FAQs: Preparing Students for the
GMTA Piano Skills Festival . . .
How do I choose a level for my students and help them prepare for the audition?
Visit our password-protected Festival General Resources page to see requirements for each level, audition examples, and recommended preparation resources.
I am not a GMTA member. How do I get a password??
Non-GMTA members must pay a $75 fee to gain access to Festival General Resources and online Festival Registration Form. Please contact us for more information.
How do I register my students for the GMTA Piano Skills Festival?
Complete an online Festival Registration Form for each student by October 1, 12:00 NOON.
Registration will close at the deadline.
How do I pay registration(s), and applicable medal fee(s) and $75 teacher non-GMTA member fee?
After registration closes, you will receive a PayPal invoice via email. Use the link in the email to pay the invoice by October 8, 12:00 NOON. No late payments will be accepted.
When will I know my students' audition times?
Times will be emailed to teachers approximately two weeks after registration closes.
Do my students need to play an arrangement instead of an original composition?
Yes! The performance category requires a published piano arrangement of a previously existing musical work. Memory is not required.
| Arrangements can be made from . . . | Examples |
|---|---|
| Hymns and religious songs | His Robes for Mine by Habegger, arr. Sprunger |
| Traditional, national and folk tunes | When the Saints Go Marching In, Traditional, arr. Faber |
| Popular songs | Hey Jude by Lennon/McCartney, arr. Holland |
| Broadway and movie scores | Star Wars (Main Theme) by Williams, arr. Holland |
| Orchestral and instrumental works | Blue Danube Waltz by Strauss, arr. Streabbog |
| Operatic melodies and art songs | Serenade by Schubert, trans. Heller |
Will PSF be in-person or remote in 2024?
GMTA is planning to hold in-person PSF Auditions at Bob Jones University on Saturday, October 19, 2024 without Covid restrictions. Should the University's Covid policies change, GMTA will follow the venue's requirements. Any changes in policies for that day will be communicated as needed.
What steps is GMTA taking to mitigate the risk of COVID-19 with in-person auditions?
- In keeping with the policies of MTNA, GMTA’s parent organization, all people attending PSF 2024 will be required to wear masks at all times while in the Gustafson Fine Arts Center. This applies to students, parents, teachers, judges, event staff, and anyone else attending the event.
- We request that just one parent/guardian accompany each student or family of students to the event - no additional children/students please. This will allow for more social distancing in the waiting room. After check-in, student(s) and parent-guardians may choose to wait outside the building and be called into their audition via cell phone.
- In addition, all parties will be required to sign a COVID-19 liability waiver upon arrival at the Gustafson Fine Arts Center. This will verify that students, parents, judges, event staff, teachers, and anyone else attending are not currently sick with COVID-19; have not knowingly been exposed to COVID-19; and will not hold GMTA liable if they should contract COVID-19 after attending the event.
- Students with suspected illness or Covid exposure can re-schedule their auditions. Students should communicate the situation to their teacher, and then the teacher will communicate via email with the Audition coordinator.
What is the optional Improvisation Event and how do I involve my students?
There are currently seven levels of the Improvisation Curriculum with more levels to come in the future. This event is currently optional.
- Students can choose different levels for the main curriculum and the Improvisation Event.
See Festival General Resources for the different levels for main curriculum and the Improvisation Event curriculum requirements. - The Improvisation audition will occur at the end of the student's regular audition. Therefore, students participating in Improvisation will have slightly longer audition times.
- A separate judging sheet will be received, and a "special event" sticker will be affixed to the Festival certificate.
- There is an additional fee of $6.50 to participate in the Improvisation Event.
What to expect the day of the Festival . . .
When should my students arrive?
Students should arrive 15 minutes before their scheduled time time to check in at the lobby of Gustafson Fine Arts Center. During check-in, parents will be asked to sign a COVID-19 health and liability waiver. After checking in, students should report to the waiting room OR give a cell phone number to the registration desk so that they can wait outside.
Can parents or teachers attend the audition?
Parents and teachers are required to stay in the waiting room. A monitor will escort students from the waiting room to auditions and back. To facilitate social distancing, only one adult should accompany each student to the waiting room. Children who are not auditioning should not attend.
What do students need to bring to the audition?
Students should have these items:
- MUSIC. One original published copy of their performance piece with measures numbered. An additional published copy for the judge is suggested. No photocopies are allowed. Any digital/electronic copies must have the purchaser’s name printed on the music or should be accompanied by a receipt.
- AUDITION CURRICULUM MATERIALS. Additional copies will be provided if needed.
- CHECK-IN FORM. One completed Check-in Form should be attached to the front of the student’s music. Check-in Forms will be emailed to teachers after audition times are assigned.
After the Festival . . .
How will students receive their results?
The PSF Committee will email PDFs of evaluation sheets with ratings and judge comments to teachers after the festival is over. Teachers can then choose to forward the PDFs to their students or print for students. Teachers should receive the emailed evaluation sheets within 48 hours of the event.
What about medals and certificates?
The PSF Committee will notify teachers when certificates and medals (if teachers ordered medals) are ready for pickup, approximately 1-2 weeks after the event. New this year, teachers will need to contact Dr. Turcios to arrange pickup directly from her.