March, 11-13, 2004
Southern Methodist University, Dallas, Texas
$20,000 in cash prizes to be awarded
| Eligibility | State Competition |
| Prizes | Semi-Finals |
| Timetable | Final Competition |
| Repertoire | Fees |
| Recording | Inquiries and Applications (Canadian Information) |
A. Instrumental categories are Violin, Viola, Cello, Double Bass, Classical Guitar, and Harp.
B. Participants must be ASTA members or current students of ASTA members. Proof of membership is required.
C. For the state competition, participants may enter in their state of residency or the state in which they are studying. Under no circumstances will a participant be allowed to enter more than one state's competition.
D. There are two levels, the Junior Division and the Senior Division. The Junior Division is open to musicians under the age of 19 as of March 11, 2004 (born on or after March 11, 1985). The Senior Division is open to musicians 19-25 as of March 11, 2004 (born on or after March 11, 1978 and before March 11, 1985).
E. A copy of an official document proving the entrant's birth date (e.g. birth certificate, passport, etc.) MUST be submitted with the application.
F. Previous Winners: All eligible previous entrants may enter the competition again, including previous National Finalists and Second Prize winners. Previous Grand Prize and First Prize winners in the Junior Division may not compete again in that division; however, they may enter the Senior Division if they will have attained their 19th birthday by March 11, 2004. Previous Grand Prize and First Prize winners in the Senior Division are not eligible to compete further.
G. Canadian applicants should contact:
Simon Fryer
363 Howland Avenue
Toronto , ON M5R 3C1
Tel: (416) 960 8133; Fax: (416) 960 8032
E-mail: simon@simonfryer.com
A. Junior Division:
1st Prize $3,000
2nd Prize $1,500
3rd Prize $1,000
4th Prize $500
B. Senior Division:
1st Prize $7,000
2nd Prize $4,000
3rd Prize $2,000
4th Prize $1,000
A. Alternate Year State Competitions
States are allowed to hold alternate year state competitions as well as their normal biennial competition: the schedule is at the option of the State Chair. Eligibility and repertoire requirements are the same as in these Guidelines. States may send entrants to the National Semi-Finals from both years if they so choose.
B. State Competitions (live or recorded)
Nov. 15, 2003 is the deadline for all State Competitions to be completed. This includes states holding either live competitions or recorded competitions.
C. National Semi-Finals (recorded)
D. National Finals at SMU
A. Required Works:
1. Junior Division
Violin: Bruch: Concerto #1 3rd mvt. (any edition)
Viola: Schumann: Adagio & Allegro, op. 70 (any edition)
Cello: Van Goens: Scherzo (any edition)
Double Bass: Giovanni Bottesini: Elegy (solo or orchestral tuning) (Kalmus, Yorke, or VEB Deutscher Verlag; available from Lemur, 800-246-2277)
Guitar: Sylvius Leopold Weiss: Passacaille (Weiss: "Anthology of Selected Pieces," Schott; Also in "The Baroque Guitar," Ariel Music)
Harp: Sergiu Natra: Sonatina (Vanderbilt Music Co.)
2. Senior Division
Violin: Tchaikovsky: Waltz-Scherzo (any edition)
Viola: Bruch: Romance, op. 85 (any edition)
Cello: Haydn-Piatigorsky: Divertimento (Elkan Vogel/Presser)
Double Bass: J.B. Vanhal: Concerto, 1st mvt. with a cadenza (any edition or key C, D, or E; solo or orchestral tuning)
Guitar: Richard Rodney Bennett: Impromputus 1, 2, and 5 (Universal Edition);
J.S. Bach: Prelude, from Suite BWV 995 (Ed. Koonce, Kjos Music)
Harp: Paul Creston: Olympia (Vanderbilt Music Co.)
B. In addition to the required work(s), entrants must present another work or works of their choice. It is suggested that repertoire beyond the required work(s) be varied in both period and style. Either unaccompanied works or works with piano accompaniment (original or orchestral reductions) are allowed in all rounds of the Competition.
C. Further repertoire guidelines and considerations:
1. The total amount of performance time is:
Junior Division: 12-15 minutes including the required piece and free choice(s).
Senior Division: 17-20 minutes including the required piece and free choice(s).
2. Time limits are not rigid but are merely suggestions. Recordings and performances under the minimum will not be disqualified. Nevertheless, it must be noted that it is in the entrants' interest to perform as much as possible to show themselves in the best possible light. Recordings or performances exceeding the maximum will be stopped and entrants will not be penalized. The cutting of lengthy piano tutti sections is strongly encouraged.
3. Complete works or complete single movements from works will be required of all entrants.
4. No composer may be represented more than once in each entrant's program. Multiple movements of the same work are permitted but more than one composer MUST be represented.
5. ALL WORKS (including sonatas) performed in the National Finals MUST be played by memory.
A. Each Junior entrant should present between 12-15 minutes of music on recordings submitted to the State Competition and National Semi-Final rounds. Each Senior entrant should present between 17-20 minutes of music on recordings submitted to the State and Semi-Final Rounds. THE REQUIRED REPERTOIRE MUST BE INCLUDED. Other works presented on the recording may be different from those performed in the live Final Competition.
B. The repertoire stipulations stated in Section 4 of these guidelines apply to all recordings.
C. Recordings must be in cassette or CD formats. Each piece or movement must be recorded without editing. (Editing is permissible between movements/pieces but not within them.) EDITED PERFORMANCES WILL BE DISQUALIFIED. Recording in a concert hall or recording studio with professional level equipment is suggested. (Concert hall recordings should place the microphone approximately six to eight feet in front and above the contestant. Studio microphone placement will depend on the equipment available, so please trust your professional technician as to recording techniques.) Entrants must submit recordings that are clearly labeled with the entrant's name, age, address, phone number, instrument, teacher's name, and works performed. (THE LABELING SHOULD BE EASY TO COVER AND RE-LABEL TO ALLOW FOR ANONYMOUS JUDGING. NO PHOTOS ON CDS! SEE LABELING EXAMPLES ON THE ASTA WEBSITE.) It is strongly urged that entrants retain a copy of their submitted recording in case it is lost in transit. Recordings will not be returned.
A. All state chapters (and Canada) will hold a State Competition (live or recorded) which can be either a formal competition for awards or an informal screening of recordings. Each state will determine its own competition procedure.
B. In the absence of a formal competition, the State Competition Chair will arrange for the screening of recordings submitted by students from that state who desire to enter the Semi-Final round of the National Competition.
C. Students may choose to enter the State Competition of their state of residency or that in which they are studying to be eligible for the Semi-Final round of the National Competition. No entrant may enter in more than one state.
D. For information regarding State Competitions, entrants should contact their ASTA State Competition Chairs. A list of all State Competition Chairs is at www.astaweb.com. (Canadian Chair is Simon Fryer - contact information below.)
E. Each state chapter will determine its own State Competition entrance fee.
F. State chapters should follow the National Guidelines in planning their competitions. This includes age, eligibility, etc. Chapters that do not comply with the National Guidelines may have their entrants disqualified from participation in the National Semi-Finals at the discretion of the ASTA National Board. ENTRANTS WHO INTEND TO COMPETE NATIONALLY MUST PLAY THE REQUIRED REPERTOIRE OF THE NATIONAL COMPETITION ON THEIR SEMI-FINAL RECORDING. Entrants should contact their State Chair for further information.
G. National Semi-Final candidates must have their recording and other entry materials as specified in these guidelines SUBMITTED BY THEIR STATE COMPETITION CHAIR to the National Solo Competition Chair and POSTMARKED by December 1, 2003.
H. Each state chapter is encouraged to submit as many entrants as it considers qualified to compete in the National Semi-Final round. It is not necessary that only winners of state competitions be advanced to the Semi-Final round or that all instrumental categories be represented.
A. Recordings submitted to the National Semi-Finals will be judged by a distinguished panel of musicians who will determine the finalists.
B. The repertoire stipulations stated in Section 4 of these guidelines apply to all semi-final recordings.
C. Semi-Final entries MUST be submitted by the State Competition Chair. They must be POSTMARKED by Dec. 1, 2003 for them to qualify for the Semi-Finals.
D. National Finalists will be selected and notified by February 1, 2004.
E. Each state chapter is STRONGLY encouraged to help subsidize the expenses of its semi-finalists and finalists.
A. A panel of distinguished musicians will adjudicate the finals at SMU March 11-13, 2004. All decisions of this panel will be final. PRIZES WILL BE AWARDED ONLY IF THERE ARE OUTSTANDING ENTRANTS; THE ADJUDICATORS ARE NOT OBLIGED TO AWARD ALL PRIZES.
B. Finalists may perform works that are different from those used on their recording however they must play the required work in the final round of the Competition.
C. Actual performance time for the Junior Division must fall between 12-15 minutes, including the required work. Actual performance time for the Senior Division must fall between 17-20 minutes, including the required work.
D. For the Finals, the competition will provide the services of a staff of pianists, although entrants have the option of bringing their own pianist. The competition will provide rehearsal time with an appointed accompanist if the finalist does not provide his/her own.
A. All entries submitted to the National Semi-Finals must be accompanied by an entrance fee of $60.00 (in U.S. Funds) as well as the 2004 ASTA Solo Competition entry form.
B. All checks should be made payable to ASTA.
C. Any inquiries or questions should be addressed to your State Competition Chair (list found at www.astaweb.com) or to:
Jeffrey Solow, Chair, 2004 ASTA National Solo Competition
Phone: 215-204-8025
Fax: 215-204-5528
Email: solowcello@aol.com
Canadian applicants should contact:
Simon Fryer
Canadian Chair,
2004 ASTA National Solo Competition
Tel: 416-960-8133
Fax: 416-960-8032
Email: simon@simonfryer.com
D. Canadian applicants: see special notice below for Preliminary competition fees and entry instructions.
To facilitate Canadian Entries to the 2004 ASTA National Solo Competition, Canadian entries are handled in a manner similar to a state competition. A jury will be assembled in Toronto to adjudicate the tapes after November 1st, 2003 for submission of winners in each category from Canada to the chair of the National Solo Competition.
The following information is specific to Canadian entrants:
Preliminary Entrance Fee:
$40.00 (Canadian Funds - Cheque payable to ASTA Competition)
Deadline for receipt of entry form (link to pdf form which can be printed out), proof of birthdate, Canadian entry fee and recording:
November 1st, 2003
Mail Recordings, Birthdate Document, Cheque and Application to:
Simon Fryer
Canadian Chair,
2004 ASTA National Solo Competition
363 Howland Avenue
Toronto, ON
M5R 3C1
Telephone: (416) 960 8133 Fax: (416) 960 8032 E-mail: simon@simonfryer.com
Winners recommended to the Semi-Finals will be notified by November 15, 2003.
NB: Each winner will need to remit the fee of $60.00US plus the US entry form to the National Competition Chair (Jeffrey Solow) by December 1st, 2003 (see 9A above).
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Updated: August 30, 2003