2009 National Solo Competition Guidelines

These are the guidelines for the National Solo Competition. Please check with the state in which you reside or attend school to determine its specific competition dates and application deadlines.
Any applications sent directly to the National Office will be disqualified.  

****PLEASE NOTE: The competitor's piece DOES NOT need to be composed with the last twenty years.****

*Please Note the Changes to the Age Requirements
Senior Division (ages 19-25) born on or after March 18, 1983 and before March 18, 1991.
Junior Division (under age 19) born on or after March 18, 1991.

Click here for a downloadable PDF of the National Solo Competition Guidelines

1)  Eligibility

1. Instrumental categories are Violin, Viola, Cello, Bass, Classical Guitar, and Harp.
2. Participants must be ASTA members or a student of a current professional ASTA member.  Proof of membership is required.
3. 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.
4. 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 18, 2009 (born on after March 18, 1991). The Senior Division is open to musicians 19-25 as of March 18, 2009 (born on or after March 18, 1983 and before March 18, 1991).
5. A copy of an official document proving the entrant’s birth date (e.g. birth certificate, passport, license etc.) MUST be submitted with the application.
6. 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 19^th birthday by March 18, 2009. Previous Grand Prize and First Prize winners in the Senior Division are not eligible to compete further.

2)  Prizes will be announced on ASTA’s website www.astaweb.com and in the August edition of the AST journal.

3) Timetable

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.  Repertoire may be different at the state level as long as entrants advancing to the Semi-Finals play the nationally required repertoire on their recording. States may send entrants to the National Semi-Finals from both years if they so choose.

B.  State Competitions (live or recorded): November 1, 2008 is the deadline for all State Competitions to be completed. This includes states holding either live competitions or recorded competitions. November 15, 2008 (POSTMARKED) states must have the results of the competition to the National Office Contact.

C.  States without formal competitions: Entrants in states without a formal competition or entrants whose instrument happens not to be part of a formal State Competition (for example, harp) must submit their recordings to their State Competition Chair before November 1, 2008 to allow for screening. The date by which such recordings must be received will be determined by the State Competition Chair.

D.  National Semi-Finals (recorded)
1. Entries MUST be submitted by the State Competition Chair.
2. Entries must be POSTMARKED by November 15, 2008 to qualify for the National Finals.
3. Entries MUST include a National Solo Competition Official Entry Form (enclosed in these Guidelines and also available on the ASTA website at www.astweb.com), proof of date of birth, student and/or teacher ASTA membership ID number, and the $75 National entrance fee.
4. Finalists will be selected and notified by January 16, 2009.
5. Finalists must notify the National Office by February 1, 2009 of their acceptance to participate in the Finals in Atlanta, Georgia.

E.  National Finals at 2009 ASTA National Conference in Atlanta, Georgia
1. March 18, 2009 Rehearsal *
2.March 19, 2009 Rehearsal and Competition*
3.March 20, 2009 Competition*
4. March 21, 2009 Winner’s Recital*

*Schedule subject to change. All National Solo Competition events will take place March 18- 21, 2009 in Atlanta, GA.

4)   State Competition

A.  All state chapters 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 http://www.astaweb.com/Content/NavigationMenu/Competitions/NationalSoloCompetition/default.htm.

E.  Each state chapter will determine if there is a 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. 

G. Entrants who intend to compete nationally must play the required repertoire of the national competition on their semi-final recording. The National Office recommends that the states use the required repertoire for the state competition as well. Entrants should contact their State Chair for further information.

H.  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 November 15, 2008. Any entry that arrives at the national office by anyone other than the state competition chair will automatically be disqualified.

I.  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 are represented.

J.  ASTA will provide a professional piano accompanist for the Finalist Round of the National Solo Competition. This includes the one hour practice and the one hour performance slot the finalists are given. Finalists are welcome to bring their own accompanist at their own cost if they so chose. However, this does not entitled to the finalist and accompanist to more than the one hour practice and the one hour performance time slots.

5) Repertoire

A.  Required Works (Required Repertoire, Bach Selection and Competitor’s Choice):

Junior Division

VIOLIN:

Bach: Any movement from the Solo Sonatas or Partitas

Johan Svendsen: Romanze, op.26 for Violin and Piano (7 Min.)

Any piece of competitor’s choice

VIOLA:

Bach: Any movement from the Solo Cello Suites

Johann Nepomuk Hummel: Fantasy for Viola and Piano (8 Min.)

Any piece of competitor’s choice

CELLO:

Bach: Any movement from the Solo Cello Suites

Haydn: Divertimento for Cello and Piano – All 3 Mvts. (Arr. by Piatigorsky) (Elkan-Vogel Edition) (8 Min.)

Any piece of competitor’s choice

BASS:

Bach: Any movement from the Solo Cello Suites

Shostakovich: Adagio from the ballet “Unforgettable 1919” (transcription by Hal Robinson) (5 Min.)

Luciano Berio Psy for Solo Double Bass (Universal Edition) (1.5 Min.)

Any piece of competitor’s choice

CLASSICAL GUITAR:

Bach: A movement (or movements) from any of the Solo Suites or Partitas, or a Prelude and Fuge originally written for the Lute
Julián Orbón Preludio y Danza (5 Min.)

Any piece of competitor’s choice

HARP:

Bach: Any movement from the French or English Keyboard Suites transcribed by the contestant

Carlos Salzedo: Communion from the Five Poetical Studies for Harp 

Any piece of competitor’s choice

Senior Division

VIOLIN:

Bach: Any movement from the Solo Sonatas or Partitas

Sarasate: Jota Navarra, op.22, no.2 for Violin and Piano (4 – 5 Min.)

Any piece of competitor’s choice

VIOLA:

Bach: Any movement from the Solo Cello Suites

Max Reger: Suite No.1 in G minor for Solo Viola – Entire Suite (10-11 Min.)

Any piece of competitor’s choice

CELLO:

Bach: Any movement from the Solo Cello Suites

Ginastera: Pampeana #2 for Cello and Piano (9 Min.)

Any piece of competitor’s choice

BASS:

Bach: Any movement from the Solo Cello Suites

Rheinhold Gliere: Tarantella, op.9 from “Four Pieces” for Double Bass and Piano (6 Min.)

David Anderson: Serenade (2 Min.) and Capriccio (3 Min.) from the “Four Short Pieces” for Solo Double Bass

Any piece of competitor’s choice

CLASSICAL GUITAR:

Bach: A movement (or movements) from any of the Solo Suites or Partitas, or a

Prelude and Fuge originally written for the Lute

Leo Brouwer: “Fandangos y Boleros” movement from Sonata (1990) (6 – 7 Min.)

Any piece of competitor’s choice

HARP:

Bach: Any movement from the French or English Keyboard Suites transcribed by the contestant

Marcel Tournier: Sonatine

Any piece of competitor’s choice

B.  In addition to the required work, entrants must present another work of their choice. ****PLEASE NOTE: The competitor's piece DOES NOT need to be composed with the last twenty years.**** 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 pieces and free choice.
        Senior Division 17-20 minutes including the required pieces and free choice.
2.  Time limits are 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 time will be stopped, but 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.Entrants may not use required repertoire composers for free choice. Multiple movements of the same work are permitted but three composers MUST be represented.
5. All works (including sonatas) performed in the National Finals must be played by memory.

6)    Recording

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 Four of these guidelines apply to all recordings. Recordings or performances exceeding the maximum will be stopped, but entrants will not be penalized.

C.  Recordings must be in cassette or CD format. 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. Contestants should submit as high quality recording as possible. 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. For examples please see 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.

7)    Semi-final competition (recorded)

A.  Recordings submitted to the National Semi-Finals will be judged blindly by a distinguished panel of musicians who will determine the finalists.

B.  The repertoire stipulations stated in Section 5 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 November 15, 2008 to qualify for the Semi-Finals. Late entries or those submitted without the state competition chair’s list will automatically be disqualified.

D.  National Finalists will be selected by January 16, 2009.

E.  Each state chapter is STRONGLY encouraged to help subsidize the expenses of its semi-finalists and finalists.

8)   Final Competition (live)

A.  A panel of distinguished musicians will adjudicate the finals in Atlanta, GA March 18-21, 2009. 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 free choice works that are different from those used on their recording. However, they must play the required work in the final round of the competition. Finalists must turn in his or her program selections to the National Office by February 1, 2009. All performances must be played from memory.

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. Contestants may submit a longer program and will be stopped without penalty when time limits run out.

D.  For the Finals, the competition will provide the services of a staff of accompanists, 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.

E.  The Finalists selected by the national committee to participate in the finals of the National Solo Competition at the national conference, may not participate in the Alternative Styles Awards program or be part of a participating National Orchestra Festival group. This participation restriction is due to overlapping schedules which will cause disruption to the overall experience for all participants.

9)   Fees

A.  All entries submitted to the National Semi-Finals must be accompanied by an entrance fee of $75 as well as the 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:       

Libby Dietrich
ASTA Staff Contact
Email: or 703-279-2113 x28

Laura Kobayashi
2009 National Solo Competition Chair
Email: lkobayashi@myway.com; vlnkobayas@yahoo.com or 703-462-8584