Piano

The Piano Contest provides students with an opportunity to experience the thrills and challenges of solo competition.  Students who receive the highest rankings in each age group are invited to play in a spectacular concert at the end of the school year.

Students and their teachers use the current year's "Materials List" to select a piece for the student to learn for the contest.

Challenge Award:

• Preliminary Contest = 100 Points
• Final Contest = 100 Points
• Honors Concert = 100 Points

To encourage performance for all ages by using the State Contest repertoire, MMTA sponsors an annual State Piano Solo Festival.  Students who cannot or do not wish to compete in Piano Contest may perform for written comments from a judge.   Festival  participants are not eligible for Finals, or the Honors Concert.

Challenge Award = 100 points

The Young Artist Contest for piano students offers an opportunity for exceptional performers to display their talents in a competition setting.  

Students in Grades 7-9 may choose repertoire from the Junior Young Artist materials list; Grades 9-12 choose selections from the Senior Young Artist list; and collegiate students play music from the College Young Artist list.

Challenge Award:  200 Points

MMTA’s comprehensive piano exams focus on the interpretation of memorized piano pieces and the demonstration of related ideas and concepts.  The core repertoire list is found in the Syllabus plus the 2021 Diversity Addendum.  Substitutions can be made as outlined in the Syllabus from the 5-year Piano Contest List.  In addition to diverse repertoire, keyboard and sightplaying skills are also evaluated.  Exam Levels 2-11 have a theory prerequisite - see the Theory Prerequisite link to the right.

Students and teachers use the piano exam materials to select repertoire for the student's exam.  The syllabus and other materials aid students in preparing students for other exam components.

Levels 10 and 11 require repertoire approval prior to registration.  Include the following in the request for approval:

• Teacher name
• Teacher email
• Student name
• Level  (10 or 11)
• Theory Level passed and year passed
• Repertoire (Composer, Title, Op., etc.)

 email a request for repertoire approval

Challenge Award*:  300 Points

*If the Keyboard Skills and/or Sightplaying portions of the exam are taken prior to the repertoire portion, students earn 100 Points for Keyboard Skills and 100 Points for Sightplaying.  Repertoire is then equal to 100 Points for a total of 300 Points.

The Keyboard Skills Exam which consists of playing scales, chords, and arpeggios may be taken as a separate exam (apart from the Comprehensive Exam) at Levels Prep-10.  Sample Keyboard Skills tests are found in the Preparation Book.

Students may use the Keyboard Skills workbooks for Levels Prep-3 and 4-6 to help them practice for their exam.  An addendum for the Keyboard Skills workbooks printed in 2017 and 2018 is available which updates the skills to align with the 2020 Syllabus requirements.

Challenge Award:  100 Points (if taken as a separate exam)

The Sightplaying Exam may be taken as a separate exam (apart from the Comprehensive Exam) at Levels Prep-6. The Sightplaying Exam consists of note, interval and rhythm reading along with performance at sight of two or three short pieces.

Students may use workbooks for Levels Prep-6 to help them prepare for the exam.  Teachers may give students a Practice Test before the exam date to help them feel ready for the exam.

Challenge Award:  100 Points (if taken as a separate exam)

MMTA’s music theory exams evaluate analytical, written, aural, and functional keyboard skills, including the ability to transpose, harmonize, and sight-read. In Levels 1-6 students are tested on their knowledge of scales, rhythmic patterns, sight-reading, transposition, and accompaniment. See the 2015 MMTA Theory Syllabus for details.

Students use workbooks and digital MP3 files to assist them in preparing for exams.  

Challenge Award:  100 Points