General Guidelines for the
2008–2009 MTNA Student Competitions

Application deadline for all states is September 9, 2008. All applications must be entered online by 12:00 MIDNIGHT on September 9, 2008.

Online Registration will begin after August 1, 2008

• Current active membership dues for MTNA must be paid on or before August 31, 2008.  Teachers may enter students either (1) in the state where the student has permanent residence or (2) in the state where the instruction takes place.  MTNA members are not required to be members of the state in which the student is entered.
• An MTNA collegiate member must pay active membership dues to enter students in the competitions.
  

• The teacher listed on the application is the teacher of record and cannot be changed during the competition year. In the event the student changes teachers during the competition year, both teachers, past and present, will be listed as the teachers of record. Any exception is at the sole discretion of the MTNA Director of Competitions in consultation with the Competitions Committee, but in no event will the student be disqualified as a result of a teacher change.
• The teacher and the student may not be the same individual.
  

• Some states may charge teacher fees for entrants in the MTNA competitions.  It is the responsibility of the state to contact the teacher regarding any state-assessed teacher fees.

• An entrant may enter the competitions in only one state.
• An entrant may enter only once in any category (Brass, Piano, Senior Piano Duet, String, Voice, Woodwind, Chamber Music).
• Competition financial obligations are the responsibility of the entrant.
• All entry fees are nonrefundable.
• State and division winners/representatives are obligated to advance to the next level of the competition.
• If there is only one entrant in a State-level category, there will be NO State Competition.  The entrant will be named the State Representative and will advance directly to the Division Competition.
• If there is only one entrant in a Division-level category, there will be NO Division Competition.  The entrant will be named the Division Representative and will advance directly to the National Finals.
• If there are seven (7) or fewer entrants nationwide in a category at the state level, those entrants will advance directly to the National Finals.
• Primary communication is via e-mail. The application must have e-mail addresses for student, teacher and parents.
  

• National performance competition winners are required to perform on the Winners Concert at the MTNA National Conference in Atlanta, Georgia, March 28-April 1, 2009.

• Decisions of competition judges are final.
• A national first-place winner may not participate in the same competition category again.
• Facilities permitting, competition performances (including winners’ concert) are open to the public.  Competition rehearsals are closed to the public.
• Audio or video recording and photography of the competitions are strongly discouraged.
• It is the responsibility of the entrant to be available for all published dates of the competitions.
• The assigned rehearsal and performance times are final and cannot be changed.
  

• No changes in repertoire are allowed following submission of the online application.
• Repertoire requirements are listed under individual levels (Junior, Senior, Young Artist, Chamber Music).
• Teachers should verify that all repertoire listings are correct before submission of the application.
  
  

• All entrants and accompanists must abide by the federal Copyright Law.  Photocopies are strongly discouraged.
• All scores must be submitted to competition officials prior to the entrant’s performance.
• Measures must be numbered at the beginning of each system.
• A Music Release Form must be signed for any photocopies being used.
• Entrants in the solo performance competitions must provide the judge(s) one score for each work listed on the application.  Solo instrumentalists may submit either the solo part or the complete score.
• Ensembles in the Chamber Music Competition must provide the judge(s) one score or one complete set of parts.
  

• Performance procedures:
  • No minimum time limit.
  • Programmed music may exceed maximum time limit.
  • Performance will be stopped when maximum time is reached (does not affect results).
  • Student chooses first selection; judges determine remaining order of performance.  
    
• Repertoire:
  • Direct questions concerning repertoire to appropriate national coordinator (Junior, Senior, Young Artist, Chamber Music) prior to submission of application.
  • Individual movements of suites, sonatas or other groupings that can be performed as musical units are permitted.
  • Cuts in solo parts are not permitted.  Repeats are left to the discretion of entrant.
  • Cuts in the tutti (piano) parts of concerto movements are allowed and encouraged.
  • All repertoire must be performed with accompaniment except for works written specifically for unaccompanied solo instrument.  Recorded accompaniments are not permitted for works to be performed with piano or orchestra.  
    
  • MTNA will not provide equipment for the performance of an original work written for solo instrument and multi-media and cannot guarantee accessible electrical outlets in the competition room.
       
    

• Teachers may accompany their own students or another teacher’s students at any level of the competition.

• Official accompanist fees are nonrefundable.
• Additional rehearsal time with an official division or national accompanist may not be contracted (see below).
  

• Official accompanists are not provided at the state level.

• Official accompanist fee:
  • $80 for forty-five (45) minutes of rehearsal and competition performance

• Official accompanist fee:
• Major work only:$70 for thirty (30) minutes of rehearsal and competition performance.
• Complete program: $150 for sixty (60) minutes of rehearsal and competition performance.
• Senior Voice: $90 for forty (40) minutes of rehearsal and competition performance.

• Official accompanist fee:
• Major work only: $125 for sixty (60) minutes of rehearsal and competition performance.
• Complete program:  $175 for one-hundred-twenty (120) minutes of rehearsal and competition performance.
  

• It is the responsibility of the teacher, coach, entrant and parent or guardian to abide by all rules and regulations for the MTNA Student Competitions.  Failure to meet this responsibility will result in the disqualification of the entrant at the level of competition where the discrepancy is discovered.

2009 National Rehearsals and Competitions 

 Atlanta, Georgia