2021–2022 Young Artist Performance Competitions

National Coordinator:
Jeanne Grealish, NCTM

The three-tiered Young Artist Performance Competitions begin with live state competitions. With the uncertainties caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, states have the option in 2021 to hold live or video competitions. Search for your state to verify the type of competition and other details.The winners/representatives of each state’s competitions advance to a video-only division competition. All videos will receive comments from the judges. Division winners/representatives compete in person at the national finals during the annual MTNA National Conference. In the event that the MTNA National Conference is cancelled, the finals will be a video round.

Application Procedure

• Age: 19–26 as of January 1, 2022
• Entry Fee: $120
• Application deadline is Wednesday, September 15, 2021, 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time. There will be no exceptions.

Competition Categories

• Brass (Trumpet, Horn, Euphonium, Trombone, Tuba), Piano, String (Violin, Viola, Cello, String Bass), Voice and Woodwind (Flute, Clarinet, Oboe, Bassoon, Saxophone)

Brass, String and Woodwind

Awards made possible by the MTNA Foundation Fund

• National Winner: $3,000 
• Second Place: $1,500
• Third Place: $750
• Merit Awards: $100

Piano

Awards made possible by Steinway & Sons

• National Winner: $5,000
• Second Place: $1,500
• Third Place: $750
• Merit Awards: $100

Voice

Awards made possible by the MTNA Foundation Fund

• National Winner: $3,000 (supported by the Jane Snow Memorial Scholarship Fund)
• Second Place: $1,500
• Third Place: $750
• Merit Awards: $100

National Awards

• In order to receive the monetary award, national performance competition winners are required to perform on the Young Artist Winners Concert, which takes place from 3:30–5:00 p.m. on the day following the competition at the MTNA National Conference, March 26–30, 2022, in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Guidelines

Repertoire Requirements

• No changes in repertoire are allowed following submission of the application. Repertoire must remain the same for all three levels of the competition (State, Division, National).
• All repertoire submitted with the application must be prepared for each level of the competition (State, Division, National).
• Programs may be over or under the performance time limit. Programs over the time limit at any level of the competition will be cut at the judges' discretion.

MTNA Foundation Fund Young Artist Brass
MTNA Foundation Fund Young Artist String
MTNA Foundation Fund Young Artist Woodwind

• The program must contain compositions from at least two different  periods of music (baroque, classical, romantic, impressionistic, contemporary). Transcriptions are allowed.
• Memorization is not required.
• Entrants are limited to one entry per category. Brass or Woodwind entrants may perform on any instrument(s) of their choice (e.g. Alto Saxophone/Tenor Saxophone, Tenor Trombone/Bass Trombone and so on).
Performance time:
• State Competition:
• Maximum performance time: thirty (30) minutes
• Division and National Competitions:
• Maximum performance time: forty (40) minutes

MTNA-Steinway & Sons Young Artist Piano

• The program must contain solo repertoire from at least two different periods of music (baroque, classical, romantic, impressionistic, contemporary). Transcriptions are allowed. 
• Memorization is required for all repertoire.
• Concerto performances are not permitted.
• Compositions using extended techniques (i.e. introducing foreign objects into the workings of the piano to change the sound quality, strumming or plucking of strings) are not permitted at the request of competition hosts and piano companies providing instruments.
Performance time:
• State Competition:
• Maximum performance time: thirty (30) minutes
• Division and National Competitions:
• Maximum performance time: forty (40) minutes

MTNA Foundation Fund Young Artist Voice

• The program [a minimum of eight (8) selections] must contain repertoire in the original language from each of the following categories: (include the name of any identifying work from which a song or aria is taken).
• Two (2) arias from opera or oratorio repertoire, sung in the original key
• German Lied
• French Mélodie
• Art song in English written after 1900.
• At least three (3) additional song(s) or aria(s) of the entrant's choice in the original language or in English translation.
• Memorization is required for all repertoire.
Performance time:
• State Competition:
• Maximum performance time: thirty (30) minutes
• Division and National Competitions:
• Maximum performance time: thirty-five (35) minutes