2025–2026 Performance Competitions Guidelines

Registration will open in August.

The three-tiered Performance Competitions (not including Senior Brass/ Voice and Young Artist Brass/Voice) begin with state competitions. States have the option 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 will compete in 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.

Entrant Eligibility

• An entrant may enter each individual competition in only one state.
• Entry in multiple performance categories is allowed, but each entrant is allowed only one entry within a category. (Click guidelines at the bottom of the page for categories in each level.)
• An entrant may enter both the solo performance competitions and the Chamber Music competitions in the same year.

Entrant Information

• All entry fees are non-refundable.
• Competition financial obligations, including travel and lodging, are the responsibility of the entrant.
• State and Division winners/representatives advance to the next level of the competition.
• If there is only one (1) 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 (1) entrant in a Division-level category, the entrant will be named the Division Representative and is required to submit videos for comments only by the December deadline prior to advancing 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. Those entrants are required to submit videos for comments from the Division judges.
• State Winners/Representatives are required to submit a video by the December deadline for the online-only Division Competition. Detailed instructions will be included in the email following the State Competitions.
• Division Winners/Representatives are required to compete in the National Finals, March 21–25, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois.

National Winner Responsibilities

• To receive a monetary award, national performance competition first-place winners are required to perform on the appropriate Winners Concert at the MTNA National Conference, March 21–25, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois.

Competition Rules

• Decisions of competition judges are final.
• A national first-place MTNA solo performance winner may not enter again in the same level/category. For example, a national Junior Piano Winner cannot enter Junior Piano again.
• A national first-place MTNA Senior Piano Duet team may not enter again with the same personnel.
• 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 and winners concerts 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.

Repertoire

• No changes in repertoire are allowed following submission of the registration.
• Repertoire must remain the same for all three levels of the competition (State, Division, National).
• All repertoire listed on the registration must be prepared at all levels 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. For every category, entrants can only enter 10 minutes over the maximum time allowed at the National Round.—NEW THIS YEAR!
Junior Performance time:
• State Competition:
• Maximum performance time: fifteen (15) minutes—NEW THIS YEAR!
• Division and National Competitions:
• Maximum performance time: twenty (20) minutes
Senior Performance time (see Brass and Voice below):
• State Competition:
• Maximum performance time: twenty (20) minutes—NEW THIS YEAR!
• Division and National Competitions:
• Maximum performance time: thirty (30) minutes
Young Artist Performance time (see Brass and Voice below):
• State Competition:
• Maximum performance time: twenty-five (25) minutes—NEW THIS YEAR!
• Division and National Competitions:
• Maximum performance time: forty (40) minutes
Brass and Voice Performance time:
• Senior Preliminary Round and Final Round at the National Competitions:
• Brass: Maximum performance time: thirty (30) minutes
• Voice: Maximum performance time: fifteen (15) minutes—NEW THIS YEAR!
• Young Artist Preliminary Round and Final Round at the National Competitions:
• Brass: Maximum performance time: forty (40) minutes
• Voice: Maximum performance time: twenty-five (25) minutes—NEW THIS YEAR!
• Additional 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 registration.
• Entrants and teachers should verify all repertoire listings after receiving the email confirmation following submission of the registration.

Competition Music

• By entering the competitions you agree to abide by all Federal Copyright Laws. Photocopies are strongly discouraged. Click here for the Music Release form that all entrants must agree to follow.
• LIVE state competitions (not applicable for video rounds):
  • All solo performance entrants must provide a single, legally obtained, score (original preferred) of each work listed on the registration for use by the judge(s).
  • Measures must be numbered at the beginning of each line.
  • Solo instrumentalists may submit either the solo part or the complete score.
  • Names on scores do not need to be covered.

Competition Procedure for All Categories

Performance procedures

• No minimum time limit.
• Programmed music may exceed maximum time limit. For every category, entrants can only enter 10 minutes over the maximum time allowed at the National Round.—NEW THIS YEAR!
• Performance will be stopped when maximum time is reached (does not affect results).
• Entrant chooses first selection; judges determine remaining order of performance.
• A portion of all repertoire submitted on the registration will be heard at every competition level.

Repertoire

• Questions concerning repertoire should be directed to the appropriate national coordinator (Junior, Senior, Young Artist, Chamber Music) prior to submission of registration.
• 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 accompaniment) parts of movements are allowed and encouraged.
• All repertoire must be performed with piano accompaniment except for works written specifically for unaccompanied solo instrument.
• Works written using supplemental sounds (not accompaniments), including those either electronically or acoustically produced or prerecorded, are not permitted.

Collaborative Pianists

• Live piano accompaniments are required for video competitions and live competitions.
• Teachers may accompany any entrant, including their own students.

MTNA Official Collaborative Pianists

• Official collaborative pianists are available only at the national level.
• Official collaborative pianist fees are non-refundable.
• Additional rehearsal time with an official collaborative pianist may not be contracted (see below).  

National Competition Collaborative Pianist Fees

Junior Competition Official Collaborative Pianist Fees:

• $115 for forty-five (45) minutes of rehearsal and competition performance

Senior Competition Official Collaborative Pianist Fees:

• Instrumental: $150 for sixty (60) minutes of rehearsal and competition performance.
• Voice: $100 for forty-five (45) minutes of rehearsal and competition performance.

Young Artist Competition Official Collaborative Pianist Fees:

• $200 for sixty (60) minutes of rehearsal and competition performance.

Competition Agreement

• Entrant, parents/guardians and teacher have read, understand and agree to the Guidelines for the 2025–2026 MTNA Competitions. Failure to abide by these rules and regulations will make the entrant ineligible to receive recognition or awards.
• Entrants under age 18 have parent/guardian permission to enter MTNA competitions.
• Credit card holder has authorized use to complete the registration.
• All entry fees are non-refundable.
• Entrant will abide by all copyright laws and has permission to use all music given to judges and accompanists during the competitions as outlined here.
• MTNA is not responsible for problems with Internet service or phones.