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Pine Tree Music Competition and Evaluations

​The Pine Tree Music Competition is a biennial event organized for piano and string students in Maine. It is a state level event that is designed to encourage Maine music students to work toward their highest potential by recognizing and rewarding their excellence in musical performance. ​It includes a non-competitive Evaluation Program for students who want to work toward a goal, but who may not be ready or willing to participate in a competition.

​Date

To be determined

 

Location

​To be determined

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Purpose

To offer piano and string students of Maine a state-level competition that will encourage them to work toward their highest potential by recognizing and rewarding their excellence in musical performance.

 

Eligibility

All piano and string students of Maine. Any non-MaineMTA teachers will be assessed a $50.00 fee to register their student(s).

 

NEW 4-Hand Piano Division

For Junior and Senior ages only. Duet partners would prepare the same repertoire requirements as the solo division for their age group. Memorization would be optional. Students could choose between evaluation or competition.

 

Evaluation Option

For those students not interested in competing, we offer an evaluation-only option. These students will perform live on the same day and location as the competition, but their performance is not open to the public. Repertoire requirements are the same as the competitive format but memorization is optional. 

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Divisions

  • Early Elementary (through grade 3)

  • Late Elementary (grades 4-6)

  • Junior (grades 7-9)

  • Senior (grades 10-12)

 

Competition Awards

Monetary awards will be awarded based on sponsorship.

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Fees

To be determined

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Registration

Applications are to be completed by the teacher via Google Forms.  An email will be sent to the membership when registration opens on Feb. 1, 2025. Members and non-members can check on the MaineMTA website for updated registration information.

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Deadlines

To be determined

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Important Competition Information

Please read the following section carefully before applying:  

  • Students must bring original music to the competition, photocopies are not allowed. Printed music that is purchased online or legally downloaded is allowed.   

  • Any names or other identification marks on the music should be covered for the purpose of anonymity.

  • Judges reserve the right to hear only a portion of the program prepared.

  • First, second and third place winners may be chosen and will be announced on the day of.

  • Judges’ decisions are final.

  • Winners will be invited to perform on the day of.

  • All awards will be judged upon the day’s performance only.  Judges’ comments will be provided to individual entrants following the competition.

  • By submitting students to the competition, teachers are committing to volunteer in some capacity on the competition day.  All participating teachers will be assigned a task.

 

Repertoire Requirement Notes

  • Solo Divisions: All pieces should be original to their instrument–no arrangements.

  • Piano Duet Division: 4-hand/one piano only.  Pieces for 2 pianos will not be allowed.  Arrangements are acceptable.

  • Ragtime is acceptable as a 20th/21st Century piece.

  • No pieces written for prepared piano.

  • No fiddle music for the strings division.

  • Strings should have a live piano accompanist for at least one of their pieces.

 

Repertoire Requirements (Piano & Strings)

Early Elementary Division - Competitors (through 3rd grade) will be required to perform, from memory, two contrasting pieces (not to exceed 5 min):  one composition from either the Baroque, Classical, or Romantic/Impressionistic period and one from the 20th/21st Century.

 

Late Elementary Division - Competitors (grades 4-6) will be required to perform, from memory, three contrasting pieces (not to exceed 9 min):  two compositions from two different periods, Baroque, Classical, or Romantic/Impressionistic period and one from the 20th/21st Century.

 

Junior Division - Competitors (grades 7-9) will be required to perform, from memory, three contrasting pieces (not to exceed 14 min):  two compositions from two different periods, Baroque, Classical, or Romantic/Impressionistic period and one from the 20th/21st Century.

 

Senior Division - Competitors (grades 10-12) will be required to perform, from memory, three contrasting pieces (not to exceed 18 min):  two compositions from two different periods, Baroque, Classical, or Romantic/Impressionistic period and one from the 20th/21st Century.

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