NAMTA Performance Auditions
Audition Details:​
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Event: March 8, 2025
Belmont University
The Honors Recital will be held at:
Lipscomb University, Date TBD
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Entry Deadline: January 31, 2025
Application Deadline:
NAMTA members must have their MTNA membership number available to access the application form. If your MTNA/TMTA/NAMTA membership is not current, you will not be able to access the application form. Non-MTNA/TMTA/NAMTA members may participate in the Performance Auditions. However the application fee for non-members is $100.00 for each student entered. To participate as a non-member, please contact either Sarah Barham (piano) or Dana Meyer (strings).
Click to fill out the online application in our Member Resources area
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Teachers are responsible for notifying their students and accompanists (if applicable) of the audition schedule.
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Payment Deadline:
Fee: The fee is $25 for all solo entries and $10 for each performer in an ensemble. Non-NAMTA students are $100 per student.
Teachers should pay online by adding the total amount of registrations needed to their cart from our Registration Page.
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Guidelines and General Information
An important aspect of musicianship is the opportunity for students of members and non-members to enter auditions and competitions.
NAMTA has three categories in which students enter auditions: Elementary (Grades K-5), Junior (Grades 6-8), and Senior (Grades 9-12).
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NAMTA Performance Auditions follow the TMTA state guidelines to provide a number of benefits. These include:
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Worthwhile goals for teachers.
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Goals and opportunities for students.
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Constructive criticism to students and teachers.
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A purposeful program to develop musicianship and performance skills.
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Opportunities for achieving the highest possible standards in the art of musical instruction and performance.
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If you are a new MTNA/TMTA/NAMTA member and have not received a hard copy of the TMTA Musicianship Manual, you can get a copy here or by contacting Barbara Hildebrand. There is a charge for the hard copy: $15.00, plus $8.50 shipping. Scores for musicianship exams will not be accepted after the deadline for the Performance Audition Application.
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APPLICATION AND REGISTRATION FEES
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Please submit all applications online. If this is not possible, please contact president.namta@gmail.com
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Indicate Musicianship Level by Numbers 1-8 and test scores in percentages. (DO NOT USE ROMAN NUMERALS!)
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Under repertoire, include opus numbers, names of movements and Musical Period.(Repertoire must use three of the five musical periods.)
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Application deadlines and performance audition dates will be strictly followed. TMTA allows students to enter auditions at another location if there is a conflict.
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To receive a record of your Performance Audition Applications, click here.
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Click to fill out online application in our Member Resources area.
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Performance Requirements:
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PIANO SOLO AUDITIONS- LOCAL LEVEL
1. Students from kindergarten through high school may enter the solo auditions according to their grade in school at the time of the local auditions.
2. Adult and Collegiate students may enter local auditions for comments if they choose, but their competitions officially begin and end at the state level in the fall.
3. Repertoire should be chosen according to the student’s ability and should be representative of three stylistic periods.
4. Evaluations will be based on the quality of the performance, not the difficulty of the music.
5. The local auditions chair should be consulted if there is doubt about acceptable repertoire.
REQUIREMENTS
1. Students must perform a minimum of three pieces representing three of the following periods:
1. Baroque 2. Classical 3. Romantic 4. Impressionistic 5. Modern 6. Contemporary
2. Memorization is required except for avant-garde works written after 1950. The student will bring two published copies of the non-memorized music to be performed. Compositions written for prepared piano are not permitted.
3. Maximum performance times:
Grades K-5: 10 minutes
Grades 6-8: 15 minutes
Grades 9-12: 20 minutes
Adult: 30 minutes
Collegiate: 30 minutes
4. TMTA Musicianship Tests:
Grades K-2: Exempt
Grades 3-12: Students must select four tests, levels to be determined individually.
Adult: Exempt
Collegiate: Exempt
PIANO ENSEMBLE AUDITIONS- LOCAL LEVEL
1. All students are eligible for the Piano Ensemble auditions.
2. This category includes various configurations of students up to and including 2 pianos, 8 hands.
3. Adult and Collegiate students may enter local auditions for comments if they choose, but their competitions officially begin and end at the state level in the fall.
4. Performance is the only requirement.
5. Memorization is not required.
6. Students enter at the higher (highest) grade level represented, not necessarily the grade level of the older (oldest) student.
7. Each ensemble will receive a critique, and each participant will receive a certificate.
REQUIREMENTS
1. Elementary and Junior students must perform a minimum of two pieces representing two of the following periods:
1. Baroque 2. Classical 3. Romantic. 4. Impressionistic 5. Modern 6. Contemporary
2. Senior, Adult and Collegiate students must perform a minimum of three pieces representing three of the above periods.
3. Transcriptions and arrangements will be allowed as acceptable literature.
4. Maximum performance times:
Grades K-5: 10 minutes
Grades 6-8: 15 minutes
Grades 9-12: 20 minutes
Adult: 30 minutes
Collegiate: 30 minutes
5. TMTA Musicianship Tests: All are exempt.
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INSTRUMENTAL SOLO AUDITIONS- LOCAL LEVEL
1. Students from kindergarten through high school may enter the solo auditions according to their grade in school at the time of the local auditions.
2. Adult and Collegiate students may enter local auditions for comments if they choose, but their competitions officially begin and end at the state level in the fall.
3. Repertoire should be chosen according to the student’s ability and should fulfill the following requirements.
4. Evaluations will be based on the quality of the performance, not the difficulty of the music.
5. The local auditions chair should be consulted if there is doubt about acceptable repertoire.
REQUIREMENTS
1. Students in grades K-5 must perform a minimum of two pieces in contrasting styles by two different composers.
2. One piece must be memorized.
3. Students in grades 6-12, adults and collegiate students must perform a minimum of three pieces, representing three of the following periods:
1. Baroque 2. Classical 3. Romantic. 4. Impressionistic 5. Modern 6. Contemporary
4. One of the pieces must be memorized.
5. Maximum performance times:
Grades K-5: 10 minutes
Grades 6-8: 15 minutes
Grades 9-12: 20 minutes
Adult: 30 minutes
Collegiate: 30 minutes
6. TMTA Musicianship Tests:
Grades K-2: Exempt
Grades 3-12: Students must select three tests, levels to be determined individually.
Adult: Exempt
Collegiate: Exempt
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INSTRUMENTAL ENSEMBLE AUDITIONS- LOCAL LEVEL
1. All students are eligible for the Instrumental Ensemble auditions.
2. Instrumental ensembles may be two or more performers with one player on each part, i.e. duets, trios, quartets, quintets, etc.
3. Adult and Collegiate students may enter local auditions for comments if they choose, but their competitions officially begin and end at the state level in the fall.
4. Performance is the only requirement.
5. Memorization is not required.
6. Students enter at the higher (highest) grade level represented, not necessarily the grade level of the older (oldest) student.
7. Each ensemble will receive a critique, and each participant will receive a certificate.
REQUIREMENTS
1. Students in grades K-5 must perform a minimum of two pieces in contrasting styles by two different composers.
2. Students in grades 6-8 must perform a minimum of two pieces from two of the following periods:
1. Baroque 2. Classical 3. Romantic. 4. Impressionistic 5. Modern 6. Contemporary
3. Students in grades 9-12, adult and collegiate students must perform a minimum of three contrasting pieces representing 2 of the above periods.
4. Transcriptions will be allowed as acceptable literature for ensembles.
5. Maximum performance times:
Grades K-5: 10 minutes
Grades 6-8: 15 minutes
Grades 9-12: 20 minutes
Adult: 30 minutes
Collegiate: 30 minutes
6. TMTA Musicianship Tests: All are exempt.