Solo Competition

2025 Solo Competition

Registration will be open January 27th – May 1st.

Please note we are no longer offering a pre-recorded option. All participants must compete in person.

Competition

Tuesday, June 10th, 1-5pm

Optional Stage Practice Tuesday, June 10th, 10:45am-noon

Winners' Recital

Tuesday, June 10th, 7pm

First and Second Place recipients perform at the Winners’ Recital.

First and Second Place winners in each division must be available to perform in the Winners’ Recital to receive their award. Honorable Mention winners will receive their certificates on stage during the Winners’ Recital.

2025 Repertoire

Novice

  • For Festival Registrants - this division is for those playing lever or pedal harp in the Largo Ensemble, Entry Fee: $25
  • For Non-Festival Registrants - this division is for beginner pedal or lever harpists, Entry Fee: $50
  • 1st Place Prize - $100
  • 2nd Place Prize - $50
  • Required Piece - Reverie – Marcel Grandjany From “Trois Petite Pieces”

Intermediate I

  • For Festival Registrants - this division is for those playing lever or pedal harp in the Largo or Allegro Ensemble, Entry Fee: $30
  • For Non-Festival Registrants - this division is for beginner/early intermediate lever or pedal harpists, Entry Fee: $60
  • 1st Place Prize - $150
  • 2nd Place Prize - $75
  • Required Piece - Dance of the Night – Meg Robinson

Intermediate II

  • For Festival Registrants - this division is for those playing pedal harp in the Allegro or Vivace Ensemble, Entry Fee: $35
  • For Non-Festival Registrants - this division is for intermediate pedal harpists, Entry Fee: $70
  • 1st Place Prize - $200
  • 2nd Place Prize - $100
  • Required Piece - Six Noëls, Op. 32 – Marcel Tournier Movements I, II, and III only

Advanced I

  • For Festival Registrants - this division is for those playing pedal harp in the Allegro or Vivace Ensemble, Entry Fee: $45
  • For Non-Festival Registrants - this division is for early advanced pedal harpists, Entry Fee: $90
  • 1st Place Prize - $300
  • 2nd Place Prize - $150
  • Required Piece - Pavane et Bransles – Anthoine Francisque, Trans. Marcel Grandjany From “Music for the Harp”

Advanced II

  • For Festival Registrants - this division is for those playing pedal harp in the Vivace Ensemble, Entry Fee: $50
  • For Non-Festival Registrants - this division is for advanced pedal harpists, Entry Fee: $100
  • 1st Place Prize - $400
  • 2nd Place Prize - $200
  • Required Piece - Variations on a Theme in the Ancient Style – Carlos Salzedo
    *With the cut notated at the end of Variation VIII

Solo Competition Guidelines

  • Competition: Tuesday, June 10th, 1-5pm
  • Winners' Recital: Tuesday, June 10th, 7pm
  • First and Second Place Winners in each division must be available to perform in the Winners' Recital to receive their award. Honorable Mention winners will receive their certificates on stage during the Winners' Recital.
  • Competitors may only compete in ONE division.
  • Harpists who have previously won First Place in a particular division MUST compete in a higher level.
  • Harpists found to have chosen a repertoire selection below their level of competency will be disqualified by the judges.
  • The competition is judged blind.
  • Non-professional harpists of any age are allowed to compete.
    A professional musician is one who plays an instrument or several instruments proficiently; performing is their primary source of income. (taken from liveabout.com)
  • Undergraduate and graduate students are welcome to register.
  • Plan to be as prepared as possible BEFORE arriving to the festival. Other than the Stage Presence & Etiquette workshop, there will not be an opportunity for you to rehearse on stage.
  • The winners are posted during any breaks and at the end of the competition.
  • The competition is open to the public. Anyone can sit in the audience to observe without disturbance.
  • Each competitor receives comment sheets after the competition.

Stage Practice and Warm-Up

- Tuesday, June 10th, 10:45am-noon
- Solo Competition participants will have an opportunity to play parts of their competition piece in the competition venue.
- Participants will practice entering, bowing, and exiting the stage.
- A warm-up time and performance time will be assigned the week before the event.

Dress

- Semi-formal to formal stage dress is appropriate.

- If you are wearing a skirt or dress, please make sure it hits below the knees. If there is a slit, it should also stop below the knees.

- We recommend practicing in your competition outfit (that includes shoes!) so you are at ease when you compete.

Music

- Music must be performed from memory.
- You must have the original printed music to hand to the judges. No other copies are necessary. If you bought the music online, please bring proof of purchase.
- Number the measures of your music at the beginning of each line. You do not need to number each actual measure.

Harps

- Shared harps will be provided for the competition.
- Be sure to specify lever, semi-grand, or concert grand harp on the registration form so we may make every effort to provide a similar harp for your use.
- Your assigned warm-up time will be on the same harp you use for the competition.

Scoring

- Each judge critiques 10 different qualities of the performance: dynamics, rhythm, note accuracy, etc. A maximum of 100 points is given by each of the 3 judges.
- Competition winners are determined by the total cumulative points (300 maximum) given by all 3 judges. It is possible that not all winning levels will be represented if none of the contestants achieve enough points.
Points needed to achieve placement for each level:
- First Place 270 – 300 points
- Second Place 240 – 269 points
- Third Place 210 – 239 points
- Judged by Midwest Harp Festival faculty. Substitutes may be present.
- The judges' decisions are final.