PRIZES
Prize amounts may increase or decrease contingent on fund-raising.
Any repertory for one or two pianos is allowed (including movements of sonatas, suites or concertos) in each category, unless otherwise indicated.
REPERTORY EXCELLENCE AWARDS
• BEST PERFORMANCE OF A PRE-BAROQUE, BAROQUE WORK OR CLASSICAL PERIOD WORK
Prize: $100 educational and explanatory information
• BEST PERFORMANCE OF A ROMANTIC PERIOD WORK
Prize: $100 educational and explanatory information
• BEST PERFORMANCE OF AN IMPRESSIONISTIC OR CONTEMPORARY WORK (IN ANY STYLE)
Prize: $100 educational and explanatory information
• THE EVELYN BILLBERG AWARD FOR BEST PERFORMANCE OF A COMPOSITION IN ANY STYLE BY A FEMALE COMPOSER
Prize: $100 educational and explanatory information
• BEST PERFORMANCE OF A LYRICAL AND PREDOMINANTLY SLOW WORK
Prize: $100 educational and explanatory information
• THE GRAND JUNCTION MUSIC TEACHERS ASSOCIATION AWARD FOR THE BEST GRAND JUNCTION PIANIST STUDYING WITH A GJMTA MEMBER
Prize: $100 educational and explanatory information
• THE J.B. HART MUSIC AWARD FOR BEST MESA COUNTY (CO) PIANIST
Prize: $100 educational and explanatory information
• THE ESTHER BOELTER AWARD FOR BEST COLORADO PIANIST
Prize: $100 educational and explanatory information
CREATIVE PIANIST AWARDS
• MOST VERSATILE PIANIST
Prize: $100 educational and explanatory information
• BEST DEMONSTRATION OF EMBELLISHING AND/OR IMPROVISING IN A CLASSICAL WORK (an appropriate Baroque, Classic or Romantic period work, or Neo-Classical contemporary work) OR A CONCERTO MOVEMENT FEATURING THE PERFORMER'S OWN ORIGINAL CADENZA(S) AND/OR LEAD-IN(S)
Prize: $100 educational and explanatory information
• BEST DEMONSTRATION OF SPONTANEITY AND/OR IMPROVISATION IN A JAZZ, POP, GOSPEL OR RAG STYLE WORK
Prize: $100 educational and explanatory information
• THE JENNY AND BIJAN HOULE AWARD FOR BEST PERFORMANCE OF A COWBOY JAZZ SELECTION
Prize: $100 educational and explanatory information
• THE SUSAN TORGRUDE AWARD FOR BEST PERFORMANCE OF AN ORIGINAL COMPOSITION BY THE CONTESTANT
Prize: $100 educational and explanatory information
• BEST PERFORMANCE OF A TASTEFUL TRANSCRIPTION OR ARRANGEMENT (IN ANY STYLE, ORIGINAL OR NOT) FOR PIANO SOLO, DUET OR TWO PIANOS
Prize: $100 educational and explanatory information
• BEST DEMONSTRATIONS OF PROFICIENCY ON A DIGITAL PIANO (contingent on sponsorship, prizes TBA)
We do not yet have a prize for this category. However, two pianos will be on stage throughout the festival - an acoustic grand and a digital keyboard. Students may play on either the Yamaha grand piano or Dr. Houle's CVP-400 digital piano (or both, in the case of concertos or two-piano repertory). Students who opt for the digital piano are encouraged (but not required) to use any of the many creative features (e.g., voices and accompaniments) in their digital piano performance, especially if they are performing popular music, jazz, original compositions, etc.
Students who are unfamiliar with digital pianos are invited to browse at J.B. Hart Music and/or try out Dr. Houle's CVP-400 in advance of their adjudication (please contact Dr. Houle regarding this.)
Judges have discretion to award more than one first prize (and/or more than one honorable mention) to the same student.
Judges are not obligated to award a prize in every category. In the event that a certain prize category is not awarded, judges may (to compensate) award two first prizes in a different prize category.
Prizes not already earmarked for Colorado residents may, at the discretion of the judges, be split two ways -- half for a Colorado resident and half for a non-Colorado resident.
HONORABLE MENTION AWARDS
Each category may have one or more HONORABLE MENTION prizes at the discretion of the judges. Judges may award up to a total of 12 honorable mention prizes. (This number will not be exceeded except under extraordinary circumstances.)