Mozart - Piano Sonata No. 16 in C Major

Student Activities

STUDENT of the MONTH gives well-prepared students the opportunity to perform at selected PPTA meetings. Student must play at or above Evaluation Level 6, Jr. Festival Medium or Elementary Competition Level. "Student of the month" forms will need to be completed and sent to the chairman one month prior to the performance date. All music must be memorized. Time limit, 5 minutes. No fee. Certificates of participation. Contact Chairperson Andrea Doyle addoyle21@comcast.net at least one month prior to the performance date to register.

BORDERS BENEFIT DAYS RECITAL Students perform for patrons in five Pittsburgh area Borders Book Stores during an October weekend. This is the 12th annual fund raiser for the PPTA College Scholarship Program. The event also is our PPTA Music Advocacy Program which brings music to the community, and may also be used by the students as a Community Service project. By using the special Border coupons, patrons may receive discount on purchases, and a percentage of sales will benefit our college fund. Join over 35 PPTA teachers and their students in performing in a relaxed atmosphere. Donation of $3 per student to participate. Roland digital pianos are provided by the Trombino Piano Gallerie. Contact Chairperson Phyllis Chvostal ivycat@consolidated.net

Download the application
(requires Adobe Acrobat Reader)

Borders Benefit Days are a collaborative effort with

PPTA, Borders & Trombino Piano Galleries

GREAT PERFORMERS SERIES (GPS) - PPTA Student Recitals - (Chair: Andrea Doyle) for Students and Teachers. Provides an opportunity for all levels of students to present well-prepared piano selections for their families, peers and teachers. Teachers are also invited to perform.  Recitals will be held on Sunday, November 14, 2010 and April 3, 2011 at 3:00pm at a South Hills location with one piano available.  The November recital will celebrate our focus on American Music Month.  A North Hillsrecital will be held on Sunday, March 13,  2011 at 3:00pm in Fellowship Hall at Christ Church with two pianos available (if enough requests for duos).  Solos should be memorized but ensembles may use music.  All performers receive programs and will receive keepsake certificates.  Please contact the Chairperson for any information and to enter students as performers.  Teachers may enter approximately six students (or approximately six minutes of overall performing time).  Contact Chairperson Andrea Doyle addoyle21@verizon.net for details. No fee.

Great Performers Series Recitals are Sponsored by Modern Piano

EVALUATIONS (Chair: Lee Kikuchi) provide a valuable teaching guide for teachers and students. The Evaluation materials are included in the membership packet received when joining PPTA. Teachers are encouraged to enter school-age as well as adult students. All students receive recognition for their involvement each year. Students of all ages and levels are tested in Theory, Technique, Ear Training, Transposition, and Performance. Make-up test requires a resubmission of the enrollment fee to the teacher who administers the test. Entry fees based on levels: A,B,C — $7; Levels 1 to 4 — $8; Levels 5 & 6 — $9.00; Levels 7 & 8 — $10; and Levels 9 to 11 — $11.00. Students participating in only ONE section (levels 2 & up) pay ½ fee PLUS $1.50. (Contact chairman or the website for details and enrollment forms.)

Contact Chairperson Lee Kikuchi LWKikuchi@aol.com for details. [evaluation info, evaluation form, rating form (requires Adobe Acrobat Reader)]

COMPOSING CONTEST (Chairman: Marge Lucko) is open to students through 12th grade, with four divisions based on grade. No limit on number of students per teacher. One composition per student. Students are to play their own winning compositions and shall also recieve their monetary awards and certificates at the general meeting in February. In the event of absences, only 1st place winning compositions may be performed by a substitute. No tapes or recordings are permitted. (Be sure to obtain the current enrollment form! Contact the chairman or the website.) Entry fee: $5 per composition.

Download the application and rules
(requires Adobe Acrobat Reader)

Chairperson: Marge Lucko, 12 Foxford Ct., Gibsonia, PA 15044

Winners will be notified the evening of the competition.

All Competition awards will be made at the discretion of the judge(s).

The judges' decision is final and may not be challenged by teacher, entrants, parents or guardians.

Performance Competitions

SUMMER MUSIC CAMP SCHOLARSHIP COMPETITION (Chairman: Sandy Misera) for students grades 7 - 12. The rules for this competition have changed! If you have any questions contact the chairman directly. Playing requirements are: 1) One movement of a Sonatina/ Sonata at the level of the student. 2) One contrasting piece of the student's choice from any of: Standard repertoire, Festival Bulletin Level Elementary Class III or above, or PPTA Syllabus Level 6 or above. Both pieces must be performed from memory. In addition to performance, the student must submit an essay of 500 words or less telling why he/she would like to attend camp and describing the type of camp. The total award prize is $300 toward a summer camp. The winner will perform at the September meeting. Based on performance and the essay, the judges will choose a winner and a runner up who will receive the award if the winner fails to attend camp. The award is sent directly to the camp. The deadline for application is a postmark of March 15. Entry fee: $20.

Chairperson: Sandy Misera, 103 Misera Lane, Tarentum, PA 15084.

Download the Camp Scholarship Application
(requires Adobe Acrobat Reader)

Camp Scholarship Competition is Underwritten by

Johnstonbaugh's Music Centers

SOLO PERFORMANCE COMPETITIONS (Coordinating Chairman: Phyllis Kiser) are held in four categories based on grade. Students must perform both solo pieces by memory. Monetary awards and certificates are given to 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners. Honorable Mention may also be awarded. First place winner in each division performs at the May general meeting. First place winner may not compete again at the same level, and must progress to the next higher level of competition the following year. First place winners at the Senior level are ineligible to compete again. Deadline for applications in all levels is a postmark date of March 15. There will be no exceptions. Teachers (not parents or students) must submit the applications, which are available on the web-site, at general meetings, from competition chairmen, or as inserts in the yearbook or Keynotes. See individual descriptions below for required repertoire, specific contact person (for each level), dates and location of competition, fees, and award amounts. All fees are non-refundable.

Winners of all solo competitions will be notified the evening of the competition. All competition awards will be made at the discretion of the judge(s). Judges' decision is final and may not be challenged by teacher, entrants, parents or guardians.

Coordinating Chairperson: Phyllis Kiser, 501 Center Church Rd., McMurray, PA 15317

Download the Solo Application Form

Download samples of the first line of each solo competition piece

(requires Adobe Acrobat Reader)

Send completed applications for performance competitions to individual chairpersons listed below.

Solo Performance Competitions are Underwritten by

Trombino Piano Gallerie

PRIMARY SOLO PERFORMANCE COMPETITION (Chairman: Linda Cordle) is for students preschool through grade 3. Deadline is a postmark of March 15. One entrant per teacher. Previous First Place winner must progress to Elementary Competition. Certificates and monetary awards ($50, $25, and $15) Entry fee: $10

2011 Primary Solo Performance Selections:

1. "Minuet in F Major" by W. A. Mozart (Please take the repeat.), Irl Allison Piano Library. $3.95. (also in many other collections).

2. "Song of the Dark Woods" by Elie Siegmeister, Contemporary Piano Literature, Book 2. $5.95. Also in Piano Literature Book 1 published by FJH.

ELEMENTARY SOLO PERFORMANCE COMPETITION (Chairman: Becky Hartglass) is for students grades 4, 5, and 6. Deadline is a postmark of March 15. One entrant per teacher. Previous First Place winner must progress to Junior Competition. Certificates and monetary awards ($100, $50, and $25) Entry fee: $15

2011 Elementary Solo Performance Selections:

1. "Sonatina in C Major, Op. 36, No. 3" by Clementi (1st movement ONLY, no repeats), Bastien Piano Literature, Vol. 3, Kjos. $6.95. (also in many other collections)

2. "Cavalry Gallop for Children's Pieces, Op. 27, No. 29 " by Kabalevsky, Thirty Children's Pieces, Kjos. $4.95.

Chairperson: Becky Hartglass, 3040 Earlsmere Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15216

JUNIOR SOLO PERFORMANCE COMPETITION (Chairman: Amy Simpson) is for students in grades 7, 8, and 9. Deadline is a postmark of March 15. One entrant per teacher. Previous First Place winner must progress to Senior Competition. Certificates and monetary awards ($150, $75, and $50) Entry fee: $20

2011 Junior Solo Performance Selections:
1. "Sonata in E minor, K. 198, L. 22", by Scarlatti, Sixteen Sonatas by Scarlatti, Ricordi. $13.95. (or any standard edition)

2. "Waltz in B minor, Op. 62, No. 2", by Chopin, Complete Chopin Waltzes, Alfred and other standard editions.

Chairperson: Amy Simpson, 3439 MacIntyre Dr., Murrysville, PA 15668

SENIOR SOLO PERFORMANCE COMPETITION (Chairman: Sr. Carole Riley) is for students in grades 10, 11, and 12. Deadline is a postmark of March 15. Teachers may enter up to 3 students in this category. Monetary awards ($200, $125, and $75) and certificates. Previous winner is not eligible. Entry fee: $25

2011 Senior Solo Performance Selections:
1. "Sonata in B-flat Major, K. 570" (First mvmt only), by Mozart, Henle Ed., $8.95 or any standard edition.

2. "Sonatine" (First mvmt only), by Maurice Ravel, Alfred Ed., $6.95 or any standard edition.

Chairman: Sr. Carole Riley, Duquesne Univ., Pittsburgh, PA 15219

DUET PERFORMANCE COMPETITIONS (Chairman: Roberta Negri-Albert) The duet competitions are held in four categories based on grade level: Primary Duet Performance (grades 1-3); Elementary Duet Performance (grades 4-6); Junior Duet Performance (grades 7-9); and Senior Duet Performance (grades 10-12). Teams of different ages must compete in the category applicable to the older student. Duets may be performed with music and page turns must done by the students or a page turner (not parent or teacher). Certificates and monetary awards. Previous First Place winners must move up to the next level of Competition. First Place winners at the Senior Level are ineligible. Limit of 10 teams per category. Teachers may enter more than one team and duet partners may be sponsored by different PPTA member teachers. Deadline for all categories is a postmark of March 15. Entry fees: Primary: $20/team; Elementary: $30/team; Junior: $40/team; Senior:$50/team. Awards: Senior Junior Elementary Primary

Download the Duet Application Form
(requires Adobe Acrobat Reader)

Duet Competitions are Underwritten by

Trombino Piano Gallerie

Winners of the duet competitions will be notified the evening of the competition. All competition awards will be made at the discretion of the judge(s).  The judge reserves the right to choose no winner if he/she feels that no one is qualified. Judges decision is final and may not be challenged by teacher, entrants, parents or guardian.

2011 Primary Duet Performance Selections:

1. "Happy Happy Dance" by David Karp, Willis Music Co. $1.95.

2. "March in Cyberspace" by Dennis Alexander, The Alfred Duet Series. $2.95.

2011 Elementary Duet Performance Selections:

1. "Allegro (from Duettino in C)" by Muzio Clementi, Myklas Music.$3.95.

2. "Windrider" by Melody Bober, The FJH Company. $2.95..

2011 Junior Duet Performance Selections:

1. "Valse Caprice" by Dennis Alexander, The Alfred Signature Series. $3.95.

2. "Bolero, Op. 12, No. 5" Spanish Dances by Moskowski, Schirmer Vol. 255. $8.95.

2011 Senior Duet Performance Selections:

1. "Hungary (Rapsodie Mignonne), Op. 410" by Carl Koelling, $4.50.

2. "Symphony V, Op. 67 Allegro con Brio" by Beethoven, Schirmer. $10.95.

Chairperson: Roberta Negri-Albert, 1146 Arrowood Dr., Pittsburgh, PA, 15243