2026 Solo Competition
Registration will be open January 26th – May 1st.
Competition
Tuesday, June 9th, 1-5pm
Optional Stage Practice Tuesday, June 9th, 10:45am-noon
Winners' Recital
Tuesday, June 9th, 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.
2026 Repertoire
Novice
- Lever or Pedal Harp
-
Entry Fee
$25 for Festival Registrants
$50 for Solo Competition Only -
Cash Prize
1st Place - $100
2nd Place - $50 - Required Piece - Petite Berceuse – Alphonse Hasselmans
Intermediate I
- Lever or Pedal Harp
-
Entry Fee
$30 for Festival Registrants
$60 for Solo Competition Only -
Cash Prize
1st Place - $150
2nd Place - $75 - Required Piece - Tango – Carlos Salzedo From "Suite of Eight Dances"
Intermediate II
- Pedal Harp
-
Entry Fee
$35 for Festival Registrants
$70 for Solo Competition Only -
Cash Prize
1st Place - $200
2nd Place - $100 - Required Piece - Automne – Marcel Grandjany
Advanced I
- Pedal Harp
-
Entry Fee
$45 for Festival Registrants
$90 for Solo Competition Only -
Cash Prize
1st Place - $300
2nd Place - $150 - Required Piece - Concerto in Bb – George Frideric Handel, First movement only
Advanced II
- Pedal Harp
-
Entry Fee
$50 for Festival Registrants
$100 for Solo Competition Only -
Cash Prize
1st Place - $400
2nd Place - $200 - Required Piece - Sarabanda e Toccata – Nino Rota
Solo Competition Guidelines
- Competition: Tuesday, June 9th, 1-5pm
-
Winners' Recital: Tuesday, June 9th, 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 9th, 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.