Solo Competition
Midwest Harp Festival offers a solo competition for all levels. You do not have to be a festival participant to register. Simply choose the “Competition Only” option on our registration form.
Competition
Tuesday, July 16th, 1:00-5:30pm,
Ozinga Chapel Auditorium
Winners Recital
Tuesday, July 16th, 7:30pm,
Ozinga Chapel Auditorium
First and Second Place winners perform at the Winners Recital.
Winners must perform to receive their award, and Honorable Mentions must be present at the concert to receive their certificates. Non-winning competitors are expected to attend the recital to show good sportsmanship and to support those who have won.
Our Divisions
Novice
- For Festival Registrants - this division is for those playing lever or pedal harp in the Largo Ensemble, Entry Fee: $20
- For Non-Festival Registrants - this division is for those up to age 12 or Adult Beginner Level, Entry Fee: $40
- 1st Place Prize - $100
- 2nd Place Prize - $50
- Required Piece - El Número Uno – Jane Weidensaul from First-Grade Pieces for Harp by Marcel Grandjany & Jane Weidensaul
Intermediate I
- For Festival Registrants - this division is for those playing lever or pedal harp in the Largo or Allegro Ensemble, Entry Fee: $25
- For Non-Festival Registrants - This division is for those up to age 16 or Adult Beginner/Early Intermediate Level, Entry Fee: $50
- 1st Place Prize - $150
- 2nd Place Prize - $75
- Required Piece - Pastorale – Marcel Grandjany
Intermediate II
- For Festival Registrants - this division is for those playing pedal harp in the Allegro or Vivace Ensemble, Entry Fee: $30
- For Non-Festival Registrants - this division is for those up to age 18 or Adult Intermediate Level, Entry Fee: $60
- 1st Place Prize - $200
- 2nd Place Prize - $100
- Required Piece - Giga – Arcangelo Corelli/Carlos Salzedo from Solos for the Harp Player by Lucile Lawrence
Advanced I
- For Festival Registrants -this division is for those playing pedal harp in the Allegro or Vivace Ensemble, Entry Fee: $40
- For Non-Festival Registrants - this division is for those age 14 to Adult Non-Professional / Early Advanced Level, Entry Fee: $80
- 1st Place Prize - $300
- 2nd Place Prize - $150
- Required Piece - Impromptu-Caprice Op. 9 – Gabriel Pierné
Advanced II
- For Festival Registrants - this division is for those playing pedal harp in the Vivace Ensemble, Entry Fee: $45
- For Non-Festival Registrants - this division is for those age 16 to Adult Non-Professional / Advanced Level, Entry Fee: $90
- 1st Place Prize - $400
- 2nd Place Prize - $200
- Required Piece - Sarabanda e Toccata – Nino Rota
Solo Competition Guidelines
- Competition: Tuesday, July 16th, 1:00-5:30pm, Ozinga Chapel Auditorium
- Winners Recital: Tuesday, July 16th, 7:30pm, Ozinga Chapel Auditorium
- First and Second Place - Winners perform at the Winners Recital. Winners must perform to receive their award, and Honorable Mentions must be present at the concert to receive their certificates. Non-winning competitors are expected to attend the recital to show good sportsmanship and to support those who have won.
- Competitors may only compete in ONE division.
- Harpists who have won First Place in a particular division in any year(s) previous MUST compete in the next highest level.
- 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 the stage.
Stage Presence & Etiquette
Monday, July 16 3:45-4:45pm
- All full-time registrants participating in the competition are required to attend the Stage Presence and Etiquette workshop on Monday afternoon. Those competitors that are not registered for the festival full-time are encouraged to attend at no additional charge. Solo Competition participants will have an opportunity to play parts of their competition piece in the competition venue. They will learn how to approach the harp and practice bowing and exiting the stage.
- All pieces must be memorized.
- Judged by Dr. Charles W. Lynch III, Elizabeth Richter, and Faye Seeman. Substitutes may be present.
- Harpists found to have chosen a repertoire selection below their level of competency will be disqualified by the judges.
Harps
Shared harps will be provided for the competition. Be sure to specify lever harp, semi-grand, or concert grand harp on the registration form so we may provide a similar harp for your use. Rehearsal time on the harp will be limited. Please arrive to the competition already warmed up if possible.
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
- You should number the measures of your music at the beginning of each line. You do not need to number each actual measure.
- You must have the original printed music to hand to the judges. No other copies are necessary.
Scoring
- Each judge critiques 10 different qualities of the performance: dynamics, phrasing, rhythm, note accuracy, tempo, tone, technique, memory, appropriateness of repertoire, and stage presence. 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
- The judges’ decisions are final.
- The winners will be 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. Small children should be left at home.
- Starting in 2019, the judging will be blind. Even though our judges will be behind a curtain, competitors will still be visible to audience members.
- Each competitor will receive comment sheets after the competition. Festival registrants will receive their comments when they leave the festival on Saturday. Competitors not otherwise registered for the festival will receive their comments after the recital Tuesday evening.