Student Competitions

Congratulations go to the following winners of the Mildred Freiberg Competition held on April 5, 2020. The competition was adjudicated by Evan Hirsch, Lois Shapiro and Esther Ning Yau.

1st Prize: Roxane Park, student of Mila Filatova
2nd Prize: Ben Wolfson, student of Natalia Harlap
3rd Prize: Emily Zhou, a student of Niva Fried

Honorable Mention: Richard Liu, student of Valerie Henkin
Honorable Mention: Ella Li, student of Veda Kogan
Honorable Mention: Anna Yang, student of Nilly Epstein Shilo

Sunday, April 5, 2020 (application deadline: March 5, 2020)

Open to students in grades 6, 7 and 8. Two entrants per teacher. Registration fee is $90.

Eligibility: entrant must have studied piano since September of the current academic year with a member of NEPTA in good standing (dues received by Sept 30th ) and must play in a recital of the current year as follows:

Grade 6: Junior II, Intermediate I or 20th/21st Century
Grade 7 and 8: Intermediate I, Intermediate II or 20th /21st Century

Competition playing time: 15 min.

Requirements: repertoire must be performed by memory and must include one work, or group of works from three of the following five periods (no concerti). One of these selections must be from either the Baroque or the Classical period:

1. Baroque (written before 1750)
2. Classical: the Classical period for these purposes is defined as a movement of sonata, a set of theme and variations, or a rondo by Haydn, Mozart, or Beethoven; or a sonata movement by Schubert. (Other works by Schubert should be considered for the Romantic period.)
3. Romantic
4. Impressionist
5. 20th/21st Century

First Prize: $150 – Second: $125 – Third: $100.

Congratulations go to the following winners of the Ruth Davidson Competition held on April 19, 2020. The competition was adjudicated by Leslie Amper, David Deveau and Alex Poliykov.

First Place: Elizabeth Zhang, student of Natalia Harlap
Second Place: Michael Karshis, student of Tanya Schwartzman
Third Place: Eric Zhang, student of Helena Vesterman

Honorable Mention: Gaeun Lee, student of Niva Fried
Honorable Mention: Justin Wang, student of Helena Vesterman

Sunday, April 19, 2020 (application deadline: March 21, 2020)

Open to students in grades 9 and 10. Two entrants per teacher. Registration fee is $110.

Eligibility: entrant must have studied since September of the current year with a NEPTA member in good standing (dues received by Sept. 30th) and is required to play in the Intermediate II, Senior, or 20th/21st Century recital.

Competition playing time: 20 min.

Requirements: repertoire must be performed by memory and must include one work, or group of works, from three of the following five periods (no concerti). One of these selections must be from either the Baroque or Classical period.

1. Baroque (written before 1750)
2. Classical: The Classical period for these purposes is defined as a movement of a sonata, a set of theme and variations, or a rondo by Haydn, Mozart, or Beethoven; or a sonata movement by Schubert. (Other works by Schubert should be considered for the Romantic period.)
3. Romantic
4. Impressionist
5. 20th/21st Century

One additional required work, selected by the “Post-1950 Repertoire” committee (memorization of this work is optional): Henri Lazarof’s Prelude no. 3. The score is in the public domain, and therefore available at no cost here.

First Prize: $200; Second: $175; Third: $150

Congratulations go to the following winners of the Alice Hamlet Competition held on April 19, 2020. The competition was adjudicated by Leslie Amper, David Deveau and Alex Poliykov.

First Place: Danika Dai , student of Nilly Epstein Shilo
Second Place: Charmaine Liu, student of Natalia Harlap
Third Place: Emma Illidge, student of Niva Fried

Honorable Mention: Alyssa Guo, student of Faina Kofman
Honorable Mention: Meghan Tan, student of Natalia Harlap

Sunday, April 19, 2020 (application deadline: March 21, 2020)

Open to students in grades 11 and 12. Two entrants per teacher. Registration fee is $110.

Eligibility: entrant must have studied since September of the current year with a NEPTA member in good standing (dues received by Sept. 30th) and is required to play in the Intermediate II, Senior or 20th/21st Century recital.

Competition playing time: 20 min.

Requirements: repertoire must be performed by memory and must include one work, or group of works from three of the following five periods (no concerti). One of these selections must be from either the Baroque or Classical period:

1. Baroque (written before 1750)
2. Classical: The Classical period for these purposes is defined as a movement of a sonata, a set of theme and variations, or a rondo by Haydn, Mozart, or Beethoven; or a sonata movement by Schubert. (Other works by Schubert should be considered for the Romantic period.)
3. Romantic
4. Impressionist
5. 20th/21st Century

One additional required work, selected by the “Post-1950 Repertoire” committee (memorization of this work is optional): James Romig “Transparencies” is available here. “Transparencies” may be purchased individually ($15) or as part of a collection of three pieces (“Transparencies,” “Plastic Structures,” “A Single Generous Totality”) offered to NEPTA competition students and offered at a discounted price of $20 (for all three).  To purchase the collection, type “NEPTA Collection” into the “Which score(s) would you like to purchase” field on the website.

First Prize: $250; Second: $225; Third: $200

Please note: PREVIOUS FIRST PLACE WINNERS ARE INELIGIBLE FOR THE SAME COMPETITION.

$100 for the best performance of the required contemporary piece in the Ruth Davidson Competition.
$150 for the best performance of the required contemporary piece in the Alice Hamlet Competition

Ruth Davidson: Justin Wang, student of Helena Vesterman
Alice Hamlet: Jessie Liu, student of Faina Kofman

Ruth Davidson Competition: Elizabeth Zhang, student of Natalia Harlap