Thank you for your interest in the 2025 Des Moines Area Piano Festival, a professionally-adjudicated performance opportunity for students in a friendly, welcoming environment. Learn more at
dsmpianofestival.com.
ABOUT THE FESTIVAL:
This year's Festival will be held 1 p.m. on Sunday, February 23, 2025 at the Salisbury House & Gardens (4025 Tonawanda Drive, Des Moines IA 50312). Pianists in grades K-12 from the Des Moines metro area (Des Moines and all surrounding suburbs) are invited to participate. 2025 participants will be capped at 54. Once again, the Victor Borge Legacy Award Competition will be held in conjunction with the Des Moines Area Piano Festival (see information in the registration form below). In the case of inclement weather, the Festival may switch to a virtual platform.
APPROXIMATE SCHEDULE:
1-3:15 p.m.: Auditions (including Victor Borge Legacy Award auditions)
3:30-4 p.m.: Seminar by Dr. Mei-Hsuan Huang
4-4:30 p.m.: Seminar by Dr. Marion Scott
4:30 p.m.: Announcement of the winners of the Victor Borge Legacy Award
ENTRANCE:
The registration fee is $40 per student, which includes an audition on a Steinway piano, adjudication scoring and a participation ribbon, and access to the seminars by professional adjudicators (see schedule above). Once you have submitted this registration form, you will be taken to a confirmation form with a link to pay for the $40 registration fee via PayPal (payment link:
tinyurl.com/DSMPianoFestival). The registration form and payment must be received by 11:59 p.m. on Friday, February 14 before a student is registered to participate in the 2025 Des Moines Area Piano Festival and/or the Victor Borge Legacy Award Competition. Participants will be notified of their audition time by 11:59 p.m. on Monday, February 17. All performance times are final and no refunds will be offered.
AUDITION INFORMATION:
Please arrive early for your assigned audition time and enter and exit quietly to respect fellow participants. You are welcome to stay and listen to others' auditions. All are encouraged to stay for the seminars (see schedule above). All entrants should bring their score (with measures numbered) to the audition.
MEMORIZATION:
Memorization is required for participants in the Victor Borge Legacy Award Competition, as winners must perform memorized in a future winners' recital and memorization is a critical component of professional piano careers.
Memorization is not required for the regular division of the Festival, although it will be part of the adjudication criteria. Entrants that do not memorize their pieces should still bring a score with numbered measures to the audition.
ADJUDICATION CRITERIA & EVALUATION
All participants will be evaluated by a professional adjudicator and will receive a rating, comments and a participation ribbon corresponding to their score. Each student will begin with a technical exercise (below) and then perform a piece that showcases the student's current playing level. Each audition is a maximum of five minutes total per student (including technique, for the regular and Victor Borge divisions). Memorization is not required for the regular division, although memorization is part of the adjudication criteria. Memorization is required for both the technical and repertoire components of the Victor Borge portion. The rating and comments will be sent to the student's instructor shortly after the Festival. The 2025 adjudication criteria may be viewed at
dsmpianofestival.com.
TECHNICAL EXERCISE REQUIREMENTS:
Please consult with your student's instructor regarding your student's current playing level. Scales and cadence patterns are to be memorized and in the key of the memorized audition piece. The audition will progress in the following order: scale, cadence pattern, audition piece.
Beginner: Play a one-octave scale and a I-V7-I cadence pattern with both hands (chords may be simplified).
Intermediate: Play a two-octave scale and a I-IV-I-V7-I cadence pattern with both hands.
Advanced: Play a four-octave scale and a I-IV-I-V7-I cadence pattern with both hands.
VICTOR BORGE LEGACY AWARD COMPETITION:
Please see form below.
QUESTIONS:
Please learn more at
mobilemusiclessons.com/des-moines-area-piano-festival or email Des Moines Area Piano Festival Director Sophia S. Ahmad at
sophia@mobilemusiclessons.com with any additional questions.
