GMTA Local Auditions

Chair: Debra Hughes, NCTM
Date: February 17, 2024
Location: Piano Works
Online Registration Deadline: Online only, by January 15, 2024

Order Lunch

Please click here to order lunch. Teachers, send payment to Kathy Dawal. Please check your email for further information. Lunch order deadline: February 14, 2024.
Gwinnett County Local Auditions Lunch Order

What is Local Auditions?

GMTA holds an annual music competition (State Auditions) to recognize the top students in various instrumental disciplines for school grades 4th-12th. This is a competitive event with high performance and literature levels. There are so very many pianists that enter necessitating two preliminary competitions for the Pre-College piano event. Local Auditions (grades 4-11) is the first preliminary step toward proceeding onto the state level competition. The second preliminary is Regional Auditions, an online adjudication of the student’s recorded performance.

The Local Audition is an opportunity for all piano students (only grades 4-11) to perform music per literature requirements (see below) and to be evaluated by a qualified judge. It allows the student to be critiqued, as well as, be encouraged. We ask the judges to give comments and advice so students can learn how students might improve their musical pursuit. Additionally, Local Auditions might offer the opportunity for further competition at Regional and State levels.

NOTE: Grade 12 students can enter the State Auditions without competing in Local or Regional Auditions. Grade 12 students are required to take the GATE if not exempt and are able to take GATE with at Local Auditions. The deadline for registration for State Auditions and GATE for grade 12 students is the same as the Local Audition’s deadline.

Information

1. The Local Auditions will be held on February 17, 2024, at Piano Works, 2805 Buford Highway, Duluth, Georgia.
2. For information regarding GCMTA’s Local Auditions, contact Debra Hughes at 770-401-1978 or bndhughes@comcast.net
3. Additional information: go to georgiamta.org Go to Student Activities, then to Piano and click on Pre-College Piano
4. Students and parents who have additional questions can contact their individual teacher for further information. Only GCMTA teachers are to contact the Chair of Local Auditions for more information.
5. All students will receive a certificate and a comment sheet. Students will be adjudicated only with their grade level peers and will receive “Outstanding Performer,”(OP) “Award of Excellence,”(AE) or “Honorable Mention.” (HM)
6. The students who are designated “Outstanding Performer”(OP) will be eligible to move on to compete at the Regional Auditions on a date March 22, 2024. The students who are designated “Outstanding Performer Regionals” (OPR) will be eligible to submit a video recording of their performance by March 22, to compete at Regional Auditions, providing they also pass the Gate or GMTA theory test, as well.

Registration

1. All registration for Local Auditions is done by teachers online at the Georgia MTA website: georgiamta.org. Click on Login and scroll to Audition Registrations. Member teachers will receive information from GMTA via email regarding their registration.
2. Registration will close January 15, 2024 for Local Auditions. THIS DEADLINE IS STRICTLY ENFORCED. The GMTA website can not receive any late registrations. It is strongly recommended to do registration as early as possible.
3. When registering student literature, please refrain from using special cases and symbols for the composers names and titles of the pieces (e.g., umlaut and quotation mark) and be careful to check that all spelling is accurate.
4. All students who apply for the Local Auditions, must also apply for and take the GATE (Georgia Auditions Theory Exams) tests unless exempt. * The tests will be given on the day of the Local Auditions. Registration is online at GMTA website. Note: Theory is a separate registration from Auditions registration. Please go to Georgia MTA website to obtain more information on the GATE tests.

Eligibility

1. Students in grades 4 through 11 may enter GCMTA’s Local Audition.
2. Teachers eligible to enter students in the GCMTA Local Audition event must:
   A.. …work the day of the Local Audition. No substitutions will be permitted.
   B. …have current paid GCMTA member dues by the application deadline of January 15, 2024.
   C. …have paid all appropriate fees for Local Auditions.

Registration Fees

1. Registration must take place online at the GMTA website: www.georgiamta.org.
2. The fee for students of member teachers is $25.00 per student entered. The nonmember application fee is $75.00 per student, with a onetime nonmember teacher fee of $35.00.
3. Fees will be paid either online or by check.
4. If paying by check, checks must be received by January 15, 2024 to:

   Mandy Reynolds, Executive Director
   1794 Lake Heights Circle
   Dacula, GA 30019
   Phone: 770-945-7504
   Email: georgiamta@gmail.com

5. You will receive the schedule and other needful information by e-mail.

Literature Requirements

1. For grades 4 through 12 two pieces written for piano are required. One piece must be from the Baroque or Classical Period (through Beethoven). The second piece must be from the Romantic, Impressionistic or Contemporary Period. NOTE: Contemporary pedagogical repertoire is considered Contemporary regardless of style. Refer to Section C under Pre-College Piano at www.GeorgiaMTA.org for more details.

• Memorization of all pieces is required. PHOTOCOPIES OF LITERATURE ARE PROHIBITED
• Scores from free online music or public domain sites are NOT permitted for GMTA Auditions.

Rules and Procedures

1. Students are to arrive 20 minutes before performance to check in.
2. Students must provide the judge with one copy of original printed music, with all the measures numbered. Names of teacher and student are to be deleted from the scores and books. PHOTOCOPIES ARE PROHIBITED
3. Auditions are closed – no spectators allowed.
4. Teachers, students, and parents must not in any way identify themselves to the judge, nor converse with the judge before or during the audition or at any time in regards to any student performances.
5. Decision of the judge is final and cannot be questioned by the contestant, teacher, or parent.
6. The number of entrants who may advance to the in-state audition will be based upon the number of entrants at the Local level.
7. Teachers of students participating are required to work the day of the Local Audition. Teachers entering 1-5 students must work ½ day. Teachers entering 6 or more students must work all day. Substitutes will not be accepted. The students of teachers that don’t work the day of the audition will be disqualified from OP status and will get comments only.

**Outstanding Performers Will Proceed To Regional Auditions

NOTE: Regional Auditions will be held via VIDEO SUBMISSION only.

1. The Regional/State audition entry fee is $30.00 and the Gwinnett County fee is $20. There is a one time GMTA teacher’s fee of $20.00. The Regional/State Audition fee for nonmembers is $42.00 per student plus a one time teacher fee for $30.00.
2. Teachers must pay the Gwinnett County fee for OP winners on the day of local auditions at the registration desk. Teachers are responsible for collecting the Gwinnett County fees from their students proceeding to Regional Auditions and must be prepared to leave A SINGLE CHECK payable to GCMTA.

   NO CASH WILL BE ACCEPTED UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES. FAILURE TO COMPLY WILL RESULT IN YOUR STUDENT
   BEING DISQUALIFIED TO AUDITION AT THE REGIONAL/STATE LEVEL.

3. All students must perform the same pieces at the Regional and State Auditions that were performed and adjudicated at the Local Auditions. Regional Auditions will be held by Video Submissions only and all Outstanding Performers of Regionals will proceed to State Auditions to be held on April 13, 2024 at Piedmont University. For further information, please refer to the State website – www.georgiaMTA.org.
4. Teachers will receive further information via email from GMTA.