The East Carolina University
Young Artist Competition
for Pre-College Organists
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The East Carolina University Young Artist Competition for Pre-College Organists is an innovative outreach program designed to inspire young musicians in our region to strive for the highest level of musicianship and technical accomplishment in organ performance. The competition is open to any pre-college student in the United States. In addition to generous monetary prizes, the competitors will also compete for the two additional prizes in Hymn playing and Bach interpretation.
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Annual Organ Competition for Pre-College Organists
FEBRUARY 29-MARCH 2, 2024
For eligibility, repertoire, and application procedures, please visit music.ecu.edu/sacred-music-studies/competition/
FEBRUARY 29-MARCH 2, 2024
For eligibility, repertoire, and application procedures, please visit music.ecu.edu/sacred-music-studies/competition/
Competition Details
The organ competition will take place on the Perkins and Wells Memorial Organ, C.B. Fisk, Opus 126, at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, which borders the ECU campus. The competition will be staged in two rounds. From the recorded application round three finalists will be chosen to compete live. All three will receive prizes and will be considered for the two special prizes mentioned above: The Bach Prize and the Hymn-Playing Prize. Organists chosen for the Final Round arrive for practice on Thursday and/or Friday, and attend the 7:30 p.m. recital by the competition judge.
The competition will conclude with the awarding of prizes; however competitors are encouraged to remain in Greenville for the Sunday service at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church (10:30 a.m. Choral Eucharist) as well as Monday when they are invited to observe sacred music lessons and classes. Competitors are also welcome to have a free organ lesson to be scheduled at a convenient time during the weekend.
All recitals, masterclasses, and the competition itself are open to the public.
The competition will conclude with the awarding of prizes; however competitors are encouraged to remain in Greenville for the Sunday service at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church (10:30 a.m. Choral Eucharist) as well as Monday when they are invited to observe sacred music lessons and classes. Competitors are also welcome to have a free organ lesson to be scheduled at a convenient time during the weekend.
All recitals, masterclasses, and the competition itself are open to the public.
Official Rules
Young Artist Competition for Pre-College Organists
Eligibility: The competition is open to pre-college students between the ages of 13-18 who are residents of North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia, or Florida. Current students of the judges and previous first place winners are ineligible to compete.
Competitors must submit three copies of a recording (on a compact disc) postmarked no later than TBA of the following repertoire for solo organ. The recordings must contain no speaking, and each piece must be continuous and unedited; recordings must not be marked with the name of the competitor.
1. One work by Johann Sebastian Bach.
2. One piece composed between 1850-1950 in a Romantic style.
3. One piece composed after 1950 in a style contrasting with the second work.
Performance from memory is optional. Total performance time of the repertoire must not exceed forty (40) minutes.
Compositions to be performed at the final round are to be the same as those on the recording with the following addition: All finalists will be sent a competition hymn packet and should be ready to play an introduction and designated stanzas of all hymns contained therein. One hymn from this packet will be selected, and each finalist will be notified at their practice session of the hymn chosen to be played on the competition day.
Not more than three persons will be chosen for live competition. Each will receive an equal amount of practice the days before and of the competition. Teachers or other assistants provided by the competitor may help with registration choices and turn pages; however, each competitor must accomplish his or her own registration changes (i.e. piston changes) during the competition. Both the preliminary recorded round and final competition will be judged with complete anonymity and judges’ comments will be given to each competitor. Performers must use legal scores. The judge’s decision will be final. The competition will be open to the public.
Young Artist Competition for Pre-College Organists
Eligibility: The competition is open to pre-college students between the ages of 13-18 who are residents of North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia, or Florida. Current students of the judges and previous first place winners are ineligible to compete.
Competitors must submit three copies of a recording (on a compact disc) postmarked no later than TBA of the following repertoire for solo organ. The recordings must contain no speaking, and each piece must be continuous and unedited; recordings must not be marked with the name of the competitor.
1. One work by Johann Sebastian Bach.
2. One piece composed between 1850-1950 in a Romantic style.
3. One piece composed after 1950 in a style contrasting with the second work.
Performance from memory is optional. Total performance time of the repertoire must not exceed forty (40) minutes.
Compositions to be performed at the final round are to be the same as those on the recording with the following addition: All finalists will be sent a competition hymn packet and should be ready to play an introduction and designated stanzas of all hymns contained therein. One hymn from this packet will be selected, and each finalist will be notified at their practice session of the hymn chosen to be played on the competition day.
Not more than three persons will be chosen for live competition. Each will receive an equal amount of practice the days before and of the competition. Teachers or other assistants provided by the competitor may help with registration choices and turn pages; however, each competitor must accomplish his or her own registration changes (i.e. piston changes) during the competition. Both the preliminary recorded round and final competition will be judged with complete anonymity and judges’ comments will be given to each competitor. Performers must use legal scores. The judge’s decision will be final. The competition will be open to the public.
Prizes and Awards:
First prize: The Cathee Jean Huber Memorial Prize, sponsored by East Carolina Musical Arts Education Foundation. $1,500
Second Prize: The Fisk Prize, sponsored by C.B. Fisk, Inc., Organ builders. $750
Third prize: The American Guild of Organists Prize, sponsored by the Eastern Carolina Chapter of the AGO. $300
Special prizes: $100
The Bach Prize: recognizing the outstanding performance of a work by Johann Sebastian Bach
The Hymn Prize: recognizing the day’s most outstanding hymn playing
Audience Prize: recognizing the performance the audience enjoys the most.
First prize: The Cathee Jean Huber Memorial Prize, sponsored by East Carolina Musical Arts Education Foundation. $1,500
Second Prize: The Fisk Prize, sponsored by C.B. Fisk, Inc., Organ builders. $750
Third prize: The American Guild of Organists Prize, sponsored by the Eastern Carolina Chapter of the AGO. $300
Special prizes: $100
The Bach Prize: recognizing the outstanding performance of a work by Johann Sebastian Bach
The Hymn Prize: recognizing the day’s most outstanding hymn playing
Audience Prize: recognizing the performance the audience enjoys the most.