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Piano Festival

The WSU Piano Festival, held Saturday, April 5, 2025, celebrates the art of piano playing and provides an educational experience and development of young pianistic talent. Open to budding and pre-professional pianists grades 1-12, contestants perform in front of our renowned, award-winning guest faculty, interact with fellow students and current collegiate pianists of Weber State University and have the chance to win prizes as well as mentorship opportunities with professional artist-faculty.

Registration fee is $25. You will need to pay for registration when signing up online.

All applications are due by March 15, 2025, including Online Division participants. For the Online Division, you must email Youtube video links and PDF scores to wsupianofestival@weber.edu by March 26, 2025.

All questions should be emailed to wsupianofestival@weber.edu.

Register for the Festival

Pay for the Festival

Eligibility and Requirements

The festival is open to students in grades 1-12. First-place winners from previous years must compete at a higher level. Past first-place winners in the grade 10-12 divisions are not eligible to compete.

Participants must perform their pieces from memory, except for the Duet Division. Unaccompanied concerto movements are permitted. Original scores must be given to the judges. Printed scores, including IMSLP copies, are acceptable. Participants may compete in up to two divisions, but must use different repertoire.

Schedule

Saturday, April 5, 2025

8 a.m. – 1 p.m

Student Competitions
Browning Center Rooms 113 and 136

10 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Carnival Games and Prizes
Browning Center Room 318

2:30 p.m

Awards Ceremony and Honors Recital
Browning Center Room 136

Festival competition times will be drawn at random. Special time requests will not be considered. Schedule is subject to change.

Festival winners will be announced at the Awards Ceremony, and first-place winners will perform following the announcement. Please indicate the performer's availability on the registration form. For participants who compete in person at WSU, winners' medals, certificates and comment sheets will not be mailed.

Performance Divisions and Rules

Regular Division

Grades 1-12

Participants performing in one of the following divisions must perform two contrasting classical pieces (no popular music) from memory. Unaccompanied concerto movements are permitted.

Time allotments:

  • Grades 1-3: up to 3 minutes
  • Grades 4-6: up to 5 minutes
  • Grades 7-9: up to 8 minutes
  • Grades 10-12: up to 10 minutes

Mini-Artist Division

Grades 1-6

Participants must perform one complete piece (no excerpts) from memory. Judge’s decisions will emphasize the quality of the performance, rather than the difficulty of the work.

Time allotments:

  • Grades 1-3: up to 3 minutes
  • Grades 4-6: up to 5 minutes

Bach and Sonatina Division

Grades 1-12

Participants must perform either one memorized work by J.S. Bach or one movement of a Classical Sonatina.

Time allotments:

  • Grades 1-3, 4-6: up to 5 minutes
  • Grades 7-9, 10-12: up to 7 minutes

Duet Division

Grades 1-12

Participants entering the duet division must play two contrasting pieces for one piano four hands. Duets requiring two pianos are not permitted. Memorization is not required.

Time allotments:

  • Grades 1-3, 4-6: up to 8 minutes
  • Grades 7-9, 10-12: up to 10 minutes

Online Division

Grades 1-12

This division takes place entirely online. Participants must perform two contrasting classical pieces from memory and email YouTube video links and PDF scores to wsupianofestival@weber.edu by March 26.

Time allotments: 

  • Grades 1-3, 4-6, 7-9, 10-12: up to 10 minutes

Department of Performing Arts

801-626-6437


Val A. Browning Center
Weber State University
3950 W. Campus Dr.
Ogden, UT, 84408-1905