Sonata Festival

May 17, 2025

| $24

DATE AND PLACE

Festival:  May 17, 2025
Honors Recital:  May 18, 2025

George Mason University
4400 University Drive
Fairfax, VA  22030

Registered participating teachers will receive detailed instructions regarding student information and teacher work hours.  

DEADLINES

Registration Deadline:  April 10, 2025
All fees are paid online by this date.

FEE

$24.00.  All fees are nonrefundable.  Non-NVMTA members have to pay the $50 fee (per student per event) plus registration fee.

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

  1. Please register at new.mtfest.com
  2. Pay fee online through new.mtfest.com   Click on Billing, then click on the $ next to the event.  Pay with Visa or Mastercard.  After payment is made, you may print a copy of the invoice for your records.  You do not need to mail anything to the Chair.

CHAIR

Greg Genter

CO-CHAIRS

Jeri Bennett

LEVELS AND TIME LIMITS

Elementary, e.g., simple Sonatinas = 4 minutes

Intermediate, e.g., Clementi/Kuhlau Sonatinas = 7 minutes

Advanced, e.g., Beethoven/Mozart/Haydn Sonatas =10 minutes

REPERTOIRE REQUIREMENTS

Sonata/Sonatina movements may be by the same composer or by different composers.  Students must enter two contrasting movements:  EITHER contrasting tempos (i.e. one slow, one fast) OR contrasting time periods (Baroque/Classical/Romantic/Contemporary).  For purposes of this event, Allegretto is considered “fast”, and Moderato is considered “slow”.  Beethoven’s “Moonlight” Sonata, for example, movements 2 and 3 would not qualify due to similar tempi.

 In a two-movement Sonata/Sonatina, however, movements with similar tempi are acceptable.  Teachers must indicate in their application that the entrant’s repertoire is a “two movement sonata or sonatina”.  A Minuet is acceptable if it is a movement of a sonata and if it has a contrasting tempo and style from the other movement that is selected (i.e., one Allegretto, one Adagio).  A Theme and Variations movement is not acceptable for this festival.  Please note that students will be stopped at the time limit and should plan any cuts so that a substantial portion of both movements is heard by the judges.

All music must be performed from memory.  Entrant will abide by all copyright laws and has permission to use all music given to judges and accompanists during all events as outlined here.

ELIGIBILITY

For solo piano only —no piano duets.  Any student wishing to carry over participating years from previous Sonata/Sonatina Festivals may do so.

TEACHER GUIDELINES

Teachers who enroll 1 to 10 students are obligated to judge for 3 to 4 hours; teachers who enroll 11 to 20 students are obligated to judge for 6 to 8 hours.  Teachers must be available to help in other capacities at the discretion of the chair.

Teachers must agree to abide by the Teacher Responsibilities.

AWARDS

Each participant receives a trophy.  Trophies get larger with each year of participation.  Judges may choose students to advance to the Second Round based on students’ performances.  Students who advance to the Second Round will receive a ribbon and the opportunity to play for Second Round judges who select students for the Honors Recital.