CONNECTICUT STATE MUSIC TEACHERS  ASSOCIATION 

FAIRFIELD CHAPTER

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41st Deborah Kahan Competition

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Application deadline: Monday,  January 5th

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Video submission deadline : Thursday, January 15th

Winner's announcement: Thursday, February 5th 

 

Winner's recital: TBD

Competition Location:

Online
 

Winners Circle Concert:  Steinway Greenwich (tentative)

 

Eligibility​

Eligibility​

Piano, violin, viola, cello, double bass, guitar; soloists, duos, or any combination of piano and strings.  Students must be between the ages of 6 and 18.
 

Contestants who have been chosen as ‘winner’ in the years 2023 and before, or ‘first place winner’ in 2024 & 2025, two or more times are not eligible to compete.
 

Repertoire​

Age 12 and over: Students may play any number of pieces they wish, as long as performances finish within the time limit.

Age 11 and under: Two standard repertoire pieces, contrasting in period and style.

Arrangements, transcriptions, abridgments, simplified versions, hymns, and popular folk songs are not permitted.

Concerto repertoire is accepted for piano students. (Students must bring an accompanist.)

Original compositions by applicants, or jazz are accepted.

 

Length, Time Limit 

        Age 6-7      6 minutes

               8-9      7 minutes

               10-11   8 minutes

               12-13   9 minutes

               14-15  10 minutes

               16-18  11 minutes

Please observe the strict time limit.  Entrants who ignore the time limit will be disqualified.

 

Prizes 

• Certificate

• Trophy

• Cash awards:  Judges' Special Award— $30, one each for piano and strings;  Deborah Kahan Memorial Award— $50,  Dorothy Grimm Award— $50 for piano

 

Application Procedures

Applications are accepted from teachers only.  Parents may not send applications.  Applications should include the following: 

1. Completed application forms (teacher's name, address, phone, email address, student’s name, age, birth date, piece titles, composer’s name with first initial, duration of each piece) 

2. Proof of birth (a copy of passport or birth certificate) 

3. Non-refundable fees (one check, written by the teacher, paid to CSMTA Fairfield, or Venmo (@fccmta)

 

Mailing Address  

    Kumiko Imamura, 10 Willard Road Unit 150, Norwalk, CT 06861

• Send above three to above address

• Send above 1 & 2 to deborahkahancompetition@gmail.com and the fee to Venmo(@fccmta)

 

Application Fee

     CSMTA Fairfield Chapter members:  solo performances, $50 per student.  Duet performances, $75.  Trio, $100.

     For members of any other chapters of CSMTA or MTNA, fees are the same as for Fairfield Chapter members.

     Non-members:  solo performances, $60 per student,  plus an additional teacher entrance fee of $60.  (Duet:  $90; trio $120.)

     

      All checks must be made payable to CSMTA Fairfield chapter. Fees are non-refundable.

 

Audition Procedure

1. Teachers will receive confirmation mail.

2. Youtube link with private setting –sent to deborahkahancompetition@gmail.com by January 15th.

3. Confirmation mail for receipt of youtube link will be sent to each teacher.

4. Winners are determined by the judges and announced on February 5th.

5. Judges’ decision is final.

 

About Video 

Recordings must follow the standard guidelines: no editing, and use a single fixed camera angle that clearly shows the performer’s hands and feet. 
 

Exceptional Efforts

Students with learning or medical challenges, such as ADHD, dyslexia, autism, or similar circumstances, are welcome to indicate this on the application form. This information will be kept strictly confidential, but may be shared with judges to help ensure fairness and understanding in the evaluation process. In doing so, we also wish to recognize and honor the tremendous efforts of parents who support their children in continuing their music studies.