Competition and Festival

Deborah Kahan Competition

CONNECTICUT STATE MUSIC TEACHERS ASSOCIATION

FAIRFIELD CHAPTER

42nd Deborah Kahan Competition and Festival Audition

January 2027 (tentative)

Application deadline: TBD

Video submission deadline: TBD

Winner's announcement: TBD

Winner's recital: TBD

Competition Location: TBD

This season, the Competition and Festival will be combined into one event!

The 'Competition' is geared towards students who play at a high standard. Winners receive a cash prize

The 'Festival' is geared towards students who are able to prepare for an evaluated audition. Students are individually evaluated and do not compete against each other.

Deborah Kahan Competition

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 2024 and before, or ‘first place winner’ in 2025 & 2026, 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

Festival Audition

1. The goal of this festival is to provide recognition to motivated students who can prepare for an evaluated audition and are confident enough to perform in public. It is open to students of voice, piano, and all other instruments. Piano duos (one piano, 4-hands) are also permitted.

2. Three categories of awards will be given: Medal (1st), Blue ribbon (2nd), and Red ribbon (3rd). Students will be evaluated on their individual merits, and should not be considered to be competing directly against each other.

3. For non-members, there is a one-time registration fee of $50 to participate. (This in a one-time fee, regardless of how many students a teacher enters.)

4. The application fee (separate from the non-members’ registration fee) is $45 per student for CSMTA Fairfield Chapter teachers, $55 for non-members.

6. Both the application fee and the registration fee should be combined in one check and made payable to Fairfield Chapter, CSMTA (Memo: 2026 Chapter Festival). There is no limit to the number of applicants per teacher.

7. All selections must be memorized (with the optional exception of piano-4-hands). Students may perform one piece, or a collection of short pieces, but the duration of any performance must fall within the following time limits. If a performance exceeds the stated time limit, the participant will be stopped, without penalty. All participants must bring copies of their music for the judge’s use during evaluation.

The three age categories and their time limits are as follows:
a) age through 9: 4 minutes

b) ages 10-12: 7 minutes
c) age 13 and up: 8 minutes

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.

To download the application form, click below: