Competition Rules and Policies

Students should be registered in the district to which their teacher belongs. See the MMTA districts by county in the MMTA District Auditions page.

Audition time limits apply for both District and State Auditions. If the program exceeds the time frame, it may be interrupted. Final discretion as to the exact amount of performance time allowed lies with the adjudicator(s) in consultation with competition officials. It is recommended that in choosing repertoire, competitors adhere closely to audition times so that judges can hear most, if not all, of the student’s program.

All vocal music must be memorized. All piano solos must be memorized except for 20th Century avant-garde piano compositions. Memorization of music for brass, classical guitar, percussion, strings and woodwinds is optional. All chamber music ensembles may use music.

Concertos are not allowed in piano auditions; however, concertos are allowed in the brass, percussion, string, and woodwind auditions.

Sets of variations or a single movement from a multi-movement sonata or sonatina may be used as one of the compositions.

Transcriptions and arrangements, including those from method books, are acceptable.

Repertoire may not be changed following submission of application. Pre-College students who advance to state auditions must perform the same repertoire as their district audition.

Students are to provide a reasonably clean copy of the music for the adjudicator with measures numbered. Pertinent names (teacher, student, school names) must be removed or concealed.

All entrants and accompanists must abide by the federal copyright law in providing scores used by the performer, accompanist, and/or adjudicator.

Teachers from neighboring states of Missouri may enter their students into Missouri’s competition. If they do, students are not allowed to also participate in their home state’s competition.