AKTA 2023
In-person and/or Virtual
Piano Adjudications
These adjudications are available only to current
AMTA/AKTA Members
In-Person Adjudications
Jamila Hla Shwe, Adjudicator
About our 2023 In-Person Adjudications:
IN-PERSON ADJUDICATIONS NOVEMBER 10-11: We have asked Jamila Hla Schwe from Fairbanks to serve as our adjudicator. She adjudicated for the Anchorage teachers in 2016 and 2010. (See attached bio). We hope this will encourage more teachers to take advantage of this valuable educational experience.
Jamila will be available both Friday and Saturday from 9:00-5:00. All adjudications will be held at St. John United Methodist Church – 1801 O’Malley Road.
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Dates and Registration Information for In-Person Adjudications
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Registration forms are due by October 20, 2023
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To help with the scheduling, list your preference of Friday or Saturday and morning or afternoon. Let us know if you have no preference, too.
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To register click on this link:
ABOUT IN-PERSON ADJUDICATIONS: Teachers purchase blocks of time:
1. Early Elementary through Elementary (15 minutes/$25)
2. Late Elementary through Intermediate (25 minutes/$35)
3. Late Intermediate through Advanced (35 minutes/$45)
During their adjudication time the students perform 2 pieces of contrasting style for an adjudicator to hear and write comments about. One piece should be “recital-ready” and memorized, while the other piece should have all the notes and rhythms learned, but can be "in progress" and needing additional refinement. The adjudicator works with the student at the piano during this mini-lesson and parents and interested parties are welcome to attend. Teachers may want to group their early beginners (E1 and E2) in more of a class-like arrangement and these students only play one piece. All students receive a ribbon for participation. Adjudicators are chosen for their teaching skills, their musical and pianistic knowledge, and their ability to work with students in a positive and constructive manner.
ABOUT JAMILA HLA SHWE: Jamila grew up in Czechoslovakia, where she graduated from the Prague Conservatory of Music with a degree in PianoPerformance. After graduating she worked at the National Theatre Opera and the State Opera as rehearsal pianist and vocal coach. In 1994 she moved toFairbanks, where she received aPearl Boyd Fellowship to study at UAF and get her Master's degree. While a graduate student, she was a Teaching Assistant and after graduating she continued at UAF as an adjunct facultybeing a staff accompanist and teaching Class Piano, Functional Piano and Private Lessons, while also maintaining a private studio. Mrs. Hla Shwe has performed as a soloist and a collaborative pianist in Europe (Czechoslovakia, Hungary, former Yugoslavia, Greece, Italy, Bulgaria, Austria, France, Spain, Germany, Belgium), Zimbabwe, South Africa, Malaysia and the US. She also made solo recordings for the Czech Radio and Sri Lanka Radio. Besides teaching, she has been working with opera companies as vocal coach, rehearsal pianist and chorus master. She worked withAnchorage Opera, Opera Fairbanks, Juneau Lyric Opera, Opera toGo, Orpheus Project, Pacific Northwest Opera, Teatro Lirico'Europa and Varna International Music Academy and Festival. Mrs. Hla Shwe also worked at Ravinia Festival as rehearsal pianist and assistant to the conductors with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.
Locally she has been working with the Fairbanks Suzuki Institute, Summer Fine Arts Camp, Fairbanks Summer Arts Festival and Solo&Ensemble.
She is very excited to return as an AKTA adjudicator this November.
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Virtual Adjudications
Adjudicator, To Be Announced
About our 2023 Virtual Adjudications:
VIRTUAL ADJUDICATIONS: As we did last year, students will create videos of their performances which will then be sent to our adjudicator, who will then provide written comments.
MORE ABOUT VIRTURAL ADJUDICATIONS:
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Dates and Registration Information for Virtual Adjudications
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Registration forms are due by October 20, 2023.
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To register click on this link:
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Videos, PDFs of scores, and printed programs due Saturday, November 11th
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Attach videos to an email to pianoakta@gmail.com
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FEES: Calculate the number of students in each of the following levels and submit with registration.
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Early Elementary through Elementary = $25
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Late Elementary through Intermediate = $35
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Late Intermediate through Advanced = $45
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Optional 15-minute Teacher Conference = $15
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REQUIREMENTS:
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Students prepare and video TWO pieces. One piece can be “in progress” with notes and rhythms learned but in need of additional refinement, while the other should be memorized and recital ready.
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Measures should be numbered at the beginning of each system.
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Further instructions regarding the videos, the programs, and the scores will be emailed once registration and fees have been submitted.
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To avoid any copyright issues, participating students will need an original score or, if the music is a purchased download, the “authorized for use” should be visible on both the PDF that goes to our adjudicator and in the student’s video.
IMSLP scores that are in the Public Domain are allowed.
In case you are wondering about copyright law regarding the sharing of PDF’s of music, we received the following clarification from MTNA:
It is legally acceptable to send a PDF to a judge if:
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The student owns a legitimate print or digital copy, and
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The PDF scan is used only for the judge’s adjudication and is subsequently deleted.
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At no point should the PDF be distributed to any other individuals.
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We are extremely excited to offer this opportunity to students across the State and hope you will make AKTA/AMTA Adjudications a part of your 2023-2024 teaching year. Contact us if you have further questions.
