2023

 Anchorage Keyboard Teachers Association

 Ribbon Festival

 

Saturday, April 15, 2023

(9:00-6:00 time may be adjusted due to enrollment)

St. John United Methodist Church

1801 O'Malley Road, Anchorage, AK

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Welcome to the Anchorage Keyboard Teachers Association’s (AKTA) Ribbon Festival!

 

Rules and Guidelines 

Masks and social distancing are voluntary

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Recitals: This year all recitals will be videotaped and sent to an outside adjudicator for comments.

Each student must perform at least one piece but no more than six pieces in order to participate in the  Festival. These may include:

• One solo piece

• One student composition: Students may perform their own original composition.

• Duets/Ensembles: Teams of two or more performers, including at least one pianist (piano 4- or 6-  hands, or piano with one or more other instrument(s)/voice). Each team may play no more than two pieces.

• Students should perform duets with other students rather than their teachers. If necessary, a teacher may play with their primer level students only.

• All solo music is to be memorized. Adjudicators will only comment on a performance if complete    music is provided, and solos and solo compositions are memorized.

• Students who perform their own compositions must provide the adjudicator with either a hand written or a typeset copy of the music.

• A separate original score from each duet team, ensemble, or soloist must be provided for the adjudicator. Please have measures numbered. A copied page may be attached to a legal edition of the music to facilitate a page turn.

• When submitting repertoire, you will be asked to give the approximate level of the piece. (Primer/Elementary/Intermediate/Advanced)

• The adjudicator comments will be available to teachers a week after the festival.

• NOTE:  Teachers living outside the Anchorage area (on the Kenai Peninsula or in Fairbanks) may submit a video of their student's performance, along with a PDF of their music.  Send the files to AKTA, pianoakta@gmail.com

 

New this year:  Theory Testing

This link will give you all the information about levels.  

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Those participating in the theory testing will receive a certificate of completion as well as a beautiful rosetta ribbon valued at 5 ribbons.

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Games/Activities:

Student performers may participate in scale testing, sight-reading, and theory games throughout the day. Scales may include up to 15 major and 15 harmonic minor scales at their level (5-note, 1 octave, or 2+ octaves, or a combination of two consecutive scale levels with standard fingering). Allow at least two hours to try all the games!

 

Ribbons:

Each student will receive five ribbons for each piece performed. Students receive one ribbon for each completed scale, each sight-reading level, and each game level they complete. There are 3 levels of difficulty for each of the following – flashcards, notes, key signatures, and music terms. Sight-reading includes 15 levels. Those participating in the theory testing will receive a certificate of completion as well as a beautiful rosetta ribbon valued at 5 ribbons.

 

Teacher Involvement:

• Teachers (with 1 or 2 students entered) are required to volunteer 2 or 3 hours during the day of the Festival.  This is necessary in order to assure optimal student/teacher ratios and create an exciting educational experience for all involved.

• Teachers (with 3 or more students entered) are required to be present and help with the Festival for the entire day (9:00 a.m. to no later than 6:00 p.m.). This is necessary in order to assure optimal student/teacher ratios and create an exciting educational experience for all involved.

• Due to the need for teachers to assist with games, etc., it is likely teachers will not be available to listen to their student’s performances.

 

Registration:

• Registration fees are $25 per student.

• If a student is ill the day of the festival, the registration fee will not be refunded but the student will be given the opportunity to submit a video of their performance after the festival.  This will be adjudicated along with all the other videos from the recitals from the festival.

• Registration is free for all high school students who volunteer 1 to 2 hours to help with the games.

•  There is no fee for parents to perform duets with their own children.

• Teachers complete entry forms, providing one payment for all entry fees required.

• Be sure to put student solos and compositions on the Solo/Composition Form and student duets/ensembles on the Ensemble Form.

• Please indicate approximate performance times. Suggested maximum time is 5 minutes per piece.

• Registration deadline is Friday, March 24, 2023.  All applications must be received or postmarked by March 24, 2023

•   When your registration is received, you will receive an invoice that may be paid by check or Pay-Pal

 

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•   If you choose to register by mail, contact Dean Epperson, at pianoakta@gmail.com, and he will email a         hard copy of the required forms.

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