2025

 Anchorage Keyboard Teachers Association

 Ribbon Festival

(AMTA/AKTA members only)

 

Saturday, April 5, 2025

(9:00-5:00 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 

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Recitals:

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

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Music : All music must be scanned and emailed to pianoakta@gmail.com by April 5th.  PDFs are preferred.  

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In order to participate in the Festival, each student must perform at least one piece but no more than six pieces. 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. Adjudicator 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.

• Please have measures numbered. For duets, 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

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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 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 and each game level they complete. There are 3 levels of difficulty for each of the following – flashcards, notes, key signatures, and music terms. 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 5:00 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 $35 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.

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

• Teachers must all 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 21, 2025.  All applications must be received or postmarked by March 21, 2025.

•   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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