Rules and Guidelines
Festival Rules
These are the requirements students and teachers must follow to participate in the Ribbon Festival.
Recital & Performance Rules
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All recitals will be adjudicated live by local adjudicators. (New this year.)
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Each student must perform at least one piece and no more than five pieces.
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Solo pieces and solo compositions must be memorized for adjudicator comments.
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Each duet or ensemble team may perform no more than two pieces.
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Students should perform duets with other students rather than their teachers. Teachers may play with Primer-level students only when necessary.
Music & Score Requirements
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Students must provide the adjudicator with the original published edition of their music. Photocopies are not allowed.
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Measures must be numbered at the beginning of each system.
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Students performing original compositions must provide a handwritten or typeset copy.
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For duets and ensembles not performed from memory, a second published copy must be provided to the adjudicator.
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For duet page turns, a copied page may be attached to a legal edition of the music.
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Students must indicate the approximate level of each piece when submitting repertoire: Primer, Elementary, Intermediate, or Advanced.
Teacher Participation Rules
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Teachers entering 1–2 students must volunteer for two or three hours during the festival.
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Teachers entering 3 or more students must attend and help throughout the festival day, from 9:00 a.m. until no later than 5:00 p.m.
Ribbon & Award Rules
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Students receive five ribbons for each piece performed.
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Students receive one ribbon for each completed scale and each game level.
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Theory-testing participants receive a certificate of completion and a rosette ribbon valued at five ribbons.
Festival Guidelines
These guidelines explain the available activities, participation options, and what families and teachers can expect during the festival.
Music & Repertoire Guidelines
Students may perform:
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One solo piece.
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One original student composition.
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Duets or ensembles featuring two or more performers, including at least one pianist. These may include piano duets (four or six hands) or piano with other instruments or voice.
Adjudicator comments will be available to teachers at the end of the day.
Students Outside the Anchorage Area
Teachers living on the Kenai Peninsula or in Fairbanks may submit a video of their student's performance along with a PDF of the music.
Email submissions to: pianoakta@gmail.com
Games & Activities
Students may participate in scale testing and theory games throughout the day.
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Scales may include up to 15 major and 15 harmonic minor scales at the student's level.
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Scales may include five-note patterns, one octave, two or more octaves, or a combination of two consecutive levels using standard fingering.
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Games include flashcards, notes, key signatures, and music terms, each with three levels of difficulty.
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Allow at least two hours to try all the games.
Teacher & Adjudication Information
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Teachers may not always be available to listen to their students' performances because they may be assisting with games and other festival activities.
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Adjudicators evaluate performances and provide feedback. Their comments are available to teachers at the end of the day.
Important Music Preparation Notes
Students should arrive prepared with their music and ensure all scores meet the festival requirements. Original compositions must be supplied to the adjudicator, and repertoire levels should be indicated during registration.
Registration
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Registration fees are $35 per student.
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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.
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This will be adjudicated along with all the other videos from the recitals from the festival.
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There is no fee for parents to perform duets with their own children.
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Teachers must complete all entry forms, providing one payment for all entry fees required.
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Be sure to put student solos and compositions on the Solo/Composition Form and student duets/ensembles on the Ensemble Form.
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Please indicate approximate performance times. Suggested maximum time is 5 minutes per piece.
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Registration deadline is Wednesday, March 25, 2026. All applications must be received or postmarked by March 25, 2026.
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Once registration is received, you will receive an invoice that may be paid by check, Venmo 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.