Bach Competition

Guidelines:

1. The purpose of the RMTA Bach Competition is to encourage the study of the music of Johann Sebastian Bach and to promote musical excellence. 
2. Participants will be judged in categories with similar instruments:
   1. Piano only
   2. Single-line instruments and Voice
3. All participants are requirement to perform a memorized piece by Johann Sebastian Bach.
4. Levels reflect a participant’s current grade:
   1. Primer = grades 3 and below
   2. Level 1 = grades 4-6
   3. Level 2 = grades 7-9
   4. Level 3 = grades 10-12
5. A judge or separate time manager will keep the performances on time. Students should be prepared to stop at any time. It is up to the judges’ discretion how long a participant will be heard, but general time limits for each level are as follows:
   1. Primer Level: 2 minutes
   2. Level 1: 4 minutes
   3. Level 2: 10 minutes
   4. Level 3: 12 minutes
6. There will be no warm-up prior to each performance.
7. The competition is closed to spectators. Only judging and competition staff shall be in the hall during performances. There shall be no videotaping or audio recording of any competition performance. 
8. Judges: There will be two or three judges who are experts in the instrument categories they are judging. Judges may select a first, second and third place winner and honorable mentions in each level of each division. The decision of the judges is final and solicitations of the judges by a teacher, parent, or student at any time is not allowed.
9. First place winners may not enter the competition again until they are able to enter the next level.
10. First place winners will receive monetary prize, and their performances will be repeated at the Winners’ Recital (details over.)
11. All teachers entering a student in the Bach Competition are required to be available to help with the competition, if needed. This includes duties prior to, during, and/or following the actual competition.
12. It is the responsibility of the teacher, coach, entrant and parent or guardian to abide by all the above guidelines. Failure to meet this responsibility will result in the disqualification of the entrant at the level of competition where the discrepancy is discovered. The teacher will be disqualified from the next Bach competition. This is at the discretion of the executive board of the RMTA.
13. Repertoire Requirement: Preludes MUST be performed with accompanying Fugues from WTC at every level.  Suggestions for repertoire selection are as follows:
    1. Primer: Little Preludes, Anna Magdalena Bach Selections, art songs.
    2. Level 1: Little Preludes, Anna Magdalena Bach Selections, Suite movements and 2-part inventions, vocal arias and art songs.
    3. Level 2: Suite movements, 3-part inventions, single-line instruments may play concertos with piano accompaniment, vocal arias and art songs
    4. Level 3: advanced Bach, Partitas and Sonatas, WTC Preludes with Fugues, Suite movements, single-line instruments may play concertos with piano accompaniment, vocal arias and art songs.