2026 MTAC-OC THEME FESTIVAL APPLICATION (Piano)

Description

Branch Theme Festival is for the average students and also for students who excel and love to be challenged.  To encourage all, we give all students an award for their effort and participation. Adjudicators will select one performer from each division to participate in the Theme Competition on the following day.  We give cash awards to the Competition Winners.  Both the Festival and the Competition are adjudicated events with comment sheets for each student.

THEME FESTIVAL DATE: Saturday, December 12, 2026
THEME COMPETITION DATE: Sunday, December 13, 2026

COMPETITION LOCATION: Chapman University
REGISTRATION PERIOD: October 1 - 20, 2026
FEE: $50 each student

APPLICATION GUIDELINES:
1. Fill out an application for each student between October 1 - October 20, 2026. 
2. The application and fee must be received by October 25, 2026

Rules and Regulations:

1. Performers may choose one work, or multiple short movements of the same suite or collection, provided the total performance time falls within the time limit for the age category.  Theme and Variations will require Theme and at least two Variations.
2. Use MTAC Piano Syllabus Online:  "CATEGORY 2: Classical”.  If you have any questions about the repertoire, please send an email to MTACOCTF@gmail.com to confirm.
3. There will be no late submissions past the deadline.
4. Each teacher may enroll up to 20 students.
5. Age cut-off date: November 20th.
6. Judges will award medals or ribbons to each student. Medal winners will be awarded Gold medal, Silver medal, Bronze medal with 33% of the medal winners for each award. Students with a tie in the score will receive the same award.
7. There are two (2) adjudicators for each division for the Festival and Three (3) adjudicators for the Competition.  The Adjudicators will write comments and give scores to each performer.  They will also select one Theme Competition Participant and one Alternate from each Festival division. Should the selected Competition Participant be unable to attend the Competition, the Alternate for that division will take their place. If the Festival Division Alternate is unable to participate in the Competition, then there will not be a Competition Participant from that Festival division.
8. Competition Participants will perform the same repertoire from the Festival. Competition Participants are competing in four categories:
   1. Category 1: Age 9 and below
   2. Category 2: Age 10 to 12
   3. Category 3: Age 13 to 15
   4. Category 4: Age 16 and above
9. Three Competition Adjudicators will select one First Place Winner and one Second Place Winner. The Competition First Place Winner will receive $200 dollars cash award; Second Place Winner, $100 dollars  and Third Place Winner will receive $50 dollars.
10. Adjudicators’ decisions are final and cannot be challenged

Teacher Work Day/Non-Involvement Fee

For a successful event, we need the teachers to volunteer to help the event run smoothly. The number of volunteer hours required for each teacher, and the non-involvement fee are based on the number of student applications for each teacher.