Festival Date: Saturday, November 9, 2024
What is it?
The Northwest Arkansas Music Teachers Association (NAMTA) sponsors the Sonata/Sonatina Celebration in early November. Students play two or more movements of a Sonatina, or a fast movement of a Sonata, memorized, for a judge. Grades and points are awarded, and students that accumulate points over the years can earn trophies. This is a non-competitive event; students are judged only on how well they play their chosen music. They play in groups according to their school grade:
- Level 1: K-grade 3
- Level 2: Grade 4-6
- Level 3: Grade 7-9
- Level 4: Grade 10-12
- Level 5: Collegiate
Key Dates for 2024
- Summer 2024: Decision to work towards participation
- August 26: First Movement of Sonatina, or half of Sonata memorized or at least well learned.
- October 14-18: Decision Week! All music memorized and fee of turned in.
- October 18: Registrations Due to headquarters
- October 26: Performance Class at the studio
- November 3: Preparation recital
- November 9: Celebration Day @ NWACC
Start Preparation
Participating in festivals can be a rewarding part of piano lessons. Focus on the word part. Festivals should not become all-consuming for months at a time, but early preparation will give a student the best chances of success. Beginning preparation in the summer is usually necessary for participation.
Decision Week
Your music should be fully memorized by the week of October 14 so that the decision can be made to continue with registration for the festival.
Piano Performance Class
This event was created for students to play their music for a group of peers. It’s a great opportunity to find out how far you’ve come, and how much more work you need to dedicate to polishing your music.
Regional Recitals
These are organized just for festival participants. All performers must perform from memory, so this is a great test of how ready you are for the festival. These are usually limited to 8-10 students per teacher. Please note: If you miss both the Performance Class and the Regional Recitals, you absolutely must plan your own run through. It should be somewhere that has a grand piano, and could be at a church, school, or a home where family and friends will be present. Professional musicians frequently practice recitals before big events; you should do the same!
Celebration Day
Please bring your original music (no photocopies) with measures numbered. Students will be given the original music before the event if they don’t already have it. Erase anything from the score except fingerings and essential markings that guide your performance. Non-essential markings would include practice zones, note names, comments from your teacher, big circles or brackets showing problem areas. Let your judge decide what your problem areas are; don’t show them!
Dress for success; comfortable yet professional. Adhere to the clothing guidelines for performances, which advise against casual clothing items like t-shirts, jeans, shorts, and sneakers (unless they are all black). Wear clothes that make you comfortable and confident. Finally, if you wear a dress/skirt, keep it on the long side since you will be visible from many areas around the room.
Arrive in plenty of time to warm up and play at your assigned time. Make sure to arrive at least 45 minutes before your scheduled start time if you want to warm up on a practice piano, because there could be a line for the practice rooms if they are available.
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