COMPETE AGAINST OTHER STUDENTS
2026 Advanced Honors Award Competition
ABOUT AHAC
An Opportunity For Growth & Cash Prizes
The Pittsburgh Piano Teachers Association is a non-profit organization that promotes and maintains high standards of piano teaching by offering opportunities and motivation for the educational growth of the teachers and their students.
PPTA members’ students who are ages 16-19 as of April 15, 2026 are invited to apply to compete in the PPTA Advanced Honors Awards Competition. PPTA members must be a member by the September 1st prior to the competition. There is no entrance fee for the competition and teachers may enter more than one eligible student.
Applications are due by MARCH 15, 2026
The 2026 competition will be held at PYCO School of Music, 150 Lake Drive, Suite 103, Wexford, PA 15090, on the afternoon of May 2, 2026.
Additional Competition Information
Repertoire List
Entrants perform THREE contrasting pieces (of different time periods) from repertoire chosen from the APPROVED REPERTOIRE LIST FOUND ON OUR WEBSITE ONLY. NO SUBSTITUTIONS FROM THIS LIST WILL BE PERMITTED.
Pieces must not be pieces from PPTA’s other 2026 solo performance competitions. Please do not ask the competition chair to make exceptions as the requests will be denied.
Entrants who program a piece by an American composer from the APPROVED list (designated with an asterisk on the list) are also eligible to be considered for the American Music Prize.
Performance Information
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A performance time limit of 15 minutes will be enforced. Memorization of all repertoire performed is required. Applicant must provide to the judges one score of all repertoire to be performed.
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The Honors Awards are one-time awards for all who place in the competition. Those who place first, second, or third may not enter the competition in subsequent years. In the event that the American Prize winner does not place 1st, 2nd, or 3rdthey may compete again in a consecutive year.
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Three outside judges (not PPTA members) will be hired to judge this competition. The judges will use blind ballot procedures similar to MTNA competition judging guidelines.
Prizes & Awards
The breakdown of prizes to be awarded in 2026 is as follows:
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1st place: $1,600
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2nd place: $800
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3rd place: $400
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American Music Prize: $200 (this may be awarded to the 1st, 2nd or 3rd place winners or other entrants. It is a prize for the best performance of an American composer’s music, but this piece must be one of a program of three pieces.)
First place and American Prize winners would be required to perform at the May PPTA competition winners’ recital in the year that they win the prize.
All competition participants will receive certificates of participation. No honorable mentions will be awarded. All awards are made at the judges’ discretion. The judges’ decision is final. Parents, guardians, and teachers may not challenge the judges’ decision.
Direct any inquiries to: Dr. Mary Lynne Bennett, Competition Chair