National Competition
24th AHS, Inc. National Competition (2021)
The American Harp Society, Inc. is pleased to announce the 24th American Harp Society, Inc. National Competition. The 2021 Competition will be held June 27-30, 2021 at the Colburn School in Los Angeles, California. Additional information will be available on this page in the coming months. The competition is open to harpists up to the age of 30 who are national members of the American Harp Society, Inc. and who are United States citizens or who are citizens of the Americas.
AHS is continually monitoring the progress and setbacks that make up the Covid-19 pandemic. The priority in making a decision to continue with a live event or to move the final competition rounds to an online platform is the safety and well-being of our membership, competition finalists, our judges and competition administration. Any changes made to the competition schedule will be announced on the AHS website, on the AHS social media platforms, and to the membership at large no later than May 1st, 2021.
Finalists will be chosen by a recorded preliminary round and will be notified 30 days prior to the start of the competition. Application Forms and video file upload is available by logging into your Membership portal account and clicking the link on the National Competition badge on your dashboard. The application deadline is April 15, 2021.
Finalists will perform live.
Downloadable Guidelines for Making and Submitting Digital Video (DV) Recordings is available here.
2021 National Competition Required Repertoire
| JUNIOR DIVISION (Maximum age 12 years on June 1, 2021) | ||
| Bernard Andres | Aquatintes, Six pièces brève | |
| Marcel Grandjany | Two French Folksongs Le Bon Petit Roi d’Yvetôt and Et Ron Ron Ron Petite Patapon |
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| Josef Haydn | Theme and Variations in C Major, Hob XVII 5, any edition | |
| INTERMEDIATE I DIVISION (Maximum age 15 years on June 1, 2021) | ||
| Giovanni Baptiste Peschetti (for harpsichord, edited for the harp by Mary Kay Waddington) | Allegretto in C Major | |
| Marcel Tournier | Féerie Prélude et Danse | |
| Choose one: Robert Litton or Bernard Andres |
Prelude for Harp Duke |
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| INTERMEDIATE II DIVISION (Maximum age 18 years on June 1, 2021) | ||
| Free choice: | Any sonate from the classical era (1730 -1830) | |
| Marcel Grandjany | Aria in Classic Style (to be played as a solo, without accompaniment) | |
| Choose one: Marcel Tournier Nino Rota Jesus Guridi |
Vers la Source dans le Bois Sarabande e Toccata Viejo Zortzico |
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| ADVANCED DIVISION (Maximum age 21 years on June 1, 2021) | ||
| Domenico Scarlatti | Keyboard sonatas (all repeats, any edition) Choose two: K. 27 in B minor K. 113 in A major K. 198 in E minor K. 209 in A major |
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| André-François Marescotti | Mouvement | |
| Franz Liszt (edited by Henriette Renié) | Concert Étude in D-flat Major, S. 144 Un Sospiro AND |
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| Choose one: Mikhail Glinka/M. Balakirev (edited by Milda Agazarian, Harp Masters edition) or Franz. Liszt (arranged by Henriette Renié, Lyon & Healy/Salvi Publication) |
The Lark Le rossignol, S. 250/1 after the Russian air by Alexander Alyabyev |
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| YOUNG PROFESSIONAL DIVISION (Maximum age 30 years on June 1, 2021) | ||
| Choose one (any edition): Gabriel Faure Marcel Grandjany Albert Roussel Gioachino Rossini (arranged for harp by Nicholas Charles Bochsa, edited by Isabelle Moretti) |
Impromptu, Op. 86 Rhapsodie, Op. 10 Impromptu, Op. 21 Zitti-Zitti from The Barber of Seville |
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| Free choice piece for harp solo up to 12 minute | ||
| Choose one: Andre Caplet or Pierick Houdy |
Divertissements, à la française, & à l'espagnole Sonata for Harp |
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• 2021 repertoire and division age requirements are available for download. (PDF)
• Complete National Competition rules are available for download. (PDF)
Guidelines for Making and Submitting Digital Video (DV) Recordings
You will be prompted to fill out an application form and upload DV files through the competition application software.
Making and Submitting Your Video:
- The DV recordings may be made on either home or studio equipment. Audio should be of a good enough quality to be representative of your playing. Video file formats may be MPEG, MPG, MP4, MOV, AVI, WMV, M4V, or VOB.
- Video yourself performing the entire required repertoire for the division that you are entering. All repeats are optional.
- All pieces are to be played straight through with no edits in the recording. You may stop recording between pieces and between movements of a musical work. You may not stop recording between movements of a “Theme and Variation” style work.
- Pieces must be performed from memory.
- Do not speak during the video.
- After you have recorded yourself, register and upload the DV by clicking the link on the American Harp Society website which will be posted here.
- Please note that you must be a member of the American Harp Society, Inc. in order to gain access to the registration site. If you are not a member, please pay your National Dues immediately so that you may have access to the link in time to register for the competition.
- Please remember to leave plenty of time for your video to upload as the files might be large and will take time.
There will be monetary awards for winners in all divisions of the competition.
| YOUNG PROFESSIONAL DIVISION | 1st PRIZE | $2,500 |
| In addition, the 1st Prize winner will be awarded AHS Concert Artist status | ||
| 2nd PRIZE | $2,000 | |
| 3rd PRIZE | $1,500 | |
| 4th PRIZE | $1,000 | |
| 5th PRIZE | $750 | |
| 6th PRIZE | $500 | |
| ADVANCED DIVISION | 1st PRIZE | $1,500 |
| 2nd PRIZE | $1,250 | |
| 3rd PRIZE | $1,000 | |
| 4th PRIZE | $500 | |
| 5th PRIZE | $500 | |
| 6th PRIZE | $500 | |
| INTERMEDIATE II DIVISION | 1st PRIZE | $1,250 |
| 2nd PRIZE | $1,000 | |
| 3rd PRIZE | $750 | |
| 4th PRIZE | $250 | |
| 5th PRIZE | $250 | |
| 6th PRIZE | $250 | |
| INTERMEDIATE I DIVISION | 1st PRIZE | $1,000 |
| 2nd PRIZE | $750 | |
| 3rd PRIZE | $500 | |
| 4th PRIZE | $250 | |
| 5th PRIZE | $250 | |
| 6th PRIZE | $250 | |
| JUNIOR DIVISION | 1st PRIZE | $1,000 |
| 2nd PRIZE | $750 | |
| 3rd PRIZE | $500 | |
| 4th PRIZE | $250 | |
| 5th PRIZE | $250 | |
| 6th PRIZE | $250 | |
A non-refundable entry fee will be charged in each Division.
All entries must be received by the published deadline.
THERE WILL BE NO EXCEPTIONS.