AHS National Competition

The 2025 American Harp Society National Competition Repertoire

The American Harp Society is proud to announce the repertoire for the five divisions of the 2025 National Competition.  This repertoire is also available for download here.

The 2025 Competition will be held on May 28 - June 1, 2025, at the Colburn School, Los Angeles, California.  Applications will open on this page on March 1, 2025, and are due by midnight on April 1, 2025.

AHS is grateful to our members for supporting this biannual event.  Contributions may be directed to help defray the overall competition expense, or to underwrite specific prizes.  Please consider a gift today in support of these young musicians.

Junior Division maximum age 12 as of June 1, 2025
J S Bach  (Play all three) 1. Menuet in F Major, BWV Anh. 113, 
  https://harpcolumn.com/music/all-music/artists/laura-sherman/menuet-in-f-major/ (digital download)
  2. Prelude 1 in C Major, BWV 924,
  https://harpcolumn.com/music/all-music/artists/laura-sherman/prelude-1-in-c-major/ (digital download)
  3. Prelude in F Major, BWV 927,
  https://harpcolumn.com/music/all-music/artists/laura-sherman/prelude-in-f-major/ (digital download)
  Print versions available through Gotham Harp Publishing, https://www.busytuning.com/category/all-products
   
Bernard Andres  Epices (pick any 3) from volume 1 and/or volume 2)
   
Grace Vamos  Palace Lake from Fountainbleau Suite
  https://vamospublications.com/product/fountainbleau-suite/
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Intermediate I Division maximum age 15 as of June 1, 2025
Sergiu Natra Sonatina for Harp
   
John Bull/ Marcel Grandjany  The King’s Hunt
   
Choose one:  
Zabel  La Source op 23 (the Fountain)
             OR
Hasselmans  La Source op 44 (the Brook or the Fountain)
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Intermediate II Division maximum age 18 as of June 1, 2025
Free choice  Any work by Johann Sebastian Bach (max 7 minutes)
   
Brandee Younger  Essence of Ruby
   
Choose one:  
Marcel Tournier  Etude de concert “Au matin”
             OR
Felix Godefroid  Etude de Concert op. 193
   
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Advanced Division maximum age 21 as of June 1, 2025
Gabriel Faure  Impromptu, Op.86
   
Choose one:  
Wilhelm Posse  Etude No. 7 from Eight Great Studies
            OR
Eric Schmidt  Etude No. 6
   
Choose one:  
Germaine Tailleferre  Sonata for Harp
            OR
Paul Hindemith  Sonata for Harp
   
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Young Professional Division maximum age 30 as of June 1, 2025
Johann Sebastian Bach    Toccata and Fugue in d minor, BWV 565 (any edition)
   
Choose one  
Henriette Renie  Piece Symphonique
         OR
Henriette Renie  Legende
   
Choose one  
Carlos Salzedo     Variations sur un theme dans le style ancient, Op 30
  (Prepare a cut after Variation VII Molto piu Lento “Trills” to Variation XI Fuga to the end of the composition. Note this is different cut than the traditional one in the printed score.)
                     OR
Mikhail Mchedelov  Variations on a Theme by Paganini (without repeats)
                     OR
Elias Parish Alvars  Introduction and Variations on Favorite Airs from
  Bellini's Opera “Norma,” Op. 36
   
Spoken program notes will be required in the final round.  Finalists will be asked to submit a program appropriate for Concert Artist recitals.
   
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A non-refundable entry fee will be charged in each Division.
All entries must be received by midnight on April 1, 2025.
THERE WILL BE NO EXCEPTIONS.
Online Application Form Link and Guidelines will be posted on March 1, 2025, at https://www.harpsociety.org/national-competition

 


25th American Harp Society National Competition (2023)

The 25th National Competition was held May 31- June 4, 2023 at the Colburn School in Los Angeles, California.  The biannual competition is open to harpists up to the age of 30 who are national members of the American Harp Society and who are United States citizens or citizens of the Americas (North, Central, and South).  A list of all past competition winners is available here.  2023 results by division are available on Noteworthy News, and winners appear on the Emerging Artists and Concert Artist web pages.

Both the 2023 and 2021 AHS National Competition final rounds and the Winners Recital are available on the AHS YouTube channel


Past Competitions

See the lists of every year's AHS National Competition winners

Browse the National Competition repertoire from 2001 - 2025