2021 Stickley Piano Competition & Festival
Competition Date: Friday, March 5, 2021
Location: Battell Community Center, 904 N Main St, Mishawaka, IN 46545
Winners Recital: Saturday, March 13, 2021 at 7:00 PM
Location: Battell Community Center, 904 N Main St, Mishawaka, IN 46545
** PLEASE [ CLICK HERE ] TO READ COVID-19 PROTOCOL FOR THE COMPETITION **
The Hartman Stickley Memorial Piano Competition was established in 1995 to honor the memory of Elnora Harman Stickley, to reward talented pianists in the Michiana area, and to provide an excellent venue for young pianists to strengthen their performance skills, while gaining constructive feedback from highly qualified judges. It is a yearly event sponsored by the South Bend Area Music Teachers Association and underwritten by the Elnora Hartman Stickley Scholarship Fund. Competing students are divided into six age categories. Winning and Honorable Mention students are awarded monetary scholarships to further their musical education.
2021 Stickley tri-fold brochure [ CLICK HERE ]
2021 Application form [ CLICK HERE ]
Students have the option of participating as a non- competitor, only to receive comments from the adjudicators. These students may declare themselves ineligible to win or place in the competition by checking the “non competitive status” box on the entry form. Non- competing entrants pay the same fees and are subject to the same requirements as competing entrants.
PLEASE CAREFULLY READ ALL RULES OF COMPETITION:
All ages indicated are as of March 1, 2021. No collegiate competitors allowed.
Division I, ages 7 & under Friday, March 5th
**4-minute time limit
Division II, ages 8 & 9 Friday, March 5th
**4-minute time limit
Division III, ages 10 & 11 Friday, March 5th
**5-minute time limit
Division IV, ages 12 & 13 Firday, March 5th
**5-minute time limit
Division V, ages 14 & 15 Friday, March 5th
**6-minute time limit
Division VI, ages 16 - 18 Friday, March 5th
**7-minute time limit
*Audition times will depend upon enrollment. Scheduling will be randomly generated by computer.
**This is maximum performance time during the competition. You may program shorter or longer pieces if desired (see #3 under Rules of Competition).
| Rules of Competition |
1. Students or teachers must reside in one of the following counties: Berrien, Cass, and St. Joseph, Michigan; Allen, Elkhart, Kosciusko, LaGrange, LaPorte, Marshall, Noble, Joseph, and Starke Counties, Indiana.
2. Music must be memorized. A score with numbered measures must be provided for judges. Only students with scores will be eligible to win an award.
3. Cuts in longer pieces will be left to the discretion of the judges and should not be made by the teacher or student.
4. Only original solos are allowed. No arrangements or concerti will be heard. No transcriptions, unless they are written by the composer.
5. No more than two pieces per student will be accepted. This applies to movements of sonatinas, sonatas, and suites. MTNA guidelines will be followed as to what constitutes apiece.
6. Photocopied music is not allowed unless a letter from publisher or the copyright holder is submitted.
7. Teacher must submit fully completed application form accompanied by the non-refundable $20 entry fee per student ($40 per student for nonmembers) made payable to the South Bend Area Music Teachers Association (SBAMTA) and postmarked by the deadline. The $20 entrance fee applies to those who have paid their MTNA membership dues on or before October 30th.
8. Scheduling will be randomly generated by computer. There will be no changes of student order timeslot.
9. Competition awards will be as follows.
Winners:
Division VI $175; Division V $150; Division IV $125; Division III $100; Division II $75; Division I $50
Honorable Mentions:
Division VI $75, Division V $65, Division IV $55; Division III $45; Division II $35; Division I $25
10. In order to receive Stickley Competition monetary awards, Winners are required to perform in, and Honorable Mentions are required to attend the Winners Recital.
11. Sample repertoire lists will be available on
12. Participating teachers will be called to work at the festival and competition. If a participating teacher is not available, he/she must provide a substitute worker (see application form for more details).
13. If a student has been studying with their current teacher for less than six consecutive months prior to March 1, the name
of the previous teacher must be provided. Both teachers will be recognized in the printed program should that student win an award.
14. Repertoire submitted on application form may not be changed.
15. Repertoire previously performed in this festival and competition may not be repeated by the same performer.
16. Committee decisions are final. Judges’ decisions are final.
17. It is the responsibility of the teacher, parent, or guardian to abide by all rules and regulations for this festival and
competition. Failure to meet this responsibility will make the student ineligible to receive an award.
| Judges |
Level I - III
Tamar Mikeladze, D.M.A, Instructor of Piano, Michigan State University
Joseph Bognar, D.M.A, Associate Professor of Music, Valparaiso University
Chi Yong Yun, D.M.A, Professor of Music, Andrews University
Level IV - VI
Clare Longendyke, D.M.A, Lecturer; Piano Artist-in-Residence, The University of Chicago
Tony Weinstein, D.M.A, Assistant Professor, DePauw University
James Helton, D.M.A, Professor of Music Performance, Ball State University
| Applications |
Send application form & payment to:
Paula Laskowski
1325 Miner St.
South Bend, IN 46617
Applications must be postmarked by February 1, 2021.
Additional copies of the 2021 application and brochure may be found at Shirk’s Piano Gallery in Mishawaka, IN.
| Questions? |
If you have any questions, contact:
Ketevan Badridze, Event Co-Chair
Phone: 574-621-0115
Email: