2027 Student Artist Competition Information
Student Artist Competition
Coordinator: Dr. Robert Lamb, Eastern Florida State College, Director of Choral Activities
lambr@easternflorida.edu, 321-537-6579 (cell)
Description
The Florida College System Activities Association (FCSAA) and the Florida Association of Schools of Music (FASM) sponsor the annual Music Student Artist Competition for eligible state college music students.
Eligibility
Participants must meet the following requirements to be eligible for the competition:
- Student must be currently enrolled in a minimum of six credit hours at a state college
- Student must have a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher
- Student must be registered for the event by an official faculty representative
- Each state college may enter no more than two students in each competition category
- Students may compete for no more than two years
- Winners of previous Student Artist Competitions are not eligible to enter the competition again
Application
The deadline to register students for the Student Artist Competition is Wednesday, January 20, 2027. Please see the Symposium Registration instructions to register students in the competition.
State college ensemble directors will be instructed about how to enter student competitors online. A username and password are required. Students may not register themselves. Usernames and passwords shall not be shared with students. Faxed or emailed applications will not be accepted.
All competition contestants must be listed on the Symposium Eligibility form with the signature of the state college registrar attesting to their eligibility for the contest.
Submission of applications indicates that student entrants and faculty have read, understood, and agree to abide by the competition rules.
If you plan to enter the jazz category, please consult the jazz category rules and regulations.
Audition Repertoire
Strings, Piano, Woodwinds, Brass, Percussion, Guitar
Repertoire must include two or more works by two or more composers of contrasting styles. All audition materials should be complete movements or complete works. The competitors should have twelve (12) minutes minimum of competition repertoire.
PERCUSSIONISTS must perform in two of the three classifications: multiple percussion, melody-mallet instruments, and timpani. Transcriptions are acceptable in performance.
PIANISTS and GUITARISTS must perform from memory.
Voice
Competitors in the VOICE category will have five (5) prepared pieces including one aria (either concert, oratorio, or operatic). Vocalists will include literature in English plus at least two languages other than English. Vocalists must perform from memory.
Jazz
All jazz competitors are required to prepare 12 minutes minimum of audition material and must present at least three (3) selections with at least two (2) contrasting styles (1 swing, 1 ballad, 1 personal choice). Auditionees are required to perform using a pre-recorded play-a-long track of their choosing as accompaniment.
Instrumentalists (excluding drummers) will be required to choose at least three standards from the Aebersold catalog.
Melody instruments (brass/woodwinds) must include the main melody and a section of improvisation.
Melody/accompaniment instruments (guitar/bass/piano/mallet percussion) must include the main melody, a section of improvisation, and the ability to play the chord changes.
Vocalists will be required to choose at least three standards from the Aebersold catalog. Each performance must include words and a section of scat improvisation.
Drummers will give a solo performance (without the play-along recording) on a trap set. This will consist of establishing a groove, a section of improvisation, and a return to the beginning of the groove. They will also play time for two (2) Aebersold catalog selections using a pre-recorded play-a-long track of their choosing. Each performance must include a section improvisation and the ability to play the melody rhythmically.
The play-a-long recordings mentioned above, along with the accompanying lead sheets, may be obtained through the Internet or, if choosing to use the Aebersold recordings, by contacting:
Jamey Aebersold Jazz, Inc.
PO Box 1244
New Albany, IN 47151-1244
Toll-Free Ordering (24 hours): (800) 456-1388
Categories
There are 8 categories for the competition and 9 winners
- Strings
- Woodwind
- Brass
- Percussion
- Piano
- Classical Guitar
- Jazz
- Vocal (Male Winner and Female Winner)
Judging/Scoring Procedure
The FCSAA Symposium Coordinator will provide written judging instructions, score sheets, and tally sheets to the judges.
The same panel of judges must judge all of the students within each category.
Pianists, guitarists, and vocalists must perform from memory.
Contestants in woodwind, brass, and percussion will perform for a panel of at least three judges, one from each category.
Contestants in keyboard, classical guitar, and strings will perform for a panel of at least three judges, one from each category.
Contestants in voice will perform for a panel of at least two judges.
Contestants in jazz will perform for a judge (or judges) with the appropriate background to adjudicate this category.
Contestants in jazz will primarily be judged on their ability to improvise in the jazz style. Interpretive skill and technical proficiency will also be considered.
The panel of judges will provide written comments to each contestant after the competition.
The panel of judges may select one winner in each category. In exceptional instances when the panel cannot agree on a single winner, two may be selected. However, if the panel finds that none of the contestants perform at an acceptable artistic level, they may declare “No Winner” for that year.
In addition to the winning contestants, the contest judges may recognize “Special Performances of Artistic Merit.”
Scholarship Award
- Upon completion of an A.A. degree at a state college, winners receive a music scholarship of $1000 per year for two years from a participating FASM member in addition to any other scholarships the student may earn from that school. The scholarship is awarded by the college or university, not by the FCSAA. Winners must meet all admissions and scholarship requirements of the college of university to which they are applying.
- The FSCAA State Music Representative will provide a letter to each winner that the student will present to the Florida state university upon transferring.
- The FSCAA State Music Representative will provide a letter to each Financial Aid Department of the Florida state universities who have signed a Letter of Understandings with the FCSAA office.
At this time, these colleges/universities include:
- Florida College
- Florida Atlantic University
- Florida Gulf Coast University
- Florida International University
- Florida State University
- Jacksonville University
- Lynn University
- Palm Beach Atlantic University
- Rollins College
- Stetson University
- University of Central Florida
- University of Miami
- University of Florida
- University of South Florida
- University of Tampa
Winners Recital
A recital featuring all of the winners will take place at the symposium on Friday. Check the schedule for the exact time and location.
Please contact Dr. Robert Lamb at LambR@easternflorida.edu for any other information.
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