2026 Categories

  • There are around 200 competition categories, each with a pre-selected song. Contestants will be performing the same music in each of the events. Competition is per Category per Level per Song per Movement.

  • There is no age limit for these events, and contestants may enter numerous events as they choose.

  • Students may compete in as many categories and/or levels of their desire. For example students can compete in both Young Pianist III, Category A and Young Artist, Category B.

  • Any contestants playing an incorrect piece will be disqualified to win a prize.

Category A - Baroque

Young Pianists 1 

Notebook for Anna Magdalena Bach:

Minuet in G Major BWV Anh 114

Minuet in g minor BWV Anh 115 

Musette in D Major BWV Anh 126 

Polonaise in g minor BWV Anh 119 

J Krieger: Menuett in A minor 


Young Pianists 2 

J. S. Bach, Little Preludes

Little Prelude in C Major BWV 939 

Little Prelude in F Major BWV 927

J. S. Bach (Lute Suite in E Minor)  Bourree in e minor BWV 996 

J. S. Bach Menuett from French Suite No. 6 BWV 817

Jean-Philippe Rameau Menuett in C Major (Menuet en Rondeau)

Georg Philipp Telemann, Gigue in G Major (Gigue a l.Angloise, TWV 32:1)

Young Pianists 3 

J. S. Bach, Little Preludes

Little Prelude in d minor BWV 926 

Little Prelude in c minor BWV 999 

J. S. Bach French Suite No 2 BWV 813 Menuet 

W. F. Bach Fruhling/Allegro in A Major 

     

Young Pianists 4 

C P E Bach, Solfeggietto in c minor 

J. S. Bach, French Suite No 2 BWV 813 

Courante

Air (Aria)

J. S. Bach, French Suite 5 

Courante

J. S. Bach, French Suite 6

Courante

J. S Bach: Two Part Inventions

No. 8 in F Major

No. 1 

No. 4 

No. 6 in E Major

Georg Philipp Telemann Fantasie No 4 Allegro

Senior Group 

J. S Bach: Two Part Invention

No. 13 in A minor

No. 14 in Bb Major

J. S. Bach, French Suites 

French Suite 4, Allemande 

French Suite 5, Gavotte

French Suite 6, Allemande

Domenico Scarlatti, Sonata in D Major, L 463 ( K430)

Young Artist I 

Domenico Scarlatti 

Sonata in A Major L483 

Sonata in D minor K9/L413 

Sonata in C Major L. 104 

J. S. Bach Prelude and Fugue BWV 884 (Prelude only is fine)

J. S. Bach Sinfonias 2, 8 and 15

Preludes and Fugues (or Preludes only) from WTC I – g minor, E Major, D Major

Bach Prelude No. 6 in D minor, BWV 851 (WTC I)

Bach Prelude No. 6 in D minor, BWV 875 (WTC II)

Young Artist II 

J. S. Bach, French Suites 1-6 (any complete suite)

J. S. Bach, English Suites 1-6 (any complete suite)

J. S. Bach, Partitas 1-6 (any complete suite)

J. S. Bach, Italian Concerto (any movement)

J. S. Bach, any Prelude and Fugue of the contestant’s choice (must do both)

Category B - Classical

Young Pianist 1

Albert Biehl: Sonatina in C Major, Op.57, No.1

William Duncombe: Sonatina in C Major

Tobias Haslinger: Sonatina in C Major No.1, 

mvt 1 Allegro non tanto

mvt 2 Allegretto

Theodore Latour: Sonatina in C Major, No.1

Felix Le Couppey: Sonatina in C Major mvt 1 Moderato

Wolfgang A. Mozart: Waltz Bread and Butter (KV Anh. 284n)

Fritz Spindler, Sonatina with Tarantella

Young Pianist 2: 

Ludwig v. Beethoven: Sonatina in G major 

Mvt.1 Moderato 

Mvt. 2 Romanza

Ludwig v. Beethoven: Minuet in G, WoO 10

Muzio Clementi: Sonatina in C Major Op 36 No. 1 

Mvt 1 Allegro Spiritoso 

Mvt. 3 Vivace

Young Pianist 3a: 

Ludwig v. Beethoven

Bagatelle Op. 119 No. 1

Muzio Clementi:  Sonatina in F Major Op 36 No. 4

Mvt. 1 Allegro con spirito

Mvt. 3 Rondeau Allegro Vivace 

Anton Diabelli: Sonatina Op. 151, No. 1

Mvt. 1 Andantino Cantabile

Mvt. 2 Moderato

Friedrich Kuhlau:  Sonatina op. 55 #1 

Mvt. 1 Allegro

Mvt. 2 Vivace

Young Pianist 3b: 

Ludwig van Beethoven: 

Fur Elise 

Sonatina in F Major,

mvt. 1 Allegro assai

mvt. 2 Rondo: Allegro

Sonata in G Major, Op. 49 No. 2 (mvt. 1)

Muzio Clementi

Sonatina in G Major Op 36 No 2 

Mvt 1 Allegretto

Sonatina in C Major Op 36 No 3 

Mvt 1 Spiritoso

Sonatina in F Major Op. 36 No. 4

Mvt. 2 Andante con espressione

Sonatina in G Major Op 36 No. 5

Mvt. 3   Rondo Allegro di molto

Sonatina in D Major Op 36 No. 6

Mvt. 1 Allegro con Spirito

Franz Joseph Haydn: 

Sonata in G Major Hob XV127 

Mvt. 1 Allegro con brio

   Sonata in C major  Hob. XV1:35

 Mvt 1 Allegro con brio

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: 

Sonata in G Major, K 283 Mvt 2 Andante 

Sonata in D Major, K 545 Mvt.1 Allegro

Young Pianist 4:

Ludwig van Beethoven 

Rondo in C Op 51 No. 1

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: 

Sonata in G Major, K283 Mvt.1 Allegro

Sonata in D Major, K284 Mvt.1 Allegro

Sonata in C Major, K330 Mvt 1 Allegro moderato

Sonata in A Major, K331 Mvt 3 “Turkish March” Rondo Alla Turca 

Sonata in F Major, K332 Mvt 1 Allegro

Senior Group: 

Ludwig van Beethoven 

Sonata in G Major Op. 14 Mvt 1 Allegro 

Sonata in G Minor, Op. 49 No. 1 Mvt. 1 Andante

Joseph Haydn:

Sonata in E Minor Hob XVI: 34  Mvt.1 Presto

Sonata in F Major Hob XVI: 23   Mvt.1 Allegro Moderato

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: 

Sonata in F Major K332 Mvt 3, Presto

Sonata in C minor K457 Mvt. 1 Molto Allegro 

Sonata in F Major K533  Mvt. 1 Allegro 

12 variations on “Ah, vous dirai-je, maman” 

Young Artist I: 

Ludwig van Beethoven

Sonata in F minor Op. 2 No 1 Mvt 3 Prestissimo

Sonata in A Major Op. 2 No 2 Mvt 1 Allegro Vivace 

Sonata Op. 13 C minor “Pathetique” 

Mvt. 1, Grave 

Mvt. 3, Allegro

Sonata in C# minor Op 27 No 2. “Moonlight” Mvt 3 Presto Agitato 

Franz Schubert

Sonata in A Major, D 664 (mvt. 1 or mvt. 3)

Young Artist II

Ludwig van Beethoven

Any Sonata Not listed Above

Franz Schubert

Any Sonata Not listed Above

Category C - Romantic 

Young Pianist 1: 

Cornelius Gurlitt  

Day Dream ( Fond Memory), Op. 210 No. 32

Gavotte (selected Piece) Op.192 No.9

The Storm Op. 82 No 65

Robert Schumann, Album for the Young, Op. 68

  1. Melodie

  2. Soldatenmarsch

Peter I. Tchaikovsky, Children’s Album, Op. 39

Italian Song 

French Song 

Young Pianist 2:

Friedrich Burgmüller, 25 Etudes Op 100: 

No 7 Clear Stream 

No 22 Barcarolle 

No 23 The Return 

No 25 The Knight 

Chopin: Waltz in a minor B150 Op. Posth 

Robert Schumann: Kinderszenen, Op. 15

No 10: Almost Too Serious Op.15 No 10

Robert Schumann: Albumblätter, Op.124 

  1. Soldatenmarsch

5. Fantasietanz (Fantasy)


Peter I. Tchaikovsky, Children’s Album, Op. 39

The New Doll

Sweet Dreams

Young Pianist 3: 

Friedrich Burgmuller, 18 Etudes Op 109 

No 2 The Peer 

No 10 Velocity

No. 17 March

Frederic Chopin Waltzes

Op. 64 No. 1

Op. 64 No. 2

Op. 69 No. 2

Frederic Chopin Mazurkas

Op. 7 No. 1

  Op. 67 No. 2 

Peter I. Tchaikovsky, Children’s Album, Op. 39

  Mazuka 

  Polka 

  Neapolitan Song

  Song of the Lark 

  Waltz

Young Pianist 4: 

Frederic Chopin 

Nocturne Op 9 No. 2 

Nocturne in c# minor Op. Posth 

Waltz in E minor Op. Posth

Grande Valse Brillante Op. 18

Valse Brillante Op. 34 No. 1

Felix Mendelssohn, Venetian Boat Song No. 1 Op 19. No 6

Senior Group:

Johannes Brahms 

Intermezzo Op 118 No.1 

Ballade Op 118 No. 3

Frederic Chopin 

Impromptu No. 1, Op. 29

Fantasie Impromptu, Op. 66 

Polonaise Op. 26 No. 1

Polonaise Op. 40 No. 1

Nocturne Op. 9 No. 1

Nocturne Op. 9 No. 3

Nocturne Op. 72 No. 1 

Etude Op. 25 No. 7

Claude Debussy Clair de lune 

Edvard Grieg Op 54. No.4 Notturno

Franz Liszt, Liebestraum No. 3

Felix Mendelssohn Songs Without Words 

Op. 19 No. 1

Op. 72 No. 6 

Op. 53 No 1.

Franz Schubert Impromptu Op, 90 No. 2

Moritz Moszkowski 

Etude Op. 72 No. 2 

Etude Op. 72 No. 6


Young Artist I

Frederic Chopin 

Ballade No.1 

Ballade No.2 

Ballade No. 3 

Polonaise Op. 53 

Nocturne Op. 15 No. 2

Nocturne Op. 48 No. 1

Etude Op. 10 No. 5 (Black Keys)

Etude Op. 10 No. 12 (Revolutionary)

Franz Liszt Genomenreigen (Concert Etude)

Mily Balakirev: The Lark 

Felix Mendelssohn Scherzo in E minor Op. 16 No. 2

Robert Schumann Op 2 Papillons 

Sergei Rachmaninoff

Prelude Op 32 No. 8 

Prelude Op 23 No. 7 

Prelude Op 23 No. 5 

Etude Tableau in g minor, Op. 33 No. 8

Robert Schumann “Aufschwung” Op 12 No 2 

Young Artist 2

Frederic Chopin

  Ballade No.4 

Scherzo No. 2

Felix Mendelssohn Variations Serieuses, Op. 54

Robert Schumann Noveletten Op. 21 (complete)

Category D - Contemporary 

Young Pianists 1 

Dmitry Kabalevsky: 24 Pieces for Children, Op. 39 

No. 19 Prelude 

No. 20 The Clown

Tansman Pour les enfants vol 2 

No. 3 Mazurka  

Young Pianists 2 

Bela Bartok 

For Children, Book 1 

  No. 17 Round Dance 

Romanian Folk Dances 

No. 2 Braul 

Tansman  Pour les enfants vol 2 No. 9 Dance Lesson

Aleksandr Gretchaninoff Grandfather’s Album, Op 119

No. 1 My Dear Mummy 

No. 12 Out for a Walk 



Young Pianists 3 

William Gillock: Lyric Preludes in Romantic Style

19. Soaring 

Dmitry Kabalevsky, 30 Pieces for Children Op 27 

No 3 Etude in A minor 

No 18 Sonatina 

Dmitry Kabalevsky Op. 40 Easy Variations in D Major

Dmitry Kabalevsky: Children’s Dreams  Op 88 

No 1 Dreams  


Young Pianists 4 

Bela Bartok Romanian Folk Dances , Sz. 56

No. 1 Dance with Sticks

No. 6 Quick Dance 

Dmitry Kabalevsky Sonatina Op. 13 No 1

Mvt 1 Allegro assai

Mvt. 3 Presto


Senior Group 

Aaron Copland The Cat and the Mouse 

Nikolay Medtner Four Tales Op 26 No.3 

Dmitry Kabalevsky 24 Preludes Op 38 

No. 3  Vivace leggiero

No. 6 Allegro molto

Sergei Prokofiev Ten Pieces Op 12 

No. 2 Gavotte

No. 7 Prelude (Harp)

Claude  Debussy

Arabesque No.1  

Arabesque No. 2

“Doctor Gradus ad Parnassum” 

Young Artist

Bela Bartok, Suite for Piano, Op. 14

  1. Allegretto

  2. Scherzo

  3. Allegro molto 

Scott Joplin 

Maple Leaf Rag 

The Entertainer

Aram Khachaturian - Toccata 

Maurice Ravel

Une Barque Sur l'océan (from Miroirs)

Jeux D’éau

Sonatine

Rigaudon (Tombeau de Couperin)

Forlane (Tombeau de Couperin)

Dmitri Shostakovich, Fantastic Dances (all 3)

Claude Debussy, Preludes, Book I (choose one)

Young Artist 2

Sergei Prokofiev, Sonata No. 3

Maurice Ravel, Toccata (Tombeau de Couperin)

Claude Debussy, Toccata (Pour le Piano)

Category E - Etudes

Young Pianist 1

Ferdinand Beyer: Vorschule im Klavierspiel Op. 101 

Nos. 80, 88, 89, 93, 100

Young Pianist 2 

Henry Lemoine: Études enfantines, Op.37

Nos. 23, 31, 34, 44

Stephen Heller: 25 Etudes mélodiques, Op.45

No. 18

Stephen Heller: 25 Etudes, Op.47

No. 1

Young Pianist 3 

Stephen Heller:
25 Etudes mélodiques, Op.45

Nos. 10, 18

30 Etudes progressives, Op.46 

Nos. 8, 10

25 Etudes, Op.47

Nos. 4, 23

Senior Group 

Johann Baptist Cramer 60 selected studies 

No. 3 a minor

No. 19 d minor 

No 23 e minor 

Moritz Moszkowski: 20 Petites Etudes,  Op.91 

Nos. 7, 11, 14 

Franz Liszt, Etudes de Concert, Un Sospiro

Young Artist I

Frederic Chopin: Etudes Op 10 

No. 5, 9

Frederic Chopin: Etudes Op. 25 

No. 1, 5, 7, 9


Young Artist II

Frederic Chopin: Etudes Op 10 and 25 (not listed above)

Franz Liszt, Transcendental Etudes (any of your choice)