Northwest Division Music Competition coming to ISU Jan. 13–14

The Idaho State University Department of Music will host the northwest regional level of the prestigious Music Teachers National Association Competition on Jan. 13 and 14 in the L.E. and Thelma E. Stephens Performing Arts Center and the ISU Fine Arts Building. 

For this event, state winners at the junior high, high school, and young artists levels from Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Alaska and Wyoming will compete. There are separate divisions for piano, woodwind, strings, voice, and chamber music. Winners in each of these divisions will compete for national honors in March in Toronto, Canada.

Winners will receive valuable prizes, including thousands of dollars, a Steinway grand piano, and a variety of high-profile performances nationwide. All competitions are free and open to the public. Dr. Kori Bond, associate professor of music at ISU and the host for the competition, said the competition is a listening opportunity for any lover of classical music, especially for aspiring young performers.

“All of the competitors are fantastic performers on their instrument and are performing pieces at the highest level of difficulty,” Bond said.

All of the piano competitions will be held in the Joseph C. and Cheryl H. Jensen Grand Concert Hall in the Stephens Performing Arts Center. The other divisions will be in the ISU Fine Arts Building choir and band rooms. For a complete schedule of events, visit the ISU music department Web site at www.isu.edu/music.