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Composer Showcase

 

The Composer Showcase Committee is thrilled to announce PTF’s Sixth Annual Composer Showcase in Spring 2026.  The Composer Showcase will feature blue-ribbon original compositions. 
We hope you'll consider submitting your students' compositions for this exciting PTF event!



RULES AND INFORMATION

Students will submit an audio recording of their performance of original piano compositions inspired by the theme of The Seasons. The polished performance can be memorized or performed with the score. The piano compositions may be solo, duet, duo, or a song with sung lyrics, or may include other instruments.  



Students who can read music will notate their scores either by handwriting or using notation software. Beginner students who are not proficient readers can present their compositions in their own way, even if it is not in standard notation, such as with a graph, chart, or drawings of the sections of their piece.  

 

REGISTRATION

  • Active PTF members can submit unlimited students.    

  • The entry fee is $35 and is non-refundable.

  • Teachers or parents can upload an unlisted YouTube link along with scans of the notated score, graph, or chart.

  • Teachers or parents can complete the online registration.

  • Recording on acoustic instruments is preferred, but digital pianos are acceptable.

  • Please register here: 2026 Composer Showcase Registration Form

  • Submit videos here: 2026 Composer Showcase Video Submission Form 

IMPORTANT DATES

  • Online registration deadline: Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026

  • Video submission deadline: Saturday, Mar. 7, 2026

  • Recital, in-person at Steinway & Sons, Princeton: Sunday, March 22, 2026, late afternoon, exact TBD.

AWARDS

  • All participants will receive constructive and encouraging written feedback on their original composition to share with their teacher for further study, along with a Certificate of Participation.

  • Students are invited to participate in the in-person Composer Showcase recital on Sunday, March 22, 2026.  



DRESS CODE AND BOWS

Live performances at the Composer Showcase must satisfy the following criteria:

  • Students bow before and after performing their original composition.

  • Students wear recital-appropriate dress clothes (no jeans, sneakers, hoodies, or hats).

 

YouTube AUDIO FILE REQUIREMENTS

 

  • YouTube videos should be AUDIO ONLY of a polished performance of the piece or a sound file of a live performance converted into a format compatible with YouTube.

  • Videos should be unlisted, with comments disabled. The account owner should be either anonymous or the entrant/parent.

  • Videos should be an accurate representation of the PDF score.

  • Videos should be labeled with only the title of the composition. Additional information, including the student or teacher's name, should not be included as part of the title.



INSTRUCTIONS FOR UPLOADING VIDEOS TO YouTube  

Follow these directions to upload your completed video to an unlisted YouTube file. You can do this through the YouTube App or on a computer.

  • Go to www.youtube.com and sign in. If you don’t already have an account, create one. It can be easily linked to a Gmail account.

  • Click the “upload” button at the top.

  • Either click on the “Select files to upload” box and select your video file from your device or drag/drop your video file into the box.

  • In the “Basic Info” screen, enter the appropriate title with the Student’s Name in the box where the filename appears.

  • In the box below the title, enter the name of the piece being recorded.

  • Click the box that indicates the video is appropriate for children under 18.

  • Change the privacy setting from “Public” to “Unlisted.”

  • Click “Done.”

  • When the video is finished, copy the URL and paste it into your registration.

Participating in this event grants permission for audition videos to be heard by an adjudicator for evaluation purposes.