AHS National Competition

25th American Harp Society National Competition (2023)

The 25th National Competition will be held May 31- June 4, 2023 at the Colburn School in Los Angeles, California.  The competition is open to harpists up to the age of 30 who are national members of the American Harp Society and who are United States citizens or citizens of the Americas (North, Central, and South).  A list of all past competition winners is available here.

2023 Competition results are announced on Noteworthy News!

National Competition final rounds and the Sunday Winners Recital are free and open to everyone, and will also be livestreamed on this page and AHS social media channels.   The schedule (subject to change) is:

Thursday, June 1 Young Professional Division 10 am - 1 pm PDT
  Advanced Division 2 pm - 5 pm PDT
Friday, June 2 Intermediate II Division 10 am - 4 pm PDT
Saturday, June 3 Junior Division 9 am - 1 pm PDT
  Intermediate I Division 2 pm - 7:30 pm PDT
Sunday, June 4 Winners Recital 11:15 am - 12:45 pm PDT

Watch live here:

 

The application deadline was April 1, 2023 at 11:59 pm PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME.  Applications are now closed.

AHS gratefully offers the opportunity for individuals to sponsor specific National Competition prizes.  You may give online or by mail.

2023 National Competition Required Repertoire

ALL COMPOSITIONS IN ALL DIVISIONS MUST BE PERFORMED BY MEMORY.
REPEATS ARE OPTIONAL, except where stated otherwise below.
EDITIONS ARE AT THE DISCRETION OF THE CONTESTANT, except where stated otherwise below  

JUNIOR DIVISION (Maximum age 12 years on June 1, 2023)
C.P.E. Bach Solfeggio in C minor, H.220 (“Solfeggietto”)
Carlos Salzedo Suite of 8 Dances (choose 3)
Choose one:
     John Thomas

        or
     Marcel Tournier

from, Welsh Melodies for the Harp, Volumn 2, No, 13,
Watching the Wheat ( 'Bugeilio'r gwenith gwyn')

Berceuse russe, Op. 40
   
INTERMEDIATE I DIVISION (Maximum age 15 years on June 1, 2023)
Libby Larsen Theme and Deviations (1973)
Bernard Andres Sweet Blues
Choose one:
     Alphonse Hasselmans
          or
     Mikhail Glinka

Petite Valse, Op. 25

Variations on a theme of Mozart (from ‘Die Zauberflöte’, The Magic Flute)
   
INTERMEDIATE II DIVISION (Maximum age 18 years on June 1, 2023)
Choose one:
     Claude Debussy

 
          or       
     Marcel Grandjany

Deux Arabesques, L. 66
     No. 1 Andantion con moto
     No. 2 Allegretto Scherzando

Children’s Hour,  Suite for Harp  Op. 25

Choose one:
     Paul Hindemith
          or
     Michael Mauldin

Sonata for Harp (1939)

Birds in Winter: six preludes for harp (1989)

Choose one:
     G.F. Handel
   
          or
     Domenico Zipoli

Concerto in B-flat major, Op. 4 No. 6,  HWV 294,
Movement 1, Andante Allegro, with repeats.  Any edition.

Keyboard Sonata in B minor, Op.1 No.17 (Suite in B minor)
   
ADVANCED DIVISION (Maximum age 21 years on June 1, 2023)
Germaine Tailleferre Sonata for Harp
Kati Agócs Every Lover is a Warrior (2006, edited 2019)
Marcel Grandjany Rhapsodie, Op. 10
   
YOUNG PROFESSIONAL DIVISION (Maximum age 30 years on June 1, 2023) *
J.S. Bach Lute Suites, BVW 995, 996, 997, 998, or 1006a - choose one
Choose one:
     Benjamin Britten
          or
     Carlos Salzedo


Suite for Harp (1969)


Variations on a Theme in Ancient Style, Op. 30 (any edition)
For competition performance, take composer’s ossia* as noted in Variation VIII m. 23*
Choose one:
     Caroline Lizotte
          or
     Caroline Lizotte

Suite Galactique, opus 39

Odyssée, opus 37

(
Please see the errata list at https://calyane.com/en/faq/  re. these works.) 

* The First Prize winner in the Young Professional Division is named the AHS Concert Artist.  For this reason finalists will submit a printed recital program and deliver spoken program notes from the stage, as a part of their competition performance.

2023 repertoire and division age requirements are available for download. (PDF)  The 2023 National Competition Rules are also available for download.  (PDF).

Downloadable Guidelines for Making and Submitting Digital Video (DV) Recordings is available here.

There will be monetary awards for winners in all divisions of the competition.


A non-refundable entry fee will be charged in each Division

All entries must be received by 11:59 pm, April 1, 2023 PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME. 

THERE WILL BE NO EXCEPTIONS