NCMTA Performance Festival – Piano
A Valuable Opportunity for Students
The purpose of the NCMTA Piano Performance Festival (PPF) is to provide students ages elementary through high school, and their teachers, a valuable performance opportunity. It is a means of receiving constructive feedback from competent judges, thereby stimulating and recognizing constant growth. The NCMTA Performance Festival is non-competitive, meaning, students are not judged against others, but instead are adjudicated on their own merits.
Performance Festival Information
- Our NCMTA Performance Festivals are held in the early part of each year in two phases – District and State. See below for dates and locations.
- Students eligible to participate in the State Festival are those who earned Highest Honors at District.
- Students earning Highest Honors at both State and District levels are eligible to perform in the Honors Recitals at annual conference.
Honors Recital
Students earning Highest Honors at the State Level of the NCMTA Performance Festivals are invited to perform in the Honors Recital at the Annual Conference. Information regarding participation in the honors recitals is emailed to teachers of eligible students.
Piano Performance Festival Regulations, Repertoire Lists, and more
District registration for the 2026 NCMTA Performance Festival is now live!
We are also accepting submissions from those interested in adjudicating for district and divisional festivals this season:
Call for Judges (please complete this Google Form linked here if interested in serving as an adjudicator)
Key Registration Deadlines
Saturday, February 7
District registration deadline for all district festivals, including eFestival
Monday, March 9
State East divisional registration deadline (for students advancing from Districts 6 and 7)
Monday, April 6
State West divisional registration deadline (for students advancing from Districts 2, 5, and 8)
eFestival Option
eFestival is available again this year for students who need an alternative to participating live on the district date.
eFestival registration follows the same district registration deadline: Saturday, February 7.
Important: Recorded video submissions for eFestival are due one week before the live district festival date for the district in which the student is registered.
2026 District Festival Dates and Locations
Note: Due to low enrollment, Albemarle, Greenville, and Lumberton will not hold district festivals in 2026. Teachers in these districts may register in the district of their choice.
District 2 (Charlotte, satellite location for VLMTA)
Saturday, March 21
Southern Park Music School
District 5 (Western NC / Mountains / VLMTA)
Saturday, March 7
Piano Lab Asheville, 40 Westgate Parkway, Asheville, NC 28806
District 6 (Raleigh)
Saturday, February 21
Meredith College
District 7 (Wilmington)
Saturday, March 7
UNC-W
District 8 (Winston-Salem / Greensboro)
Saturday, March 7
UNCG Recital Hall and Organ Hall, 100 McIver St., Greensboro, NC
State Divisional Festival Dates and Locations
State East (Districts 6 and 7)
Saturday, March 21
Meredith College
State West (Districts 2, 5, and 8)
Saturday, April 18
Southern Park Music School
Open Chair Positions
We are still seeking to fill the following positions for 2026:
- State East: Piano Chair
- State West: Piano Chair
- Raleigh District: Piano Chair (voice chair has been fulfilled)
If you are interested in serving in one of these roles, please contact piano@ncmta.org and we will follow up with details.
Transition note
Dr. Lawrence Quinnett is assuming the Piano Performance Festival Director role moving forward. Dr. Sam Gingher will remain involved briefly to support the rollout of registration, the call for judges, and a smooth transition.
Thank you for your patience and support as we begin the 2026 festival season!
Have Voice or Concert Instrument Students, too?
Questions? Contact the Festival Director