Alabama Music Teachers Association
Affiliated with Music Teachers National Association
AUDITION INFO
ALABAMA IN-STATE AUDITIONS
The current 2024 Student Activities Handbook is posted here:
2025 Student Activities Handbook
The entry fee for all solo and concerto AMTA auditions is $30. Non-members may enter students for an entry fee of $60. Members who renewed and who paid their membership dues after October 1 must pay the non-member fee of $60.
All state level winners are invited to perform at the next AMTA State Conference. Information regarding your winner recital or masterclass can be obtained from the competition chair.
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Below you will find sections for each of the following:
AMTA-MTNA Composition - links to appropriate pages
Registration
District Piano Auditions
State Piano Auditions
New Volunteer Policy - IMPORTANT!
College Auditions in Piano, Woodwinds, Brass & Voice
Piano Concerto in College & Pre-college
College Chamber Music Auditions: Woodwinds & Brass
College Chamber Music: Strings
Pre-College Auditions: Woodwinds & Brass
College & Pre-College Strings & Pre-College Chamber Music
Pre-College Voice: Classical & Musical Theatre
AMTA - MTNA Composition Information
Information about both AMTA & MTNA Composition opportunities can be found here (AMTA) and here (MTNA).
Registration
All district and state AMTA auditions now exclusively utilize on-line registration. Teachers may register their students at https://amta.tenutoweb.com/. All fees will be paid via credit card through Paypal.
District Piano Auditions
Eligibility:
These auditions are for piano students through high school age and are held in March or April of each year. The new requirements, instituted in the fall of 2019, are:
Repertoire:
Two works of contrasting style from one of the five classical periods of music to be performed. The third work should be of the student’s and teacher’s choice. The third work could repeat a historic style represented in the first two works, or it could include a transcription, arrangement, hymn, pop music, jazz, or student’s own composition. The third choice selected must be on a comparable level of difficulty as the other two pieces. The student must have printed music for all three pieces in order to receive a rating (if student is performing a composition, it must be notated and printed from a music notation program such as Finale). If a student does not have at least 2 different periods represented or does not have music for all three pieces performed, the student will receive a score of CO- Comments Only, therefore being ineligible to move on to state auditions.
New District Pre-College Piano Auditions: The Tiered Approach
Gold Level: Perform three works within new repertoire requirements above. All pieces must be memorized. Perform the existing requirements for theory for the student’s appropriate age.
Silver Level: Perform three works within new repertoire requirements above. All pieces must be memorized. Theory requirements: Division I may perform theory up to two years below their current age; Division II may perform Age 10 theory or above; Division III may perform Age 13 theory or above. This would eliminate the transfer and older beginner categories that so often confuse our members as this level would cover those stu- dents as well as any others who feel they fit here.
Bronze Level: Perform two works of contrasting style from one of the five classical periods. Pieces must be memorized. No theory component.
To qualify for state, students must be performing at the gold level or silver level and earn the “double O.” Any student, regardless of age, that attains the “double O” score in gold or silver level, is eligible to go to state auditions. (This removes the age 10 requirement to perform at State Conference).
Please note: There will be a Virtual District Audition option this year for students who have a valid reason for needing this (available only at the district level); for information, click here.
How to Register:
Visit https://amta.tenutoweb.com/ for registration. The deadlines for entry are published at https://amta.tenutoweb.com/ as well as on the Audition Schedules page of this site. For more specific information about dates, locations and district chairs, see: Audition Schedules.
State Piano Auditions
The Piano Division of these competitions is held in May of each year. Students perform the same repertoire as in the Division level of the audition, but do not do the Theory requirements again. Approximately 10-20% of these students are chosen as Winners and asked to perform at the next AMTA State Conference.
The Woodwind, Brass & Voice Divisions of these competitions are held at the time and place of the College Solo Auditions (or elsewhere as the Chair determines appropriate). The entrants in this audition will perform at least three pieces of contrasting style and also pass a theory exam as printed in the AMTA Student Activities Handbook. In each category, approximately 10-20% of these students are chosen as Winners. For specific information regarding location, dates and chairperson, see: Audition Schedules.
New Volunteers Policy - IMPORTANT!
As of summer 2025, the AMTA Board passed the following volunteer policy:
“Each local association/district must provide help for the state pre-college piano auditions. For districts with less than 200 registrants, they must send at least one helper. For districts with more than 200 registrants, they must send at least two helpers. Helpers need not be from the district, but each district/local must secure their helpers and report them to the chair in January before the audition season begins. If they do not, the Tenuto system will be deactivated for their district and they will be ineligible to enter students in auditions. If a district secures a volunteer but that person does not show up on the day of state auditions, this penalty will apply to the following year’s auditions. Each district must have a volunteer present for the full day inclusive of morning registration and end-of-day clean up, which typically runs from approximately 8:00am-4:30pm. However, districts may choose to send two half-day helpers in place of one full-day helper if they wish.”
College Auditions: Piano, Woodwinds, Brass & Voice
Winners are asked to perform at the next AMTA State Conference.
Eligibility:
Open to any college-level student in Piano, Voice, Woodwinds, or Brass who is studying with an AMTA member in good standing or is a student member of AMTA. Students of non-members may pay the non-member entry fee of $60. Students who are non-music majors may enter the AMTA College Solo Division as long as they are taking lessons for credit.
Requirements:
A program of three solo compositions representing different stylistic periods and totaling no less than eight minutes. Singers may prepare more than three songs to meet the eight minute requirement. These compositions may total more than 15 minutes but only that amount will be heard in the audition.
Concerto compositions are not acceptable for piano, and only one of the three works for orchestral instruments may be a concerto. If a student elects to program a concerto movement, it must be memorized. Memory is otherwise optional for performers on orchestral instruments. Memory is required for voice and piano.
How to Register:
Registration Fee: $30 for members; $60 for non-members
Registration available at https://amta.tenutoweb.com/.
For More Information:
Contact Kevin Chance at k.t.chance@gmail.com.
Pre-College and College Piano Concerto Auditions
Eligibility:
Open to any college and pre-college level student in Piano who is studying with an AMTA member in good standing or is a student member of AMTA. Students of non-members must pay the non-member entry fee of $60. Students who are non-music majors may enter the AMTA College Piano Concerto Auditions as long as they are taking lessons for credit.
Requirements:
One movement of a concerto or a complete single-movement work for piano and orchestra. Each entrant is required to supply their own accompanist.
How to Register:
Registration Fee: $30 ($60 for non-members).
For More Information:
Contact Kevin Chance at k.t.chance@gmail.com
College Chamber Music Auditions: Woodwinds and Brass
Eligibility:
Open to any college-level students in Piano, Voice, Woodwinds, or Brass who are studying with an AMTA member in good standing or is a student member of AMTA. Students of non-members may pay the non-member entry fee of $60. Students who are non-music majors may enter as long as they are taking lessons for credit.
Requirements:
A program of two chamber works for 3-10 performers representing different stylistic periods. These compositions may total more than 15 minutes but only that amount will be heard in the audition. Memorization is non-required.
How to Register:
Visit https://amta.tenutoweb.com/.
For More Information:
Contact Paul Houghtaling at phoughtaling@ua.edu.
College Chamber Music Auditions: Strings
Eligibility:
Open to any college-level students in Piano, Voice, and Strings who are studying with an AMTA member in good standing or is a student member of AMTA. Students of non-members may pay the non-member entry fee of $60. Students who are non-music majors may enter as long as they are taking lessons for credit.
Requirements:
A program of two chamber works for 3-10 performers representing different stylistic periods. These compositions may total more than 15 minutes but only that amount will be heard in the audition. Memorization is non-required.
How to Register:
Visit https://amta.tenutoweb.com/.
For More Information:
Contact: Dr. Mei Li, cmli1004@gmail.com
Pre-College Auditions: Woodwinds & Brass
Woodwind, and brass instruments - NOT STRINGS (see sections above and below regarding strings).
Requirements:
Repertoire Requirements “INSTRUMENTAL: All entrants must perform three works representing different style periods. All compositions needs NOT be composed historically in the period they represent. These compositions may total more than 15 minutes, but only that amount will be heard in the audition. Memory is optional for woodwind and brass entrants.
How to Register:
Registration Fee: $30 ($60 for non-members)
Visit https://amta.tenutoweb.com/ to register.
For More Information:
Contact Paul Houghtaling at phoughtaling@ua.edu
College & Pre-College Strings and Pre-College Chamber Music Auditions
College strings (solo); Pre-college strings solo, concerto, and chamber music including piano/string ensembles.
How to Register:
Registration Fee: $30 ($60 for non-members)
Visit https://amta.tenutoweb.com/ to register.
For More Information:
Contact: Dr. Mei Li, cmli1004@gmail.com
AMTA Pre-College Voice Auditions
Pre-College Classical Voice:
Vocalists should prepare a program according to the following guidelines: If the student has studied two years or less, they should prepare two contrasting art songs in English. If the student has studied three or more years, they should prepare three contrasting art songs, one of which must be sung in Italian. For appropriate theory requirements, see the Student Activities Handbook, pg. 27-28.
Pre-College Musical Theatre Voice:
Vocalists should prepare a program according to the following guidelines: If the student has studied two years or less, they should prepare two contrasting selections from Musical Theatre repertoire, memorized and staged appropriately. If the student had studied for three or more years, they should prepare three contrasting selections from Musical Theatre repertoire, memorized and staged appropriately. Selections for all students must be from licensed, published works with legally-sourced copies of music. Adjudication may include comments on vocal technique, style authenticity, character portrayal, and stage presence. For appropriate theory requirements, see the Student Activities Handbook, pg. 27-28.