CMSS’ Spring Piano Festival is designed to nurture and inspire each student’s talent and growth in piano performance. In this festival, students are encouraged to celebrate their own progress, preparation, and musical expression. Every participant will receive a certificate of participation, evaluation of their performance, and thoughtful, constructive feedback from a panel of professional piano judges. By providing a supportive and encouraging environment, CMSS’ Spring Piano Festival aims to deepen each student’s love and understanding of piano music, helping them build skills, confidence, and a lifelong connection to music.

There is no age limit to this Festival, and the performances are open to the public!

Beginner Division students will be assigned a performance time between the hours of 9-11am with recognition ceremonies every hour (10am and 12pm). Adjudicators: Eun Joo Lee, Mingyue Fu, & Malgosia Lis.

Intermediate/Advanced Division students will be assigned a performance time between the hours of 12-4pm with recognition ceremonies every hour (1pm, 2pm, 3pm and 4pm). Adjudicator: Sofya Shainskaya & Jose Ramos Santana.

Registration Deadline: February 1st, 2025 After submitting the registration form below, CMSS will process your registration and email you an invoice. Registration is not complete until payment is processed.

CMSS Students: $35* | Non-CMSS Students: $50*

*CMSS’s mission is to provide an equitable and inclusive center of excellence: if you are concerned about your ability to participate due to price, please email Rachel Rivard at Rrivard@communitymusicschool.comcreate new email or call 413-732-8428.

FAQ’s

Registration

Do I have to have a private lesson teacher or music teacher to register? No, but if you do have an instructor that you would like to receive details of the day, and the feedback, there is a spot in the registration form for you to include this information.

Is this a competition? It is not the competitive event, the focus is on students receiving feedback which would inform their ability to advance musically.

How do I know if I’m in the beginner or intermediate/advanced division? We can help! Call us at 413-732-8428 and leave a message for Marineh Kirakosyan, CMSS Piano Faculty Liaison & Instructor, or email Marineh at mkirakosyan@communitymusicschool.comcreate new email.

Is there an age limit? No. We recognize that beginners begin at many different ages!

What if I need help with the registration form? Please call CMSS at 413-732-8428 and we can help you out.

I just registered–what’s next? A week before the festival, you will receive an email with additional information regarding the timeframe of your arrival to CMSS and important details about the day. In the meantime keep practicing!

Preparation

How long can my piece be? For the beginners division, maximum duration is 4 minutes. For the intermediate/advanced division, maximum duration is up to 8 minutes.

Do I need to memorize my music? No, memorization is not required. Please note, page turners will not be permitted.

Day of the Event

What do I need to bring with me on the day of the event? We recommend you bring a snack (nut-free, please), water bottle, and of course–bring your score/music with the measures numbered for the judges. We are unable to provide in depth feedback about your performance without the score.

What if I would like a physical copy of my evaluation and feedback? Please call CMSS and we can provide you with one with a $10 processing fee.

How will warming up work? On the day of the festival, musicians will be assigned a studio to warm up in prior to their performance. Students will not be able to play on the performance piano as it will be in use for other performers. If you would like to have access to play on the performance piano, please contact CMSS to schedule a 30 min session.

Can we pay on the day of the event? No, registration fees must be submitted prior to February 1st to complete your registration.

What do caregivers/family do while they wait? This event is open to the public; caregivers and fellow students can listen quietly in the Robyn Newhouse Hall or wait with us in our designated waiting area. If you are watching performances in the Hall, we require you to turn off all electronic devices and refrain from any distracting activities (for example: talking, whispering, crinkling paper or wrappers, etc.). To support the focus of the performers, if you have any family members that may unexpectedly make noise, we kindly ask that you consider waiting in the waiting area instead of the hall. If you need to leave or enter the hall, you will be asked to wait until transitions of performers. Thank you in advance for keeping the space as quiet and calm as possible for our hard-working performers!

What if I need accommodations to participate to the best of my ability? We are here to support, please see our Accessibility & Accommodations page for more information.

Evaluation & Feedback

What happens after the performance? Each student will be individually evaluated based on their performance, and will be eligible for one of three distinctions: Outstanding (highest level of recognition), Excellent (recognition for a strong/above-average performance), or Great (recognition of a solid musical foundation). Performers will receive an email of the judges feedback within 2 weeks of the Festival.

How will I be evaluated? Please refer to ##our rubric## for details. You will also receive written feedback!

If you have any additional questions, we are happy to help! Please contact CMSS at 413-732-8428 or info@communitymusicschool.comcreate new email