Annual Piano Day

Saturday, March 8, 2025

Application Due: Saturday, February 15, 2025 at 11:59pm CDT
($30 fee paid electrically at UMD Music Shop)

  Register for Piano Day

Schedule

  • 8:30AM Registration opens, practice rooms open for warm-up
  • 9:00AM-11:00 AM - Competition for Students
    • Professional evaluation and feedback, Certificates
    • One composition
      • Standard keyboard repertoire, Memorization is required.
      • Contemporary / New Music is allowed
  • 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM - Individual Lessons with Dr. Lee available
    Each Individual will have 20-30 minute lesson
    (12:00 PM - 1:00 PM - Campus Tour and Lunch)
  • 1:30 PM- 2:30 PM - Open Masterclass with Dr. Lee
  • 2:30 PM- 3:00 PM 
    Sight-Reading / Accompanying & Collaborative Piano Workshop
         The skill of accompanying and collaborating with other musicians is a great addition to the pianist’s skill set! In this course, learn techniques for accompanying soloists, choirs, and collaborating with multiple musicians from collaborative pianists. This course is a combination of learning techniques and then putting them into practice with SMC ensembles while working with a collaborative pianist.
  • 3:00 PM-3:30PM - Piano Ensemble
        Be a part of a piano ensemble! A diverse, challenging, and varied repertoire is a focus of this course exploring music that is specifically written for this ensemble. Music is taught through a variety of methods including reading notation, learning by rote or ear, and an individualized and large ensemble approach. Instruments are provided for this course
  • 4:00 PM-5:00 PM - Honors Recital in Weber Hall

Competition Information

Applicants performing must perform one classical piece (no popular music) from memory. Unaccompanied concerto movements are permitted.

Time allotments:

  • Grades 1-3: up to 3 minutes
  • Grades 4-6: up to 5 minutes
  • Grades 7-9: up to 8 minutes
  • Grades 10-12: up to 10 minutes

Divisions: 

  • Solo
  • Duet
  • Online (submit the video by March 6, 2025, 11:59pm)

Duet Division: Grades 1-6 and Grades 7-12

Applicants entering the duet division must play two contrasting pieces for one piano four hands.
Duets requiring two pianos are not permitted. Memorization is not required.

Online Division: Grade 1-12

This division takes place entirely online. Applicants must perform a piece from memory and submit either a video file or provide access links to public platforms such as YouTube or Vimeo. All submissions should be emailed to: [email protected]. Applicants should be ready to perform on March 8, 2025 in the Weber Hall at the University of Minnesota Duluth if they win.

Judges: TBA (will be announced two weeks prior to Piano Day)

Payment and Final Concert

There will be a $30.00 charge per student for participation in the UMD Piano Day. In an attempt
to facilitate the registration line so that it operates smoother and faster we are encouraging online payments before you and your students arrive on campus. Please may your payment online directly to the music department at the UMD Music Shop.

The final concert will be held on Saturday, March 8, 2025 at 4:00 pm and will be held in the Weber Hall. Admission is free.

Meals

You can bring your own bag lunch or Students may eat meals on campus in the Dining Center, The Kirby Plaza Food Court or the "Ven Den" (Vending Machine area). The Kirby Plaza Food Court will be open all day on Friday and Saturday from 11:00 am - 4:00pm. If you choose to eat in the Superior Dining Center, the prices are; Lunch @ $10.50 plus tax. This is a great deal as this is an "ALL YOU CAN EAT" situation! Food selections in the Dining Center include a salad bar, sandwich bar, selection of several main entrees, deserts and much more. I would encourage you to consider taking advantage of this offer. Students and Chaperones who decide to eat in the Superior Dining Center or the Food Court should bring a credit card or debit card to make purchases as these establishments are cashless. There are also several "fast food" restaurants close to campus and they are within walking distance. We have allowed time in the schedule so you can frequent these establishments if you so choose.

What to Bring

Score (original or copy) of the solo/duet piano piece you intend to bring to Piano Day
Water bottle to stay hydrated during the event.
Bag lunch (optional)

For more information, Contact

Lina Yoo Min Lee, Assistant Professor of Piano
[email protected]
234 Humanities Building
1201 Ordean Court
Duluth, MN 55811