Instrumental Competition

Dates and Deadlines:

  1. January 4th, 2027 at 11:59PM: Application due date

  2. Sunday February 28th, 2027: Instrumental Division live round takes place at PianoForte Concert Hall in Chicago, IL

Competition rules:

Application Fees:

Application fees are 50$ payable by check or Zelle. Fees are due at the time of application and are non-refundable.

Eligibility:

  • Instrumentalists must be 16-30 years old to apply **age as of January 15th, 2027**

  • Residency status or school attendance in one of the following states:  IL, IN, MI, WI, MN, IA.

  • Past 1st place winners cannot return to compete again. Other prize winners may return to compete for higher tier prizes. The exception to this rule, is if a 1st place winner is rising from the Junior to the Senior category.

  • Citizenship not required to apply, however, all applicants must have a U.S. Social Security Number. All awards are subject to US taxation; winners who are US citizens or resident aliens will be asked to complete a W-9. Non-resident aliens and others who are not US citizens may still acquire a SSN; please review https://www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10096.pdf for more information about how to apply. Please anticipate that this process may take up to 2 months.

Grounds for disqualification:

  • Inability to prove residency status or provide proof of age.

  • Previous winner of an MCW award in the past in their intended division of competition.

  • Videos that have been edited within the performance of any musical selection or that appear not to match the identity of the applicant.

  • Performances in which memorization requirements are not met (i.e., evidence to suggest a candidate is reading music outside of camera view) or inability to perform without music where required in live round.

  • Performances that lack the accompaniment required by the repertoire.

  • Candidates who are late for their time slot, or who do not appear at the final in-person round.

  • Repertoire list that does not meet the repertoire requirements listed below.

  • Unpaid application fees at time of application.

  • Incomplete applications.

Disqualification is entirely at the discretion of MCW. All determinations regarding disqualification are final and cannot be appealed.

Materials needed to apply:

  • General application

  • Repertoire list- including what is performed on the audition video, and what is to be performed in the live round.

  • Audition Video

  • Headshot*

  • 250 word bio*

  • Application fee (50$ check or zelle)

*to be used for announcement of winners

Questions? E-mail Us!

Awards:

Senior Instrumental Division

For women-identifying instrumentalists aged 23-30.

1st Place: Nerenberg Award

  • $7,500 award

  • 2 year MCW membership

  • MCW-hosted public performance***

2nd place: Farwell award

  • $5,000 award

  • 2 year MCW membership

  • MCW-hosted public performance***

3rd place: Farwell award

  • $3,000 award

  • 2 year MCW membership

  • MCW-hosted public performance***

*** Award winners are required to give a short 15-25 min performance at an MCW club concert (club concerts are held on the 3rd Monday of each month from 11am-12pm) as recipient of award. No remuneration is provided for this performance, however the club will pay for your collaborative pianist.

Junior Nerenberg Division

For women-identifying instrumentalists aged 16-22.

1st Prize: Farwell Award

  • $4,000 award

  • 2 year MCW membership

  • MCW-hosted public performance***

2nd Prize: Farwell award

  • $3,000 award

  • 2 year MCW membership

  • MCW-hosted public performance***

*** A short 15-20 min performance required at an MCW club concert (club concerts are held on the 3rd Monday of each month from 11am-12pm) as recipient of award. No additional remuneration is provided for this performance, however the club will pay for your collaborative pianist.

Additional Instrumental Division Awards: NEW 2027!

Margaret Rose Wells Pianist Award: $5,000 To be awarded at the judges’ discretion to a pianist in either division.

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Questions? E-mail us!


Audition Repertoire Requirements

VIDEO ROUND:

  • Record at least one complete selection from the repertoire list for your instrument. (Percussionists: see special guidelines along with repertoire below)

  • Audition videos are to be a minimum of 10 minutes, with no upper limit. Applicants are advised to take advantage of the time to demonstrate as broad a range of artistry, variety, and technical skill as possible.

  • Repertoire for the video round does not need to be the same as the live round, as long as it meets the requirements.

LIVE ROUND

  • Applicants should determine a list of repertoire that satisfies the requirements for their instrument.

  • No changes to repertoire lists will be allowed after application is received.

  • Repertoire lists should be a minimum of 15 minutes in length. No maximum requirement.

  • Judges will choose from candidates’ repertoire list which selections they will hear during the audition window. Candidates will not be notified ahead of time which musical selections they will be asked to perform. However, the first selection is the candidate’s choice

  • All music shall be performed with accompaniment as applicable (orchestral reductions with cuts, etc. are acceptable), for all rounds of competition.


If applicants have any questions about whether their chosen repertoire satisfies the repertoire requirements, e-mail the Competition Director at awards@musiciansclubofwomen.org well in advance of deadlines.


Classical Guitar

All selections are to be memorized unless otherwise stated.

  1. One movement from a composition by Bach OR One movement of a work from the Classical era

  2. One movement of a work in Impressionist, Romantic, or Neo-Romantic style

  3. Work composed after 1950 (memorization not required) ***a movement of a larger work can be used to satisfy this requirement, as long as complete list meets timing requirements

*At least one selection from the list above must be by a composer who is woman-identifying and/or BIPOC

Harp

All selections are to be memorized unless otherwise stated.

  1. One movement of a work from the Baroque era

  2. Complete movement of a concerto of advanced difficulty (memorization not required)

  3. One standard concert piece

*At least one selection from the list above must be by a composer who is woman-identifying and/or BIPOC

Percussion

All works are to be memorized unless otherwise stated.

  1. A 2-mallet solo of choice (ex. Bach on marimba, ragtime or modern xylophone)

  2. A contemporary 4-mallet marimba or vibraphone solo

  3. A snare drum solo of your choice

*At least one selection from the list above must be by a composer who is woman-identifying and/or BIPOC

Please note: for the Video round, the 2 or 4-mallet solo must be submitted. The snare solo does not qualify for the video round.

MCW will provide rented instruments for the competition live round (rented instrument budget up to $400 per finalist, finalists pay difference on higher amounts of instruments needed)

Piano

All works are to be memorized unless otherwise stated.

  1. Bach Prelude and Fugue OR the first movement of a Sonata from the Classical Era

  2. A work of Romantic, Impressionist, or Neo-Romantic style (pre-1950)

  3. Work composed after 1950 (memorization not required) ***a movement of a larger work can be used to satisfy this requirement, as long as complete list meets timing requirements

*At least one selection from the list above must be by a composer who is woman-identifying and/or BIPOC

Strings

All works are to be memorized unless otherwise stated.

  1. One movement of unaccompanied Bach

  2. Complete movement of a concerto of advanced difficulty (composed between 1750 and 1950)

  3. Work composed after 1950 (memorization not required) ***a movement of a larger work can be used to satisfy this requirement, as long as complete list meets timing requirements

*At least one selection from the list above must be by a composer who is woman-identifying and/or BIPOC

Woodwinds/Brass

All works are to be memorized unless otherwise stated.

  • Complete movement of a concerto of advanced difficulty (from different era than sonata/sonatina/sonatine) 

  • First movement of a sonata/sonatina/sonatine of advanced difficulty (from different era than  concerto) (memorization not required)

  • Work composed after 1950 (NOT a sonata/sonatina/sonatine) (memorization not required) ***a movement of a larger work can be used to satisfy this requirement, as long as complete list meets timing requirements

In order to meet required minimum time limits, applicants are permitted to submit additional movements for the sonata/sonatina/sonatine requirement (as in the case of certain sonatas such as Hindemith, which would be too short on their own)

*At least one selection from the list above must be by a composer who is woman-identifying and/or BIPOC

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Apply here!

Contact the Competition Director with any questions about fulfilling the repertoire requirements: awards@musiciansclubofwomen.org