Rules

Eligibility

The competition is open to individuals born on or after July 1, 2002. A competitor must be enrolled in a school in the United States or must be a legal resident of the United States. The competitor will upload mp3 files of each of the required repertoire for the recorded round to the website and fill out the application form certifying that the recording contains only the unedited playing of the competitor. Each applicant will also upload a scan of their driver’s license or birth certificate with proof of the competitor’s date of birth and will pay the $55.00 entry fee via the PayPal link. Competitors failing to meet these requirements will not be considered. The application will open June 1, 2024, and the deadline is October 15, 2024.

Repertoire for Recorded Round

1. A Prelude (or Toccata or Fantasy) and Fugue by J. S. Bach (excluding the “Eight Little”)
2. Two contrasting movements from a Classical French Organ Mass or Suite
3. Adagio from Symphony III by Louis Vierne
4. A work by an American composer written after 1960

Repertoire for the Final Round

1. The same Bach work recorded in the first round
2. A commissioned work by Chelsea Chen (5-7 minutes)
3. The first or final movement of a symphony by Louis Vierne or Charles-Marie Widor
4. Any music of your choice to fill out a program of no more than 50 minutes

Notification

A maximum of five finalists will be chosen from the preliminary recorded round. Competitors will be notified of the judging decision no later than December 1, 2024. If chosen as a finalist, the competitors must be able to compete in Atlanta, GA on Saturday, March 22, 2025.

Transportation and Lodging

Each of the finalists will receive assistance for transportation. Travel expenses to and from Atlanta will be reimbursed up to $500. Hotel lodging and per diem in Atlanta will be provided.

Practice Time

Each finalist will be allotted a maximum of five hours of practice time on the competition instrument.

Competition

Each finalist will receive 30 minutes of warm-up time on the morning of the competition. An experienced page turner will be provided if needed. The competition is open to the public and applause is permitted. Competitors will be visible to both the audience and the judges.

Awards

All finalists will attend the awards ceremony immediately following the competition. First Prize is $10,000 and a solo recital in Atlanta during the 2025-26 program year of the Atlanta Chapter of the American Guild of Organists. Second Prize is $5,000. Additional prizes of $1,000 each which may be awarded are the Audience Prize; Bach Prize; and Best Performance of the Commissioned Work.

Judging

Both the recorded round and Final Round will be judged by a set of three judges (different judges for each round.) The decision of the judges is final without discussion or further action of any sort, and the judges reserve the right to withhold any and all prizes.

Competition Contact: Sarah Hawbecker, shawbecker@redeemer.org or 404-874-8664