J. Earl Lee Piano Festival

The J. Earl Lee Pre-College Piano Competition strives to provide students ages 13-18 with performing opportunities and raise the standard of excellence of young pianists. This is an international competition with no geographic restrictions.

This 2025 competition is scheduled for Feb. 28 - March 1, with a welcome event on Thursday evening, Feb. 27. This is an in-person competition.

Repertoire Requirements

Round 1 | Feb. 28, 2025 | Solo repertoire, and must include all of the following:

• Keyboard work by J.S. Bach (to be selected from Inventions, Sinfonia, Little Preludes and Fugues, Well Tempered Klavier Books I&II)
• One piece from the standard solo literature (Classical, Romantic, 20th/21st Century).  
  • No arrangements.
  • Memorization is required for all repertoire.
  • Concerto performances are not permitted.
  • Compositions using extended (inside-the-piano) techniques (i.e. introducing foreign objects into the workings of the piano to change the sound quality, strumming or plucking of strings) are not permitted.
  • Maximum performance time: fifteen minutes

Round 2 | March 1, 2025 | Three finalists will be selected to perform their program from Round 1 for an adjudicated public performance.

Competition & Application Guidelines

• $50 application fee is required.
• Pre-screening video of one solo repertoire work is required via YouTube here.
• Music must be performed from memory.
• Applicants selected for Round 1 and Round 2 must supply one PDF of publisher’s copies of each piece for the judges. No photocopies allowed.
• Applicants must be within given age (13-18 years old) ranges as of Sept. 1, 2024, and may not be in college.
• Previous first place winners may not reapply.
• Previous entrants may reapply, but not with the same pieces.

Competition Awards

• First Place | $1000 cash prize, Augustana’s annual $8,000 Pro Musica Scholarship
• Second Place | $500 cash prize and Augustana’s annual $8,000 Pro Musica Scholarship
• Third Place | $250 cash prize and Augustana’s $5,000 Studio Scholarship

Apply

Submit this form no later than Dec. 15, 2024.

Questions

Email questions to music@augie.edu.

The Augustana University Lee Piano Festival is funded through the generous gifts of Karl O. Lee and his mother, Agnes Lee. The late J. Earl Lee and his deceased wife, Clara Lee were, esteemed Augustana professors emeriti of music and speech, respectively. J. Earl was a professor of music from 1931-91, serving as chair of the music department for 20 years. Clara was a professor of speech from 1952-91. J. Earl helped found the Sioux Falls Community Concert Association in 1935. In 1958, Clara was chosen Debate Coach of the Year by a national speech honorary society. Augustana University is grateful for this support and lasting recognition given to the legacy of J. Earl and Clara Lee.

Hamre Recital Hall is home to the first 2022 Yamaha DCFX concert grand piano in North America, as well as the Yamaha CX7, the "most recorded piano in history."