2025 Piano Festival

Purpose of the festival:  The Albion College Piano Festival was established in the Fall of 2008.  It was inspired by the memory of Vera Reed, an Albion resident and piano teacher who taught well into her nineties and played on even later in her life.  The festival is open to all pre-college pianists, and offers three unique activities: a competition with cash prizes, short masterclasses with guest artist/adjudicators and individual private lessons with Albion College piano faculty.

While there is a competition element where students can perform on a meticulously maintained Steinway concert grand for possible cash awards, it is our hope that participating students also take advantage of the other festival activities.  In other words, we view this festival as an enriching musical experience that offers opportunities for performance, meeting and hearing other piano students, and taking individual lessons and/or masterclasses with Albion College piano faculty and guest artists.  

Each student will receive a festival t-shirt, certificate of participation, and free lunch at the college. Additional opportunities include playing in masterclasses or taking private lessons. All students participating in the competition will receive a high quality recording of their performance on a meticulously maintained Steinway concert grand. Giving students their own choice to take part in a competition with cash prizes, masterclasses, and/or piano lessons make this festival highly unique in comparison with many other competitions. Note: early registration is encouraged since space is limited for masterclasses and individual lessons. 

Ultimately, this is a festival celebrating the piano, the study and teaching of the piano, and music as an essential part of education.  Memorization is highly encouraged but not required for the competition. Playing with the music will not affect a judge’s decision. Students participating in the competition should prepare up to two selections of contrasting styles that is within the following time limits for each performance category in the competition: Elementary/Late Elementary 10 min; Early Intermediate/Intermediate 12 min; Late Intermediate 15 min; Advanced 20 min.

Winners from each division will also be asked to play in the winner’s concert immediately following the announcement of the prize winners.  This will give selected students a chance to receive a second recording of their performance.  We are grateful to James Reeder Pianos, Inc. of Lansing, MI for their many years of support and superb maintenance of our pianos.  Participants in this year’s festival will perform on a magnificent fully refurbished 1894 Concert Steinway recently purchased from Reeder Pianos through the generosity of a special donor.