Grades: 6-12 Who: Any students who live, attend school and study their instrument in South King County. Students enrolled in Key to Change are also eligible to participate. Students may play a solo or bring up to three friends to play a duet, trio or quartet together. All participants in their “ensemble” must play the violin or viola. No other instruments are allowed. All participants must pay the enrollment fee and register as individuals.

Time limit to perform: A total of up to 5 minutes Repertoire requirement: Scales, etudes, short pieces, solos, chamber music or orchestra music is permitted. Students may perform with music. Students who are not enrolled in Key to Change may perform music without piano accompaniment or bring their own piano accompanist. In the case a student does not have a piano accompanist, Key to Change can provide one for $15.00, which includes one 15 minute rehearsal and the performance. All students will receive a Certificate of Recognition and a Solo String Festival t-shirt.

Community Competitive Division 

Grades: 6-12

Who: Students not enrolled in the Key to Change Studio, but live, attend school, and study their instrument in South King County.

Time limit to perform: A total of up to 15 minutes 

Repertoire requirement: Competitors must present at least two different musical works from contrasting time periods. Concertos, concertinos, sonatas, short pieces, or etudes are permitted. No scales or orchestra music is permitted. At least one piece should be memorized and must be indicated on the application. 

Students may perform music without piano accompaniment or bring their own piano accompanist. In the case a student does not have a piano accompanist, Key to Change can provide one for $40.00, which includes one 30 minute rehearsal and the performance. 

Debut Competitive Division

Grades: 6-12

Who: Students currently enrolled in Key to Change, who are enrolled in group lessons or the COMBO lessons program.

Time limit to perform: A total of up to 10 minutes 

Repertoire requirement: Competitors must perform a two or three octave major and minor scale and at least two pieces. At least one piece should be memorized and must be indicated on the application. Etudes are also permitted. 

Jessie Montgomery String Competitive Division

Grades: 6-12

Who: Students currently enrolled in Key to Change who are in Young Artist Academy, COMBO, or private lesson program. 

Time limit to perform: A total of up to 20 minutes 

Repertoire requirement: Competitors must perform at least three different musical works. Concertos, concertinos, sonatas, short pieces, or etudes are permitted. No scales or orchestra music is permitted. At least one piece should be memorized and must be indicated on the application. 

Please note: If a competitor elects to perform a concerto in its entirety (all movements), and it is memorized, only one additional piece is required - not two, as stated above. 

Young Artist Concerto Competition

Grades: 6-12

The first place winners for both Jessie Montgomery and Debut competitive divisions agree to perform live on the radio on Northwest Focus Live and a recorded episode of Unmute The Voices, both on Classical King FM. Failure to participate in such events will result in disqualification and loss of scholarship award.

Key to Change reserves the right to veto the judges’ decision and select other winners to make the radio appearances, in the event that the student winner(s) are not musically prepared or performance ready. The winner(s) will also forfeit their scholarship awards, radio and other performance appearances.