In this article, you will find information for Vance Music students about the WMMTA 2026 Spring Auditions Festival:
- WMMTA 2026 Spring Auditions Festival Date & Location
- Teacher Availability & Student Preparation
- Who Can Attend & Festival Etiquette
- Festival Procedure & Performance Schedule
WMMTA 2026 Spring Auditions Festival Basics
Saturday, April 18th, 2026
Wichita State University
- Building: Duerksen Fine Arts Center
- Google Map for WSU’s Duerksen Fine Arts Center
- Printable Map (as seen below) for WSU’s Duerksen Fine Arts Center
If you have questions about the WMMTA 2026 Spring Auditions Festival after reading the rest of the article, please contact Marissa
Teacher Availability & Student Preparation
Vance Music teachers will be working as volunteers at the WMMTA 2026 Spring Auditions Festival, and some students have been scheduled in different rooms simultaneously. This means your teacher may not be available to hear you perform, and likely will not be able to help you check in or warm up.
Prior to the day of the festival, complete this list to make sure you are well-prepared:
- Read
- This page! Several procedure details differ from other festivals and from previous years.
- Practice
- Practice announcing. Announce your name, your first song and composer, and your second song and composer. Ask your teacher how to pronounce titles or composers If you are unsure how to do so.
- Practice getting set to play. Once you’re in the performance room, you don’t want to make the judge wait for you. Adjust your bench, set your hands, take a breath, and imagine your tempo before you begin.
- Practice your pieces back-to-back. Play to play your pieces in chronological order unless specifically instructed to do otherwise by your teacher. Drop your hands to your lap after you finish your first piece, then get set again before beginning your second piece.
- Practice bowing.
- Prepare Your Music
- Write your name and contact information (email or phone number) inside the front cover of your book(s).
- If you are playing multiple songs from one book, mark each page for the judge by adding a tab or post-it note.
- Write measure numbers in red ink above each bar line.
- Erase all practice marks you do not wish the judge to see.
- No photocopies are allowed at festivals.
WMMTA 2026 Spring Auditions Festival Etiquette
Students are welcome to invite family and friends to the WMMTA 2026 Spring Auditions Festival. Help your invitees by making them aware of the etiquette for the festival.
- In The Halls
- Be quiet. Keep conversations to a whisper. Move to the lobby if you need to have a louder conversation.
- No running inside the building.
- Parents should accompany students in the building.
- Turn off cell phones and electronic devices if you are preparing to enter a performance room.
- Turn off flash photography and camera sounds if you are preparing to enter a performance room.
- In The Performance Rooms
- Be silent.
- Do not distract students or judges.
- Do not use flash photography.
- Applaud performers when they finish their performance, rather than after each individual song.
- Only enter/exit performance between performances.
- Parents are welcome to video their student’s performance. Make sure the recording device is silent and will not distract performers, judges, or audience members.
- Be courteous to festival staff and judges. Thank them for their help and time!
WMMTA 2026 Spring Auditions Festival Procedure
8:30 AM – 3:45 PM
WMMTA 2026 Spring Auditions Festival: Preliminary Rounds
- 30 minutes before you perform, go the registration table and check in. Double-check your performance time and room number.
- 20 minutes before you perform, go to the practice rooms. You may need to wait for a room to become available. Limit your warm-up to 5 minutes so the piano is available for other students. Prepare physically and mentally for your performance by warming up with scales, arpeggios, etudes, or songs. Make sure you practice starting each piece, even if you do not have enough time to run through your entire performance.
- 10 minutes before you perform, go to your assigned performance room. Check in with the room monitor. Give them your music. If you are using two books, open each book to the correct song, and put your first book on top. If you are using one book, open your book to your first song.
- Wait quietly in the hall. Keep your conversation to a whisper, even if the door monitor or other teachers, parents, or students do not.
- When the door monitor invites you to enter, go to the piano. Stand facing the judge.
- Wait for the judge to indicate that they are ready. They may do so by making eye contact with you, nodding to you, or by inviting you to begin.
- Announce your name, the title and composer of your first song, and the title and composer of your second song.
- Adjust your bench and check your position. Get set, breathe, think your tempo, and perform your first song.
- Drop your hands to your lap. (The audience should not applaud at this point, but if they do, cue them by putting your hands back on the keys and waiting for them to finish.)
- Reset yourself as needed, breathe, and perform your second song.
- Drop your hands to your lap.
- Stand, smile, and bow. If the audience and judge are not seated in the same direction, bow first to the judge, then to the audience.
- Wait in the hall until the door monitor gives your music to you. Do not leave without your music!
4:00 PM
WMMTA 2026 Spring Auditions Festival: Finalists Recital
The Finalists Recital will take place in Weidemann Hall. Vance Music students are expected to return for this recital to support their fellow students and learn from peer performances. Family and friends are also welcome to attend.
The WMMTA 2026 Spring Auditions Festival staff will announce up to 3 winners in each division, and may also present honorable mention awards. If you are chosen as a winner, you will perform one piece in the recital. Choose the piece you think you play the best. If you think both pieces are equal, choose the piece you think the audience might enjoy best.
- When it is your turn to perform, go to the piano. If the audience applauds, thank them with a smile and a bow.
- Announce your piece and composer (unless these have already been announced by a teacher).
- Check your bench position.
- Get set, breathe, and perform your song.
- Smile and bow.
Congratulate the winners, and let them know that you enjoyed hearing them perform!
Post Festival
Collect Your Comments Sheet
At the end of the finalists’ recital, collect your comments sheet. Bring it to your next lesson so your teacher can talk through the comments with you and add the sheet to your student file.
Thank Judges & Staff
Take time to re-introduce yourself to the judges and staff, and to thank them for their help, comments, and time!
Take A Picture & Celebrate!
Take a celebratory picture or two of your student. Email them to Marissa, so we can celebrate student performances on our social media, bulletin board, and Christmas recital.
This is the last piano festival of this season. Congratulate students on all of their hard work and progress!
Enjoy performing at the WMMTA 2026 Spring Auditions Festival!
