Concordia Keyboard Day

2025 Concordia Keyboard Day Scholarship Competition
Concordia University Irvine

Program Director: Dr.Hyunjoo Choi

For the past years, Concordia Keyboard Day has supported and celebrated the musical achievements of young pianists from across Southern California. This year, we are pleased to announce the return of this event on Saturday, November 15, 2025, in the format of a piano competition. We would like to inform you of an important schedule update. Our annual competition, which has usually been held in March, will now take place in November beginning this year. This adjustment will better align with our academic calendar and event schedule.

Because of this change, there will be two Keyboard Day events this year—one in March (as previously scheduled) and another in November in conjunction with the competition. From next year onward, Keyboard Day will be held only in November.

Thank you for your understanding and continued support. We look forward to sharing these special events with you.

All competition participants will receive adjudication notes and medals or trophies from our outstanding adjudicators, aiming to encourage young pianists in their piano studies. Additionally, the first winner of each division will receive the scholarship for the Concordia Summer Piano Festival, 2026 and will have the opportunity to perform at the Winner’s Concert scheduled on Sunday, 3/16. We offer various age categories for solo piano performances and piano ensemble divisions as well.

Apply Now

Schedule:

Application Open : October 1-24, 2025
Competition date : 11/15, 2025
Winner’s Recital : 11/16, 2025

Location:

The Borland-Manske Center at Concordia University Irvine

Rules

Qualified Categories

• Perform any two compositions written or arranged for solo piano, chosen from contrasting historical periods of classical style..
• The recommended repertoire levels are provided for each division.
• Memorization is required.

Open Categories

• Perform any one composition written or arranged for piano solo performance in classical style.
• Please select more advanced level of repertoires than the Qualified categories.
• Memorization is required.

Piano Ensemble Categories

• Any one composition written or arranged for piano ensemble performance in classical style including 4 hands and 6 hands on one piano.
• Age cut applied for the performer who is older.
• Memorization is not required.

The results of each division will be announced 10–15 minutes after the conclusion of each division.

• The time limits for each division, as outlined below, will be strictly enforced during the competition without penalty.

Qualified Category			Open Category
Division	Age	Time limits	Division	Age	Time limits
1	6 & under	3 minutes	1	6 & under	3 minutes
2	7 & under	3 minutes	2	7 & under	3 minutes
3	8 & under	3 minutes	3	8 & under	3 minutes
4	9 & under	4 minutes	4	9 & under	4 minutes
5	10 & under	4 minutes	5	10 & under	4 minutes
6	11 & under	5 minutes	6	11 & under	5 minutes
7	12 & under	5 minutes	7	12 & under	5 minutes
8	13 & under	6 minutes	8	13 & under	6 minutes
9	14 & under	6 minutes	9	14 & under	6 minutes
10	15 & under	6 minutes	10	15 & under	8 minutes
11	16 & under	6 minutes	11	16 & under	8 minutes
12	17 & under	6 minutes	12	17 & under	8 minutes
13	18 & under	6 minutes	13	18 & under	8 minutes
Piano Ensemble Category
Division	Age		Time Limits
1	Age 7 & 8		4 minutes
2	Age 9 & 10		5 minutes
3	Age 11 & 12		6 minutes
4	Age 13 & 15		8 minutes
5	Age 16 & 18		10 minutes

Awards

The first winner receives:

• A trophy
• An opportunity to perform at the winner’s recital on Sunday, 11/16  in the Zhang Orchestra hall
• Scholarship for the Concordia Summer Piano Music Festival, 2026

The second winner receives:

• A medal
• Scholarship for the Concordia Summer Piano Music Festival 2026

The third winner receives:

• A medal
• Scholarship for the Concordia Summer Piano Music Festival 2026

Honorable Mention receives:

• Certification

Apply Now

Qualified Category: Recommended Repertoire Levels

Note: These are suggested repertoire examples, not required lists. Please prepare for any two pieces of classical repertoires for the competition in each division.

• The time limits for each division, as outlined below, will be strictly enforced during the competition without penalty.

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Division 1: Age 6 and under

• K. Snell – Essential Piano Repertoire, Prep Level (Book 1, Kjos)
• Piano Repertoire: Baroque and Classical, Prep Level (Book 1, Kjos)
• Faber & Faber – The Developing Artist, Preparatory Piano Literature
• Hal Leonard – Piano Recital Showcase, Book 1
• W. Gillock – Solo Repertoire for the Young Pianist, Book 1
• Alfred – Basic Piano Prep Course Series
• Celebration Series, Prep A, B

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Division 2: Age 7 and under

• Celebration Series Piano Repertoire, Level 1
• Celebration Series Piano Studies/Etudes, Level 1
• Faber & Faber – Piano Literature, Book 1
• Hal Leonard – Piano Recital Showcase, Book 2
• K. Snell – Essential Piano Repertoire Series, Level 1

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Division 3: Age 8 and under

• Celebration Series, Level 2
• Bastien – Piano Literature, Level 1
• Faber – ShowTime Piano: Classics
• W. Gillock – Miniatures (late elementary level)
• W. Gillock – Solo Repertoire for the Young Pianist, Books 2–3
• Alfred – Masterwork Classics, Level 2
• K. Snell – Piano Repertoire Series, Level 2
• J.S. Bach – Notebook for Anna Magdalena
• Kabalevsky – 24 Pieces for Children, Op. 39
• Tchaikovsky – Album for the Young, Op. 39

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Division 4: Age 9 and under

• Celebration Series, Level 3
• Bastien – Piano Literature, Level 2
• Alfred – Masterwork Classics, Level 3
• Burgmüller – 25 Easy and Progressive Studies, Op. 100
• K. Snell – Piano Repertoire Series, Level 3
• W. Gillock – Miniatures (late elementary level)
• W. Gillock – Solo Repertoire for the Young Pianist, Book 2
• Kabalevsky – 24 Pieces for Children, Op. 39
• Tchaikovsky – Album for the Young, Op. 39

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Division 5: Age 10 and under

• Celebration Series, Levels 3–4
• Bastien – Piano Literature, Levels 2–3
• Alfred – Masterwork Classics, Levels 3–4
• Burgmüller – 25 Easy and Progressive Studies, Op. 100
• J.S. Bach – Two-Part Inventions

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Division 6: Age 11 and under

• Essential Keyboard Repertoire, Volume 2
• Celebration Series, Levels 4–5
• Bastien – Piano Literature, Levels 3–4
• Alfred – Masterwork Classics, Levels 4–5
• Burgmüller – 25 Easy and Progressive Studies, Op. 100

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Division 7: Age 12 and under

• Essential Keyboard Repertoire, Volume 3
• Celebration Series, Levels 4–5
• Bastien – Piano Literature, Volumes 3–4
• Alfred – Masterwork Classics, Levels 4–5
• Burgmüller – 25 Easy and Progressive Studies, Op. 100
• J.S. Bach – Short Preludes and Fugues

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Division 8: Age 13 and under

• J.S. Bach – Two-Part Inventions
• Essential Keyboard Repertoire, Volumes 4–5
• Debussy – Children’s Corner
• Kuhlau – Sonatinas, Opp. 20 & 55
• Alfred – Encore, Book 3

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Division 9: Age 14 and under

• Bastien – Piano Literature, Volume 5
• Celebration Series, Level 6
• J.S. Bach – Two-Part Inventions and Sinfonias
• K. Snell – Piano Repertoire Series, Levels 6–7
• Sonatina Album (Schirmer Edition)
• Chopin – Waltzes (posthumous)

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Division 10: Age 15 and under

• Celebration Series, Levels 7–8
• Alfred – Encore, Books 3–4
• K. Snell – Piano Literature Series, Level 8

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Division 11: Age 16 and under

• Celebration Series, Levels 7–8
• Alfred – Encore, Books 3–4
• K. Snell – Piano Literature Series, Levels 8–9

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Division 12: Age 17 and under

• Celebration Series, Levels 7–8
• Alfred – Encore, Books 3–4
• K. Snell – Piano Literature Series, Levels 8–9

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Division 13: Age 18 and under

• Celebration Series, Levels 8–9
• Alfred – Encore, Books 4–5
• K. Snell – Piano Literature Series, Levels 8–9

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Please prepare any two classical repertoire pieces that are more advanced than the Qualified Category levels.

• No specific repertoire list provided.
• The time limits for each division, as outlined below, will be strictly enforced during the competition without penalty.

Borland-Manske Center

Dedicated Fall 2019, the three-story music wing features over 50 rooms, including orchestral and choral rehearsal halls and a professional recording suite designed by John Storyk, one of the world's eminent studio designers. The state-of-the-art facility marks the building as one of the premium music learning centers in Southern California.