Piano Festival

Piano Festival Application

43rd  Annual Truman Piano Festival
and Piano Fellowship Competition
October 31-November 2, 2025

  • First Place
    Four-Year, Renewable Piano Scholarship to Truman State University
    including full tuition plus room and board (at the average two-person room rate. The room and board rate is calculated using the standard two-person room rates in Truman’s available residence halls, excluding West Campus Suites).
  • Second Place
    $4000 Scholarship Package to Truman State University ($1000 renewable for four years)
    All scholarships are renewable for eight semesters in total.
  • Winners’ Recital
    Top three competition participants will perform on Truman’s newly refurbished Steinway D and be professionally recorded.
  • Masterclass with Dr. Klimo
    Top four competition participants will play.
  • Lessons with Dr. Crecca
    Optional lessons with Dr. Crecca offered to all competition participants.
  • There is no cost to apply for participation in the festival. The application link is at the top of this page.

 

Incoming first-year college students and transfer students are eligible for the scholarship prizes. Additional requirements for scholarships include:

    • Plan to pursue a degree in music with piano as your primary instrument.
    • Entrants must have applied for admission to Truman State University before October 6, 2025.
    • Entrants must not have reached their 29th birthday by November 1, 2025.
    • Awards must be accepted by May 1, 2026, and winners must be enrolled as full-time students no later than the fall of 2026.

All students aged 14-28 as of November 1, 2025, are eligible for Winners’ Recital performance and recording, Guest Artist masterclass, and lessons with Dr. Crecca.

Students need not be incoming freshman or apply for admission to Truman State University to be eligible for performance and instruction opportunities. Depending upon number of applicants, separate competition divisions for students not applying for scholarships may be offered, according to year in school.

  • One Baroque or Classical work
  • One Romantic, Impressionistic, or Contemporary work
  • Single movements may be chosen.
  • All music must be memorized, and only solo works will be accepted (no concerto movements).
  • One copy of the music with measure numbers must be provided for the judge if invited to compete in the final auditions.

All students in the Piano Fellowship Competition must submit a digital video recording of the required repertoire with their application form on or before October 15, 2025.  The audio quality of the recording can be a factor that the judges consider.

Entries must be submitted by October 15, 2025.

If selected to perform in the final auditions, entrants will be notified of the exact time of their solo performance, as well as their sight-reading audition, no later than October 17, 2025.

  • Preliminary Auditions: Truman State University Piano Faculty
  • Final Auditions: Dr. Peter Klimo, California State University, Fresno Piano Faculty  https://www.peterklimo.org
  • The judges reserve the right to withhold any prize if, in their opinion, no pianist qualifies.
  • The decision of the judges is final.

Truman State University
43rd Annual Piano Festival 2025
Kirksville, Missouri

Presents

Dr. Peter Klimo, California State University Fresno Piano Faculty

Truman Piano Festival Recital
Friday, October 31
7:30 pm
Ophelia Parrish Performance Hall
View live stream at:
youtube.com/@trumanmusicconcerts/streams


Master Classes with Dr. Klimo

Saturday, November 1
Ophelia Parrish Performance Hall
featuring Competition Participants
and Truman Piano Majors

Final Auditions

Truman Piano Fellowship Awards
Saturday, November 1
Ophelia Parrish Performance Hall

Winners’ Recital

Saturday, November 1
Ophelia Parrish Performance Hall

Lessons with Dr. Crecca

Sunday, November 2
Ophelia Parrish Fine Arts Center 1304

 

42nd Annual Piano Festival Guest Artist Masterclass

Music Department  Contact