As the piano studio year (from September to August) comes to an end, it is time to award the studio medals and trophies to those students who either achieve a certain milestone (Achievement Awards) or who are the best-prepared for each lesson (Annual Awards).
These Awards are given during the lesson of the first weeks of September.
Annual Awards
Each year, from September to August, each student earns preparation points for each lesson. The student(s) with more points each month become “Student(s) of the month”; the student with this honor for more months becomes “Student of the Year.”
Depending of their cumulative points, each student could earn one of these Annual Awards:
Honors Medal:
- Bronze medal with white neck ribbon
- points needed from September through August: 290-309
- Recognizes students who advance at a steady pace and participate in some local events
Special Achievement:
- Silver medal with red neck ribbon
- points needed from September through August: 310-329
- Recognizes students who consistently do well in both lessons and local events
Distinguished Performer:
- Gold medal with blue neck ribbon
- points needed from September through August: 330-349
- Recognizes students who consistently do well in lessons
- Students are often recognized for the high quality of performances in local evaluation events
Distinguished Performer Trophy:
- Trophy with a gold plate insert
- points needed from September through August: 350 or more
- Students excel in lessons and other local evaluation events
- Consistently perform at a very high level and advance quickly through graded repertoire
Achievement Awards
As each student achieves a specific level in their piano playing, certain milestones are reached. Depending on the level achieved during the year (from September to August), each student could earn one of these Achievement Awards:
Apprentice Trophy:
- Awarded to beginning students who have successfully completed the requirements equivalent to passing Piano Adventures Level 3A, or Celebration Series Level 1, Bastien Level 3, and Alfred Level 3
Skilled Trophy:
- Awarded to students who have successfully completed the requirements equivalent to passing Piano Adventures Level 5, or Celebration Series Level 5, and Alfred Level 5
- And who successfully master a classical sonatina equivalent in difficulty to the Sonatina in C major Op. 55 #1 by Frederick Kuhlau
Master Trophy:
- Awarded to students who have successfully completed the requirements equivalent to passing Celebration Series Level 8
- And who successfully master their first Classical Sonata movement with a minimum level of difficulty equivalent to Haydn Sonata in G major Hob. XVI:27
Legendary Trophy:
- Awarded to students who have successfully completed the requirements equivalent to passing Celebration Series Level 10
- And who perform at the highest level and have performed major repertoire from all eras. Students will have successfully mastered at least one competition in each of the following categories: a Prelude and Fugue by J.S. Bach, a complete Classical sonata equivalent in difficulty to Beethoven Sonata in C minor Op. 13, a Chopin Etude and a major Romantic work.
Dr. Olga Rua 