Collegiate Writing Contest

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Piano Magazine is proud to sponsor this exciting contest showcasing the talents of tomorrow’s teachers! Writers are free to choose any topic relating to the field of piano pedagogy and write a 1,500 word article. Submissions must be received by May 1, 2025. Submissions should include contestant’s full contact information, university degree program, and major professor. Submit articles using 12-point, Times New Roman font with double spacing. A panel of professionals will evaluate submissions based on content, clarity, originality, value to the profession, and writing style.

The entry deadline for the 2025 contest is 11:59 pm PT on May 1, 2025.  No late entries will be accepted.

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2025 Rules and Submission Instructions

Eligibility  

This contest is open to any college student enrolled at the time of the contest deadline in an accredited program of music study. Undergraduate and graduate students from any country in the world are eligible. Piano Magazine reserves the right to verify any entrant’s enrollment status. 

Costs

There is no entry fee for the contest, and no purchase is necessary. There is a limit of one entry per contestant. 

Submissions

• Contestants must submit their entries electronically, as a single Microsoft word document, using the upload form below. The document should be double-spaced with 1-inch margins using Times New Roman, 12-point font. Submissions must be in English and must not exceed 1,500 words.
• Students are free to write on any topic of their choosing that relates to the field of piano pedagogy.  All entries must be original works, and by entering the contestant affirms that the material submitted is original and has not been plagiarized in whole or in part from any outside source. Previously published material is ineligible. Any quotations or referenced data from existing sources must be properly cited.
• Entries must include a separate cover sheet with the author’s name, mailing address, phone number, email address, university, degree program, name of supervising professor for this article, and professor’s email address. Piano Magazine will not share this information with any party for any purpose. If chosen for print or digital publication, the author must supply original engravings of any musical examples used, created in either Finale or Sibelius.

Rights and Permissions

• Any winning material that is published by Piano Magazine becomes the copyrighted property of Piano Magazine, which retains all rights for future use. Material may not be reprinted without written permission. Any non-winning and unpublished material will remain the copyrighted property of the author.
• If the winning essay contains copyrighted musical excerpts, the author will be responsible for obtaining proper reprint permissions from the copyright holders before publication. If permission cannot be obtained for any musical excerpts, those excerpts will be omitted from the published version of the article. Please consult with the publisher and ensure that permissions can be obtained in a timely manner prior to using musical excerpts.

Judging

Manuscripts will be reviewed by a panel of judges, who will evaluate submissions for content, originality, value to the profession, and writing style. All author information will be removed from manuscripts prior to judging. The decision of the judges is entirely their own and is final. 

Prizes

The grand prize will be publication in a future issue of Piano Magazine. There is no monetary prize or cash value. In addition, Piano Magazine reserves the right to award additional prizes of publication on the PianoInspires website. Piano Magazine will not retain any rights to non-winning entries.

Any further questions may be directed to Dr. Pamela Pike, Editor-in-Chief at editor@pianoinspires.com.