Piano Inspires Kids: 2026 Composition Contest

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The Spring 2026 Issue of Piano Inspires Kids is coming soon! Subscribers will be receiving the print issue in their mailboxes in the coming weeks. Not yet a subscriber? Click here to receive the issue and give the gift of music to the musicians in your life! Keep reading for a sneak peek into the Winter Issue.

Become a Video Game Composer with the Piano Inspires Kids 2026 Composition Contest!

In video games, the main character often has its own theme song that compliments its personality. Create your dream video game character—someone or something original with its own personality and story—and compose a theme song. Winners will be featured in the Summer 2026 issue of Piano Inspires Kids.

Submission Deadline: March 16, 2026.

Go to kids.pianoinspires.com/submit for more information.

Submit the following four items by the deadline:

• Drawing or graphic design of the video game character
• Short description of the game character and theme song; how does the theme song fit the character? (maximum 100 words)
• Composition score
• Video performance of the work, performed by the composer

Guidelines

• The competition is open for any student pianist age 18 or younger at the time of the deadline. Students will be divided into 4 divisions: ages 7-9, 10-12, 13-15, and 16-18. The magazine reserves the right to elect one winner, more than one winner, or no winner.
• The composition must be for solo piano, at any level of difficulty.
• The video game character must be completely original without reference to any existing game.
• A video performance of the work, performed by the composer, must be included.
• Scores or characters that reference copyrighted material will be excluded from review.

Ideas to Get You Started

• Brainstorm your video game character and storyline.
  Use imagery and storyline to determine the character, mood, and musical form.
• Decide on the meter and specify a time signature. 
• Have clear musical ideas (themes or motifs) that use a rhythm, melody, or harmony that repeats or varies.
• Have parts that repeat and parts that contrast.
• Keep it simple – less is more!

Notation

• Scores must be computer generated using music-notation software. 
• The quality of notation does factor into adjudication. 
• Scores must be submitted as a PDF, sized for 8.5 x 11-inch paper.
• Scores must include a title and composer first name only. 
• Entrants are encouraged to include the following in the score: tempo markings, dynamics and articulation, other expressive marks, and fingerings.

Policies

• Submitters must subscribe to Piano Inspires Kids.
• The composer must be the sole author of the submitted composition but may receive help in notating their work. 
• Compositions must not be created with the use of artificial intelligence. 
• If artificial intelligence is utilized in the creation of the video game character, this must be cited as AI generated. There is no penalty for using AI for the graphic element.
• Adjudication is based upon: connection of music and character, formal construction, pianistic writing, quality of performance, and relevance to call. The video game character itself will not be evaluated.
• No changes may be made once the materials have been submitted.
• Decisions of competition judges are final.
• There are no monetary awards given to winners. Winning compositions will be printed in Piano Inspires Kids and posted at kids.pianoinspires.com.

Want to learn more about Piano Inspires Kids? Watch our webinar, “Inside Piano Inspires Kids: A New Publication of the Frances Clark Center” with Co-Editors-in-Chief Sara Ernst and Andrea McAlister: click here.

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