Category Archives: Contests

The Inaugural World Pianist Invitational

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Destined to take its place among the world’s premier international classical music challenge events, the World Pianist Invitational is a two-part competition.

Phase I – which officially launches this week – is an online entry activity through which aspiring competitors, aged 5-29,will submit a video recording of their classical piano performance to a blue chip panel of international judges. From those submissions – and we are capping the entries at 2,500 – five finalists across five age groups (25 performers total) will be invited to participate in Phase II – a live concert performance at the world renowned Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Washington, D.C.

Sounds like a pretty exciting new event for pianists! You can find out more on the World Pianist Invitational website.

Giveaway of New Moosic Studio Management App – a $39.99 Value!

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Check out the latest studio management app – Moosic Studio! Compatible with iPad ios 5.0 and later, this app is designed to make student information, billing, and other studio management issues a breeze. Check out the full list of features at the iTunes store.

Now for the best news…you can win a free download of this brand new app! Just leave a comment below to be entered in a drawing to win a coupon code for a free download. The winner will be chosen using a random number generator at noon (CST) on Thursday, March 7, 2013.

Win a $25 iTunes Gift Card from Sight Reader App!

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A Guest Post by Michael Lerner of Sight Reader App

We’re really excited to announce the latest version of our innovative iPad app that helps musicians of all levels read music! It’s called Sight Reader and n honor of the New Year and to commence our resolution to become better sight readers, we’re giving away a $25 iTunes gift card to one lucky (sight) reader.

While there are a number of mobile and tablet apps that teach and allow you to practice your reading, the end result is that you become very good at touching a screen. That’s because touching a screen is how you interact with these apps and not by playing your instrument.

What makes Sight Reader different is that you practice reading music by reading on your instrument and Sight Reader has many ways in which you interact with your music. For the very beginner there are animated lessons introducing the basic notes on one of 12 supported instruments. There are then simple exercises to read and play followed by challenges that offer newly generated music with each use to prevent memorization. In addition, students can use flashcards to test how quickly they can identify then play a random note shown on screen.

For the more serious reader, there are Rhythm Only exercises that are a single pitch with infinite rhythm combinations, Note Only exercises which are steady streams of notes at particular rhythms to increase speed and dexterity, Intervals which allow you to practice recognizing intervals more quickly, and Scales so you can practice your scales in all 12 keys.

What’s also important is that everything you play is graded objectively and students can monitor their results. This makes it great for practicing without a teacher present.

Tell us what’s most important in your sight reading practice routine in the comments below. The $25 iTunes gift card winner will be drawn using a random number generator at noon (CST) on Thursday, January 31, 2013. Happy reading!

And the Winner Is…

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#2 – Miss Leah! Congratulations! I know you and your students will benefit greatly from the Note Busters workbook!

However, the authors of Note Busters have generously offered a special 40% off coupon code to everyone who commented on the review post! This is available for any number of workbooks you’d like to purchase for yourself and/or your studio. The code is only valid through Sunday, January 20th, though, so visit the Create Space store now to place your order. Coupon code: PCMW2UTM (The discount can be applied after adding the book(s) to the shopping cart.)

Thanks to everyone for participating in the giveaway. Stay tuned for another great giveaway coming up next Tuesday!

Theta Music Winter Competition 2013 Starts Today

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Theta Music, one of the best sites for on-line music theory games is commencing their 3rd Annual Ear Training and Music Theory Competition today! This is a great way for teachers and students to have some fun while building their skills. It’s a one-day competition, so sign up and start playing now for your chance to win up to a $30 Amazon gift certificate!

Review and Giveaway of NoteBusters!

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It seems fitting to launch the New Year with a wonderful giveaway!

Have you ever had one of those moments working with a supposedly late elementary student when you pointed to a note on the staff and watched them look quizzically at it before taking the next several minutes to try to figure out what it is? I know I can’t be the only one who has students who manage to make it through years of lessons only to discover that they are still sort of sketchy on their note identification. Well, today’s giveaway is for just such students. Or, if you want to be a proactive teacher, for beginning students so that they won’t stand a chance of not learning their notes!


Note Busters by Karen Spurney and Steven Gross is a collection of hundreds of note identification exercises, neatly organized to allow for lots and lots of reinforcement. It reminds me of the math drill sheets I did ad nauseum growing up. However, there was a certain enjoyment in being able to work as quickly as possible through each set of simple equations, and to this day I can calculate mathematical problems very quickly in my head. So I’m excited to have a resource like Note Busters available and plan to order several copies to try them out with some of my students.

The publishers of Note Busters have some fabulous deals for teachers: Get 30% off all workbooks, or get 40% off any order of 3 or more workbooks. Just complete the teacher discount request to receive your discount code. Use the code when purchasing books through the Note Busters CreateSpace Store. Amazingly, the authors have even offered to create custom-designed exercises by request from teachers and make them available as PDFs!

Now, for the best part…the authors are giving away one copy of Note Busters to a Music Matters Blog reader! Just leave a comment below to be entered in the drawing. The winner will be selected using a random number generator at noon (CST) on Thursday, January 17, 2013.

[Thanks to the authors of Note Busters for sending me a complimentary copy of their book for this review!]

Beethoven’s Birthday Giveaway and Promotion: Guest Post by Marcia Washburn

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One week only! In honor of Beethoven’s 242nd birthday anniversary on December 16, your family can enjoy learning about music together in Marcia Washburn’s all-inclusive e-course, Beethoven Who? Family Fun with Music. No expensive CDs to buy! No prior musical knowledge required!

A $29.99 value but order today for half-price–just $14.99. Special price ends Dec. 16, so don’t put it off. A great gift or something fresh to start your new year in January.

That’s not all! She’s throwing in a free bonus e-book for all who order this week: Teach Your Family to Play the Soprano Recorder. Marcia teaches you how to play the recorder, even if you can’t read a note!

To order, or for more information, go to http://www.marciawashburn.com/BeethovenWho.html.

Remember: this half-price offer ends Dec. 16. Order Beethoven Who? Family Fun with Music now so you won’t miss out on half-price plus the free recorder book.

Marcia is graciously giving away one copy of Beethoven Who? to a Music Matters Blog reader. Just leave a comment below to be entered to win the drawing. The winner will be chosen using a random number generator at noon (CST) this Thursday, December 13.