Competitions

Judges and winners in 2023 competition:  l-r: Dr. Darlene Kuperus, Dr. Richard Rotman, Helen Drost,1st Place; Andrew Chesebro, 2nd Place; Matthew Jakubisin, Jonathan Tuuk

ANNAMAE  ROTMAN  YOUNG  ORGANIST  COMPETITION – 2024

The Annamae Rotman Young Organist Competition was founded in 2013 by Dr. Richard Rotman in honor of his mother and is an annual competition.  We thank him for his generous support of young organists.

•   Eligibility – A competitor must be 24 years of age or under as of August 1 of the competition year and be a resident of Kent County, MI or any county adjacent to Kent County and/or a resident student attending a junior high school, senior high school, college, or university in Kent County or any county adjacent to Kent County (Ottawa, Muskegon, Newaygo, Montcalm, Ionia, Barry, or Allegan Counties)

•   Competition Date – April 15, 2024

•    Application Date – Due by March 15, 2024. A maximum of four applications will be accepted based on date of receipt.
If only one application is received, the competition will be cancelled. You may apply online here: ANNAMAE ROTMAN YOUNG ORGANIST COMPETITION APPLICATION

•   Previous first place winners of this competition are eligible to compete in this competition again in two years.

•   Venue – Trinity Lutheran Church, 2700 Fulton Street East, Grand Rapids, MI 49506. LeTourneau Opus 26

•    Application Fee – $50 (nonrefundable)

•   Repertoire – Two or more pieces of contrasting styles and representing different time periods and congregational songs.

Required selections:

  1. Baroque style – J. S. Bach (can include the Eight Preludes and Fugues – Bach/Krebs), Trio Sonatas, and/or Chorale Preludes.  One work or any combination of two works by J. S. Bach for a minimum of 7 minutes.
  2. A contrasting work(s) of the competitor’s choice – Examples are Brahms, Duprè, Widor, Franck, Hindemith, or others from the 19th, 20th, or 21st century eras for a minimum of 7 minutes.
  3. Congregational songs to be chosen from these selections which may be downloaded below:
    Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty
    How Great Thou Art
    In Christ Alone
    Let All Things Now Living

Performance Time – 25 minutes maximum for all selections, hymn, and console preparation; memorization is not required and will not influence the judges’ decisions.

Awards – Cash prizes of $1500 first place, $1000 second place, $500 third place and $250 for the best high school student or younger who does not win first, second or third prize.

Judges – Three judges will be paid for their services plus a travel allowance.  The judges may be local but may not be nor have been a teacher of any of the competitors.

2024 Venue – Trinity Lutheran Church, 2700 Fulton Street East, Grand Rapids, MI 49506. LeTourneau Opus 26

Practice Details – Each competitor will work out practice times with the chapter coordinator, Peter Kurdziel, and will be assigned memory levels.  Each competitor should receive equal practice time, should not use the competition instrument regularly, and should practice alone with a chapter monitor.  A minimum of three hours practice time will be allowed.  Page turners will be provided.

ANNAMAE ROTMAN YOUNG ORGANIST COMPETITION APPLICATION.

2024 Contacts:  Peter Kurdziel, music@basilicagr.org
                          Rebecca Snippe, rdh9@calvin.edu