Top 3 Reasons Music Competitions are Good for High Schoolers

Why should high schoolers compete in the MBU piano scholarship competition? Participating in high school competitions provides students with an opportunity to challenge themselves to reach new levels in their playing. For rising musicians, this is an important time in life with many exciting opportunities. Students with a growth mindset will not regret their decision to participate in competitions. Three main reasons high schoolers should compete include learning from the preparation process, receiving feedback from professionals, and preparing for collegiate study. 

Learning from the Preparation Process 

Preparing for a music competition requires hard work. Through the many hours dedicated to practice, competitors develop the diligence and discipline needed to succeed as a career musician. Competitors will also improve their musical skills and abilities as they strive to polish their music. Preparing for a competition gives students a chance to learn their music at a performance standard that otherwise might not be emphasized. Competing is a stretching, but rewarding endeavor. Best of all, after the music is mastered and performed, competitors experience an extraordinary sense of accomplishment. There is also fulfillment in earning awards and recognition from competitions.

Receiving Feedback from Professionals 

In addition to learning from the preparation process, students benefit from the constructive feedback they receive at competitions. Adjudicated events offer students a tremendous opportunity to be critiqued by objective judges. Students and their teachers often gain fresh ideas from this constructive feedback. Chloe Meyer, a sophomore studying piano performance and pedagogy at Maranatha Baptist University (MBU), fondly recalls the value of having “a separate set of professional eyes on your music.” Contestants frequently receive insightful comments that improve their musicianship. Performing for judges also provides accountability for making continual progress in lessons.

Preparing for Collegiate Study

Last, competitions prepare students for studying music at the collegiate level. High schoolers who plan to study music in college will gain confidence from multiple performance experiences in varied settings. Competitions help performers learn how to effectively manage performance anxiety and stress so they are better prepared for collegiate performance expectations. High school competition experience also gives university music students an edge when competing in collegiate events.

Meyer, who participated in many high school piano competitions including Maranatha’s Piano Scholarship Competition, shared that participating in competitions help high school students build their resumes for college applications. Colleges will be impressed by a list of performance and competition experiences. For these reasons and more, Meyer strongly encourages young musicians to look for opportunities to compete in challenging competitions.

The Piano Scholarship Competition at MBU

Maranatha Baptist University offers a fantastic opportunity for high school pianists to participate in a professional competition. The annual High School Piano Scholarship Competition, open to all high school pianists at the advanced level, will take place on January 30, 2025. At this event, students perform two contrasting pieces by memory for a chance to win a $300 cash award and MBU scholarships ranging from $1,000 to $3,500. In addition, accepted applicants receive detailed feedback and are awarded an overall rating based on their performance. This competition provides students with a great opportunity to stretch themselves as musicians. To learn more or to register click here.