DMMTA Duet Festival
April 5, 2025
Faith Baptist Bible College
PURPOSE
The purpose of the Des Moines Music Teachers Association Piano Duet Festival is to promote the joy of
making music together, and to assist in the launch of the Iowa Music Teachers Association Duet Festival
in 2025.
ELIGIBILITY
Participants in the DMMTA Duet Festival must be students of teachers holding membership in
DMMTA/IMTA/MTNA or students of teachers holding collegiate membership in IMTA & MTNA, between
July 1 and September 1 of the year in which the students are participating.
Students must have studied with the teacher who presents their student in the festival for a minimum of
three months immediately prior to the festival. A student may not be registered under two teacher
names. However, each student in the duet team may study with a different teacher as long as both
teachers are DMMTA/IMTA/MTNA members in good standing.
For non-members, a non-member fee may be submitted if DMMTA/IMTA/MTNA dues are not paid by
September 1 for the current membership year for any teacher to be eligible to enter their students in
the duet festival. This fee is in addition to the student registration fee. The non-member fee of $65 must
be submitted to the DMMTA treasurer one month prior to the registration deadline.
All teachers entering students will be required to assist with the festival.
AGE REQUIREMENTS & TIME LIMITS
A participant’s age as of September 15 preceding the audition date determines the level they must
enter:
● Elementary: thru age 11 (Time limit of 8 minutes total)
● Intermediate: ages 12-15 (Time limit of 15 minutes total)
● Advanced: ages 16-18 (Time limit of 25 minutes total)
Please note: One member of the duet team may be one year older than the age limit as long as the
other member’s age is within the age level. (For example: One member in Elementary may be age 10 or
11 and the other one age 12.)
A duet team who has mastered the repertoire requirements of a level higher than their age group may
enter at a higher level. They may not enter below their age group.
FESTIVAL CATEGORIES
Non-competitive: comments only
Competitive: rating with comments, eligible for award
Both members of the duet team must register in the same category.
REPERTOIRE REQUIREMENTS
Two contrasting pieces, either selected from the IMTA duet festival repertoire list or of their choice.
Memorization is highly encouraged, although not required.
*Students will be allowed to use public domain scores but must provide evidence that their use
represents fair use as required by copyright law. Any use of music not printed by the publisher must
include the required documentation such as printed receipt, permission page (for digital copies
authorized for use) or the link page verifying that the music is in US public domain (for IMSLP or other
free public domain scores). Verification information should be paper clipped to the printing so that it can
be removed by the judge’s assistant once verification has been completed.
REGISTRATION & FEES
Registration deadline: March 5, 2025 (postmark deadline)
Registration fee: $30 per student ($60 per duet team)
Applications & payment by check, made payable to DMMTA, must be sent to:
Mary Beth Shaffer, DMMTA Duet Festival Chair
203 NE Harvest Ridge Lane
Ankeny, IA 50021
April 5, 2025
Faith Baptist Bible College
PURPOSE
The purpose of the Des Moines Music Teachers Association Piano Duet Festival is to promote the joy of
making music together, and to assist in the launch of the Iowa Music Teachers Association Duet Festival
in 2025.
ELIGIBILITY
Participants in the DMMTA Duet Festival must be students of teachers holding membership in
DMMTA/IMTA/MTNA or students of teachers holding collegiate membership in IMTA & MTNA, between
July 1 and September 1 of the year in which the students are participating.
Students must have studied with the teacher who presents their student in the festival for a minimum of
three months immediately prior to the festival. A student may not be registered under two teacher
names. However, each student in the duet team may study with a different teacher as long as both
teachers are DMMTA/IMTA/MTNA members in good standing.
For non-members, a non-member fee may be submitted if DMMTA/IMTA/MTNA dues are not paid by
September 1 for the current membership year for any teacher to be eligible to enter their students in
the duet festival. This fee is in addition to the student registration fee. The non-member fee of $65 must
be submitted to the DMMTA treasurer one month prior to the registration deadline.
All teachers entering students will be required to assist with the festival.
AGE REQUIREMENTS & TIME LIMITS
A participant’s age as of September 15 preceding the audition date determines the level they must
enter:
● Elementary: thru age 11 (Time limit of 8 minutes total)
● Intermediate: ages 12-15 (Time limit of 15 minutes total)
● Advanced: ages 16-18 (Time limit of 25 minutes total)
Please note: One member of the duet team may be one year older than the age limit as long as the
other member’s age is within the age level. (For example: One member in Elementary may be age 10 or
11 and the other one age 12.)
A duet team who has mastered the repertoire requirements of a level higher than their age group may
enter at a higher level. They may not enter below their age group.
FESTIVAL CATEGORIES
Non-competitive: comments only
Competitive: rating with comments, eligible for award
Both members of the duet team must register in the same category.
REPERTOIRE REQUIREMENTS
Two contrasting pieces, either selected from the IMTA duet festival repertoire list or of their choice.
Memorization is highly encouraged, although not required.
*Students will be allowed to use public domain scores but must provide evidence that their use
represents fair use as required by copyright law. Any use of music not printed by the publisher must
include the required documentation such as printed receipt, permission page (for digital copies
authorized for use) or the link page verifying that the music is in US public domain (for IMSLP or other
free public domain scores). Verification information should be paper clipped to the printing so that it can
be removed by the judge’s assistant once verification has been completed.
REGISTRATION & FEES
Registration deadline: March 5, 2025 (postmark deadline)
Registration fee: $30 per student ($60 per duet team)
Applications & payment by check, made payable to DMMTA, must be sent to:
Mary Beth Shaffer, DMMTA Duet Festival Chair
203 NE Harvest Ridge Lane
Ankeny, IA 50021