Piano in the Country students perform at IMTA Piano Auditions

The IMTA (Iowa Music Teachers Association) Northeast Iowa District Pre-College Competitive Piano Auditions were held Saturday, January 30 at Luther College in Decorah. The purpose of the Piano Auditions is the promotion of comprehensive musicianship.
The Auditions provide a competition in which the pre-college student may demonstrate his/her performance ability, keyboard proficiency and knowledge of music theory. Piano students perform repertoire within a level of difficulty for designated age groups and must perform a minimum of three pieces, one from each era of classical music: 1) Baroque; 2) Classical or Romantic; 3) Impressionistic or Contemporary. All repertoire must be performed from memory.
The IMTA Judge for this year ’s competition was Sr. Mary Hauber, a long-time private piano and organ teacher from Waterloo.
Eighteen northeast Iowa students competed in this year’s District Auditions. Local students of JeanAnn Kern's Piano in the Country performing included Kendra Cooper, nine-year-old daughter of Ron and Angie Cooper of rural Lansing, who competed in Level A; and Shelby Wild, 12-year-old daughter of Bob and Bonnie Wild of rural Lansing, who competed in Level B.
Cooper’s performance selections were Turk’s The Ballet, Rhythm Machine by L.F. Olson, and Dennis Alexander’s Sharp Ahoy. She received a II rating on her performance and was recognized as a Music Theory Honor Roll student with a 90% on her theory exam.
Wild received a I rating on her performance of the Gambarini Minuet in F Major, Fiddle Tune by Martha Mier, and Dennis Alexander’s Close Caper.