Biennial Solo Competition | Kappa Kappa Psi AA

DEADLINE FOR THE 2025 SOLO COMPETITION IS COMING SOON!

Purpose

To promote and recognize outstanding individual musicianship by Brothers of Kappa Kappa Psi through a bi-annual solo competition.

Overview

During each biennium, a solo competition is administered by the Kappa Kappa Psi Alumni Association where the finalist will be expected to compete at the bi-annual Kappa Kappa Psi & Tau Beta Sigma National Convention with the winner determined at National convention. Any active, conditional, or associate member of Kappa Kappa Psi is eligible to compete. Online submissions will be judged and finalists will be announced before the National Convention. Applicants may also apply to participate in the National Intercollegiate Band (NIB). All finalists MUST attend National Convention for the final round of judging to be eligible to win.

Sponsorship and Administration

The solo competition is sponsored by Kappa Kappa Psi and administered by the Kappa Kappa Psi Alumni Association (KKΨAA). The competition will be charged to the Awards and Activities Committee of KKΨAA for the execution of the competition. These duties include, but are not limited to: determining eligibility, managing requirements, submitting a budget, and administering the judging process before and during the National Convention.

Congratulations to the 2023 Solo Competition Winner:

John Zachary Miller
Theta Epsilon

Photo by: Zara Simpson Muller

Eligibility

Any active, conditional, or associate member of Kappa Kappa Psi is eligible to compete. Participants must be active, conditional, or associate members at the time of the National Convention.
Members who graduate college in the spring or summer directly prior to the convention are eligible to participate in the competition as long as they meet the membership requirements.
Membership candidates may submit an application prior to initiation but must be active, conditional, or associate members of Kappa Kappa Psi by the National Convention to continue as finalists.
Participants may compete with any traditional band instrument or a non-traditional band instrument as long as they perform on that instrument with their college and/or university band.
- Traditional band instruments include the following:
  - Woodwinds
  - Brass
  - Percussion (mixed percussion or mallet)
  - Piano
- Other non-traditional band instruments may include, but are not limited to:
  - String/electric bass
  - Guitar

Any questions regarding solo instrumentation can be directed to the Awards and Activities Committee of KKΨAA at kkpsiaa-awards@kkpsi.org.

Note: Solo voice applicants are not allowed unless the soloist is also playing one of the instruments above (i.e., piano, marimba, guitar, etc.).

Musical Requirements

A concerto, etude, or solo between 6 and 10 minutes in length
Demonstrate a variety of playing techniques and/or stylesnot allowed.
Multiple movements are allowed as long as they meet the time requirements above
Solos may have piano accompaniment
- Note: Other chamber works with a solo instrument and another instrument or voice (i.e., marimba or guitar) are

Awards

Awards for the competition will be determined by the Awards and Activities Committee of KKΨAA and approved by KKΨAA. All awards will be coordinated by the Awards and Activities Committee of KKΨAA. The current awards for the winner are:

$500 cash prize
A Life Membership for Kappa Kappa Psi (the winner has the option to gift the Life Membership if they are already a Life Member)

Past Recipients

2017 Justin A. Napier - Alpha Zeta Chapter (Trombone)
2019 Allen Campoy - Gamma Sigma Chapter (Marimba)
2021 Matthew Meadows - Nu Nu Chapter (Horn)
2023 Zach Miller - Theta Epsilon (Marimba)

Winner’s Performance

In addition to the awards mentioned above, the winner of the competition will be expected to perform sometime during the 2025 National Convention in Lexington, Kentucky. The performance will be coordinated by the Awards and Activities Committee of KKΨAA in conjunction with the convention hosts and national leadership of KKΨ. This includes, but is not limited to, determining the time and venue of the performance, coordinating logistics of equipment (piano, music stands, etc.), communicating names and music to announcers, and overseeing the overall execution of the performance.

Applicant Responsibilities

Maintain proper standing with the Fraternity.
Upload a quality recording to the competition.
Upload the solo part as part of the submission requirements.
Upload the piano accompaniment as part of the submission requirements.
Finalists will be expected to attend the National Convention at their own expense.
Finalists will be expected to bring their own instrument to the National Convention, except for the following instruments: piano, keyboard percussion, timpani, and mixed percussion.

Note: If a piano and/or percussion instruments are needed at the National Convention, the Awards and Activities Committee of KKΨAA will coordinate the logistics prior to the event.

Submitting an application grants Kappa Kappa Psi and the Kappa Kappa Psi Alumni Association permission to use the applicant’s name and likeness for future advertising and publicity purposes without additional compensation should they be selected as a finalist.

Judging

Judge Selection and Responsibilities
- All submissions will be judged by a diverse panel of music professionals in the preliminary round to determine who will be invited to compete as a finalist at the next National Convention.
- All judges (for both the preliminary and final rounds) will be selected by the Awards and Activities Committee of KKΨAA and/or its designee.
- Judging activities will be coordinated by the Awards and Activities Committee of KKΨAA and/or its designee.

Preliminary Evaluation Process
- A rubric will be provided to each judge by the Awards and Activities Committee of KKΨAA and/or its designee to maintain consistency and fairness.
- Each judge will be asked to provide a score and ranking for each applicant. The score will assess technical ability, expressiveness, tempo control, and overall musicianship.
- Scores and rankings will be compiled by the Awards and Activities Committee of KKΨAA and/or its designee to determine the finalists.
- All applicants will be informed of preliminary results approximately six (6) weeks prior to the next scheduled National Convention.

Finals Evaluation Process
- All applicants invited to be finalists will confirm their participation approximately four (4) weeks prior to the National Convention.
- During the National Convention, each finalist will have the opportunity to rehearse with an accompanist (if needed). Each performer will be allotted a 30-minute practice session with the accompanist prior to his or her performance.
- The accompanist will be provided by KKΨAA and coordinated by the Awards and Activities Committee of KKΨAA and/or its designee.
- Judges will listen to each finalist in live performance to determine a final score and ranking. A rubric and instructions will be provided to each judge as determined by the Awards and Activities Committee of KKΨAA and/or its designee. The winner will be notified at the National Convention.