Rules

Eligibility

The competition is open to individuals born on or after July 1, 2005. A competitor must be enrolled in a school in the United States or must be a legal resident of the United States. The competitor will upload mp3 files of each of the required repertoire for the recorded round to the website and fill out the application form certifying that the recording contains only the unedited playing of the competitor. Each applicant will also upload a scan of their driver’s license or birth certificate with proof of the competitor’s date of birth and will pay the $55.00 entry fee via the PayPal link. Competitors failing to meet these requirements will not be considered. Applications will open June 1, 2027, and the deadline to submit all required materials is midnight October 15, 2027. Late submissions will not be accepted.

Repertoire for Recorded Round

1. ONE of the following trios from The Leipzig Chorales by J.S. Bach:
   • Herr Jesu Christ, dich zu uns wend, BWV 655
   • Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland, BWV 660
   • Allein Gott in der Höh sei Ehr, BWV 664
      
2. TWO contrasting Studies in Canonic Form, Op. 56 by Robert Schumann
3. ‘Cantabile’ from Symphony VI by Charles-Marie Widor
4. A work by an American composer composed after 1960

Repertoire for the Final Round

1. The same Bach work recorded in the first round
2. A commissioned work by Chase Loomer (5 minutes)
3. ONE of the Three Preludes and Fugues, Op. 7 by Marcel Dupré
4. Any music of your choice to fill out a program of no more than 50 minutes

Notification

A maximum of five finalists will be chosen from the preliminary recorded round. Competitors will be notified of the judging decision no later than December 1, 2027. The commissioned piece for the final round will be e-mailed to all finalists at the time finalists are notified. If chosen as a finalist, competitors must be able to compete in Atlanta, GA on Saturday, March 25, 2028.

Transportation and Lodging

Each of the finalists will receive assistance for transportation. Travel expenses to Atlanta will be reimbursed up to $750. Hotel lodging and per diem in Atlanta will be provided. Finalists under age 18 at the time of the competition must be accompanied by a legal guardian. The guardian will pay their own travel expense. 

Practice Time

Each finalist will be allotted a maximum of five hours of practice time on the competition instrument.

Competition

Each finalist will receive 30 minutes of warm-up time on the morning of the competition. If needed, an experienced page turner will be provided. The competition is open to the public and applause is permitted. Competitors will be visible to both the audience and the judges.

Awards

All finalists will attend the awards ceremony immediately following the competition. First Prize is $10,000 and a solo recital invitation in Atlanta during the 2028-29 program year of the Atlanta Chapter of the American Guild of Organists. Second Prize is $5,000. Additional prizes of $1,000 may be awarded: Audience Prize; Bach Prize; and Best Performance of the Commissioned Work.

The Juries

Both the recorded and final rounds will be adjudicated by two separate panels of three internationally acclaimed organists and teachers. The decision of the final round jury is final without discussion or further action of any sort, and the jury reserves the right to withhold any and all prizes.

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Competition Contact: Matthew Michael Brown, matthew@stlukesatlanta.org or 404-873-7600