National Federation of Music Clubs Festivals

The festival event is offered annually to members of RMSC.  The festival program is designed to promote study in American and world music literature, and it encourages each participant to reach a high standard of musical achievement.  It offers music students an opportunity to perform and receive evaluation from two judges.  Certificates, awards, and gold and silver cups are earned by students of RMSC members, impelling them to strive for excellence.

RMSC Festival Chairman:
Suzanne Krauss
Email: kmsmusic88@verizon.net


Festival Scholarship Program

With this program, RMSC provides scholarships to students who receive their larger Gold Cups.

This program will positively impact all our teachers and students as well as encourage long term festival participation, multiple event participation, and hopefully even new participation in our club. 

Festival Scholarship Program Overview:

Our Festival Scholarship Program will give scholarships to students who participate in our RMSC festival and receive their 45-point, 60-point, 75-point, or 90-point Gold Cup. The benefit of this program is to motivate and encourage students to continue their festival participation for many years. These will be awarded after the gold cup participants are determined in the spring. 

  • 45-point Gold Cup – $25 
  • 60-point Gold Cup – $50 
  • 75-point Gold Cup – $100 
  • 90-point Gold Cup – $200 

RMSC Festival Chairman:
Suzanne Krauss
Email: kmsmusic88@verizon.net


Theory Tests

Entering your students in the NFMC Theory Event will greatly encourage them to continue their lesson study!!    Students are very determined to work toward receiving their Gold Cups, and these take a minimum of 3 years to receive.   There are also many benefits to their theory study including improvement in their sight reading, memorization and interpretation of music.

There are 3 levels of Theory for ages 8 and below, geared for those just beginning with music study, plus the 12 levels following.  Practice Tests are available on the NFMC website to download for free and the Final Tests are extremely similar to these Practice Tests.  There are books available for purchase on the TheoryTime.com website that also go along with these test levels, with vocabulary tests (free) available there.

RMSC Theory Chairman:
Debbie Sacra
Email: babohum@aol.com


Mary Smart Scholarship Competition

The Mary Smart Scholarship Competition is a state junior performance competition under the Virginia Federation of Music Clubs. This instrumental and vocal event is held yearly along with the Federation Festival. Students must meet eligibility requirements to enter the Preliminary Auditions. Applicants perform their current year required festival pieces for judges. The auditions are held in the three districts. Nine winners are chosen from each district and advance to the Final Auditions held in the spring of each year, usually during the Annual VFMC Convention.

More information can be found at the VFMC website:
https://vfmc-music.org/mary-smart-competition


RMSC Scholarship Competition 

The Richmond Music Study Club offers a Scholarship Competition, open to students of club members, grades 3-12, in the solo performance areas of piano, voice, strings, woodwinds, harp, brass, and guitar.  First and second place winners of each level are awarded a cash prize. 

There are 3 divisions (each with an overall time limit): 

  • Primary: Grades 3-5 (time limit 8 minutes)
  • Junior: Grades 6-8 (time limit 10 minutes)
  • Senior: Grades 9-12 (time limit 15 minutes)

The application fee is: $30 per student.

Rules:

  1. All contestants must be students of a RMSC member teacher.
  2. There will be NO LIMIT on the number of students a teacher can enter.
  3. Only Solo pieces are acceptable, and Students must perform two different pieces, each from a different musical period.  Students may warm-up on the instrument for no more than 30 Seconds immediately preceding performance of their first piece. 
  4. Selections, other than sonatas for stringed instruments, must be memorized.
  5. The Music (with numbered measures) for each piece to be performed and CLEARLY MARKED CUTS, if any, must be provided for the judges.
  6. Student Arrival: Students must promptly be on-site at least 15 minutes prior to their Division’s starting time and must remain for the duration of their Division’s performances.  If a student is scheduled but unable to appear, the Chairmen should be notified IMMEDIATELY.
  7. Audience:  Performance will be open to an audience.
  8. Awards: Cash prizes will be awarded in each division following the conclusion of each division’s performances.  At the judges’ discretion Honorable Mentions may also be recognized but no prize money shall be awarded.  The 1st place winner of each division will not be allowed to enter two consecutive RMSC competitions, in the division they won. 

RMSC Scholarship Competition Co-Chairs:

Randy Allen
Email: bonairstrings@comcast.net

Jennifer Scott
Email: jspianostudio@yahoo.com