student playing intrument inside
student playing piano
student playing string instrument

The Neil and Dolly Huhta Instrumental Music Competition

Eligibility

  • Open to all enrolled Stetson University instrumental music majors: strings, guitar, woodwinds, brass, percussion, and keyboard.
  • Music Education majors in their internship semester are eligible with the endorsement of their applied instructor.
  • All participants must have permission from their applied instructor.
  • The 1st place winner of the Huhta Instrumental Competition is not eligible to compete in the following year’s competition.

Prizes

  • 1st place- $4,000
  • 2nd place- $1,000
  • 3rd place- $500

Competition Guidelines/Requirements

  • Repertoire may include unaccompanied works or works with piano.
  • Concerti movements are not accepted.
  • Orchestral reductions (outside of concertos) require approval from both the competition coordinator and the applicant’s studio teacher.
  • Memorization is optional at all stages of the competition.

Preliminary Round

  • Contestants must email the competition coordinator YouTube links of video recordings with two contrasting selections/movements.
  • No minimum playing time requirement; total performance time (for preliminary & final rounds) must not exceed 12 minutes.
  • Piano accompaniment is not required in preliminary recordings if the repertoire calls for it.
  • A panel of three external judges, comprised of instrumental artists/professors, will select the 24 finalists.
  • Application deadline (declare selections; no video submission) is Monday, October 6, 2025 (by 5:00 p.m.)
  • Primary video submission deadline is Sunday, November 9, 2025 (by 5:00 p.m.)
  • No repertoire changes allowed after the submission deadline.
  • Announcement of finalists will be done via email on Monday, November 24, 2025

Final Round

  • All finalists will compete live at Lee Chapel on February 8, 2026.
  • Finalists must perform the same repertoire from the preliminary round, with piano accompaniment if applicable (no changes permitted).
  • Contestants must provide three copies of the full score for the judges at the time of the competition.
  • Judged by a panel of three external judges different from the preliminary round panel.
  • The judges will declare the competition winners on February 8, 2026, after all finalists have performed.

For additional information, contact Dunwoody Mirvil at [email protected]