The 28th Annual Albert Schweitzer Organ Festival Hartford
2025 BIENNIAL HIGH SCHOOL COMPETITION
ELIGIBILITY
The competition is open to:
a) organists who will be enrolled in high school as of the date of the competition (September 27, 2025)
b) or who will have recently completed high school during the 2024–25 academic year. This includes those who may be entering an undergraduate program in fall 2025.
Due to the difficulty in obtaining work visas for foreign artists, competitors must hold U.S. citizenship.
PRELIMINARY ROUND
The application form, a $50 nonrefundable fee, and all recordings must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. EDT on August 1, 2025.
REPERTOIRE
Applicants must submit a recording of the following works:
J.S. BACH: Prelude and Fugue in G major, BWV 541
CHARLES-MARIE WIDOR: Andante Sostenuto, from Symphonie Gothique, op. 70.
A contrasting work of your choice, composed after 1937.
HYMN PLAYING
The applicant should also include a recording of Lobe den Herren as printed at #390 in The Hymnal 1982 (Church Hymnal Corporation). The recording should feature an introduction and performance of all verses as if accompanying a large congregation (though the recording should not be of a live accompaniment of a congregation.). At least one of the stanzas must be performed as printed in the hymnal; other stanzas may be performed with published, original, or improvised harmonizations or modulations. Creativity and sensitivity to the text is encouraged and expected.
RECORDING
Audio-only recordings are preferred. Recordings must not be edited within the performance of each work or movement. Works may be performed on different organs. Applicants will need to provide an online link to their recording via Dropbox, Google Drive, or another media sharing service.
JURY
TBA
FINAL ROUND
Up to three finalists will be chosen to compete in-person on Saturday, September 27, 2025 at Trinity College, Hartford. The competition is open to the general public and is also livestreamed. Finalists will be notified by August 15, 2025.
ASOFH hosts all competitors in hotel accommodations and reimburses travel expenses up to $500. Competitors under the age of 18 must travel with a chaperone.
REPERTOIRE FINALS
Each finalist will perform the same repertoire as submitted in their preliminary application.
THE ANNUAL DAVID SPICER HYMN PLAYING COMPETITION
Each finalist will lead the audience in the singing of a hymn, to be assigned.
PRIZES
First Prize: $7,500
Second Prize: $3,500
Third Prize: $1,500
Audience Prize: $750
David Spicer Hymn Playing Award: $750
JURY
TBA
With questions, please contact Christopher Houlihan, artistic director (ad@asofhartford.org).