10 of the Best Piano Judging Comments

by Marcia Vahl, NCTM

Here is another fantastic post by Marcia Vahl, the current Judge Education Chair for the Minnesota Music Teachers Association. Ironically, this is a critique of critiques and should help those of us not only judge piano students in competitions, but also simply teach our students. You’ll also be interested in Marcia’s other articles about piano judging: The 4 Elements of a Great Critique and 4 Ways Judging Can Make You a Better Teacher.

It’s important to remember that being positive and specific are key components of a solid written critique. As adjudicators, we’re not there to nit-pick or tear the student down, but rather to build the student up and to help them do more of the great things they are already doing! That said, we also have a responsibility to point out where things need to be improved. But they can always be done in a positive light as you’ll see below.

Here is Marcia’s article:

I’m convinced we have the best judges in Minnesota! When Wendy asked me to write this guest post on the top 10 piano judging comments, I had no problem finding enough material. I did have a problem limiting my focus to a few resourceful, well-written comments! As I wrote the article, my heart became so full of gratitude for all the inspiring judges I get to work with every year.

10 of the best piano judging comments for piano adjudicating | composecreate.com

Early Beginner Piano Judging Comments – Age 5-8

Bach’s Music (very early beginner): “I love this little piece and you played it so nicely. Your notes were just right. Could you be careful to lift your RH on the rests at measures 18, 20, etc. Try to add more dynamic contrast. Sometimes I could not tell if you were making changes. A little faster tempo will help the music flow a little better.”

Rockin’ Good Time “Are you having a “Rockin’ Good Time” when you play piano? I hope so, because you play so well! I wish you lots of Rockin’ Good Times at the piano!”

mystery at blackwater creekMystery at Blackwater Creek “I wonder if the mystery was about a strange sound that came over the creek at sundown? You played so well today with such great attention to all the musical dots and dashes. Did you see that the last notes in M. 4 and 20 are not staccato? I think you are strong enough to even make a larger crescendo on m. 16-17. It would add suspense to the mystery, or scare the bejeepers out of me! Bravo to you and your fine teacher.

It is most challenging to write a great critique when the music is not very complex and the reader is a young child. How can you make these types of critiques interesting and helpful to the student? Be sure to write in the language of the child. Many good judges for this age print their comments rather than write in cursive, to be child-friendly. Make the language simple, like the examples above. I love that two of the judges in the examples use imagery to put across their message. Even a beginner can begin to think artistically, and the judge is encouraging that. I also really love in the “Bach’s Music” critique that the judge is very gentle in the way the comments are expressed.

Middle Elementary Piano Judging Comments – Age 9-10

Tarantella Vico – “Wow! You really had those dancers moving! Your accents were great and the staccatos were crisp! There is so much to like about how you played this piece. This was a very spirited performance and a delight to hear!”

Jamaica Me Happy! “Jamaica me happy listening to you! Musical Performance. Bravo to you and your teacher!”

Missions In Outer Space “You sure were prepared for this day! I love your sense of drama at M. 13-16. Thanks for a fun performance.”

I especially love a critique that uses the form or type of piece to make comments. It is especially important when the piece is a dance form. Look and listen for the piece to make YOU want to dance. Reading the critique of “Jamaica” would make both teacher and student smile! In “Missions” I love the reference to the student’s fine preparation. I’ve often said the what the student learns in their preparation is the most valuable reward from performing, far beyond a winning performance or an excellent score

Early Intermediate Piano Judging Comments – Age 11-14

Sleighing Party – “You set a fun and exciting tempo and I wanted to be on that sleigh listening to the horses’ jingle bells! Your playing was bright, exciting, and sounded extremely fun. Well Done.”

chopinChopin Waltz in A Minor, Op. Posthumous – “Charming performance today, with some areas you can improve. I don’t think the pedal markings mean to play staccato on beats two and three in the measure. This piece works better with a good finger legato and thinking in even longer phrases. I think of this as a concert waltz, not a waltz to be danced. I really enjoyed your chosen tempo and it was so well maintained. Romantic music also demands rubato, so try to be flexible in the tempo. Work with your teacher to learn how to hold back sometimes, and give a little more other times. There is so much repetition here. If you use the same strict tempo always, there is no variety, and Chopin himself probably wouldn’t have played the melody in the same way twice. A performance that keeps our interest will include interesting dynamic changes rather than mostly mf playing at the same tempo all the way through. Think of ornaments as melodic as well. Because of the historical style and melancholy mood of the piece, use a flexible rubato to your advantage, especially to blend at transitions between sections. Let the first section kind of melt into the new section, holding back a little at first and then work into the a tempo. Use a little wiggle room. “

I like these comments because they encourage the artistry and inspiration that an early intermediate student can bring to their performance. At this age, the student’s music is getting more complex, so the comments can be more direct and complex. I love that these comments do much to avoid the “laundry list” of negatives in the performance and focus on what can be done positively to improve the performance. For this age group I like my piano judging comments to speak to how the performance affected me. Have you ever just shut the music and let the performer touch you with their artistry? Try it; you’ll like it.

Intermediate Student Piano Judging Comments – Age 14-16

Chopin Nocturne: “A great teacher once said, ‘Any melody this beautiful should be at least mf.’”

I believe this great statement is attributed to the great pedagogue and performer, Nelita True. I’ve heard her say it this way, “All Romantic melodies should be played forte.” It’s such a great statement, because the melody is not just the thing, it’s the only thing!

Advanced Piano Judging Comments – Age 15-20

About a Shchedrin Humoresque: “You really captured the humor in this piece! It was elegant as well as funny! Good control of tempo. You kept it moderate. Nice dynamic contrasts throughout. You did an excellent job on the leaps. I liked the intensity with which you played the piece. Very enjoyable.”

I love it when the judge notices the student bringing out the humor in a piece! Sometimes we tend to treat a critique as a “laundry list” of what went wrong. Instead, I love it that this judge communicates her enjoyment of the piece and that the student got into the interpretation deeply to bring out the humor and elegance.

Debussy Estampes: Beautiful atmosphere at the opening. I loved your colors and the suppleness of your phrases. You had wonderful tonal variety throughout the movement. Your playing is so detailed and refined! I wish your pedaling was a little more gentle and subtle so as not to detract from all that is so beautiful. Try slower, gentler changes of pedal to avoid foot tap or damper sounds on strings. Lovely changes of texture that you handle with such grace!

I love the language of this critique! It’s soft, appreciative, very descriptive, and conveys the refinement the judge heard in the gracefulness of the performer.

My goal in writing piano judging critiques this year: No Laundry Lists of things that are wrong! At the final performance level we’re hearing, all notes should be secure, and what we need to focus on is not the crescendo that starts in the middle of measure 12, but on artistry: all the reasons the music demands expression in measure 12, or any other measure. I’m going to look for students who are totally involved and inspired by the music they are performing.

Marcia VahlMarcia A. Vahl, NCTM, is owner and teacher at Maple Grove Piano in Maple Grove, Minnesota. Her background includes degrees in music education and piano performance, 30+ years teaching experience in the classroom and private lesson studio, and more than 20 years church music ministry. She is an active member of both MMTA, MTNA, and National Piano Guild. She has served MMTA as hospitality chairman for judges at the state contest, judge for theory, piano exams, and contest, and secretary for the Education Council. Most recently she served as State Contest Administrator for 2005-2006 and Vice President of Minnesota State Piano Contests from 2006-2010She has given presentations on Motivation, Building A Website for Your Studio, and Judge Training at the Minnesota State Convention. She was a former Judge Education Chair for Minnesota Music Teachers Association.

Read More

12 thoughts on “10 of the Best Piano Judging Comments”

  1. Michele Alspach

    I am in charge of a local sonatina contest, but would like to revise our comment sheet that the judge fills out. Any ideas for this paper that will be given to the teacher and student?

  2. Hi Michele,

    That’s a great question and Marcia herself might want to weigh in. But, I’d suggest answering these questions and that should give you a start to developing a better comment sheet:
    * Do you want this to be a contest that gives specific scores such that figuring out a winner is easy?
    * How do you want the students to walk away feeling? Motivated? Encouraged? Challenged?
    * Do you want your judges to give general comments or very specific comments? If specific, the you might have a place on your sheet that spells out the categories in which they can comment like: articulation, phrasing, pedaling, etc.
    * You could ask the judge to specifically comment on these kinds of questions: “What is the best thing I noticed about your performance?”

    Another option is to give the judge a separate sheet that tells them exactly what they need to comment on, but then have them write on a more blank sheet for the student and teacher, so that if they leave something off, it’s not a loss.

    Does that help?

  3. Interesting to read the real-life comments. I have adjudicated for private studios, public schools, multi-state competitions, youth symphony placements and sectional coaching (strings not piano). Within this large range of abilities, the most challenging comments (for me) are when the performer has a total breakdown, and also when the peformer obviously did not prepare, and does not care. It can be hard to address these during 2 or 3 mins in between audition time slots!
    But even the most challenging performance is an opportunity to offer our thanks & appreciation….which in turn may guide the student onwards to their next performance, on a better footing.

  4. Wow, what an awesome article!!! Thank you so much for sharing all of your knowledge. I have taught for years, but it is always wonderful to appreciate the wisdom of others!

  5. Pingback: Friday Favourites - Discover Singing

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *


By using this Site you agree to the Privacy, Terms & Conditions, which explain how we use information you submit.

Shopping Cart
Scroll to Top