Tuba and Euphonium Artist
Competition Information
Competitions at SERTEC will occur on Wednesday March 4, and Thursday March 5, 2026. Competitions will not have a preliminary recorded round, but competitors must be active members of ITEA, and register for SERTEC and their respective competitions by February 25, 2026. Preliminary rounds will take place Wednesday March 4, and final rounds will occur Thursday morning, March 5. Some competitions have specific rules and eligibility requirements so please read all information carefully.
Click each section for more details and repertoire:​
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Competition Rules and Regulations​​
Student Euphonium Solo Competition
Artist Euphonium Solo Competition
Mock Band Euphonium Competition
Rules and Regulations
Eligibility:
SERTEC competitions are open to anyone who has never held a full-time professional playing position, and has never been a full-time collegiate teacher. Artist level competitions, mock auditions and the Chamber Ensemble competition are open to anyone else regardless of age. Previous winners of ITEC or regional conference competitions may not enter the same category again at SERTEC. ​All competitors must be members of ITEA, registered for and attending SERTEC at the time of the competitions starting March 4, 2026. Finalists in the solo competitions must use SERTEC accompanists in the final round. Rehearsals will take place in the afternoon and evening of March 4. Anyone who has submitted a proposal to present at SERTEC, is selected, and accepts the invitation to present may not participate in competitions, including the Chamber Ensembles competition. The Composition Competition has its own eligibility requirements, please refer to those below.
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Age Requirements:​​
The Student Tuba and Student Euphonium Solo Competitions both have an age requirement. All entrants in these competitions must be under the age of 20, not reaching their 20th birthday by the date of the final round, Thursday March 5, 2026. In other words, student competitors must have been born on Friday, March 6, 2006 or later. Applicants in these competitions will also need to submit proof of age with their application.
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All questions about eligibility should be directed to us here: sertecUGA2026@gmail.com
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Application Fees and Deadlines:
All competitors must be members of ITEA and register for SERTEC through ITEA's website (link forthcoming)
The entrance fee for all competitions at SERTEC is $35 (USD). Those wishing to enter more than one competition will need to pay this fee for each additional competition entered. Members of chamber ensembles competition must pay $35 per-person in the ensemble. The host reserves the right to cancel any competitions if there are too few entrants. In that case, collected fees will be refunded. All competitors must register for SERTEC and their respective competitions by February 25, 2026.​​​
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Prizes:
Information about competition prizes is forthcoming.
Composition Competition
Part of ITEA's mission is to champion our instruments in many ways, including the creation of new repertoire, and we are excited to include a composition competition at SERTEC 2026!​
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Rules and eligibility:
Entrants must submit an original (not an arrangement) and unpublished composition for consideration in this competition. The piece should be no more than 8 minutes long, and written for either a collegiate tuba/euphonium quartet or ensemble (ideally 2-4 euphonium parts, and 2-4 tuba parts). The style, subject matter, and theme of the piece is entirely up to the composer. ​
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Anyone is eligible for this competition, regardless of involvement with other events at SERTEC, employment, age, or any other attribute mentioned in the general rules and eligibility for other competitions.
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The winner will have their piece performed in a featured concert at the conference.
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Entrants for this competition only need to pay the competition entry fee ($35 USD), join ITEA at least as an "Online Guest" free member, and submit a PDF of their final score and parts with the title and composer's name visible. Entrants should also submit a live or midi audio recording of their composition. ​​​​​​Submitted works are not the property of SERTEC/ITEA, but may be made available for use at this conference with the composer's notice. If an entrant chooses to submit more than composition for this competition, then they will need to pay a separate entry fee for each piece ($35 USD).
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Since the adjudication for this competition will take place before SERTEC, the final due date for submissions is January 21, 2026.
Student Euphonium Solo Competition
First Round:
Proverbs, movements 1, 4 & 5 ONLY by Lynn Blake John (Cimarron Music Press)
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Final Round (with piano):
Golden Hour by Cait Nishimura (caitnishimura.com) (record with piano)
25 Advanced Studies for Euphonium, Volume 1, Etude No. 1 ONLY by Kevin Day (murphymusicpress.com)
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Artist Euphonium Solo Competition
First Round:
​​Four Caprices, Caprice 20 by Niccolo Paganini, arr. David Werden (Cimarron Music Press)
Inspired by Blue by Andrea Hobson (Pinnacle Brass Publication)
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Final Round:
​Concerto per Flicorno Basso by Amilcare Ponchielli, arr. Henry Howey (Tuba Euphonium Press) Please start on beat 3 in M. 26 and play to the end of M. 233
Student Tuba Solo Competition
First Round:
​Cadenza and Groove by Brooke Pierson (Taurus Music Publication)
70 Studies for BBb Tuba, Etude #30 by Vladislav Blazhevich (Robert King)​
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Final Round:
12-Tonal for Tuba and Piano by Gabriel Newvine (Cimarron Music Press)
Sonata Breve for Solo Tuba, movements 2 & 4 ONLY by Jack Gallagher (Brass Press)
Artist Tuba Solo Competition
First Round:
Mythos Suite, Five Greek Myths for Tuba, movements 3, 4 & 5 by Lynn Blake John (Cimarron Music Press)
15 Advanced Studies for Tuba, No. 8 "Stars, Stripes and Sousa" by Andrew Duncan (Duncan Music Press)
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Final Round:
Concerto for Bass Tuba, movement 1 by Ralph Vaughan Williams (Oxford Press-Mathews Edition 2012)
Twenty Characteristic Etudes, Etude #2 by Gregory Fritze (Tuba Euphonium Press) Play as written, no repeats on DC
Mock Band Euphonium Competition
Excerpts for each round will be selected from these lists:
PDF coming soon​
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First Round:
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Berlioz, Roman Carnival Overture - Rehearsal 1 to Rehearsal 4
Holst, First Suite in Eb - 1 measure before Rehearsal A to Rehearsal C
Grainger, Lincolnshire Posy - Horkstow Grange - Baritone part, beginning to measure 17, treble clef
Shostakovich, Festive Overture - Rehearsal 8 to 10, 1 before Rehearsal 21 to Rehearsal 23
Sousa, The Stars and Stripes Forever - Beginning to the end of the trio, take second endings
Sight Reading
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Final Round (may also include previous excerpts):
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Rochut/Bordogni, Melodious Etude #67, beginning to m. 32
Holst, Second Suite in F, movement 1, beginning to rehearsal B, 1 before rehearsal E to rehearsal G
Schoenberg, Theme and Variations - Variation V - all
Sullivan, Pineapple Poll - beginning to Rehearsal 6
Williams, Raiders March - measures 67 to 96
Sight Reading
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Mock Band Tuba Competition
Excerpts for each round will be selected from these lists:
PDF coming soon​
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First Round:
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Holst, First Suite in Eb - Beginning to measure 8 and 9 before Rehearsal C to Rehearsal C, lower divisi
Grainger, Lincolnshire Posy, Rufford Park Poachers - pickup to measure 51 to measure 68
Hindemith, Symphony in Bb, mvt. 1 - Rehearsal H to Rehearsal K, lower divisi
Sousa, The Stars and Stripes Forever - Introduction, first strain and dogfight, no repeats, lower divisi
Vaughan Williams, Tocatta Marziale - Beginning to 2 after Rehearsal 5, prepare both octaves
Sight Reading
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Final Round (may also include previous excerpts):
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Barnes, Symphony No. 3 - Play the solo, measures 4 - 34
Grantham, J'ai été au bal - Play the solo, measures 115 - 140
King, Barnum and Bailey's Favorite - All, no repeats (take second endings),
Liszt, Les Preludes - 10 after Rehearsal A to 3 after Rehearsal B
Verdi, La Forza del Destino - Rehearsal 7 to 10 after Rehearsal 8
Sight Reading
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Mock Orchestra Tuba Competition
Excerpts for each round will be selected from these lists:
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PDF coming soon​
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First Round:
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Berlioz, Hungarian March - Rehearsal 4 to 4 after Rehearsal 5
Gershwin, An American in Paris - Rehearsal 15 to 3 after Rehearsal 16, 4 after Rehearsal 67 to Rehearsal 68
Mahler, Symphony No. 1, Movement 3 - 4 before Rehearsal 3 to Rehearsal 4
Prokofiev, Symphony No. 5​ - Rehearsal 3 to 2 before Rehearsal 6
Wagner, Ride of the Valkyries​ - 1 before Rehearsal 11 to 5 after Rehearsal 12
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Final Round (may also include previous excerpts):
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Berlioz, Symphonie Fantastique, movement IV - Rehearsal 56 to 4 after Rehearsal 58
Berlioz, Symphonie Fantastique, movement V - Rehearsal 84 to the end
Bruckner, Symphony No. 7 - Rehearsal P to Rehearsal S
Hindemith, Symphonic Metamorphosis​​, movement II - 4 after Rehearsal L to Rehearsal O
Respighi, Fountains of Rome - 1 before Rehearsal 11 to Rehearsal 14
Wagner, Overture to Die Meistersinger - Rehearsal J to Rehearsal L (or as marked)
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Chamber Music Competition
This competition is open to chamber ensembles from 3-6 members in size that do not use a conductor. At least two members of each ensemble must play the tuba and/or euphonium. The most standard example of this ensemble might be a tuba/euphonium quartet, but may also include any other arrangement of instruments. All members of the ensemble must perform on all pieces. Professional ensembles, or ensembles including one or more professional players, are not eligible for this competition. Please direct any eligibility questions to sertecUGA2026@gmail.com.
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First Round:
Prepare two pieces or parts of pieces comprising no more than 10 minutes of music. Ensembles may choose any two pieces but are encouraged to select contrasting works that highlight the group's full range of technical and musical ability. One piece must be an original composition for the instrumentation.
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Final Round:
Prepare up to three pieces or parts of pieces comprising no more than 15 minutes of music. Ensembles may repeat one piece from the first round. One piece must be an original composition for the instrumentation. This round will be open to the public.
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