World Championship Old-Time Piano Playing Contest and Festival

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World Championship Old-Time Piano Playing Contest and Festival

The World Championship of Old-Time Piano Playing is an annual festival held every Memorial Day Weeke

Every year over Memorial Day weekend in Oxford, Mississippi, the World Championship Old-Time Piano Playing Contest is held to provide opportunities for extraordinary performers to compete and to educate people about old-time piano music written prior to 1940. Through the years, the contest has provided more than $60,000 in prize money to more than 500 piano players from across the United States an

d from five foreign countries. The competition consists of the New Rag Contest; Junior Division (up to age 18); Regular Division (over age 18) and Senior Division (age 60+). Contestants vie for cash prizes, trophies and bragging rights for the coming year. A variety of other activities including workshops, a sing-along variety show, dinner with the previous year's Champion, guest artist concerts and top-notch entertainment on the historic Oxford Square each evening. This is a weekend packed with Ragtime, Tin Pan Alley and Standard tunes played by amazing piano players. You don’t have to play piano to enjoy music that will have your toes tapping. You’ll have a blast at the World Championship Old-Time Piano Playing Contest.

08/11/2025

CONTESTANT REGISTRATION OPENS TODAY!

05/11/2025

Contestant Registration for the 2026 Contest opens on Saturday, November 8. Be sure to read all of the revised rules carefully as there have been some major changes. Beginning in 2026, Junior, Senior & Regular Division entrants will all need to include a theme piece in their contest repertoire. The 2026 theme is “Food or Drink,” requiring that players include one selection with either “food” or “drink” in the title. A link to a list of representative pieces is included.

One other significant change is that the New Rag Contest will no longer be judged using a point system. Judges will comment on specific aspects of the composition and their decision is final. We will accept no more than ten entries in this division and contest personnel will not be available to perform New Rags.

There is now a separate registration form for each contest (New Rag; Junior; Regular; Senior). All fields on each form are specific to the contest you are entering and need to be completed. Please be sure to fill out the media contact information on the registration form so we can let media in your home town know about your involvement in the event.

Start spreading the news so we have a fantastic contestant pool this May!

20/10/2025

We're getting organized and geared up for the next Contest, May 21-24, 2026! Registration for performers will open on November 8 and there are some rule changes that will be announced. Competitors .... make sure you read the new rules carefully. Registration forms have been simplified to be specific to your division. More later.

12/06/2025

ROCKINGHAM — Local pianist, John Patrick Hutchinson Jr., has once again brought home the first-place trophy in the Junior Division of the World Championship Old-Time Piano Playing Competition. …

06/06/2025

CHAMPION PLAYER—Jared Szabo, a 16-year-old Simi Valley resident, shows off his first place trophy from the World Championship Old-Time Piano Playing Contest held in Oxford, Mississippi over Memorial Day. Jared won the New Rag Contest featuring players performing their individual ragtime piano comp...

01/06/2025

Join us Friday, June 6, to enjoy a piano concert by award-winning John Beggs. At the World Championship Old-Time Piano Playing Contest, he won 1st place in the Junior Division last year and 2nd place in the Regular Division this year. General admission tickets are $26 and can be purchased at the door.

28/05/2025

Here he is ... the 2025 Regular Division Champion (and now 2-time champion) ... Russell Wilson of Berwyn Heights, MD. Congratulations Russell!

27/05/2025

The 2025 Senior Champion is Tim Barton of Hainesville, IL. Congratulations Tim! Here he is posing with card girl Evelyn Hutchinson.

Address

Old-Time Piano Contest C/o University Of Mississippi Department Of Music

39677-1848

Telephone

+6628012251

Website

http://www.oldtimepianocontest.com/, https://world-championship-old-time-piano.square.site/s/shop

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