In 1986, the Terrace Hill Endowment for the Musical Arts (THEMA) established the Terrace Hill Piano Competition.
2026 Terrace Hill Piano Competition Applications Opening Soon
Application(s) and fees must be submitted online by Monday, February 23, 2026, at 11:59 pm CT. Teachers should submit one form for each student applicant. All qualifying applications received by the February 23rd deadline will be considered. The application will require a video submission. The THEMA board selection committee will anonymously review applications and video recordings and assign a ranking (i.e. 1 through 5) to student applications submitted by each teacher. The THEMA board selection committee will anonymously select students from the list of qualified applicants, beginning with highest-ranked students first.
Junior Competition Application
Click here to access the Junior Terrace Hill Piano Competition Application.
The application fee for each Junior student is $30. The fee is due by February 23, 2026 at 11:59 pm, and must be paid online at terracehillpartnership.square.site or by calling Terrace Hill at 515-242-5841 to pay with a card.
Senior Competition Application
Click here to access the Senior Terrace Hill Piano Competition Application.
The application fee for each Senior student is $50. The fee is due by February 23, 2026 at 11:59 pm, and must be paid online at terracehillpartnership.square.site or by calling Terrace Hill at 515-242-5841 to pay with a card.
Important Changes to the 2026 Terrace Hill Piano Competition
The competition will be held on Saturday, April 11, 2026. It will be held at Terrace Hill, the Iowa Governor’s Residence (2300 Grand Avenue, Des Moines, IA 50312). Governor Kim Reynolds and First Gentleman Kevin Reynolds are excited to welcome participants to Iowa’s home for this longstanding competition.
The event will be available through Iowa PBS at iowapbs.org, and more information about how to watch the recording will be made available on this page.
The Terrace Hill Endowment for Musical Arts Board strives for the Terrace Hill Piano Competition to represent the talented young musicians from across the state of Iowa. The application will require a video submission. Application forms, entry fees, and video submissions must be submitted online this year on the application provided on this page. The online application form will be available for teachers on the THEMA website beginning on Monday, February 9, and must be submitted by 11:59 pm CT on Monday, February 23, 2026.
Detailed requirements and scholarship information for the Junior and Senior Competitions are available below (PDF files with competition requirements are located at the bottom of this page).
Dates to Remember in 2026:
- February 9, 9:00 am CT
Application form opens at terracehill.iowa.gov/thema
February 23, 11:59 pm CT
Deadline to submit application form, video recording, and entry fee
March 6
Notification of selected students
April 11
Junior & Senior Piano Competitions held at Terrace Hill
Junior Piano Competition
All entrants must be in grades 9-11. First, second, and third place winners will be named.
- Winners will receive awards as follows:
- First place: $250
- Second place: $150
- Third place: $100
Any of the three top winners may be invited to perform at future Terrace Hill events.
Senior Piano Competition
All entrants must be Iowa high school seniors. First, second, and third place winners will be awarded, with the first-place winner receiving the First Family of Iowa Scholarship, to be used any Iowa college or university. Each winner must enroll as a piano major or minor. This requires piano lessons and at least one music class for a minimum of three semesters.
- Scholarship amounts for 2026 are:
- First place: $4,000
- Second place: $2,000
- Third place: $1,000
Any of the scholarship winners may be invited to perform at future Terrace Hill events.
Join the Terrace Hill Piano Competition Email List
Announcements and competition updates are posted on this website and sent via email.
Piano teachers who wish to be added to the distribution list should contact Terrace Hill Administrator Molly Franta at molly.franta@governor.iowa.gov.