After a two-year hiatus, the World Championship Old-Time Piano Playing Contest & Festival returns to Oxford, Mississippi, May 26–29 for its 46th season.
Held annually to coincide with Memorial Day weekend, this event boasts the largest, most comprehensive competitive events for pianists steeped in the musical genres of ragtime, traditional jazz, and blues. Junior, Regular, and Senior Division contestants from across the United States and beyond converge on Oxford to vie for trophies and cash prizes. Performers compete in period costume, are interviewed before each round, and show off their incredible musical skills in an attempt to advance to the Finals.
The New Rag Contest features premieres of new ragtime compositions. Workshops by acclaimed guest artists, a Silent Movie Luncheon with live piano accompaniment, after-hours parties, and an epic Sing-along of the old classics are held around the competitions. The Red, White & Blue Party on May 29 celebrates our veterans and all veterans are admitted free of charge. Our exclusive off-campus venue this year is outdoors at the Old Armory Pavilion, located on the corner of University Avenue and Bramlett Boulevard, where the opening Tune-ups Party will kick off the weekend’s activities at 7 pm on Thursday, May 26.
If you love ragtime, jazz, blues, honky-tonk, boogie, or novelty songs from the days of Tin Pan Alley, then you’ll have the time of your life in Oxford on Memorial Day weekend. To capture the flavor of this event, visit our YouTube Channel for past performances. For a fun-filled four days of fabulous music, visit www.oldtimepianocontest.com and purchase tickets for this year’s World Championship. Find us on Facebook for regular updates and follow us on Twitter @oldtimepiano.
All-event tickets, day passes, and individual event tickets are available for purchase on line from the event web site and at the door. Guest artists for this year include four-time champion Adam Swanson, boogie-woogie and blues artist Carl Sonny Leyland; three-time champion Brian Holland, and Oxford’s own Bill Perry, Jr. There is something for everyone during this family-friendly weekend. We’ll see you in Oxford May 26–29 for a fun-filled weekend of old-time music! Questions can be directed to the artistic director Ian Hominick at (662) 801-2251 or oldtimepianocontest@olemiss.edu.
