Charles Joray is a retired public library director living in Indianapolis. Having studied piano for many years, he continues to enjoy accompanying musicians and vocalists and church choirs. Piano music has always been a very important part of his life.
The purpose of the Charles Joray Piano Competition is to recognize and reward piano students who have progressed in their studies and have promise for future excellence. Assuming that piano students at public universities have many opportunities to participate in competitions, the Charles Joray Piano Competition strives to honor those from the private colleges and universities in Indiana.
This is the eighth year of this competition.
2026 Competition
Clare Longendyke. Soloist, chamber musician, and musical innovator, Dr. Clare Longendyke is known for her compelling performances and advocacy for contemporary classical music. She earned her master's and doctoral degrees from the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, following earlier studies at Boston University and the École Normale de Musique de Paris. Dr. Longendyke has performed with orchestras across the United States and has been featured on NPR's Performance Today and at Carnegie Hall. Her 2024 debut solo CD of works by Claude Debussy with world-premiere recordings by Amy Williams and Anthony R. Green reached #2 on the Billboard Traditional Classical Chart. She has premiered more than 250 new works and collaborated with many of today's leading living composers. Dr. Longendyke has held artist-in-residence appointments at the University of Chicago and Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology and has served on the faculties of Indiana University and Franklin College. This is her first year judging the Charles Joray Piano Competition.
Barbara Coles Hobbs has received bachelor's and master's degrees in piano performance from Ball State University and a master's degree in piano pedagogy from Butler University. She has had an active studio in Kokomo since 1975 and taught studio and class piano, as well as theory, at Taylor University. She has performed as a soloist with several orchestras and the Kokomo Park Band, is an active accompanist and church pianist, and has given countless solo recitals.
Abraham Wilson graduated with a degree in Piano Performance from Brigham Young University. He has given performances in San Francisco, Milwaukee, Hong Kong, Toronto, Shanghai, Los Angeles and in numerous venues in the San Francisco Bay area and the Salt Lake and Utah Valleys. He won first prize in the Polish Festival Piano Competition in Milwaukee and has performed with the Brigham Young University Philharmonic. Currently, Mr. Wilson manages a product management team at Beckman Coulter. Since working in the tech and life sciences industries, Mr. Wilson has been active performing and competing in amateur competitions, winning first prize in the Windsor International Amateur competition, and performing at Carnegie Hall. He judged the Charles Joray Piano Competition in 2022 and 2025.
Students who are currently attending a private college in Indiana and are studying piano with a faculty member. This competition is open to undergraduate students – freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors. (Students do not have to be music majors.)
Applicants must be citizens of the United States.
Applicants must submit a YouTube video in which they perform two contrasting pieces from different stylistic periods. Video must show the performer and piano. The performer should announce the title and composer of each selection. Complete selections must be recorded. For the preliminary competition, music must be memorized.
YouTube videos will be judged by a screening jury of three qualified judges who will select six finalists.
Participants must perform from memory two contrasting pieces from different stylistic periods. The musical selections do not have to be the same ones as performed in the preliminary competition. Individual movements from larger works are acceptable. Repeats are at the discretion of the performer. Total performance time for both pieces should not exceed 20 minutes.
Finalists will be judged by three qualified judges. All finalists will receive written feedback from each adjudicator following the competition. The decision of the judges will be final.
Participants are welcome to listen to the other finalists. Family and friends of the finalists are also welcome. Admission is free.
Each finalist must bring three copies—one for each of the three judges—of the music he/she will perform. The music will be returned at the end of the competition.
1st place winner will receive $1,500
2nd place winner will receive $1,000
3rd place winner will receive $500
The remaining three finalists will each receive $150
Interested students can apply using the form at the link below
All applicants will be notified of their status. Finalists will be given their performance time.
Day of Final Competition
Beginning at 12:00 p.m.
Location: Baker Recital Hall, Philippe performing Arts Center, Indiana Wesleyan University, 4201 S. Washington Street, Marion, Indiana 46953
Finalists should arrive at least one-half hour before their scheduled performance time. A warm-up piano will be provided.
Sponsoring agent reserves the right to take photographs of participants for future marketing purposes.
