Amy and Jgoo
Each state varies in the availabilities and requirements, I suggest checking with your state MTA (music teachers association). They should be able to give you info on the local competitions. Usually the state MTA sponsors at least one a year. In Minnesota, the MMTA has a competition for several age groups in the spring. The prelim. is usually in the third week of March with the final a week later for the Junior and Senior Young Artist divisions. There's also a competition at the national level that the NMTA sponsors but this you have to travel out of your area to compete because the prelim. and final take place in different cities each year. Your teacher has to be a member of the association to be able to send you to the competition. He/she should be able to find out and sign you up for several small local ones as well. I found that even small ones, some have quite a nice cache for the first price winner, especially for high school seniors. Hope this helps.
N.P.
P.S. I am not in high school but my daughter participated in several of these competitions.
[ August 26, 2001: Message edited by: N.P. ]