Junior Pianists Guild

The Junior Pianists Guild (JPG) was established in 1966 in Dallas, Texas. The founders were prominent piano teachers from the Dallas area. Florence Schwiff organized the teachers to create an organization built around a judge named William Gillock from New Orleans. The advisors were Wyema Wilhite and William Gillock. The first Auditions were held February 1967. By the 7th Annual Auditions there were approximately 800 students participating and performing for William Gillock who was the adjudicator. The Auditions were held at Whittle Music Co with 45 teachers from the Dallas area entering their students. William Gillock was the adjudicator for 21 years. He judged for 6 weeks 6 days a week and listened to all 800 students every year. For the JPG Auditions, the students were asked to perform from memory a piece from a Repertoire list from an American Composer, a piece from the Classical, or Baroque period and a piece of the teacher's choosing.

The JPG Auditions have changed very little in the following years. Since 2002 the Junior Pianists Guild has no longer used a Repertoire list. The students are still asked to perform from memory three pieces from three different styles with at least one being Baroque or Classical. The JPG Auditions offer two scholarships for Seniors in High School. A Senior who has earned 45 points or more points over the years and has earned a Superior (+) in their Junior and Senior year in the Auditions, may be awarded either the Dorothy Washburn Memorial Award or the Carolyn Jones Campbell Memorial Award. In 2005, the Junior Pianists Guild added a Concerto Audition category. Students perform any movement of a concerto written for solo piano with a second piano accompaniment.

In 2015, the Junior Pianists Guild added the Gillock Honor Recital. Students through 8th grade record a video of their performance of a piece by William Gillock which is judged. The recitalists are then asked to perform in a Gillock Honor Recital at the JPG Fall General Meeting. In 2020, the Guild added the Spring Virtual Solo Festival Recital. Students are asked to record a video of a memorized performance of a piece of their choice for a judge.