The details of the 2026 EMTA Excellence in Music Awards are currently being updated!
14 April 2026: EMTA Excellence in Music Awards Program Application Deadline
16 May 2026: EMTA Excellence in Music Awards Program
EMTA Excellence in Music Awards Program Detailed Information
2026 EMTA Excellence in Music Awards Program Application is not yet available
Venues: TBD
Mission Statement: to support and encourage students to be active in their EMTA community and acknowledge exceptional ability, application and meritorious accomplishment by giving financial assistance to those students in grades 7-12.
Awards Fund: The award funds are managed by the EMTA Executive Board, which determines the available amount each year. Judges decide placements and how to allocate smaller awards.
2025 Award Amounts – Award amounts for 2026 are not yet available
• 11th-12th Grade: $3,000
• 9th-10th Grade: $1,000
• 7th-8th Grade: $500
Total: $4,500
Please read all requirements carefully to ensure a thorough understanding of the requirements and eligibility for student participation.
Overall Student Requirements – 2026 requirements are not yet available
Volunteerism: All students must volunteer at the Musicianship Festival on May 3, 2025.
EMTA Event Participation:
Students must perform in two EMTA events, one of which must be the 2026 Music Artistry Program.
Other event options include:
Jazz, Rags & Blues Festival
Time Era Festival
Community Recitals
Composition Recital
Musicianship Festival
Note: Participation in WSMTA and MTNA contest programs, including the State Recital Competition and the Young Composers Project, does not fulfill the second performance requirement.
Performance Time Limits:
Students should make appropriate cuts to ensure their performances fit within the allotted time. Please err on the side of less rather than more.
11th/12th Grade Category:
Students must write an essay and participate in an interview with the judges.
Participation Limitations:
Students who win no more than 20% of the total award money in their category are eligible to participate again the following year. For example, a 7th grader who wins $50 in the 7/8 category in 2024 may participate again in 8th grade.
2025 Award Breakdown
| Category | 2025 Total Amount | Maximum Awards | 20% eligibility for next year |
| 7/8th grade | |||
| 9/10th grade | $ | ||
| 11th/12th grade |
Students are allowed to compete as they advance from one age group to the next.
11th & 12th Grade Requirements
- Total Award:
$3,000 - 1st Place: Joan Brown Excellence in Music Award
- Ties and Ranking: Ties are allowed, and winners will be ranked.
- Award Limit: No student will receive more than $1,200.
- Multiple Recipients: Judges will decide the number of winners and their award amounts, with the intention of having multiple recipients.
- Repertoire: Students must prepare memorized pieces from three distinct time periods. Composition applicants should submit works in three different styles.
- Essay Requirement:
“Describe your musical goals in 500 words or less, detailing how music has impacted your life and what role it will play in your future.” You may include significant musical events, collaborations, teachers, or other meaningful experiences. - Performance/Interview:
Students will have 15 minutes in total—10 minutes for their performance and 5 minutes for the interview. Performances should be appropriately cut to fit the time limit. - Photo Requirement: A current photo must be included in the application for use on the EMTA website (opt-out available).
9th & 10th Grade Requirements
- Total Award:
$1,000 - Ranking: Winners will not be ranked.
- Award Limit: No student will receive more than $300.
- Multiple Recipients: Judges will determine the number of winners and their award amounts, with the goal of having multiple recipients.
- Repertoire: Students must prepare memorized pieces from three distinct time periods. Composition applicants should submit works in three different styles.
- Performance Time: Students will have 9 minutes to perform. Appropriate cuts should be made to fit within the time limit.
- Photo Requirement: A current photo must be included in the application for use on the EMTA website (opt-out available).
Teacher Information and Requirements
- Membership Requirement: Teachers must be EMTA members by
October 15, 2024,to enter students in the competition. - Student Eligibility: Teachers must instruct students in the performance category in which they are entered.
- Volunteer Commitment: Teachers entering students are required to volunteer at both the Musicianship Festival and the Excellence in Music Awards Program.
- Judging Availability: Teachers must be available to judge on
May 17, 2025, unless excused due to significant life events (e.g., weddings, graduations). Event chairs should be informed as early as possible if an exception is needed. - Event Support: For maximum flexibility, all teachers should be available to judge. Those not assigned to judging will assist with event-related tasks, such as scheduling, paperwork, certificates, and checks.
- Student Compliance: Teachers are responsible for ensuring that their students meet all EMTA participation and volunteer requirements.
- Entry Limit: Teachers may enter up to two students per age category, with a maximum of four students across all categories.
Judging Information and Requirements
- Judging Panel: Each age group will be evaluated by a panel of three EMTA teachers.
- Categories: Judges will assess all categories together, including instrumental, voice, and composition.
- Conflict of Interest: The goal is to avoid assigning teachers to judge categories in which their students are participating. However, if this cannot be avoided, teachers in the 7th-8th and 9th-10th categories will step outside during their student’s performance. In the 11th-12th category, students will be judged by teachers who are not their instructors.
- Evaluation Criteria for 11th-12th Graders: Judges will assess performance, essay, and interview.
- Evaluation in 7th-8th and 9th-10th Categories: Judges will assess each student individually to determine if the performance merits an award, rather than making direct comparisons between students.
2026 Excellence in Music Program Venues
The competitions will be held in neutral locations. Every effort will be made to avoid holding the competition in the studios of participating teachers.
Who was Dr. Joan E. Brown?
Joan E. Brown was a charter member of the Edmonds Chapter of the Music Teachers National Association. She received her Bachelor and Master of Science degrees in piano performance from the Juilliard School of Music, and completed her doctoral work at the University of Illinois. Joan received a Fulbright Scholarship in 1956-57 to study in Germany. While there, she performed chamber music recitals throughout Western Europe under the sponsorship of the US Government.
Her teaching career included West Virginia Wesleyan and positions at UCLA, Ohio State University, University of Illinois, Interlochen Arts Academy, and the University of Portland. She spent a year as an Artist-in-Residence for the State of North Carolina in Charlotte. She was a master teacher and adjudicator.
Dr. Brown’s students were led by her to develop their potential as intelligent and well-rounded musicians. She disliked the idea that only the “best and brightest” students should be acknowledged by scholarships and awards. Hence, this scholarship is established in her honor. It is not predicated on performance alone, but on the totality of the musicians and their contribution to the community.
Past Joan E. Brown Award Winners
2025
Zoe Vance, student of Laurie McFarland, 1st place
Jonathan Kocaj, student of Roxanne Kar, 2nd place
William Shirts, student of Jensina Oliver, 3rd place
2024
Ryan Chung, student of Allan Park, tied for 1st place
Echo Vance, student of Laurie McFarland, tied for 1st place
2023
Eleanor Shirts, student of Dr. Jensina Oliver, tied for 1st place
Noah Kim, student of Allan Park, tied for 1st place
2022
Hyun Yoon student of Allan Park, First Place Winner
Meredith Nam student of Allan Park, Second Place Winner
2021
Lucas Tam student of Dr. Yelena Balabanova, First Place Winner
John Meneses, student of Allan Park, Second Place Winner
Ezekiel Taton, student of Allan Park, Third Place Winner
2020
The Scholarship was cancelled due to Covid.
2019
Lisa Kuang student of Yelena Balabanova and Claire Kim student of Allan Park, tied for 1st place Piano
Katherine Kuang student of Yelena Balabanova and Estella Xu student of Yelena Balabanova, tied for 2nd place Piano
2018
Ashley Mochizuki, student of Mariya Koshkina and David Lu, student of Yelena Balabanova, tied for 1st place Piano
Christopher Marley, 2nd Place Piano, student of Allan Park
2017
Patrick Bi, student of Conney Vernall, and Kat Kuang, student of Yelena Balabanova, tied for 1st Place Piano
Mi-Rae Kapelak, 2nd Place Piano, student of Cathy Baylor
2016
Kyran Park Adams, 1st Place Piano, student of Allan Park
Nancy Jong, 2nd Place Piano, student of Conney Vernall
Alec Sjoholm, 3rd Place Piano, student of Naoko Noguchi
2015
Angela Birchman, 1st Place Piano, student of Conney Vernall
Alina Bui and Hannah Volsky, tied for 1st Place Voice, students of Shih-Yi Kuan
Mi-Rae Kapelak, 2nd Place Piano, student of Cathy Baylor
Spencer Coffman, 2nd Place Voice, student of Shih-Yi Kuan
2014
Tammy Ho, 1st Place tied Piano, student of Ginny Reese
Nicholas Towle, 1st Place tied Piano, student of Cheryl Gray
Timothy Goei, 1st Place Non-Keyboard, student of Barb Hudak
Jane Sabahu, 2nd Place Piano, student of Naoko Noguchi
Madelyn Rangel, 2nd Place Non-Keyboard, student of Mary MacRae
2013
Madeleine Schultz, 1st Place Composition, Keva Vaughan-McMorrow
Aline Bui, 1st Place Voice, student of Shih-Yi Kuan
Andrew Kim, tied for 1st Place Piano, student of Carolyn Lee
Eugene Choi, tied for 1st Place Piano, student of Youn Joo Cook
2012
Emma Howeiler, 1st Place Piano, student of Keva Vaughan-McMorrow
Madeleine Schultz, 2nd Place Piano, student of Keva Vaughan-McMorrow
Jane Sabahu, 2nd Place Piano, student of Naoko Noguchi
Mackenzie Alvarez, 3rd Place Piano, student of Keva Vaughan-McMorrow
2011
David Oh, 1st Place Piano, student of Mariya Koshkina
Stephanie Goei, 1st Place Non-Keyboard, student of Ruth Bradshaw
Sarah St. Sauver, 2nd Place Non-Keyboard, student of Shih-Yi Kuan
Jolie Shen, 2nd Place Piano, student of Mariya Koshkina
Preston Sabahu, 3rd Place Piano, student of Naoko Noguchi
2011 — New Scholarship Guidelines Established
2009
Tiffany Wolf, student of Sherri Brookfield-Jordan
Sola Yun, student of Sherri Brookfield-Jordan
2008
Ryan Hyde, student of Gary Jordan
Storm Heitman, student of Gary Jordan
Elliot Gray, student of Ginny Gray
2007
McKenna Milici, student of Sherri Brookfield-Jordan
Elliot Gray, student of Ginny Gray
2006
Marissa Johnson, student of Sherri Brookfield-Jordan
Kaley Eaton, student of Sherri Brookfield-Jordan
Nathan Wasner, student of Warren Kunz
2005
Shawn Lawrence, student of Sherri Brookfield-Jordan
Jillian Arnold, student of Sherri Brookfield-Jordan
2004
Diana Juye, student of Sherri Brookfield-Jordan
Arielle Cecil, student of Mary Beth Cecil
Yoonji Kwon, student of Carolyn Lee
2003
Angela Morre, student of Sherri Brookfield-Jordan
2002
Vannessa Small, student of Keva Vaughan-McMorrow
Lindsay Karstetter, student of Sherri Brookfield-Jordan
2001
Jenelle Birnbaum, student of Kent Coleman
2000
David Kneeland, student of Keva Vaughan-McMorrow
1999
Sarah Thomson, student of Suzetta Glenn
1996
Rebecca Watkins, student of Warren Kunz
1994
Amy Main, student of Carolyn Malnes
Edmonds Music Teachers Association 