Please be aware that the EMTA Joan E. Brown Scholarship has undergone substantial changes in 2024 and is now called the EMTA Excellence in Music Awards Competition.

9 April 2024: Excellence in Music Awards Competition Registration Deadline
18 May 2024: Excellence in Music Awards Competition

Introduction to the new 2024 EMTA Excellence in Music Awards Program.
EMTA Excellence in Music Awards Competition Information
Joan E. Brown Legacy and Awards FAQ
EMTA Student Performance Sheet

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.

General Information

• This is a live event only. 
• Award amounts will be determined yearly by the EMTA Executive Board.
• The judges decide how students place in the competition and how to divide smaller awards.
• There will be 3 age groups determined by grade level: 7th/8th grade, 9th/10th grade, and 11th/12th grade.
• All pieces to be performed should be prepared without any cuts. The judges will determine the starting point and ending point to conform within time constraints.

General Student Requirements

• Volunteer – All students must volunteer at the Musicianship Festival.
• EMTA Event Participation – All students must participate in the Music Artistry Program and a second EMTA event. (choices include: Jazz, Rags & Blues Festival, Time Era Festival, Community Recitals, composition recital, Musicianship Festival.)
• Winners are ineligible to compete the following year with the exception of the 11th/12th grade category where students who win $200 or less may participate again.

Student Information and Requirements for 11th/12th Grade

• $2000 available for 2024 EMTA Excellence in Music Awards
• 1st Place receives the Joan Brown Excellence in Music Award 
• Ties are allowed.
• Winners are ranked.
• No winner will receive more than $800.
• Judges will decide how many students receive awards and how much they will receive. The intent is to have multiple winners.
• Students who receive an award larger than $200 are not eligible to compete the following year.
• Students will prepare one memorized piece from three different time periods. Composition applicants will submit pieces in three different styles. Judges can request any portion of prepared repertoire and will hear from all three time periods. Pieces should be prepared in their entirety.
• Students will prepare an essay: “Describe your musical goals in 500 words or less.  The essay should describe how music has affected your life and what role it will play in your future.”  Topics may include important musical events in which you participated, meaningful collaborations, teachers, or experiences.
• Students will have a 15-minute time block, 10 minutes for performance and 5 minutes for interview.
• Students should include a current picture in the application for use on the EMTA website. (Opt-out is available.)

Student Information and Requirements for 9th/10th Grade

• $700 is available for 2024 EMTA Excellence in Music Awards 
• Winners will not be ranked.
• No winner will receive more than $250.
• Judges will decide how many students receive awards and the amounts they receive.  The intent is to have multiple winners.
• Winners will be ineligible to compete the following year.
• Students will prepare one memorized piece from three different time periods. Composition applicants will submit pieces in three different styles. Judges can request any portion of prepared repertoire and will hear from all three time periods. Pieces should be prepared in their entirety.
• Students will be given 9 minutes of performance time.
• Students should include a current picture in the application for use on the EMTA website. (Opt out is available.)

Student Information and Requirements for 7th/8th Grade

• $300 is available for 2024 EMTA Excellence in Music Awards 
• Winners will not be ranked.
• No winner will receive more than $100.
• Judges will decide how many students receive awards and the amounts they receive.  The intent is to have multiple winners.
• Winners will be ineligible to compete the following year.
• Students will prepare one memorized piece from three different time periods. Composition applicants will submit pieces in three different styles. Judges can request any portion of prepared repertoire and will hear from all three time periods. Pieces should be prepared in their entirety.
• Students will be given 7 minutes of performance time.
• Students should include a current picture in the application for use on the EMTA website. (Opt out is available.)

EMTA Teacher Information and Requirements

• A teacher entering a student must be a member of the Edmonds Music Teachers Association by October 15th of the current program year. The EMTA teacher must teach the student in the category in which they will perform.
• Teachers entering students in this program are required to volunteer at the Musicianship Festival.
• EMTA teachers with students in the competition are required to judge one age group (or find an EMTA teacher replacement), and/or provide significant advance service to the event (organize venues and judges, prepare schedules, etc.)
• Teachers are responsible to ensure their students have met EMTA participation and volunteering guidelines. (SEE STUDENT GUIDELINES ABOVE) 
• Students who compete but have not met requirements will be ineligible to compete at the next competition. 
• Teachers are limited to entering up to two students per age category with a maximum of four students total over all age groups.

Judging Information and Requirements

• Three EMTA teachers will judge each age group.
• The judges will adjudicate students from all categories together. (Instrumental, Voice & Composition)
• EMTA teachers with students in the competition are required to judge one age group (or find an EMTA teacher replacement), and/or provide significant advance service to the event (organize venues and judges, prepare schedules, etc.)
• The teacher is required to volunteer at the Musicianship Festival if entering a student in the competition.
• Ideally, students will be judged by other teachers, not their own. An exception will be made for 7th/8th and 9th/10th groups. If an EMTA teacher has a student(s) competing in one of these age groups, that teacher will step outside during the performance, leaving the two other judges to decide that student’s placement.
• In the 11th/12th grade category, students will be judged by other teachers, not their own.
• Judges in the 11th/12th grade category will determine winners based on performance, essay and interview.

Competition 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.

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2023 Joan E Brown Scholarship Winners

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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.

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Past JEB Scholarship Winners

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