2021 Joan E Brown Scholarship Winners
First Place Winner
Teacher: Dr. Yelena Balabanova
2nd Place Winner
Teacher: Allan Park
3rd Place Winner
Teacher: Allan Park
Scholarship Information
The EMTA, at the discretion of the Executive Board, holds a Scholarship Competition for 10th, 11th and 12th grade students of EMTA members in good standing. The competition’s purposes are to acknowledge exceptional ability and meritorious accomplishment. The amount of the financial awards for the competition will be determined by the Executive Board, and will be based on the availability of funds at the time.
The competition rules for the Joan E. Brown Scholarship for 2022 have been changed. Please read the following documents carefully for more information:
Joan E. Brown Scholarship Statement of Policy
Joan E. Brown Scholarship Competition Rules
Joan E. Brown Scholarship 2022 Information
Who was Dr. Joan E. Brown?
The 2021 Joan E. Brown Scholarship is organized by EMTA members, Bonnie Thomas and Marilyn Droz and is funded with proceeds from the EMTA Musicianship Festival. Adjudicators for the 2021 Scholarship are Mary Beth Rogers, Bonnie Thomas, and Marilyn Droz.
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 Scholarship Winners
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
