MTNA Chamber Music Performance Competition

Awarded By:

Music Teachers National Association

Number of Awards & Eligibility: Six awards offered annually.

Description: This music ensemble competition performance is open to U.S. students who are 18-26 years of age as of Jan. 1. Ensembles may consist of the following instruments in any combination: brass (trumpet, horn, euphonium, trombone, tuba), piano, string (violin, viola, cello, string bass), voice (maximum of two vocalists in an ensemble with instruments), and woodwind (flute, clarinet, oboe, bassoon, saxophone).

Application requirements for the MTNA Chamber Music Performance Competition are:

• Application form
• Repertoire info.
• $120 entry fee (per ensemble)

Additional Information: The purposes of the Music Teachers National Association Performance competitions are to provide educational experiences for students and teachers and to recognize exceptionally talented young artists and their teachers in their pursuit of musical excellence. The state competitions are considered the primary educational level with the division and national levels showcasing outstanding performance and honoring significant pedagogical achievement. Students must enter the competition either in the state where the student has permanent residence or in the state where music instruction takes place. The state where the instruction takes place is defined as where the student is located during Skype, FaceTime lessons, or distance learning by similar means. A student may enter the competition in only one state. For this competition, the ensemble must consist of at least three but no more than six performers. During the course of a performance, an ensemble may change in size, through the addition or subtraction of personnel. Ensembles may be any combination of the following instruments: brass (trumpet, horn, euphonium, trombone, tuba), piano, string (violin, viola, cello, string bass), voice (maximum of two vocalists in an ensemble with instruments), and woodwind (flute, clarinet, oboe, bassoon, saxophone). Ensembles with piano only and voice only are not permitted. No changes in ensemble personnel may be made following submission of the application. The performance is without conductor. Students may enter in more than one ensemble, and students may enter in both the MTNA solo and ensemble competitions. In order to receive the monetary award, winners are required to perform at the Winners Concert, which takes place from 3:30–5:30 p.m. on the day following the competition at the MTNA National Conference. A complete rehearsal and performance schedule is available online on the MTNA website.

Award Amount: Awards are given in each competition category (string and wind) as follows: national winning ensemble, $3,000; second place ensemble, $1,500; third place ensemble, $300. The category is determined by the majority of instruments in the ensemble; for this purpose, piano counts as a string instrument. All awards are cash prizes and are non-renewable.  The total dollars awarded for this scholarship is $1,600.