2024 Commissioned Composer Competition Results

Esma Pasic-Filipovic, Chairperson 

(Third prize winners, honorable mention (HM) recipients are listed in alphabetical order according to their last names)

COMPOSER:  Carmen Aurora Mateiescu    

Cheerful Chirping Chicks

Prize                  Student                             Teacher

1st                            Daya Williams Stella Xu
2nd                          Julia Tang Bing Bing Chang
3rd                           Linna Cui Chiu-Ling Lin
3rd                           Jian Ping Hu Stella Xu
3rd Rishi Lekkalapudi Esma Pasic-Filipovic

The Enchanted Meadow

Prize                        Student                             Teacher

1st                           Ella Wang                                 Stella Xu
2nd                         Brinley Liu Bing Bing Chang  
3rd                   Kriti Narayanan Yevgeny Morozov
3rd Eason Wang Suet-Nie Ang
HM                         Valerie Wang Stella Xu
HM                         Claire Yu Julia Lam

Cumulonimbus Rondo

Prize                     Student                            Teacher

1st                           Andrew Li        Stella Xu
2nd                          Ezra Kusnadi                     Stella Xu
3rd                         Chen Jiang Esma Pasic- Filipovic
3rd                          Zachary Jin                           Stella Xu
3rd Anya Wang Julia Lam

The Flowery Mountain

Prize                     Student                            Teacher

1st                           Leah Park & Gina Park Laura Early & Eunju Joung Kim
2nd Anderson Yu & Adrianna Ang Yousun Kim & Chiu- Tze Lin
3rd Claire Hua & Chloe Hua Chloris Li

2024 YOUNG MUSICIANS COMPETITIONS - WINDS RESULTS

Division Award Student/Instrument/Age/Teacher             

11 & Under 1st Claire Li, flute, age 10, Amy I-Yun Tu
Saint-Saëns/Arr. Gariboldi, Danse Macabre

12-14 1st Jianing (Garland) Liu, flute, age 14, Amy I-Yun Tu
(Junior) Pergolesi, Flute Concerto in G major, I. Spiritoso

2nd Rayansh Phirke, flute, age 13, Amy I-Yun Tu
3rd Katherine Lee, flute, age 12, Amy I-Yun Tu
HM Ian Lee, alto saxophone, age 14, Wonki Lee

15-17 1st Lina Lin, flute , age 17, Amy I-Yun Tu
(Senior) Reinecke, Concertino in D Major, Op. 283, I. Allegro molto moderato

2nd Trista Chao, flute, age 16, Amy I-Yun Tu
HM Isabella Chang, clarinet, age 17, Kenneth Ellison
HM Kenneth Wang, alto saxophone, age 17, Michael VanPelt

JUDGES: Robin Kani and Dena Orkin

High School Scholarship renamed after the late Margaret Knight

To honor the immense impact and contribution of the late Margaret Knight to NJMTA, the High School Scholarship has been renamed the Margaret Knight High School Scholarship.

Margaret E. Knight who passed away on May 7, 2023, was President of the New Jersey Music Teachers Association from 1992-1994. Her other positions included Director of Student Activities for the South Jersey Music Teachers Association, Historian and Coordinator of the High School Scholarship for NJMTA. In 2010, Margaret was named Music Teachers National Association Foundation Fellow for distinguished service to the music profession. In 2013, she was awarded the NJMTA Service Award given to a board member whose invaluable contribution have impacted the NJMTA as an organization.

Read more about Margaret Knight here…

MTNA Easter Division Competitions Results

Congratulations to the following outstanding students and teachers who represented the state of New Jersey with remarkable success in the recent MTNA Eastern Division Competitions!

Eastern Elementary Composition - Winner: Sebastian Soloff
  Teacher: Nancy Modell 

Eastern Junior Performance - Winner: Ryan Lu (Piano)
                    Teacher: Stella Xu 

Eastern Senior Performance - Winner: Jingyuan Zheng (Piano)
Teacher: Stella Xu

Eastern Senior Performance - Winner: Christopher Juan (Brass: Horn)
                                                  Teacher: Dan Wions

Eastern Senior Performance - Winner: Julie Kim (Strings: Violin)
                                                 Teacher: Elizabeth Chang

Eastern Senior Performance - Alternate: Hong Cheng (Woodwind: Clarinet)
                                                 Teacher: Kenneth Ellison

Eastern Senior Composition - Honorable Mention: Evan Chang   
                                                Teacher: Philip Orr