State MTNA Performance Competition 2023 Recap
Julie Swienty, WSMTA MTNA Performance Competitions Chair
Dear Friends and Colleagues,
Washington State’s MTNA Performance Competition was successfully completed! Chairing this event confirmed what I have witnessed over the years—that Washington piano teachers are amazing! The level of skill and literature exceeds what I remember to be graduate level playing of very difficult literature—and in such young students. Be sure to check out the programs by Junior Divisions!
Congratulations to each performer, teacher and family represented. We are proud of each one of you! We were thrilled to be able to use Central Washington University’s amazing facility in Ellensburg. The competition was held November 10-12, with winners announced upon completion of each category. All of our coordinators, volunteers, and judges were wonderful to spend time and work with over the three-day event. Special thanks to competition coordinators Dr. Amanda Harris, who helped me with the Junior Division, Mary Kaye Owen, NCTM, Senior Division, and Laura Curtis, Young Artist Division. Special thanks needs to be extended to Terri Hlubek, MTNA Competition Chair, as well as other national office staff, for their invaluable counsel as I learned how to do the job of chairing this huge event.
We are immensely grateful for the knowledge and guidance of the team at CWU for their assistance with facilities and all the details that happen behind the scenes. Thanks to Bonnie Hendrickson, Scheduling Coordinator, Anne Smethurst, Department of Music Office Assistant, and Allen Larsen, Media Producer Lead, and all of the building managers, who worked tirelessly to help us.
I cannot thank Kathy Mortensen, WSMTA Past President, Colleen Hunter, NCTM, WSMTA President, Mary Grant, WSMTA Treasurer, Samantha Yeung, WSMTA Communications Coordinator, Kirsten Carlson, Administrative Coordinator, Cherie Felts, OAPC Chair, and Preta Laughlin and her granddaughter, Beverage and Food Coordinator, enough for all of their work, wisdom and guidance. Real friendships come from working together, and I value getting to know and work with each of them! This event could not have occurred without each of you.
So many others volunteered extraordinary amounts of their personal time to help: Carol Cross, Barbara Riley, Dr. Ross Salvosa, Naomi Johnson, and Kira Miller (and her son!), and I know that I’m forgetting many others who stepped up to help. Through the hard work of the students, parents, teachers, chairs, judges, and certainly many others, the event was a resounding success. The judges have commented on the level of playing and how thrilled they were to hear the performances.
Decisions were difficult in many divisions, and the balloting frequently took all three times as judges stood up for their favorites! The program booklet with the list of repertoire is available on the state website. There were 103 entries in 11 divisions:
- Piano: Junior, Senior, Senior Duet, Young Artist
- String: Junior, Senior, Young Artist (violin, cello, and string bass)
- Woodwind: Senior (flute), Young Artist (flute, saxophone)
- Brass: Young Artist (french horn)
- Voice: Senior (soprano, tenor)
- Piano Division: Roger McVey, Scott Rednour, Greg Presley
- String Division: Korine Fujiwara, Kevin Hekmatpanah, Brendan Shea
- Voice Division: Nancy Gregory
- Woodwind Division: Leonard Garrison
- Brass Division: Jason M. Johnston
Piano Division Judges Roger McVey, Scott Rednour, and Greg Presley
