Music Teachers National Association (MTNA)

MTNA

USADeadline: 9/9/2026

MTNA (Music Teachers National Association) offers national student competitions in performance and composition with cash prizes ranging from $300 to $5,000. The 2026-2027 competition cycle includes Junior (ages 11-14), Senior (ages 15-18), and Young Artist (ages 19-29) divisions, plus composition competitions for ages 5-29. The MTNA Foundation Fund also provides grants and career awards for music teachers.

Award Amount

$300 - $5,000 USD

Scholarship Type

merit-based

Eligibility Criteria

music-students
music-teachers
mtna-members
ages-5-to-29

Instruments

pianostringswoodwindsbrassvoicemultiple

MTNA (Music Teachers National Association) is a professional organization for music teachers that administers the most successful and prestigious student competitions in the United States. The MTNA National Student Competitions offer cash prizes ranging from $300 to $5,000 across performance and composition categories. The 2026-2027 competition cycle includes Junior (ages 11-14), Senior (ages 15-18), and Young Artist (ages 19-29) divisions. The MTNA Foundation Fund also provides grants, career awards, and teacher fellowships. Registration deadline for the 2026-2027 cycle is September 9, 2026.

How MTNA Scholarships and Competitions Work

MTNA administers two main competition tracks: Performance Competitions and Composition Competitions. Both follow a three-tier structure (State, Division, National) for most categories.

Performance Competitions

The three-tiered Junior, Senior, and Young Artist Performance Competitions begin with State Competitions (live or video, depending on the state). State winners advance to a video-only Division Competition. Division winners compete in person at the National Finals during the MTNA National Conference, April 2 to 6, 2027 in St. Louis, Missouri.

Junior Performance (Ages 11-14 on January 1, 2027)

Entry fee: $95
Categories: Piano, String, Woodwind
National Winner: $1,000 (Piano sponsored by Kawai America; String and Woodwind by MTNA Foundation Fund)
National Second Place: $500
National Third Place: $300
Additional prizes: $500 Ebony Music Prize for best performance of a work by a Black composer; $500 Chopin Foundation Prize for best Chopin performance (Piano)

Senior Performance (Ages 15-18 on January 1, 2027)

Entry fee: $110
Categories: Piano, Piano Duet, String, Woodwind
National Winner: $2,000 (String and Woodwind by MTNA Foundation Fund; Piano by Yamaha Corporation of America)
National Second Place: $1,000
National Third Place: $500
Piano Duet National Winning Duo: $2,000 (sponsored by Weekley and Arganbright)

Young Artist Performance (Ages 19-29 on January 1, 2027)

Entry fee: $135
Categories: Piano, String, Woodwind, Brass, Voice
String and Woodwind National Winner: $3,000 (MTNA Foundation Fund)
Piano National Winner: $5,000 (Steinway and Sons)
National Second Place: $1,500
National Third Place: $750
Brass and Voice are two-tiered (preliminary video round plus live finals at the National Conference)
Additional prizes: $1,000 Ebony Music Prize

Composition Competitions

Composition Competitions are also three-tiered (State, Division, National) with four age levels: Elementary (ages 5-10), Junior (ages 11-14), Senior (ages 15-18), and Young Artist (ages 19-29). National winners have their compositions performed at the MTNA National Conference.

Elementary Winner: $500 (sponsored by Alfred Music)
Junior Winner: $1,000 (sponsored by Alfred Music)
Senior Winner: $2,000 (MTNA Foundation Fund)
Young Artist Winner: $3,000 (MTNA Foundation Fund)
Entry fees: $50 (Elementary), $70 (Junior), $100 (Senior and Young Artist)

Chamber Music Competitions

Two-tiered competitions (preliminary video round plus live finals at the National Conference) for String and Wind ensembles. Seven ensembles are selected in each category from a nationwide pool.

MTNA Foundation Fund Awards

The MTNA Foundation Fund provides additional awards and grants:

Studio Teacher Fellowship: Recognizes an outstanding independent music teacher
Power of Innovation Award: Recognizes creative approaches to music teaching
Gateway Prize: Awarded to a young artist
Joyce B. Cowin Career Grant: Supports career development
Melvin Stecher and Norman Horowitz Career Grant: Supports career development
Foundation Fund Grants: Support MTNA's mission to advance music study and music making

Membership Requirements

MTNA active membership dues must be paid before submission of the competition registration. A $200 nonmember teacher fee is assessed if the entrant's teacher has not paid active membership dues for the 2026-2027 membership year.

Real-World Example

A 22-year-old violinist studying at a university in Ohio could enter the 2026-2027 Young Artist String Performance Competition. They would register by September 9, 2026, paying the $135 entry fee. Their teacher must be an MTNA active member. They would first compete at the Ohio State Competition (live or video, depending on the state). If they win, they advance to the Division Competition (video-only). If they win at the division level, they travel to St. Louis for the National Finals during the MTNA National Conference, April 2 to 6, 2027. The national winner receives $3,000 from the MTNA Foundation Fund and performs on the Young Artist Winners Concert.

A 16-year-old pianist could enter the Senior Piano Performance Competition. The national winner receives $2,000 from Yamaha Corporation of America. They could also compete in the Senior Composition Competition if they write original music, potentially winning an additional $2,000 from the MTNA Foundation Fund.

Why It Matters for Independent Artists

MTNA competitions are the most established and prestigious student music competitions in the country. They offer several advantages over other scholarship programs.

First, the three-tier structure means you get three performance opportunities with feedback at each level. Even if you do not win at the national level, you gain valuable performance experience and written comments from judges at the state and division levels.

Second, the competitions are open to a wide age range (5 to 29). Whether you are an elementary school student just starting out or a young adult in a graduate program, there is a category for you.

Third, the composition competitions allow you to submit original works. National winners have their compositions performed at the MTNA National Conference, which is a significant career milestone for any composer.

Fourth, MTNA membership provides benefits beyond competitions, including access to the American Music Teacher journal, business resources, insurance programs, and professional development webinars. Student membership is affordable and grants access to both national and state-level opportunities.

To maximize your chances, join MTNA early, find out whether your state holds live or video competitions, prepare your repertoire carefully (no changes are allowed after registration), and attend the annual conference if you advance to nationals.

Eligibility Criteria

MTNA competition eligibility is determined by age, instrument, and teacher membership status:

Teacher membership: Your teacher must be an MTNA active member for the 2026-2027 membership year. If your teacher is not a member, a $200 nonmember teacher fee is assessed at registration
Age divisions (as of January 1, 2027):
- Junior Performance: ages 11 to 14
- Senior Performance: ages 15 to 18
- Young Artist Performance: ages 19 to 29
- Composition: Elementary (ages 5 to 10), Junior (ages 11 to 14), Senior (ages 15 to 18), Young Artist (ages 19 to 29)
Instruments: Performance competitions are open to piano, strings, woodwinds, brass, and voice (depending on division). Piano Duet is available in the Senior division. Chamber Music competitions are open to string and wind ensembles
Composition: Open to all styles of original composition. Entries must be the original work of the entrant
Nationality: Open to all students studying with an MTNA member teacher in the United States. Some state competitions may have additional residency requirements
Enrollment: No specific school enrollment requirement. Students of independent MTNA member teachers are eligible, as are university students whose teacher is an MTNA member

Application Deadlines

The 2026-2027 MTNA competition cycle follows this timeline:

Registration deadline: September 9, 2026. All competition registrations must be submitted online through the MTNA competitions portal by this date
State Competitions: Fall 2026 (dates vary by state). Some states hold live competitions, others use video submissions. Check with your state MTNA affiliate for specific dates
Division Competitions: January 2027. Video-only round for performance categories. Division winners are announced in late January 2027
National Finals: April 2 to 6, 2027, at the MTNA National Conference in St. Louis, Missouri. Live performances for all categories
Winners Concert: April 5 or 6, 2027 (the day after each national final). National winners must perform to receive their monetary awards

For the 2027-2028 cycle, expect a similar timeline with registration in early September 2027 and National Finals in spring 2028. MTNA typically publishes updated guidelines by June of each year.

Past Recipients

MTNA publishes national winners on its website. Recent recipients include:

2025-2026 Composition National Winners:

Kevin Lou (Elementary): California, Southwest Division. Teacher: Su-Shing Chiu
Lillian Tan (Junior): Arizona, Southwest Division. Teacher: Karalyn Schubring
Grant Qu (Senior): Texas, South Central Division. Teacher: Liang Liang
Andreas Landstedt (Young Artist): Missouri, West Central Division. Teacher: Sean Chen

2025-2026 Young Artist Performance National Winner:

Jacob McKay (Piano): Brigham Young University, Idaho. Teacher: Scott Holden. Second Place: Ikeobasi Ezike (Baylor University, Texas). Third Place: Kevin Cho (Vanderbilt University, Tennessee)

2024-2025 Composition:

Landon Kroon (Junior): California State Winner and National Winner. His composition "En Garde. Prets? Allez!" won the MTNA Alfred Music Junior Composition Competition

2023 Young Artist Piano:

Lewis Warren Jr. (First Prize and inaugural Ebony Prize): SMU Meadows School of the Arts, Dallas, Texas. Teacher: Dr. Carol Leone. Won with a program featuring Liszt, Scarlatti, Anthony R. Green, and Rachmaninoff. Also received the first-ever Ebony Prize for best performance of a work by a Black composer (Anthony R. Green's "Etude II: Fugue for 4 Voices")

2023 Senior Piano:

Will Ge (Second Place and Chopin Award): Phillips Academy Andover. Received the Chopin Award for best performance of a Chopin work

2024 State Winners:

Alexander Liu (Piano): NY State Winner, MTNA 2024
Isabel Feng (Junior Piano): National Winner and Chopin Prize, representing California and the Southwest Division. Competed against seven national finalists in Chicago

Step-by-Step Application Process

Confirm your teacher's MTNA membership: Before anything else, verify that your teacher is an active MTNA member for the 2026-2027 membership year. If they are not, either ask them to join (dues vary by state, typically $99 to $159 per year) or budget for the $200 nonmember teacher fee
Choose your competition category: Decide between Performance (Junior, Senior, or Young Artist) or Composition (Elementary, Junior, Senior, or Young Artist). Check which instrument categories are available for your age division. You can enter both performance and composition competitions if eligible
Prepare your repertoire or composition: For performance competitions, select your repertoire carefully. No repertoire changes are allowed after registration. For composition, finalize your original work and prepare the required score and recording
Register online by September 9, 2026: Submit your registration through the MTNA competitions portal. Pay the entry fee ($50 to $135 depending on category) and the nonmember teacher fee if applicable
Compete at the State level: Depending on your state, this will be a live or video competition. Check with your state MTNA affiliate for the format. State winners advance to the Division round
Submit your Division video: The Division Competition is video-only for performance categories. Prepare a high-quality recording of your competition program. Division winners are announced in late January 2027
Travel to National Finals in St. Louis: If you win at the Division level, you will compete live at the MTNA National Conference, April 2 to 6, 2027, in St. Louis, Missouri. National winners receive cash prizes ranging from $300 to $5,000 and must perform on the Winners Concert