Updated: Dec 11, 2019

Each year in early September, composition students from Elementary to Young Artist prepare their compositions to enter the MTNA Composition Competition. Each state holds their own competition to select winners to advance to the Division Competition and, ultimately, the National Competition. Massachusetts has been well represented in the Eastern Division and the National Competition over the years. We are very proud of our talented young composers and their dedicated teachers.

The purpose of the MTNA Composition Competition is to encourage creativity and self-expression in student musicians through the art of composing and to recognize their achievements, as well as the significant work of their teachers. Upon entering their work into the competition, students receive written comments from three judges. This year, the state judges were Elizabeth Austin, Alla Borzova, and Michael Djupstrom.

2019 Massachusetts MTNA Composition Competition Winners

Elementary:

Winner: Sabina Sandrasagra, Student of David Ibbett

Honorable mention: Miles Chang, Student of Yuki Shibata

Honorable mention: Caleb Liu, Student of David Ibbett

Junior:

Winner: Justin Yamaguchi, Student of Matthew Hagle

Honorable mention: Tyler Cummins, Student of Alexandra Kirby

Honorable mention: Evan Lam, Student of David Ibbett

Honorable mention: Charlie Molten, Student of David Ibbett

Honorable mention: Jagan Mranal, Student of Renee Bordner

Honorable mention: Heidi Siegler, Student of Yuki Shibata

Senior:

Winner: Victor Xue, Student of Whitman Brown

Honorable mention: Caroline Bragg, Student of Alla Cohen

Honorable mention: Jonathan Garrity, Student of David Ibbett

Honorable mention: Carly Heslop, Student of Diana Tetzlaff

Honorable mention: Lily Hoyt, Student of David Ibbett

Honorable mention: Jiayu Huang, Student of Alla Cohen

Honorable mention: Xinghan(Jack) Wang, Student of Sarah Takagi

Honorable mention: Iris Yang, Student of Alla Cohen

Honorable mention: Alex Zhang, Student of David Ibbett

Young Artist:

Winner: Longfei Sun, Student of Whitman Brown

Honorable mention: Margaret Boswell, Student of Esther Yau

Honorable mention: Luis McDougal, Student of Alla Cohen

Honorable mention: Wai Leung William So, Student of Alla Cohen

2019 Eastern Division MTNA Composition Competition Winners

Elementary:

Winner: Sabina Sandrasagra, Student of David Ibbett, MA

Junior:

Winner: Jonathan Hartanto, Student of Kaori Tanioka, NJ

Honorable mention: Cyrano Rosentrater, Student of Ariane Alexander, PA

Senior:

Winner: Jackson Hunt, Student of Yeeha Chiu, PA

Honorable mention: Victor Xue, Student of Whitman Brown, MA

Young Artist:

Winner: Longfei Sun, Student of Whitman Brown, MA

This year, the Eastern Division judges were Andrea Clearfield, Joshua Rodriguez, and Simon Sargon. The winning compositions automatically advance to the national competition as national finalists. The results of that competition will be announced by the end of January. Congratulations to all of the participants in the competition!