Welcome to the Piano Division
We offer two different main tiers of classes. 1. Non-Competition, 2. Competition Classes (please read below for more detail). Select your grade in school/age below for 2025 class information.
Each class has a total time limit, which includes both your performance and the adjudication. We recommend using about half of your time for performing and leaving the other half for feedback from the adjudicator.

The Piano Division welcomes pianists 1st Grade through Adult, providing an exceptional opportunity to showcase talent, develop skills, and receive expert guidance. This division is perfect for students, whether they are just beginning or are already accomplished players. Participants will perform in front of seasoned adjudicators who offer valuable feedback. Teachers can inspire their students, while parents will find a supportive atmosphere that encourages artistic growth, with opportunities to explore classical, contemporary, and other genres.
- Piano Young Artist Class
- Piano Baroque Era Class
- Piano JS Bach Class
- Piano Haydn/Mozart Sonata Class
- Piano Beethoven Sonata Class
- Piano Classical Class
- Piano Romantic Class
- Piano Chopin Class
- Piano Impressionist Class
- Piano Contemporary Class
- Piano Introductory Masterclass
- Piano Concerto Class
- Piano Ensemble Class
- Piano Chamber Class
- BIPOC and Women Composers
- Piano Young Artist Class
- Piano Baroque Era Class
- Piano JS Bach Class
- Piano Haydn/Mozart Sonata Class
- Piano Beethoven Sonata Class
- Piano Classical Class
- Piano Romantic Class
- Piano Chopin Class
- Piano Impressionist Class
- Piano Contemporary Class
- Piano Introductory Masterclass
- Piano Concerto Class
- Piano Ensemble Class
- Piano Chamber Class
- BIPOC and Women Composers
Piano Division Fact Sheet
NON-COMPETITION CLASSES
- Introductory Masterclasses are for those who would like to perform and receive feedback, but not receive a numerical score. The relaxed and encouraging atmosphere of the masterclass is perfect for musicians of any age (studying privately or not), who are beginners or intermediates, or who just want to try out their pieces and get helpful suggestions from an outstanding adjudicator. Memory is optional, and pieces need not be completely polished. Any repertoire (in any style) that does not exceed 6 minutes may be chosen in order to allow for ample adjudication time on the piece. Piano accompaniment is optional. Introductory Masterclasses offer participants the opportunity to perform a piece of their choice and receive written and oral feedback from the adjudicator. The music may be from any era or genre of music.
- Adjudication-Only Classes are for those who wish to receive feedback and a numerical score. Memory is optional. Piano accompaniment is expected when appropriate. Adjudicator will offer written and oral feedback along with a numerical score. No medals are awarded. Participants may be chosen to play on the KPBX public radio at the discretion of the adjudicator.
COMPETITION CLASSES
- *Competition Classes (marked by an asterisk) are for those who wish to compete for medals. Memory is required unless otherwise stated. Piano accompaniment is expected when/where appropriate. Adjudicator will offer written and oral feedback, along with a numerical score. Gold/silver medals are awarded at the discretion of the adjudicator. Medal winners may be invited to perform live on the KPBX radio. Participants may be chosen to play on the KPBX public radio at the discretion of the adjudicator.
- **Adjudicators’ Choice Class (marked by a double asterisk) indicate a competition class where participants receive written and oral feedback, along with a numerical score. Gold/silver medals are awarded at the discretion of the adjudicator. The gold medal winner with the highest score in any 9th-12th grade Adjudicators choice, will be invited to perform a piece no longer than 5 minutes (this may mean there will be cuts in the piece) at the Festival Highlights concert at the Myrtle Woldson Performing Arts Center.The gold medal winner with the highest score in any College Adjudicators choice, will be invited to perform a piece no longer than 5 minutes (this may mean there will be cuts in the piece) at the Festival College Collage concert at the Myrtle Woldson Performing Arts Center. Participants may be chosen to play on the KPBX public radio at the discretion of the adjudicator.
- The Young Artist Competition is the highest level of competition and is reserved for those ages 16-29. The gold medal winner performs with the Spokane Symphony in the Young Artist Concert at the Fox Theater, and receives a cash prize. Ballet Young Artist performer performs in the Festival Highlights Concert at the Myrtle Woldson Performing Arts Center, and receives a cash prize. Memory is required unless otherwise stated. Piano accompaniment is required when appropriate. Participants may be chosen to play on the KPBX public radio at the discretion of the adjudicator.
PIANO YOUNG ARTIST CLASS
We invited you to perform a selected piece(s) of your choice, as well as the required concerto movement (listed below). This class requires participation in both sections.
- Entry Fee for Young Artist Class is $100
- The Young Artist Participant must be between the ages of 16 and 29, as of May 1st prior to the festival.
- Performance Requirements for this class are as follows: (see below for section details)
- P1A – Personal Choice Solo
- P1B – Required Repertoire
The winner, with a grade of at least 97, will receive an award of $500 and must be available to play with the Spokane Symphony Orchestra at the Young Artist Concert. The concert will be on Friday, October 10th, 2025 at 7:30 p.m. with a rehearsal on either October 8th or 9th.
- Gold Medal Prize – $500
Notes:
A teacher may not accompany their own student in this class.
Young Artist winners are not eligible to compete as a Young Artist in the same division in any subsequent festival.
Young Artist participants may not participate in multiple Young Artist divisions in the same festival year. Young Artist participants may participate in Adjudicator Choice classes, however they will not be eligible for an Adjudicator Choice Award if they have been selected as winner in their Young Artist class.
See Rules and Regulations on Festival home page.
*P1A Piano Young Artist Personal Choice Solo Section
Participants are allowed to play any piece, except another movement of the required concerto that they feel best displays their musical ability and artistry.
This piece may not be played in any other class.
Memorization is required for Personal Choice Solo.
Time Limit: 15 minutes (may be more than one solo work)
*P1B Piano Young Artist Required Repertoire Section
Young Artist Required Piece. (Must be memorized).
Young Artist Required Repertoire:
- Concerto No. 3 in C major, Op. 26, Movement I – Andante – Allegro by Sergei Prokofiev
PIANO BAROQUE ERA CLASS
Welcome to the Piano Baroque Class!
We invite you to prepare one or more compositions by any Baroque era composer (e.g., Vivaldi, Telemann, Scarlatti, Handel, etc.), that best displays your musical ability and artistry.
Note: This section is for pieces which DO NOT fit into the J.S. Bach Class.
*PB02 Piano Baroque Era 1st-3rd Grade / Entry Fee: 40.00 USD
Time Limit: 15 minutes
*PB03 Piano Baroque Era 4th Grade / Entry Fee: 40.00 USD
Time Limit: 15 minutes
*PB04 Piano Baroque Era 5th Grade / Entry Fee: 40.00 USD
Time Limit: 15 minutes
*PB05 Piano Baroque Era 6th Grade / Entry Fee: 40.00 USD
Time Limit: 15 minutes
*PB06 Piano Baroque Era 7th Grade / Entry Fee: 40.00 USD
Time Limit: 15 minutes
*PB07 Piano Baroque Era 8th Grade / Entry Fee: 40.00 USD
Time Limit: 15 minutes
**PB08 Piano Baroque Era 9th Grade / Entry Fee: 40.00 USD
Time Limit: 15 minutes
**PB09 Piano Baroque Era 10th Grade / Entry Fee: 40.00 USD
Time Limit: 15 minutes
**PB10 Piano Baroque Era 11th Grade / Entry Fee: 40.00 USD
Time Limit: 15 minutes
**PB11 Piano Baroque Era 12th Grade / Entry Fee: 40.00 USD
Time Limit: 15 minutes
*PB12 Piano Baroque Era College/Adult / Entry Fee: 40.00 USD
Time Limit: 15 minutes
PIANO J.S. BACH CLASS
Welcome to the J.S. Bach Class!
We invite you to perform the required pieces indicated in each section by Johann Sebastian Bach.
Note: See sections below for required repertoire.
*PJS13 Piano J.S. Bach 7th-8th Grade / Entry Fee: 40.00 USD
Time Limit: 15 minutes
- A single Two-Part Invention by J.S. Bach
**PJS14 Piano J.S. Bach (I) 9th-10th Grade / Entry Fee: 40.00 USD
Time Limit: 15 minutes
- One movement from any French Suite by J.S. Bach
**PJS15 Piano J.S. Bach (I) 11th-12th Grade / Entry Fee: 40.00 USD
Time Limit: 15 minutes
- One Prelude AND Fugue from the “Well Tempered Clavier” Book 1 or 2
**PJS16 Piano J.S. Bach College/Adult / Entry Fee: 40.00 USD
The winner of the J.S. Bach College/Adult class, with a grade of 97 or above, will receive a Gold Medal and the opportunity to perform in our College Collage Concert on Thursday night, May 15th, in the Myrtle Woldson PAC.
To be eligible for an award, participants must be available to play at the First Annual College Collage on Thursday night. If the winner of the class cannot take advantage of an award, it may be offered to a qualified alternate, as determined by the adjudicator.
Participants may not enter the Piano Young Artist in the same year.
Time Limit: 15 minutes
- Any selection by J.S. Bach that best displays your musical ability and artistry
PIANO HAYDN/MOZART SONATA CLASS
Welcome to the Piano Haydn/Mozart Sonata Class!
We invite you to prepare one or more movements from any Mozart or Haydn sonata. We encourage you to select a piece that best displays your musical ability and artistry.
Note: Total performance time may not exceed the indicated time limit. Adjudicators may cut short any performance that exceeds this limit.
**PHM17 Piano Haydn/Mozart 9th Grade / Entry Fee: 40.00 USD
Time Limit: 15 minutes
**PHM18 Piano Haydn/Mozart 10th Grade / Entry Fee: 40.00 USD
Time Limit: 15 minutes
**PHM19 Piano Haydn/Mozart 11th-12th Grade / Entry Fee: 40.00 USD
Time Limit: 15 minutes
*PHM20 Piano Haydn/Mozart College/Adult / Entry Fee: 40.00 USD
Time Limit: 15 minutes
PIANO BEETHOVEN SONATA CLASS
Welcome to the Beethoven Sonata Class!
We invite you to prepare one or more movements from any Beethoven sonata. We encourage you to select a piece that best displays your musical ability and artistry.
Note: Total performance time may not exceed the indicated time limit. Adjudicators may cut short any performance that exceeds this limit. The PBE23 section is an Adjudicator’s Choice Class. Please see festival rules and regulations for more information.
**PBE21 Piano Beethoven Sonata 9th Grade / Entry Fee: 40.00 USD
Time Limit: 15 minutes
**PBE22 Piano Beethoven Sonata 10th Grade / Entry Fee: 40.00 USD
Time Limit: 15 minutes
**PBE23 Piano Beethoven Sonata 11th-12th Grade / Entry Fee: 40.00 USD
Time Limit: 15 minutes
Adjudicator’s Choice (please see festival rules/regulations for more information)
*PBE24 Piano Beethoven Sonata College/Adult / Entry Fee: 40.00 USD
Time Limit: 15 minutes
PIANO CLASSICAL CLASS
Welcome to the Piano Classical Class!
We invite you to perform one or more piece(s) by any classical composer that best displays your musical ability and artistry.
Note: Participants 9th-Adult may not select any classical pieces that overlap with Mozart/Haydn Sonata Class, Beethoven Sonata Class, or Sonata Class.
*PC25 Piano Classical 1st-3rd Grade / Entry Fee: 40.00 USD
Time Limit: 15 minutes
Qualifies for adjudication only
*PC26 Piano Classical 4th Grade / Entry Fee: 40.00 USD
Time Limit: 15 minutes
*PC27 Piano Classical 5th Grade / Entry Fee: 40.00 USD
Time Limit: 15 minutes
*PC28 Piano Classical 6th Grade / Entry Fee: 40.00 USD
Time Limit: 15 minutes
*PC29 Piano Classical 7th-8th Grade / Entry Fee: 40.00 USD
Time Limit: 15 minutes
**PC30 Piano Classical 9th-10th Grade / Entry Fee: 40.00 USD
Time Limit: 15 minutes
**PC31 Piano Classical 11th-12th Grade / Entry Fee: 40.00 USD
Time Limit: 15 minutes
*PC32 Piano Classical College/Adult Grade / Entry Fee: 40.00 USD
Time Limit: 15 minutes
PIANO ROMANTIC CLASS
Welcome to the Piano Romantic Class!
We invite you to prepare one or more compositions by any 19th century composer (e.g., Schubert, Brahms, McDowell, Rachmaninoff, etc.)
*PR33 Piano Romantic 1st-3rd Grade / Entry Fee: 40.00 USD
Time Limit: 15 minutes
Qualifies for adjudication only
*PR34 Piano Romantic 4th-5th Grade / Entry Fee: 40.00 USD
Time Limit: 15 minutes
*PR35 Piano Romantic 6th Grade / Entry Fee: 40.00 USD
Time Limit: 15 minutes
*PR36 Piano Romantic 7th Grade / Entry Fee: 40.00 USD
Time Limit: 15 minutes
*PR37 Piano Romantic 8th Grade / Entry Fee: 40.00 USD
Time Limit: 15 minutes
**PR38 Piano Romantic 9th Grade / Entry Fee: 40.00 USD
Time Limit: 15 minutes
**PR39 Piano Romantic 10th Grade / Entry Fee: 40.00 USD
Time Limit: 15 minutes
**PR40 Piano Romantic 11th Grade / Entry Fee: 40.00 USD
Time Limit: 15 minutes
Adjudicator’s Choice (please see festival rules/regulations for more information)
**PR41 Piano Romantic 12th Grade / Entry Fee: 40.00 USD
Time Limit: 15 minutes
Adjudicator’s Choice (please see festival rules/regulations for more information)
**PR42 Piano Romantic College/Adult / Entry Fee: 40.00 USD
The winner of the Romantic College/Adult class, with a grade of 97 or above, will receive a Gold Medal and the opportunity to perform in our College Collage Concert on Thursday night, May 15th, in the Myrtle Woldson PAC.
To be eligible for an award, participants must be available to play at the First Annual College Collage on Thursday night. If the winner of the class cannot take advantage of an award, it may be offered to a qualified alternate, as determined by the adjudicator.
Participants may not enter the Piano Young Artist in the same year.
Time Limit: 15 minutes
PIANO CHOPIN CLASS
Welcome to the Piano Chopin Class!
We invite you to prepare any piece by F. Chopin that best displays your musical ability and artistry.
Note: Participants in this class may not play any Chopin piece in any Piano Romantic Class section.
*PCH43 Piano Chopin 7th Grade / Entry Fee: 40.00 USD
Time Limit: 15 minutes
*PCH44 Piano Chopin 8th Grade / Entry Fee: 40.00 USD
Time Limit: 15 minutes
**PCH45 Piano Chopin 9th Grade / Entry Fee: 40.00 USD
Time Limit: 15 minutes
**PCH46 Piano Chopin 10th Grade / Entry Fee: 40.00 USD
Time Limit: 15 minutes
**PCH47 Piano Chopin 11th Grade / Entry Fee: 40.00 USD
Time Limit: 15 minutes
**PCH48 Piano Chopin 12th Grade / Entry Fee: 40.00 USD
Time Limit: 15 minutes
*PCH49 Piano Chopin College/Adult / Entry Fee: 40.00 USD
Time Limit: 15 minutes
PIANO IMPRESSIONIST CLASS
Welcome to the Piano Impressionist Class!
We invite you to prepare one or more compositions from any impressionist composer (i.e., Debussy, Ravel, Griffes, etc.), that best displays your musical ability and artistry.
Note: Total performance time may not exceed the indicated time limit. Adjudicators may cut short any performance that exceeds this limit.
*PI50 Piano Impressionist 7th-8th Grade / Entry Fee: 40.00 USD
Time Limit: 15 minutes
**PI51 Piano Impressionist 9th-10th Grade / Entry Fee: 40.00 USD
Time Limit: 15 minutes
**PI52 Piano Impressionist 11th-12th Grade / Entry Fee: 40.00 USD
Time Limit: 15 minutes
*PI53 Piano Impressionist College/Adult / Entry Fee: 40.00 USD
Time Limit: 15 minutes
PIANO CONTEMPORARY CLASS
Welcome to the Piano Contemporary Class!
We invite you to perform one or more selections from works composed after 1920 that best displays your musical ability and artistry.
Note: Total performance time may not exceed the indicated time limit. Adjudicators may cut short any performance that exceeds this limit.
*PCT54 Piano Contemporary 1st-3rd Grade / Entry Fee: 40.00 USD
Time Limit: 15 minutes
*PCT55 Piano Contemporary 4th Grade / Entry Fee: 40.00 USD
Time Limit: 15 minutes
*PCT56 Piano Contemporary 5th Grade / Entry Fee: 40.00 USD
Time Limit: 15 minutes
*PCT57 Piano Contemporary 6th Grade / Entry Fee: 40.00 USD
Time Limit: 15 minutes
*PCT58 Piano Contemporary 7th Grade / Entry Fee: 40.00 USD
Time Limit: 15 minutes
*PCT59 Piano Contemporary 8th Grade / Entry Fee: 40.00 USD
Time Limit: 15 minutes
**PCT60 Piano Contemporary 9th Grade / Entry Fee: 40.00 USD
Time Limit: 15 minutes
**PCT61 Piano Contemporary 10th Grade / Entry Fee: 40.00 USD
Time Limit: 15 minutes
**PCT62 Piano Contemporary 11th Grade / Entry Fee: 40.00 USD
Time Limit: 15 minutes
Adjudicator’s Choice (please see festival rules/regulations for more information)
**PCT63 Piano Contemporary 12th Grade / Entry Fee: 40.00 USD
Time Limit: 15 minutes
Adjudicator’s Choice (please see festival rules/regulations for more information)
**PCT64 Piano Contemporary College/Adult / Entry Fee: 40.00 USD
The winner of the Contemporary College/Adult class, with a grade of 97 or above, will receive a Gold Medal and the opportunity to perform in our College Collage Concert on Thursday night, May 15th, in the Myrtle Woldson PAC.
To be eligible for an award, participants must be available to play at the First Annual College Collage on Thursday night. If the winner of the class cannot take advantage of an award, it may be offered to a qualified alternate, as determined by the adjudicator.
Participants may not enter the Piano Young Artist in the same year.
Time Limit: 15 minutes
PIANO SONATINA CLASS
Welcome to the Piano Sonatina Class!
We invite you to prepare one or more movements from any Sonatina from the Classical, Romantic or Contemporary era that best displays your musical ability and artistry.
Note: Total performance time may not exceed the indicated time limit. Adjudicators may cut short any performance that exceeds this limit.
*PST68 Piano Sonatina 4th Grade / Entry Fee: 40.00 USD
Time Limit: 15 minutes
*PST69 Piano Sonatina 5th Grade / Entry Fee: 40.00 USD
Time Limit: 15 minutes
*PST70 Piano Sonatina 6th Grade / Entry Fee: 40.00 USD
Time Limit: 15 minutes
*PST71 Piano Sonatina 7th Grade / Entry Fee: 40.00 USD
Time Limit: 15 minutes
*PST72 Piano Sonatina 8th Grade / Entry Fee: 40.00 USD
Time Limit: 15 minutes
PIANO INTRODUCTORY MASTERCLASS
Welcome to the Piano Introductory Masterclass!
We invite you to prepare any published work that best displays your musical ability and artistry.
Note: Participants may not perform the same work in any other class. Participants in this class are eligible for adjudication only. Selections may not exceed the indicated time limit.
PO78 Piano Introductory Masterclass 1st-3rd Grade / Entry Fee: 40.00 USD
Time Limit: 15 minutes
Qualifies for adjudication
PO79 Piano Introductory Masterclass 4th-6th Grade / Entry Fee: 40.00 USD
Time Limit: 15 minutes
Qualifies for adjudication
PO80 Piano Introductory Masterclass 7th-8th Grade / Entry Fee: 40.00 USD
Time Limit: 15 minutes
Qualifies for adjudication
PO81 Piano Introductory Masterclass 9th-10th Grade / Entry Fee: 40.00 USD
Time Limit: 15 minutes
Qualifies for adjudication
PO82 Piano Introductory Masterclass 11th-12th Grade / Entry Fee: 40.00 USD
Time Limit: 15 minutes
Qualifies for adjudication
PO83 Piano Introductory Masterclass College/Adult / Entry Fee: 40.00 USD
Time Limit: 15 minutes
Qualifies for adjudication
PIANO CONCERTO CLASS
Welcome to the Piano Concerto Class!
We invite you to prepare one or more movements of any concerto or a composition for piano and orchestra. If a composer writes a cadenza for a concerto, that cadenza shall be required. Otherwise, the choice of cadenza is open to the student, to include those written by other composers, written by the student, or improvised. In 3rd-8th Grades (Classes P85 and P86) classes, you can use teacher/parent as accompanist.
*PCC85 Piano Concerto 3rd-6th Grade / Entry Fee: 40.00 USD
Time Limit: 15 minutes
*PCC86 Piano Concerto 7th-8th Grade / Entry Fee: 40.00 USD
Time Limit: 15 minutes
*PCC87 Piano Concerto 9th-10th Grade / Entry Fee: 40.00 USD
Time Limit: 15 minutes
*PCC88 Piano Concerto 11th-12th Grade / Entry Fee: 40.00 USD
Time Limit: 15 minutes
*PCC89 Piano Concerto College/Adult / Entry Fee: 40.00 USD
Time Limit: 15 minutes
PIANO ENSEMBLE CLASS
Welcome to the Piano Ensemble Class!
Students may enter a duet, four hands-one piano, or a two-piano work with up to four players. Please note that while only one registration should be permitted per ensemble per division, ALL performers should be listed on the registration form. Note: Only one member of the ensemble is required to be within the chosen grade level. Example: if you are in 3rd grade, but your partner is in 6th grade, decide which level your ensemble wants to enter. Please be sure to indicate one piano or two in the repertoire title.
*PE101 Elementary Piano Ensemble 1st-3rd Grade / Entry Fee: 60.00 USD
Time Limit: 15 minutes
*PE102 Lower Intermediate Piano Ensemble 4th-6th Grade / Entry Fee: 60.00 USD
Time Limit: 15 minutes
*PE103 Upper Intermediate Piano Ensemble 7th-8th Grade / Entry Fee: 60.00 USD
Time Limit: 15 minutes
*PE104 Junior Piano Ensemble 9th-10th Grade / Entry Fee: 60.00 USD
Time Limit: 15 minutes
*PE105 Senior Piano Ensemble 11th-12th Grade / Entry Fee: 60.00 USD
Time Limit: 15 minutes
*PE106 College/Adult Piano Ensemble / Entry Fee: 60.00 USD
Time Limit: 15 minutes
PE107 Adult Open Piano Ensemble / Entry Fee: 60.00 USD
Time Limit: 15 minutes
Qualifies for adjudication
PIANO CHAMBER CLASS
Welcome to the Piano Chamber Music Class!
This class celebrates the collaboration between pianists and other non-piano musicians in duos, trios and quartets. We invite you to receive adjudication in collaboration with singers or instrumentalists, performing a work that best displays your musical ability and artistry as a collective.
Chamber ensemble classes are designated for groups comprised of instrumentation from different families of instruments (I.e. cello, trumpet, saxophone, violin, piano). Please register within the division that most accurately reflects the representation of your ensemble. Your ensemble may register for one chamber music class within each division that accurately reflects the instrumentation of your ensemble (for example, a piano trio with violin, piano and saxophone may choose to register for chamber classes within the piano division, string division, and reed division). Note that while only one registration should be submitted per ensemble per division, ALL performers should be listed on the registration form.
*PCO201 Chamber Piano 9th-12th Grade / Entry Fee: 60.00 USD
Time Limit: 15 minutes
*PCO202 Chamber Piano College/Adult / Entry Fee: 60.00 USD
Time Limit: 15 minutes
BIPOC AND WOMEN COMPOSERS
As we celebrate diverse voices in music, we invite you to prepare an piece composed by a BIPOC or Female Presenting Composer. We encourage you to select a song that best displays your musical ability and artistry.
*PUC1 BIPOC and Women Composers 4th-6th Grade / Entry Fee: 40.00 USD
Time Limit: 15 minutes
*PUC2 BIPOC and Women Composers 7th-8th Grade / Entry Fee: 40.00 USD
Time Limit: 15 minutes
**PUC3 BIPOC and Women Composers 9th-12th Grade / Entry Fee: 40.00 USD
Time Limit: 15 minutes
*PUC4 BIPOC and Women Composers College / Adult / Entry Fee: 40.00 USD
Time Limit: 15 minutes
Please review all Festival Rules & Regulations prior to registration.
Additional Resources
2024 MusicFest Northwest Needs-Based Scholarship Form
Lesley Rausch
David Turnbull
Jabarie Glass
Philip Aaberg
Daniel Velasco
Vern Sielert
Brent Edstrom
Eugene Jablonsky
Derek Munson
Silvan Negruţiu
Nancy Breth
Jee Wong
Pierce Emata
Todd Goranson
Sally Singer Tuttle
Margaret Baldridge
Dr. Richard Hodges
Danny Gurwin
Lesley Rausch

Shir Lee Wu and later at Pacific Northwest Ballet School. She attended summer
intensives at the School of American Ballet, International Dance School, and PNBS.
Lesley joined Pacific Northwest Ballet in 2001, rising to soloist in 2007, and became a
principal in 2011 before retiring in 2023. She captivated audiences in principal roles
across full-length ballets by Kent Stowell, Alexei Ratmansky, Peter Boal, Ronald Hynd
and Jean-Christophe Maillot, as well as in original works by legendary choreographers
George Balanchine, Jerome Robbins, William Forsythe, Twyla Tharp, Jiri Kylián, Nacho
Duato, Crystal Pite, David Dawson, Christopher Wheeldon, and many others. She also
originated roles in new works by Jessica Lang, Benjamin Millepied, Edwaard Liang, Val
Caniparoli, and Kiyon Gaines Ross.
A sought-after guest artist, she has performed at the Chicago Dancing Festival, Nevada
Ballet Theatre, Ballet Hawaii, and the Nantucket Atheneum Dance Festival, among
others, and has danced on renowned stages in New York City, Paris, London, Los
Angeles, Washington DC, Istanbul, and Hong Kong.
Beyond performing, Lesley has been a guest instructor at Central Pennsylvania Youth
Ballet, Ballet Hawaii, Evergreen City Ballet, and Montana Ballet Company, where she
also choreographed and staged excerpts of Swan Lake. She was on faculty at Pacific
Northwest Ballet School (2017–2023) and currently teaches at Adage Ballet Academy.
Lesley is a Stott-certified Pilates instructor and certified instructor in Tai Ji Quan: Moving
for Better Balance as well as Madeline Black Series One and Two, specializing in private
instruction for rehabilitation and dance training.
David Turnbull

Dr. David Turnbull, professor of music, coordinates the Brass and Percussion Area in the School of Music at Washington State University. He plays trumpet with the WSU Faculty Brass Quintet and performs with Jazz Northwest (the WSU Faculty Jazz Ensemble).
Recently, Dr. Turnbull joined the Fountain City Brass Band as a cornet player. The Fountain City Brass Band, founded in 2002 (based in Kansas City) draws its membership from around the United States. Since their first competition in 2004, the Fountain City Brass Band has won seven U.S. Open Brass Band Championships and six North American Brass Band Championships.
Turnbull holds a Doctor of Musical Arts Degree in Trumpet Solo Performance from Arizona State University. He holds a Master of Music Degree in Trumpet Solo Performance from Arizona State University and a Bachelor of Music Degree in Education from Hastings College in Hastings, Nebraska. He also graduated from the Cooperative Urban Teacher Education Program at Rockhurst College in Kansas City, Missouri.
Turnbull adjudicates throughout the Northwest for marching band competitions and concert band and jazz festivals. His students compete in and win local, national and international competitions.
Philip Aaberg

Daniel Velasco
Daniel Velasco is an award-winning flutist whose “standout” and “vibrant” performances (Miami Herald) have taken him around the world. He is the first-prize winner of the National Flute Association’s Young Artist Competition, WAMSO Minnesota Orchestra Competition, MTNA Young Artist Competition, Claude Monteux Flute Competition, among others. A Yamaha performing artist, his first solo album, Flauta Andina, with Ellen Sommer (piano), was released in 2022 under the Naxos label.
He has been featured as a guest performer at recital series and flute events across the United States as well as the Swedish Flute Association Convention, the Guadalajara-Mexico Vientos de Otoño Festival, the Festival Internacional de Flautistas en la Mitad del Mundo in Ecuador, the Milan Conservatory, and the Instituto Cervantes in Paris.
Velasco earned a doctoral degree from the University of Miami (Frost School of Music), and holds degrees from the University of Michigan, the University of Texas at Austin and the University of Northern Iowa. His main teachers include Angeleita Floyd, Marianne Gedigian, Amy Porter and Trudy Kane. He serves as Associate Professor of Flute at the University of Kansas.
Vern Sielert
Vern Sielert is Professor of Trumpet and Jazz Studies at the University of Idaho. He holds BM degrees in jazz studies and music education, and a MM degree in jazz studies from the University of North Texas, and a DMA in trumpet performance from the University of Illinois. His compositions and arrangements for jazz orchestra are performed by high school, college and professional groups around the world, including the C.U.G. Big Band (Japan), U.S. Army Jazz Ambassadors, U.S. Army Blues, and the Count Basie Orchestra. His playing can be heard on recent recordings by the Jim Knapp Orchestra, Unhinged Sextet, Palouse Jazz Project, Dan Gailey Jazz Orchestra, Greg Yasinitsky’s YAZZ Band, Bob Curnow Big Band, and Phil Kelly’s Northwest Prevailing Winds. Selected arrangements and compositions are published by Sierra Music.
Silvan Negruţiu
Hailed as “a startling and authentic pianist displaying rich imagination and brilliant vigor, whose precision and splendor of keyboard sound certainly inspire a transcendental reality” (The Musical News Journal), Silvan Negruţiu has performed on major international stages, from the Kennedy Center in Washington DC to Ireland’s National Concert Hall, the Romanian Athenaeum in Bucharest, the Xi’an Concert Hall in China, the Showa Recital Hall in Tokyo, and the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts. His recent albums released by Centaur Records, “Bagatelles” (2021) and “Carl Roskott: Works for Violin” (2018) have garnered rave reviews and a Silver Medal from Global Music Awards. As an artist, a teacher, and a scholar, Silvan Negruțiu embraces the exploration of rare piano literature, along with the advancement of arts entrepreneurship in higher education. He holds degrees from Shenandoah Conservatory in Virginia, the Royal Irish Academy of Music and Dublin City University in Ireland, and the Romanian National University of Music in Bucharest. Silvan Negruțiu serves as the Kitt Endowed Professor in Piano and Director of Piano Studies in the Kitt School of Music at Northern Arizona University. Prior to this appointment, he taught at Millikin University, Shenandoah Conservatory, and the Royal Irish Academy of Music.
Nancy Breth
Nancy Breth grew up in Spokane, where as a student of Margaret Saunders Ott she played in the Greater Spokane Music Festival every year. So MusicFest Northwest occupies a special place in her heart; she is honored to return as an adjudicator.
Nancy teaches piano and chamber music to students of all ages in the Washington DC metro area. Her students have been winners or finalists in local, national and international piano and chamber music competitions. Several appeared on National Public Radio’s “From the Top;” four of her duet teams won MTNA’s national Duet Competition. She enjoys frequent speaking engagements at teachers’ conferences throughout the country, and has been chosen to present at MTNA’s national conference eight times.
Nancy created the Modern Piano Music List as a tool to bring more 20th and 21st century music into our studios. This unique resource for teachers and students of all levels provides links to video performances and purchase sources of over 200 modern piano pieces.
Breth publications (Hal Leonard Corp.) include several books on practicing and Six Songs from John Gay’s The Beggar’s Opera, a set of piano trios for beginners. Her YouTube channel Effective Practicing features short videos of her favorite practice tips.
Jee Wong
Jee Wong received his Master’s degree in Piano Performance and Piano Pedagogy from the University of Montana. He was a staff artist, workshop presenter and adjudicator for Yamaha Piano Company in Japan from 1995 – 1999. He has performed with the late pianist George Winston, choreographer Karen Kaufmann, and R&B artist Brian McKnight. He served as a studio musician for KA by Cirque du Soleil, Lionel Ritchie and Kane Brown.
In the 2024 season his concerts will showcase music by Carlos Chavez, Manuel Ponce and Miguel Jimenez in Mexico, Puerto Rico and South East Asia.
Mr. Wong is a Nationally Certified Teacher of Music (NCTM) and an adjudicator for Music Teachers National Association (MTNA). He is currently the President of the Las Vegas Federation of the Music Clubs. In 2024 he inaugurated the Las Vegas Sonata – Sonatina Festival. In 2022 he was awarded the Nevada Music Teacher Association’s Outstanding Music Teacher Award, then in 2023 he was given the Outstanding Service Award by Las Vegas Music Teachers Association.
Mr. Wong is passionate about bring performances to community and schools. His fundraising concerts have raised funds to benefit Corazon de Vida, an organization provide life changing support for abandoned and orphaned children in Baja, Mexico.
Pierce Emata

Todd Goranson

Dr. Goranson’s diverse saxophone performance credits include performances with Ray Charles, The Temptations, The Four Tops, Johnny Mathis, Utah Symphony, Dallas Winds, and Harrisburg Symphony. He has performed as bassoonist with over twenty professional orchestras in the US, Mexico, Sweden, and China. Goranson is the former principal bassoonist for the Plano Symphony and Irving Symphony, where he performed from 2002-2012. He is a founding member of Triforia Winds, Junction Saxophone Quartet, and Trio Atlantis.
A prolific performer and clinician, he has given concerts and clinics throughout the US and in the United Kingdom, China, Sweden, Mexico, Malaysia, Thailand, Canada, and Puerto Rico. Goranson is a Vandoren Paris Artist-Clinician and Yanagisawa Saxophones Artist. He adjudicates regularly for the ENKOR International Music Competition and for Music in the Parks Festivals.
Sally Singer Tuttle
British-born cellist Dr. Sally Singer Tuttle, noted by The Strad Magazine for her “transforming sweep of gossamer beauty”, has performed as a soloist with the Pleven Philharmonic, Bulgaria, the Stony Brook Symphony Orchestra, New York, the Danbury Symphony, Connecticut, the Washington-Idaho Symphony Orchestra, Wenatchee Valley Symphony Orchestra, Walla Walla Symphony Orchestra and the St. Petersburg Chamber Philharmonic, Russia, amongst others. Chamber performance highlights include the Tanglewood Music Center, the Metropolitan Museum of Art and Alice Tully Hall in New York, first prize in the John Ireland Chamber Music Competition, British National Television appearances and the Australian and American Embassies in Ghana. Sally is a member of the Volta Piano Trio, (formerly the Icicle Creek Piano Trio), who released three highly acclaimed albums. Fanfare Magazine wrote of the recording of Schubert’s Piano Trio no. 2 in Eb major, “The performance by this trio comes as close to being “definitive” as any I expect to hear in my lifetime”. Sally attended the Royal Northern College of Music, UK, as an undergraduate and postgraduate student and went on to earn a Doctorate in Musical Arts from Stony Brook University, New York, where she studied with Timothy Eddy. She currently teaches cello at Whitman College.
Sally Singer Tuttle

Margaret Baldridge

Jabarie Glass

He has led conducting masterclasses and presented interest sessions at state, regional, and national conferences of ACDA; has published in The Choral Journal; and serves as the Student Activities Coordinator for ACDA Southern Region.
Having led an accomplished high school and middle school choral program for nine years, he is in high demand as a clinician and conductor for festival choruses. Notable engagements include conducting the ACDA Southwestern Region 10-12 Mixed Choir and All-State choirs in Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, North Carolina, and Wisconsin.
Glass earned dual bachelor’s degrees in music education and business administration from the University of Mississippi, a master’s in music education from Florida State University, and a doctorate in conducting from the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance.
Louise Toppin
Dr. Louise Toppin has received critical acclaim for her operatic, orchestral, oratorio and recital performances world-wide. Represented by Joanne Rile Management, she toured “Gershwin on Broadway” with pianist Leon Bates. She has recorded more than eighteen commercial CDs including on Albany Records Ah love, but a day, and La Saison des fleurs. Since 2021 she has published 13 scores including An Anthology of African and African Diaspora Songs, and Rediscovering Margaret Bonds.
Recent performances include: world premiere of Julia Perry’s Frammenti dalla lettere di Santa Caterina with the Akron Symphony Orchestra, performances with Julia Bullock and the New World Symphony, co-curated and sang festival of Black Music in Hamburg, Germany with Thomas Hampson and Larry Brownlee, performance at the U.S. Capitol for Congress and President Obama, and for the opening of the Smithsonian’s African American Heritage Museum.
She has appeared on NPR’s All Things Considered; co-hosts the Minnesota Orchestra “Listening Project”concerts, and hosts her own show Conversations in African American music. She has been a guest on college campuses including Harvard, Yale, Duke, and many others. Co-founder and Director of the George Shirley Vocal Competition on repertoire by African American composers, and Director of Videmus (non-profit organization that promotes the concert repertoire of African American composers), she also founded the Africandiasporamusicproject.org research tool.
Previously, Dr. Toppin was the Distinguished University Professor of Music and Chair of the Department of Music at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. She is currently University Distinguished Professor of Diversity and Social Transformation and Professor of Music (Voice), at The University of Michigan. For more www.louisetoppin.com.
Richard Hodges

Danny Gurwin
DANNY GURWIN – Danny is a MAC, Elly, and Arty-Award winning director and a BroadwayWorld, Eddon, and Barrymore award-winning actor and singer. Broadway credits include Little Women, Urinetown, The Scarlet Pimpernel, The Full Monty, Kismet, A Little Night Music, and How The Grinch Stole Christmas. Off-Broadway, Danny has starred in Forbidden Broadway, A New Brain, The Thing About Men, R & J, and many, many others. Numerous television and regional shows, concert work, and cast recordings. As a renowned director, teacher, clinician & guest artist, Danny has taught at The University of Michigan, UCLA, Western Michigan University, Youngstown University, Clark College, AMDA – LA, both the prestigious Las Vegas and Orange County Schools of the Arts, ChiArts, the Professional School for the Arts, the Showchoir Camps of America, Making It On Broadway Intensives, 6 Days of Broadway at the Segerstrom Center for the Performing Arts, and is former Head of Acting/Musical Theatre at the University of Arizona. Danny is currently Head of Musical Theatre at Oakland University in Michigan. He holds a BFA in Musical Theatre from the University of Michigan.
Brent Edstrom
BRENT EDSTROM– Brent Edstrom’s performance credits include several years as a touring musical director, arranger, and pianist for recording artist, Freda Payne, as well as performances with well-known performers and conductors including Clark Terry, Carmen Bradford, John Clayton, Gunther Schuller, Victor Wooten, and many others. He recently recorded an album of original songs with jazz artists Tierney Sutton, Jeff Hamilton, and Jon Hamar.
Edstrom has published more than 100 note-for-note transcriptions of historically significant jazz musicians including Art Tatum, Bill Evans, Oscar Peterson, and Kenny Barron. He authored 65 volumes for Hal Leonard Corporation’s Jazz Piano Solos Series and his compositions have been performed throughout the US and Europe. In 2020, the orchestral version of his song cycle, Prairie Songs: Remembering Ántonia, was selected as a national finalist for the American Prize in composition.
Edstrom’s research explores the intersection of music, computer science, and electronics, and he just completed a third book for Oxford University Press titled Sound and Music Projects for Eurorack and Beyond. Edstrom has taught at Whitworth University since 2001 where he holds the Amy M. Ryan Endowed Professorship.
Derek Munson

Known primarily as a jazz player, Derek has performed alongside many of his musical heroes, including Bob Mintzer, Randy Brecker, Paquito D’Rivera, Bobby Shew, Jeff Clayton, John Clayton, John Fedchock, Andy Martin, Jeff Hamilton, and Peter Erskine. He has also backed internationally renowned artists such as Petula Clark, Marie Osmond, and Frank Sinatra Jr. His ability to blend technical precision with deep musicality has made him a sought-after player in many settings.
Beyond the stage, Derek has extensive touring and studio experience, including multiple national tours with Nashville-based singer/songwriter Aaron English and Denver rock powerhouse Xiren. His work in the studio spans multiple genres, where his adaptability and groove have contributed to numerous recordings.
Currently, Derek holds the drum chair for the Bob Curnow Big Band and the Spokane Jazz Orchestra while maintaining a busy performance schedule across the Pacific Northwest.
Eugene Jablonsky

Meet our 2025 Adjudicators and clinicians
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