Youth Competition

MAPAA Youth Competition

MAPAA Regional Competition Series

MAPAA hosts a regional competition series for emerging musicians in Kansas, Missouri, and the surrounding area, structured as a three-year rotation followed by a three-year fallow period. Each cycle features three consecutive annual competitions: Strings (high school), Winds and Brass (collegiate), and Piano (high school). Competitors perform a solo work of their choosing with accompaniment (Piano is solo repertoire).

Prizes across all divisions include $1,000 First Place, $750 Second Place, $500 Third Place, and two $250 Honorable Mentions, plus performance opportunities on MAPAA's concert series and marketing support that connects winners to regional audiences and continued musical growth.

The inaugural cycle ran from 2023 to 2025, and MAPAA's next competition cycle will run from 2029 to 2031 — providing MAPAA the fallow time necessary to sustain artistic quality and infrastructure between cycles while giving young musicians in the region a predictable long-term calendar to prepare for.

Congratulations to the 2025 MAPAA Piano Competition Winners!

Eddison Chen
$1000 - First Prize
The Dave & Gunda Hiebert Award

Michael Ye
$750 - Second Prize
The Dave & Gunda Hiebert Award

Duy Nguyen
$500 - Third Prize
The Dave & Gunda Hiebert Award

Danni Haley
$250 - Honorable Mention
The Gary & Levenna Boyer Award

Judges
Yi-Yang Chen
Doris Mattingly

Congratulations to the
2024 MAPAA Collegiate Winds & Brass Competition Winners!

Jonathon Nickell, Saxophone (UMKC)
$1000 - First Prize
The Dave & Gunda Hiebert Award

Dawson Coleman, Saxophone (UMKC)
$750 - Second Prize
The Dave & Gunda Hiebert Award

Alex Brady, Flute (KU)
$500 - Third Prize
The Dave & Gunda Hiebert Award

Logan Bach, Bassoon (KU)
$250 - Honorable Mention
The Gary & Levenna Boyer Award

Joe Morroine, French Horn (UMKC)
$250 - Honorable Mention
The David & Linda Mannering Award

Judges
Michael Gordon
Steve Lewis

Congratulations to the
2023 MAPAA Youth String Competition Winners!

Aaron Tseng, Violin (KC)
$1000 - First Prize
The Dave & Gunda Hiebert Award

Luke Probus, Cello (KC)
$750 - Second Prize
The Dave & Gunda Hiebert Award

Andrew Anderson, Cello (Topeka)
$500 - Third Prize
The Dave & Gunda Hiebert Award

Laura Ward, Violin (Wichita)
$250 - Honorable Mention
The Gary & Levenna Boyer Award

Andrew Gafrick, Double Bass (KC)
$250 - Honorable Mention
The David & Linda Mannering Award

Judges
Sterling Trent
Michael Mermagen