Student Composition Contest Winners 2026 – Let’s Play Music Piano Program
- Let's Play Music
- 13 hours ago
- 3 min read
Every year, our students amaze us with their creativity, musicality, and dedication during our annual children's music composition contest. Exploring original melodies, complex rhythms, and storytelling through songwriting is a monumental milestone in a young musician's journey.
We want to extend a huge thank you to all of the talented students who submitted their original songs, the dedicated parents who supported them at home, and our incredible certified music teachers who guided them through the creative process.
Choosing the winners from so many brilliant submissions is never an easy task, but we are thrilled to officially announce the 2026 Let’s Play Music Composition Contest Winners!
Below, you can listen to their amazing video performances and view their original sheet music.
2026 Let's Play Music Winners
🥇 1st Place: Isabelle J.– "Isabelle's Date"
From the studio of: Teresa Thurgood
🥈 2nd Place: Alice G. – "Bandit Trouble"
From the studio of: Melissa Grow
🥉 3rd Place: Blake B. – "Dracula's Dinner Party"
From the studio of: Kimberly Garner
2026 Let's Play Music Honorable Mentions
🌟 Micah O. – "A Boy and A Kitten"
From the studio of: Bethany Harris
🌟 Jack T. – "The Climb"
From the studio of: Marie Guthrie
🌟 Oliver E. – "The Bird and the Grasshopper"
From the studio of: Tansy Westenskow
2026 Presto Winners
Our older students in the Presto music curriculum continue to blow us away with their expanding understanding of music theory, composition styles, and keyboard technique. Congratulations to this year's Presto achievers!
🥇 1st Place: Bren M.– "Broccoli in F Minor"
From the studio of: Marie Marchant
🥈 2nd Place: Evan G.– "The Dragon Journey"
From the studio of: Marie Guthrie
🥉 3rd Place: Carter P. – "Saucy Nuggets (Chick Fil-A Song)"
From the studio of: Luanne Harms
2026 Presto Honorable Mentions
🌟 Noah S.– "The Haunted Cave"
From the studio of: Sarah Thompson
🌟 Pehr P.– "Stormy Night"
From the studio of: Jenni Trimble
🌟 Ruby B. – "Chasing You in Dreams"
From the studio of: Paige Allred
Guest Judge:
This year we are thrilled to have Carmen Hall, the president of UMTA, be our composition judge and present awards to the winners at Symposium.
Dr. Hall is a performer, speaker, teacher, and collaborative artist, holds degrees from The University of Utah and Brigham Young University.
Dr. Hall founded Young Pianists International to give students the opportunity to share cultural experiences and performances with students in other countries.
Dr. Hall has performed with the Salt Lake City Symphony, Timpanogos Symphony, Brigham Young University Philharmonic, and the Emerald Chamber Orchestra. She has performed in masterclasses with Grant Johannesen, Nelita True, Joseph Brye, Margaret Ott, Theodore Lettvin, Dr. Karen and Dr. Jeffrey Savage, Asaf Zohar (Israel), and Dr. Paula Da Matta (Brazil).
Carmen and her husband have three adult boys who play the piano, guitar, banjo, mandolin, ukulele, organ, and nose flute. Carmen is an avid cycler and has completed five marathons including the Boston Marathon.
Nurturing the Next Generation of Young Composers
A massive round of applause to all of our incredible young musicians! Writing an original piece of music takes courage, patience, and a lot of practice. Keep sharing your unique musical voices with the world—we can’t wait to hear what you create next year.
Interested in learning more about how our curriculum teaches advanced musical concepts like composition to young children?
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