March 6, 2026 - March 7, 2026

Welcome to the Music Festival sponsored by the Helena Music Teachers' Association. The festival is designed to give students the opportunity to perform and receive musical guidance from a master teacher. The festival is open to students of all HMTA members, Iron Horse Consortium for Youth Music (ICYM), and students coming from a public or private school.

Performance Groups: Early to late elementary level students are invited to prepare one piece to play in a Performance Group. Four students will perform together in a 20-minute slot, then the master teacher will offer comments to the group. 

• $15.00 fee per student. 

Elementary students may sign up for individual instruction times if preferred.

Individual Instruction: Intermediate and advanced level students invited to prepare one piece for individual instruction. Students may play two pieces if their time allows. This time includes playing time, teaching time, and time for the adjudicator to write comments. Set times are:

• 10 minutes $25.00 fee
• 15 minutes - $30.00 fee
• 20 minutes - $40.00 fee

The student or teacher should announce the student's name and selection to be played before. Encourage students to stay for the full block in which they are scheduled.

Forms and Deadlines: The Master Application Form and adjudication forms MUST be filled out and post-marked to your Division Chair by the HMTA Meeting on February 13, 2026. You may also bring forms to the HMTA Meeting, not so coincidentally, also scheduled on February 13, 2026. Please list all student applicants on the Master Application form. If you teach students in more than one division, submit a separate Master Application form for each division. To avoid scheduling conflicts, advise on attached notes if the teacher is accompanying in other divisions, or if any students will also perform in other divisions. Send one check payable to HMTA for the total of all application fees. No refunds after the February 13, 2026 deadline. *Late applications will require a $6.00 late fee per entry*

We are accepting entries from non-member studios - same fees, plus a $30 non-member teacher fee on behalf of the teacher's studio. 

Scheduling: We will attempt to schedule teachers' students in blocks of time. Note specific scheduling requests attached to the Master Application Form. Also, please note those students who are able to come before 3:30 on Friday afternoon. We will do our best to accommodate special needs. Schedules will be available on the HMTA website by February 23, 2026. After that, changes to the schedule should be arranged between teachers. Notify division chairperson of changes. Chairs of the divisions:

For teachers who wish to pay online please pay below and enter your students' names in the comments section.