fall 2025 Contest Theme

The Music of Nature

This year, we invite you to explore how nature and music come together.

Can you hear birds singing like flutes?
Waves crashing like drums?
Wind humming through the trees like a song?

Think about animals, plants, weather, or landscapes.
What do they sound like to you? How might they inspire music?

Let your imagination grow like a melody in the wild.
What does The Music of Nature look like to you?

cover art contest guidelines

RULES:

  • Entrants must be a student of a current HMTA member as of 2025-2026. 

  • Contest is open to students ages 5 to 19.

  • One entry per student. Previous winners may apply.

  • There is no entry fee. 

  • Entries received after the deadline will not be accepted.

  • 2024 Deadline: Monday, September 1, 2025 at 11:59 p.m. HST

  • All entries must follow the current contest theme (see above).

  • Winners’ artwork will be displayed on select HMTA Publications and the website.

ARTWORK FORMAT:

  • Required text: Hawaiʻi Music Teachers Association 2025-2026 

  • Entries with incorrect spelling or revisions to the required text shown above will be disqualified. Note the ʻokina (Hawaiian diacritical-looks like an upside down apostrophe) between the two I’s in Hawaiʻi. Use of an apostrophe or absence of an ʻokina will be considered a misspelling and be disqualified. 

  • Size: 5.5 x 8.5 (standard letter size folded in half)

  • Vertical orientation (landscape orientation will be disqualified). 

  • Mediums accepted: graphic design, photography, paintings, drawings, collages, or mixed media (use of more than one medium, e.g. photography with a drawing on it). 

  • Electronic submissions via Google Form ONLY (see below for link).

  • Electronic submissions must be in .JPG or .PNG format with high, clear resolution (image should not be blurry or contain extra shadows from lighting) 

  • Although the form can accept up to 1TB of files, please keep file sizes within reasonable limits

  • Every entry must be original in design and concept. The artist must retain all copyrights to their artwork. If photographs are used, they must be original photographs taken by the submitter of the artwork ONLY (images taken from the internet are ineligible). Any artwork that depicts copyrighted images in any way, shape, or form (characters from TV shows, movies, video games, books, etc.) will be disqualified. 

  • To ensure judging is anonymous, please avoid signing or writing your name on the artwork. Doing so will lead to disqualification. 

PRIZES:

  • 1st: $75 cash prize + artwork appears in select publications such as the cover of the 2025 HSMC competition booklet

  • 2nd: $50 cash prize + artwork appears in select publications such as the cover of the 2025 Teachers’ Directory

  • 3rd: $25 cash prize

  • 4th: $10 Jamba Juice Gift Card