2026 WMEA/WIAA State Solo and Ensemble Contest
Friday, April 24, and Saturday, April 24, 2026
Central Washington University, Ellensburg, Washington
Contact Info
Please contact WMEA Solo and Ensemble Coordinator for all individual questions or concerns or to confirm students who cannot attend.
For all inquiries, email: kelly@wmea.org
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. When will the schedule for the state contest be posted on the WMEA website?
A. During the first week of April.
Q. Is there a participation fee?
A. Yes, there is a $40 per entry fee that will be charged. WIAA will send an invoice to each participating school after the event. Only those entries actually scheduled to perform will be charged.
Q. What should I do if I find out I cannot participate?
A. Tell your school music teacher and have them contact WMEA immediately. Only then will the next most deserving student or group have the opportunity.
Q. What time does the event begin?
A. On Friday, the first ensembles will play at 8:00 am. On Saturday, the first solos will play at 8:00 am. Performances end by 5:00 pm each day. The awards presentation follows the conclusion of performances each day.
Q. Do I have to play the same instrument, sing in the same voice category as I did at my regional event?
A. You must perform in the same category. In a hyphenated category for example, if you played piccolo at your regional event, you must play piccolo at state—you cannot switch to flute. You certainly may purchase or borrow a new piccolo, but you must maintain the same category you qualified in.
Q. Do participants have to perform the same music at state as was done in the regional contest?
A. No-they can change music as long as it’s not something anyone involved has ever performed at state before.
Q. If a student moves or is lost due to injury and can’t make it, can I replace him/her in an ensemble?
A. No. If the category/division does not change, large ensembles can still participate without the affected student. To be sure, email kelly@wmea.org.
Q. May we add a new member to an ensemble?
A. No – there can be no additions or substitutions of any personnel.
Q. May I request a specific performance time, or particular time of day?
A. No – the rules prohibit taking any requests for any reason.
Q. Can I use a different accompanist at the state contest from the one I used at the regional contest?
A. For an instrumental ensemble, the “accompanist” is considered an ensemble member and therefore must be a student meeting all eligibility requirements and cannot change.
For all other entries (all solos, vocal ensembles), yes – the accompanist can change, though we can’t change the schedule once complete if the new accompanist has a conflict with the assigned performance time. If you change accompanists before the schedule is released, send us a message immediately.
Q. Is there a concert at the end of the day?
A . No. However, we do present the awards at the end of the day.
Q. What should I do if I am uncertain of the copyright status of my music, and when?
A. Send a messaqge with the details to WMEA Student Events immediately. Waiting until the day of your performance is too late to determine whether you are following copyright guidelines.
Q. What happens if I don’t provide the required number of originals of my music?
A. You will not be eligible for medal consideration.
When in doubt, email the Student Events Staff: kelly@wmea.org