The History of the Simon-Fiset Competitions

Treasure Simon, as president of the Seattle Chapter of the Music Teachers’ Association in 1961, worked enthusiastically to establish a scholarship fund to encourage young students to continue the serious study of music and to acknowledge exceptional ability, application, and meritorious accomplishment by awarding financial assistance. In 1962, Mrs. Simon’s estate donated over one million dollars to seed a growing scholarship fund.

Gene Fiset, SMTA member and the first chairman of the Simon Scholarship, was active in both local and state music associations for many years. Ultimately, he was granted an honorary lifetime membership in the Seattle Chapter.

In 1974, the scholarship fund was renamed the Simon-Fiset Scholarship as a memorial to their charitable and dedicated interests. Now, more than fifty years later, Seattle Music Teachers Association is proud to continue the legacy of these forward-thinking champions of music, pedagogy, and scholarship. The annual Simon-Fiset Suite of Competitions is offered in piano, strings, and composition. The piano competition also serves to select the Seattle Chapter’s state honors recitalists to perform at the Washington State Music Teachers’ annual summer conference.

Attracting many of the most talented and promising young, local musicians, the Simon-Fiset events are among Seattle Music Teachers Association’s premier offerings.