2009 Bass Competition
2008 Saxophone Competition
2007 Trumpet Competition
2006 Piano Competition
2005 Guitar Competition
2004 Vocals Competition
2003 Trombone Competition
2002 Saxophone Competition
2000 Afro-Latin Jazz Hand Drum Competition
1999 Piano Competition
1998 Vocals Competition
1997 Trumpet Competition
1996 Saxophone Competition
1995 Guitar and Bass Competition
1994 Vocals Competition
1993 Piano Competition
1992 Drums Competition
1991 Saxophone Competition
1990 Trumpet Competition
1989 Piano Competition
1988 Piano Competition
1987 Piano Competition
2009 Thelonious Monk International Bass Competition
Kennedy Center's Eisenhower Theater
Washington, D.C.
First Place: Ben Williams, Washington, D.C.
Second Place: Joe Sanders, Wisconsin
Third Place: Matthew Brewer, Oklahoma
Judges:
Ron Carter
Charlie Haden
Dave Holland
Robert Hurst
Christian McBride
John Patitucci
Composers Competition Winner: Joe Johnson, Missouri
Photo (l-r): Ben Williams, Joe Sanders and Matthew Brewer
2008 Thelonious Monk International Sax Competition
Kodak Theater
Los Angeles, CA
First Place: Jon Irabagon, Illinois
Second Place: Tim Green Maryland
Third Place: Quamon Fowler, Texas
Judges:
Jane Ira Bloom
Jimmy Heath
Greg Osby
David Sanchez
Wayne Shorter
Composers Competition Winner: Sherisse Rogers, Pennsylvania
Photo (l-r): 2008 Competition Winners Jon Irabagon, Tim Green and Quamon Fowler
2007 Thelonious Monk International Trumpet Competition
Kodak Theater
Los Angeles, CA
First Place: Ambrose Akinmusire, California
Second Place: Jean Caze, Haiti
Third Place: Michael Rodriguez, New York
Judges:
Herb Alpert
Terence Blanchard
Roy Hargrove
Quincy Jones
Hugh Masekela
Clark Terry
Composers Competition Winner: Petros Sakelliou, Athens, Greece
Photo: 2007 Competition winners Michael Rodriguez, Jean Caze and Ambrose Akinmusire
2006 Thelonious Monk International Jazz Piano Competition
Kennedy Center's Eisenhower Theater
Washington, DC
First Place: Tigran Hamasyan, Armenia
Second Place: Gerald Clayton, The Netherlands
Third Place: Aaron Parks, Washington
Judges:
Herbie Hancock
Andrew Hill
Danilo Perez
Renee Rosnes
Billy Taylor
Randy Weston
Composers Competition Winner: Kálmán Oláh, Budapest, Hungary
Photo: 2006 Competition winners Gerald Clayton,
Tigran Hamasyan and Aaron Parks
2005 Thelonious Monk International Jazz Guitar Competition
Kennedy Center's Eisenhower Theater
Washington, DC
First Place: Lage Lund, Skein, Norway
Second Place: Miles Okazaki, Washington
Third Place: David Mooney, Louisiana
Judges:
Bill Frisell
Stanley Jordan
Earl Klugh
Russell Malone
Pat Martino
John Pizzarelli
Composers Competition Winner: Junko Moriya, Kanagawa, Japan
Photo: T.S. Monk and Billy Dee Williams (far left & right) with
2005 Competition winners Miles Okazaki, David Mooney and Lage Lund
2004 Thelonious Monk International Jazz Vocals Competition
Kennedy Center's Eisenhower Theater
Washington, DC
First Place: Gretchen Parlato, California
Second Place: Kellylee Evans, Ontario, Canada
Third Place: Robin McKelle, Massachusetts
Fourth Place: Charanee Wade, New York
Judges:
Dee Dee Bridgewater
Kurt Elling
Al Jarreau
Quincy Jones
Flora Purim
Jimmy Scott
Photo: 2004 Competition winners Charenee Wade, Robin McKelle,
Gretchen Parlato and Kellylee Evans with Institute Chairman Herbie Hancock
Composers Competition Winner: Misha Piatigorsky, Russia (currently residing in New York)
2003 Thelonious Monk International Jazz Trombone Competition
Kennedy Center's Eisenhower Theater
Washington, DC
First Place: Andre Hayward, Texas
Second Place: David Gibson, Alabama
Third Place: Noah Bless, Massachusetts
Fourth Place: Karin Harris, Washington
Fifth Place: Marshall Gilkes, Maryland
Judges:
Steve Davis
Curtis Fuller
Grachan Moncur III
Julian Priester
Steve Turre
Composers Competition Winner: Ilja Reijngoud, The Netherlands
Photo: Wayne Shorter & Herbie Hancock (far left & right) take a moment
with the 2003 Competition winners Andre Hayward, Marshall Gilkes, Karin Harris, Noah Bless and David Gibson
2002 Thelonious Monk International Jazz Saxophone Competition
Smithsonian Institution's Baird Auditorium
Washington, DC
First Place: Seamus Blake, Canada
Second Place: John Ellis, North Carolina
Third Place: Marcus Strickland, Florida
Finalists: Aaron Fletcher, Louisiana, and Jaleel Shaw, Pennsylvania
Judges:
Don Braden
George Coleman
Joshua Redman
Wayne Shorter
James Spaudling
Composers Competition Winner: Jim Robitaille, Massachusetts
Photo (l-r): Winners of the 2002 Competition; Jaleel Shaw, Marcus Strickland,
John Ellis, Seamus Blake and Aaron Fletcher
2000 Thelonious Monk International
Afro-Latin Jazz Hand Drum Competition
Kennedy Center's Eisenhower Theater
Washington, DC
First Place: Pedro Martinez, New Jersey
Second Place: Samuel Torres, Florida
Third Place: Camilo Ernesto Molina Gaetan, New York
Finalists: Ramses Araya, Florida, and Cristian Rivera, New York
Judges:
Ray Barretto
Big Black
Candido
Milton Cardona
Giovanni Hidalgo
Babatunde Olatunji
Composers Competition Winner: Michael Weiss, New York
Photo (l-r): Winners of the 2000 Competition; Pedro Martinez,
Camilo Molina Gaetan, Samuel Torres,Ramses Araya and Christian Rivera
1999 Thelonious Monk International Jazz Piano Competition
Kennedy Center's Eisenhower Theater
Washington, DC
First Place: Eric Lewis, New Jersey
Second Place: Orrin Evans, Philadelphia
Third Place: Jacob Sacks, New York
Fourth Place: Sam Yahel, Germany
Judges:
Geri Allen
Cedar Walton
Randy Weston
Eric Reed
Herbie Hancock
Danilo Perez
Composers Competition Winner: James Carney, California
Photo (l-r): 1999 Piano Competition Winners Jacob Sacks,Eric Lewis, Sam Yahel and Orrin Evans
1998 Thelonious Monk International Jazz Vocals Competition
Smithsonian Institution's Baird Auditorium
Washington, DC
First Place: Teri Thornton, New York
Second Place: Jane Monheit, New York
Third Place: Roberta Gambarini, Italy
Finalists: Everett Greene, Indiana and Cynthia Scott, New York
Judges:
Dee Dee Bridgewater
Nnenna Freelon
Diana Krall
Dianne Reeves
Joe Williams
Composers Competition Winner: Emanuel Rueffler, Germany
Photo (l-r):1998 Vocal Competition winners Jane Monheit, Cynthia Scott,
Roberta Gambarini, Competition Producer Shelby Fischer, Teri Thornton and Everrett Greene
1997 Thelonious Monk International Jazz Trumpet Competition
Smithsonian Institution's Baird Auditorium
Washington, DC
First Place: Darren Barrett, England
Second Place: Diego Urcola, Argentina
Third Place: Avishai Cohen, Israel
Finalists: Matt Shulman, Vermont and John Sneider, Massachusetts
Judges:
Randy Brecker
Jon Faddis
Art Farmer
Wallace Roney
Arturo Sandoval
Composers Competition Winner: Jack Perla, California
1996 Thelonious Monk International Jazz Saxophone Competition
Kennedy Center's Eisenhower Theater
Washington, DC
First Place: Jon Gordon, New York
Second Place: Jimmy Greene, Connecticut
Third Place: John Wojciechowski, Michigan
Judges:
Jimmy Heath
Joe Lovano
Jackie McLean
Joshua Redman
Wayne Shorter
Composers Competition Winner: Michiel Borstlap, The Netherlands
Photo (l-r): Judges and winners of the 1996 Saxophone Competition
Joshua Redman, Joe Lovano, John Wojciechowski, Jimmy Greene,
Jon Gordon, Jackie McLean, Wayne Shorter and Jimmy Heath
1995 Thelonious Monk International 
Jazz Guitar and Bass Competitions
Kennedy Center's Eisenhower Theater
Washington,DC
Guitar
First Place: Jesse van Ruller, The Netherlands
Second Place: Paul Pieper, Virginia
Third Place: Sheryl Bailey, Maryland
Judges:
Jim Hall
Pat Martino
Pat Metheny
John Scofield
Mark Whitfield
Bass
First Place: Darryl Hall, Philadelphia
Second Place: Thomas Baldwin, Maryland
Third Place: Martin Wind, Germany
Judges:
Ron Carter 1995 Competition winners (seated):
Charlie Haden bassist Darryl Hall; guitarist Jesse van Ruler
Percy Heath (standing) guitarists Paul Piper & Sheryl Bailey
Milt Hinton bassists Martin Wind & Tom Baldwin and Billy Dee Williams
Christian McBride
Composers Competition Winner: Anthony Wilson, California
1994 Thelonious Monk International Jazz Vocals Competition
Kennedy Center's Eisenhower Theater
Washington, DC
First Place: Sara Lazarus, France
Second Place: Lisa Henry, Kansas
Third Place: Carolyn Leonhart, New York
Judges:
Jon Hendricks
Shirley Horne
Cleo Laine
Abbey Lincoln
Dianne Reeves
Jimmy Scott
Composers Competition Winner: Steven Grover, Maine
Photo (l-r): 1993 Vocal Competition winners Sara Lazarus,
CarolynLeonhart and Lisa Henry
1993 Thelonious Monk International Jazz Piano Competition
Kennedy Center's Eisenhower Theater
Washington, DC
First Place: Jacky Terrasson, France
Second Place: Peter Martin, New York
Third Place: Edward Simon, Venezuela
Judges:
Muhal Richard Abrams
Dave Brubeck
Dorothy Donegan
Herbie Hancock
Marian McPartland
Marcus Roberts
Composers Competition Winner: Pat Zimmerli, New York
Photo (l-r): 1993 Piano Competition winners Jacky Terrasson, Edward Simon and Peter Martin
1992 Thelonious Monk International Jazz Drums Competition
Lincoln Center
New York, New York
First Place: Harold Summey, Washington, DC
Second Place: Jorge Rossy, Spain
Third Place: Tony Jefferson, Florida and Alvester Garnett, Virginia
Judges:
Alan Dawson
Roy Haynes
Ed Shaugnessy
Jeff "Tain" Watts
Dave Weckl
Photo: Institute Honorary Chairman Bill Cosby jokes with
1992 drums competition winner Harold Summey
by only giving him half of his prize check
1991 Thelonious Monk International Jazz Saxophone Competition
Smithsonian Institution's Baird Auditorium
Washington, DC
First Place: Joshua Redman, California
Second Place: Eric Alexander, New York
Third Place: Chris Potter, New York and Tim Warfield, Pennsylvania
Judges:
Benny Carter
Jimmy Heath
Branford Marsalis
Jackie McLean
Frank Wess
Photo: Joshua Redman (center), winner of the 1991 Saxophone
Competition joined by (l to r): Thelonious Monk, Jr., Benny Carter,
Jimmy Heath, Jackie McLean and Clark Terry
1990 Thelonious Monk International Jazz Trumpet Competition
Smithsonian Institution's Baird Auditorium
Washington, DC
First Place: Ryan Kisor, Iowa
Second Place: Tom Williams, Maryland
Third Place: Greg Gisbert, New York
Judges:
Nat Adderley
Red Rodney
Clark Terry
Eugene "Snooky" Young
Photo: Ryan Kisor (center), first place winner of 1990
trumpet competition, joined by judges (l to r):
Clark Terry, Nat Adderley, Red Rodney, Snookie Young
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1989 Thelonious Monk International Piano Competition
Smithsonian Institution's Baird Auditorium
Washington, DC
First Place: Bill Cunliffe, California
Second Place: Michael Weiss, New York
Third Place: Edward Hobizal, Texas
Judges:
Walter Bishop, Jr.
Hal Galper
Barry Harris
Ahmad Jamal
Horace Silver
Photo: Nellie Monk joins first place winner Bill Cunliffe
on stage at the 1988 Piano Competition
1988 Thelonious Monk International Piano Competition
Smithsonian Institution's Baird Auditorium
Washington, DC
First Place: Ted Rosenthal, New York
Second Place: Harry Appelman, Washington, DC
Third Place: Matt Cooper, Oregon and Azizza Mustafa-Zade, Azerbaijan
Judges:
Tommy Flanagan
Sir Roland Hanna
Barry Harris
Hank Jones
Roger Kellaway
Photo: Maria Fisher and Thelonious Monk, Jr. congratulate first place winner Ted Rosenthal at 1998 piano competition
1987 Thelonious Monk International Piano Competition
Smithsonian Institution's Baird Auditorium
Washington, DC
First Place: Marcus Roberts, Florida
Second Place: Rob van Bavel, The Netherlands
Third Place: John Colianni, New York
Fourth Place: Joey DeFrancesco, Pennsylvania
Judges:
Sir Roland Hanna
Barry Harris
Hank Jones
Roger Kellaway
Dado Moroni
Photo (l-r): Competition winners Rob van Bavel; Marcus Roberts; Joey DeFrancesco;
John Colianni; Harry Appleman
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