Celebrating Excellence: 88 Keys Music Academy’s Certificate of Merit 2026 Results
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We are so proud to share the results of the 2026 MTAC Certificate of Merit Evaluations — and what an incredible year it has been for our students! From Level Prep all the way to Level Advanced, our young musicians rose to the challenge with dedication, hard work, and a whole lot of heart.
What Is Certificate of Merit?
Certificate of Merit (CM) is a statewide music evaluation program administered by the Music Teachers’ Association of California (MTAC). Students are assessed on their performance skills, sight reading, technique, and music theory — providing a meaningful benchmark for musical growth at every level.
Each year, students who meet high standards of achievement earn special recognition, including State Honors and Convention designations.
2026 Award Criteria
🌟 State Honors are awarded to students who:
- Score 70% or higher on the written Theory Exam
- Earn a rating of Good or Excellent on Technique and Sight Reading
- Receive a score of 5 or higher on all memorized solo pieces
🎵 Convention honors go to students who:
- Score 80% or higher on the written Theory Exam
- Earn a rating of Good or Excellent on Technique and Sight Reading
- Receive a score of 5 or higher on all memorized solo pieces, with evaluator approval
🏆 Highest Theory Score (100%) is a special recognition for achieving a perfect score on the written Theory Exam.
Our 2026 Certificate of Merit Honorees
We are thrilled to recognize the following students from our academy:
Level Prep
- Bella Zhang — Holly Avenue Elementary, Temple City
Level 1
- Kai Chau-Harris — Holly Avenue Elementary, Arcadia
- Marcus Luk — Encinita Elementary, Rosemead
- Michael Xu — Holly Avenue Elementary, Arcadia
Level 2
- Daniel Bai — Highland Oaks Elementary, Arcadia
- Eva Bai — Highland Oaks Elementary, Arcadia
- Sophia Hsu — Baldwin Stocker Elementary, Arcadia
- Tharuli Kulasooriya — First Avenue Middle, Arcadia
- Alex Ly — Longdon Elementary, Arcadia
- Jordan Pugh — Field Elementary, Pasadena
- Callie Ramos — McKinley Elementary, San Gabriel
- Jayden Voong — Emperor Elementary, San Gabriel
Level 3
- Jude Don — Arroyo Pacific Academy, Arcadia
- Jennifer Lin — Highland Oaks Elementary, Arcadia
- Vincent Lin — Baldwin Stocker Elementary, San Gabriel
- Lucy Siu — Longden Elementary, Temple City
Level 4
- Anna Pan — Pasadena Christian School, Arcadia
- Ivy Qian — Valentine Elementary, San Gabriel
- Alice Wu — Huntington Middle, Monterey Park
Level 5
- Albert Hsu — Temple City High School, Temple City
- Annabel Hsu — Oak Avenue Intermediate, Temple City
- Ella Leung — First Avenue Middle, Arcadia
- Amber Tam — Oak Avenue Intermediate, San Gabriel
- Christine Zhong — Highland Oaks Elementary, Arcadia
Level 6
- Sean Cao — Oak Avenue Intermediate, Temple City
- Abigail Ma — Oak Avenue Middle, Temple City
- Abhirami Ram — Arcadia High School, Arcadia
- Cedric Wong — Huntington Middle, San Marino
- Drake Yu — Oak Avenue Intermediate, Temple City
Level 7
- Ian Qian — Valentine Elementary, San Gabriel
- Ashley Yuen — Rosemead High School, Rosemead
Level 8
- Uma Chakraborty — Pasadena High School, Pasadena
- Emma Du — Oak Avenue Intermediate, Arcadia
- Tyler Wan — Arcadia High School, Arcadia
Level 9
- Hailey Ma — Garvey Intermediate, San Gabriel
- Rooney Zhang — First Avenue Middle School, Arcadia
Level Advanced
- Yichen Tan — Mayfield Junior, Pasadena