1995-96 NDMTA inaugurated this “Olympic Year,” meeting in Jim Scott Piano’s outstanding new facility. NDMTA hosted the “Ensemble Olympics” with 192 students participating to benefit the Rachel Howard Scholarship Fund. Membership grew to 65. 120 students competed in the GMTA Local Auditions, producing 48 winners advancing to State. Tiffany Chang, student of Frances Tao, Jacqueline Ludwig, student of Lois Finlay, Slavik Gabinsky, student of Anna Arshavskaya, Crystal Ku, student of Syan Yin Lin Cheung, and Teresa Hsu, student of Lois Finlay, were declared Convention Recitalists. 

1996-97 NDMTA held the inaugural Rachel Howard Scholarship Auditions and four winners were chosen from Grades 5 through 8, respectively. They were Tiffany Chang, 5th Grade, student of Frances Yao, Jacob First, 6th Grade, student of Margaret Liu, Michael Willoughby, 7th Grade, student of Lanelle Nash, and Danny Tzow, 8th Grade, student of Frances Yao. These students were invited to perform at the annual “We Do It!” Recital/Meeting in April. North DeKalb sent 46 Local Winners to the GMTA In-State Auditions and Teresa Hsu, student of Lois Finlay, was chosen as the 10th Grade GMTA Convention Recitalist. 

1997-98 Our second “Ensemble Olympics” was a great success with 167 students participating. Olympic medals were awarded to the participants. Eleven teachers represented NDMTA at the 1998 MTNA Convention in Nashville, TN. We had 23 teachers entering a total of 90 students in the GMTA Local Auditions. Forty-five students advanced to GMTA In-State Auditions, and Ying Ying Lu, student of Wen Zao Chen, was declared Convention Recitalist. Teresa Hsu, student of Lois Finlay, won First Place at the Jo Evans Scholarship Audition. Our first NDMTA evening meeting was held in November with Dr. Earlene Brasher, the Music Coordinator of DeKalb County Board of Education, as our guest speaker. 

1999-2000 NDMTA sponsored several chapter events in addition to local GMTA auditions. Our Ensemble Olympics featured participants performing together in non-competitive recitals. The Rachel Howard Scholarship Audition, honoring one of our outstanding teachers, selected students in Grades 5 through 8 for monetary awards upon completion of specific criteria, including polished performances. In addition to these special events, our monthly meetings included programs by Dr. and Mrs. William Ransom, Dr. Geoffrey Haydon, and our own Portia Hawkins and Bette Chambless. Other meetings focused on teaching tips and performances by our members. These programs and our May luncheon always offer rewarding exchanges between our colleagues.