Distinguished Service Award

Charles Jones

2024 Recipient

Charlie has been a member of LMTA since 1993. He has served LMTA and MTNA in a number of positions, including Necrology Chair, MTNA Louisiana Junior Competitions Coordinator, LMTA President-elect, President, Immediate Past President, MTNA South Central Division Director and member of the MTNA Board of Directors, MTNA State Affiliate of the Year Committee, MTNA College Faculty Forum Chair, LMTA Treasurer, Piano Chair, Cenla MTA President, MTNA Louisiana Competitions Chair, LMTA Board Member-atlarge, and LMTA Outstanding Teacher Award Committee Chair. He frequently serves as an adjudicator for piano rallies and other events around the state. He holds both LMTA and MTNA permanent certification as a piano teacher. Charlie is originally from Burlington, North Carolina and is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He holds the Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees from the University of Texas at Austin. His collegiate piano teachers were Michael Zenge, Danielle Martin, and David Renner. He also completed piano pedagogy coursework with Amanda Vick Lethco and Martha Hilley. Prior to moving to Louisiana, Charlie taught several years at Limestone University in South Carolina. During his time there he received the institution’s Fullerton Award for excellence in teaching as well as second prize at the Bartok-Kabalevsky International Piano Competition in Virginia. Since 1993 he has been on the piano faculty at the Louisiana School for Math, Science and the Arts in Natchitoches, where he teaches piano and related subjects and has performed frequently as soloist and collaborative pianist.

Past Winners