ASTACAP

To establish national goals and awards for students of all levels through non-competitive examinations.

2026 ASTACAP Committee Letter

​Dear colleagues,

The next ASTACAP evaluation will be on Saturday, April 11, 2026 and Sunday, April 12, 2026. Dana Hall School in Wellesley has generously invited us to return for in-person evaluations.

Registration is open now through February 23, 2026.

Please feel free to contact the steering committee with any questions. We encourage you and your students to participate!

all the best,

ASTACAP Steering Committee

Meghan Carye, Joan Ellersick, Susanne Friedrich, Steve Laven, Colleen McGary-Smith, Yumi Okada, Dimitar Petkov, Leanne Rabesa

Please carefully follow the instructions below.

  • ASTACAP registration has two parts: Teacher Registration and Student Registration. The Spring registration period is: January 4 - February 23, 2026. Forms submitted after February 23, 2026 will not be processed.

  • The participating teacher must be an active ASTA Member. You can join or renew membership (annual membership fee for new members $99, renewal $125) at: https://www.astastrings.org/Web/Membership/Individual_Membership.aspx

  • Please communicate evaluation purpose and standards, decide on level, and choose repertoire for each of your participating students. Note that the Selected Student Repertoire must meet the requirements listed in the 2018 ASTACAP HandBook, available after you log in to "my account" at: https://www.astastrings.org    

  • Please complete the Teacher Registration Form. The deadline for the Teacher Registration Form is February 23, 2026.

    • Provide your contact information.

    • Make sure that the materials assigned are consistent with the ASTA Handbook Guidelines.

    • Sign up for volunteer work to help out on the evaluation day. This program is run by teachers, for teachers. We need (and very much appreciate!) your help to make exams run smoothly. General expectation: 2 hour minimum expected; 2 hour block per every 10 students registered. If you are not available on evaluation day, you may arrange to send someone else (parent, high school age student) in order to meet the 2 hours volunteer expectation.

  • Please ask your students to fill out the Student Registration Form. The deadline for the Student Registration Form is also February 23, 2026.

    • In the Student Registration Form, we ask the student to enter the teacher’s name and email address, which will be used as a key to link to your registration. It is IMPORTANT for you to confirm with your students the spelling of your name and preferred email address for ASTACAP communication, so we have consistent teacher information on both forms.

  • Please collect registration fees from your students who registered and write a SINGLE check of total amount payable to “MA-ASTA”. Mail the check no later than February 23, 2026 to:

MA ASTACAP
 c/o Dongchun Wang
10 Quarry Hill Rd. 
Westford, MA 01886
​
Let us know if you have any questions!
ASTACAP Steering Committee,  (Yumi Okada and Dimitar Petkov, co-chairs; Meghan Carye, Joan Ellersick, Susanne Friedrich, Steve Laven, Colleen McGary-Smith, Leanne Rabesa)
ma.asta.cap@gmail.com

Click here and use your ASTA login to access information about levels and repertoire requirements as outlined in the ASTACAP Handbook.