2018 Jeff Frizzi, Clay Middle School Central, Carmel, IN
2017 Sam Fritz, Center Grove Middle School Central, Greenwood, IN
2015 Kathleen Swayze, Music Educator and Composer, Indianapolis, IN
2004 Mary Madigan, Boosey & Hawkes
2003 Olivia Carter Mather
 - Jean-Benôit Tremblay
 - Vincent Benitez
 - Ralph Lorenz
2002 Brian Sacawa
 - Paolo Bortolussi
 - Tom Lopez
 - Patti Plascak Willey
2001 Daniel H. Foster
 - Jeongwon Joe
 - Charles Leinberger
 - Thomas Handel
 - Tobias Plebuch
2000 Arved Ashby, American Record Guide
1999 Wynne Delacoma, Chicago Sun-Times
1998 Andrew Adler, The Louisville Courier-Journal
1997 Kyle Gann, Village Voice
1996 David Patrick Stearns, USA Today
1995 Willa Conrad, Charlotte Observer
1994 Scott Cantrell, Kansas City Star
1993 James Wierzbicki, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
1992 James Oestreich, New York Times
1991 Lawrence B. Johnson, Freelance writer
1990 John von Rhein, Chicago Tribune
1989 Tim Page, Newsday
1988 Byron Belt, Newhouse News Service
1987 Nancy Malitz, Detroit News, Gannett News Service
1986 Eric McLean, Montreal Gazette
1985 David Hamilton, Free-lancer
1984 Michael Anthony, Minneapolis Star and Tribune
1983 Robert Finn, Cleveland Plain Dealer
1982 Charles Staff, Indianapolis News; Leighton Kerner, Village Voice