This study is the first investigation of the nine-year history of the National Solo and Ensemble Contests, held in the United States in conjunction with the National School Band and Orchestra Contests of the late 1920s and early to mid-1930s. Primary sources used include letters from those involved with the planning of the contests, meeting minutes from the responsible organization, and music journals from the early twentieth century. Dissertations and research articles pertaining to the National Band Contests are the secondary sources that helped corroborate the existence of the events described and provide foundational information. This research offers a picture of the interest in the Solo and Ensemble Contests and how they flourished during a time of substantial change in the philosophy of music contests. Changes in the rules and format of the Contests also are explored as they affected the establishment of solo and ensemble contests across America, many of which are still in existence today. This work adds to the previous research conducted about the National Band Contests by documenting a little-known but important element of the contest movement. (Contains 2 tables and 83 notes.)