Ms Manowitz (24), a musician and music teacher, grew up in Dunedin and has competed in the event four times, once as a member of a chamber group, Zwickau, that reached the national finals.
The Otago district contest, of the wider New Zealand Community Trust Chamber Music Contest, ended with eight groups of secondary school performers competing in district finals at the University of Otago venue last night.
Entry numbers were down slightly on last year, at 35 groups.
This contest remained "really important'' for young musicians.
"There's not many chances for chamber music groups to perform and to be able to get some of these awards,'' Ms Manowitz said.
Several musicians had been competing in a district music contest for the first time.
Competing brought hope and excitement, but was "also a bit scary'' for a lot of young performers.
But despite the pressures, organisers and fellow contestants were also friendly and supportive, and the adjudicator, violinist Douglas Beilman, had taken a constructive approach in his comments.
A lot of performers "get nerves'', but, given the overall support, they would hopefully learn "it's OK to be nervous'', she said with a smile.
The Otago contest is one of 15 district contests being held nationwide to select the top 12 ensembles to compete in the national finals in Auckland in August.
Before that stage, southern district contestants face a South Island regional contest.
Born in England, Ms Manowitz attended Logan Park High School and started her tertiary music studies at Otago University before completing a bachelor of music degree at Auckland University.
The contest was running smoothly and she was happy, as a former contestant, to give something back in her first year as organiser of the district event.
Results. - Overall winner: The McGlashan Trio. Highly Commended Awards: The Trio Treble Triplets, Too Hot to Handel, Chain Rule, Rose Camoria. Adjudicator's Award: Brass Maniacs. KBB Music Awards: The Family Dog, The Trio Treble Triplets. Best performance of a New Zealand work: Too Hot to Handel. Best performance of an original composition: Sunken Waltz.
