2014 IMTA Conference Call for Proposals

Posted on

Deadline: June 1, 2014
The Indiana Music Teachers Association is pleased to announce its 2014 Conference at Anderson University in Anderson, Indiana. The conference will take place on November 7-8.
The Conference Committee welcomes proposals on all aspects of music teaching, learning, creation, performance, scholarship, career considerations, and other areas of interest to independent and college music teachers.

  • Membership in IMTA is not a requirement to submit a proposal or present a session
  • Participants must be willing to present on either day of the conference should their proposals be accepted
  • Conference presenters are not compensated or reimbursed for expenses, and must pay published Conference fees.
  • Electronic submissions are required with attached bio and Jpeg photo (headshot) of presenter/s
  • Conference sessions are generally 50 minutes including Q & A time
  • Complete proposals include the following:
    • Name, institutional affiliation if applicable, email, mailing address, telephone
    • The proposal title
    • The proposal format: paper, performance, composition, workshop, or lecture-recital
    • An abstract of 250 words or less
    • A brief biography of all involved persons (250 word maximum per person)
    • Equipment needs

SUBMISSION DEADLINE: Proposals must be submitted by 12:00 midnight EST on Sunday, June 1, 2014.
ACCEPTANCE NOTIFICATION: You will be notified by email no later than July 1, 2014
SUBMIT TO:
Cheryl Everett
IMTA Conference Chair
everettc@wabash.edu
 

Student winners to advance to MTNA National Competition

Posted on

Indiana Music Teachers Association is pleased to announce the following student winners in the Music Teachers National Association East Central Division performance competitions.
East Central Chamber Music Wind: Zvona Saxophone Quartet (teacher Otis Murphy), Honorable Mention
East Central Young Artist Performance Brass: Ben Hood, Tuba (teacher Kevin Wass) WINNER!!!
East Central Young Artist Performance Woodwind: Sean Xue, Saxophone (teacher Otis Murphy), Honorable Mention
The competitions were held January 10–11, 2014 at Baldwin Wallace University Conservatory of Music in Berea, Ohio. The students will compete at the MTNA National Performance competitions in Chicago March 22-26, 2014.

Don Freund named 2013 IMTA Teacher of the Year

Posted on

Editors note: As is customary with this annual presentation, the previous Teacher of the Year introduces the current recipient in a way that attempts to keep the identity of the recipient “secret” as long as possible. These are the comments read by 2012 Teacher of the Year, Bill Hughes.
This individual is described as a “total musician.”That musicianship is expressed in a variety of ways.
This very talented pianist’s performances have been described as “top notch.” This person’s playing displays finely developed technique and keen stylistic understanding in performances in a broad range of styles—from very early music through Bach’s Well-Tempered Clavier to music written “yesterday.” This individual’s playing of recently composed music displays “intense energy” and a keen understanding of the music’s idioms and structures.Continue reading→

Nineteenth annual Hartman Stickley Memorial Piano Competition

Posted on

Announcement is made of the nineteenth annual Hartman Stickley Memorial Piano Competition, which will be held on February 28 & March 1, 2014 in the Spencer Gallery, Downtown Mishawaka Penn Harris Library, Mishawaka, Indiana. The competition is open to pre-college students, ages 4-18. The four winners in each of four divisions will each win cash prizes: $150 for ages 15-18, $100 for ages 12-14, $75 for ages 9-11 and $50 for ages 8 & under, plus the opportunity to play in a winners recital on March 9, 2:30 pm, in the Kroc Center’s Auditorium, South Bend, Indiana. Contestants who receive Honorable Mention will win cash prizes as well.
The competition, which is sponsored by the South Bend Area Music Teachers Association, is open to piano students residing in Berrien, Cass & St. Joseph counties, Michigan; and Elkhart, Kosciusko, LaGrange, LaPorte, Marshall, St. Joseph, and Starke counties, Indiana. Prize money is made available through the Elnora Hartman Stickley Scholarship Fund.
Judges will be Steven Greene and Dr. Susan Merdinger from Highland Park, Illinois, and Dr. Hamilton Tescarollo from Indiana University-Purdue University, Fort Wayne, Indiana.
The purpose of the competition is two-fold: 1) to honor the memory of Elnora Hartman Stickley, and 2) to reward talented pianists in the Michiana area. The competition’s goal is to provide a performance venue for piano students in this area. Music is a performing art, and all musicians need many chances to practice the art of performance. This competition provides an excellent opportunity to do just that, along with getting feedback from highly-qualified judges.
Competition applications must be postmarked by January 25, 2014. Brochures and applications are available on the South Bend Area Music Teachers Association website at www.sbamta.org. For further information, please contact the competition chair, Michelle Beyler, at (574) 226-2950.

2013 Opus Winners

Posted on

Elementary Category – Elisa Simoni
Junior Category – Joshua Catanzaro
Senior Category – Nathaniel Strout
Young Artist Category – No  entries

Butler University Collegiate Chapter attends 2013 MTNA Conference

Posted on

-Editor’s note, this post is a series of reflections by the members of the Butler University MTNA Collegiate Chapter
The Butler MTNA Collegiate Chapter attended their third MTNA National Conference this year, thanks in large part to the support of the Indiana Music Teachers Association.  For all three members who attended, it was their first time experiencing the national conference.  On Pedagogy Saturday, they presented a poster showing the chapter’s activities throughout the previous year.  The conference was a fantastic and greatly fulfilling experience for all three members.  You can read some of their personal reflections below:Continue reading→

Wabash Valley MTA Hosts Garnet Ungar

Posted on

A recital and workshop by Garnet Ungar, from University of Evansville, was hosted by the Wabash Valley Music Teachers Association (WVMTA) February 7-8. His appearance was made possible by a local association programming grant from IMTA and with the cooperation of Indiana State University (ISU) in providing recital and workshop space.
Garnet’s recital and workshop were well attended by members of both WVMTA, ISU, and the Terre Haute community. His recital featured music of the 19th century – Chopin and his contemporaries. The workshop “Practicing Catalysts” included ISU students and pre-college students of WVMTA members in a lecture/master class format. Dr. Ungar, a gifted performer and teacher, engaged and inspired his audience. It was an outstanding event and fulfilled the purpose of IMTA grants, to support the educational and professional development of teachers and to support the promotion of music in the immediate community.

South Bend Area Music Teachers Association Spring Master Class

Posted on

On Wednesday, February 13, the SBAMTA program featured a master class with Professor Giuseppe Lupis of Grand Valley State University located in Allendale, Michigan.  Giuseppe Lupis is known for his explorations of unique repertoire. He is the first pianist to have performed an entire solo piano recital with music by Keith Emerson. Between concerts of the classics, a manuscript work of Italian composer Nino Rota, and his own compositions, he is also one of the few pianists in the world to have mastered and frequently performed entire George Gershwin solo piano programs.  Giuseppe Lupis is an active piano composer and arranger.  A former pupil of renowned concert pianist Aldo Ciccolini, Lupis holds a Doctorate in Musical Arts in piano performance at the University of Georgia, under the tutelage of Richard Zimdars, and a piano performance degree earned with highest honors at the State Conservatory of Music in Bari, Italy, with Pierluigi Camicia. Professor Lupus work with three students  performing, “Venetian Gondola Song in F# Minor, Op. 30 No. 6 by Mendelssohn, Lotus Land, Op. 47 No. 1 by Scott and Sonata No. 2 in D minor, Op. 14, 4th movement.  Dr. Lupis gave insightful ideas on the background of each composer as well has performance practices and technical strategies.
The master class was partially funded by the IMTA Local Association Grant.

AIM seeks member input

Posted on

The Indiana Music Teachers Association Achievement in Music program continues to be very strong, with six festivals around the state serving over 700 students each year.  In an effort to keep this program serving the needs of all teachers and students, IMTA will be updating the syllabus for release in 2015.
Currently, we are using the syllabus which was first published in 2005.  There have been no changes to this syllabus since that date.  In 2010, the Board of Directors reaffirmed the use of this syllabus for the period 2010-2015.  If you own a syllabus dated 2005-2010, or a syllabus dated 2010-2015, you own the current syllabus.
The current Board of Directors has authorized the formation of a committee to oversee the upcoming revision process.  Many of our members have made helpful suggestions over the years concerning possible changes they would like to see in the syllabus.  As AIM Coordinator, Douglas Sperry has maintained records of all suggestions for consideration in our review of the syllabus.  At this time, he would like to encourage all who participate in the AIM program to submit any additional suggestions they might have to either to him or their festival coordinator.
In addition, if you have a desire to serve on the committee which will conduct the syllabus revisions, please contact Doug at <douglassperry@hotmail.com>.  We will begin our work later in the summer of 2013.
Douglas Sperry, NCTM
AIM Coordinator