2017 Conference Highlights

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Another state conference has come and quickly passed! Indiana’s 2017 Fall State Conference at Indiana Wesleyan was full of our favorite conference events including sessions, featured artists, banquet and membership luncheon. It also hosted a new and exciting format of sessions called lightning sessions where 6 presenters presented a 5-minute “lightning” sessions in one hour slot.
If you were lucky enough to join us or if you had to sit this one out, enjoy these highlights and we’ll look forward to seeing you at the 2018 conference October 5-6, in Fort Wayne at Sweetwater Sound!
Be sure and follow the IMTA Facebook page to keep in touch with the most up-to-date happenings!
 

Featured Artist and Advanced Masterclass Clinician

Award-winning pianist Aviram Reichert performed a solo recital and presented an advanced piano masterclass. Reichert is a former medalist of the prestigious Van Cliburn International Competition.
   
 
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Register for the IMTA State Conference! (Deadline Extended)

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09.25.2017 update: The early-bird deadline has passed but registrations will still be accepted at the door for the conference (without meals). See you on 9/29!
The Indiana State Music Teachers Conference is fast approaching – Friday and Saturday, September 29-30. We are excited to have it this year at Indiana Wesleyan University and the faculty there, Phoenix Park-Kim and Daniel Lin as co-chairs have been working tirelessly along with the rest of the conference committee to bring you a great conference!
Due to some technical issues with the online registration this past weekend, the early-bird registration deadline has been extended from September 18 to September 20. In order to be included in the meals (Friday night banquet and Saturday luncheon), you must register by midnight EST on September 20.
After the 20th, there will be no meals included and the fee will increase to $95.
Register now by clicking here.
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IMTA Conference Call for Masterclass Performers

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09.25.2017 update: Submissions for the 2017 masterclass are no longer being accepted.
The 2017 IMTA conference planning committee would like to invite you to nominate talented young pianists to perform in this year’s IMTA conference master classes with Kevin Olson and Aviram Reichert. As you know, this year’s state conference will take place September 29-30 at Indiana Wesleyan University in Marion, IN. Both masterclasses will be held in the Philippe Performing Arts Center. Dr. Olson’s masterclass for intermediate pianists as well as composition students will take place at 10:30 am on Saturday the 30th in Baker Recital Hall. Mr. Reichert’s masterclass for advanced pianists will take place in the same hall at 1:30 pm.
Please submit YouTube links of your talented students. Applicants should not only play well—they should also be able to respond well in a public master class. Students should be secure performers who can change on the spot, and who are not overly sensitive to public criticism. Parents should be strongly encouraged to bring young performers the night before so they will be well rested and can warm up.
Performers must be studying with a current IMTA member. Pieces should be from the standard repertoire and should be polished and securely memorized.
One applicant per submission, please.
The deadline for receipt of application is Saturday, September 16. No extensions or exceptions are possible. This is an exceptional opportunity. The conference planning committee is especially excited that we have an opportunity for an intermediate master class as well. Please give it careful thought, and encourage your worthy candidates to apply! If selected, you and your student will be notified by Saturday, September 23.
 
Apply online now

Teacher of the Year Nominations

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09.25.2017 update: Submissions for Teacher of the Year are no longer being accepted for 2017.
At the upcoming Indiana state conference, we will be awarding our annual “Teacher of the Year” award – one of IMTA’s highest honors.
This award recognizes an individual who demonstrates excellence in teaching and service to the music teaching profession and community.  Recipients are nominated by current members and are selected by members of the Board of Directors.  Individuals and/or Local Associations may nominate someone for this award.
For more information or to nominate a teacher, please contact Robert Palmer.
The deadline is August 31, 2017.

Final President’s Message

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Need a recipe for disbelief?  Take two years, add the blink of an eye, and you may end up with an IMTA State Presidency that is almost over.
The opportunity to serve a group of educators like ours has meant many things to me.  Today, in reflection, I am simply humbled by the opportunities afforded me in this role.
Have you ever stopped to think about the quality individuals our profession attracts?  I’m sure we can all name a few childhood teachers who had lasting impacts on our lives, but I’m even more blown away when I consider how many truly extraordinary colleagues I know with ties to IMTA/MTNA.
The teachers I’ve had the privilege of knowing here in Indiana (and beyond) are driven, charismatic, wildly-talented human beings, who, no matter what struggles life has thrown at them, have the remarkable ability to get things done.  We persevere, we inspire, and – most of the time – we even manage to tell a few jokes and keep smiles on our faces. 🙂
This year, I’ve had the pleasure of working with four of these determined individuals on our 2017 State Conference Planning Committee.  At any given moment, you could never imagine how many emails are flying between myself, our Conference Co-Chairs (Phoenix Park-Kim and Daniel Lin), Conference Liaison (D.J. Smith), and President-Elect (Amy Chaplin).  The variety of real-life obligations and outside distractions facing each individual on this committee is so overwhelming, it’s nearly comical. However, true to form, we’re making it happen in a BIG way.
With that, I am excited to tell you we are in the final stages of planning the 2017 IMTA State Conference, to be held September 29th-30th at Indiana Wesleyan University.
The Conference Committee is ecstatic to reveal the fruits of our labor to you!  The conference schedule is bursting with innovative session topics, and I hope you’ve taken note of Kevin Olson as the featured pedagogy clinician, as well as former Van Cliburn medalist, Aviram Reichert, as our featured artist.  I am also looking forward to introducing members of the IWU Percussion Ensemble to IMTA, as they will be debuting an original composition by our 2017 Commissioned Composer, Dr. Marc Wooldridge.
Please do not miss the opportunity to enjoy the company of your fellow teachers on the beautiful campus of Indiana Wesleyan University.  The program promises something for everyone (including the ridiculous amount of tears I will shed when I “pass the gavel” of the IMTA Presidency to the very-competent Amy Chaplin!).
Please accept my most sincere thanks for the support I’ve received in this role.
Cheers to the beginning of another fall semester!
 
Christina Whitlock, IMTA President
 

2017 IMTA Conference Registration now OPEN

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09.25.2017 update: The early-bird deadline has passed but registrations will still be accepted at the door for the conference (without meals). See you on 9/29!
Registration for the 2017 IMTA Conference at Indiana Wesleyan University is now OPEN!
The 2017 IMTA State Conference will be held at Indiana Wesleyan University in Marion, Indiana, September 29th-30th.
The conference committee apologizes for the delay but looks forward to connecting with everyone in a great weekend of learning including our wonderful lineup of special guests.

The schedule of events, hotel information, and online registration is available at:
https://www.indwes.edu/events/imta/
 

MTNA Launches New eFestival

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Music Teachers National Association is now offering members a new and wonderful opportunity – an eFestival.

The MTNA eFestival is an online-only performance opportunity where you receive constructive comments from a highly-qualified evaluator. It’s perfect for those living in remote areas, have upcoming auditions, performances or competitions, anyone with performance anxiety and more. The more you perform, the better you’re going to be!

MTNA/IMTA members can learn more in-depth details about this eFestival from a webinar hosted by MTNA eFestival manager Amy Immerman. Visit this link to log into the members-only area of the MTNA website to learn more.

IMTA Celebrates the Life of Longtime Member Margaret Strong

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IMTA celebrates the life of longtime member Margaret Strong who was awarded (posthumously) a 50-year membership at the Fall 2016 IMTA State Conference at Goshen College. This excerpt from a recent obituary in the Bloomington newspaper highlights Margaret’s wonderful life of service as a piano teacher.
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Margaret Ann (Schofield) Strong, 91
FEB. 23, 1925-OCT. 1, 2016
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – Margaret Ann (Schofield) Strong, 91, a lifelong music teacher and promoter of civil and human rights, died October 1, 2016, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The cause was complications from pneumonia.
Born on February 23, 1925, in Lockhart, Texas to William M. Schofield and Ethel (Lawrence) Schofield, Margaret attended Baylor University, where she studied Music (clarinet).
During World War II, she left school to work at the San Marcos Army Air Force Base. After that service, she attended the University of Texas, where she earned her Bachelor of Music Education degree (1949) and met her future husband, Douglas Ray Strong.
Margaret and Douglas were married in 1949 and settled in Houston, TX, where Margaret performed and taught piano and where their two children, Narissa and Fred, were born. Margaret was one of only two piano teachers in Houston who taught both black and white students in the 1950s.
The family moved to Bloomington, Indiana, in 1959, when Douglas was hired to be the Head Piano Technician at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. In Bloomington, Margaret built her private piano practice and became active in the Indiana State Music Teachers Association and Mu Phi Epsilon, the music sorority. Margaret and Douglas were active politically and in the Unitarian Universalist Church, where Margaret was the Religious Education Director for many years and one of the regular musicians who played for services.Continue reading→

2017 Hoosier Auditions State Results

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The Indiana Music Teachers Association is pleased to announce the winners of the Hoosier Auditions State Round, held at Butler University Saturday, May 13. Butler was home to a total of 70 students, competing in Piano solo, Piano Duet, Strings, Classical Guitar, Voice, and Winds. All in all, it was a very exciting day, filled with wonderful music making. I would personally like to thank all of the volunteers who helped make the day a success. The winners will be invited to perform at IMTA’s annual conference in September, being held at Indiana Wesleyan University this year. Be sure to check the IMTA website www.indmta.org for information regarding Hoosier Auditions in 2018.
IMTA extends many thanks to this year’s esteemed panel of adjudicators, Senior, Collegiate and Junior Piano Solo, Dr. Lori Rhoden (Ball State University); Middle, Elementary and Early Elementary Piano Solo, plus all Piano Duet Categories, Dr. Rebecca Sorley (University of Indianapolis); All Voice categories, Thaddaeus Bourne (Butler University); All Winds categories, Cathryn Gross (Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra). IMTA also wishes to extend gratitude towards this year’s awards sponsors Piano Solutions (All Piano Solo awards), the Butler Community Arts School (All Piano Duet awards), Indianapolis Violins (Senior Strings Award), Frank’s Violins (Middle Strings Award) & Arthur’s Music (Senior Classical Guitar Award).
 
Early Elementary Piano Duet
Winners: Evan Li & Erica Zhao, students of Natalia Rachford
Alternates: Crystal Wang & Judy Bai, students of Lai Ping Jean HoContinue reading→