2015 Opus Composition Festival

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IMTA is pleased to announce the 2015 Opus Composition Festival!
The Opus Composition Festival is a competitive event designed to encourage students to create and write music. The Opus Composition Festival promotes creativity and educates students in the art and craft of musical composition.
All students who enter receive a special certificate of participation, a ribbon, and a judge’s comment sheet.
New this year: Computer-generated scores and MIDI files will be required.
Postmarked Entry Deadline: Saturday, March 7, 2015.
Please refer to the IMTA website for this years guidelines and entry form.

2014 MTNA Conference – a personal review

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By Nancy Spahr, NCTM
Attending the 2014 MTNA Conference in Chicago was a great experience!  There were so many interesting and enriching sessions available that it was difficult to decide which to go to.  Many of the Exhibitor Showcase sessions were packed, with standing room only for latecomers.  Some of the showcases offered free packets of materials to attendees, and we were eager to take these home.  It took me a long time to make my way through the Exhibit Hall; there were so many innovative products I had never heard of as well as lots of helpful information relevant to my work as a piano teacher.  The concerts were outstanding, from the exciting performances by the young winners to Spencer Myer’s thrilling recital.  Also invigorating were the many conversations with other teachers.   Although tired afterwards, I felt excited, enthused, and full of new ideas and plans for incorporating them.
My main goal in attending the conference was to gather information and ideas to improve my teaching.  In particular, I wished to become more knowledgeable about technology in general and find some specific ways to incorporate it in my studio as well as to find some ways to help my students feel more energized and successful at the piano.Continue reading→

2014 IMTA Hoosier Auditions – State Results

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IMTA announces the winners of the 2014 Hoosier Auditions State Competition held at Butler University, Saturday May 17. Congratulations to all students, teachers, and parents who participated. In addition to receiving a cash award the winners of each category will be invited to perform at the Winners Recital during the IMTA Fall Conference held at Anderson University in Anderson, Indiana, November 7-8. Please consult the IMTA directory or online at indmta.org for 2015 Hoosier Auditions information.
Hoosier Auditions State Results
May 17, 2014
Early Elementary Piano Duet
Winner: Chenyao Liu & Karolena Zhou, students of Irina Gorin
Alternate: Patrick Li & Taiga Nishida, students of Aleksey Madan
Honorable Mention: Wyat & William Lancaster, students of Claudia BossardContinue reading→

2014 IMTA Hoosier Auditions – District Results

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Indiana Music Teachers Association is honored to announce the winners of the 2014 District Hoosier Auditions held in Valpariso, Goshen, Indianapolis, Anderson, Terre Haute, Madison, Evansville, Fort Wayne, and Lafayette.  The auditions are administered throughout the state by volunteer auditions chairs Carey Scheck, Beverly Lapp, Anna Briscoe, Reginald Rogers, Beverly Simms, Hugh Partridge, Grace Hemaida, Joyanne Outland, and Melanie Manges. The final round of competition will be held at Butler University, Saturday May 17. Postmark Deadline for registration and entry fees is Monday, April 28. Please consult the IMTA Directory or online at www.indmta.org for application, entry fees, and repertoire requirements. Any questions can be directed to the Hoosier Auditions coordinator, D.J. Smith [email protected].
District A (Valpariso)
Carey Scheck, District Chair
Elementary Piano
Winner: Victor Sirugo, student of Carey Scheck
Alternate: Sam Sutliff, student of Carey Scheck
Honorable Mention: Veronica Lin, student of Carey ScheckContinue reading→

2014 Opus Winners

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2014 Opus Winners

Elementary Category – Ellie Overbeck, student of Melissa Willis
Junior Category – Ellie Svec, student of Becky Baker
Senior Category – Nathaniel Stout, student of Evelyn Stichter
Young Artist Category – no entries

Butler University students reflect on National Conference experience

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This past March, members of the Butler MTNA Collegiate Chapter attended and presented at the MTNA National Conference in Chicago, thanks in large part to the generous support of the Indiana Music Teachers Association.  After writing proposals, learning that one was accepted out of over twenty applications, preparing and rehearsing for months, six of our members were able to present a session entitled, Creating a Musical Wonderland: Teaching Composition Through Storytelling.  Preparing a session and attending the conference was a fantastic experience for all of us. We were able to network with other music teachers, learn about new teaching products, and discover new ways to engage our students.  You can read more about each member’s experience below.
Over the four days at the MTNA conference, I attended numerous presentations directly applicable to my own lesson teaching, in addition to the presentation that our chapter gave. Our presentation was very well received and will hopefully inspire other teachers to incorporate composition and improvisation into their lessons. Some of the most beneficial presentations I attended were teaching master classes given by Jane McGrath and Marvin Blickenstaff, in which they taught children in a lesson setting in front of the audience. Watching these two master teachers provided me with practical strategies and points of view that I look forward to implementing in my lessons. I also attended many of the Young Professionals Track presentations, which were relevant to my plans to be an independent piano teacher. I feel the trip was highly beneficial, both because of the presentations I attended and the presentation I participated in. -Scott Keegan, 2nd year Masters Student in CompositionContinue reading→

IMTA congratulates Erin Peyer on selection of RMM Studio Fellowship Award

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Congratulations to Erin Peyer, second year graduate student in Piano Pedagogy at Butler University, for her selection as recipient of an RMM Studio Fellowship Award, presented by the National Piano Foundation. “The RMM Studio Fellowship Award is presented annually to new or established independent piano teachers who demonstrate a clear understanding of Recreational Music Making (RMM) philosophy and practices, and a proven passion for creating new music makers with RMM-based teaching.”  The award includes 2 new digital pianos from Yamaha or Kawai. Additionally, recipients will be assigned to an RMM teacher/mentor who will consult with them in all facets of starting, developing, and teaching an RMM program.  After graduation next month, Erin plans to launch an independent studio in her home town of Oshkosh, Wisconsin, and will include RMM classes for teens as a focus of her teaching.

2014 IMTA Conference Call for Proposals

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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
[email protected]
 

Student winners to advance to MTNA National Competition

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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

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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→