Here is some information I received from MTNA about the 2006 conference that will be held March 25-29 in Austin, Texas. I attended the conference in 2004 when it was held in Kansas City. It is a wonderful event for any music teacher! There are numerous sessions to attend, opportunities to meet other teachers from around the country, listen to amazing performances and browse the extensive Exhibitor’s Hall. I came home with a bunch of free music and other goodies from the conference! Plan now to attend this year’s conference!
The 2006 MTNA National Conference is just around the corner. Did you know that it will be the largest gathering of independent and collegiate music teachers in the country? This year’s conference will feature all the things you’ve come to expect from an MTNA conference, in addition to much more.
You won’t want to miss any of the conference events. With more than 100 educational sessions and industry showcases, there is something for everyone. Legendary pianist Van Cliburn will officially kick off the conference with his keynote address at the Saturday evening Opening Session. The popular Group Teaching and Technology Tracks will be offered again this year along with the new Just Duet sessions. Just Duet, offered four times during the conference, will give attendees an opportunity to sight read popular duet literature from favorite composers. In addition, the Texas MTA Student Ensembles will perform duet concerts twice during the conference. Also Van Cliburn amateur winner Michael Hawley will give a performance, in addition to a collaborative concert by the Amadeus Trio. Saturday through Tuesday of the conference will feature the finals of the MTNA Student Performance Competitions and the Winners Concerts.
The evenings will be just as exciting as days with special events such as the Monday night FOUNDATION FUND Gala, where the MTNA FOUNDATION Fellows will be recognized. Stanislav Ioudenitch, Van Cliburn Competition gold medalist, will play a recital on Sunday evening and From the Top, one of the nations most popular public radio shows, will be recorded on Tuesday evening in conjunction with the conference.
Arrive early to the conference to take advantage of three pre-conference sessions-Pedagogy Saturday, Professional Studio Saturday and Collegiate Expo. Pedagogy Saturday, headlined by Robert Duke of The University of Texas at Austin, will focus on the art of teaching, while Professional Studio Saturday, with invited keynote speaker James Jordan of Westminster Choir College, will encourage music teachers to take a closer look about the time they spend in various areas of the teaching profession. Collegiate members are encouraged to attend the first ever Collegiate Expo. This new, day-long session, will offer students an opportunity to network with colleagues and speak with experts about starting an independent studio, obtaining professional certification, completing auditions, submitting compositions and preparing portfolios and résumés.
Your schedule won’t be complete without spending some time in the exhibit hall. This year’s hall will offer a variety of print music, music technology, instruments and more.
To find out more about the conference or to register, visit the MTNA conference website. Remember the early registration deadline is February 16, 2006.
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