IN THIS ISSUE

Letter from the President

Back to the Future Festival Update

Music Progressions

Gadgets and Gizmos Meeting Report

Member News

Meeting Minutes

DATES TO REMEMBER

Feb. 7 - The Classical Spillover Effects of Teaching from Jazz Fakebooks

Feb. 25-27 KMEA/KMTA Workshop

Mar. 6-7 Back to the Future Festival!

Mar. 20-24 - MTNA Conference

Apr. 9 - Coffee Chat
(Topic: Sharing Ideas for Personal and Professional Growth)

May 1-2 - Music Progressions

Jun. 1 - Recap & Potluck Dinner

Jun. 11-12 - KMTA Conference

NEWSLETTER ARCHIVES
Accidentally delete an issue of your WMMTA eNews? Not to worry! You can click here to view all of the eNews archives on the WMMTA website now.

TEACHERS NEEDED!
If you have any openings in your studio, please let WMMTA Referral Chairperson, Margaret Dietz, know (whd9@juno.com or 722-2554). We are receiving numerous calls from families looking for teachers and want to make sure we have a current list of potential teachers to whom we can refer them. Thanks!

FESTIVAL SPONSORS
We are so grateful for the following organizations that are sponsoring our Back to the Future Festival!

Bethel College

Mid-America Piano

Senseney Music

Letter from the President - Laura Vollen
Well, I believe the year is off to a great start. We had a great Masterclass in September with Paul Reed, Brad Nix, and Christy Williams; the coffee and chat in October at Julie Brown's was very informative about Music Progressions; the Holiday Music joint meeting with WAPTL at Senseney; and yet another great coffee and chat at Marlene Hallstrom's all about gizmos and gadgets. Whew, I'm tired just typing that! Every one of these has in some way helped our Professionalism, Partnerships, and Personal Growth. I look forward to spring and all the ways we can benefit from this wonderful group in our pursuit of professional growth.

Back to the Future Festival Update - Joanne Ehrlich
The Back to the Future Festival is just around the corner, and the deadline for entries is even sooner! Bring your whole studio and come join us for a fun celebration of the 300th birthday of the piano on March 6-7, 2010 at Wichita's Botanica. All WMMTA members should have received a festival mailing, but here are handy links to all the information via the website:

Festival Flyer - make copies and distribute to your students and/or display as a poster on the wall. http://wmmta.org/library/back_to_the_future.pdf

Festival Repertoire Idea List - just some ideas to get the creative juices flowing! http://wmmta.org/library/back_to_the_future_rep_list.pdf

Festival Registration Forms - please print and mail in by February 15, 2010. http://wmmta.org/library/back_to_the_future_registration.pdf

Here is an overview of the Festival Schedule:

We still need some teachers to help with additional planning and preparation needs for the festival. Please contact Joanne Ehrlich (ancey7@cox.net) if you would like additional information or are willing to help in this way.

Music Progressions - Julie Brown
The 2010 Music Progressions Enrollment Form is now available on the WMMTA website. The deadline for enrollment is March 15. Please send ONE check per teacher made payable to WMMTA.
Please note: Students should commit to a block of time for their exams. As usual, the choices are Saturday morning or afternoon, May 1, or Sunday afternoon, May 2. We will not be able to accommodate specific requests (i.e. Saturday before 10:00 or after 2:00/Sunday between 2:00-4:00, etc.).
Questions? Please contact Julie Brown at julieabrown@cox.net. Thank you!

Gadgets and Gizmos Meeting Report - Sally Buxton
What a great way to start a new year! On Friday, January 15, twelve happy-to-be-together teachers (Megan Desmarais, Joanne Ehrlich, Laura Vollen, Natalie Wickham, Kathy Fehrmann, Nicole Dyson-Smith, Laurel Tiger, Erin Harris, Carole Pracht, Margaret Dietz, Sally Buxton, and our hostess) gathered around Marlene Hallstrom's dining room table to share "Gadgets and Gizmos." Natalie's scale blocks, Laurel Tiger's great Circle of 5ths puzzle, and Margaret Dietz's "Bop It" were highlights of our time together. We heard favorite teaching tips and recommendations for engaging our students' minds and winning their hearts through the great activities presented. The camaraderie was a shot-in-the-arm for everyone as we face a new teaching season.

Member News

Tim Shook
My colleague, Daniel Stevens, and his brother Phillip (violists) and I have been invited to perform in Carnegie Hall in New York City on March 16, 2010. I would love to have you in the audience in New York, but know that for most that is not possible. We are giving a pre-Carnegie Performance at Ascension Lutheran Church at 842 N Tyler in Wichita on February 5 at 7:00 p.m. You are welcome to attend. Your presence will be greatly appreciated.

Editors Note: Tim Shook is one of the candidates for MTNA West-Central Director-Elect. Visit the Election Page on the MTNA website to vote for him!

Nancy Trier-Metzger
Even though it's still cold, it seems like summer is just around the corner-at least when you're getting ready for another week of Camp Allegro Wichita! I've been very busy with all the details of running our new organization, but we've made progress. It's exciting to know that youth will have an opportunity to explore and perform music again this June. I just received notice that the IRS is reviewing our application for 501(c)(3) status (trying to patient while waiting for their decision isn't easy!). Our brochure should be ready at the end of February; in the meantime, you can check our recently updated website at www.campallegrowichita.org. We've added information about the music offerings, our staff and teachers, and pictures. For more advanced musicians, we've added a new division, Camp Musica, which will provide more emphasis on chamber music. Questions? Contact me at nancy@campallegrowichita.org or 684-3415.

Laura Vollen
Please join the Wichita Wind Ensembles Professional Band for a concert featuring Kansas Composers and the Wichita French Horn Society. Guy Vollen, Laura Vollen's husband, will have a premier performance along with other area composers. There will also be a French Horn guest artist. Please check the WWE website at www.wichitawindensembles.org for more information. The concert is Saturday, February 6, at 8:00 p.m. at Friends University.

If you have any news you'd like to submit for inclusion in the next issue of WMMTA eNews, please submit it to Natalie Wickham by e-mail.

Meeting Minutes - January 22, 2010

President Laura Vollen opened the meeting at Senseney Music at 10:10 AM on Friday, January 22, 2010. Present were Joanne Ehrlich, Natalie Wickham, Megan Desmarais, Marlene Hallstrom, Sally Buxton and Margaret Dietz.

Treasurer, Marlene Hallstrom gave an update of the quarterly budget report.
We received a $500 grant for the festival and we’ve paid 2 payments of $400 each to Botanica for the festival venue. One more payment of $800 is due February 1. This will leave a balance of about $100 in the festival account. The main account balance is about $4000. Some of this balance can be loaned to festival if need be. Marlene has sent in paperwork to MTNA regarding next years dues which are staying the same.

As Programs Chairperson, Joanne Ehrlich gave an update on programs to-date and upcoming programs. The coffee chat on January 15 was outstanding.
UPCOMING EVENTS:
-MTNA Conference in Albuquerque in March
-Coffee Chat April 9 at Joanne’s
-Board Meeting - April 19 10-12
-KMTA June 10-12 in Olathe
As Festival Chair, Joanne gave an update on the Back to the Future Festival on March 6-7, 2010. Marty Hess has a presentation about the difference between the piano and the harpsichord and Sylvia Coats can do presentations on ancient dance. There will be moving expenses for instruments and we can use a Clavinova from Senseney. Students can make a donation to the gardens to be able to visit the gardens while they are there.

Past-President Natalie Wickham will head a nominating committee and Laura will appoint the members. As Newsletter chairperson, Natalie reported that the newletter deadline is January 26.

Referral Chairperson, Margaret Dietz, needs names of teachers with openings.

Laura called for Old Business and reported on the Adopt a Piano Campaign at WSU. Sally is going to look further into the situation.

For New Business, Natalie reported that Sylvia Coats is looking for teachers to help pedagogy students use MTNA assessment tools and to allow the students to observe in their studios. Any teachers interested in helping can contact Sylvia.

Laura called the meeting to close at 11:20.

Respectfully Submitted,
Megan Desmarais