Save the Dates!

December 13th Trinity Baptist Church

January 11th Aurora Central Library

Technology in the Music Studio: Internet

Resources, Software & Administrative tools

February 14th Aurora Central Library

Spanish Romance and Rhythm: Teaching Rhythm through

Spanish Music and Musica Valentina

Ho l idAMTA  Jo in  u s  f or  o ur    

Hol i day  Pot lu ck  Luncheon    

And  AMTA  Member  Pe rf ormances .  

ARPEGGIOS DECEMBER 2013 OPUS 36, NO. 4

A U R O R A M U S I C T E A C H E R S A S S O C I A T I O N *

www.auroramusicteahers.org

New Meeting Location Beginning January 2014 AMTA returns to the Aurora Central Library for monthly meetings beginning January 11, 2014, located at 14949 E. Alameda Parkway, Aurora, CO 80012. Meeting times and board meetings remain the same. CSMTA Seeking Executive Board Officers Former CSMTA President, Grace Asquith, NCTM is seeking nominees for CSMTA Treasurer and Representative-at-Large to serve on the CSMTA Executive board for the 2014-2015 term. Jane Sawyer, CSMTA President-Elect for 2014-2015 will hold the quarterly meetings in south Denver. Representative-at-Large is a cushy job! Please contact Grace at askfirst@aol.com if you would like more information. AMTA Achievement Day The Achievement Day Committee wishes to thank all AMTA members who helped with Achievement Day. A big thank you goes to Joe Woods Piano Company for loaning us several pianos. Big Kudos to Gail Larsen for keeping the game room rolling all day long. This event took many hours of preparation ahead of time from these members: Carol Condit: Pianos & Art Room Grace Christus & Seung-Mee Oh: Super Achievers Cat Williams: Theory Room Mary Vanderslice: Master Class Uri Ayn Rovner: Scheduling & Registration Thayne Larsen: Games

UPCOMING EVENTS:

For more information on these events, visit www.auroramusicteachers.org

AMTA Monthly Meeting Friday, December 13

AMTA Student Recital Sunday, December 8

AMTA Composition Festival January 12, 2014

Chair Uri Ayn Rovner Compositions due December 13th

AMTA Four Forms Festival

February 23 & 24 Chair Grace Christus

Registration due January 10, 2014

** AMTA General Meetings are held the 2nd Friday of each month from 9:30 to 11:45 AM New Location as of January 2014: Aurora Central Library 14949 E. Alameda Pkwy Aurora, CO 80012

Board Meetings are held prior to General Meetings from 8:30 to 9:15 AM Members Welcome *AMTA is affiliated with the Music Teachers National Association and the Colorado State Music Teachers Association

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President's Corner Dear Fellow AMTA Teachers: I want to thank everybody for their many expressions of sympathy and support during my mother's illness and passing. I did not realize how many friends I have at AMTA. They are ready to pick up any ball I drop on short notice. I particularly want to thank President-Elect Cat Williams for stepping-in for me while I was gone for most of November. I was actually relieved to hear folks refer to her as the President, or the New President or Junior President! There is always a "coup d’état" waiting in the wings and it serves a valuable purpose. If my father continues to weaken I will officially resign to facilitate a quiet, organized transition. My undergraduate teacher enjoyed reminding us, "no one is indispensable". That said, everyone is indispensable in a successful professional organization, especially one where members are crazy enough to launch something like Achievement Day. As far as I can see, it really worked this year! The Achievement Day Committee with Co-Chairs Cindy Allor and Cat Williams raised the bar by meeting this summer to facilitate the success, by organizing and publishing information teachers might need far ahead of time. They made attendance and participation a requirement rather than an inclination. Likewise, everyone is "indispensable" at our HolidAMTA Musicale. If you haven't been practicing, just play something short and obscure so we can guess what it is! On January 10, 2014, AMTA begins a unique chapter in its history. The Library has invited us back with much fanfare occurring on that date, there will be more on this later. Liane Rockley's carriers will move the piano January 2nd. I want to thank Thayne Larson, and the relocation committee who helped to make this transfer smooth and professional. Please offer your help in order to accomplish this with dispatch. The library wants to have a "Welcome Back" ceremony, and it would be great to have most of you there. This month, take time to write a short thank note or just speak to Secretary, Fran Dukes, the Trinity gatekeeper. In an odd way I think she has found us quite entertaining (as in "never a dull moment"). Now her life will be back to ho-hum. Because of her severe allergies the board will not send her flowers but just a card. Again, thank you for your words of encouragement and empathy in this difficult time. I look forward to seeing you at the party on December 13th, at Trinity Baptist! Mandy B. Townend President, Aurora Music Teachers Association 303-665-4687

A U R O R A M U S I C T E A C H E R S A SS O C I A T I O N

NOVEMBER 2013 ARPEGGIOS PAGE 2

CSMTA State Conference June 4-6, 2014 CSU Fort Collins, Colorado

Joanne Haroutounian, Guest Speaker and Clinician William Wellborn, Piano, Guest Artist and Clinician

MTNA National Conference

March 22-26, 2014 Chicago, Illinois Conference attendees have the opportunity to network with colleagues from around the globe, experience sessions by internationally known pedagogues and witness performances by accomplished artists—all in one of the most magnificent cities in the world. Highlights of the conference will include a piano recital by Spencer Myer, a conversation with Byron Janis, pianist, and advanced piano master classes by John Perry and Spencer Myer.

AMTA Executive Board 2013-2014

President: Mandy Bomar Townend 1st VP-Programs: Linda Combellick 2nd VP-Membership: Catherine Williams 3rd VP-Student Activities: Evan Pilate Treasurer: Kerry Cottingham Secretary: Marie Clark Immediate Past President: Mary Vanderslice