Meet the 2004 Foundation Fellows

American Music Teacher, Oct-Nov, 2004

Frank Pearson, Dickinson, ND

A fifty-year member of MTNA. Frank Pearson received degrees from Albion College n Michigan and master of music and Ph.D degrees from the University of Michigan. He is professor emeritus from Dickinson State University n North Dakota, where he served as chair of Music, Art and Theater and dean of the School of Arts and Sciences. Pearson served in the infantry in Germany during World War II and received the Bronze Star and Purple Heart. His service to MTNA includes president of the North Dakota MTA. president of West Central Division and a member of the former National Executive Board. He was appointed by the governor of North Dakota to the North Dakota Council on the Arts and the North Dakota Bicentennial Commission.

William Perryman, Little Rock, AR

William Perryman is retired professor emeritus at the University of Arkansas, Little Rock. He earned a bachelor of music degree in piano performance from the University of Arkansas and master and doctor of music degrees from Indiana University. A long-time member of MTNA, Perryman has served the Arkansas MTA in many capacities, including state president during the MTNA National Convention in Little Rock in 1991. He was named Teacher of the Year by the Arkansas MTA in 1991. He performs as soloist and accompanist and is a frequent adjudicator at piano festivals and competitions.

Patricia Powers, Midland, TX

A fifty-year member of MTNA, Patricia Powers holds a bachelor of music degree from Kalamazoo College in Michigan and a master of arts degree in music literature from the University of Michigan. She has taught music for more than fifty-five years at the University of Arkansas and at Bee County College in Beeville, Texas, as well as maintaining an independent studio in several Texas communities. Powers has served MTNA in many capacities, including certification chair, member of the MTNA Board of Directors and South Central Division president. She has served the Texas MTA as certification chair, secretary-treasurer and president. She was the editor of the Texas Music Teacher magazine for several years and continues as a consulting editor.

Mary Therese Soper, Boyertown, PA

Mary Therese Soper, NCTM, has been a member of MTNA for forty years. During that time she has served MTNA at the local, state and division levels. In 1977 and again in 1996, the Pennsylvania MTA recognized her as Teacher of the Year and presented her with the Distinguished Service Award in 1985. At age 16, she had the distinction of being the youngest voice major ever accepted at the Curtis Institute of Music, from which she graduated after study in both voice and piano. She was in the original touring company of Oklahoma and later had her own TV and radio shows. Soper maintains an independent studio in Boyertown, Pennsylvania, where she recently retired as director of music and principal organist at St. Columbkill Church for more than forty-five years.

Auda Marie Thomas, Harrah, OK

Auda Marie Thomas has undergraduate degrees in music and pastoral ministry from Southwestern Oklahoma State University and Newman College in Wichita, Kansas, and a master of music degree from the University of Oklahoma. A forty-year member of MTNA, she was awarded honorary life membership in the Oklahoma MTA in 1987. She has chaired the South Central Division competitions, was national high school competitions chair from 1989-1993 and was national competitions coordinator from 1991-1995. She has served as president of Oklahoma MTA and is in her thirtieth year as state achievement audition chair.

Thomas was an elementary music specialist with the Harrah, Oklahoma, public schools, a program named one of the ten outstanding elementary school music programs in the United States by Music Educators National Conference (MENC). She left the public school system to concentrate entirely on her piano studio, where she opened an academic preschool program that allows children to experience academic learning through the creative arts. This program is celebrating twenty-five years. She is in her twenty-fourth year as organist and choir director at St. Teresa of Avila Catholic Church in Harrah.

Marilyn True. Warrensburg, MO

Marilyn True was born in Nyack, New York. She received degrees in music education and piano performance from Ithaca College and the University of Michigan. She has taught at the University of Michigan, Furman University, Central Missouri State University and State Fair Community College in Sedalia, Missouri. True has maintained a private piano studio in Warrensburg, Missouri, for the past forty years and has appeared as a collaborative artist and duet and two-piano partner with her husband, Wesley. She adjudicates for the MTNA West Central Division and for state and district auditions.

True has been an active member of MTNA for many years. She has served as president of the Missouri MTA (MMTA), MMTA certification chair, MMTA high school auditions chair and vice president for auditions.