Eastern Division

American Music Teacher, Oct-Nov, 2005 by Millie Eben

Featured in this edition of the MTNA Division News is the state of Connecticut as we hear from Connecticut State MTA President David Westfall:

Connecticut State MTA offers a variety of competitive and non-competitive performance venues for students, with a wide range of performance levels. In the competitive categories, the state holds two advanced competitions:

1. Young Artist Piano Competition (YAPC) for high school graduates under age 30. Contestants are required to play a solo recital, in addition to a complete concerto. The winner plays with the Hartford Symphony.

2. Concerto Competition for Strings and Piano: junior division, for students in grades 6-8; and senior division, for students in grades 9-12. The winner of each division performs with the Farmington Valley Symphony Orchestra.

In the non-competitive category, the state sponsors two major events:

1. Contemporary Showcase: featuring piano music written during the past 50 years. The showcase has consistently featured commissioned work by major American composers.

2. The Musicianship Achievement Program (MAP) is designed for students who want to be recognized in areas of theory and performance. Approximately 200 students participate in this program each year.

One of the largest challenges that faced CSMTA last year was the renovation of its website. It had served the organization well over the past decade, but needed a major face-lift. The new website is easier to navigate and can be found at

http://www.csmta.org.

Millie Eben, NCTM

Reading, Pennsylvania