Durum Triangle MTA is Local Association of the Year - Association News - Music Teachers Association - Brief Article

American Music Teacher, June-July, 2003

The Durum Triangle Music Teachers Association (DTMTA) of Langdon, North Dakota, is the recipient of the 2003 MTNA Local Association of the Year Award. The award was presented at the recent MTNA National Conference.

Although this local association has just three members, it continually plans activities to educate its students, as well as themselves. Some of these include theme festivals, master classes with composer Melody Bober, a piano rally sponsored by North Dakota MTA, honors recitals and various competitions. Regular monthly meetings include a business portion followed by a program, which might include viewing videotapes or listening to audiotapes on pedagogical topics.

Being located in a rural community far from larger towns, DTMTA conducts workshops held in locations well over a hundred miles from Langdon, such as Grand Forks, Fargo and Bismarck. They drive together to the state convention every year. Last year they drove more than 500 miles to Williston, North Dakota. Two members have attended national conferences in Kansas City and Minneapolis.

"This local association's positive attitude should serve as a great inspiration to us all," says MTNA President R. Wayne Gibson, NCTM. "They have proven that it doesn't take a lot of members to be a successful local association."

The Local Affiliate of the Year Award recognizes the local Music Teachers Association that makes the most significant contribution to the music teaching profession through participation in MTNA national programs and additional programs established within their state and local area. MTNA has nearly 600 local associations.