Lincoln Music Teachers Association offers low-cost lessons

By Jo Riecker-Karl, LMTA Music Outreach Chair

The Lincoln Music Teachers’ Association (LMTA) is an organization for teachers from all disciplines to network, help each other, receive continuing education, and become better teachers. Students of LMTA teachers have many educational, competitive and noncompetitive performance opportunities. The motto of LMTA is to “revere excellence.” One of the ways that LMTA provides musical opportunities and excellence in the Lincoln community is through their award-winning Music Outreach Program (LMTA-MOP). LMTA-MOP provides music lessons, instruments, print music, and community performance opportunities for up to 50 area limited-resource students. Students eligible for free lunch pay $5 for a month of lessons. Those eligible for reduced lunch pay $20 per month. Families not on the Free/Reduced Lunch program may qualify by submitting their tax return. Students receive up to 44 lessons per year from an LMTA Professional Teacher who meets continuing education requirements and has undergone a background check. Using private donations, grants, fundraising activities, and modest fees paid by the student families, MOP pays its teachers and provides free instruments with upkeep along with other operating costs. Because of the work of LMTA volunteers and community partners who provide free or greatly reduced-cost piano tuning, instrument rental, upkeep and repairs, free sheet music, piano moving and storage, and meeting or teaching space, LMTA-MOP remains strong. LMTA is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) corporation. Monetary, instrument and music donations may be tax deductible. For more information, to become a partner, make a donation, or nominate a student go to www.LMTA.info [Music Outreach Program] and [MUSIC Endowment] or email

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