Dear NMTA Members,
On behalf of the NMTA Executive Board, I am pleased to provide details of the 2021 Nebraska Music Teachers Association State Conference, as well as Competition and Festival events. The campus of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in Lincoln, Nebraska will host all events and act as co-sponsor. We are excited to be back in person this fall! We will send out detailed information regarding any restrictions or adjustments closer to the event.
NMTA State Conference: October 21-22
NMTA Performance Competition: October 23
MTNA Performance Competitions: October 23-24
NMTA State Festival: October 23-24
The NMTA State Conference will include workshop sessions, performances, as well as an advanced masterclass. The main highlights of the conference include the following guests:
Dennis Alexander, guest clinician: Dennis Alexander has earned an international reputation as one of North America’s most prolific and popular composers of educational piano music for students at all levels. His expertise covers all levels of players from the youngest to most advanced. He will be presenting several sessions throughout the conference.
Moran Woodwind Quintet, guest artist: One of the most active and visible quintets in the Midwest, the Moran Woodwind Quintet is the resident faculty woodwind quintet of the Glenn Korff School of Music. They will be performing a concert Thursday evening.
David von Kampen, 2021 NMTA Commissioned Composer: From Lincoln, NE, David von Kampen’s work spans a wide variety of genres and styles, including jazz, choral music, hymnody and liturgy, solo voice, chamber music and musical theater. His work Trisagion will be featured in piano solo and choral versions Thursday afternoon.
Other events include and advanced masterclass by pianist Arnaldo Cohen, guest of the Lied Center, featuring UNL students. The conference will also feature presentations by NMTA members Paul Barnes and Madeline Rogers.
Biographies of our guest clinician and artists are available on the NMTA website: nebmta.org. Please remember that college students can register for free for this year’s conference! We look forward to seeing you in Lincoln!
Angela Miller-Niles, NMTA President-elect
anmille1@wsc.edu
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 21
10:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m. I: Advanced masterclass
Arnaldo Cohen, guest of Lied center
12:00 p.m.-1:00 p.m. Lunch on your own
Registration
1:00-1:55 p.m. II: “Why Didn’t I Think of That?”
Dennis Alexander, Guest Clinician
2:00-2:55 p.m. III: NMTA Commissioned Composer: David von Kampen
Trisagion, performed by Paul Barnes, piano, and UNL Chamber
Singers conducted by Marques Garrett
2:55-3:30 Break
3:30-4:45 p.m. IV: “Music and Motion”
Dennis, Alexander, guest Clinician
5:00-7:00 p.m. NMTA Board Meeting
7:30-9:30 p.m. Moran Woodwind Quintet Recital
9:30 p.m. Post-recital Reception
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 22
9:00-9:55 a.m. V: “Practical, Purposeful, and Plentiful: Showcase”
Dennis Alexander, Guest Clinician
9:55-10:15 Break
10:15-11:10 a.m. VI: “The Beethoven Connection: 19th Century Drama in a 20th Century Concerto”
Madeline Rogers
11:30 p.m.-12:15 p.m. NMTA Awards Luncheon
12:15-1:15 p.m. NMTA Association Annual Meeting
1:30-3:00 p.m. VII: “Teaching the Romantics to Young Pianists”
Dennis Alexander, Guest Clinician
3:00 p.m.-3:30 p.m. Break (including possible student poster session)
3:30 p.m.-4:25 p.m. VIII. “An Extravagance of Love: Three Pianistic Meditations on Greek Orthodox Hymns by Victoria Bond”
Paul Barnes, with special guest Victoria Bond
HOTEL INFORMATION
Hyatt Place Lincoln/Downtown-Haymarket
600 Q Street
Lincoln, NE 68508
Rate: Two Queen Beds, $89
**Includes parking, internet and breakfast
Call 1-888-591-1234 and give group code G-6428
or go to https://www.hyatt.com/en-US/group-booking/LNKZL/G-6428
Cut-off date: Wednesday, October 6, 2021
MTNA Competitions
MTNA Junior, Senior and Young Artists Performance Competitions
Saturday and Sunday, October 23-24, 2021
The MTNA-sponsored student performance competitions will be held on Saturday and Sunday, October 23-24, 2021 at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in Lincoln, NE. Application deadline is 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday, September 15 at the MTNA website www.mtna.org/programs/competitions. (Note: Chamber Music Applications for Chamber Music String and Chamber Music Wind will be available Wednesday, November 10, 2021.) For more information, visit www.mtna.org or contact Linda Rogers, MTNA Competitions Chair: llrog8@gmail.com
Teachers: MNTA/NMTA dues to the national office deadline: August 31, 2021. Entrants will be assessed a $150.00 nonmember teacher fee if membership is not paid for 2021-2022 membership year.
MTNA Elementary, Junior, Senior and Young Artists Composition Competitions
The application deadline for participation in the MTNA Composition Competition is Wednesday, September 15, 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time at the MTNA website: www.mtna.org/programs/competitions. For more information visit www.mtna.org or contact Regina Carnazzo, MTNA Composition Competition Coordinator: carnazzo@cox.net.
NMTA STATE FESTIVAL
NMTA State Festival
Saturday, October 23: 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
Sunday, October 24, 2021: 12:00 noon-4:00 p.m.
The NMTA State Festival will be held on Saturday and Sunday, October 23-24, 2021 at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in Lincoln, NE. The registration deadline for participation in the State Festival is Wednesday, September 15. Entry fees are non-refundable.
Reminders:
*Students who qualify at the District Festival may advance to the NMTA State Festival. Qualification includes receiving a I or II performance rating and 60% or better on the theory test.
*Students who have previously scored 90% or above on the 4B Theory Exam may opt to take the Honors Test.
*No sight reading is given at the State Festival.
*Online entries after the September 15 deadline will not be accepted.
For more information, including entry requirements, the online registration link, practice theory tests, and the NMTA Student Festival and Competition Manual (Revised 2017), please see the NMTA website: www.nebmta.org. (Click on “Festivals” and scroll down to “Nebraska State Festival”.)
Entries will be made online at nebmta.org. Mail check to Festival Chair: Erin Blake, 37874 SW 103rd Rd., Odell, NE 68415. For questions: ecblake@hotmail.com; (402) 239-5839.
*MTNA/NMTA dues to the national office deadline: August 31, 2021.*
NMTA PERFORMANCE COMPETITION
MTNA/NMTA dues to the national office deadline: August 31, 2021. Entrants will be assessed a $150.00 nonmember teacher fee if the membership is not paid for the 2021-2022 membership year.
NMTA Junior, Senior and Collegiate Performance Competitions
Saturday, October 23, 2021
The NMTA-sponsored student performance competitions will be held on Saturday, October 23, 2021 at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in Lincoln, NE. Postmark deadline for the NMTA Performance Competitions is Wednesday, September 15.
Please note the following NMTA Performance Competition categories:
1. LEVELS AND REQUIREMENTS
JUNIOR: Students must be 11-14 years of age at the date of the competition. Repertoire program should include at least two pieces of contrasting style, with a maximum performance time of 10 minutes.
SENIOR: Students must be 15-18 years of age at the date of the competition. Repertoire program should include at least two pieces of contrasting style, with a maximum performance time of 15 minutes.
COLLEGIATE LEVEL 1: Students must be enrolled in a college or university as an undergraduate at the date of the competition. Repertoire should be at least two pieces of contrasting style, with a maximum performance time of 20 minutes.
COLLEGIATE LEVEL 2: Students must be enrolled at the graduate level at the date of the competition. Repertoire should be at least two pieces of contrasting style, with a maximum performance time of 20 minutes.
2. Any student of a NMTA teacher is eligible, with the exception as noted in #3 below. District Festival participation is not required.
3. Any student entered in the MTNA competitions will not be eligible for the NMTA Performance Competitions.
4. Only one judge will be provided for each level of competition
5. One winner will be selected in each category at each level. A Second Place and possible Honorable Mention may be named.
Entries will be available online on the NMTA website. Mail check payable to NMTA to the State Chair: Olga Conklin, 5353 South 174th Ave, Omaha, NE 68135.
IMPORTANT DATES
August 31 Deadline for paying 2021-2022 MTNA/NMTA teacher membership dues
September 15 Online deadline for MTNA Performance and Composition Competitions, NMTA Performance Competition and NMTA State Festival
September 22 Postmark deadline for NMTA State Conference Registration and Conference Luncheon reservation. Registrations postmarked after September 22 will be at late registration rate.
October 6 Deadline for Conference hotel reservations
October 21-22 NMTA State Conference at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln
October 23 NMTA Performance Competitions at University of Nebraska-Lincoln
October 23-24 MTNA-sponsored Competitions and NMTA State Festival at University of Nebraska-Lincoln