CONNECTIONS ON THE COLUMBIA
June 28-30, 2025
More information on each presentation, recital, and meeting will be coming soon.
*Please note, schedule, and presenters are subject to change.
SATURDAY, JUNE 28, 2025
1:00 – 1:15 pm
Welcome to the 2025 WSMTA Conference:
WSMTA President Colleen Hunter, NCTM and Conference Co-Chair Carol Cross
3:00 – 3:45 pm
Jensina Oliver, NCTM
Maestro! Cultivating Artistry and Nuance Through Conducting
3:00 – 3:45 pm
Frances Goei, NCTM
So You Want to Compose?
4:00 – 4:45 pm
Honors Recital #1
4:00 – 4:45 pm
Sarah Silvia and Matt Clemon
American Folk Song Singalong
4:00 – 4:45 pm
Sarah Barclay
Keys to Crossover: Classical to Jazz
7:00 – 8:00 pm
Young Composers Project and Commissioned Composer of the Year Concert
(reception to follow)
SUNDAY, JUNE 29, 2025
9:00 – 9:45 am
Kay Zavislak, NCTM
From the land of the Rising Sun: Introduction to Japanese Composers
9:00 – 9:45 am
Sarah Lightfoot
Creative & Confident
10:00 – 10:45 am
Leann Osterkamp He
Baby of a Concert Pianist: Building Technical Foundations Away from an Instrument
10:00 – 10:45 am
Michelle Rahn
Finding comfort while playing a Chin-strument
11:00 am – noon
Honors Recital #2
11:00 – 11:45 am
Rose Freeman, NCTM
MTNA Certification for You
11:00 – 11:45 am
Darin Kaschmitter
Musical Theatre (Pit)falls
3:00 – 3:45 pm
Gabriel Merrill-Steskal
Playing the Right Wrong Notes: Melodic Ornamentation in Mozart and Chopin
3:00 – 3:45 pm
Rose Johnson
Are Copyright Laws Helping or Hurting The Classical Music Community?
4:00 – 5:00 pm
Honors Recital #3
4:00 – 4:45 pm
Elizabeth Morris
Early Childhood Music
4:00 – 4:45 pm
Natalie Kahler
Harnessing the power of solfege to teach theory, reading, and composition

7:30 – 9:00 pm
Guest Artist Concert:
Artina McCain and Martin McCain
(reception to follow)
MONDAY, JUNE 30, 2025
9:00 – 9:45 am
Ricardo de la Torre
(Not Another) Lecture on Bach Performance on the Piano
9:00 – 9:45 am
Representation and Advocacy
Moderated discussion
10:00 – 10:45 am
Laura Dean
Beyond the Studio Walls: Creating opportunities and building connections in a variety of educational settings
10:00 – 10:45 am
Mengyiyi Chen
Rhythms of Heritage: Exploring Chinese contemporary piano suite ‘Long and Short’ (1984)
11:00 am – noon
Honors Recital #4
11:00 – 11:45 am
Carmen Still
Studio Management: Wrangling the Business Side of the Private Studio
11:00 – 11:45 am
Yimo Zhang
Developing Holistic Musicianship from the Beginning by Using the Solfege System
3:00 – 3:45 pm
Michelle Mielke
A Year of Living Dangerously: My Ill-Prepared Studio Year Emphasizing Underrepresented Composers
3:00 – 3:45 pm
Zachariah Mayberry, Kate Gordon, and Clara Brown
Introducing Improvisation Into Your Studio
4:00 – 5:00 pm
Honors Recital #5
4:00 – 4:45 pm
Lark Powers
Tic Toc: A Metronome on Every Piano? The Transformation of Tempo and Expression
4:00 – 4:45 pm
Ryan Sowers
Piano Technology for Teachers
CONFERENCE HOME