Honorary Life Membership

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2026 Honorary Life Member
Karen Hollenback, NCTM

In junior high I had dreams of being either a pianist or an astronaut.

While in high school I took two years of music theory, accompanied all the school choirs and was rehearsal accompanist for our yearly high school musicals in addition to private piano lessons with the requisite recitals, masterclasses, etc. In high school I also took every science and math class available and even checked out books from the city library on orbital mechanics. The Apollo 13 explosion was a decisive moment in my eventual decision to study aerospace engineering in college, earning a Masters degree and working at NASA in Virginia.

Still “piano playing” was in my blood. My music scores went wherever I went. I would squeeze in practice time in my college dorm practice room between classes. I was even known to cook dinner at a NASA engineer colleague’s house so I could play their piano while the spaghetti sauce simmered. While working at NASA I applied for the astronaut corps but was rejected due to my “poor” nearsighted eyesight (LASIK was not yet a thing!).

So, eventually I married my college fluid dynamics lab partner, left NASA, and settled in Seattle to work at Boeing. Shortly after getting married, my aunt shipped a spinet piano (that came from a tavern in CA) to me in Seattle so I would have something to play. I worked at Boeing until I was pregnant with child #2 at which time I became a “stay-at-home” mom. The spinet was eventually replaced and I continued playing for my children and their friends at Solo and Ensemble contests, at our church as the substitute pianist for one of the choirs, for various school programs, etc.

After many requests to teach piano, I opened my independent piano studio in 1997. A year later I joined MTNA, WSMTA and the South King County Chapter after an invitation from my youngest son’s piano teacher. I attended local chapter meetings serving as the chapter librarian until the spring of 2001 when I had to pause involvement while undergoing treatment for breast cancer.

Upon returning in September of 2002 I was asked to chair our upcoming 2003 chapter honors competition. I was asked by the current chair, who had just found out she was unexpectedly pregnant and due the month of the competition. Since it’s hard to say no to a pregnant colleague, chairing our 2003 chapter honors = competition was the second of my many “jobs” over the years as a member of SKCMTA.

In our local chapter I have enjoyed being the chapter librarian, chapter honors competition chair, treasurer, certification chair, publicity chair and newsletter editor. I was honored to be SKCMTA president from 2008 to 2011, during which time our chapter was awarded WSMTA Chapter of the Year for 2011.

In 2005 I completed my MTNA National Certification Teacher of Music in piano under the old exam format. From 2009-2015 I served at the state level as the WSMTA Certification Chair helping colleagues become certified through the (new at the time) teacher profile projects process. From 2015 to 2017 I served on the MTNA National Certification Commission as the NW Division Certification Commissioner. It was my first opportunity getting to know leadership from across the nation.

I continued serving in WSMTA as Vice President (2015-2017), President Elect (2017-2019), President (2019-2021), Immediate Past President (2021-2023) and I am currently in my final year on the Education Board (2021-2026). The opportunity to work with so many amazing people has enriched my life beyond anything I could have ever dreamed! In addition, I have been proofreader for many of the communications and documents that are distributed to our members, including the Clarion, MailChimp messages, competition programs, and conference booklets to name a few.

My participation in SKCMTA, WSMTA and MTNA has taken many twists and turns. Who would have dreamed that as WSMTA President I would have to “lead” during a global pandemic causing millions of deaths around the world? I am so proud of, and thankful for, all of our WSMTA members who pulled together sharing their time, knowledge and ideas to support our students, their families and all of our colleagues during that very stressful time. Through the efforts of everyone in WSMTA (and across the nation) we kept the music going!!

My involvement in MTNA, WSMTA and SKCMTA has reinforced my belief that marvelous things happen when we work together. Some highlights of my time as a member of MTNA, WSMTA and SKCMTA:
— Meetings at the local, state and national level and the seriousness with which all of our colleagues take their responsibilities, and the fun they like to have after the meeting is concluded…
— Late night emails, text messages and phone calls to figure out how to move ahead with MAP and other programs during the early days of the COVID pandemic…
— MTNA Leadership Summit in Cincinnati with leaders from across the nation, and the passion they hold for music education and advocacy…
— My husband’s unofficial title as “Consort to the President” conferred on him by a fellow WSMTA member after the President’s gavel was passed to me…
— Every state and national conference where WSMTA members and our students gather and lead the way: with presentations, performances, in positions of service, or just hanging out at a meal like the NW Division dinner at National Conferences (At our recent Longview state conference 8 past presidents gathered for a picture with the new 2025-2027 president!)…
— Crossing paths at various events with independent studio teachers, professors of music at our higher institutions, nationally renowned performers, our collegiate members and our young professionals…
— Experiencing the beauty of the Navajo nation while on vacation this past year after having heard Conner Chee and his beautiful music at our 2024 state conference…

However, the biggest highlight of my years in MTNA, WSMTA and SKCMTA has to be the people I have met and the friends I have made!! I’ll be forever grateful for the opportunities my career as an independent music teacher and a member of SKCMTA, WSMTA and MTNA has given me.

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