Opening the front door on March 1, I was greeted with bright sunshine, a brilliant blue sky, and a cacophony of chirping from birds that must have just arrived for their spring conference! What a welcoming invitation for all things music and conference and spring!
I’m looking forward to attending the 2025 MTNA Conference in Minneapolis, packed with competition performances, sessions, and concerts, reviewing Pacific Northwest Division happenings, and sharing wonderful conversation with friends across the MTNA membership. In preparation for the Division meeting, each state president is asked to write a report of happenings. I would like to share my report.
Northwest Division Report March 2025
WSMTA is in the middle of competition and adjudication season. We are pleased to have 9 performers in the MTNA national competitions. Running concurrently with the WSMTA-MTNA competition is our Outstanding Artist Piano Competition which this last fall inaugurated the BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Color), Women and Underrepresented Composers Prize for best performance in the Junior and Senior Divisions. The chair of our Musical Artistry Program, Jason Kuo, applied for and received a generous grant from the Tulalip Tribes for this award, and Jason is also researching grant funding for other WSMTA projects. Thank you, Jason!
Our Musical Artistry Program with performances by students of all ages and lessons with Visiting Artists, along with Honors Recitals and Chapter Competitions for representation in performances at the state conference, are underway in nearly every chapter. With 40 events, 310 studios are represented and over 2,500 students participating in piano, vocal/instrumental.
With the help of so many of our members, we had a wonderful state conference this past June held at Gonzaga University, and now we are looking ahead to our upcoming conference, Connections on the Columbia, on June 28-30 (Sat.-Mon.), at Lower Columbia College in Longview, WA. Our guest artists will be Artina and Martin McCain, and everyone is welcome to attend and can check out the details on wsmta.org.
Congratulations to the Seattle Chapter for its selection as MTNA 2025 Local Association of the Year! They have a year-long feast of activities ranging from serious to comic-relief, touching on all genres of music, for all levels of students and teachers, from indoors to outdoors for creative variety and diversity. Check out their website and Facebook page.
WSMTA is pleased to recognize our 2025 Foundation Fellow, Cinda Goold Redman. Besides her artistic performance and teaching reputation, she has been an endless example of positive and relentless volunteer activity for WSMTA.
On behalf of WSMTA, we congratulate MTNA President and WSMTA member, Peter Mack, on an outstanding term as MTNA President and to William Chapman Nyaho, Vice President for Representation and Advocacy. Throughout their terms, they have remained committed to WSMTA and their local chapter. We thank you!!
Regarding membership, I continue to be reminded that friendliness, invitation, and conversation go a long way to bringing interest and then a commitment to attending WSMTA events at the local level. Connecting with our college music students across the state is imperative for them to be valued and welcomed to the WSMTA/MTNA collaborative family.
Enjoy some fresh air, longer days, and beautiful music!
Colleen Hunter, NCTM
WSMTA President