Music Teachers National Association chapter named chapter of the year
For the third time, Ohio University’s Collegiate Chapter of the Music Teachers National Association (MTNA) has been selected as the MTNA Collegiate Chapter of the Year. With over 22,000 active members, MTNA is a national non-profit organization that helps support the development of music-teaching professionals.
The award credits an MTNA chapter for its exceptional contributions to the music teaching industry and the notable accomplishments and influential work it is doing to further music and music teaching in the surrounding community and on campus.
“This recognition is a prestigious honor, and it is very humbling that our chapter has been awarded this distinction three times now,” said Dr. Christopher Fisher, professor of piano and OHIO’s MTNA chapter advisor.
Ohio University’s chapter of MTNA is focused on community engagement. Last year, the chapter put together a piano ensemble in which community youth could join virtually. They provided teaching demonstrations and practice videos so that the youth could play along with the recording. They are also working on another piano ensemble commissioned by a local composer that will use a spoken poem that is specific to the Athens community.
The Ohio University Collegiate Chapter received this award in 2019 and 2015 as well. Only one chapter throughout the United States is selected by a panel-reviewed process for the award each year.
“It has been a true privilege to see how the chapter has grown in the past few years,” said Lydia Sander, president of OHIO’s MTNA Collegiate Chapter. “We are dedicated to sharing the gift of music with others and also continuing to help advance the music teaching profession.”
“I am incredibly proud of the organization and the work that the students are doing. They truly want to transform the world through music, so making a difference in the community is a great start,” Fisher said.
Sander and her peers will accept the award virtually this year at the annual conference due to COVID-19.
For more information about joining the chapter, contact Fisher at fisherc@ohio.edu.