New Certification commissioners.(Nationally Certified Teacher of Music )

Paul Pollei, NCTM, and Michael Benson, NCTM, have been appointed to represent the Southwest and East Central Divisions respectively on the Certification Commission. They will serve until April 2006, completing the unexpired terms of Cheryl Pachak-Brooks, NCTM, and Sandra Carnes, NCTM, who resigned from the positions.

International ambassador for piano music, Paul Pollei, NCTM, native of Salt Lake City, continues his efforts as founder and director of the Gina Bachauer International Piano Foundation. In addition to his administrative work with the Bachauer Foundation, he is active in the work of the National Conference on Piano Pedagogy, MTNA and the World Federation of International Music Competitions.

Pollei recently retired from Brigham Young University as the coordinator of graduate keyboard studies and a member of its piano faculty. He serves as advisor for the music faculty of the Waterford School in Sandy, Utah, and was a faculty member of the Tuacahn Center for the Arts in St. George, Utah.

Pollei has been a jury member for many national and international competitions throughout the world and has served as a member of juries in Japan, China, Australia, throughout Europe and in all fifty of the United States. He is founding member of the American Piano Quartet, devoted to research, performance and republication of music for two pianos, eight hands. The quartet has concertized worldwide and continues an active research, performing and recording career.

Teacher to many prize-winning students, Pollei also is a frequent lecturer for teacher workshops and master classes in America and throughout the world. He often writes about the issues of piano pedagogy and piano training for professional journals in the United States. He is the author of ...