Foundation fund: meet the 2005 foundation fellows.(music teachers' achievements and honors)

James Johnson, of Omaha, Nebraska, maintains an active career as a concert pianist, organist-choirmaster and educator. As an organist, Johnson's career has included performances of organ concerti with Sandor Salgo, conductor of the Carmel Bach Festival, as well as many solo recitals. His inaugural recital of the Gress-Miles organ at the University of Alaska was nationally broadcast on public radio. His English organ recital tours have included performances in London, Surrey, Essex and Leicester Cathedral.

As an educator, Johnson was winner of the Award for Inspirational Teaching at the University of Alaska, where he taught for 20 years. In 2001, he was named winner of the Excellence in Teaching award at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. From among the ranks of his piano and organ students have come more than 100 winners of area, state and regional competitions. In 2002, he was awarded the Robert M. Spire endowed professorship in music at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. In 2004, he was selected as the Nebraska MTA Teacher of the Year.

June Leondar, NCTM, of Fort Worth, Texas, has a bachelor of science degree in music education and a master's degree in music education from Texas Tech University. She began her career teaching music in Texas public schools, then opened an independent piano and voice studio.

From 1968 to 1998, Leondar was a faculty member at Tarrant Count College's Northeast Campus in Hurst, where she taught private piano, developed the class piano program and supervised a preparatory piano program for pre-college students.

An active MTNA member since 1957, Leondar is chair of the MTNA South Central Division competitions. In the past, she has served as president of the Texas MTA, the Midland MTA and the Fort Worth MTA, and as president-elect, secretary/treasurer and convention program chair of the Texas MTA.

Among her honors, Leondar was named Teacher of the Year by Texas MTA and received the Distinguished Service Award from the humanities division of Tarrant Count College.

Sigrid Luther, NCTM, of Dayton, Tennessee, is a professor of music at Bryan College, where she developed the piano pedagogy major, teaches piano, piano-related courses and music theory. She also is active as a guest recitalist, collaborative pianist and adjudicator.