Music for Everyone--successful. (In Unison).(music study program)

At this writing, I've recently returned from a very productive meeting of your Board of Directors, and I would like to take this opportunity to tell you about some of the more significant details and decisions.

We now are just over halfway through this biennium, and I am proud to announce that the "Music for Everyone" program is more successful than I imagined.

Just last July, the Board of Directors appointed a task force co-chaired by Joan Reist, NCTM, and Ruth Edwards, NCTM, to identify ways to serve, honor and recognize the mainstream students and teachers of MTNA.

Three stages of this initiative have been developed and implemented during the past year.

The MTNA Music Study Award is an excellent way to motivate your students by acknowledging their commitment to music lessons. As your students progress through music lessons, this program enables you to celebrate their accomplishments with award certificates. The certificates are convenient and effective motivational tools for your entire studio. These awards recognize completed years of music study in two-year increments up to twelve years of study. These distinctive certificates also will serve for years to come as mementos of cherished musical experiences.

The MTNA Studio Festival program will allow your students to soar musically in a nationally sponsored event, held in your own studio. The MTNA Studio Festival program provides an opportunity to showcase your students' musical talents through an exciting and meaningful performance venue. In addition to a stimulating performance experience, your students will receive a supportive critique from an experienced musician and an official certificate recognizing their participation. Open to students of all ages and levels, the Studio Festival offers a noncompetitive atmosphere to inspire your students' musical abilities.

The purpose of MTNA'S Music Achievement Award program is to help encourage ALL students, especially the "everyday" students, to continue their music study and to strive to achieve goals that will not only help them become better musicians, but also will enhance their love and appreciation of music. Students completing the program are rewarded for this achievement with a special MTNA pin. While the true reward is your students' musical achievements and enhanced love of music, a beautiful pin especially designed for this program will be a fitting symbol of their accomplishments.