October Updates
October 5, 2023
October 5, 2023
If you have yet to notify Annette Day that you will be participating in Federation, please do so as soon as possible. Email her directly at [email protected].
Also, remember that teacher registration for Federation requires you to follow TWO (2) steps:
1) You must register with our Senior Club directly from our website: Federation Guidelines.
2) Then, you must register your Junior Club on georgianfmc.org.
Please read and follow the guidelines as they are outlined!
Also, when filling out your Junior Club roster, make sure to keep a copy of your student list for your records! Your receipt from GFMC will not include your roster for confirmation. If you forget which students you included, we will have to reach out to the State, and this could take time.
The deadline for Senior and Junior Club registrations is October 15. Student registrations on Vivace will open on December 1 and end on January 15.
Please know that if you have questions regarding any steps of the process, you are welcomed to ask. If you need help finding music or advice on class level selections, etc., please reach out to Fernando Ramos, Annette Day, Cheryl Dietmeyer, or Eric Clay. They are all extremely helpful!
On another note, our CFMTA program Teaching the Transfer Student, presented by pianist/composer Pam Asberry, has been moved to The Music Garden (2860 GA-54, Peachtree City). This event will take place on Tuesday, October 17, at 10:00am.
And finally, the deadline for Fall Festival registration is October 11.
Time is quickly flying!
Also, remember that teacher registration for Federation requires you to follow TWO (2) steps:
1) You must register with our Senior Club directly from our website: Federation Guidelines.
2) Then, you must register your Junior Club on georgianfmc.org.
Please read and follow the guidelines as they are outlined!
Also, when filling out your Junior Club roster, make sure to keep a copy of your student list for your records! Your receipt from GFMC will not include your roster for confirmation. If you forget which students you included, we will have to reach out to the State, and this could take time.
The deadline for Senior and Junior Club registrations is October 15. Student registrations on Vivace will open on December 1 and end on January 15.
Please know that if you have questions regarding any steps of the process, you are welcomed to ask. If you need help finding music or advice on class level selections, etc., please reach out to Fernando Ramos, Annette Day, Cheryl Dietmeyer, or Eric Clay. They are all extremely helpful!
On another note, our CFMTA program Teaching the Transfer Student, presented by pianist/composer Pam Asberry, has been moved to The Music Garden (2860 GA-54, Peachtree City). This event will take place on Tuesday, October 17, at 10:00am.
And finally, the deadline for Fall Festival registration is October 11.
Time is quickly flying!
Fall Festival and Other Updates
September 18, 2023
September 18, 2023
Registration for Fall Festival is now open!
Due to the amount of inquiries we have received regarding other instruments, we have made an addendum to our Fall Festival guidelines. Please visit the Fall Festival Page for instructions and more information. Read all the guidelines carefully so you can advise your students appropriately. Remember that the deadline is October 11.
Please reach out to Fernando Ramos or Cheryl Dietmeyer if you have any questions.
Also, below is the informational packet from this past week’s Orientation Meeting. Thank you to all of our members who joined us! What an amazing turnout! We hope everyone got all of their questions answered and took advantage of the Music & Arts discount.
If you weren't able to join us, you'll definitely want to download the packet. The Fall Festival page and membership roster have been updated. We’ve had four more members join CFMTA in the past week! And due to the questions regarding GATE and GMTA Theory Tests, an additional page is now included in the packet as an overview of what was discussed. If you have students participating at Local Auditions, you’ll want to look at this page.
Our next meeting will be on October 17 at the home of Cheryl Dietmeyer. Pam Asberry will present Teaching the Transfer Student. Don’t forget to RSVP—you can simply reply to this email.
For future social events, we would like to always have a small topic of discussion at the table. Our next lunch will be on December 5 at 11:00am. Please think about your favorite Christmas pieces or collections you use with your students. You can bring them with you to share with us or simply tell us about them. I can’t wait!
Upcoming deadlines:
October 1 - GMTA Theory Exam
October 11 - Fall Festival
October 15 - Federation Senior and Junior Club Dues
Due to the amount of inquiries we have received regarding other instruments, we have made an addendum to our Fall Festival guidelines. Please visit the Fall Festival Page for instructions and more information. Read all the guidelines carefully so you can advise your students appropriately. Remember that the deadline is October 11.
Please reach out to Fernando Ramos or Cheryl Dietmeyer if you have any questions.
Also, below is the informational packet from this past week’s Orientation Meeting. Thank you to all of our members who joined us! What an amazing turnout! We hope everyone got all of their questions answered and took advantage of the Music & Arts discount.
If you weren't able to join us, you'll definitely want to download the packet. The Fall Festival page and membership roster have been updated. We’ve had four more members join CFMTA in the past week! And due to the questions regarding GATE and GMTA Theory Tests, an additional page is now included in the packet as an overview of what was discussed. If you have students participating at Local Auditions, you’ll want to look at this page.
Our next meeting will be on October 17 at the home of Cheryl Dietmeyer. Pam Asberry will present Teaching the Transfer Student. Don’t forget to RSVP—you can simply reply to this email.
For future social events, we would like to always have a small topic of discussion at the table. Our next lunch will be on December 5 at 11:00am. Please think about your favorite Christmas pieces or collections you use with your students. You can bring them with you to share with us or simply tell us about them. I can’t wait!
Upcoming deadlines:
October 1 - GMTA Theory Exam
October 11 - Fall Festival
October 15 - Federation Senior and Junior Club Dues
CFMTA 2023/2024 Calendar Posted!
August 20, 2023
August 20, 2023
Welcome to the 2023/2024 Calendar Year with the Coweta-Fayette Music Teachers Association. We have a lot of exciting events heading your way, plus a few changes—so please read this email in its entirety.
Before going any further, we want to thank our members for being so active during our 2022/2023 student events. We had record-breaking numbers at Fall Festival, Local Auditions, and Federation and we hope to keep this momentum going!
So if you haven’t already, please remember to renew your membership or join our local chapter to take advantage of these upcoming opportunities. For convenience, here are some helpful links:
Before going any further, we want to thank our members for being so active during our 2022/2023 student events. We had record-breaking numbers at Fall Festival, Local Auditions, and Federation and we hope to keep this momentum going!
So if you haven’t already, please remember to renew your membership or join our local chapter to take advantage of these upcoming opportunities. For convenience, here are some helpful links:
MTNA.org
(join or renew CFMTA membership)
GeorgiaMTA.org
(GMTA Auditions, Theory Exams, practice tests, curriculums, state conference info)
(join or renew CFMTA membership)
GeorgiaMTA.org
(GMTA Auditions, Theory Exams, practice tests, curriculums, state conference info)
CFMTA Executive Board
Our CFMTA Executive Officers include the following:
Fernando Ramos, President
Annette Day, Vice-President
Cheryl Dietmeyer, 2nd Vice-President
Cindy Perkins, Secretary
Lacy Yates, Treasurer
Eric Clay, Immediate Past President
Thank you for allowing us to serve you and your students!
Our Officers met in June to begin planning out the year and all the wonderful benefits and opportunities listed below. Please mark your calendars and make sure to join us! We look forward to seeing you!!! Yes, you! So don’t be shy. 😀
Programs
Our first program will take place on Tuesday, September 12, 2023, at Music & Arts in Peachtree City. Presentation will begin at 10:00am.
CFMTA Members will present an Events Orientation Seminar. We will be highlighting all the student events we have to offer, including Local Auditions, Federation, Theory Exams, etc., followed by a Q&A session. If you find yourself overwhelmed by all the different registration procedures, you won’t want to miss this opportunity to get acquainted and informed!
PLUS, Music & Arts will extend their Teacher Discount to 30% during our event. So bring your shopping list!
Our second program will take place on Tuesday, October 17, 2023, at the home of Cheryl Dietmeyer in Peachtree City. Presentation will begin at 10:00am. Please RSVP to attend by replying to this email or texting me at (404)277-1843.
Pam Asberry will present Teaching the Transfer Student. This presentation will explore ways to assess skill level, choose teaching materials, break bad habits, and keep motivation high.
Please join us and help support future programs such as these. We thank Cindy Perkins and Annette Day for setting them up, and Cheryl Dietmeyer for hosting us at her home!
Visit the Upcoming Programs Page for more information.
Kemal Gekić - In Recital
(Open to the Public)
Our next solo recitalist will be the incredible Kemal Gekić on April 14, 2024, at Christ Our Shepherd Lutheran Church in Peachtree City. What an honor to have such a magnificent pianist perform for our chapter!
Please mark your calendars and share this information with students and friends. It is vital that we spread the word to keep this an ongoing annual event for our members and students. Even if you are not able to attend, please don’t neglect to share the information with your students, family, and friends.
Visit the Upcoming Programs Page for more information, including Kemal Gekić‘s bio.
Dr. David Watkins Masterclass
Our annual Masterclass will take place on Tuesday, February 6, 2024, at 10:00am, at Fayette Friendship Community Church in Fayetteville. Our clinician will be Dr. David Watkins. Five students will be selected to perform and receive further guidance on their pieces.
Visit the Masterclass Page for more information, including David Watkins’ bio. Open to CFMTA and Peachtree City/Newnan Federated Senior Club Members.
Fall Festival
Our annual fundraising event will return on Saturday, November 11, 2023, at Christ Our Shepherd Lutheran Church in Peachtree City. As usual, there will be three recitals—with the possibility of a fourth recital if participation increases. Registration deadline will be on October 11, 2023.
In case you are not familiar, Fall Festival is a great performance opportunity for our students, who perform in front of an audience while also receiving a rated evaluation from volunteer judges. This is a wonderful way to prepare for other evaluated events or simply gain additional stage experience. Students must prepare a movement from any Sonata, Sonatina, or Dance from any era or style.
New this year: Students 9 years old or younger may perform styles outside of the requirements above. However, ALL music must be original to the instrument it is performed on. Absolutely no arrangements, transcriptions, or simplifications are allowed.
Please remember this event is also what keeps our chapter financially stable and all of our events and programs thriving. We appreciate your participation! 😀
Visit the Fall Festival Page for more information. Non-CFMTA Members are welcomed to participate.
GMTA Theory Exam
The GMTA Theory Exam will be offered during Fall Festival on Saturday, November 11. The deadline for registration is October 1st through the GMTA website.
This test is dedicated to providing recognition for outstanding achievement in music theory. Students who take and pass the exam will be exempt from the required GATE Theory Test during Local Auditions. It is also a wonderful opportunity for teachers to know where a student currently stands in their knowledge of music theory. There is an ear/listening portion as well. For practice tests and more information, please visit the georgiamta.org website.
Local Auditions
The first around of the GMTA Auditions Competition, Local Auditions will take place on Saturday, February 17, 2024, at Christ Our Shepherd Lutheran Church in Peachtree City. Registration deadline will be January 15th, 2024, through the GMTA website.
The GATE Theory Exam will be required to proceed to Regionals.
Local Auditions fee is $25 (+ $10 GATE Fee).
New this year regarding State Auditions: GMTA has recently amended how ratings will be awarded at the final round of the State Auditions. 1/3 of students will receive Outstanding Performance, 1/3 of students will receive Award of Excellence, and 1/3 of students will receive Honorable Mention. All State participants will receive one of these ratings.
The State Round will take place on Saturday, April 13, 2024, at Piedmont University. Please let competing students know to leave this date open.
Visit the Local Auditions Page for more information.
CFMTA High School Scholarship Competition
One 9th/10th Grade student will receive a $300 prize. One 11th/12th Grade student will receive a $500 prize. This event takes place during Local Auditions and is only available to students whose teachers are CFMTA Members.
Visit the CFMTA Scholarship Page for more information.
Federation
Federation Festival will take place on Saturday, March 23, 2024, at Christ Our Shepherd Lutheran Church in Peachtree City. Teacher Senior Club and Junior Club registrations end on October 15. Student registration deadline is January 15, 2024.
Visit the Federation Page for more information, including a step-by-step guide on how to participate. If you have never participated with our Federation Festival and are interested in doing so, please reach out to Fernando Ramos so he can add you to our Federation email list. (This is the best way to stay informed on upcoming news and updates!)
Honors Recital/CFMTA Recital
These annual recitals will take place on Sunday, April 28, 2024, at 2:00pm and 4:00pm, at Fayette Friendship Community Church in Fayetteville.
Visit the Honors Recital and CFMTA Recital Pages for more information.
Other Important Dates
Please visit our Calendar Page for a complete list of important dates, deadlines, and events, including our CFMTA Socials on December 5th and May 7th and the incredible GMTA Conference on November 2-4.
It is also worth noting that the MTNA National Conference will be held in Atlanta on March 16-20 of 2024!!! How exciting!
Bios
If you are a CFMTA member and would like your bio and contact information featured on our website, please send it to Fernando Ramos. A picture would be great to include. Be aware that we do get scam attempts every once in a while! But if you’re comfortable navigating through these, your contact information can be made available and displayed on our Find a Teacher Page. Please remember that no one from CFMTA will ever email you requesting gift cards, wire transfers, etc.
We look forward to a wonderful year! Again, make sure to renew your membership or join our local chapter to take advantage of these great opportunities and more!!! You can do this at mtna.org.
Thank you for reading! 😀
Our CFMTA Executive Officers include the following:
Fernando Ramos, President
Annette Day, Vice-President
Cheryl Dietmeyer, 2nd Vice-President
Cindy Perkins, Secretary
Lacy Yates, Treasurer
Eric Clay, Immediate Past President
Thank you for allowing us to serve you and your students!
Our Officers met in June to begin planning out the year and all the wonderful benefits and opportunities listed below. Please mark your calendars and make sure to join us! We look forward to seeing you!!! Yes, you! So don’t be shy. 😀
Programs
Our first program will take place on Tuesday, September 12, 2023, at Music & Arts in Peachtree City. Presentation will begin at 10:00am.
CFMTA Members will present an Events Orientation Seminar. We will be highlighting all the student events we have to offer, including Local Auditions, Federation, Theory Exams, etc., followed by a Q&A session. If you find yourself overwhelmed by all the different registration procedures, you won’t want to miss this opportunity to get acquainted and informed!
PLUS, Music & Arts will extend their Teacher Discount to 30% during our event. So bring your shopping list!
Our second program will take place on Tuesday, October 17, 2023, at the home of Cheryl Dietmeyer in Peachtree City. Presentation will begin at 10:00am. Please RSVP to attend by replying to this email or texting me at (404)277-1843.
Pam Asberry will present Teaching the Transfer Student. This presentation will explore ways to assess skill level, choose teaching materials, break bad habits, and keep motivation high.
Please join us and help support future programs such as these. We thank Cindy Perkins and Annette Day for setting them up, and Cheryl Dietmeyer for hosting us at her home!
Visit the Upcoming Programs Page for more information.
Kemal Gekić - In Recital
(Open to the Public)
Our next solo recitalist will be the incredible Kemal Gekić on April 14, 2024, at Christ Our Shepherd Lutheran Church in Peachtree City. What an honor to have such a magnificent pianist perform for our chapter!
Please mark your calendars and share this information with students and friends. It is vital that we spread the word to keep this an ongoing annual event for our members and students. Even if you are not able to attend, please don’t neglect to share the information with your students, family, and friends.
Visit the Upcoming Programs Page for more information, including Kemal Gekić‘s bio.
Dr. David Watkins Masterclass
Our annual Masterclass will take place on Tuesday, February 6, 2024, at 10:00am, at Fayette Friendship Community Church in Fayetteville. Our clinician will be Dr. David Watkins. Five students will be selected to perform and receive further guidance on their pieces.
Visit the Masterclass Page for more information, including David Watkins’ bio. Open to CFMTA and Peachtree City/Newnan Federated Senior Club Members.
Fall Festival
Our annual fundraising event will return on Saturday, November 11, 2023, at Christ Our Shepherd Lutheran Church in Peachtree City. As usual, there will be three recitals—with the possibility of a fourth recital if participation increases. Registration deadline will be on October 11, 2023.
In case you are not familiar, Fall Festival is a great performance opportunity for our students, who perform in front of an audience while also receiving a rated evaluation from volunteer judges. This is a wonderful way to prepare for other evaluated events or simply gain additional stage experience. Students must prepare a movement from any Sonata, Sonatina, or Dance from any era or style.
New this year: Students 9 years old or younger may perform styles outside of the requirements above. However, ALL music must be original to the instrument it is performed on. Absolutely no arrangements, transcriptions, or simplifications are allowed.
Please remember this event is also what keeps our chapter financially stable and all of our events and programs thriving. We appreciate your participation! 😀
Visit the Fall Festival Page for more information. Non-CFMTA Members are welcomed to participate.
GMTA Theory Exam
The GMTA Theory Exam will be offered during Fall Festival on Saturday, November 11. The deadline for registration is October 1st through the GMTA website.
This test is dedicated to providing recognition for outstanding achievement in music theory. Students who take and pass the exam will be exempt from the required GATE Theory Test during Local Auditions. It is also a wonderful opportunity for teachers to know where a student currently stands in their knowledge of music theory. There is an ear/listening portion as well. For practice tests and more information, please visit the georgiamta.org website.
Local Auditions
The first around of the GMTA Auditions Competition, Local Auditions will take place on Saturday, February 17, 2024, at Christ Our Shepherd Lutheran Church in Peachtree City. Registration deadline will be January 15th, 2024, through the GMTA website.
The GATE Theory Exam will be required to proceed to Regionals.
Local Auditions fee is $25 (+ $10 GATE Fee).
New this year regarding State Auditions: GMTA has recently amended how ratings will be awarded at the final round of the State Auditions. 1/3 of students will receive Outstanding Performance, 1/3 of students will receive Award of Excellence, and 1/3 of students will receive Honorable Mention. All State participants will receive one of these ratings.
The State Round will take place on Saturday, April 13, 2024, at Piedmont University. Please let competing students know to leave this date open.
Visit the Local Auditions Page for more information.
CFMTA High School Scholarship Competition
One 9th/10th Grade student will receive a $300 prize. One 11th/12th Grade student will receive a $500 prize. This event takes place during Local Auditions and is only available to students whose teachers are CFMTA Members.
Visit the CFMTA Scholarship Page for more information.
Federation
Federation Festival will take place on Saturday, March 23, 2024, at Christ Our Shepherd Lutheran Church in Peachtree City. Teacher Senior Club and Junior Club registrations end on October 15. Student registration deadline is January 15, 2024.
Visit the Federation Page for more information, including a step-by-step guide on how to participate. If you have never participated with our Federation Festival and are interested in doing so, please reach out to Fernando Ramos so he can add you to our Federation email list. (This is the best way to stay informed on upcoming news and updates!)
Honors Recital/CFMTA Recital
These annual recitals will take place on Sunday, April 28, 2024, at 2:00pm and 4:00pm, at Fayette Friendship Community Church in Fayetteville.
Visit the Honors Recital and CFMTA Recital Pages for more information.
Other Important Dates
Please visit our Calendar Page for a complete list of important dates, deadlines, and events, including our CFMTA Socials on December 5th and May 7th and the incredible GMTA Conference on November 2-4.
It is also worth noting that the MTNA National Conference will be held in Atlanta on March 16-20 of 2024!!! How exciting!
Bios
If you are a CFMTA member and would like your bio and contact information featured on our website, please send it to Fernando Ramos. A picture would be great to include. Be aware that we do get scam attempts every once in a while! But if you’re comfortable navigating through these, your contact information can be made available and displayed on our Find a Teacher Page. Please remember that no one from CFMTA will ever email you requesting gift cards, wire transfers, etc.
We look forward to a wonderful year! Again, make sure to renew your membership or join our local chapter to take advantage of these great opportunities and more!!! You can do this at mtna.org.
Thank you for reading! 😀
A Call for Member Participation
July 10, 2023
July 10, 2023
I certainly hope everyone is enjoying their summer and looking forward to our 2023/2024 Calendar Year.
Our Executive Board had its annual planning meeting on June 27. We are currently working on finalizing our programs and events. This includes securing locations, presenters, and selecting convenient dates. Once everything is confirmed, updates will be emailed and posted here.
If you haven’t already done so, please make sure to renew your membership as soon as possible. If you have never been a CFMTA member, there is no time like the present to join our incredibly active chapter and take advantage of the wonderful opportunities you’ll be able to offer your students.
This year, we would really like to emphasize Member Participation, which has been on a small decline despite the increase in memberships. Recently, we have heard of a few local chapters who have had to dissolve due to members unable to participate or willing to take on small responsibilities. Please remember that although CFMTA has had its highest numbers to date in student participation, our events are organized and run by a small handful of volunteer members, two of whom have been doing it for nearly two decades and deserve a break. (Thank you Cheryl and Annette!) These members put a lot of hours and effort into making these events some of the very best around. I frequently visit other chapters and I am always so proud of how our events compare to bigger city chapters. The compliments we receive from guest presenters and judges are also incredibly encouraging.
Member participation remains a concern, nonetheless. Last year, we had 1-3 members show up to our programs. I kindly ask that members please keep in mind that our volunteers work diligently to ensure we offer incredible programs. It can be a little disheartening when colleagues do not participate even with their presence. (It can also be a little embarrassing when presenters travel and prepare for an audience of two!) Remember that even if you come away with one teaching tip from a presentation, it will be time well spent. Staying current on new techniques and methodologies is also highly beneficial, along with sharing ideas and collaborating with fellow teachers. At the end of the day, CFMTA is here for you. If we make sure you have the best opportunities to further your teaching, then your students will undoubtedly reap the benefits as well.
We realize that we also need presentations (programs) that intrigue our membership. To aid in this, we would like to invite anyone who is interested to consider joining our Programs Committee. You will have no other responsibility than simply sharing your honest thoughts and opinions. Most of our members (if not all) are private teachers whose studios are made up of young beginning and early intermediate students. While most available presenters are often faculty instructors who focus on more advanced levels of playing/teaching, this is something we are determined to remedy. If you would like to attend our first Programs Committee meeting, it will be held on July 18 at 11am. Please let me or Annette Day ([email protected]) know and we will be happy to give you further details.
We would also like to invite any members willing to present something to our chapter. Is there a topic you specialize in you would like to share with us? We would be thrilled to have you and compensate you as a guest presenter while also supporting and promoting your professional endeavors!
Last but not least, if anyone is interested in registering students for Federation or Piano Guild, please let me know and I will be more than happy to help. While these are not CFMTA events, many of our members enjoy offering them to their students as well.
Remember, your participation ensures the future of these traditional events. It would be such a detrimental loss (especially to our students) to see them slowly wither away and disappear. They are worth every small and large effort. They help keep our studios thriving with activities and performance opportunities while engaging our students with goals and things to look forward to. From personal experience, my students adore these events. Of course, there may be the random huff and puff from time to time (usually from parents!), but I simply remind them these events are not mandatory. At the end of the day, I have seen the difference in my studio, especially in student courage- and confidence-building, which is so essential in performance. Not to mention that the increase in practice time really kicks into gear!
Thank you for reading and for your consideration. I look forward to another wonderful year at CFMTA.
Our Executive Board had its annual planning meeting on June 27. We are currently working on finalizing our programs and events. This includes securing locations, presenters, and selecting convenient dates. Once everything is confirmed, updates will be emailed and posted here.
If you haven’t already done so, please make sure to renew your membership as soon as possible. If you have never been a CFMTA member, there is no time like the present to join our incredibly active chapter and take advantage of the wonderful opportunities you’ll be able to offer your students.
This year, we would really like to emphasize Member Participation, which has been on a small decline despite the increase in memberships. Recently, we have heard of a few local chapters who have had to dissolve due to members unable to participate or willing to take on small responsibilities. Please remember that although CFMTA has had its highest numbers to date in student participation, our events are organized and run by a small handful of volunteer members, two of whom have been doing it for nearly two decades and deserve a break. (Thank you Cheryl and Annette!) These members put a lot of hours and effort into making these events some of the very best around. I frequently visit other chapters and I am always so proud of how our events compare to bigger city chapters. The compliments we receive from guest presenters and judges are also incredibly encouraging.
Member participation remains a concern, nonetheless. Last year, we had 1-3 members show up to our programs. I kindly ask that members please keep in mind that our volunteers work diligently to ensure we offer incredible programs. It can be a little disheartening when colleagues do not participate even with their presence. (It can also be a little embarrassing when presenters travel and prepare for an audience of two!) Remember that even if you come away with one teaching tip from a presentation, it will be time well spent. Staying current on new techniques and methodologies is also highly beneficial, along with sharing ideas and collaborating with fellow teachers. At the end of the day, CFMTA is here for you. If we make sure you have the best opportunities to further your teaching, then your students will undoubtedly reap the benefits as well.
We realize that we also need presentations (programs) that intrigue our membership. To aid in this, we would like to invite anyone who is interested to consider joining our Programs Committee. You will have no other responsibility than simply sharing your honest thoughts and opinions. Most of our members (if not all) are private teachers whose studios are made up of young beginning and early intermediate students. While most available presenters are often faculty instructors who focus on more advanced levels of playing/teaching, this is something we are determined to remedy. If you would like to attend our first Programs Committee meeting, it will be held on July 18 at 11am. Please let me or Annette Day ([email protected]) know and we will be happy to give you further details.
We would also like to invite any members willing to present something to our chapter. Is there a topic you specialize in you would like to share with us? We would be thrilled to have you and compensate you as a guest presenter while also supporting and promoting your professional endeavors!
Last but not least, if anyone is interested in registering students for Federation or Piano Guild, please let me know and I will be more than happy to help. While these are not CFMTA events, many of our members enjoy offering them to their students as well.
Remember, your participation ensures the future of these traditional events. It would be such a detrimental loss (especially to our students) to see them slowly wither away and disappear. They are worth every small and large effort. They help keep our studios thriving with activities and performance opportunities while engaging our students with goals and things to look forward to. From personal experience, my students adore these events. Of course, there may be the random huff and puff from time to time (usually from parents!), but I simply remind them these events are not mandatory. At the end of the day, I have seen the difference in my studio, especially in student courage- and confidence-building, which is so essential in performance. Not to mention that the increase in practice time really kicks into gear!
Thank you for reading and for your consideration. I look forward to another wonderful year at CFMTA.
-Fernando Ramos, CFMTA President
NFMC Federation Festival
March 19, 2023
March 19, 2023
Federation 2023 has now come and gone. We had nearly 200 students from 16 teachers perform for 4 judges. We thank all of our teachers for being so attentive and helpful in making our Festival run as smoothly as possible. It was such a pleasure working with everyone, and a lot of fun!
Much gratitude to Annette Day for organizing the event, Cheryl Dietmeyer for the massive task of scheduling our students, and Cindy Perkins for administering Theory tests. We appreciate you!!!
All ratings have now been entered into Vivace. Teachers should log in, check all of their students’ ratings, and contact Fernando if there are any issues. If anyone is expecting cups and has not received a separate email with a cup report, please let Fernando know immediately.
Large certificates are now available. Please reach out to Annette as soon as possible with the number of certificates you need: Large Superiors, Consecutive Superiors, Third Consecutive, Sixth Consecutive, and Ninth Consecutive.
Congratulations to the 8 students below for receiving the Excellence in Artistry Award! All of them will receive a $50 check and are now invited to perform at the Honors Recital.
Anna Broome (student of Jan Adams)
Evan Westafer (student of Eric Clay)
Lucy Kate Jackson (student of Cindy Perkins)
Juan Torres (student of Fernando Ramos)
Lucas Tang (student of Fernando Ramos)
Roy Byun (student of Inyoung Choi)
Andrew Sexton (student of Fernando Ramos)
Ryan Lim (student of Joy Gilmore)
All checks and certificates will be available later this week. Please give us a few days to get everything together. We will not be mailing them.
Much gratitude to Annette Day for organizing the event, Cheryl Dietmeyer for the massive task of scheduling our students, and Cindy Perkins for administering Theory tests. We appreciate you!!!
All ratings have now been entered into Vivace. Teachers should log in, check all of their students’ ratings, and contact Fernando if there are any issues. If anyone is expecting cups and has not received a separate email with a cup report, please let Fernando know immediately.
Large certificates are now available. Please reach out to Annette as soon as possible with the number of certificates you need: Large Superiors, Consecutive Superiors, Third Consecutive, Sixth Consecutive, and Ninth Consecutive.
Congratulations to the 8 students below for receiving the Excellence in Artistry Award! All of them will receive a $50 check and are now invited to perform at the Honors Recital.
Anna Broome (student of Jan Adams)
Evan Westafer (student of Eric Clay)
Lucy Kate Jackson (student of Cindy Perkins)
Juan Torres (student of Fernando Ramos)
Lucas Tang (student of Fernando Ramos)
Roy Byun (student of Inyoung Choi)
Andrew Sexton (student of Fernando Ramos)
Ryan Lim (student of Joy Gilmore)
All checks and certificates will be available later this week. Please give us a few days to get everything together. We will not be mailing them.
CFMTA Local Auditions
February 19, 2023
February 19, 2023
The first round of the GMTA Auditions took place yesterday at Christ Our Shepherd Lutheran Church in Peachtree City. Our gratitude goes out to our participating students and teachers, along with both of our Judges: Dr. Vicente Della Tonia, Jr., and Dr. Jessie Chien Lo. We are also grateful for the handful of volunteers who helped keep our event running smoothly.
Teachers, please remember that you must now register your qualifying students for Regionals directly from the georgiamta.org website. The deadline is Monday, February 27th. All videos for the Regionals Round must be submitted by March 10.
Congratulations to all students who received an Outstanding Performance Award, passed the GATE or GMTA Theory Exams, and are now proceeding to Regionals!
Teachers, please remember that you must now register your qualifying students for Regionals directly from the georgiamta.org website. The deadline is Monday, February 27th. All videos for the Regionals Round must be submitted by March 10.
Congratulations to all students who received an Outstanding Performance Award, passed the GATE or GMTA Theory Exams, and are now proceeding to Regionals!
Students of Inyoung Choi
Jiho An
Gabrielle Chung
Matthew Chung
Lewie Han
Jinger Hong
Leah Jacobs
Andrew Kim
Daniel Noh
Hayoon Pyo
Jiyoon Pyo
Students of Eric Clay
Emilie Chan
Justin Chan
Muriel Chan
Zoura Chan
Catherine Feygin
Lina Wang
Jessie Zhu
Students of Brian Coski
Luke Johnson
Judah Kaspar
Students of Courtney McLean
Sriansha Appalla
Luka Gekic
Ivani Kasaju
Students of Fernando Ramos
Juanchy Fritschy
Ethan Kwok
Andrew John Laughlin
Lily Madani
Sophia Madani
Adam Phan
Matthew Phan
Andrew Sexton
Owen Sexton
Lucas Tang
Alex Yang
Students of Deanna Zack
Ryota Kitahira
Grady McSpadden
A Special Congratulations to the
CFMTA High School Scholarship Winners!
Matthew Chung
(Grades 9/10 Scholarship)
Owen Sexton
(Grades 11/12 Scholarship)
Owen Sexton with teacher Fernando Ramos
Winner of the 2023 CFMTA Junior/Senior Scholarship |
Matthew Chung with teacher Inyoung Choi
Winner of the 2023 CFMTA Freshman/Sophomore Scholarship |
Masterclass and Piano Soloist Recital Events
February 7, 2023
February 7, 2023
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The CFMTA Annual Masterclass with clinician Dr. Owen Lovell was held on February 7 at Fayette Friendship Community Church in Fayetteville, GA. Many thanks to Dr. Lovell for his great guidance and our wonderful students for giving such phenomenal performances while also receiving feedback in front of an audience. |
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The CFMTA Piano Soloist Recital on January 29 was spectacular! Dr. You Ju Lee gave an incredible performance of a Liszt Ballade and two Schubert Impromptus, taking a little time discussing the pieces and some of the challenges involved. Watch a video below of the Ballade No. 2 in B minor, S. 171, by Franz Liszt. Our deepest gratitude to Dr. Lee for such a memorable event. |
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Happy New Year!
January 4, 2023
January 4, 2023
We hope everyone has had a great holiday season and maybe even managed a little rest!
Thank you again for a wonderful 2022 and we look forward to an even better 2023!
CFMTA would like to welcome Cindy Perkins as our new Secretary. She’ll also continue to serve as Theory Chair, so we are extremely appreciative of her time.
Thank you again for a wonderful 2022 and we look forward to an even better 2023!
CFMTA would like to welcome Cindy Perkins as our new Secretary. She’ll also continue to serve as Theory Chair, so we are extremely appreciative of her time.
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We would also like to congratulate one of our students, Luka McLean-Gekic, for winning second place at the AMTA Romantic-Impressionistic Competition back in November. This is such an incredible achievement! Congratulations to him and his teacher Courtney McLean!
Further congratulations to students who took the GMTA Theory Exam during Fall Festival. Outstanding Theorists with Honors
(perfect score of 100) Owen Sexton Thomas Stark Outstanding Theorists (score of 90-99) Ethan Kwok AJ Laughlin Michael Madani Sophia Madani Aanika Patkar Lucas Tang |
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Congratulations to their teachers Leslie Naridikian and Fernando Ramos.
Please remember all of our upcoming deadlines on January 15, which include Local Auditions/GATE, CFMTA High School Scholarship, Federation, and Masterclass. You can find more information on all of these events by visiting the Events tab above.
Please remember all of our upcoming deadlines on January 15, which include Local Auditions/GATE, CFMTA High School Scholarship, Federation, and Masterclass. You can find more information on all of these events by visiting the Events tab above.
Help support our Solo Piano Recitalist Event by spreading the word or posting it on your social media. Dr. You Ju Lee will be performing pieces by Schubert and Liszt. This is a free event, but donations are welcome. Please make sure to attend and invite your students. It’s so important for them to experience these kinds of live performances, especially when it’s right here in their local area. More information below:
Dr. You Ju Lee - In Recital
Sunday, January 29, 2023
3:00pm
Fayette Friendship Community Church
847 New Hope Road
Fayetteville, GA 30214
(This church was formerly known as North Fayette United Methodist Church)
Here’s to an incredible 2023!!!
Dr. You Ju Lee - In Recital
Sunday, January 29, 2023
3:00pm
Fayette Friendship Community Church
847 New Hope Road
Fayetteville, GA 30214
(This church was formerly known as North Fayette United Methodist Church)
Here’s to an incredible 2023!!!
GMTA State Conference - A Brief Overview
November 8, 2022
November 8, 2022
The GMTA State Conference occurred this past weekend (November 3-5) at Kennesaw State University and the Dr. Bobbie Bailey School of Music. It was yet another fantastic few days of educational presentations and wonderful performances by industry professionals and students. Below are only some of the topics that were covered throughout the conference:
Choral Music Educators and "Real World" Piano Applications for the 21st Century - Dr. Leonidas Lagrimas, NCTM, clinician
One of the best concepts from this presentation was the idea that students think of sightreading as something that must be perfect, simply because they spend so much time trying to "perfect" their solo piano pieces. This diminishes the actual real world demands of a musician-for-hire who might avoid paying gigs due to a lack of sightreading proficiency. Effective sightreading is more about keeping time and knowing which notes to leave out, often improvising harmonies. Most students usually already have these skills, but simply have not altered their mentality from "perfection" to "practical" use.
Five-Finger Patterns and Famous Composers: Fresh Ideas for Solo and Duet Piano Works - Dr. Vicente Della Tonia, NCTM, clinician
Dr. Della Tonia explored many pieces that utilize five finger patterns, emphasizing their importance in pedagogical context, such as key identification, directional reading, aural understanding, transposition, and technique. Attendants received a hand-out with a generous list of accessible works, each graded for easy reference.
Sonatinas Revisited: Updating Your Teaching Repertoire with the Benda Sonatinas - presented by the Shorter University MTNA Student Chapter
College students took on the challenge of presenting less familiar sonatinas by Georg Benda. If you enjoy his very popular Sonatina in A Minor, these sonatinas are equally intriguing and worth exploring. Out of the 35 sonatinas, they recommended Numbers 4, 9, 17, 23, and 26.
How Do We Connect? - Corrie Noll, clinician
This was such a fun presentation, especially if you work with younger students. The clinician had so many wonderful ideas to liven up your studio and motivate a natural love for music that extends beyond piano lessons. This was an unexpected personal favorite.
The Piano Etudes of Philip Glass - Alan Woo, clinician
Presentations like these are always more interesting when you get a live performance to go along with the subject matter. Alan Woo did not disappoint, performing three of the etudes in their entirety. You'll want to order the score of these highly accessible, and hauntingly beautiful, etudes.
Choral Music Educators and "Real World" Piano Applications for the 21st Century - Dr. Leonidas Lagrimas, NCTM, clinician
One of the best concepts from this presentation was the idea that students think of sightreading as something that must be perfect, simply because they spend so much time trying to "perfect" their solo piano pieces. This diminishes the actual real world demands of a musician-for-hire who might avoid paying gigs due to a lack of sightreading proficiency. Effective sightreading is more about keeping time and knowing which notes to leave out, often improvising harmonies. Most students usually already have these skills, but simply have not altered their mentality from "perfection" to "practical" use.
Five-Finger Patterns and Famous Composers: Fresh Ideas for Solo and Duet Piano Works - Dr. Vicente Della Tonia, NCTM, clinician
Dr. Della Tonia explored many pieces that utilize five finger patterns, emphasizing their importance in pedagogical context, such as key identification, directional reading, aural understanding, transposition, and technique. Attendants received a hand-out with a generous list of accessible works, each graded for easy reference.
Sonatinas Revisited: Updating Your Teaching Repertoire with the Benda Sonatinas - presented by the Shorter University MTNA Student Chapter
College students took on the challenge of presenting less familiar sonatinas by Georg Benda. If you enjoy his very popular Sonatina in A Minor, these sonatinas are equally intriguing and worth exploring. Out of the 35 sonatinas, they recommended Numbers 4, 9, 17, 23, and 26.
How Do We Connect? - Corrie Noll, clinician
This was such a fun presentation, especially if you work with younger students. The clinician had so many wonderful ideas to liven up your studio and motivate a natural love for music that extends beyond piano lessons. This was an unexpected personal favorite.
The Piano Etudes of Philip Glass - Alan Woo, clinician
Presentations like these are always more interesting when you get a live performance to go along with the subject matter. Alan Woo did not disappoint, performing three of the etudes in their entirety. You'll want to order the score of these highly accessible, and hauntingly beautiful, etudes.
The conference pedagogy headliner was Wynn-Anne Rossi. She gave three wonderful presentations utilizing her many compositions to showcase various pedagogical concepts we often neglect to include in our lessons. In Creative Composition in the Studio, Rossi explores the importance of composition, travelling to outer space, journeying under the sea, having family concert nights at home, and non-traditional music notation as a means of opening up student creativity.
Next, Rossi explored the stimulating rhythms of various cultures through her Musica Latina and Dancing with the World series of books. These pedagogical concepts are bound to enrich your students' rhythmic vocabulary. Free dance lessons were included in this presentation!
In Jazzy Notes and Wild Stories, Rossi gave us a quick and enlightening history of Jazz, emphasizing the importance of this musical style as uniquely American while paying homage to the many musicians who made each subgenre great. She performed several selections from her Jazzin' Americana series, which were carefully created to introduce students to the many wonderful harmonies and rhythms Jazz has to offer.
Below is a short video of an impromptu duet with volunteer Pam Asberry.
Next, Rossi explored the stimulating rhythms of various cultures through her Musica Latina and Dancing with the World series of books. These pedagogical concepts are bound to enrich your students' rhythmic vocabulary. Free dance lessons were included in this presentation!
In Jazzy Notes and Wild Stories, Rossi gave us a quick and enlightening history of Jazz, emphasizing the importance of this musical style as uniquely American while paying homage to the many musicians who made each subgenre great. She performed several selections from her Jazzin' Americana series, which were carefully created to introduce students to the many wonderful harmonies and rhythms Jazz has to offer.
Below is a short video of an impromptu duet with volunteer Pam Asberry.
The conference also offered many amazing performances. On Thursday evening we heard several KSU Faculty performances, including an exciting piece for two marimbas and (past CFMTA Masterclass clinician) Dr. Robert Henry and Julie Coucheron performing the third movement of Mozart's Concerto for Two Pianos, K. 365. The concert ended with performances from the 2022 GMTA Auditions Pre-College Concerto Winners.
On Friday afternoon, we heard the stunningly beautiful GMTA Conference Commissioned Work: Time and Memory, by composer Brandon K. Smith, for Flute and Harp. This was followed by a Q&A session with the composer and performers.
Afterward, three College Level winners of the GMTA Auditions took the stage and gave outstanding performances.
In the evening, Conference Recitalist Paul Barnes took the stage for a breathtaking two-hour performance of contemporaries Philip Glass, Victoria Bond, and Ron Warren. He opened up the set with Bach's Prelude and Fugue in Bb Minor, BWV 867, and closed with Chopin's Ballade in Gm, Op. 23. Paul Barnes was not only virtuosic and powerful, but also entertaining, funny, and had great charisma with his audience.
On Saturday morning, Paul Barnes returned to the conference as clinician for the GMTA Masterclass, featuring CFMTA student Juan Torres as one of the selected participants. You can watch this portion of the masterclass below.
On Friday afternoon, we heard the stunningly beautiful GMTA Conference Commissioned Work: Time and Memory, by composer Brandon K. Smith, for Flute and Harp. This was followed by a Q&A session with the composer and performers.
Afterward, three College Level winners of the GMTA Auditions took the stage and gave outstanding performances.
In the evening, Conference Recitalist Paul Barnes took the stage for a breathtaking two-hour performance of contemporaries Philip Glass, Victoria Bond, and Ron Warren. He opened up the set with Bach's Prelude and Fugue in Bb Minor, BWV 867, and closed with Chopin's Ballade in Gm, Op. 23. Paul Barnes was not only virtuosic and powerful, but also entertaining, funny, and had great charisma with his audience.
On Saturday morning, Paul Barnes returned to the conference as clinician for the GMTA Masterclass, featuring CFMTA student Juan Torres as one of the selected participants. You can watch this portion of the masterclass below.
The conference concluded with the GMTA Auditions Pre-College Winners' Recital, which is always a very exciting event, watching such talented young musicians showcase their hard work.
Much thanks to GMTA for putting on this wonderful event every year. It is such an incredible opportunity to learn from other colleagues and professors, make new friends, share stories with fellow private teachers, and watch riveting performances from professionals and students alike.
October Updates
October 1, 2022
October 1, 2022
October is a busy month! Upcoming deadlines and events:
October 1st (Today!) - Registration for GMTA Theory Test through georgiamta.org
October 12 - Registration for CFMTA Fall Festival. Open to non-CFMTA members.
October 15 - Federation Junior/Senior Club Dues. Please visit our Federation Page to complete your Senior Club Dues. Junior Club Dues and Registration are through georgianfmc.org. Festival registrations will open on December 1 through Vivace, but you may now start adding new students to your teacher page. If you have any transfer students or returning students who did not participate last year, please contact Fernando Ramos.
October 17 - GMTA Conference Registration will close. Wynn-Anne Rossi is the Pedagogy Headliner! Also, one of our own CFMTA students will be performing for the Masterclass with Conference Recitalist Paul Barnes.
October 18 - Dr. Beibei Lin Presentation at North Fayette United Methodist Church. Please join us!
November 12 - CFMTA Fall Festival and GMTA Theory Test
In other news, please find the attached notes from our Piano Guild Discussion with Jan Adams. If you were not able to make it but are still interested in participating, this will be of great interest to you.
Also, our wonderful CFMTA Secretary LuAnn Latzanich has moved. She will be greatly missed! She has been a committed member to our chapter for many many years. As sad as it is to replace her, we are looking for someone to fill her role at CFMTA. Commitments will include participation at every meeting and keeping minutes. The CFMTA Secretary also gets to vote in all executive decisions for our chapter. If you are interested in this position, please contact Fernando Ramos.
October 1st (Today!) - Registration for GMTA Theory Test through georgiamta.org
October 12 - Registration for CFMTA Fall Festival. Open to non-CFMTA members.
October 15 - Federation Junior/Senior Club Dues. Please visit our Federation Page to complete your Senior Club Dues. Junior Club Dues and Registration are through georgianfmc.org. Festival registrations will open on December 1 through Vivace, but you may now start adding new students to your teacher page. If you have any transfer students or returning students who did not participate last year, please contact Fernando Ramos.
October 17 - GMTA Conference Registration will close. Wynn-Anne Rossi is the Pedagogy Headliner! Also, one of our own CFMTA students will be performing for the Masterclass with Conference Recitalist Paul Barnes.
October 18 - Dr. Beibei Lin Presentation at North Fayette United Methodist Church. Please join us!
November 12 - CFMTA Fall Festival and GMTA Theory Test
In other news, please find the attached notes from our Piano Guild Discussion with Jan Adams. If you were not able to make it but are still interested in participating, this will be of great interest to you.
Also, our wonderful CFMTA Secretary LuAnn Latzanich has moved. She will be greatly missed! She has been a committed member to our chapter for many many years. As sad as it is to replace her, we are looking for someone to fill her role at CFMTA. Commitments will include participation at every meeting and keeping minutes. The CFMTA Secretary also gets to vote in all executive decisions for our chapter. If you are interested in this position, please contact Fernando Ramos.
Zoom - Piano Guild Discussion with Jan Adams
September 27, 2022
September 27, 2022
If you weren't able to attend our Piano Guild Discussion with Jan Adams but are still interested in learning more about this wonderful event, please head over to our Essential Documents area to download the event overview notes.
Piano Guild Zoom Session and Other Upcoming Events
September 14, 2022
September 14, 2022
Our Piano Guild discussion with Jan Adams will take place on Tuesday, September 27, at 11:00am over Zoom. Please join us if you are interested in participating or simply learning more about this great festival. An email with a link for the Zoom meeting will be sent/posted as the date approaches.
Our first program with Dr. Jerico Vasquez is next week on Tuesday, September 20, 10:00am, at North Fayette United Methodist Church in Fayetteville. Visit the Programs Page for more information. This event is open to the public. Please try to make it and share the attached flyer on your social media.
Fall Festival will be here soon! The registration deadline is October 12. Visit the Fall Festival Page to register and read through the guidelines. Non-CFMTA members are welcomed to participate.
We will also be administering the GMTA Theory Exam during Fall Festival at 12:00pm. Students registered for this exam will perform at the 10:30am showtime. Please let them know. Registration is now open on georgiamta.org. The deadline is October 1.
Other upcoming dates:
Our first program with Dr. Jerico Vasquez is next week on Tuesday, September 20, 10:00am, at North Fayette United Methodist Church in Fayetteville. Visit the Programs Page for more information. This event is open to the public. Please try to make it and share the attached flyer on your social media.
Fall Festival will be here soon! The registration deadline is October 12. Visit the Fall Festival Page to register and read through the guidelines. Non-CFMTA members are welcomed to participate.
We will also be administering the GMTA Theory Exam during Fall Festival at 12:00pm. Students registered for this exam will perform at the 10:30am showtime. Please let them know. Registration is now open on georgiamta.org. The deadline is October 1.
Other upcoming dates:
- October 15 - Deadline for Federation Senior/Junior Club Dues
- Tuesday, October 18, 10:00am - Beibei Lin Program - Open to the public
- Saturday, November 12 - Fall Festival / GMTA Theory Exam
Accepting Federation Senior Club Dues
August 26, 2022
August 26, 2022
We are now accepting NFMC Senior Club Forms and Dues online. Please visit our Federation Current Guidelines Page for instructions and more information.
Welcome to the 2022/2023 CFMTA Calendar Year!
August 10, 2022
August 10, 2022
We hope everyone has had a wonderful summer and ready to take on the new school year! CFMTA has a lot of exciting events heading your way, plus a few changes—so please read these updates in their entirety.
Before going any further, thank you to our members for being so active during our 2021/2022 calendar year! We had a wonderful turnout at all of our events, breaking records at Local Auditions and Federation. Let's keep this momentum going! If you haven’t already, remember to renew your membership or join our local chapter to take advantage of the amazing opportunities throughout our 2022/2023 calendar year. For convenience, here are some helpful links:
CFMTA Executive Board
At our last social gathering in May, members voted unanimously to keep our current Executive Board for another two year term. Our CFMTA Executive Officers are:
Thank you for allowing us to serve you and your students!
Our Officers met on June 7th to begin planning out the year, while also voting on several agenda items. Any pertinent changes will be mentioned below. For other procedural changes, you may find them in the minutes under the Essential Documents section of the website.
Programs (Open to the Public)
Our first program will take place on Tuesday, September 20th, 2022, at North Fayette United Methodist Church in Fayetteville, GA. Business meeting at 10:00am / Presentation at 10:30am.
Dr. Jerico Vasquez will present My Friends Chuck and Sid: A Fresh Approach to Traditional Technical Exercises. This presentation explores creative approaches to Hanon’s The Virtuoso Pianist and Isidor Phillip’s Exercises for Independence of the Fingers, with the goal of making these technical exercises relevant and enjoyable to young piano students.
Our second program will take place on Tuesday, October 18th, 2022, at North Fayette United Methodist Church in Fayetteville, GA. Business meeting at 10:00am / Presentation at 10:30am.
Dr. Beibei Lin will present An Elephant’s Memory: Constructing, Securing, and Stabilizing Memorization for Piano Students. This presentation explores the science of memory and its application to music.
Please join us for these two incredible presentations, which are open to the public.
Visit the Upcoming Programs Page for more information.
Fall Festival
Fall Festival, our annual fundraising event, will return on Saturday, November 12, 2022, at North Fayette United Methodist Church in Fayetteville, GA. As usual, there will be three recitals—with the possibility of a fourth recital if participation increases. Registration deadline will be on October 12, 2022.
In case you are not familiar, Fall Festival is a great performance opportunity for our students, who will perform in front of an audience while also receiving a rated evaluation from our panel of volunteer judges. This is a wonderful way to prepare for other evaluated events or simply gain additional stage experience. Students must prepare a movement from any sonata, sonatina, or dance from any era or style.
Please remember this event is also what keeps our chapter financially stable and all of our events and programs thriving. We appreciate your participation!
Visit the Fall Festival Page for more information. Non-CFMTA Members are welcomed to participate.
GMTA Theory Exam
We will now be offering the GMTA Theory Exam in the Fall during our Fall Festival event on Saturday, November 12. The deadline for registration is October 1st through the GMTA website.
CFMTA will be offering this test in the Fall for various reasons. Students who take and pass this exam will be exempt from the required GATE Theory Test during Local Auditions. In the past, this test was offered during Local Auditions, but because it was not graded on our premises, the results were impossible to receive prior to the Regional Auditions deadline—as required.
If a student does not pass the exam, they may still be able to take the GATE exam on the date of Local Auditions. This reduces the risk of a student not being eligible for Regionals.
Furthermore, the GMTA Theory Exam is a wonderful opportunity for students and teachers to know where a student currently stands in their knowledge of music theory. There is an ear/listening portion to this exam as well. For practice tests and more information, please visit the georgiamta.org website.
Solo Recitalist Concert (Open to the Public)
Our inaugural solo recitalist event was a great success! CFMTA was able to raise enough funds through audience donations to cover our expenses, so our Executive Board has agreed to do it again. If you would like to see clips of Dr. Elena Dorozhkina’s incredible performances, you may find them on our Past Programs Page.
Our next recitalist will be Dr. You Ju Lee. She will be performing on Sunday, January 29th, 2023, at 3:00pm, at North Fayette United Methodist Church. Please mark your calendar and share this information with students and friends. It is vital that we spread the word to keep this an ongoing event. It is also such a wonderful opportunity for our students to hear and see these performances live and in person without having to travel to distant venues. Some of you may remember Dr. Lee as one of our previous judges at Local Auditions. You may also listen or purchase her incredible recording of Chopin: Selected Piano Works from Amazon!
Masterclass
Our annual Masterclass will take place on Tuesday, February 7, 2023, at 10:00am, at North Fayette United Methodist Church. Our clinician will be Dr. Owen Lovell. Five students will be selected to perform and receive further guidance on their pieces. Dr. Lovell welcomes students who have not yet finalized their performance piece.
The Executive Board has voted to amend the following items as they pertain to our Masterclass:
1) Registration is free ONLY for students who participate at our CFMTA Fall Festival, otherwise a $25 fee will be required upon being selected.
2) A student may not participate two consecutive years.
3) Each teacher may submit up two students for consideration.
Visit the Masterclass Page for more information. Open to CFMTA or Peachtree City/Newnan Federated Senior Club Members.
Local Auditions
Local Auditions will take place on February 18, 2023, at Christ Our Shepherd Lutheran Church in Peachtree City. Be aware that this is the Saturday right at the start of Winter Break for many Fayette County students. Please let your students and their families know well in advance so that they can plan ahead accordingly. We want to give students as much time as possible to prepare.
The GATE Theory Exam will once again be required.
Local Auditions fee has increased to $25 (+ $10 GATE Fee).
Registration deadline will be January 15th, 2023. This is a new statewide deadline! (What this means: sometimes a student can’t participate due to sports, prior conflicts, or simply missing the deadline. Teachers might wish to send them to a neighboring chapter’s Local Auditions instead. All chapters are now required to have the same registration deadline, so please keep this in mind, send plenty of reminders, and—of course—plan accordingly!)
Visit the Local Auditions Page for more information.
CFMTA High School Scholarship Competition
One 9th/10th Grade student will receive a $300 prize. One 11th/12th Grade student will receive a $500 prize. This event takes place during Local Auditions and is only available to CFMTA students.
Visit the CFMTA Scholarship Page for more information.
Federation
Federation Festival will take place on Saturday, March 18th, 2023, at Christ Our Shepherd Lutheran Church in Peachtree City. Please make sure to remind Fayette County students well in advance that this is a long weekend. There is no school the Friday before and Monday after our Festival date.
(Note: as much as we try to avoid school off-days, they continue to increase in frequency, and balancing this with our hosting churches’ own schedules is sometimes difficult.)
Visit the Federation Page for more information, including a step-by-step guide on how to participate.
GMTA State Auditions
Saturday, April 15, 2023, at Piedmont University. Please let competing students know to leave this date open.
Honors Recital/CFMTA Recital
These annual recitals will take place on Sunday, April 23, 2023, at 2:00pm and 4:30pm, at North Fayette United Methodist Church in Fayetteville, GA.
Visit the Honors Recital and CFMTA Recital Pages for more information.
Other Important Dates
Please visit our 2022/2023 Calendar Page for a complete list of important dates and events, including our CFMTA Socials on December 6th and May 9th and the incredible GMTA Conference on November 3-5.
Bios
If you are a CFMTA member and would like your bio and contact information featured on our website, please send it to Fernando Ramos. A picture would be great to include. Be aware that we do get scam attempts every once in a while! But if you’re comfortable navigating through these, your contact information can be made available on the Find a Teacher Page. Always remember that no one from CFMTA will ever email you requesting gift cards, wire transfers, etc.
We look forward to a wonderful year! Again, make sure to renew your membership or join our local chapter to take advantage of these great opportunities and more!!! You can do this at mtna.org.
Thank you for reading!
Before going any further, thank you to our members for being so active during our 2021/2022 calendar year! We had a wonderful turnout at all of our events, breaking records at Local Auditions and Federation. Let's keep this momentum going! If you haven’t already, remember to renew your membership or join our local chapter to take advantage of the amazing opportunities throughout our 2022/2023 calendar year. For convenience, here are some helpful links:
- mtna.org - to join or renew CFMTA membership
- georgiamta.org - for information on GMTA Auditions, theory exams, practice tests, curriculums, state conference
CFMTA Executive Board
At our last social gathering in May, members voted unanimously to keep our current Executive Board for another two year term. Our CFMTA Executive Officers are:
- Fernando Ramos, President
- Annette Day, Vice-President
- Cheryl Dietmeyer, 2nd VP
- LuAnn Latzanich, Secretary
- Lacy Yates, Treasurer
- Eric Clay, Immediate Past President
Thank you for allowing us to serve you and your students!
Our Officers met on June 7th to begin planning out the year, while also voting on several agenda items. Any pertinent changes will be mentioned below. For other procedural changes, you may find them in the minutes under the Essential Documents section of the website.
Programs (Open to the Public)
Our first program will take place on Tuesday, September 20th, 2022, at North Fayette United Methodist Church in Fayetteville, GA. Business meeting at 10:00am / Presentation at 10:30am.
Dr. Jerico Vasquez will present My Friends Chuck and Sid: A Fresh Approach to Traditional Technical Exercises. This presentation explores creative approaches to Hanon’s The Virtuoso Pianist and Isidor Phillip’s Exercises for Independence of the Fingers, with the goal of making these technical exercises relevant and enjoyable to young piano students.
Our second program will take place on Tuesday, October 18th, 2022, at North Fayette United Methodist Church in Fayetteville, GA. Business meeting at 10:00am / Presentation at 10:30am.
Dr. Beibei Lin will present An Elephant’s Memory: Constructing, Securing, and Stabilizing Memorization for Piano Students. This presentation explores the science of memory and its application to music.
Please join us for these two incredible presentations, which are open to the public.
Visit the Upcoming Programs Page for more information.
Fall Festival
Fall Festival, our annual fundraising event, will return on Saturday, November 12, 2022, at North Fayette United Methodist Church in Fayetteville, GA. As usual, there will be three recitals—with the possibility of a fourth recital if participation increases. Registration deadline will be on October 12, 2022.
In case you are not familiar, Fall Festival is a great performance opportunity for our students, who will perform in front of an audience while also receiving a rated evaluation from our panel of volunteer judges. This is a wonderful way to prepare for other evaluated events or simply gain additional stage experience. Students must prepare a movement from any sonata, sonatina, or dance from any era or style.
Please remember this event is also what keeps our chapter financially stable and all of our events and programs thriving. We appreciate your participation!
Visit the Fall Festival Page for more information. Non-CFMTA Members are welcomed to participate.
GMTA Theory Exam
We will now be offering the GMTA Theory Exam in the Fall during our Fall Festival event on Saturday, November 12. The deadline for registration is October 1st through the GMTA website.
CFMTA will be offering this test in the Fall for various reasons. Students who take and pass this exam will be exempt from the required GATE Theory Test during Local Auditions. In the past, this test was offered during Local Auditions, but because it was not graded on our premises, the results were impossible to receive prior to the Regional Auditions deadline—as required.
If a student does not pass the exam, they may still be able to take the GATE exam on the date of Local Auditions. This reduces the risk of a student not being eligible for Regionals.
Furthermore, the GMTA Theory Exam is a wonderful opportunity for students and teachers to know where a student currently stands in their knowledge of music theory. There is an ear/listening portion to this exam as well. For practice tests and more information, please visit the georgiamta.org website.
Solo Recitalist Concert (Open to the Public)
Our inaugural solo recitalist event was a great success! CFMTA was able to raise enough funds through audience donations to cover our expenses, so our Executive Board has agreed to do it again. If you would like to see clips of Dr. Elena Dorozhkina’s incredible performances, you may find them on our Past Programs Page.
Our next recitalist will be Dr. You Ju Lee. She will be performing on Sunday, January 29th, 2023, at 3:00pm, at North Fayette United Methodist Church. Please mark your calendar and share this information with students and friends. It is vital that we spread the word to keep this an ongoing event. It is also such a wonderful opportunity for our students to hear and see these performances live and in person without having to travel to distant venues. Some of you may remember Dr. Lee as one of our previous judges at Local Auditions. You may also listen or purchase her incredible recording of Chopin: Selected Piano Works from Amazon!
Masterclass
Our annual Masterclass will take place on Tuesday, February 7, 2023, at 10:00am, at North Fayette United Methodist Church. Our clinician will be Dr. Owen Lovell. Five students will be selected to perform and receive further guidance on their pieces. Dr. Lovell welcomes students who have not yet finalized their performance piece.
The Executive Board has voted to amend the following items as they pertain to our Masterclass:
1) Registration is free ONLY for students who participate at our CFMTA Fall Festival, otherwise a $25 fee will be required upon being selected.
2) A student may not participate two consecutive years.
3) Each teacher may submit up two students for consideration.
Visit the Masterclass Page for more information. Open to CFMTA or Peachtree City/Newnan Federated Senior Club Members.
Local Auditions
Local Auditions will take place on February 18, 2023, at Christ Our Shepherd Lutheran Church in Peachtree City. Be aware that this is the Saturday right at the start of Winter Break for many Fayette County students. Please let your students and their families know well in advance so that they can plan ahead accordingly. We want to give students as much time as possible to prepare.
The GATE Theory Exam will once again be required.
Local Auditions fee has increased to $25 (+ $10 GATE Fee).
Registration deadline will be January 15th, 2023. This is a new statewide deadline! (What this means: sometimes a student can’t participate due to sports, prior conflicts, or simply missing the deadline. Teachers might wish to send them to a neighboring chapter’s Local Auditions instead. All chapters are now required to have the same registration deadline, so please keep this in mind, send plenty of reminders, and—of course—plan accordingly!)
Visit the Local Auditions Page for more information.
CFMTA High School Scholarship Competition
One 9th/10th Grade student will receive a $300 prize. One 11th/12th Grade student will receive a $500 prize. This event takes place during Local Auditions and is only available to CFMTA students.
Visit the CFMTA Scholarship Page for more information.
Federation
Federation Festival will take place on Saturday, March 18th, 2023, at Christ Our Shepherd Lutheran Church in Peachtree City. Please make sure to remind Fayette County students well in advance that this is a long weekend. There is no school the Friday before and Monday after our Festival date.
(Note: as much as we try to avoid school off-days, they continue to increase in frequency, and balancing this with our hosting churches’ own schedules is sometimes difficult.)
Visit the Federation Page for more information, including a step-by-step guide on how to participate.
GMTA State Auditions
Saturday, April 15, 2023, at Piedmont University. Please let competing students know to leave this date open.
Honors Recital/CFMTA Recital
These annual recitals will take place on Sunday, April 23, 2023, at 2:00pm and 4:30pm, at North Fayette United Methodist Church in Fayetteville, GA.
Visit the Honors Recital and CFMTA Recital Pages for more information.
Other Important Dates
Please visit our 2022/2023 Calendar Page for a complete list of important dates and events, including our CFMTA Socials on December 6th and May 9th and the incredible GMTA Conference on November 3-5.
Bios
If you are a CFMTA member and would like your bio and contact information featured on our website, please send it to Fernando Ramos. A picture would be great to include. Be aware that we do get scam attempts every once in a while! But if you’re comfortable navigating through these, your contact information can be made available on the Find a Teacher Page. Always remember that no one from CFMTA will ever email you requesting gift cards, wire transfers, etc.
We look forward to a wonderful year! Again, make sure to renew your membership or join our local chapter to take advantage of these great opportunities and more!!! You can do this at mtna.org.
Thank you for reading!
