Welcome to the Lethbridge Branch of the Alberta Registered Music Teachers’ Association! We hope you find being a member of our organization rewarding. If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to contact any of the executive.
Executive: The members of the current executive are:
President: Brenda Lockmuller ph. 403-894-4481
Vice President: vacant
Secretary: Christine Rogers ph. 403-327-2073
Treasurer: Christine Rogers ph. 403-327-2073
Corresponding Secretary: Mary Lee Voort ph. 403-381-3461
ARMTA Representative: Carmen Letourneau. ph. 403-315-0009
Meetings: Meetings are usually held the first Thursday of the month. There are usually 8 meetings a year, September to May. Meetings are most often 1 – 1 ½ hours in length and sometimes include a brief presentation or forum discussion on a teaching topic. Our Annual meeting with election of officers takes place in April. Minutes are e-mailed to all members.
Recitals: Our membership holds a number of recitals a year:
- Canada Music Week recital in November (awards presentation)
- Christmas recital and/or Adult student activity in December (optional)
- Festival Preparation recital in March or April
- Adult student activity May/June
- Final general recital May/June (optional)
Teachers are encouraged to submit well-prepared students for these recitals. A recital guideline sheet is available, as well as a form letter that can be copied and used for students participating in recitals. We do not usually limit the number of students a teacher can submit unless there are an unusually high number of entries.
Members are also encouraged to volunteer as convenors for at least one recital a year. Two convenors are needed for each recital. Convenors are responsible for collecting names, planning and printing a program, providing a basket for the silver collection, and hosting and making announcements at the recital. Photocopying of the program can be done at the UPS store where we have a prepaid copy account.
In November we present awards for the top first-class honours marks for practical and theory exams for the previous year. We usually award up to $1500 annually in various categories. Marks are submitted in September and a committee is formed to organize and award prizes. Members are encouraged to submit all their first-class honours marks and not just the top ones in each grade or category.
Photocopying: Our branch has a copying account at the UPS Store at 210A-12th Street A North. This account is to be used only for copies related to branch business (e.g. branch recital programs) and not for personal teaching business.
Website: Our branch website address is: www.LRMTA.com
Other Activities: Our branch supports and organizes other events throughout the year.
- Workshops: Our branch is committed to continuing education for our students and for ourselves as teachers. We try to sponsor at least one workshop or master class every year.
- Lethbridge and District Music and Speech Arts Festival: The Lethbridge Music Festival takes place in the spring every year and a number of teachers support the Festival. We sponsor a number of awards each year.
- Piano Class Festival: SUSPENDED for NOW: Each year in May, Lethbridge and area teachers organize a Piano Festival open to all piano students. Classes include Baroque, Sonatina/Sonata, Recital, Concert, Pop, and Duet. Awards, determined by the adjudicator are presented by the adjudicator at an Honors Concert at the conclusion of the Festival which features outstanding performers. The Festival focuses on student participation, emphasizing the educational experience of performing and receiving comments from the adjudicator. Deadline is usually April 15th.
- Socials: Our branch often arranges to have lunch with the Royal Conservatory examiners during the January and June exam sessions. We also plan coffee and conversation times to discuss teaching ideas in a more relaxed atmosphere.
- Fundraising events: Our branch organizes fundraising events to raise money for our awards program. Past events have included a practise-a-thon, a teacher’s recital featuring a guest performer and members of our branch, and a family scavenger hunt activity. Most recently we have been sponsoring a practise-a-thon every two years and hosting fundraising recitals featuring local performers.
- AMEF: The Alberta Music Education Foundation (AMEF) is a registered charity which promotes and supports music education in Alberta. It offers many programs including an annual conference. Teachers are invited to become members of AMEF. The fee is $20 per year (group fee) or $40 per year (individual fee).
Linda Dickey (403-329-4874) has agreed to be available to assist new members with any questions they have about our organization or help them with any concerns they have. Please feel free to contact her.
The Objectives of our Branch:
- To maintain the highest standard of professionalism and ethics amongst all teachers by fostering a sense of mutual respect, supporting continued professional development for private music teachers, and promoting high standards of music in our community.
- To continually strive to offer our students valuable, high caliber private music education, promote appreciation and knowledge of music through teaching, offer performance opportunities for students, and encourage and uphold the granting of provincial high school credits for private music education.
- To raise awareness in the community of the benefits of structured private music education and the role that we, as music educators can play in helping students achieve their goals.