Get hooked on the MTNA Conference.

"Have a great time!" my sister wished me before I left for Seattle. "Lydia, you haven't lived until you've experienced an MTNA National Conference. I hope next time you can come, too," I responded.

The first national convention I attended was in 1987, in New York. My mother, Irene Reed, a devoted piano teacher, asked me if I wanted to go. I was surprised. My mother never traveled anywhere without my father, and the thought that the upcoming convention inspired her to think of attending ignited my interest, too.

Off we went to New York by train. It was the first time my mother and I were "roommates." During the day, we labored up and down the flights of stairs from one ballroom to another, laughing at bad jokes, meeting people from all over the country, soaking up as many lectures as our minds and legs would allow. We marveled at the many white-haired teachers who sprang up the stairs and eagerly awaited the next presentation. In the evenings we were awed by the competition winners' concerts, and snuck over to Carnegie Hall to hear an unforgettable performance of Britten's War Requiem. At night, my mother and I collapsed in our beds, exhausted but exhilarated to meet the next day. The experience was grand; we were hooked convention attendees. We returned home invigorated with fresh ideas and suitcases bulging with new materials.

Since then, I have attended many MTNA conventions and conferences. Not only could I satisfy my desire to learn more, I could also feed my congenital travel appetite, l am cursed with having friends who move away, yet I am blessed with having dear friends in almost every city where I've attended conventions. The minute I get my hands on the conference program book each year I do two things: highlight the lectures I want to attend and then fit in as many time blocks possible for sightseeing and city snooping. My friends have teased me that if MTNA were to present an award for the teacher who took the most advantage of any travel opportunities, I would be the recipient. But we all agreed I probably would be too busy sightseeing to accept the award anyway.

I was always drawn to scenic and exciting locations: New York, Miami, Los Angeles, Albuquerque, Salt Lake City and Washington, D.C. As president-elect and then as president of Massachusetts MTA, I visited areas of the country I normally would not have traveled to. I am glad I did. It was interesting to see different parts of the United States and have a chance to meet local teachers, many of whom might never attend a national convention in a faraway location.

It was in Little Rock, Arkansas, that I discovered the existence of another Elizabeth Ann Reed, who also used "Betty" as a nickname. One evening, an unsuspecting man called my hotel and asked for Betty Reed. When the unfamiliar voice of my roommate answered the phone, he asked for Betty, and then to make sure he had the right room, asked for Elizabeth Reed. As my friend handed over the phone to me, a single woman at the time, I can still hear the raucous laughter of my hotel roommates as I responded, "Hello? Um, yes, this is Betty. Oh.... well, this is Betty Reed, but I don't think I'm your wife!" While standing in line for the catfish barbeque in Little Rock, I finally met the "other" Betty. We have had some funny incidents throughout years of attending conventions. One year, her hotel reservation was canceled after I checked in first because the staff thought her reservation was simply a duplicate. Packets got mixed up; messages were sent to each other's rooms. I've taken to introducing myself as Betty Reed from Belmont, Massachusetts. We've had some good laughs about the complications of being "name twins."

The joy of meeting up with former colleagues is sometimes mixed with sadness over the news of a colleague and friend who has passed away or who can no longer attend conferences. I walk down a hall and suddenly two teachers call out to each other with elated voices and big hugs. I meet a new teacher who is attending his first conference and he tells me about the challenges of teaching music in a charter school for the arts in Louisiana. I see others who keep on attending, even though it is obvious by their age that they have probably heard every variation on a lecture theme.

It is this enthusiasm for learning, among the young and the older teachers that I find inspiring. The camaraderie is contagious. Teachers share their innovations freely. We exchange thoughts on how to make improvements in our studios. We discuss problems openly and try out each other's solutions when we arrive home. Sometimes it is easier to ask for help from colleagues we've never met. The territorial fences that teachers often stake out are difficult to pack into a suitcase. There are fewer fears of other teachers judging you by the problems you raise. In discussion groups and at lunches, we discover that we often share the same challenges, and that we are not alone. At the national conventions, I've made professional contacts that have led to performing, writing and teaching projects over the years. I doubt these collaborations would have ever happened otherwise.

Conferences are full of professional opportunities for learning, revitalizing and starting new projects. But most of all, they are fun! How often do we, as teachers, meet socially to have a dinner together, to catch up on our personal lives--not just the quick conversations we snatch between speakers at teachers' meetings? When do we have the time to unwind with colleagues and get to the next layer of conversation, the one beneath what we are doing in our studios? These conversations with friends have been some of the most valuable, personal experiences of my conference adventures.

So, the next time the MTNA Conference comes around, don't think twice about attending. Pack comfortable shoes and lots of granola bars; you'll need the energy to keep up. Go to a conference and get hooked. You'll wonder why you never went to one before!

Elizabeth Ann Reed teaches privately in Belmont, Massachusetts, She performs as a duo-pianist with her sister, Lydia. Her articles have been published in Clavier magazine.