National officer candidates for the 2005-2007 biennium.

President-Elect

Gail Berenson, NCTM, is MTNA vice president and on the MTNA Board of Directors. She has been a member of MTNA since 1968, joining as a fledgling faculty member at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Since then, she has held a variety of MTNA, Ohio MTA (OMTA) and Illinois State MTA (ISMTA) offices. After accepting a position on the piano faculty at Ohio University in 1975, she prompted the founding of the Southeast District of OMTA in 1978. She has served as OMTA state president, co-chair of the Ohio 1980 and 1990 state conventions, Collegiate Buckeye Competition chair, OMTA student chapters chair and OMTA historian. She holds the MTNA Master Certificate in piano and piano pedagogy and also was awarded the 1999 OMTA "Outstanding Certified Teacher of the Year" award. Recently nominated by the OMTA Southeast District as "Outstanding Certified Collegiate Teacher of the Year for 2004," she currently serves as the district's vice chair for teacher activities.

Her national involvement in MTNA began in 1995 as a member of the MTNA Pedagogy Committee. In addition, she has served as MTNA piano chair on the 1996 and 1997 convention committees and was a two-term member of the American Music Teacher Editorial Committee. She was national conference chair for the 2002 and 2003 MTNA conferences.

Berenson is professor of piano and chair of the keyboard division at Ohio University in Athens, where she was awarded the "Distinguished Teacher of the Year" Award for 2000. An active performer, as well as a noted expert on musician wellness issues, she is a coauthor of A Symposium for Pianists and Teachers: Strategies to Develop Mind and Body for Optimal Performance, a contributor to the new piano method Piano Discoveries as a member of the Lorenz Advisory Board and is a coauthor of its newly released supplemental series, Ask the Professor.

Holding degrees from Northwestern University, Gall has performed and lectured in more than twenty-five states, as well as Great Britain, Belgium, Switzerland, Israel and Canada. Her students are performing and teaching in private studios and on college faculties throughout the United States and abroad.

"It has been an honor and a privilege to serve the MTNA membership most recently as MTNA vice president and a member of the Board of Directors. Throughout my career, MTNA has been an important part of my life, supporting me in countless ways as a teacher, benefiting my students and providing me many long-lasting and meaningful friendships. MTNA is viewed as one of the worlds' pro-eminent music teacher organizations. I would work to continue the traditions of MTNA we all treasure, and to join with our membership in exploring new avenues to help serve and support today's music teachers," she says.

Kathleen Murray, NCTM, is dean of the faculty and professor of music in the piano department at Lawrence University in Appleton, Wisconsin, where she served the past five years as dean of the conservatory of music. She holds degrees from Northwestern University, Bowling Green State University and Illinois Wesleyan University. Murray has appeared as soloist and chamber musician in recitals throughout the Midwest, including performances at the Ravinia Summer Music Festival and Wisconsin Public Radio's Live from the Elvehjem series. She is featured on LUPE, a CD recorded by the Lawrence University Percussion Ensemble, and on A La Par, a CD recorded live during Lawrence University's 1997 Martin Luther King Day Concert released on the CRI label. A frequent adjudicator and clinician, she has contributed several articles to the Proceedings and Reference of the National Conference on Piano Pedagogy and has served as an associate editor of Keyboard Companion magazine.

Kathy has been a member of MTNA since her graduate school years and became actively involved in the Wisconsin MTA in the mid-1980s. In Wisconsin, she has served as student chapters chair and first vice president for conventions. She accepted an appointment as East Central Division president-elect in 1998, went on to serve as president of the division and then joined the MTNA Board of Directors in 2002, completing her term in March 2004.

"I feel that my experiences at the state, divisional and national levels of MTNA have helped me to prepare for the possibility of this next leadership role. In my work in academic administration, I have developed a collaborative, consensus-building leadership style. I believe that all constituents need to feel ownership of decisions affecting the organization is a whole, but realize that not everyone will have the time to devote to the depth of study required for the thoughtful development of a specific course of action. It is the leadership's responsibility to research and present suggested actions along with supporting rationale so that the membership can make informed decisions about accepting or rejecting those suggestions. It is unreasonable to expect that everyone will agree with all decisions, but it should be possible to explain all decisions based on an established, known set of principles. I am both excited and humbled by the thought of continuing the long tradition of strong leadership for this wonderful organization," she says.

Vice President

Sylvia Coats, NCTM, is active as a teacher, performer, adjudicator and speaker. She teaches piano pedagogy and class piano at Wichita State University (WSU).

Coats recently completed a term on the MTNA Board of Directors, chairing the Collaborative Performance Forum. Prior to the board office, she served as president of the West Central Division, president of the Kansas MTA and collegiate chapters national chair. She presently is certification chair for two Wichita-area local associations and advisor for the WSU collegiate chapter.

Sylvia holds a D.M.A. degree from the University of Colorado, where Guy Duckworth was her major professor, and bachelor's and master's degrees in piano performance from Texas Tech University. Coats lives in Derby, Kansas, with her husband, Casey. Her college-age children, Michelle and Jason attend Kansas universities.

"I am honored to be nominated for the vice president of MTNA. My professional life has revolved around MTNA and stare and local affiliates. I treasure this community of professionals who have become my colleagues and friends.

"What issues are important to me?

1. MTNA must support the local and state associations to remain vital to the profession.

2. MTNA must draw young teachers to the profession, in part by developing more collegiate chapters. As a pedagogy professor I have been grateful that my college students have an introduction to a professional music organization through the MTNA Collegiate Chapter.

3. MTNA must promote high standards for teaching and musicianship. The national certification program makes professional development accessible to music teachers. MTNA's competition program encourages the highest level of musicianship.

4. MTNA must promote communication within the membership and communicate the importance of music study to the public, I applaud the continuing development of the website and the forums to facilitate the diverse interests of the membership.

"I have been an officer at all levels of the association from local associations to the MTNA Board of Directors. I believe the Board of Directors provides a vision for the future of music teaching and stays aware of teachers' needs both in independent and university studios," she says.

Martha Hilley, NCTM, joined the faculty of The University of Texas at Austin School of Music in 1982 as coordinator of group piano and pedagogy. Throughout her career she has been active on the international, national, state and local levels. She has taught in Italy, Belgium, Hawaii, Australia, Norway, Taiwan and Austria.

Hilley's abilities as a teacher were recognized in 1983, when she received the Texas Excellence Teaching Award and again in 1988, when she was awarded one of four Dad's Association Centennial Fellowships for excellence in undergraduate teaching. In 1992, Martha was recipient of the prestigious Orpheus Award presented by Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia in recognition of her contributions to the music field. The Texas MTA named Hilley Outstanding Collegiate Teacher in 1997. In 1998, she was the first college of fine arts faculty member to be awarded the William Blunk Endowed Professorship. In 2002, Martha was named as the first MTNA FOUNDATION Fellow for the state of Texas. She has served MTNA on the state level as college faculty forum chair and collegiate chapter chair for TMTA and on the national level as collegiate chapters chair and a member of the Pedagogy Saturday Committee.

Hilley is co-author of two college piano texts: Piano for the Developing Musician and Piano for Pleasure--the first to embrace digital sequencer technology through disks and the first to provide Web-based computer tutorials.

"It is an honor to be nominated for vice president of MTNA, and it would be wonderful to be able to serve in this position. I am a believer in our association and its benefits to current music teachers as well as to those retired and those yet to come," she says.

Secretary/Treasurer

Sigrid Luther, NCTM, is professor of music at Bryan College, teaching piano, piano-related courses and music theory. She holds a D.M.A. degree from Louisiana State University and has studied with Adelaide Banaszynski, Laurence Morton, Peggy Ramsey and Daniel Sher.

Luther is active as guest recitalist, collaborative pianist and adjudicator. Her presentation topics have included functional piano, contemporary piano literature and leadership skills. Sigrid accompanies the Bryan Chorale and serves as pianist at Hixson Presbyterian Church. She developed the piano pedagogy major at Bryan College, organized and co-advises the Chattanooga Area Student Chapter (2004 MTNA Collegiate Chapter of the Year), founded the Bryan College Community Music School, chaired the Dayton Center for the National Guild of Piano Teachers and directs the annual Rhea County Community Music Festival. Sigrid's administrative experience also includes Bryan College faculty chair, humanities chair and fine arts chair. She has received outstanding teaching awards from Bryan College, the Tennessee Governor's School for the Arts, the Chattanooga MTA and the Tennessee MTA (TMTA). Luther's students have won numerous contests and scholarships, and have gone on to private, conservatory and university teaching positions, as well as church appointments.

In addition to being on the MTNA Board of Directors and Finance Committee (2002-2004), Luther's past MTNA services include Chattanooga MTA president, TMTA president, 2004 TMTA conference co-chair, Southern Division president, Southern Division competitions coordinator, Division Presidents Advisory Council chair and MTNA Code of Ethics Task Force chair. She is included in various honor societies and Who's Who publications.

"MTNA, by its breadth, serves both the independent teacher and the college studio teacher, the prodigy and the average student. This service ranges from the practical to the aesthetic. MTNA, by its size, provides significant resources for its membership and a strong voice for our profession. MTNA, by its capable staff and volunteer leadership, continues to find the best ways to advance the value of music study and performance in the twenty-first century," she says.

Kathleen Rountree has a multifaceted career in music and higher education. She holds degrees in piano performance from East Carolina University, Southern Illinois University and The Florida State University, and has toured throughout the U.S. and in Asia, Europe and Canada.

A specialist in performance and pedagogy, she has been a workshop presenter in more than twenty states, and her writings have been published in Clavier, American Music Teacher, Piano Quarterly and Keyboard Companion. Rountree is featured on a CD of American Music for Flute and Piano and is the editor of two keyboard anthologies published by Warner. She has served as MTNA vice president, national conference chair and currently is chair of the American Music Teacher Editorial Committee.

Kathleen has been both an independent music teacher and a college faculty member, having served as keyboard faculty at Louisiana State University, Moorhead State University (Minnesota) and Appalachian State University (North Carolina). In administration, she served as dean of performing and visual arts at the University of Northern Colorado, associate dean at Louisiana State University and currently is associate provost at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Rountree has managed budgets ranging from $1-$6 million and has been an active fundraiser for scholarships and arts events.

"Music is the single force that has shaped the direction of my life. Through music, I discovered that hard work and daily practice could expand my horizons beyond the world of my family's small farm in Virginia. Through music, I have been privileged to perform in distant lands, to teach a five-year-old to make music for the first time and to speak at conventions of musicians, educators and administrators. I believe fervently in the power of the arts to enhance and empower students, and to enrich the cultural fabric of our society. Music has been generous to me; I am honored to dedicate my energies to education, the arts and to MTNA," she says.

In accordance with Article VI, Sec 2. of the MTNA Bylaws, this slate of two candidates per office was prepared by the MTNA Nominating Committee, consisting of R. Wayne Gibson, NCTM, Atlanta, Georgia, chair; Carleen Graff, NCTM, Plymouth, New Hampshire; Scott McBride Smith, NCTM, Irvine, California; Julianne Miranda, NCTM, Greencastle, Indiana; Debra Ronning, NCTM, Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania; Jody Graves, Cheney, Washington; Celinda Hallbauer, NCTM, Belton, Texas; Roy Wylie, NCTM, Auburn, Alabama; Cheryl Pachak-Brooks, NCTM, Portales, New Mexico; and Janice Wenger, NCTM, Columbia, Missouri.

Members also may submit nominations: MTNA Bylaws, Article VI., Section 3.: "Nominations for National ... offices, other than those presented by the Nominating Committee, may be added to the election ballot by petition signed by one hundred Active Members and received at the business offices of the Association no later than three (3) months prior to the scheduled date of the election."

The February/March 2005 issue of American Music Teacher will contain a ballot and voting instructions. Online voting also will be available at www.mtna.org at that time.