The future ...

"If you do not think about the future, you cannot have one." Those words by English novelist and playwright John Galsworthy adequately and concisely sum up the need for all of us--individuals and organizations--to exercise foresight and continually calculate the future.

At MTNA, we take the future very seriously. We, like you, will be spending the rest of our lives there. Consequently, we are constantly trying to envision the future, to see possibilities before they become obvious.

Of course, it is a difficult task predicting the future. Mark Twain once admonished, "The art of prophecy is very difficult, especially with respect to the future." And Samuel Goldwyn of MGM went even further to say, "Never make forecasts, especially about the future."

History itself is full of questionable predictions: Thomas Watson, founder of IBM, once predicted, "There is a world market for about five computers." An English scientist in the 1800s said that rail travel at high speeds is not possible because passengers, unable to breathe, would die of asphyxia. And a famous U.S. Army General opined, "We must not be misled to our own determent to assume that the untried machine can displace the proved and tried horse." And who can forget the blunt observation of Harry Warner of Warner Bros. Pictures, who in 1827 in response to a question about talking movies said, "Who the hell wants to hear actors talk?"

Well, despite some miscalculations by others, it still is important for us to peer into our crystal balls (however cloudy they may be) or read the tea leaves (however confusing they may be) and try to discern the future. Wayne Gretsky, the great hockey player, was once asked his secret for continuing to lead the National Hockey League in goals year after year. He replied: "I skate to where the puck is going to be, not where it has been."

Two articles in this issue of AMT focus on the future of the music teaching profession. The first is the second installment of our "Visions" series, which, as the title denotes, is all about looking ahead. In "Emerging Trends and Issues in the Music Profession and Their Impact on the Individual Music Teacher," Douglas Lowry, dean of the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, provides insightful and, at times, provocative analysis of where we are and where we are going as music teachers. The article is based on a keynote address Dean Lowry gave at the Summit for MTNA Leadership in September 2003.

"Cultivating the Next Generation" by Lori Rhoden describes her involvement in the future-oriented "Arts in Our Schools" program at Camden County High School in Kingsland, Georgia. It may not sound prestigious, but for Rhoden, her involvement as the featured concert pianist has been a highlight of her career. In the article, she describes the program and offers suggestions for fostering future generations of arts patrons.

This issue concludes with two practical articles. "Rattling the Cage" by Amy Greer tells of her preparation for a solo recital and using the skills of concentration and attentive listening to enhance the process. Jerry Perkins's "An Introduction to the Piano Music of Jeno Takacs" introduces the compositions for young pianists by this Takacs, who is touted as "one of Austria's most prestigious contemporary composers."

MTNA's motto for many years has been "Working for a More Musical Tomorrow." Tomorrow--the future--will belong to those music teachers who anticipate and prepare for it by planning creatively, thinking imaginatively and acting innovatively. And, remember, MTNA and the AMT are here to assist you in the process. Enjoy!

Gary L. Ingle 

Executive Director