Toronto!

A Vision Becomes Reality

In 1998, Gary L. Ingle, executive director of MTNA, contacted Hugheen Ferguson, president of the Canadian Federation of Music Teachers' Associations (CFMTA), about the possibility of participating in a Collaborative Conference with MTNA. Ingle attended CFMTA conferences in Manitoba in 1999 and Newfoundland in 2003 to further discuss this possibility, and in January 2004 an official Steering Committee was formed. It consisted of representatives from MTNA, CFMTA and The Royal Conservatory of Music. It has been a privilege and a pleasure participating in these meetings and discovering that, although there are some unique differences, there are also many similarities in the profession of music teaching in our countries.

On Friday, March 23, 2007, in Toronto, Canada, the "vision" that began nearly 10 years ago will become reality with the opening ceremonies of "Teaching Without Borders: A Collaborative Conference Exploring Pedagogical Diversity." For the first time in the history of MTNA your annual conference will be held outside the United States. We in Canada are honored to host this event! It will also be the first collaborative conference for the CFMTA, and it is with great anticipation that our members look forward to what promises to be an extraordinary experience! I encourage you to become part of this memorable event as MTNA, RCM and CFMTA, each rich in their own history and tradition, come together to celebrate music!

Patricia Frehlich

CFMTA President

On to Ontario

Being involved in the planning of our 2007 Collaborative Conference scheduled for March 2007 has been a very special pleasure. Our collaborative effort with Canada has expanded the benefit of networking with professional colleagues across our northern border to 10 provincial registered music teacher's associations with a total membership of 3,500.

One of my personal satisfactions from serving on the 2007 Steering Committee was the opportunity to become friends with my cohorts from the Canadian Federation of Music Teachers Association, Victoria Warwick, immediate past CFMTA president; and Patricia Frehlich, CFMTA president. We have had a great time attending each other's national conferences. Interestingly, in 2005 I attended the CFMTA conference in the western town of Calgary, which was also hosting their annual stampede billed as the world's largest outdoor rodeo. In 2006 we attended the Austin, Texas MTNA conference with a Gala on a Western Cowboy theme with a country/western band for entertainment.

We may have more in common than we think.

During breaks from the program planning, we entertained each other with those "You know you're from Canada" jokes. For example, you know you're from Canada if you design the Halloween costume to fit over the snowsuit, if minus 40 degrees feels a little chilly and if your paper devotes one page to national news and five pages to hockey news.

Come to Toronto and hear two sessions named "Point/Counterpoint: Pedagogy in Canada" and "Point/Counterpoint: Pedagogy in the U.S.A."

Paul Stewart

MTNA President