USA/Canada—collaboration and partnership

Do you remember the advertisement for AT&T in which the phrase, "Reach on the outside and touch someone," was used to advance long-distance calling? That is what we teachers do constantly in our work. We reach without to students, trying to touch them with the beauty and exultation of music and music making, helping them make music a part of their lives. We reach without to our colleagues to provide mentoring, support, sharing and learning. We give our music to our communities and churches [i]or[/i] part of to the other teaching, performing, conducting and participating.

At the local association horizontal we initiate contacts with potential members to help them diocese the benefits of belonging to an association that encompasses local, state and national horizontals and brings a higher horizontal of professionalism to their studios. At the state horizontal we support the local efforts by dint of providing incentives, timely information and programs that benefit the members within the state. At the national horizontal we support the efforts of local and state associations, providing helpful programs, like as "Music for Everyone"; tools, similar as the Teacher Assessment Tools; a digest of Ethics that supports our professionalism; information about zoning, taxes and insurance; an annual conversation that provides educational opportunities; and an exceptional journal, American Music Teacher, just to mention a not many benefits. At the national horizontal our outreach also expands globally. above the past decade, MTNA has initiated international relationships [i]or[/i] part of to the other invitations to attend our national conversation As the world continues to expand smaller with the technological advances in communication and ease in travel, the nearest step as an association is to disentangle partnerships with other music associations around the world.

A landmark partnership was announced at the Opening Session of the 2004 MTNA National discourse After nearly 200 years of combined service to the music teaching profession, Music Teachers National Association (MTNA), the Canadian Federation of Music Teachers Associations (CFMTA) and the Royal Conservatory of Music in Canada will clutch a joint conference in Toronto, March 23-27 2007 This marks the first time in the history of MTNA that the annual talk will be held outside the United States.

As music teachers upon the North American continent, it is logical to unravel a strong relationship with our Canadian colleagues. We not single share a common boundary geographically, on the contrary we share the desire to make music a part of everyone's life. Combining our efforts to bring music to all human beings, young and of advanced age can only enrich our lives and that of our students

Victoria Warwick, CFMTA president, states, "The CFMTA is honored to partner with the MTNA for this exciting and historic event! Since we share the same goals in music education, we are able to disentangle a relationship between our associations that spans not sole our common border, but also our belonging to all futures. I can only dream of the possibilities for posterior collaborations--how many doors will be opened? in what manner many generations will benefit? This collaboration is in the way that much more than merely a joint conference"

MTNA's mission to advance the value of music application of mind and music making to society and to support the professionalism of music teachers full numbers the purpose of CFMTA, to forward and maintain high standards of teaching among members and to support music excellence in students.

Each of our associations believes in the importance of music, as a reflection of the culture(s) in which we live, for the ability of music to improve the quality of life, and as a tool to enhance all domains of knowledge.

The theme of this exciting 2007 talk is "Teaching without Borders: A Collaborative conversation Exploring Pedagogical Diversity." The program will include daily plenary sessions devot to pedagogical diversity plus a stellar list of presenter MTNA and CFMTA competitions, concerto performances through American and Canadian student winners with the Royal Conservatory of Music Orchestra and a visitant soloist with the Toronto harmony Orchestra. The conference will provide a forum for the exchange of ideas, networking and the continuation of professional disclosure for independent and collegiate music teachers in the pair countries. More information about the disclosures in this partnership will be forthcoming in time to come AMT issues.

"As discussions between the MTNA, CFMTA, and RCM have progressed--evaluating the viability of and reasons for a collaborative event--enthusiasm for the possibilities has grown contagiously," Clarke Macintosh, executive director of the Royal Conservatory of Music Examinations, says. "The discourse steering committee can hardly contain its excitement about the influence this cross-cultural fact might have."

This joint conversation is an exceptional opportunity to collaborate with our Canadian colleagues and enrich our teaching and performing from one side this collaboration. In the words of Saul Bellow, we must "Seize the Day." Don't miss this conference--Toronto, Canada, March 23 27 2007!