Benjamin D. Caton, NCTM Johnson City, TN caton@mail.etsu.edu
MTNA President Benjamin D. Caton, NCTM, holds a Ph.D. degree from the Ohio State University and a pedagogy/musicianship certificate from the Kodály Musical Training Institute. He studied at the Sixteenth International Music Workshop (piano pedagogy) in Exeter, England, and at the International Kodály Symposium in Kecskemet, Hungary. He is professor of music at East Tennessee State University, where he teaches aural skills, piano and piano pedagogy. His teaching experiences range from first-grade public school music classes to graduate music courses. Caton is a former chair of the ETSU Music Department. He maintains a studio of pre-college piano students.Caton's belief in the importance of MTNA's local associations has led him to serve as president of his local Music Teachers Association for three biennia over a period of 20 years. Positions in the Tennessee MTA include recording secretary and president. He served as editor and co-author of the Tennessee MTA Musicianship Manual. In MTNA's Southern Division, he served as president, president-elect, secretary and collegiate competitions chair. At the national level, Caton has served as a member of the MTNA Board of Directors and FOUNDATION Board of Trustees (2000-2002) and MTNA Secretary/Treasurer (2003-2005).In 2004, Caton was named the first recipient of the Distinguished Service Award given by Tennessee MTA. Other honors include the Ohio Federation of Music Clubs Foundation for the Advancement of Music Award for Excellence, the John Phillip Sousa Award (while playing trombone in high school band), and being named an MTNA FOUNDATION Fellow. He served two terms as member of the Music Advisory Panel for the Tennessee Arts Commission.His articles have appeared in Clavier, Music Educators Journal, AMT and The Tennessee Musician. He has presented numerous sessions at local and state associations. His most memorable performance was accompanying the ETSU Men's Ensemble in the Chicago Symphony's Orchestra Hall at the American Choral Directors Association national convention.
Kenneth Christensen, NCTM Bozeman, MT kjcinmt@aol.com
MTNA President-elect Kenneth Christensen, NCTM, has appeared as a soloist and collaborative artist throughout the United States, England, China and the Phillipines. As a collaborative artist, he has performed with renowned singers the late Jerome Hines and Pablo Elvira from New York's Metropolitan Opera Company and with composers and conductors John Rutter and Sir Richard Wilcox. Christensen's piano duo "2 Pianos 4 Hands" performed its New York recital debut in April 2006 at Carnegie Hall. Christensen holds a bachelor's degree from Montana State University and a master's degree from the University of Montana. While on the faculty at the Montana State University School of Music, he received the prestigious "Award in Excellence in Teaching." He resides in Bozeman, Montana, where he is active as an independent piano teacher and is in demand as a clinician, adjudicator and presenter. Christensen has been actively involved in MTNA for 16 years, serving in leadership positions at the local and state level as secretary and treasurer, president-elect and president for the Montana State MTA. Leadership at the national level includes MTNA Northwest Division President from 2004-2006 and he served on the MTNA Board of Directors from 2006-2008. Christensen has been a member of MTNA's Summit Planning Committee, Membership Committee, Collaborative Performance Task Force, Pedagogy Saturday Committee, State Affiliate Grant Committee and Partnership Review Committee. He was past chair of the Collaborative Performance Forum and was chair of the 2009 Conference Planning Committee. Currently Christensen is the MTNA Certification chair.
Rebecca Grooms Johnson, NCTM Columbus, OH stejohnson@columbus.rr.com
MTNA Vice President Rebecca Grooms Johnson, NCTM, is a nationally respected leader in the field of piano pedagogy. She holds a Ph.D. degree in music education from Ohio State University, specializing in piano pedagogy. Johnson is an experienced independent piano teacher of all ages and levels of students and has taught piano, class piano and piano pedagogy for many years at the university level. A member of MTNA for more than 28 years, she holds the Permanent Professional Certification designation. Johnson has served in numerous local, state and national leadership positions, including the Central Eastern Ohio District chair and president of Ohio MTA. At the national level, she is currently completing a three-year term as chair of the National Certification Commission. Johnson served on the steering committee for the 2009 Pedagogy Saturday conference and was honored to be named as a 2009 FOUNDATION Fellow. From 2000-2003, she served as national chair of the MTNA Pedagogy Committee and chaired the 2003 and 2004 committees to select the MTNA National Teacher of the Year. A widely published writer, Johnson regularly contributes a tri-annual feature in American Music Teacher titled "What's New in Pedagogy Research." She is also an associate editor for Clavier Companion magazine's "Perspectives in Pedagogy" page and is producing a series of articles exploring current piano methods. Johnson is an active clinician and has presented numerous workshops at MTNA national and state conferences, including those in Texas, Idaho, Wisconsin, Indiana, Ohio, West Virginia, Michigan and Hawaii.
Celinda Hallbauer, NCTM Belton, TX celinda.hallbauer@ctcd.edu
MTNA Secrtary/Treasurer Celinda Hallbauer, NCTM, professor of music, Central Texas College, Killeen, Texas, has been a member of MTNA since 1975 and became a Nationally Certified Teacher of Music in 1976. Hallbauer holds a bachelor of music degree from the University of Texas, Austin, and master of music degree from Baylor University. Hallbauer jointed the faculty at Central Texas College in 1995 to rebuild the music program, designing curricula, syllabi and major course of study for the CTC system of more than 180,000 students. The college now offers an associates degree in music with graduates transferring to upper level institutions throughout the United States. Hallbauer teaches music fundamentals, theory, appreciation and piano. She designs and teaches the distance-learning courses and is advisor to the Continuing Education Music Program. Hallbauer taught at the University of Mary Hardin Baylor in Belton, Texas, from 1975-1995, where she taught piano pedagogy, piano and was director of the preparatory music program. Hallbauer served on the MTNA Board of Directors from 2008-2010 as director of the South Central Division and College Faculty Forum chair. From 2002-2003, she served as a member of the MTNA State Syllabus Task Force. She is past president of Texas MTA and has served as Certification chair, Foundation chair, elected director, trustee, communications coordinator, assistant coordinator MTNA Composition, vice president of student activities, vice president of business activities and president-elect. She currently serves as public relations/marketing chair. An active member of Central Texas Music Teachers Association, Hallbauer served as Certification chair, student affiliate chair, vice president and president. Professional memberships include Texas Music Educators Association, National Federation of Music Clubs, American College of Musicians, Sigma Alpha Iota and Disciples Musicians. Hallbauer adjudicates festivals and competitions and National Guild Piano Auditions. Her students have participated in local and state music teacher activities and have become independent, public school and college music instructors, as well as commercial musicians.
Ann Gipson, NCTM Aledo, TX a.gipson@tcu.edu
MTNA Immediate Past President, Ann M. Gipson, NCTM, is associate professor of music and director of piano pedagogy studies at Texas Christian University. She has held faculty positions at Baylor University, Oklahoma Baptist University, Delta State University and the University of Kentucky, teaching applied piano, class piano and piano pedagogy. Gipson holds a bachelor of music degree from Eastern Illinois University and both an M.M. in piano performance and pedagogy and a Ph.D. in music education/piano pedagogy from the University of Oklahoma. A frequent adjudicator and clinician, she has presented sessions at MTNA national conferences, the National Group Piano/Piano Pedagogy Forum, and various state and local venues. Her articles have appeared in AMT, Clavier, Keyboard Companion and Piano Pedagogy Forum. Gipson has been an active member of MTNA since joining as a collegiate member in 1978, while attending Eastern Illinois University. She has actively supported collegiate members by serving as faculty advisor of MTNA Collegiate Chapters at Oklahoma Baptist University and Baylor University. As a member of the Oklahoma MTA, she became active at the state level holding offices of president, vice president of membership and certification/president-elect, and vice president of local associations and collegiate chapters. She has held positions in local MTAs and currently serves as a director on the Fort Worth MTA board. Nationally, she was Conference Program chair for both the 2004 and 2005 MTNA National Conferences and currently serves on the task force for Collegiate Certification and as chair of a program sub-committee for the 2007 Conference.
Gary L. Ingle Cincinnati, OH gingle@mtna.org
Gary L. Ingle is Executive Director and CEO of Music Teachers National Association (MTNA), the oldest music teacher association in the United States. Founded in 1876, MTNA is a professional association of 24,000 studio music teachers who teach in independent and collegiate settings nationwide. MTNA's mission is to advance the value of music teaching and music making to society and to support the professionalism of music teachers. Dr. Ingle is a career professional in association management and academia. Prior to his December 1996 appointment to MTNA, he was executive director of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Music Fraternity in Evansville, Indiana. At Phi Mu Alpha, he oversaw the fraternity's work with more than 200 collegiate chapters across the country, as well as the activities of the Sinfonia Foundation. Dr. Ingle's academic career spanned 10 years with Southwest Baptist University in Bolivar, Missouri. During his tenure, he attained the rank of full professor of music and served as Chair of the department of music, as Dean of the Casebolt School of Fine Arts, and ultimately as Vice President for Enrollment Management. As a conductor, he directed his choirs on four international tours: to continental Europe, to Great Britain, and two to the Far East. While in Asia, his choirs sang for the Far East Broadcasting Company and in Olympic Stadium in Seoul, South Korea. A native of Birmingham, Alabama, Dr. Ingle holds the doctor of musical arts degree with emphases in conducting, voice, and higher education administration from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. He earned bachelor's and master's degrees in music at Samford University in Birmingham. Additional studies include the Cumberland School of Law in Birmingham. Dr. Ingle currently serves as the president of the National Music Council of the United States, which represents the U.S. to the International Music Council (established by the United Nations and a part of UNESCO). Since April 2008 he has served on the Board of Directors of the International Music Council. In October 2007 he was elected to the Finance Commission of the International Music Council at its biennial General Assembly in Beijing, China. He also served on the Steering Committee for the IMC's first World Forum on Music held in Los Angeles, California in 2005. Dr. Ingle is a member of the advisory board of From the Top, the public radio program dedicated to encouraging, supporting and celebrating the commitment of young people to music and the arts. He is also is a member of the editorial advisory board for the magazine, Making Music: Better Living Through Recreational Music Making, a magazine devoted to the health and wellness benefits of music making. Since 1998, he has served on the Board of Trustees of the American Classical Music Hall of Fame, serving as secretary of the board from 2000-2003 and currently as the chair of the Professional Organizations Advisory Council.A frequent speaker and panelist, he has given addresses in 44 states as well as to music associations in Canada, the United Kingdom, China, Eastern and Western Europe, and South America, including the International Society for Music Education, the European Music Teachers Association, the International Music Council, the National Association of Schools of Music, NAMM: The International Music Products Association, the College Music Society, Piano Technicians Guild, Canadian Federation of Music Teachers Associations, the Global Summit of the Music Products Industry, the Music Publishers Association, and the Music Council for the Three Americas. Dr. Ingle is listed in the International Who's Who in Music, Who's Who in America, Outstanding Young Men of America, Community Leaders and Noteworthy Americans, the Dictionary of International Biography and other prominent biographical resources.
Gerardo C. Ascheri, NCTM East Central Division, Lansing, Michigan ascheri@msu.edu
Gerardo Ascheri, NCTM, is an active teacher, lecturer and performer. He teaches at Michigan State University Community Music School. Ascheri was state president from 2004–2006, MTNA Collegiate coordinator from 2002–2007 and State Affiliate of the Year Award chair from 2007–2009. He received the 2008–2009 Distinguished Service Award from Michigan MTA. Ascheri has been chair of the state piano testing program. He earned a DMA degree from Michigan State University.
Robert Scott Beard, NCTM Eastern Division, Harpers Ferry, West Virginia sbeard@shepherd.edu
Scott Beard, NCTM, is a pianist, teacher, clinician, author and recording artist. He was named 2006 West Virginia “Music Teacher of the Year,” and his students have won top prizes in numerous competitions, including MTNA national finals. Beard is professor of music at Shepherd University and has served as WVMTA president and Eastern Division Competitions chair.
David French, NCTM Northwest Division, Rexburg, Idaho id_maestro@yahoo.com
David French has been the Idaho MTA president, co-Performance Competitions chair for Idaho MTA and the Northwest Division Senior Performance Competitions coordinator. He has served on the national Nominating Committee and the VCCI Committee. He is a graduate of Idaho State University and is currently an independent piano and voice teacher. He is an active performer, adjudicator and presenter.
Mary Katherine Sallee, NCTM South Central Division, Norman, Oklahoma mksallee@cox.net
Mary Sallee, NCTM, is an independent teacher in Norman, Oklahoma, and holds degrees in piano, voice and piano pedagogy from the University of Oklahoma. As a composer and arranger, she has more than 45 piano and choral works published. Sallee has served her state and local MTA as president, Foundation and commission chair, in addition to chairing several auditions, competitions and festivals for performance and composition at the state and local level. Sallee stays busy as a choral singer, church/classical pianist and jazz/dinner pianist.
Martha L. Thomas, NCTM Southern Division, Athens, Georgia mlthomas@uga.edu
Martha Thomas is the Georgia MTA immediate past president, has served as GMTA vice president of competitions and program and worked two years as Senior Competitions Coordinator in Southern Division. Having joined MTNA while first teaching in Wisconsin, she helped found the Stevens Point Area MTA. She holds degrees through the doctorate from the Universities of Texas and Wisconsin and is piano professor at the University of Georgia.
Cheryl Norman, NCTM Southwest Division, American Fork, Utah cherylnorman.nctm@gmail.com
Cheryl Norman, NCTM, holds an MM degree from Brigham Young University and has been an adjunct instructor of piano at BYU and UVU. Norman is past president of Utah MTA, chaired MTNA’s State Presidents Advisory Council and has been the Southwest Division Certification Commissioner.
Timothy Shook West Central Division, Wichita, Kansas timothy.shook@sckans.edu
Timothy Shook, Ph.D., is chair of the Division of Performing Arts at Southwestern College in Winfield, Kansas, and operates a large independent piano studio. Shook has served MTNA at all levels, including state president and chair of national committees. He co-chaired the designing of Music Progressions, a non-competitive syllabus of independent music study, for KMTA.
