Michigan Music Teachers Association
About Us
Michigan Music Teachers Association is an affiliated chapter of Music Teachers National Association
Michigan Music Teachers
Brief MMTA History
By Mary Vander Linde
Michigan Music Teachers Association was organized in Jackson Michigan in 1885, by a group of music teachers including the founder of the Detroit Conservatory of Music. Forty teachers from Jackson and throughout the state were in attendance. Officers were elected and committees appointed. Dues were set at $1.00 annually. The first annual meeting took place June 30-July1, 1887 in Jackson. “The Importance of Music Study in the Public Schools” was the topic of an essay presented at that meeting. This topic has appeared throughout the years as the association has dealt with obtaining school credit for music study with a qualified independent teacher. By the year 1935, MMTA had 500 members.
The MMTA Certification of Teachers program is one of its hallmark activities. The first certificates were presented to private teachers October 15, 1951. The following year 175 comprised the list of certified teachers. Currently only piano teachers may apply. There are four types of certificates offered: standard, college faculty, emeritus, and permanent. MTNA certification became available in 1967.
Student Achievement Testing is an annual testing program for gauging a student’s yearly achievement. The students participate in performance, aural awareness, sight-reading, technic, and music theory. This is non-competitive, but performance can lead to competition by applying for a semi-final and final competition if the student qualifies and desires to do so. Testing is available in piano, voice, strings, and woodwinds.
Michigan schools recognize a student’s participation in private music study by including testing scores in each student’s permanent folder. This extends the arm of music instruction in the schools and aids in furthering the musical development of the student.
Past Presidents of MMTA
Distinguished Service Award
2022-2024 Derek Polischuk
2020-2022 Béatrice Ellis, Ann Arbor
2018-2020 Lia Jensen Abbott, Albion
2016-2018 Adrienne Wiley, Midland
2014-2016 Gail Lytle Lira, East Lansing
2012-2014 Garik Pedersen, Saline
2010-2012 Penny Draper, East Lansing
2008-2010 Adrienne Wiley, Midland
2006-2008 Isabelle Tulk, Commerce Twp
2004-2006 Gerardo Ascheri, Lansing
2002-2004 Marilyn Sluka, Livonia
2000-2002 Barbara Coulter, Traverse City
1998-2000 Roberta Kraft, Holland
1996-1998 Joanne Smith, Ann Arbor
1994-1996 Annie Leong, Kalamazoo
1992-1994 Eileen Keel, Lansing
1990-1992 Joan Conway, Holland
1988-1990 Natalie Matovinovic, Ann Arbor
1986-1988 Jill Christian, Kalamazoo
1984-1986 Julianne Vanden Wyngaard, Grand Rapids
1980-1984 Eric Van DeVort, Ann Arbor
1978-1980 Mildred Halsted, Bay City
1976-1978 Samuel Teeters, Three Rivers
1974-1976 Jerre Jean McDaniel, Coopersville
1972-1974 Eugene P. Grove, Mt. Pleasant
1970-1972 Helene Nordstrom Vabolis, Grosse Pointe
1968-1970 Robert Hord, Ann Arbor
1966-1968 Albert J. Fillmore, Detroit
1964-1966 Joseph Evans, East Lansing
1962-1964 Jean Warner Stark, Midland
1960-1962 Eugene F. Grove, Mt. Pleasant
1958-1960 Henrietta D. Moeller, Detroit
1956-1958 Olive Gould Parkes, Battle Creek
1954-1956 Olaf Steg, Mt. Pleasant
1952-1954 Raymond Gerkowski, Flint
1950-1952 Cyril Barker, Detroit
1948-1950 Doris Van Ringelesteyn, Grand Rapids
1946-1948 Theodore Vosburgh, Midland
1943-1946 Roy Underwood, East Lansing
1941-1943 Charles L Wuerth, Detroit
1939-1941 Louis U Rowland, Albion
1937-1939 Fern Work-Swartout, Detroit
1935-1937 Jason Moore, Detroit
1933-1935 Chester J Berger, Grand Rapids
1931-1933 Susan Ferguson, Battle Creek
1929-1931 Marguerite Colwell, Grand Rapids
1927-1929 LaVerne H Brown, Detroit
1926-1927 Edward B Manville, Detroit
1925-1926 Theresa Mueller, Bay City
1923-1925 Herbert Milliken, Bay City
1922-1923 Edwin Barnes, Battle Creek
1921-1922 Earl V Moore, Ann Arbor
1920-1921 Charles Fredrick Morse, Detroit
1919-1920 Francis L York, Detroit
1917-1919 Helen Baker Rowe, Grand Rapids
1915-1917 Jennie M Stoddard
1914-1915 GW Renwick, Redforda
1913-1914 LL Renwick, Detroit
1911-1913 J G Cummings, Saginaw
1910-1911 Newton J Corey, Detroit
1908-1910 Herbert Milliken, Bay City
1906-1908 Earl Killeen, Ann Arbor
1904-1906 Charles Joslyn, Lansing
1903-1904 Edwin Barnes, Battle Creek
1900-1903 Albert A Stanley, Ann Arbor
1899-1900 Emma Thomas, Detroit
1898-1899 JH Hahn, Detroit
1897-1898 Ida M Norton, Detroit
1896-1897 A W Palatte, Saginaw
1895-1896 NJ Corey
1892-1895 Francesco Seley, Adrian
1891-1892 MW Chase, Hillsdale
1890-1891 Henry C. Post, Grand Rapids
1889-1890 JH Hahn, Detroit
1885-1889 Frederick Pease, Ypsilanti
2021 Adrienne Wiley
2021 Yelena Wells
2019 Gerardo Asheri
2018 Gail Lytle Lira
2017 Gail Davis Barnes
2016 Garik Pedersen
2015 Diana Spitnale Miller
2014 Penny Draper
2013 Charles Aschbrenner
2012 Adrienne Wiley
2011 Eric Van De Vort
2010 Isabelle Tulk
2009 Christie Otter
2008 Gerardo Ascheri
2007 Barbara Collins
2006 Marilyn Sluka
2005 Jean Schwartz
2005 Stephanie Burr
2004 Barbara Coulter
2003 Mildred Muller
2002 Roberta Kraft
2001 Jill Christian
2000 Joann Smith
1999 Marilyn Sluka
1998 Annie Leong
1997 Jean Hull
1996 Eileen Keel
1995 Betty Kowalsk Stasson
1994 Joan Conway
Honorary Members
Mair Alsgaard*
Pauline E. Arnold
Cyril E. Barker
Delaine Counseller
Alden B. Dow
Joseph Evans
Albert J. Fillmore
Louise Freyhofer
Eugene F. Grove
Mildred Halsted
LaVonne M.. Harris*
Olive Howell Drennan
Marguerite C. Kortlander
Vera Brown Lewis
Pierre Luboshutz
Natalie Matovinovic
Billie Fay Netterwald*
Jerre Jean McDaniel
Henrietta D. Moeller
Earl V. Moore
Genia Nemenoff
Louis Rowland
Helen Schmitz*
Margery Stomne Selden
Betty Kowalsky Stasson* Jerome Stasson
Carolyn B. Tower
Roy Underwood
Doris Van Ringelesteyn Mary Vander Linde
Ruth Vanderwerf*
Joyce N. Verhaar*
Ralph Votapek
Clyde Vroman
Janet Walworth*
*active
MMTA Teachers of the Year
1994 Bonnie Jean Johnson
1993 Barbara Miller
1992 Joan Conway
1991 Mary Siciliano
1990 Jill Christian
1989 Susan Fee
1989 George Fee
1988 Eileen Keel
1987 Ruth Burzyk
1986 Jerome Stasson
1985 Gwendolyn Pike
1985 Jerre Jean McDaniel
1985 Catherine Hillebrand
1984 Julianne Wyngaard
1983 Donald Morelock
1982 Mary Vander Linde
1981 Natalie Matovinovic
1980 Marjorie Armstrong
1979 Lenore Lanterman
1978 Mrs. Percy Danforth
1977 Maryan Abrahmson
1976 Winnifred Sherburn
1975 Hazel Kowalk
1974 Lucille Dinsmore
1973 Olive Howell
1972 Albert Fillmore
1971 Jean Hull
1970 Elzada Bennett
1969 Edith Ella Davis
1968 Rebecca Frohman
1967 Esther J. Rosekrans
1966 Vera Brown Lewis
1966 Jean Stark
1965 Anna Husband
1965 Rudolph Pulman
1964 Helene Nordstrom
1964 Henrietta Moeller