Top
FAQ's   Incentives    Fundraisers   Guest Artist  Keynote Speaker

Guest Clinicians   Workshops   Conference At-A-Glance   Conference Registration 

Hotel Reservations 

PMTA Conference 2010 Newsletter

You & Your Studio: Surefire Investing in 2010

From the President’s Desk - Jacqueline Herbein, NCTM

As the economy shows signs of significant improvement, investment strategies abound.  If confusion and uncertainty over these differing financial strategies is causing you undue stress, join us for PMTA’s conference You & Your Studio: Surefire Investing in 2010.  The weekend of June 11-13, 2010 at Bedford Springs Resort and Spa in Bedford, PA promises three days of renewal for your body mind and spirit as we offer a broad range of strategies for you to invest in your career, your students and yourself.

As you make the leisurely 4-mile drive from the Bedford turnpike exit and enter the 2,200-acre resort grounds you will leave the cares of your long teaching year behind.  The Bedford Springs Resort and Spa has been a healing place, presidential retreat and luxurious escape for over 200 years and as you step into the grand and gracious main lobby to attend the conference, you’ll realize you have taken the first step in your self-investment.  The conference expands upon that theme with morning Wake-Up Yoga sessions and workshops in mindfulness meditation and free breathing.  The outstanding artistry of pianist Brian Ganz, our Conference Artist, will musically refresh and restore as it renews our commitment to musical excellence. 

Strategies to invest in your studio abound throughout the weekend as our workshop “headliners” – acclaimed lecturer and conference Pedagogue-in-Residence Suzanne Guy, former PMTA president and current chair of the Department of Music at Nazareth College Dr. James Douthit and his wife, Dr. Kathryn Douthit, chair of the Department of Counseling and Human Development at the University of Rochester; and Duquesne University professor and newly-published author of The Savvy Musician Dr. David Cutler – join with our members in presenting workshops that will inject fresh ideas into your teaching studios.

Strategies to invest in your career are provided by the fresh perspectives and performances of music by Moritz Moszowski, Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel, Ernst Mahle and Frederic Chopin as well as technical insights with sessions on octaves and the sostenuto pedal.  You won’t want to miss hearing our own PMTA performers!  

Last but not least, we offer opportunities to come together and socialize in the splendor of the surroundings with our musical friends and colleagues – a renewal in itself.  Conference Chair Becky Lewis has organized a Welcome Reception for early Friday evening on the veranda (weather permitting!) overlooking the beautiful resort grounds and an Artist Reception following the Saturday evening recital which will spill out into the hotel common areas and onto the patio.  And don’t miss registering for the IMT Luncheon/Banquet Buffet where we offer a sumptuous feast with something for everyone and hear Keynote Speaker Suzanne Guy! 

I know you will want to make your reservations early for this extraordinary conference in this extraordinary setting – check out the early registration incentives elsewhere in this newsletter!  I look forward to the opportunity of greeting each of you personally in June!  In the meantime, I wish you an invigorating New Year as you get back into the swing of your teaching activities –

Jackie
Top of Page

CONFERENCE 2010 FAQ's

HOW DO I GET TO THE BEDFORD SPRINGS RESORT AND SPA?

Approx 2-hour drive from Harrisburg, Pittsburgh, Washington and Baltimore; 3 hours from Philadelphia; 4 hours from New York City.

      FROM PITTSBURGH – 90 minutes  Take I-76 (PA Turnpike) East to Exit 146 (Bedford).*

     FROM PHILADELPHIA – 3 hours - Take I-76 (PA Turnpike) West to Exit 146 (Bedford).*

     FROM WASHINGTONDC – 2 hours - Take I-270 North to I-70.  Take I-70 West to I-76 (Pa Turnpike).  Take I-76 West to Exit 146 (Bedford).*

      FROM BALTIMORE – 2 hours - Take I-70 west to I-76 (PA Turnpike).  Take I-76 to Exit 146 (Bedford).*

*From Exit 146, turn right onto Business Rt. 220.  Go 4 miles to Bedford Springs Resort.

HOW DO I MAKE MY HOTEL RESERVATION?  Go to www.pamusicteachers.org  - the hotel registration link is right on the home page!  Or you can call the resort directly at 814-623-8100 – make sure you mention PA Music Teachers Association to get the special conference rate of $149!  Note: the special conference rate is available 3 days pre and 3 days post the conference weekend – consider making this a tax-deductible vacation for you and your family!  There is plenty for families to do while you attend conference sessions!  Or, consider sharing the room with a colleague to make the weekend even more affordable!

WALKING IS DIFFICULT FOR ME – WHAT CAN I DO?  When making hotel reservation, ask for a room near the Harrison, Eisenhower and Taylor meeting rooms on the second level.  We will also have events in the Reagan Room on the first floor which will be accessible via elevator.   

WHAT DINING OPTIONS ARE AVAILABLE?  Visit http://www.omnihotels.com/FindAHotel/BedfordSprings/Dining.aspx   for a complete menu listing and description of on-site dining options.  Conference attendees who choose not to splurge on the fine dining in the historic 1796 Room, Frontier Tavern and The Crystal Room will find the convenience of grab and go options at the casual coffee and tea bar Que Sara Sara as well as outdoors at the Turtle Shell. In addition, there are a number of franchise restaurants a short drive away near the Turnpike and some quaint eateries right in the town of Bedford.  Stop by the concierge desk to pick up literature or book a reservation. NOTE: all guest rooms at the hotel are equipped with a mini-fridge!
Top of page

EARLY BIRD REGISTRATION INCENTIVES

To qualify for the early registration incentives, you must register for the 3-day conference and book at least a Friday-Saturday, June 11-12, night stay at the Omni Bedford Springs Resort conference hotel by March 1.  SAVE 1/3 on registration fees AND be entered in the following:

1.        A chance to win a FREE conference registration ($50 value) – winner will be notified at check-in

2.        A chance to win a complimentary Blackberry Retreat* (hand) or Hiker’s Delight* (foot) massage, including a 1-hour Mineral Springs Bedford Bath Ritual* ($75 value including gratuity).  Spa services are pre-booked during free time on Saturday afternoon. Winner will be notified at check-in.

3.        Complimentary Scavenger Hunt Clue Sheet (see complete information under MTNA Foundation Fundraisers).  Winner of the Scavenger Hunt, based on historical knowledge discovered by visiting indoor common areas of the resort, will receive $100 Barnes and Noble Gift Card.  The winner will be announced immediately following the master class on Sundayand the winner must be present to win. Complete details will be included in your registration packet.      

* Blackberry Retreat - Allow your hands the luxury of a text free moment of therapy. Based on the ancient oriental energy-balancing techniques of reflexology, this hand treatment begins with a gentle blackberry salt exfoliation and cleansing.  Next, your therapist will work the palm side of the hand, targeting reflexology points tied to the head, sinuses, spine, and other organs. This service concludes with a moisturizing massage using a whipped Blackberry Vanilla Body Butter.

*Hiker’s Delight - Heavenly for tired feet, this foot massage, based on the ancient Oriental energy-balancing techniques of reflexology, releases energy throughout the body. The various organs and systems of the body will be addressed through the various reflexology points while tending to an area of the body too often overlooked.

*The Mineral Springs BedfordBath Ritual - The Bedford Baths at Springs Eternal Spa consists of spectacular men’s and women’s bathhouses that offer a unique experience for physical and spiritual cleansing. Begin your relaxation process and celebrate the healing properties of our Mineral Springs through our exclusive Bedford Bath Ritual. The Bedford Cure of the past has been fused with the technology and benefits of today to renew history and provide you with an exclusive Springs Eternal Spa experience. It begins with our signature Black Walnut Ginger Body Polish in our Eternal Springs Mineral Deluge. An aromatic steam follows with a cooling second rinse in our Eternal Springs Mineral Deluge. Next, alternate between Hot & Cool rotations in a relaxing soak of a Hot Mineral Pool with massaging jets to a Cool Mineral Pool with massaging jets. As the final step, hydrate your body with our very own Hydrating Aroma Mist fused with indigenous botanicals from this region. The Bedford Bath Ritual concludes with a quiet rest, reading or meditation in the Relaxation Lounge.
Top of Page  

MTNA FOUNDATION FUNDRAISERS

Our ever-popular $100 Barnes and Noble gift card MTNA Foundation Fundraiser takes on a new twist at this conference: a $5 donation earns you the Scavenger Hunt Clue Sheet.  The Scavenger Hunt is designed to help you explore the many corners of the building and become acquainted with the incredible history of the Bedford Springs Resort.  Work alone or in teams of 2 or 4 and divide the prize (the gift cards will be in $25 increments for your convenience!).   Completed clue sheets must be turned in at the recital on Saturday evening.  The entry with the most correct answers wins the gift cards and the winner will be announced immediately following the master class on Sunday.  In the event of a tie, the winner will be drawn from the entries with the most correct answers at the conclusion of the master class.  The winner must be present to win.  
 

A $10 donation to the MTNA Foundation gives you the opportunity to enter the drawing for your choice of an Aromatherapy** or Therapeutic** Massage plus a 1-hour Mineral Springs Bedford Bath Ritual* (a $120 value, including gratuity).  This spa experience, pre-booked for Sunday morning, is designed to put the finishing touch on your weekend of mind, body and spirit renewal!  Entries will be available at the registration table or at the IMT luncheon.  Winner will be drawn at the conclusion of the luncheon.

GUEST ARTIST – Brian Ganz

Brian Ganz is widely regarded as one of the leading pianists of his generation.  Mr. Ganz is a graduate of the Peabody Conservatory of Music, where he studied with Leon Fleisher.  Gifted as a teacher himself, Mr. Ganz is Artist-in-Residence at St. Mary's College of Maryland, where he has been a member of the piano faculty since 1986, and in 2000 he joined the piano faculty of the Peabody Conservatory. Brian Ganz was winner of one of two First Grand Prizes awarded in the 1989 Marguerite Long Jacques Thibaud International Piano Competition in Paris, where he was also awarded special prizes for the best recital round of the competition and the best performance of the required work. That same year he won a Beethoven Fellowship awarded by the American Pianists.

For more information on Mr. Ganz, click here.