From the President’s Desk: James Douthit, President

As I write my last column, it is with mixed emotions. Six years ago, I assumed the position of Vice President for Conferences. Two years later, I moved into the office of President Elect organizing the State Competitions. I approach my completion of the presidential term following the State Conference at Penn State in November of this year with a great sense of satisfaction in the work we have accomplished together and a great interest in looking forward to the work yet to be completed.

Continuing the work begun by previous presidents, we have continued to observe growth and an increase in professional activities within our organization. We have modified the Dorothy Sutton Performance Festival in order to continue its vitality. This Festival is an extremely important component of our organization. I know that PMTA will continue to learn and discover new ways to fulfill the original mission of the festival.

We have made changes in our organizational structure that should provide a strong foundation for our work over the next several years. A necessary revision of the By-laws has made a great stride forward in allowing our organization to proceed with a more professionally efficient structure in place.

We have devoted significant resource and time to our web page, www.pamusicteachers.org. This should allow our organization to make the most current information available to our members and to potential members as well.

Our membership numbers have been strong over the last several years. A membership campaign this year, served to bring attention to the need for new members both for the financial and professional viability of the organization.

We have broken new ground in offering our own state level competitions. Though we were not able to offer those this year, my hope is that we will be able to reorganize and staff those activities again, so that we may offer the students of the state a variety of alternatives to pursue their musical growth.

Currently, we are working to provide certified teachers ACT48 credit for attendance at both our state and local conferences and professional development activities. If we are able to gain this approval, it will be a major step in our efforts to work with PMEA and other sister organizations devoted to similar missions. Perhaps, most importantly, I am delighted to see that our local organizations continue to flourish and grow. They are the backbone of our organization, and the efforts of the Board of Directors throughout the last six years have been focused on providing activities and services that assist in this important work. As I review the schedules of activities presented and planned for these groups, they each have an impressive list of offerings for their members and the potential members in their areas of the state. Many state organizations do not have active or existing local organizations. These states are limited in the scope of their work by a lack of devoted members. We have no shortage of devoted members and a look at the rosters of the local organizations within the state are evidence that many of the most active members of our state organization are leaders in their local organizations as well.

I hope that what we have accomplished together over the last several years, will be the foundation for even more new and positive growth. I would like to challenge all members of our organization to become active contributors to our activities and efforts. While you have all accomplished the first step by becoming members, I’d like to invite you to consider going one step beyond your current level of participation. Our society and lifestyles demand more and more efforts and energy for our daily activities. Technology and many of the inventions designed to make our lives easier have actually made it more complex. Family responsibilities and additional demands make it very difficult to consider taking on even more duties. However, without this input of time and energy, PMTA will not continue to provide the professional development and opportunities that are lacking for those who teach the art of music in a variety of capacities. Once these resources begin to disappear, it is very difficult, within the structure of this organization, to bring them back into existence.

I’ve seen the smiles of our students as they are announced as winners of the competitions. I’ve seen the Dorothy Sutton Performance Festival students brimming with pride as they have just completed their performance in the recital. I’ve observed the “AHA” moments of teachers as our nationally known and locally grown clinicians offer advice critical to the art of teaching. I’ve felt the encouragement support and friendship of our leaders and members as we work together to promote the art and craft of the pedagogy of music. These have been the motivating guidance for my efforts.

I would like to thank the leaders before me who have provided great guidance and a model for my work. Debra Ronning, Nancy Boston, and Gloriana Sewell have been more than generous with their advice and guidance. I know that I will leave you in good hands under the leadership of Millie Eben and Nanette Kaplan Solomon. The Board of Directors has given countless hours and limitless energy to our cause. It would be impossible to thank everyone that has provided assistance in my efforts. Each of you has contributed to my work with this organization as well as to my own teaching and professional development. As I sit in my new office at Nazareth College in Rochester, New York, to write this column, I am sad to be leaving you, but joyful in the prospect of what is to come for PMTA! I look forward to seeing you at Penn State in November!