Givers, Takers, Matchers
I think that, by nature, most people are inclined to be givers, takers or matchers. Givers contribute to others without actively seeking anything in return; takers want other people to serve their ends; and matchers attempt to maintain a balance of giving and taking. I further think that many music teachers fall under the category of givers. We (and I include myself) give to our students, often by going above and beyond the responsibility of strictly teaching them. You can probably recall a whole host of activities and situations that you have engaged in with your students over the years that were not included in your basic lesson plan. Maybe you devoted extra time to the student as she or he prepared for a competition; or you rescheduled a lesson (to your only day off!) when the student had an unexpected conflict with the normal time. You may also have found yourself devising a creative lesson plan for a student who simply didn’t respond to a more conventional approach. These are just a few examples of what we, as givers, do.
It is, of course, important to have access to resources where you can learn of others who have created, for example, more diverse teaching techniques, and two resources that I rely on are our local VMTA and BBVMTA organizations. By collaborating with other teachers, involving myself in teacher development and student activities, I am exposed to other ideas and teaching methods, a type of continuing education that I “take” and which I sincerely value.
As we music teachers meet and collaborate, we create an environment of “matching,” of both giving and taking: We freely give our time and energy, but we also take help and ideas when they are needed. And this is VMTA’s success as an organization. We give, we take, and we match.
-Laurel Ann Maurer
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VMTA CALENDAR
October 18, 2025
New Hampshire MTA Quad State Conference
Quad State Commissioned Composers' Concert, 1 PM
November 9, 2025
Richmond Free Library, Richmond
Multiple events:
Competitive Auditions
11 AM
General Membership Meeting
Noon-12:45 PM
BBVMTA Recital
1:00-2:00 PM
VMTA Fall Ensemble Festival
2:15-3:15 PM
a second BBVMTA Student piano recital- if needed
3:30-4:30 PM
January 24-25, 2026
University Mall, South Burlington
VMTA Biennial Play-a-Thon
March 28, 2026
Trinity Baptist Church, Williston
Spring Festival
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Quad State NHMTA Convention - October 18, 2025
Location: Keene State College, New Hempshire
For more information: https://nhmta.net/nhmta-quad-state-conference/
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Day of Music - November 9, 2025
The Vermont Music Teachers Association will be hosting a day of musical activities on Sunday, November 9, 2025 at the Richmond Free Library. All competition and recitals are free and open to the public
11:00 am: State level student competition; includes a performance by a senior level pianist.
Noon: Biannual General Membership Meeting. Please plan to attend and share your ideas and find out what is coming up with the organization.
1:00 pm: Student piano recital sponsored by the Burlington Branch of VMTA. Additional 3:30 PM recital, if needed. To join, the registration deadline is Monday, November 2. Information has been sent regarding this event. If you did not receive it, or have questions please contact Ed Darling (edwardjohndarling@gmail.com)
2:15 pm: Fall Ensemble Festival. This is a nice opportunity for students, siblings, friends and other family members to join together to participate in a chamber music concert (please see the article below for registration information)
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VMTA Fall Ensemble Festival
VMTA is once again offering a unique opportunity for students at the upcoming Fall Ensemble Festival. Pianists are often asked to accompany vocalists or instrumentalists. Collaboration between musicians is both fun and opening up a new dimension in music making.
The next Fall Ensemble Festival is scheduled for November 9th, 2025 at 2:15 p.m. at the Richmond Library in Richmond. Friends and family members of a student who studies with a VMTA member are invited to participate. Chamber music, solo instrumentalists accompanied by students, piano duets and piano trios are examples of music to be performed at the Festival. Memorization for this concert is not required.
A fee of $5 per student or $10 per family will be charged. Teachers may enter 15 minutes of music for the performances and may add more if time allows.
As we have done in recent years, this date coordinates with the VMTA Competitive Audition, a VMTA General Meeting, as well as our Fall BBVMTA Recital.
The schedule for the day is as follows:
Morning: Competitive Auditions
12-12:45: General Membership Meeting
1:00-2:00: BBVMTA Recital
2:15-3:15: Fall Festival Ensemble Recital
3:30-4:30: Second BBVMTA recital (if needed)
Please email Lilly Ramsey at cldkramsey@comcast.net for the electronic registration form.
The deadline for registration is Friday, October 24th, 2025.
-Lilly Ramsey
| Looking Ahead to Spring Activities | |
VMTA Spring Festival
The VMTA will be holding its annual 2026 Spring Festival on Saturday, March 28th, 2026 at Trinity Baptist Church in Williston. As always, it is a full day of hour-long sessions where students performed memorized two or three-piece programs. We need help from our Membership to make this day successful. To register students, please email Lilly Ramsey at cldkramsey@comcast.net for the electronic registration form. The registration fee will be $15 per student. The registration deadline is Friday, February 20th.
-Lilly Ramsey
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VMTA Play-a-thon
The VMTA will hold the 9th Music in the Mall Play-a-thon on January 24 and 25th, 2026 at the University Mall in South Burlington. This event is open to all ages (adult students too!) Piano solos, duets and trios as well as other ensembles are encouraged to participate.
The play-a-thon began in 2011 and then again in 2012 and has been held biannually since then. Each year an organization that helps children has been selected to receive donations collected from the event. The Ronald McDonald House will be the recipient of donations from the 2026 event.
We are thankful to the Piano Gallery and Northern Piano Movers for donating their services to make this event possible.
More information will be sent in December to help you register your students. If you have questions, please contact Patty Bergeron (pcberg86@gmailcom).
- Patricia Bergeron
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Choose to Teach Initiative
The National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) offers a monthly 1-2 minute video series "designed specifically to help educators remain motivated through the sharing of words of encouragement and support from respected colleagues who have successfully navigated these last few, exceptionally challenging years."
“The goal of the Choose to Teach initiative is to help educators connect with the impact they have on their students, schools, and community, as well as reconnect with why they decided to become an educator. It's brought to you by the Music Achievement Council. Educators can receive more free content, just like this, and tips to recruit and retain more students at www.msfq.org/guide."
https://www.nammfoundation.org/educator-tips/supporting-music-education-choose-teach
- Sarah Griffith
Noteflight Learn Enrollment and Resources
One of the perks of VMTA membership is access to the Noteflight Learn online program for teachers to develop lesson content for composition, performance, and theory (for example), and for students to explore composing, sharing, and collaborating as part of their music study. More details and links can be found on the VMTA website under Teacher Resources. In addition, many interesting articles from the Noteflight BLOG (no login required) are available here. The most recent article addresses using supplementary material.
- Sarah Griffith
Look for details and resources at the following links:
Noteflight Learn
Links for Noteflight Learn Tutuorials
Noteflight Learn Webinars
Contact Sarah Griffith or complete and send the Enrollment Form on the VMTA website page.
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Remember to check out MTNA eFestival opportunities!
The MTNA eFestival runs year-round. No deadlines!
For more information, Click Here
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President:
Laurel Maurer
802-881-9153
laurelannmaurer@gmail.com
Immediate Past President:
Marie Johnson
802-879-8863
President-Elect:
TBD
Secretary:
Madeleine Montgomery
montgomerypiano@gmail.com
Treasurer:
Sarah Griffith
802-223-5307
sarah5432@gmail.com
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Conference Chair:
Patty Bergeron (interim)
802-878-9873
pcberg86@gmail.com
Non-Competitive Auditions:
Lilly C. Ramsey
802-879-7425
cldkramsey@comcast.net
Competitive Auditions:
Linda Buermeyer
802-439-6469
linduxbuermeyer@yahoo.com
Certification:
TBD
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Newsletter:
Yin Stewart
802-310-2110
yinmeistewart@gmail.com
Membership:
Patricia Cleary Bergeron
802-878-9873
pcberg86@gmail.com
Web Publicist:
Sarah Griffith &
Patty Bergeron
Composer Commissioning:
Michael Sitton
802-839-8336
michael.sitton1@gmail.com
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GET INVOLVED WITH YOUR ORGANIZATION!
Volunteers are needed to serve on the VMTA board! We currently need to fill the following positions:
President-Elect
Conference Chair
Certification Chair
Come and join our wonderful group of board members and see how your organization works!
| Wanted: FRESH ENERGY for Website-Builder review and comparison so that VMTA is prepared for upcoming changes to the current plan and services. Do you have those skills? Or do you know someone who would be willing to help out? If we do nothing, we will be paying more and getting less. Can we do better for our students and teachers? | | |
SPONSORS
VMTA is always looking for new Sponsors or Donors. Anyone who cares about music education can be a Sponsor or Donor. VMTA has publicity brochures and postcards and business cards that provide contact information for prospective supporters. They are designed for distribution to students and their families, and to the public, and are suitable for display in your studio, at your recitals, or at your favorite willing public location. If you or your student families would like to help find new Sponsors or Donors by distributing these items, please ask Sarah Griffith to send you a supply of the latest designs. Image files are also available on request. Suggestions for new designs are welcome. Meanwhile, these are the links for becoming a Sponsor or
making a Donation.
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