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Planning for the 2010 Student Evaluations—Updated January 20
The information below has been updated for 2010 and includes several documents that may be downloaded (schedule, application, letter to parents, study sheet on the composer of the year.)
What is the MMTA Student Evaluations Program?
The MMTA Student Evaluations Program is an opportunity for students of MMTA members to perfect and perform between one and three pieces of contrasting music for constructive comments by a qualified master teacher adjudicator. Each student's performance is private, non-competitive, and not graded. The adjudicator's job is to constructively reinforce each performance by accentuating the positive and pointing out areas that need attention. Students are judged on their own merit at their own level. Each student will receive a certificate and adjudicator's comments. Participants will also be recognized in newspapers and on the MMTA Web site.
All transcriptions, adaptations, and simplifications of music are allowed for any student. All types and varieties of music are acceptable. All music, properly taught, has value. The student's musical taste is not being judged. Memory is optional but encouraged at all levels. Duets or chamber ensembles are highly encouraged, but will receive one evaluation for the group. In order to comply with copyright laws, any piece presented as a photocopy will not be heard.
History tests are also available to students. It is hoped that this annual evaluation program will encourage students to continually strive for higher degrees of excellence in their musical study.
In order to run the Evaluation Day smoothly and professionally, the Executive Board requires all participating teachers (or students or parents of students) to volunteer some time before, during, or after the Evaluation Day. The Local Coordinator will contact you to make these arrangements.
Are all ages and levels accepted?
All ages and levels of advancement are eligible to participate. First year students are welcome too! The student's teacher must be an MMTA member in order to participate.
Where and when are evaluations held?
The evaluations are held early in the spring each year, at several sites throughout the state. The next evaluations will take place in March and April 2010. You may download the 2010 list of sites, dates, coordinators, and evaluators here.
Schedule update: Ellen Newton and Patricia Stowell are co-hosting the March 27 evaluations at the Bangor Public Library. UMaine faculty member Baycka Voronietsky will be the evaluator. Please submit your applications to Ellen Newton.
How is the optional history test administered?
Each year the music and life history of a selected composer is highlighted. Robert Schumann is the composer of the year in 2010. Students have the opportunity to learn more about the composer's life and music and take a short, multiple choice quiz on Evaluation Day.
A study guide is available to help students prepare for the quiz on Schumann. Quizzes will be corrected but not graded. A special composer sticker will be affixed to the student's participation certificate for taking the quiz.
What about theory tests?
KITS theory tests are no longer available at the Student Evaluations sites. Teachers are encouraged to offer KITS exams through their private studios.
If you are interested in offering the test to your students, you will need to determine the appropriate testing level of each student. To find out which level each student will need, you may order your own KITS Curriculum booklet for $3.00 from the author, Christine Murow. Student workbooks are available for Primer through Step 6 of the KITS program. These workbooks are color coded by Step (like the Exams) and cover everything the student will need to know in order to successfully complete the KITS theory test. The workbooks ($4.50 each level) are an excellent way to help your students prepare for the KITS test.
To order your Curriculum Guide and/or KITS Student Workbooks, please send your check in the appropriate amount made payable to "KITS" to the following address:
Will students receive comments from the adjudicator to take home?
Most evaluation sites now record the adjudicator's comments on a cassette tape that the student can take home to keep. It is the student's responsibility to bring a blank cassette tape to his or her evaluation. Blank tapes are not provided at each site. (If permitted, your student may use last year's evaluation tape; just cue it up for the new evaluation before arriving.)
A written evaluation form is sometimes preferred and used. Please check with your area coordinator to find out which type is offered at your site. With the adjudicator's permission, you may be allowed to choose cassette tape, written form, or both.
How do I register my students?
The application form is available for download. Applications are due February 14.
It is recommended that a student choosing a 20-minute time slot (for a fee of $20) prepare enough pieces to perform for a maximum of 10 minutes. A student at the sonata level and higher is encouraged to choose a 30-minute time slot ($30) and should prepare enough pieces to play for a maximum of 15 minutes. It does not matter whether the student plays one large work or several smaller pieces. Chamber works and four-hand pieces are acceptable for the Beethoven selection.
An informative letter to parents is available for teachers to distribute to interested families.
Composers of the Year
2008—American composers (born in the U.S.)
What if I still have questions?
For further information, please e-mail Beverly Pacheco, Vice-President for Student Evaluations.
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