North Shore Music Teachers Association
Connecting the Chicago North Shore community to music educators since 1974.
The North Shore Music Teachers Association (NSMTA) is a group of teachers from the Chicago suburbs who love music and love to teach! We gather for meetings each month to network, exchange ideas, and gain inspiration. We organize events for our students including competitions, recitals, and non-competitive festivals and exams.
Click on any of the links for quick access to NSMTA information:
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NSMTA News and Announcements
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February Newsletter
Read the latest issue of The SCORE, NSMTA’s monthly newsletter!
All issues of The SCORE can be found at www.nsmta.org/thescore
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2024 Member of the Year: Anthony Ty
Anthony Ty has served NSMTA in great capacities with his technical skills in marketing and social media. He also expertly runs the live stream monthly meetings, making the programs accessible to all our membership. Congratulations and thank you for your service, Anthony!
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Free Headshot Session
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2024 Teachers Recital & Luncheon
The 50th anniversary of NSMTA’s founding was celebrated at the annual Teachers Recital & Luncheon on June 10, 2024.
View the recital program and gallery of pictures at www.nsmta.org/teachers-recital-luncheon.
NSMTA Monthly Meeting
Join us on the 4th Monday of the month as we gather for our monthly member meetings!
The next monthly meeting is on February 24, 2025.
9:30-10:00 Pre-Meeting Presentation
10:00 Business Meeting / Coffee & Refreshments
11:00-12:00 Program
We are pleased to offer hybrid meetings:
In-person at Northfield Community Church (400 Wagner Road, Northfield, IL 60093).
Online via Zoom (link emailed to members the weekend prior along with the newsletter).
Head over to the Calendar of Events (or click on the picture) for event information.
Fellow MTNA Members are invited!
Members of other local chapters are always welcome to join our monthly meetings. This is in the collegial spirit and to engage a wider audience for esteemed program speakers. Contact programs@nsmta.org for more information.
February Pre-Meeting:
Dr. Mary Beth Molenaar
Sharing our Tips and Tricks, Part 2
If you missed the January pre-meeting, join us in February for more tips and tricks! We will start this month’s discussion with “How do you increase your student’s love of playing and listening to music – not just competing or passing the test?” That could take the full half-hour right? If we have time I will solicit ideas for themed recitals or workshops, tips on when or whether to add supplemental repertoire to your student’s method (or Suzuki) books. If you have a suggestion for a discussion question, please e-mail Mary Beth before Monday’s meeting.
Read Mary Beth’s biography here.
February Program:
Jeff Kleinsorge
Gold Medal Playing: Elevating Piano Performance
How do you get your students to play artistically and at a high level? Lead with the gold!
The idea started as a way to judge student performance festivals and evolved into a general teaching approach that’s applicable to every student: beginning through advanced, average through exceptional. Playing is categorized into three levels: Bronze (basic skills), Silver (expressive elements), and Gold (artistic interpretation). The key concept is to teach first from the Gold and work your way down to the Bronze. Along the way, we’ll discuss interpretive guidelines and examine a variety of practice strategies for flawless performances.
Read Jeff’s biography here.