For the second time in four years, Ohio University’s Collegiate Chapter of the Music Teachers National Association (MTNA) has been selected as the 2019 MTNA Collegiate Chapter of the Year and will be recognized by MTNA President Scott McBride Smith at a national conference in Spokane, Washington, in March.
Christopher Fisher, professor of piano and OHIO’s MTNA chapter advisor, said this recognition is a significant honor, as this distinction is bestowed upon a single chapter from the United States each year.
“The Ohio University Collegiate Chapter last received this honor in 2015,” Fisher noted. “It is a sincere pleasure to serve as chapter advisor and to work with such an extraordinary group of young professionals. I am deeply moved by their passion to share the gift and power of music as well as by their efforts to advance the music teaching profession.”
MTNA executive director and CEO Gary Ingle said in a prepared statement that a selection committee considered multiple nominees from MTNA state affiliate presidents, and other outstanding chapters from across the country, before making its selection.
The award honors an MTNA chapter for its exceptional contributions to the music teaching profession. Ingle said the selection of OHIO’s chapter recognizes the “significant accomplishments and important work” it is doing to advance music and music teaching on campus and in the community.
President of OHIO’s MTNA Collegiate Chapter, Elizabeth Jackson, will be traveling to the conference in March to accept the award along with several of her peers.
Jackson said music is meant to be shared, and any time her chapter takes its music beyond the four walls of a recital hall, it proves to be a “very rewarding experience.”
“Our chapter has been highly active and engaged with the community in both previous years and this year,” Jackson added. “We find that bringing arts to different populations in our community is a very valuable experience as educators and musicians.”
OHIO President M. Duane Nellis congratulated the OHIO MTNA Collegiate Chapter and OHIO School of Music; he said the University is extremely proud of its exceptionally talented musicians.
“We are extremely fortunate to have such a passionate group of student performers and advisors who go above and beyond to make contributions to the music teaching profession on campus and in our community,” President Nellis added. “OHIO aims to become a positive catalyst of quality of life change for Appalachia, and the gift of music certainly plays a vital role.”