We are excited to announce that our chapter has been recognized as Chapter of the Year by the Washington State Music Teachers Association for 2022!

With roughly 140 members, 24 of whom carry the distinction of being Nationally Certified Teachers of Music (NCTM), the SMTA is an active and vibrant chapter. We sponsor or produce a wide variety of programs, including performance and assessment opportunities, competitions, and top tier educational presentations at our meetings. Last year we were able to revive our social efforts by hosting a slate of charming in person events to connect members and potential members, with plans firmly in the works to continue this in the 2022-2023 season. For the online side of those efforts we’ve been building out a YouTube channel (including recordings of the aforementioned presentations and performances), as well as utilizing our Facebook presence to build a supportive corner of the internet for our membership. We actively encourage and support MusicLink participation so more families can afford music lessons, and support our member teachers and their continuing education and participation through a variety of grants.

The Board plans to use the award money from this grant to found an exciting new program that will further our efforts to provide performance opportunities for the expansive variety of musical styles that capture the attention and tastes of our teachers and students. Watch the fall issues of the Staccato Notes for more information on this newly imagined program.

The SMTA is thrilled and honored to have received this award, the result of a remarkably high level of activity that we can only sustain thanks to the ongoing efforts of our many wonderful volunteers. We look forward to another season wherein we will continue to offer our many popular programs and events, while continually revisiting how we can best welcome and serve the diversity of teachers and students within our region.