Chris Wolf chatted with Manitoba registered Music Teachers’ President Evangeline Keely about the CFMTA’s virtual conference that will be held between July 8-10.
Every two years the Canadian Federation of Music Teachers’ Associations (CFMTA) holds a national conference that brings together music teachers form across the country. The conference is an opportunity for music teachers to gain some professional development opportunities, but also find some inspiration and friendship with fellow teachers. The 2021 conference; like many events over this past year will be held virtually. The conference and will showcase lecturers, workshops, tradeshows and performers from coast to coast to coast, and will be working on the theme of connecting Canada and musical diversity.
The conference this year has particular significance and importance due to COVID 19. Throughout this past year, music teachers across the country have been teaching private lessons either by socially distancing themselves with their students or; is more commonly the case over a virtual platform such as Zoom. Inspiration and comradery with fellow music professionals is something that is sorely needed at the end of this very unusual year for music education. As Evangeline Keeley, President of the Manitoba Registered Music Teachers’ Association (MRMTA) says “I know that some teachers have been teaching completely online for over a year now, and they are getting Zoomed out.”
This year’s conference will feature keynote speakers such as world renowned Canadian soprano Meesha Brueggergosman, and Canadian composers and lecturers T. Patrick Carrabre’ and Dinuk Wijeratne, to name just a few.
The conference will also feature workshops and trade shows that will all happen virtually. There will be virtual booths, and vendors will be giving virtual presentations to promote their products.
The CFMTA also holds a piano and voice competition that is held during the conference. This year, there is a new prize category for competitors who are performing pieces that represent diversity in some way.
This is not the first time Evangeline Keeley has been involved in planning the CFMTA national conference. In 2019 Evangeline and fellow MRMTA teacher Annette Hay planned the National conference when it was held here in Winnipeg, at the Hotel Fort Garry.
This year, the planning committee has been made of members from across the country which makes this a truly National conference! They have met bi-weekly to plan this year’s conference. The chair-person for the planning committee lives in Halifax, but there are also members from Vancouver. The meetings were held at 8:00am CST which meant that the B.C. committee members needed to be awake and alert at 6:00 am! This is truly a testament to their commitment to putting this amazing conference together.
This year the CFMTA is proud to welcome a new association to this year’s conference. There is now a registered music teachers association form the Northwest Territories that will be joining their fellow colleagues for this year’s virtual conference. “We are really excited to have them on board and expand the CFMTA.” says Evangeline Kelley.
If people want to want to register for the CFMTA National Conference “’Connecting Canada: Musical Diversity from Coast to Coast to Coast.” Click here:
https://www.cfmta.org/2021ConnectingCanada/
The cost for the entire conference is $49.00 and most of the events, including the lectures will be available online until the end of July. It is a great deal and you do not need to be a member of the MRMTA to register. This is a great resource for any music teacher wanting to feel inspired throughout the summer.
To see the entire conversation Chris Wolf had with MRMTA President Evangeline Keeley click here:
Thu, May 9, 7:30 PM
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