Incoming New Board at State Conference in Lakeland, October 21, 2023

District 8 Concerto Competition,-all instruments
Saturday, March 2, 2024 10:00AM
Pritchard"s Pianos, 2108 Bee Ridge Rd. Sarasota, 34239
entry forms online at: https://www.fmta.org/d8-concerto-comp.html
-CANCELLED-

Saturday, March 16th, 2024  10:00 AM
DISTRICT 8 Piano Master Class & Meeting
with Don Bryn & Lesia Schulha
SCF Choir Room
Contact Beth von Ende or Laura Miller
for student entry information

FSMTA Student Day evalutions
 Saturday, April 6 at SCF Music Building
MCMTA Entries to Beth von Ende by March 6
SMTA entries to Laura Miller by March 11
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Competition at SCF Recital Hall
Sunday March 13th, 2022 starting at 1:30 pm

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COMPETITION DATE: Saturday March 28, 9:00-11:00 AM 2020 CANCELLED
Location:  Pritchard's Pianos, 2108 Bee Ridge Rd. Sarasota 34239
Student Entry Fees: Elementary:$15; Junior & Intermediate $20; Senior $25  Non-member Teacher additional fee $40
Entry fee checks are to be made out to FSMTA District 8 and sent to:
Chair Denise Verheul
2495 Browning Street, Sarasota, FL 34237
Online Application and Information at www.fmta.org 


 District 8 Annual Meeting and Election of Officers!
September 7, 2019 1:00 p.m. Braden River Public Library
Slate of NEW officers:
President: Julie Gensmer
President-elect: Bobbi Morgan
Treasurer: Lesia Schulha
Recording Secretary: Mary Webb
Concerto Chair: Denise Verhuel
Certification Chair:Marion Cox
Compliance Officer: Charles Turon

DISTRICT 8 Mini-Conference Saturday November 9, 2019
Cost: $20 More Information at District Meeting September 7th!
Contact Julie Gensmer or Charles Turon for more information

DISTRICT 8 Student Concerto Competition 2020
Saturday March 28, 2020 9:00-11:00 a.m.
Pritchard's Pianos, Sarasota
Chair: Denise Verhuel (770)335-4247
Deadline: February 15
applications online : www.fmta.org click FSMTA Competitive Events

Expired-CALLING all PERFORMERS!
District is looking for a performing member to represent us at the FSMTA State Conference in October!
Please contact District President Lesia Schulha if interested:(941)518-9973 or [email protected]
Deadline: June 5th, 2019. Performance length: 8 minutes maximum

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District 8 Annual Meeting with MCMTA & SarasotaMTA(SMTA)
Saturday, September 8, 2018, 1:00 p.m.
Presentation by Jody Maxwell, CPA, on new IRS tax laws as they apply to the Studio Music Teacher
Short District 8 meeting with President Lesia Schulha to follow
Location: Fruitville Public Library, 100 Coburn Road, Sarasota, 34240

 Deadline: MTNA Competition Applications Sept. 12, 2018  3:00 PM EST
​online information and application form: www.mtna.org
Competitions October 28th at UCF

Sunday, March 31, 2019, 1:30 p.m.
STUDENT District 8 Concerto Competition
State College of Florida (SCF), Music Building, Room 189 
UPCOMING: Deadline February 28th.  Application to be competed online at:
http://www.fmta.org/fsmta-competitive-events.html
Scroll down to Information for Entrants and Rules & Application Form​
Contact Chair: Luci Majikas (540)570-3131 or email [email protected]​
Winners progress to FSMTA state competitions in May
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DISTRICT 8 Mini-Conference, Saturday November 4, 2017, State College of Florida, Bradenton
Gail Berenson, past MTNA President, Presents her Top 2 Workshops:
Not Your Momma's Music Lessons; Teaching Piano in the 21st Century &
Strategies for Handling Performance Anxiety
Registration begins at 8:30 a.m.
Programs: 9 a.m.-12:00 p.m followed by provided lunch
Brief District 8 Meeting at 12:45
Cost: District 8 members, only $10! Other MTNA members and participants; $20; Students with ID free
Please register online via email by November 2nd to Lesia Schulha, District President, at [email protected]

 For biographical information on Gail Berenson, go to her website at: http://www.gailberenson.com 

FSMTA District 8 new general information 2017-2018
Sarasota Concert Association has available FREE TICKETS for students with an accompanying adult!
SCA would like to offer any students,pre-college student-no ID required and college students with ID, a “free" ticket, when accompanied by an adult.  The adult ticket price is $25 single, or for 2 tickets with a student. For concert dates, venues, and information click: www.scasarasota.org

DISTRICT 8 Student Concerto Competitions 
Sunday February 25, 2018, 1:30 p.m.
All Instruments, voice and chamber music
Location: State College of Florida, Bradenton
​Deadline: January 25th, Application to be filled out online at:
http://www.fmta.org/fsmta-competitive-events.html
Scroll down to Information for Entrants and Rules & Application Form​
Winners progress to FSMTA state competitions in May
Contact Chair: Luci Majikas (540)570-3131 or email [email protected]
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 FSMTA District 8  general information 2016-2017
New: FREE Concert Tickets for children 5-18 at Florida Orchestra Masterworks Concerts!
Now children ages 5 to 18 can attend the Tampa Bay Times Masterworks for free. It’s the latest in our initiatives to make live symphonic music even more accessible to Tampa Bay. (Performances are close by in Mahaffey Theatre, St. Petersburg FL, just 30-40 minutes from Manatee & Sarasota Counties over the Sunshine Skyway Bridge.)  We have reserved a limited number of free Classical Kids tickets for each Masterworks concert.  At  least one paying adult purchase is required per order, and other restrictions apply.These tickets are available only through The Florida Orchestra Ticket Center.
For more information and tickets, call 727.892.3337 or 800.662.7286.

DISTRICT 8 Student Concerto Competitions 
Sunday March 5, 2017, 1:30 p.m.
All Instruments, voice and chamber music
Location: State College of Florida
​Deadline: February 6, Application online at:
http://www.fmta.org/fsmta-competitive-events.html
Scroll down to Information for Entrants and Rules & Application Form​
Winners progress to FSMTA state competitions in May
CONTACT: Mary Webb (941)758-6035 or [email protected]
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 Annual District 8 Meeting 
Sunday, September 11th 2016, 2:00 pm
at First Presbyterian Church,
2050 Oak Street, SARASOTA 34237
PROGRAM: Short 9/11 Memorial service followed by Surprise Musical Guest Don Bryn, new piano faculty at SCF

Green Sheet Handout for members, from the Desk of President Lesia Schulha, and others... :
​"When you get tired of your own words"
A very spirited discussion ensued from the list, with additions given by members.​

NEW FOR 2016-2017: Florida Orchestra has a limited number of seats FREE for students 5-18 when accompanied by a paying adult.  More Information available at : 

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 District 8 Information for 2015-16
 
 Annual District 8 Meeting of the Year for 2015! 
Come join us Sunday, September 13th, 2:00 pm
at First Presbyterian Church,
2050 Oak Street, SARASOTA 34237
Dr. Charles Turon presented: "Music Teachers as Promoters of Psychological Wellness"

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NEW Florida Orchestra feature: FREE STUDENT ticket with accompanying paying adult to certain concerts, while same day Rush Seats are only $10 for students. Go to the website for more information: www.floridaorchestra.org/group-sales.asp  Florida Orchestra performs in St. Petersburg's Mahaffey Theatre, just over the Sunshine Skyway Bridge.
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How is Piano damper felt made? Courtesy of pianopricepoint.com: http://pianopricepoint.com/laoureux-dampers/
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DISTRICT 8 Meeting, September 2015 with President Lesia Schulha presiding
Green Sheet HANDOUT for MEMBERS:

TOPIC: When students won’t practice
When students don’t practice, there’s a reason. Don’t wonder, start testing—we look at 18 different experiments you can run to turn things around.
-by Philip Johnston
1. What if…you were to schedule extra recitals?
2. What if…you created a student exchange program?
3. What if…you ran a Practice Competition?
4. What if…you set up Practice Schedules?
5. What if…you abandonded Practice Schedules?
6. What if…practicing were a temporary chore quarantine?
7. What if…parents were more/less involved in the practice room?
8. What if…parents were more/less  involved in lessons?
9. What if…you showed them new ways to practice?
10.What if…they had to mix up where they practice?
11.What if…you found better repertoire for them?
12.What if…you changed how many pieces they have to juggle?
13.What if…you changed the number of daily practice sessions?
14.What if…a few days each week were Official Practice-Free Zones
15.What if…each day had a chance of being a Practice Free Zone?
16.What if…you dressed up the whole thing as a Quest?
17.What if…you change the weight of your student’s workload
18.What if…you change the type of work they do?

So whether you use 1 or 10 of these ideas, they are all worth a shot.  To truly understand the full possibilities, go to the website at 
www.insidemusicteaching.com/when-students-wont-practice/
and read the paragraph accompanying each idea and then the Final Word at the bottom.  We all can use help in this area! -Lesia

OTHER CURRENT HELPFUL WEBSITES:
Over 9000 recordings of beginner-intermediate piano repertoire from Univeristy of Iowa at: www.youtube.com/user/UIPianoPed/about

Free printable & designable staff paper:  www.blanksheet.com

Additional free music scores in the public domain with pieces such as Bach Inventions, Strauss songs: www.mutopiaproject.org
                                                                                                                                      
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.FSMTA State Conference, October 23-26
Sanibel Island, www.fmta.org/conference.asp
Hotel discount Deadline September 22 at $129/night


MTNA SOUTHERN Division Competitions
January 15-18 at USF in Tampa
Monitors will be needed. Contact Becky Barlar, FSMTA President


Student District Concerto Competition for ALL instruments & Voice ages 5-18, in 4 categories: 
            Sunday, March 13, 2016 at 1:30 p.m. at State College of Florida
            Entry deadline, Feb.13th with forms online  District and State Competition application forms  Email to Mary Webb,
              Concerto  Chair.  Call Mary with any questions at (941)758-6035.




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2014-2015

District 8 Meeting Sunday September 7th, 2014, 2:00 p.m. with local meetings to follow
                Location:Home of Ruth Burns, 3602 72nd Avenue Circle East, Bradenton FL

FSMTA State Conference, October 23-26, 2014 Tallahassee,   Conference Registration Form

District Event: Recital and Master Class by Rebeccah Penneys at SCF on March 31st and April 1st.
                    Please consult the college website at http://www.scf.edu/Academics/Music/MusicPerformances.asp

Student District Concerto Competition for ALL instruments & Voice ages 5-18, in 4 categories:
            Sunday, March 15, 2015 at 1:30 p.m. at State College of Florida
            Entry deadline, Feb.15th with forms online  District and State Competition application forms  Email to Mary Webb,
              Concerto  Chair.  Call Mary with any questions at (941)758-6035.

Resource for current music teaching research and a "Teacher Portal": www.rcmusic.ca/resources


2013-2014 Handout with Competitions, Member Conferences, Area Orchestras and Free Internet sites: