Washington University to host Missouri Music Teachers Association competitions Nov. 6 to 9

Oct. 28, 2008 -- Eight faculty members from Washington University's Department of Music in Arts & Sciences will present a showcase recital in conjunction with the Missouri Music Teachers Association's (MMTA) annual instrumental and vocal competitive auditions.

The program — which will begin at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 8, in the 560 Music Center — will feature music of Frédéric Chopin, Francis Poulenc and Clara Rogers, as well as jazz improvisation.

Performers will include pianist Seth Carlin, professor of music; guitarist William Lenihan, director of jazz performance; and cellist Elizabeth Macdonald, director of Strings. Also performing will be pianist Maryse Carlin, pianist Annette Burkhart, saxophonist Adrianne Honnold, pianist Amanda Kirkpatrick and guitarist Vince Varvel, all teachers of applied music.

The 560 Music Center is located at 560 Trinity Ave., at the intersection with Delmar Boulevard. For more information, call (314) 935-5566 or email kschultz@wustl.edu.

The MMTA is the state organization of the Music Teachers National Association (MTNA). The annual competition — hosted this year by the Department of Music — will take place Nov. 6 to 9 in the 560 Music Center. More than 600 students, ranging in age from kindergarten through college, will compete within their respective grade levels for top honors in voice, piano, all instruments and chamber music.

Winners from the Missouri auditions will proceed to the West Central Division Auditions, which will be held Jan. 16-18, 2009, at St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minn. Divisional finalists will proceed to the MTNA National Competitions, held March 28-April 1 in Atlanta, GA.

For more information about the MMTA competitions, visit http://missourimta.org/.