Georgia Music Teachers Association

Sarah Elias shares about how to motivate your students to practice, how to juggle a busy schedule as a professor and a mom, and what growing up in a household of professional musicians was like.

Cellist Justin Dougherty discusses finding his way as a professional musician through the development of skills outside of academia, the importance of communicating realistic expectations to parents, and his interest in new music.

Esther Park shares about her educational journey from Juilliard Pre-College to Germany to Yale, her experience preparing for international competitions, and playing as a professional piano duo with her sister. At the conclusion of the interview, Esther Park shares a performance of Chopin's Ballade No. 2 in F major, Op. 38.

Laura Gordy shares about the early days of Rice University establishing their prestigious music program, her interest in new music, and the varied aspects of her life-long career in music.

Katherine Emeneth talks about her entrepreneurial path toward music, how she coaches other musicians in creating a viable business, and provides practical advice to young professionals.

Larisa Elisha shares about her upbringing in former Soviet Union, her career in Poland, her journey to America, and collaborations with her husband, cellist, Steven Elisha. The interview concludes with Larisa's performance of Rodion Shchedrin's À La Manière d'Albéniz with pianist, Karla Rocker.

Carol Payne talks about going back to school for a Ph.D. later in life, questioning traditions of standard scale fingerings and memorization, and the future of classical music.

Chenny Gan discusses the relationship between visual art and music, life in Georgia and Germany, the influence of jazz in her life, and shares a recording from her Classic Meets Jazz 2.0 Series.

Giuliano Graniti shares insights about Italian culture and the Italian conservatory system, his perspectives on what is effective and meaningful teaching, and his ongoing projects in pedagogy, technology, and performance.

Vicente Della Tonia shares about the conservatory system in Brazil, the challenges he encountered as an international student teaching his first class in America, his current performance and research projects, and three books that are must-haves for piano teachers.

Joshua May shares about his breadth of musical experiences, working in higher education, opera, and outreach programs, the future (and virtual reality) of classical music, and the continuing legacy of his teachers.

Elena Cholakova shares about her musical upbringing in Bulgaria, her journey to America, her advocacy for lesser-known works and women composers, and the importance of saying "yes" to professional opportunities for young musicians.

Jerico Vasquez shares about his musical beginnings in the Philippines, the "Listening Club" he started with a colleague at Shorter University, and his love for and promotion of new music.

Tom Pearsall shares about his self-taught beginnings, how group piano has changed in the last 30 years, and an insider's history into the GP3 Conference and its association with MTNA.

Sam Brown shares about his journey from piano student to public school administrator, how he mentors teenagers through performance anxiety, and his passion for showing young musicians the diversity of career opportunities in the arts.

Katrin Meidell shares about her journey from a violinist to violist, her recovery from performance injury and how that has made her a better teacher, and advice for young professionals.

Doug Farwell talks about his musical upbringing, the importance of listening to good music in a student's educational development, and the need to teach kindness and good citizenship to our students.

Huu Mai shares about his passion for teaching, how this passion has come as a surprise to him, the convergence of his numerous interests, and the necessity of letting go of expectations in order to enjoy the process of music.

Kris Carlisle shares about his performance journey in new music, how he approaches teaching contemporary music to students, and advice for young musicians.

Amy Neal shares about the impact of her teachers on her life trajectory, some organization and motivational ideas for studio teachers, and goal-setting for both herself and her students.

Uni Choi talks about her musical development in Uzbekistan and America, the challenges of balancing professional life and personal life, and how being a musician has turned out differently than what she had imagined or expected for herself.

Marissa Woodall shares about the influence of GMTA on her life, gives our listeners a sneak peak into the world of dressage freestyle, and shares life lessons about music and teaching that she has learned from her donkeys.

Alex Wasserman talks about his late start in piano and how that has strengthened his teaching, recommends one of his favorite books, and shares a hopeful view for the future of classical music.

Cindy DeFoor shares about her career as a piano teacher throughout the Southeast Region of the US, the influence of GMTA on her life as a student of piano and now as a teacher, and what advice she would give to young professionals. To hear Cindy's compositions, go to: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdK5SK0fMMjDhf9y9mBZ4dw

Monique Arar discusses a return to music after working in the non-profit sector, the importance of parental support for student success, and teaching composition to her students.

Anne-Marie Cherry discusses her musical beginnings in Texas, discovering effective practicing, a semester-long book club she hosts with her students, and current pedagogical and performance projects.

Javian Brabham shares about his educational journey from rural South Carolina to teaching in academia, the process of overcoming a performance injury, and advice for young professionals.

Wendy Warner talks about her childhood in Chicago, studies at the Curtis Institute, and growth as a teacher in Georgia.

Harpist Lisa Handman talks about her journey from her initial love of music to a life in the corporate world that eventually led to a return to music; She speaks from personal experience about the importance of following your dreams.

Boris Abramov, violinist, talks about his musical upbringing in Israel, his development at the Schwob School of Music under Professor Sergiu Schwartz, and the high value he places on fundamentals in playing and teaching.

Kelly Bryant shares about her love-at-first sight reaction to the flute, her performance and teaching career, and practical advice for parents about encouraging a love of music in children.

Joshua Pifer talks about his beginnings in Tokyo, Japan, being a pre-med major who rejected a medical school acceptance for a life of music, and his journey to his current teaching position at Valdosta State University.

Judith Siegel shares about the discovery and premiere of a Leschetizky Concerto, the origins of Alexander Peskanov's "Anniversary" Concerto, and her teaching philosophy.

Sonja Foster shares about her educational foundation studying with legendary teacher, Ivan Galamian, the success of her highly selective pre-collegiate studio, and pedagogical advice for fellow teachers. To read the GMTA Teacher of the Year article, go to: https://georgiamta.org/teacher-of-the-year.php

Kyung-A Yoo shares about her path to collaborative piano, overcoming the challenges of being a performing musician, and the lessons learned along the way.

Gloria Gardiner, founder of Greenwood School of Music, shares about her road back to music as an adult learner, her career in special education, and the encouragement her family continues to provide in her musical journey.

Cameron Fuhrman discusses making music through intellect and intuition, her current projects, and the challenges and joys of being a musician. Her website can be found at: https://www.cameronfuhrman.com/

Diane Boyd shares about her unusual journey to becoming a professional musician, lessons about teaching, and advice for young professionals on how to succeed as a musician.

Dian Lawler-Johnson talks about her education and extensive career in higher education teaching voice to students of all ages and abilities.

Francis Leach, originally of British Guiana and now based in Georgia, shares about his teaching philosophy, passion for music, and hope for the future.

Susan Andrews, past GMTA president and winner of the Teacher of the Year Award, talks about her career as a piano teacher and her involvement with MTNA at various levels of the organization. To read the Teacher of the Year Article on Susan Andrews, go to: https://georgiamta.org/teachersOfTheYear/2017SusanAndrews.pdf

Martha Thomas shares with us reflections on her musical education, experiences as a teacher, and recent projects.

Grace Huang talks about the impact her teachers have on her life, her teaching approach, and advice for young professionals.

Ping-yun Hsu shares about her beginnings in Taiwan, her transformative education in Germany, and about her teaching studio in Georgia. To read the GMTA Article on Ping-yun Hsu's 2018 Teacher of the Year Award, go to: https://georgiamta.org/teachersOfTheYear/2018PingYun-Hsu.pdf

Joy Poole talks about her upbringing and the various hats she has worn as a musician, from public school teacher to church musician to private studio teacher.

Christina Toole talks about her education, career path, and overcoming performance injury.

Tracy Xian talks about her childhood and training in China, coming to America, and her recent pedagogical projects.

Amy Phillips talks about juggling life and career as a young mom, establishing a new private studio during the COVID lockdowns, and developing a sense of humor about oneself.

Portia Hawkins talks about growing up in the south, the influence of her teachers, her interest in promoting works by African American composers, and her approach to teaching. To read the GMTA Teacher of the Year Article on Portia, go to: https://georgiamta.org/teacher-of-the-year.php Portia recommends these resources for those interested in teaching repertoire by Florence Price, available in multiple volumes: https://www.classicalvocalrep.com/products/A-Collection-of-Florence-Prices-Piano-Teaching-Music-Vol-1-Beginning-Pieces-384524.html

Pam Asberry talks about teaching, composing, recording, creativity, and how to know if music is the right career choice. To purchase Pam Asberry's compositions and hear her recordings, go to: https://pamasberry.com/

Kristi Helfen talks about taking organ and piano lessons growing up, going to Costa Rica for a year, joining and performing in a piano ensemble, earning a master's degree later in life, and creating a method book for retirement-age adults.