Cowichan Music

The Cowichan Valley Music Teachers Association (CVMTA) was established nearly 40 years ago by local music teachers who joined to create an informal organization dedicated to furthering music education in all its forms in our community.

        The CVMTA is an unregistered, not-for-profit organization. Members contribute dues to cover our website and advertising costs. We hold fundraising events, such as the “Wine and Chocolate Evening”, a celebration featuring performances by our adult students, and “I Played This Better At Home” concerts, in which we donate our professional performances to support the cause.

        The funds raised from these events make it possible for us to achieve many of our goals. In recent years, the CVMTA has donated to:

·      The Cowichan Valley Music Teacher Association Awards, Scholarships and Bursaries Fund

·      The Cowichan Music Festival [$300] for awards to students selected by the adjudicators

·      The “Judith McIvor” Memorial Scholarship [$650] (formerly “David Walden”) to a graduating senior going on in music

·      Making our Canada Music Week concerts possible, at no cost to students or audience

        Donations may be made to the CVMTA’s direct-deposit account: CVMTA.bursaries.fund@mail.com.  Regretfully, although we gratefully acknowledge donations, we cannot provide tax receipts, as we are not registered as a non-profit organization. Meticulous financial records are always kept current, and, upon request from a major donor, may be made available for review.

HISTORY, GOALS and ACTIVITIES

 Since its inception, the CVMTA’s goals and activities have been many and varied. Throughout, we have aimed:

         1)  To gain fellowship and enjoyment through gathering to share music, laughter, food, and friendship, and to increase the quality of our music teaching by exchanging ideas and teaching experience;

         2)  To organize performing events for music students, such as Pianofest (2005 through 2019), Melody Marathon (2008, 2011), Masterclasses in piano and strings, and our biannual Canada Music Week concerts;

         3)  To organize educational workshops, inviting clinicians to share their expertise in Eurhythmics (2005) and in five western Music History eras: Medieval (2006), Renaissance (2008), Baroque (2010), Classical (2012), and Romantic (2014);

         4)  To encourage students to attend live music performances, and to listen frequently to great music on recordings and the internet, and also to share our enthusiasm, and enhance music listening by providing frequent “Preludes to the Symphony”;

         5)   To motivate and inspire music students through special recognition in the form of Festival awards, and through our yearly Scholarship to a graduating senior who is going on in music at an institution of higher learning, and to feature students in the “Young Musician of the Week” column in The Cowichan Valley Citizen;

         6)   To have a website to inform the public about member teachers and our events;

 And, closest to our hearts:

         7)  To pool our efforts to reduce the financial barriers which make private music lessons out of reach for many talented and deserving students. We strongly believe that the joy, healing, and soul-expanding powers of music should be available to all.

CVMTA MEMBERSHIPS

We welcome all local music teachers to join us! Membership can be Partial (no fee required) or Full (requiring a yearly membership fee of $35 or more.) In either case, please contact Ann Mendenhall annmend2014@outlook.com. She will add you to her email list and you will start receiving music-related notices.

        All members (both Partial and Full) receive the following perks:

1.    Everyone is invited to attend meetings (in person or by Zoom.) Our music community provides friendship and mutual support.

2.    All are welcome to perform in our concerts, and to volunteer to help in any capacity with our various projects.

3.    All members, and their students, may perform in the biannual Canada Music Week concerts.

4.    All members’ students may appear in the “Young Musician of the Week” column in the Citizen.

Full Memberships are available to those who keep their yearly dues up to date. To become a “Member in good standing” between June 1^st and May 31^st each season, please e-transfer $35 to cvmta.bursaries.fund@mail.com (and email Ann to let her know that you have.)

 Full Membership includes the following, additional benefits:

        5) You will be listed on the CVMTA website and may have your own page for bios and photos

        6) Your students will be eligible to apply for annual bursaries to help with the cost of lessons and materials

        7) Your graduating students will also be eligible to apply for the $650 Judith McIvor Memorial  Scholarship

        8) You may choose to assume a leadership position within the CVMTA