Tippecanoe Music Teachers Association

Student Opportunities

TMTA supports and hosts events throughout the year that allow students to showcase and/or increase their talent. These events include:

We encourage students to participate!

AIM—Achievement in Music
Indiana Music Teachers Association

The AIM Festival presents a unique opportunity for the students. It is a non-competitive event that allows almost any child to participate. Compared to other piano events, participating students receive a much greater quantity of feedback from several different evaluators. Along with theory, students receive written comments in the areas of repertoire, technique, sight-playing, and keyboard skills. The evaluation scale (excellent, good, satisfactory, or needs work) places focus both on positive support and precise constructive criticism. This event provides reinforcement to the students for the essential study of comprehensive musicianship.

There are twelve levels in the AIM program and students can be entered at their current level. All students should be prepared in all areas of the AIM program, which include aural and written theory, repertoire, technique/keyboard skills, and sight-playing. It is possible to enter students at different levels in the various areas.

The students participating should plan to be there for approximately one to two hours that day. The exact time will be determined after registrations are turned in and scheduled. The students¡ schedule will include assignment to different rooms (one for each area).

Guild Auditions

The National Guild of Piano Teachers' primary function is to establish definite goals and awards for piano students of all levels and grades. There are goals for the earliest beginner to the adult; goals for the slow pupil to the gifted prodigy. All piano students have a yearly opportunity to attain these goals through a non-competitive adjudication in the Annual National Piano Playing Auditions. Auditions are private with well-qualified musicians as judges. Students are judged on individual merit in the areas of accuracy, continuity, phrasing, pedaling, dynamics, rhythm, tempo, tone, interpretation, style and technique.

Hoosier Auditions

The Hoosier Auditions provide students with an opportunity to perform in a competitive setting, receive a written evaluation of their performance, and take a written/aural theory exam. There are two rounds of Hoosier Auditions: District and State. In the District round, held during the month of March or April, students perform pieces and take the written/aural theory exam. Students enter a level based on age at the time of the District round: Early Elementary (ages 7–9), Elementary (ages 10–11), Middle School (ages 12–13), Junior (ages 14–15), Senior (ages 16–18, and Collegiate Undergraduate (ages 18–22).

Students of current IMTA members and non-members are eligible to enter the Hoosier Auditions. A non-member teacher is required to pay a one-time fee of $30 each year, which entitles the teacher to enter any number of students. Each student of the non-member teacher then pays an additional $3 toward the entry fee.

In addition to their performance, students will take a written/aural theory exam at the District round or through the AIM Festival.

Monster Concert

The Monster Concert is a non-competitive event for piano students from age 9 through High School. The concert is held at the Long Center for Performing Arts. Ten pianos are on stage and duets and trios are played simultaneously by 200 or more fingers.

The Monster Concert encourages active participation in music practice and performance. These 200 plus students and their families spend months in learning and preparation for the concert including numerous rehearsals. They also get to experience the excitement of performing in a full-length program in a big concert hall.

Retirement Home Recitals

For several years the Tippecanoe Music Teachers Association has had an on-going program of students playing music to entertain residents at the retirement home of George Davis Manor and prior to that at Heritage House.

Our students have previously been playing piano. However, other instrumentalists are welcome for the 45 minute entertainment time between 11:00 a.m. and 11:45 a.m.

This community outreach program is continuously met with a warm response from the residents who enjoy hearing these young musicians. Our students are provided with a baby grand piano and the opportunity to perform in a non-competitive atmosphere.

Sunday Showcase Recital Series

This event offers the opportunity for students to memorize and play a particular style or type of music in a non-competitive atmosphere amongst their peers. This event is generally held on a monthly basis lasting approximately one hour in length.