Who We Are
Welcome to the Santa Cruz Branch of MTAC. We represent about 30 music teachers within Santa Cruz County who teach in local educational institutions and in private studios. We have served for many years as a beacon of music education within the local arts community.
There are state and local programs for member teachers and students. We have a large participation in the state Certificate of Merit program, providing a structure for learning music theory and performance. Locally, we have two scholarship programs which have an impact in our area.
The Talent Bank scholarships are merit based and have been a great incentive for students to improve their performance abilities. This program began in 1970 and has granted thousands of dollars over the past 50-plus years. Students are available to perform for retirement communities and service organizations in return for donations to the Talent Bank. They audition for scholarships in April, performing for invited adjudicators who are professional musicians.
Opportunity Grant scholarships serve low-income families who otherwise would not be able to finance music lessons. Recently, we have served families in the Pajaro region of Watsonville and a refugee family from Ukraine. Both of these scholarship programs depend on generous tax-deductible donations from the public.
Orchestral musicians gather in their free time to play chamber music. Pianists in our branch love to get together to play piano ensemble music. Member teachers and friends enjoy a wonderful comradery to prepare the annual piano extravaganza Celebrate Piano Ensemble. The event occurs in February and is a major supporter of our scholarships.
The Music Teachers’ Association of California®, incorporated in 1897, is a professional organization dedicated to the pursuit of excellence in music education. With over 4,700 members, there are 64 affiliated Branches throughout the state. MTAC serves over 100,000 students. The mission of MTAC is to pursue excellence in music education and advance the music teaching profession through innovative programs that foster artistic growth and achievement.
Officers:
President: Roger Emanuels
Secretary: Renata Bratt
Treasurer: Carol Panofsky
Membership Secretary: Carolyn Christian
Committees:
Certificate of Merit: Vlada Volkova-Moran
Talent Bank Awards Festival: Susan Bruckner, chair
Opportunity Grants: Charlotte McManus-Guthrie, chair
Celebrate Piano Ensemble: Member volunteers
Newsletter: Carolyn Christian, editor; Carol Panofsky, layout and distribution
Website: Lynn Kidder, manager
