Have you heard about the MTNA eFestival? This new initiative by MTNA launches May 15, thats next Monday! The eFestival uses the idea of a traditional piano festival, where students perform for a judge and receive feedback, but makes it accessible for students anywhere, anytime.
Here’s how it works:
- Record your student performing. This can be up to 15 minutes of video and up to 8 separate clips. This means a really young student could probably perform 8 separate short pieces, all for one application fee.
- Upload the video through the eFestival platform.
- Receive feedback from an adjudicator within a month.
Seems pretty simple! This is a great opportunity for students who want feedback from another teacher but have busy weekend schedules (boo sports!). This is also nice for students who live in rural areas and don’t have festival opportunities nearby. Another bonus – the comments are typed, no more struggling to read the judge’s handwriting! It could also be a good opportunity to prepare a student for an upcoming competition. Sometimes hearing something from another teacher can give weight to the words you’ve been saying week after week. I think this is an exciting new opportunity for piano students all over the world!
Another reason I’m excited about the eFestival launch is because I have been accepted as an adjudicator. This means I will receive videos online and then have two weeks to complete evaluation comments. Are you interested in becoming an adjudicator? You can apply online here. It seems like a great way to earn some extra money on the side, and you can do it all from home!
MTNA is striving to be on the leading edge of technology to stay relevant for today’s teachers and students. I’m looking forward to being a part of the MTNA eFestival and seeing where this goes in the future!
Author: Spring
Spring Seals, NCTM, teaches 60 piano students ranging from age 3 to 70 in Fort Worth, Texas. She also serves as the Director of Certification for TMTA. She is passionate about helping teachers become more effective in their studios through professional development, new resources, and fresh ideas.