Our History
The Prince George's Music Teachers Association, Inc. (PGMTA) has the distinction of being the first local association within the Maryland State Music Teacher's Association (MSMTA). In 1963, a group of ten music teachers from southern Prince George's County met as the Southeast Music Teachers Association. On September 13, 1963 the group was granted chapter status with MSMTA. As the Southeast Chapter of the MSMTA, the group's first president was Dr. Gail McDonald. In 1972, the MSMTA Board of Directors changed the name "chapters" to "local associations"; consequently, the Southeast Chapter became PGMTA, a local association of MSMTA. PGMTA was officially incorporated in 1986.
The principal annual musical event of the PGMTA is the Broad Creek Music Festival, which has averaged between 150 - 300 student participants per year. This event began in 1963 as a Broad Creek area community function, aided by the support of local music teachers. In 1969, PGMTA assumed full responsibility for the Festival. At the present time, the Broad Creek Festival is a piano competition with set literature that spans a wide range of difficulty from early elementary through advanced. There is also a category of duet pieces. For a period of years, the Broad Creek Music Festival featured a Piano Concerto Competition; Senior winners performed with the Prince George's Philharmonic Orchestra and junior winners played in recital with the Prince George's Youth Orchestra and also with chamber groups.
The Saul Roas Memorial Scholarhip Competition was established in memory of one of PGMTA's valued members, Saul Roas. This competition uses set piano literature from the Latin American repertoire. The MSMTA Student Scholarship for Performance Award is held in the spring for students in the 9th and 10th grades. In 2007, PGMTA joined the Greater Laurel and Bowie Music Teachers Associations in holding the Stephanie Laios Composition/Improvisation Festival, which encourages students to both compose and improvize.
PGMTA has sponsored recitals since 1967, with judged recitals added in 1971. Now, regular recitals are held in both the southern and northern part of the county to facilitate the wide geographical area of teacher members. In 1983, the Eunice Wilson Greene Piano Scholarhship Competition was established: eleventh and twelth grade students compete for cash prizes and subsequent performance opportunities. PGMTA enthuastically supports programs of MSMTA: Theory Testing, Keyboard Testing and the High School Piano Examination for School Recognition/Credit. Activities are held at Prince George's Community College, Jordan Kitts Music Store, in churches or in teachers' studios.
The PGMTA has consistently advocated programs and events directed toward the professional improvement of its members. Teaching workshops and demonstration programs have been a part of its activities since its inception. It endeavors to elevate and maintain a high standard of music study and provide events that will give students musical opportunities to advance their study.
