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On May 10, 1968, a dream of piano teachers in the Coachella Valley was fulfilled when the first official meeting was held of the newly-organized “Piano Teachers of the Desert”. The group’s activities included monthly student recitals, monthly clinics featuring distinguished clinicians, a monthly newsletter and a piano festival planned for April, 1969. The first officers of Piano Teachers of the Desert were Joyce Wade, president (current MTOD secretary), Clara Jean Curzon, vice president (CAPMT past-president; now deceased); Marjorie Sammon, secretary (mother of past MTOD president, Marrilee Uhls. Marge is now deceased). Beginning with twenty-two, the membership quickly grew to a total of thirty-five, and the first issue of “Keynotes” was mailed in June, 1968. For a number of years, recitals were held at College of the Desert, under the auspices of Dr. John Norman, then chair of the COD music department and president of CAPMT (California Association of Professional Music Teachers) . CAPMT had also been founded earlier in 1968—by university/college faculty and independent music teachers, and was affiliated with the Some time after 1980 (the precise date has not yet been determined), local flautist and flute teacher, Joanne Bourquin, convinced the piano teachers to include all musical specialties embraced by the state and national organizations (of which she was already a member), so that her talented flute students could participate in the state competitions under the umbrella of the local teachers’ organization. The name and bylaws of Piano Teachers of the Desert were revised, and since then, Music Teachers of the Desert has included, along with piano teachers, teachers of flute, violin, voice and cello. Membership is open to all instruments included in CAPMT and MTNA. Music Teachers of the Desert welcomes all local teachers of music to share in our purposes, our activities and our benefits! |
