President's Welcome
Dear Members and Friends,
Welcome to this special 95th Birthday issue of SA Music Teacher Magazine.
It has been an energising few months for the Association, with activities that continue to strengthen and grow our vibrant community — including highlights such as our Winter Professional Development Day in July, which featured the wonderful keynote presentations of Amanda Handel; our second Concert Performance Day for the year, produced with the support and collaboration of Immanuel College; and our truly memorable 95th anniversary celebration, including the presentation of two Honorary Life Memberships, graciously hosted on August 11 at Government House by our distinguished patrons, Her Excellency the Honourable Frances Adamson AC, Governor of South Australia, and Mr Rod Bunten.
Now, as the final school term of the year approaches, we’re looking forward to the return of Competitions Day, taking place on October 26. This event offers a valuable opportunity to encourage students through performance practice, feedback, and recognition. This year, we’re pleased to introduce a new video submission option, designed to provide greater flexibility and accessibility for entrants. The long-standing and prestigious Reimann Robinson Scholarship and Norman Sellick Prize will be awarded in their relevant age categories, and are open to students of MTASA members across all instruments. Full details, including entry requirements, can be found on our website and via the Humanitix event link:https://events.humanitix.com/competitions-day-2025
Stay tuned for information about other developments within the Association currently underway, including the proposed expansion of the MTASA website Members’ Portal, planned to offer notifications about employment opportunities, additional professional development options, resources from other music teachers’ associations and affiliates, as well as opportunities for concert promotion and classified advertisements. Our recent members’ survey is providing important insights into your needs and the priorities of our community and will help shape the planning of upcoming events in the year ahead, including the Summer Conference currently being planned for January 2026.
We hope you enjoy this edition of SA Music Teacher, in which you’ll find follow-ups from recent activities, special offers from the SAMii platform, and the first of two supplementary articles from Amanda Handel, along with a range of other news, reflections, and resources. A special welcome and thank you to our new magazine editor and Council member, Ada Wycinka, whose contributions will shape this and future issues. We sincerely thank the sponsors and supporters who have made our recent activities possible — including Credit Union SA, Australian Piano Warehouse, Immanuel College, and Educators SA.
Wishing you a happy and successful start to the final term of the year of teaching — thank you for being such an important part of our Association and for everything you do to build and strengthen music education in our community.
With warm regards,
Rosanne Hammer
President, MTASA