AMTA

AMTA sponsors four student recitals throughout the year.  These recitals are designed to offer performance opportunities for the growth of our students and the enjoyment of their families.

This program is currently in the development stages. Check back for more information soon.

AMTA ‘s Adult Student Potluck combines a relaxed recital experience along with the lively atmosphere of potluck dining.

Twice a year, the adult students gather on a Sunday afternoon where they may visit with other adult students, make new friends, and when they feel ready, may choose to perform.  Some less confident students may choose not to perform at all and that’s OK too.  Eventually, however, they may change their mind once others have taken to the spotlight, and find they enjoy performing. Whatever the outcome, this opportunity is for the adult student to enjoy performing among other adults, as children grades K-12 will not be in attendance.

To find forms and guidelines go to this link.

Since 1993 AMTA Composition Festivals have provided students of AMTA teachers the opportunity to create, write, record, and perform their own compositions.  Each year’s recital is scheduled for the month of January.  Students may elect to enter the festival for critique only, and not play in the recital.

 AMTA is always proud of the students who take the extra time for this project, and display their music writing skills.  Each year a Colorado published composer critiques each composition with encouraging and informative comments.  Comment sheets are returned at the recital in January.

The deadline for entries is December 27, and the performance is slated for January 24th. The event will be live streamed on Zoom if at all possible, and otherwise it will be a streamed, pre-recorded event (more details as available). The cost per submission is $20.

Submissions must include an email with attached MP3 or MP4 recording or video of the student composition, plus an attached PDF of the score (hand written or computer generated notation accepted).  

Our AMTA guest composer for the 2021 Composition Festival is Asia Fajardo-Diamond, who holds a M.M. from the University of Wyoming. She is excited about new music and celebrating diversity! At the University of Wyoming she studied saxophone with Dr. Scott Turpen and composition with Dr. Anne Guzzo. During her graduate career, she also researched how to engage students in the classroom by incorporating their cultural heritage. She was inspired by Native American jazz saxophonist/composer Jim Pepper and created a composition project for students that encouraged them to draw from their family heritage. She is currently working on an album “Hummingbird’s Grandchildren” that is original pan genre improvisational music for children.

Asia’s multi-cultural avant-garde stage show “Omecihaul Rising” debuted at the Aurora Fox Theater in 2010. Her composition “Moon Stars”  is in the documentary Return of the Corn Mothers that celebrates women leaders in the Southwest. She also co-wrote the song ‘”Near and Far”, which is on the sound track of Papers a documentary about undocumented youth in America.

Growing up in a strong community of world musicians and artists in Denver Asia was immersed in the global rhythms of West African drumming, East Indian music/dance, Taiko Drumming and Polynesian dance.  As a traditional Aztec Dancer, her Aztec/Mexica heritage and multi-cultural childhood has been a powerful force in her compositions.

Read more about her here.

To find forms and guidelines go to this link.

This program is currently in the development stages. Check back for more information soon.

This program is currently in the development stages. Check back for more information soon.

This program is currently in the development stages. Check back for more information soon.

Achievement Day recognizes the musical achievement of students while providing a sense of accomplishment within a non-competitive environment.  Students perform two selections for a teacher-listener who ascertains that the student has met the requirements for their chosen level.  In addition to these songs, students complete a minimum of two optional activities, which may include a theory test, sight- reading, art project, original composition, and much more.

To find forms and guidelines go to this link.

Two times a year AMTA accepts scholarship applications from students of AMTA teachers.  If accepted, students may receive financial awards for such activities as state and national competitions, university tuition or books, summer camps, workshops, and more.

To find forms and guidelines go to this link.