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South Dakota’s 2008 MTNA Foundation Fellow is Arlene Krueger, Sioux Falls. Arlene was honored at the Foundation Gala at the MTNA National Conference in Denver this past March. It was indeed a gala evening, as South Dakota had its own state table at the banquet. The honor was a total surprise for Arlene, a highly respected piano teacher in Sioux Falls and a dedicated supporter of MTNA and SDMTA. We congratulate Arlene and thank everyone who contributed to the Fellow Fund and made this year’s award possible—and also thanks for helping keep the secret!

The Fellow Fund helps to support the MTNA Foundation, with money from contributions going into unfunded competitions, grants, and aid for students. Designating a Fellow is easy. All it takes is a contribution of $1,000 or more, along with a completed MTNA Fellow Information Form to MTNA. The funds may come from one individual’s donation or from a group of persons wishing to confer this special honor upon a colleague. Please note that the Fellow distinction may not be established in the contributor’s own name. This is an honor bestowed by peers.

Each year new MTNA Fellows are recognized at the MTNA national conference. Fellows receive a complimentary ticket to the Foundation Fund Gala, an attractive MTNA Fellow certificate and pin. Also, new Fellows are prominently recognized in American Music Teacher magazine, and their names will appear on a plaque located at the MTNA national headquarters. A press release will be sent to media outlets selected by the Fellow.

SDMTA offers student scholarship support through its J. Earl Lee Fund. This endowment was established as a tribute to J. Earl Lee, longtime chair of the piano department of Augustana College in Sioux Falls and a founding member of SDMTA. Dr. Lee educated many of the piano teachers in the state, either through his work at Augustana or through his generous hours of continuing education offered to anyone willing to learn. He presented workshops for music teachers and shared his expertise willingly with anyone who stopped to visit with him. Most of all he encouraged and supported developing students, young and old, and cheered on his peers in their efforts to raise the level of music education in our state.

The monies raised for the J. Earl Lee Fund are used to subsidize travel to the divisional and national performance competitions for South Dakota student winners.

Annual Traveling Plaque Award: At the 2000 convention a new honor program was launched to benefit the MTNA/SDMTA Foundation. Contributors nominate a significant musical predecessor through a raffle purchase. A name is put on each ticket. There is no limit to the number of tickets that may be purchased. The winning ticket is drawn at the IMTF dinner and the name on it subsequently engraved on a traveling plaque which may be displayed in the contributor’s studio for one year or be given to the honoree.

The name selected at the 2006 conference was Veronika Lakstigala of Sioux Falls. Veronika was nominated by Marie Schlosser in recognition of her encouragement in Marie’s process of achieving MTNA Professional Certification.

SDMTA is proud to announce that at the 2007 Music Teachers National Conference, Dr. David T. Piersel, Professor Emeritus of Music at South Dakota State University and a long-time member and leader of the South Dakota Music Teachers Association was honored by his peers as an MTNA Fellow. Click here for further information.

Thanks to the enthusiasm and steadfastness of Foundation Chair Susanne Skyrm, fund raising efforts for The J. Earl Lee Fund and the MNTA Foundation enjoy continued success. The winning of a day trip on the Missouri with Missouri River Expeditions added excitement to the life of one family attending the conference.