Workshops + Gatherings
As members and teachers of the Music Teachers Association of Clark County, we strive to encourage and support each other through networking, meetings, social events, and professional music opportunities for our teachers. The attendance and participation of all of us remains vital for a thriving chapter.
We offer one-hour workshops every other month after our business meetings designed for teachers of all levels and specialties! Come join our exciting team and be inspired in your own teaching!
FREE for MTACC members; $20/person for non-members.
Speaking Your Student’s Language: How to use Social Media to Connect
Moderator | Casey Bozell
Event Date | October 9, 2026
Presentation Time | 10:30-11:30am
Business Meeting | 9:30-10:30am
Location | Elizabeth's Music School, Camas
Fees | FREE to MTACC Members! $20 for Guests
What role does social media play in our students’ lives, and how does it shape the way they show up as students and musicians? We’ll look at how understanding the screens our students use every day can help us reframe our teaching, whether or not you’re on social media yourself. For those who are, we’ll also sort out how to build an online presence that sets healthy boundaries while helping you connect with your students in a meaningful way.
What Are We Really Teaching? Beyond Notes, Repertoire, and Recitals
Moderator | Kristin Van Sickle
Event Date | November 13, 2026
Presentation Time | 9:30-10:30am
Business Meeting | 10:30-11:30am
Location | Elizabeth's Music School, Camas
Fees | FREE to MTACC Members! $20 for Guests
Every student is unique, and so is every lesson. After more than 20 years of teaching, performing, and directing, Kristin Van Sickle has learned that some of the most important things we teach extend far beyond notes, technique, and repertoire. In a world where today’s students have instant access to information, tutorials, and performances, our role as teachers may be changing, but our opportunity to know and understand each student has never been more important. This interactive session explores how we can meet students where they are while helping them become confident, thoughtful, and independent thinkers who can listen, make musical choices, solve problems, practice with purpose, evaluate information, and trust their own abilities. Through personal experiences, practical examples, and conversation, Kristin will invite teachers to consider: What do we want our students to be able to do when we’re no longer sitting beside them and how does that expand into other aspects of their lives?
Winter Social
Who | MTACC members and friends!
What | Winter Social
When | Friday, December 11, 9:30-11:30am
Where | TBA
Why | A chance to celebrate the season, MTACC-style! Carols, treats, games, and general merriment to ensue 🎄More details TBA!
Known for Something: Positioning and Branding for Music Teachers
Moderator | Amelia Lukas
Event Date | January 8, 2027
Presentation Time | 10:30-11:30am
Business Meeting | 9:30-10:30am
Location | TBA
Fees | FREE to MTACC Members! $20 for Guests
For most independent music teachers, new students arrive through word of mouth, which means your reputation is already doing your marketing. The question is what it's saying. In this one-hour seminar, flutist and Aligned Artistry Principal Amelia Lukas shows teachers how to identify what distinguishes their teaching, put it into clear language, and carry it consistently through their bio, web presence, and the first conversations that bring new families to the studio. You'll leave with a sharper sense of what you're known for, a working one-sentence description of your studio, and practical steps to make it easier for the right students to find you and recommend you.
Fostering Individual Artistry: Finding Creativity Beyond the ‘Right Answer’
Moderator | Kelley Nassief
Event Date | February 26, 2027
Presentation Time | 10:30-11:30am
Business Meeting | 9:30-10:30am
Location | Elizabeth’s Music School, Camas
Fees | FREE to MTACC Members! $20 for Guests
In an education system often centered on points, grades, and getting the “right” answer, young musicians can become hesitant to find their own artistic voices and make individual choices for fear of being wrong. This session explores the importance of fostering individual and authentic artistry within the musical styles students are asked to perform, while creating an environment where experimentation, curiosity, and personal expression are valued.
Through practical exercises and discussion, we will explore tools for promoting freedom in both body and mind, helping young musicians move beyond self-consciousness and fear of judgment. The goal is to empower students to make thoughtful artistic choices, trust their instincts, and develop the confidence to become active, engaged, and fearless artists.
With Her Own Wings: Elevating the Voices of Iranian Women Through Music and Art
Moderator | Christopher Whyte
Event Date | March 12, 2027
Presentation Time | 9:30 or 10:30 TBD
Business Meeting | 9:30 or 10:30 TBD
Location | Elizabeth’s Music School, Camas
Fees | FREE to MTACC Members! $20 for Guests
Percussionist Christopher Whyte shares the story behind With Her Own Wings, a concert-length production created with visual artist Taravat Talepasand, which premieres at The Reser in November 2026. The project highlights compositions by Iranian-American composers Anahita Abbasi, Niloufar Nourbakhsh, and Aida Shirazi, incorporating electroacoustic solo percussion with visual art, film, and light. With Her Own Wings was the winner of the Oregon Community Foundation’s Creative Heights Award in 2024.
Annual Planning Meeting
When | April 16th, 2027, 9:30-11:30am
Where | Trinity Lutheran Church, Vancouver
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End-of-Year Luncheon
When | Friday, May 14 2027, time TBA
Where | TBA
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Round Table Discussion
Moderator | Elizabeth Morris, NCTM
Event Date | September 11, 2026
Event Time | 10:30-11:30am
Business Meeting | 9:30-10:15am
Location | Trinity Lutheran Church, Vancouver
Fees | FREE to MTACC Members! $20 for Guests
Come learn from some of the best! Engage in conversation, share ideas, and be freshly inspired for the new year!
Concert Planning Mtg
Moderator | Elizabeth Morris, NCTM
Event Date | October 10, 2025
Event Time | 9:30-10:30am
Business Meeting | 10:45-11:30am
Location | Trinity Lutheran Church, Vancouver
Fees | FREE to MTACC Members! $20 for Guests
MTACC hosts an annual Scholarship Fundraising Concert every year. Come be a part of the fun and join our great team of entrepreneurs!
Round Table Discussion
Moderator | Elizabeth Morris, NCTM
Event Date | January 9, 2026
Event Time | 10:30-11:30am
Business Meeting | 9:30-10:15am
Location | Trinity Lutheran Church, Vancouver
Fees | FREE to MTACC Members! $20 for Guests
Come learn from some of the best! Engage in conversation, share ideas, and be freshly inspired for the new year!
The Sustainable Studio
Presenter | Dr. Lisa Neher
Event Date | February 13, 2026
Event Time | 9:30-10:30am
Business Meeting | 10:45-11:30am
Location | St. Luke's Episcopal Church, Vancouver
Fees | FREE to MTACC Members! $20 for Guests
Most music teachers experience burnout and overwhelm. How can we create and maintain a studio that is sustainable for our economic needs and our personal and family well-being? This presentation will offer best practices for designing studio policies and practices to ensure stable finances for you and your family, protect your time and energy, and provide clarity and professionalism to your students and studio families. Topics include: tuition models, billing and scheduling software, studio contracts and policies, the ever-present "makeup lesson" question, healthy and joyful boundaries, and more. We will have time to address your questions and share strategies with one another.
Beyond Technique: Intention, Retention, and Preparing Students for a Changing Musical World
Moderator | Erin Guinup
Event Date | March 13, 2026
Event Time | 10:30-11:30am
Business Meeting | 9:30-10:15am
Location | Trinity Lutheran Church, Vancouver
Fees | FREE to MTACC Members! $20 for Guests
For centuries, we have understood that music shapes human beings. If that is true, then the way we teach it matters deeply, especially in a world where our students are navigating pressure, comparison, distraction, and uncertainty.
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In this session, we will explore how interpretive intention and emotional connection belong at the center of technical work, not at the end of it. The way a student approaches a phrase affects tone, tension, phrasing, and confidence. Through practical exercises adaptable for voice, piano, and strings, we will experiment with ways to help students engage more fully with the music in front of them. When students understand what they are trying to communicate, technique often reorganizes itself.
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We will also step back and ask a broader question. What do the students walking into our studios today actually need from us? As the world around them shifts, how might our teaching shift with it?
Participants will leave with practical strategies, sharper coaching language, and space to reflect on how deeper musical connection can support both student growth and long-term engagement.
