Welcome to the Music Festival sponsored by the Helena Music Teachers' Association. The festival is designed to give students the opportunity to perform and receive musical guidance from a master teacher. The festival is open to students of all HMTA members.

Performance Groups: Early to late elementary level students are invited to prepare one piece to play in a Performance Group. Four students will perform together in a 20-minute slot, then the master teacher will offer comments to the group. Fee: $14.00 per student. Elementary students may sign up for individual times if preferred.

Intermediate and advanced level students are invited to prepare one piece for individual instruction. Students may play two pieces if their time allows. This time includes playing time, teaching time, and time for the adjudicator to write comments. Set times are 10 minutes ($20.00 fee) or 15 minutes ($26.00 fee), and additional time may be added in increments of $6.00 per each additional 5 minutes. The student's performance may be up to half the length of their adjudication time, though this leaves little time for the master teacher to work with the student.

The student or teacher should announce the student's name and selection to be played before. Encourage students to stay for the full block in which they are scheduled.

Forms and Deadlines: The Master Application Form and adjudication forms MUST be filled out and post-marked to your Division Chair by the HMTA Meeting on February 9, 2024. You may also bring forms to the HMTA Meeting, not so coincidentally, also scheduled on February 9, 2024. Please list all student applicants on the Master Application form. If you teach students in more than one division, submit a separate Master Application form for each division. To avoid scheduling conflicts, advise on attached notes if the teacher is accompanying in other divisions, or if any students will also perform in other divisions. Send one check payable to HMTA for the total of all application fees. No refunds after the February 9, 2024 deadline. *Late applications will require a $6.00 late fee per entry*

Scheduling: We will attempt to schedule teachers' students in blocks of time. Note specific scheduling requests attached to the Master Application Form. Also, note those students who are able to come before 3:30 on Friday afternoon. We will do our best to accommodate special needs. Schedules will be available on the HMTA website by February 22, 2024. After that, changes to the schedule should be arranged between teachers. Notify division chairperson of changes. Chairs of the divisions: