ALLIED ORGANIZATIONS

Ohio String Teachers Association Update

Gretchen Zunic

President

I feel very honored and privileged to serve our organization as President. I am humbled to work alongside some of the best people I know in string education leading us on the OSTA Board of Directors.

Dr. David Pope from Baldwin Wallace Conservatory of Music is our new President-Elect. Kathleen Schnerer from Perrysburg City Schools has graciously agreed to serve as our Secretary and James Ledbetter from Fairfield City Schools continues as our amazing Treasurer. Rounding out our Board is Felipe Morales-Torres from the Bornoff Foundation for the Advancement of String Education, filling in as Past-President until my term ends when he will become President-Elect. I am also lucky to work with Erin Broadhurst from Hilliard City Schools, Lisa Goldman who is recently retired from Beachwood Schools, Dr. Betty Anne Gottlieb from the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music, Dr. Julian Ross who recently retired from the Baldwin Wallace Conservatory of Music, and Chris Lape from Upper Arlington City Schools who is our new Website Chair. Your Board of Directors is working incredibly hard to make OSTA an invaluable resource for Ohio string teachers and students.

Please plan to attend our second annual OSTA Fall Workshop on Saturday, October 28th at Upper Arlington High School in Columbus. Session topics will include instrument technique, rehearsal skills, conducting, a repair clinic with The Loft Violin Shop, teaching vibrato, tone production, Strings 101 by D’Addario, Advice to New/Young Teachers, and a new music reading session. Presenters will include Jeremy Woolstenhulme (headline presenter), Miriam Burns, Matt Chidsey, Julie Ellis, Heather Lofdahl, Nicole Melrose, Allison Seikmann, Kathleen Schnerer, Michael Smith, Abby Wimbiscus Black, Gretchen Zunic, and The Loft Violin Shop. It promises to be a great day of learning and community. An optional graduate credit is available through Baldwin Wallace University.

A reminder that OSTA Mini-Grant Applications are due on November 1st. Mini-grants are designed to support projects that enhance and support string and orchestra education in Ohio and are available for up to $300. The application can be found on the new and updated OSTA website: ohiostringteachers.org.

ASTA has recently updated their membership platform and website. You can now find a wealth of resources and publications, register for events, connect directly with colleagues, participate in community forums, and manage your ASTA membership seamlessly. You can now register for the 2024 ASTA National Conference in conjunction with the Suzuki Association of the Americas. It will be held in Louisville, Kentucky from March 20-23, 2024. Because it is much closer this year, we are hoping to have a large contingent of Ohio String and Orchestra teachers attend. We’re at work planning an event during the conference for all our Ohio teachers.

We are fortunate to have such a strong partnership with OMEA. From allowing us to sponsor sessions at the OMEA Conference to taking time to listen to concerns specifically impacting string teachers, OMEA has shown a great interest in strengthening this alliance for the betterment of all our string and orchestra teachers across the state. With such divisiveness in our country right now, we are lucky to have two strong organizations working together to provide support for string teaching at all levels in our state. I encourage you to take advantage of all the opportunities both organizations have to offer for you and your students.

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