CM Communiques
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All questions and communications are handled by the State Office
For CM technical support, contact the MTAC State Office:
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OCTOBER 31, 2022 – FROM THE STATE OFFICE Dear Teacher, The Certificate of Merit® 2023 Enrollment Period will be closing at 11:59 PM PST on October 31, 2022! No late applications will be accepted. Repertoire can be entered and edited through January 15, 2022. The CM payment period is from October 1 through November 5, 2022. Parents and Adult Students will log into their Online Portal to pay for the application. No late payments will be accepted. Please contact your CM Regional Coordinator if you have repertoire questions. You can contact them through the red “Help” button located on the CM page of your Teacher Portal. If you need technical assistance logging in, please contact the MTAC State Office. Technical assistance is available from Monday – Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM PST. |
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OCTOBER – FROM THE STATE OFFICE Dear Teacher, The Certificate of Merit® 2023 Enrollment Period is currently open! Here are some important dates and deadlines to remember: October 1 – 31: Enrollment Period via Teacher Portal Adding a student to your roster does not create a CM application. All teachers must have their students added to their MTAC online roster and accepted by the parents or adult students before teachers can create an application. Applications must be created by October 31, 2022 at 11:59 PM PST. October 1 – November 5: Payment Period The CM payment period is from October 1 through November 5, 2022. Parents and Adult Students will log into their Online Portal to pay for the application. No late payments will be accepted. Please contact your CM Regional Coordinator if you have repertoire questions. You can contact them through the red “Help” button located on the CM page of your Teacher Portal. If you need technical assistance logging in, please contact the MTAC State Office. Technical assistance is available from Monday – Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM PST. |
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OCTOBER STATE OFFICE LETTER TO PARENTS: At the MTAC State Convention this summer, teacher member delegates voted to approve an amendment to our organization’s governing bylaws transitioning future Certificate of Merit evaluations to a new hybrid model where parents have the opportunity to select either regionally based in-person evaluations or fully online evaluations for their students. The State Board is working hard to make the necessary changes to the current online-only evaluation system to support this change and expects to roll-out the hybrid examination options for Certificate of Merit 2024. The State Board has received overwhelming feedback both for and against this change. While providing a choice to students for in-person or online evaluations seems like a reasonable way to accommodate all parties, it also adds a significant resource strain to the program. The State is actively exploring the most cost-effective in-person options to make the hybrid model successful. Cost estimates reveal the significant resource strain the addition of in-person evaluations will add to Certificate of Merit. In today’s climate, it is simply not inexpensive to rent facilities and staff/monitor/evaluate in-person. The State is committed to offering in-person options that meet your needs, however there will be unavoidable cost increases for those who select the in-person option (as estimated in the chart below). |
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Cost Estimates (as previously published in the Bylaw Amendment Proposal Notification that was shared with all members and member delegates before the July vote)
| CM Evaluation * | In-person Fees | Online Fees |
| 10 min | $230.00 | $77.00 |
| 15 min | $280.00 | $82.00 |
| 20 min | $330.00 | $88.00 |
| 25 min | $380.00 | $94.00 |
| 30 min | $435.00 | $99.00 |
| Online processing Fee per application | $5.00 | $5.00 |
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| WHAT WAS VOTED ON
PROPOSAL TO AMEND THE BYLAWS OF THE MUSIC TEACHERS ASSOCIATION OF CALIFORNIA: ARTICLE XVI CERTIFICATE OF MERIT EXAMINATION PROCEDURES Section 1. Beginning with the 2023 Certificate of Merit Examination and for every year thereafter, each of the Certificate of Merit students may choose to take all five (5) components of the Certificate of Merit exam (repertoire, sight reading, theory, ear training, and technique) either (i) in-person, subject to compliance with then-prevailing local government authority Covid protocols, or all five (5) components (ii) online. Exceptions may be made for special needs students. Section 2. Any amendment to this Article XVI shall require first, a formal proposal submitted in compliance with Article XV, Section 1 of the Bylaws of the Corporation, and then second, formal approval by (i) a vote of two-thirds of the Delegates in attendance at the Annual Meeting; (ii) a vote of two-thirds of the Voting Members taking action at a special meeting of the Voting Members; or (iii) a vote of two-thirds of the Voting Members taking action by written ballot, all in compliance with Article XV, Section 2 of the Bylaws of the Corporation. WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR YOU? As a parent of a CM student, we’ve outlined below how the bylaw change impacts you: For Certificate of Merit in 2023
For Certificate of Merit in 2024
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From the State Office – October 25, 2022 Dear Teacher, The Certificate of Merit® 2023 Enrollment Period is currently open! Here are some important dates and deadlines to remember: October 1 – 31: Enrollment Period via Teacher Portal Adding a student to your roster does not create a CM application. All teachers must have their students added to their MTAC online roster and accepted by the parents or adult students before teachers can create an application. Applications must be created by October 31, 2022 at 11:59 PM PST. October 1 – November 5: Payment Period The CM payment period is from October 1 through November 5, 2022. Parents and Adult Students will log into their Online Portal to pay for the application. No late payments will be accepted. Please contact your CM Regional Coordinator if you have repertoire questions. You can contact them through the red “Help” button located on the CM page of your Teacher Portal. If you need technical assistance logging in, please contact the MTAC State Office. Technical assistance is available from Monday – Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM PST. |
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From the State Office – October 15, 2022 Dear Teacher, The Certificate of Merit® 2023 Enrollment Period is currently open! Important Dates and Deadlines
*Please note, all requests will be reviewed but may not be able to be accommodated. It is the teacher’s responsibility to enter the repertoire for their students; we recommend taking time to do this prior to the January 15th deadline. Applications must be moved to “enrolled” status by this deadline. Check the progress section of the application to monitor the status and to see what needs to be completed. Please contact your CM Regional Coordinator if you have repertoire questions. You can contact them through the red “Help” button located on the CM page of your Teacher Portal. If you need technical assistance logging in, please contact the MTAC State Office. Technical assistance is available from Monday – Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM PST.
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From MTAC State Office – October 1, 2022 The Certificate of Merit® 2023 Enrollment Period is now open! Here are some important dates and deadlines to remember: September 15 – October 25: Teacher Training Video & Quiz The CM 2022-2023 Teacher Training Video and Quiz is now available. It is strongly recommended that teachers watch the video and take the quiz prior to the CM Enrollment Period but this is no longer required for participation in the program Access the quiz through the CM Resources on the Teacher Portal. October 1 – 31: Enrollment Period via Teacher Portal During this time, teachers will create applications for their students and enter their school grade and CM level. Students must be added to the Teacher’s Student Roster before an application can be created. No late applications will be accepted. We recommend checking with parents or adult students to ensure you have the correct information entered. NOTE: Adding a student to your roster does not create a Certificate of Merit® application. If you are adding a student to your roster who has already been participating in CM, please ensure you use their correct Student ID.
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From MTAC State Office – September 29, 2022
Dear Member, Due to projects related to the Certificate of Merit® program, Music Teachers’ Association of California® has created an updated timeline for the new CM Syllabi. The release date for the CM Syllabi will be the Summer of 2024, just in time for the CM 2025 season. This timeline will allow the CM Syllabi Committee members and State Office more time to review the syllabi and repertoire suggestions, as well as implement the hybrid CM options and complete other necessary projects. Thanks to this extended timeline, teachers will be able to submit more suggestions for the Syllabi repertoire! You can submit your suggestions using the form below. We are particularly looking for pieces from:
We are also looking for music for the following instruments:
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| Please fill out the form for each suggestion by December 15, 2022. Late submissions will not be accepted. If your suggestion is selected, you will see it in the CM Syllabi for the CM 2025 year!
Sincerely, |
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From MTAC State – September 22, 2022
Thank you for your continued membership and participation with MTAC. As summer comes to a close and we welcome fall and all the fun that comes with the new season, it’s time once again to think about Certificate of Merit®. For the past 90 years, Certificate of Merit® has provided a standardized music curriculum for musical excellence in performance, technique, ear training, sight reading/singing and music theory. MTAC believes all students should have equitable access to the highest quality music instruction, and the surest way to deliver this is through a standardized professional music curriculum, like Certificate of Merit®, that provides a uniform pathway for music student growth at each level. At the MTAC State Convention this summer, member delegates voted to approve an amendment to our governing bylaws transitioning future Certificate of Merit® evaluations to a new hybrid model where parents have the opportunity to select either regionally based in-person evaluations or fully online evaluations for their students. This amendment was voted on by a total of 128 delegates, of which 107 voted yes, and 21 voted no. 130 delegates voted on general bylaw amendments, of which 35 voted yes, and 95 voted no. The State Board is working hard to make the necessary changes to the current online-only evaluation system to support this change and expects to roll-out the hybrid examination options for Certificate of Merit® 2024. The State Board has received overwhelming feedback both for and against this change. While providing a choice to students for in-person or online evaluations seems like a reasonable way to accommodate all parties, it also adds a significant resource strain to the program. The State is actively exploring the most cost-effective in-person options to make the hybrid model successful. We are tapping into a pool of knowledgeable past Certificate of Merit® Branch Chairs and volunteers who have run successful Certificate of Merit® evaluations for many years for their insights and support, and we completed a thorough cost analysis of facility rental, onsite staff, theory test administration, evaluator fees and administrative costs to create cost estimates for Certificate of Merit® 2024. Cost estimates reveal the significant resource strain the addition of in-person evaluations will add to Certificate of Merit®. In today’s climate, it is simply not inexpensive to rent facilities and staff/monitor/evaluate in-person. The State is committed to offering in-person options that meet the needs of members and their students, however there will be unavoidable cost increases for those who select the in-person option (as estimated in the chart below). |
Cost Estimates (as previously published in the Bylaw Amendment Proposal Notification)
| CM Evaluation | In-Person Fees | Online Fees |
| 10 min | $230.00 | $77.00 |
| 15 min | $280.00 | $82.00 |
| 20 min | $330.00 | $88.00 |
| 25 min | $380.00 | $94.00 |
| 30 min | $435.00 | $99.00 |
| Online Processing Fee per application |
$5.00 | $5.00 |
| WHAT WAS VOTED ON
PROPOSAL TO AMEND THE BYLAWS OF THE MUSIC TEACHERS ASSOCIATION OF CALIFORNIA: ARTICLE XVI CERTIFICATE OF MERIT® EXAMINATION PROCEDURES Section 1. Beginning with the 2023 Certificate of Merit® Examination and for every year thereafter, each of the Certificate of Merit® students may choose to take all five (5) components of the Certificate of Merit exam (repertoire, sight reading, theory, ear training, and technique) either (i) in-person, subject to compliance with then-prevailing local government authority Covid protocols, or all five (5) components (ii) online. Exceptions may be made for special needs students. Section 2. Any amendment to this Article XVI shall require first, a formal proposal submitted in compliance with Article XV, Section 1 of the Bylaws of the Corporation, and then second, formal approval by (i) a vote of two-thirds of the Delegates in attendance at the Annual Meeting; (ii) a vote of two-thirds of the Voting Members taking action at a special meeting of the Voting Members; or (iii) a vote of two-thirds of the Voting Members taking action by written ballot, all in compliance with Article XV, Section 2 of the Bylaws of the Corporation. WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR YOU? As an MTAC member in good standing, we’ve outlined below how the bylaw change impacts you: For Certificate of Merit® in 2023 Evaluations are available online only Testing period dates have rotated for fairness, so please look at the posted dates in your Teacher Portal for your specific Region testing dates Students submit videos of repertoire performance via the MTAC Online System, to be evaluated by a State CM Evaluator Theory Tests are taken by the students on their own device through the MTAC Online System Students submit a video of technique performance via the MTAC Online System to be evaluated by a State CM Evaluator Students take the Sight Reading Test through the MTAC Online System while recording themselves Results are posted for you and your students through the MTAC Online System Certificates are distributed by the State Office to the teacher Membership Dues will be increased an estimated $10 – $15, for the 2023-2024 year, to help offset the cost of the online system development for CM hybrid (estimated at $200,000). For Certificate of Merit® in 2024 A hybrid choice will be provided to your students starting in 2024 Student/Parent will select to do all evaluations in-person or online In-person CM will be conducted at a State-Run Regional location for all elements of the evaluation, not at your Branch You are no longer required to volunteer for the Regional CM date to enroll students Theory tests will be taken in-person on a laptop provided by MTAC through the MTAC Online System The cost for your student’s evaluations will differ based on their selection. The fees for in-person CM evaluations are higher than online CM evaluations based on the high costs of facility rentals and staffing. A second paid adult will be present in the room with your student during the performance/technique/sight reading/singing evaluation in compliance with a new insurance requirement designed to be a safeguard against abuse. Enrollment for the 2023 Certificate of Merit® will begin on October 1, 2022. We hope you’ll join us for the 2023 program and look forward to working with you. It’s going to be a great year! Please contact the MTAC State Office if you have any questions. We are available Monday – Friday, 9 A.M. – 5 P.M. PST and look forward to speaking with you. Sincerely, MTAC State Board of Directors and MTAC State Office |
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From the State Office – September 21, 2022 What’s New with Certificate of Merit The Certificate of Merit® program is available online for another year of stellar student evaluations. MTAC Practice Portal The MTAC Practice Portal will open in November 2022 after the application is paid so enrolled students will be able to take practice versions of their Theory & Ear Training Test, and Sight Reading tests. Please note, students are only able to take one Practice Theory Test or Practice Sight Reading test per day. Students do not need to pay an additional fee to use the Practice Portal. **NEW** Practice Portal will only be available until the student’s testing window opens. This has been changed to reduce confusion between the practice test and the real test. Regional Testing Dates The CM Testing Dates for your individual Branch are now posted on your Teacher Portal. Please note, your Branch’s testing date may be a different date from last year’s. New CM Syllabi Did You Know? The fastest way to contact your Regional Coordinator is by clicking on the red “Help” button located on the CM page of your MTAC Teacher Portal. The Regional Coordinators are members of the CM Council and will assist you with questions about repertoire and the CM and Panel testing policies. The CM Council is made up of volunteer MTAC members across the state who are knowledgeable in the program’s repertoire and policies. Missing Your 2022 Certificates?If you are missing your students’ 2022 certificate(s), you can request a reprint through December 31, 2022 through the form available on your CM Resources Page on your Teacher Portal. There is no additional charge for a 2022 certificate reprint. Please note that requests can be made for CM 2022 certificates only. We are not able to reprint certificates from a previous year. Requests can include senior medallions and the State Honors seals. |
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From the State Office September 16, 2022 The 2022-2023 Certificate of Merit® Teacher Information Video and Teacher Quiz are now available in the CM Resources section of your Teacher Portal! The video and quiz are available until October 25, 2022. The CM Teacher Training Video and Quiz are highly recommended for all teachers to review as they prepare for the upcoming CM year. Once you take the quiz, you will receive a copy of your answers for your review. The quiz is no longer required for participation in the CM program. The enrollment period for CM 2023 is from October 1 – 31, 2022. You can view your region’s testing dates through your Teacher Portal under the CM Information section. If you have any questions, reach out to the MTAC State Office. We are available from Monday through Friday, 9 A.M.- 5 P.M. PST. |
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Prior to May 2021
Frequently Asked Questions
My student received an email that their application may be incomplete, but their application is enrolled. Why did they get this message?
Thank you for completing the enrollment process for your student. You may have completed the repertoire entry and enrollment process after MTAC generated the distribution list for the email. As long as your student’s application says “Enrolled” and there are no validation errors, then your student’s application is enrolled and the email can be disregarded.
CM Evaluation Media Uploads
I do not see a place to upload the technique. Where do I upload the technique video?
The technique cannot be uploaded until the 10-day media submission window. During this time, a button will appear in the “Events/Results” section of the student’s application that will accept the upload.
CM Teacher Quiz
I have taken my CM Teacher Quiz, how do I know if I passed?
Immediately following completing the CM Teacher Quiz, you should receive a confirmation email with your score and your completed quiz answers. A passing score is 31 correct answers out of 44 total questions. Teachers with passing scores are automatically unblocked in the Online System. If you took the test and did not receive a confirmation email and are still blocked, please contact cminfo@mtac.org.
I have taken my CM Teacher Quiz and received my score, but I am still blocked. Why is my account not unblocked and what do I do?
If you passed your CM Teacher Quiz and your account is still blocked from enrolling students, you most likely entered an incorrect State Teacher ID or Branch Name on your quiz. Both of these items must be correct for the system to match the quiz with the teacher to unblock the account. Please contact “cminfo@mtac.org” with this information so that MTAC can verify your quiz results and manually unblock your account.
Special Needs Accommodation Request Form
Where do I find the Special Needs Accommodation request form?
The Special Needs Accommodation Request form is now located online in each student’s CM Application. To access this form, you must create a CM Application for your student. We recommend that parents wait to pay for the application until the accommodation has been approved. After the CM Application is created, the Special Needs Accommodation Request form is located in the “Applicant Information” title ribbon. Click the blue “Request Special Accommodation” button to begin the process.
What is the deadline to submit the Special Needs Accommodation Request form?
The deadline to submit the Special Needs Accommodation Request form is October 31, 2021.
CM Evaluation Information
Where do I find my Region’s Evaluation Submission Date?
The submission date information for your Region is located in the CM Information title ribbon in the Certificate of Merit section of your Teacher Portal. Click the ribbon to access the information.
When is the deadline for my student to complete the online theory test?
The deadline for students to complete the theory test is the same as their evaluation submission deadline.
How much time do students have to upload and submit their videos?
Students may start uploading their repertoire/etude videos into their CM Application once the repertoire is added to the Repertoire List. The Technique and Sight Reading videos can be uploaded during the ten (10) days prior to their submission deadline.
CM Application Payment
When can Parents/Students pay for CM Applications?
CM Applications can be paid as soon as the CM Application has been created. The payment period is October 1 – November 5.
What payment method can be used to pay for CM Applications?
CM Applications can be paid with Paypal, Major Credit Cards, and Visa Gift Cards.
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May 2021
The State Office initially announced that all CM certificates and medallions would be sent out around May 7th , however our CM Chair, Sunyoung, just received the following email from the State Office.
“Thank you for your patience. The State Office would like to inform you the mailing of the CM Certificates will be delayed due to an ongoing shipping container shortage that is affecting the supply chain of materials across the US. This has delayed the arrival date of the senior medallions. Certificates and Senior Medallions will be shipped together. We are expecting the medallions to delivered in about 2 weeks and will begin mailing the certificates when they arrive. We will provide further updates as we receive them.
We apologize for the delay and thank you for your understanding.”
The certificates and medallions will be shipped to Sunyoung and will be available for pick up around the end of May or the beginning of June. We will update you as soon as it arrives.
March 2021
Dear teachers, please note the latest updates –
- All videos must be uploaded between 3/12/2021 through 3/22/2021.
- Theory and SR will be sent to the students close to 3/12 and students must complete their Theory test and upload their SR video between 3/12-3/22.
- The system will accept uploads of repertoire videos and scans of PDF scores now. Teachers/students don’t need to wait until 3/12!
- Be sure to upload one PDF file per piece, so all pages of the score are included in one file. So if there are 3 pages total for one piece, all 3 pages need to be in one file, they will not be able to upload 3 separate files for each page.
From our State Office:
Dear Teachers,
The recording guidelines for the CM 2021 Virtual Evaluations are now available on your Teacher Portal.
These guidelines include visual examples of how students should look in the recordings, the acceptable file types and other recording tips.
You may review the guidelines here.
Students are welcome to begin recording their videos before their assigned upload period. You can review your student’s assigned deadline located on the CM application page.
The recording guidelines and other CM documents are available in the CM Resources section located on your Teacher Portal. You can login to new.MTAC.org > home page > click on the yellow “Certificate of Merit” button > Resources.
CM 2021 participants and parents will also receive the guidelines in the coming days and it will be posted on the Student and Parent Portals.
Please note, the CM Council and MTAC State Office will not review videos prior to upload. Please be sure to read through the guidelines carefully prior to recording.
If you have any questions about the repertoire, please contact your CM Regional Coordinator through the Teacher E-Support link.
If you need technical assistance, please contact the MTAC State Office. We are available Monday – Friday, from 9 am – 5 pm.
OCTOBER 2020
The deadline to pass the 2020-2021 Certificate of Merit® Teacher Quiz is October 20, 2020. The training video and quiz are now available in the CM Resources section of your Teacher Portal!
Teachers who are not unblocked are not able to enroll their students for CM.
In order to fulfill your CM Teacher Training requirement, teachers must pass the quiz with a score of 70% by October 20 to become unblocked and able to enroll students for CM 2021 Evaluations and enter their correct MTAC State Teacher ID. Teachers are able to retake the quiz as many times as needed.
Please allow up to 48 hours for your profile to become unblocked after you have passed the quiz.
If you have taken the quiz but are still blocked, you can use the E-support link found on the CM Resources section of your Teacher Portal.
The application period for CM 2021 is from October 1 – 31, 2020.
| Dear Teachers,
This is a friendly reminder that the Certificate of Merit® enrollment period is from October 1- October 31, 2020. Remember to enroll your CM students by 11:59 P.M. on October 31, 2020. Teachers must create an application for their students during the enrollment period. Adding a student to your roster does not create a CM application. Please note: All teachers must pass their CM Teacher Training Quiz before October 20, 2020 to enroll students for CM 2021. Teachers can access the quiz through the CM Resources on the Teacher Portal. Parents and adult students have until November 5, 2020 to submit payment and sign the Participant Consent Waiver. Parents can make a payment once an application is created. |
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| Late applications will not be accepted.
Enroll your students today! If you have any questions regarding a CM application or the process, please contact your CM Regional Coordinator. |
October 1, 2020
| Dear Teachers,
The Certificate of Merit® 2021 Enrollment Period is now open! Here are some important dates and deadlines to remember: October 1-31: Enrollment Period via Teacher Portal During this time, teachers will create applications for their students and correctly enter their school grade and CM level. All teachers must have their students added to their MTAC online roster and accepted by the parents before teachers can create an application. No late applications will be accepted. We recommend checking with parents or adult students to ensure you have the correct information entered. NOTE: Adding a student to your rooster does not create a Certificate of Merit application. Additionally, applications for Young Artist Guild and Panel need to be entered at this time. All teachers must pass their CM 2020-2021 Teacher Training Quiz before October 20, 2020 to enroll students for CM 2021. Quizzes taken in 2019 do not fulfill the 2020 quiz requirement. Teachers can access the quiz through the CM Resources on the Teacher Portal. |
| October 1- November 5: Payment Period
The CM payment period is from October 1 through November 5, 2020. Parents and Adult Students will log into their Online Portal to pay for the application. Teachers can monitor payment statuses by checking their student roster. Unpaid applications will be labeled “not paid.” If a student’s application is not paid by November 5 at 11:59 P.M., they will not be eligible for the Certificate of Merit® exams and the application will be deleted. If your student or their parent is experiencing technical difficulty completing the payment, direct them to the State Office for assistance. Changes to the CM level after payment may incur an additional fee. No changes can be made after November 5, 2020. Instructions for Adult Student CM Application Instructions for Parents for CM Application After a payment is made, the student’s application is considered conditionally enrolled until the repertoire is entered. The application will read as “Incomplete” until the repertoire is entered on the application. January 15: Universal Deadline January 15 is the last day to enter or update repertoire, submit a Change of Teacher request, and apply for Convention Recitals. It is the teachers responsibility to enter the repertoire for their students, we recommend taking time to do this prior to the January 15th deadline. Applications must be moved to “enrolled” status by this deadline. Check the progress section of the application to monitor the status and to see what needs to be completed. Updates to a student’s Primary Teacher after October 31, 2020 can be made online. All changes to primary teacher must be completed by January 15, 2021. Virtual Evaluations Scheduling For the Performance Evaluations, students will be given a 10-day period to submit their performance videos to their applications. Students can record their videos prior to their evaluation window. For the Theory Tests, teachers and applicants will be notified when the testing portal opens. The testing portal will be open for a month. Please contact your CM Regional Coordinator if you have repertoire questions. If you need technical assistance logging in, please contact the MTAC State Office. Technical assistance is available from Monday – Friday, 9 A.M to 5 P.M. |
TIPS AND GUIDELINES FOR REGISTERING FOR CM
- Login to your Teacher Portal at mtac.org > login.
- Teachers must create student applications during the application period from October 1 through October 31, 2020. Late applications are not accepted.
- In order to apply for CM, the student must be brought to your student roster by adding their student account or creating a new account if your student has never enrolled in any MTAC Programs. You can add a student to your roster on the Students age with the “+Add New Student” button.
- Once the student is added to your roster, you can begin their application. To begin the student’s application, click on “Apply” under the “CM/Panel/YAG” column.
- Enter student’s school grade and CM level. If the student qualifies for Panel, a check box will appear to apply for Panel or YAG. Teachers can either continue to edit the application or click “Done” to start a new application for another student. You will not be able to change the student’s information after the payment is made.
- New this year: Students who originally applied for Panel who no longer wish to be considered for Panel no longer need to revert to Non-Panel status. All students, both Panel and Non-Panel, will complete all aspects of the CM Evaluation, including Sight Reading/Singing and have the same minimum requirements to pass the evaluation. Other items, such as Convention and Repertoire, can be added at any time after the application is created until the January 15th deadline.
- State Honors award will be given to students meeting the minimum eligibility requirements. To receive State Honors, students must
(1) pass both the Performance Evaluation and written Theory Test for their enrolled CM Level
(2) receive a “Good” or “Excellent” rating for Technique, Sight Reading/Singing, and Repertoire;
(3) receive at least 80% or above on the Theory Test for their enrolled CM Level that year.
All students are automatically enrolled for consideration for State Honors.
- New in 2020-2021, Branch Honors will no longer be an award associated with the Certificate of Merit Evaluation process. Branches can continue to honor their CM students however, MTAC Evaluators will no longer evaluate students in the system in accordance with individual Branch ratings. Branch Honors will not be tracked through the MTAC Online System.
- Once the application is created, parents will receive an email with the application details and instructions to login to their account to pay the application fees. Parents/Adult students should check the details of the application to ensure that the instrument, grade and level are correct. Applications can only be paid during the payment period of October 1 through November 5, 11:59pm. Please note, all application fees are non-transferable and nonrefundable.
- Teachers can monitor payment status(es) by checking their student roster. Applications will be labeled “not paid” until the parent/adult student makes the payment.
- If a student changes their mind and does not wish to participate in CM this year, the teacher may “delete” the application by opening up the student application and clicking the red “delete” button. Once the payment has been made, the application can be “withdrawn” but the application fees will not be refunded.
- Enrollment is conditional until you have submitted and approved the student’s final Repertoire list by January 15 in the Online System. Applications must be moved to “enrolled” status by this deadline. Check the progress section of the application to monitor the status and to see what needs to be completed.
Any application that is still labeled “incomplete” by this deadline will be withdrawn and the application fees will not be refunded. If you have questions about CM enrollment, please refer to the polices, syllabus, online FAQ, e-support link, or Regional Coordinator.
Your Local CM Branch Chair can assist with repertoire questions.
CONVENTION (NON-PANEL STUDENTS ONLY)
If your student was recommended for and wishes to participate in Convention Recitals, please be sure the following steps are completed by April 15. 1. Teachers must login to their Teacher Portal and complete Convention Application for their student. Instructions can be found in Resources at CM Convention Application Instructions. 2. Parents/Adult students must login to their respective portal and: a. Agree to the Convention Consent Form. b. Pay the CM Convention Application Fee.
PANEL AND THE YOUNG ARTIST GUILD
- All Young Artist Guild (YAG) applicants are required to complete the CM 2020-2021 YAG Letter of Intent and Regional Repertoire List online by January 15.
- YAG applicants must complete theory tests by March 1.
- Panel and YAG students must have their Panel and YAG Application completed by March 10.
If you have questions, please refer to the polices, syllabus, online FAQ, e-support link, or regional coordinator. For technical difficulties, please reach out to the State Office at CMinfo@mtac.org
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INSTRUCTIONS FOR PARENTS
CM Application, Enrollment, and Online Evaluations
MTAC uses an Online System that includes a Parent Portal through which parents can access and
manage their children’s participation in MTAC programs, including our widely-popular Certificate
of Merit® Evaluations program.
In order to apply for and enroll in the Certificate of Merit® Evaluations program, you will need a
Parent Account and Student Account. If you do not already have these accounts set up, please
contact your MTAC Teacher to initiate that process.
APPLICATION
Your child’s MTAC Teacher must initiate the application process for the Certificate of Merit®
Evaluations program. The application period is from October 1 through October 31, 2020. Late
applications are not accepted.
Your child’s MTAC Teacher first creates the application in the Online System. After the application is
created, Parents will receive an email to login to their account to pay the application fees (credit,
VISA gift card, and PayPal accepted). Parents can pay only during the payment period of October 1
through November 5, 11:59pm (“Payment Period”). Parents will not be able to pay after the
PAYMENT PERIOD:
Before making payment, check your child’s application details, such as child’s grade, Certificate of
Merit Level, and personal information. If there are any errors with the level or grade, please contact
your MTAC Teacher as soon as possible. If there are errors with personal information, please
contact the MTAC State Office at cminfo@mtac.org.
If payment is not made during the Payment
Period, your child’s application will be deleted from the Online System. If this occurs, your child will
not be able to participate in the Certificate of Merit Evaluations program in the Spring of 2021.
ENROLLMENT
After payment, your child’s enrollment is considered conditional until your MTAC Teacher has
submitted and approved the student’s final Repertoire List by January 15 into the Online System.
Once your MTAC Teacher has submitted the student’s Repertoire List by this date, enrollment is
complete.
ONLINE EVALUATION PROCESS:
For 2020-2021 CM Evaluations: Due to the ongoing effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic, CM
Performance Evaluations will be pre-recorded by the student in accordance with the CM Video
Recording Guidelines (available December 1, 2020) and uploaded to the student’s CM Application
in the Online System by the assigned submission deadline.
Performance Evaluation:
Teachers, parents, or students record all components of the evaluation.
All videos must be submitted by the submission deadline in the student’s application. The student’s
performance evaluation consists of 3 parts:
• Technique – All technique elements are recorded in one video. Technique is performed
from memory and music notation is not allowed on the music rack or stand.
• Sight Reading – Parents and students will be emailed a link to access the Sight
Reading/Singing excerpt ten (10) days prior to the submission deadline. Students access the
excerpt from a digital device, such as a tablet. The Sight Reading/Singing study period and
performance are recorded in one video on a second device.
• Repertoire – Students will prepare all repertoire listed in the student’s CM Application.
Each piece of repertoire performed must be recorded in its own video. For example, a
student with 4 pieces of repertoire will have 4 separate video files of repertoire. The
student must meet the minimum memorization requirement for his/her enrolled level.
Repertoire performed from memory must not have music on the rack or stand. Repertoire
performed with music must be performed from the original music; photocopied music will
result in an Automatic Remain at Level and the student will not be evaluated. For
questions about your child’s memorization requirement and copyright restrictions, please
consult your child’s MTAC Teacher.
• Scores for Evaluator – Scores for the Evaluator must be scanned from the original music
and must include a scan of the book cover, if applicable. Each score for each repertoire must
be scanned in its own file. For example, a student with 4 pieces of repertoire will have 4
separate music score PDF files. Music from a CD or downloaded source must include the
authorized logo or source in the scan. Scans from photocopies will result in an Automatic
Remain at Level.
Online Theory Test: Parents and students will be emailed a link to access the Online Theory Test
ten (10) days prior to their submission deadline. Students can complete the timed test on a
computer or tablet. MTAC does not recommend for the test to be completed on a phone. The test must
be completed and submitted by the submission deadline in the student’s application.
APPLICATION STATUS
You can confirm the status of your child’s application at any time by logging into your Account. You
can check on the status of any of your children’s applications by clicking on the MTAC Student ID
Number, which will bring you to the Student Profile. Click on the Application ID Number to see your
child’s application details including enrollment status.
Thank you for your continued support of MTAC’s mission to pursue excellence in music education
through innovative programs that foster artistic growth and achievement. We wish you all a
musical year!
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September 2020
|
CM update July 26, 2020
Dear CM teachers,
Your students’ results will be posted on MTAC website tomorrow for teachers and the students/parents.
Please don’t be alarmed if the result is incomplete. The CM council is still making some updates to the results.
If you have any question, please let me know.
Thank you!
Best,
Sunyoung
|
CM ONLINE THEORY
Due to technical difficulties this week with the Theory exams, the Theory exam deadline has been extended July 15, 2020 for all students.
Please confirm that your students have received the appropriate links for their instrument and level.
If your students are missing their links, please have the student and parent email the State Office, Jackie Torres with their name, instrument, level and their request.
If you or your students have any other questions, contact the MTAC State Office. We are available Monday – Friday from 9 am – 5 pm. We are currently experiencing a high volume of support calls and emails; please allow up 48 hours to receive a response.
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Online Theory Examinations 2020
Directives from the MTAC State Office
June 5, 2020
Instructions for taking the Theory Tests will be emailed soon. Theory testing for all instruments will be sent by June 20th. We will be sending out Theory exam links by instrument and level.
Please do not share that link with others.
The deadline to submit theory tests for all instruments is June 30th, 2020.
The theory testing will be hosted through a secondary platform, not Acceptd. We recommend that students have a strong internet connection and dedicate a block of time to take their exams.
Students will have until June 30, 2020 to complete their Theory exams.
If you have any questions, contact the MTAC State Office. We are open from Monday – Friday, from 9 AM – 5 PM.
June 2020 Communique
All student evaluations videos must be uploaded between Thursday, June 4 and Sunday, June 14, 2020 at 11:59pm.
CM Evaluators will evaluate the performances through June 21 and the results will be posted to the MTAC Online System by June 29, 2020.
Students have to upload a PDF of their original music for the Evaluator’s use during the evaluation process. The application will not be considered complete until the PDF score is uploaded. (This scan should be deleted for copyright purposes after June 14th when the process has been completed)
Here are a few other reminders:
1. Notify the parents to check their Emails on 6/4 to create accounts to upload the videos before the deadline of 6/14.
2. Use student’s Application Number which begins with 7xxxxxx, NOT the ID Number.
3. Check your students’ recordings before they upload. Be sure the camera angle is correct: the evaluator needs to see the whole keyboard, the pedal and side face of the student.
May 2020 Communique
Update from the State Office
Dear Teacher,
Thank you for your flexibility and your support during the current pandemic. The CM Council and the State Organization have been working diligently to adjust the Certificate of Merit Evaluations with the health and safety of students, evaluators, and teachers in mind.
As we recently shared, the Certificate of Merit performance evaluations will be administered in a video format and will be hosted on the platform Acceptd.
All student evaluations videos for your branch must be uploaded to the Acceptd platform between Thursday, June 4 and Sunday, June 14, 2020 at 11:59pm.
Parents and adult students will be sent the link to set up their accounts and start their applications in Acceptd on Thursday, June 4, 2020.
CM Evaluators will evaluate the performance evaluations through June 21 and the results will be posted to the MTAC Online System by June 29, 2020.
Please note: Students will not be charged an additional fee to submit their video performance.
For your convenience, we have included the Certificate of Merit Video Submission Guidelines. Students can begin to record their evaluation videos now or any time prior to their submission deadline. The video guidelines are currently posted on your Teacher Portal. The Video Submission Guidelines are also available on the parent and teacher portal home page under ‘What’s New.’
The technique chart for the students is located in the instrument CM syllabus. If your student does not have a technique chart for your evaluation, you can request one by filling out this form.
Please note, voice students do not have a technique chart.
Information on accessing the online theory exam will be sent in June. Students can take their theory exam at any time during the month of June. All exams must be completed by June 30, 2020.
MTAC State Office
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April 2020 Communique
Update from the State Office
The remaining 2020 Certificate of Merit evaluations will be held online. MTAC has partnered with Acceptd, an online audition and competition platform. Students will upload their pre-recorded videos for our CM Evaluators to view and evaluate.
Evaluations will begin in the last week in May. Each week, students in the selected branches will receive a link to submit their performance videos to the platform Acceptd.
Students and teachers will receive their assigned submission deadline soon.
Students will be sent the guidelines in the next few days to review.
VIDEO EVALUATION & THEORY TEST INFORMATION
The remainder of the Certificate of Merit 2020 Evaluation Season will be conducted by video submission.
MTAC has partnered with Acceptd, an online platform for auditions and competitions. An Acceptd account is required in order to upload performance videos. The creation of the Acceptd account is free and submission of the evaluation videos is included in the CM registration fee.
More information regarding creating an Acceptd account and uploading videos into the Acceptd platform will be provided when your Branch’s upload deadline is scheduled.
Video Instructions:
1. Video recording should be good quality, but does not need to be professionally produced. Recording with a smartphone would be an acceptable method of recording. Each video submission should not exceed 4.8 GB. Most file types will be accepted.
2. Video recordings must be made with one fixed camera angle, focused on the performer(s) with
face and hands of contestant visible. Please see the images of recommended views for each
instrument type at the end of this document.
3. Students should dress as they would for a live, in-person evaluation.
4. Students will submit a separate video for each of the following components of the performance evaluation:
● Technique
o Piano students may only have the technique chart on the piano. No written out
notation is allowed.
o String, Wind, and Harp students must turn the music stand toward the camera to
show that only the technique chart is on the music stand, then turn it back to play. No
written out notation is allowed.
o Voice students must perform technique from memory (no chart for reference). If not
using accompaniment, the vocalise may be sung a capella. Students may use a piano
or digital app to hear a starting pitch before they begin.
● Sight Reading – This aspect has been waived for this year.
● Repertoire – one recording for each piece
o Each piece should be played in its entirety, without stopping
o All recordings do not need to be completed on the same day, but must be completed
and submitted by the deadline.
o Repertoire previously recorded by the student, such as during a “pre-CM” studio
recital, may be used for this evaluation.
o Memorization – pieces performed from memory should have all music removed from
the piano or the music stand removed (for non-piano students).o Voice students:
● Voice students must introduce each piece, including the title, composer, time period,
work the piece is from, and a brief translation for songs sung in a foreign language.
● If performing without accompaniment, students may play the starting pitch of their
piece on a piano or digital app before they begin.
5. Video recording must be unaltered and unedited.
6. The file name on the submissions must include the student’s application ID and composer last name or component of the evaluation. (for example, 7XXXXX Technique, 7XXXXX Bach, etc.)
7. Repertoire Changes:
Due to the postponement, students are permitted to change repertoire, except for the piece designated as the “Syllabus Piece.”
● While maintaining the correct repertoire categories is best, students will not be
penalized if changes no longer comply with the required repertoire categories.
● No updates are necessary in the repertoire portion of the student’s application in the
MTAC Online System.
8. For Strings, Winds, and Voice Evaluations: To comply with social distancing mandates, live accompaniment is not required. The teacher and student may select the option best for the student from the options below:
● Live accompaniment – if someone in the household can adequately accompany the
student
● Pre-recorded accompaniment or accompaniment program, such as SmartMusic. Please
be sure the student’s instrument or voice is heard over the accompaniment.
● No Accompaniment
The student’s evaluation results will not be affected by the accompaniment choice.
9. For Piano: Students will be evaluated based on their performance, not on the type of piano or keyboard used, or whether it was recently tuned.
10. Video recording can be completed in a studio, home, school, or any location of the student’s choice, but should abide by any current shelter in place and physical distancing mandates.
11. Video Recordings must be uploaded by 11:59PM on the due date assigned to the student’s Branch.
12. Results will be entered into the MTAC Online System and available through the Parent/Student Portal within 2 weeks of the submission deadline.
Online Theory Exam:
Students will complete their theory exam on an online testing platform. The test will be in a multiple choice and short answer format. The listening examples of the ear training portion of the exam will be included in the exam. Please see the next page for visual examples.
Visual Example of How to Frame Your Video:
Piano students are recommended to angle their camera so that it focuses on their hands on the keyboard and the pedals.
For strings and winds students, students must have the music stand facing the camera.
For guitar and harp students, we recommend that the camera faces the students straight on.
For voice students, we recommend to angle your camera for a waist up view in the frame.
March 2020 Communique
CM Update – Statement from our State Office and the CM Council.
“State and local government health agencies have been adjusting their precautionary measures with additional social distancing mandates. With this in mind, the CM Council and State Organization have been working diligently to create a postponement plan so the remaining students may take their Certificate of Merit Evaluations.
Important updates for Certificate of Merit Evaluations:
- Evalutions will resume in late-May/early June, depending on advice from local governments in regards to the current COVID-19 pandemic. Parents and teachers will receive a notification once their evaluations have been rescheduled.
- The CM Council and State Organization are reviewing different options for this to take place. More details on the Evaluation procedures will be discussed with each branch or region in late April.
- The required syllabus piece on the student’s application must remain the same, but the remaining repertoire can be changed without penalty.
Due to the ongoing pandemic and with the health and safety of students and their families in mind, all CM Convention 2020 Recitals will be cancelled. Student who have already enrolled for 2020 Convention will be refunded.”
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March 12, 2020 Communique
From the State Office
Dear CM Branch Chair and Branch President,
The MTAC State Office and CM Council have been carefully monitoring the Coronavirus/COVID-19 epidemic throughout the State. State and local government health agencies have been adjusting their precautionary measures with additional social distancing mandates. MTAC’s priority is the safety of our students, teachers, and evaluators, and adhering to the local health mandates helps to protect them and the surrounding community.
Based on new recommendations made by the state and local government health agencies in your county and with health and safety in mind, the MTAC State Organization has decided to postpone the upcoming Certificate of Merit® evaluations and theory testing until late April.
MTAC will reassess the situation in mid-April to see if any changes may need to be made to the current postponement plan.
You are receiving this email because your Branch was scheduled to have CM Evaluations between March 14 and March 29 and those events have now been cancelled. We will be in touch once rescheduling information is available.
Thank you for your patience and understanding.
Sincerely,
Executive Director
Music Teachers’ Association of California
_____________________________________________________________________
January 2020 Communique
January 14, 2020
Dear CM teachers,
I hope everything is good with you.
Tomorrow 1/15 midnight is the deadline for entering ALL the information.
Be sure to CHECK AGAIN the Info on the Repertoire (make sure the periods of music, number of pieces, spellings..), Convention (be sure to read convention guidelines) and Carpool options.
AFTER 1/15, NOTHING CAN BE FIXED OR CHANGED.
Even though I want to help, I can’t. Please understand that the computer system doesn’t allow me to change anything after 1/15. So please make sure all the info is correct before 1/15.
CARPOOL: If you don’t put your sibling students into the carpool before 1/15, those siblings will NOT be scheduled back to back. Please don’t ask me to put them into carpool after 1/15 because the system will not allow me to change or add anything.
It’s teacher’s responsibility to put the sibling students into carpool.
Here are more detailed steps to enter the carpool info.
First, log into your site- Click Certificate of Merit- Click Student ID- Click Application ID- Click the Golden Box, ‘Schedule Preferences’.
Let’s say John Doe and Jane Doe are a sibling.
1. Find John’s Application ID number (not Student ID number). You may want to write down the Application ID number on a piece of paper.
2. Type John’s Application ID Number & his last name on the Jane’s Schedule Preferences, NOT John’s.
Let’s say John, Jane and Joe are a sibling.
1. Do the same for John and Jane.
2. Then for Joe, find out Joe’s Application ID number.
3. Go to John’s Schedule Preference and type Joe’s Application ID number on John’s Schedule Preference.
If you have question, please let me or Zewhong know.
Thank you.
Best,
Sunyoung
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January 2, 2020 Communique
Dear CM teachers,
Happy New Year!
1/15 is the deadline for entering the Repertoire, Convention and the Carpool option (no AM/PM option). Please don’t check the Branch Honor section since our branch doesn’t have ‘Branch Honors’ from last year. For the State Award, teachers don’t need to apply for it. If you want to know more about the State Award, please see ‘CM policy and Procedures’ under ‘Resources’
While entering Repertoire, if you can’t find a piece on the list, you need to CREATE the piece. Follow the steps on the screen.
The topic for the Convention Theme Recital is Dance Music. You can find more information under ‘Resources’-‘Teachers Resources’.
Make sure to double check if all the information is entered correctly and see if there is any missing information before 1/15.
NOTHING CAN BE FIXED OR CHANGED AFTER 1/15.
Please advise the parents not to make any other plans on CM day, 3/21, Saturday. If they don’t show up at their scheduled time on 3/21, the student must pay an extra fee and possibly wait for several hours to take the performance exam.
Here is an example how to enter Carpool option.
Let’s say John Doe and Jane Doe are a sibling.
1. Find John’s Application ID number (not Student ID number). You may want to write down the Application ID number on a piece of paper.
2. Type John’s Application ID Number & his last name on the Jane’s Schedule Preferences, NOT John’s.
Let’s say John, Jane and Joe are a sibling.
1. Do the same for John and Jane.
2. Then for Joe, find out Joe’s Application ID number.
3. Go to John’s Schedule Preference and type Joe’s Application ID number on John’s Schedule Preference.
Please don’t wait until the last minute. If it’s too close to the deadline, there may not be enough time to fix or get helped.
I hope to see all of you at the General Meeting on 1/17. Especially if you have any questions on Theory, please come to this meeting. Our Dr. Alan Oettinger will kindly share his expertise with us. Many many thanks to him!
IMPORTANT: if you have any CM related questions, please let me or Zewhong (zewhong@gmail.com) know only for getting the accurate and fast responses. I am answering your questions ASAP but sometimes I need time to figure it out. But you’ll get my response within 48 hrs. Please DON’T ask someone else for help.
Thank you. Have a wonderful day.
Best,
Sunyoung
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March 2019
Reminder ……(according to CM Policies and Procedures)
2.1 Certificate of Merit® Line of Communication
(a) Communication Procedures. In accordance with the CM Policies & Procedures, any communications, questions, or concerns regarding Certificate of Merit® (e.g. administration, operations, evaluations, training, policies or procedures), must first be directed to the student’s own teacher. Many questions and potential issues can often be resolved at this level. Any communications, questions, or concerns received that do not follow these procedures cannot be accepted, responded to, or considered by, the Branch CM Chair, CM Council, or MTAC.
(b) Inbound Communication. Questions or issues that cannot be resolved by the CM Teacher, and/or questions or issues from the CM Teacher that require a response from the Branch or State (or “inbound” communications), shall be directed as follows, and must be communicated by email only (please identify Branch and Contact Name in all emails):
(1) Parent to CM Teacher…if needed, then to –
(2) CM Branch Chair…if needed, then to –
(3) CM Council (see CM Council Roster to contact appropriate CM Council member).
(c) Outbound Communication. CM Council may contact anyone in the Line of Communication, as needed, including but not limited to the following:
(1) CM Council may contact Teachers regarding Change of Teacher issues;
(2) CM Panel Coordinators may contact Teachers regarding Panel and scheduling issues.
…………………………………………………………………………………..
March 18, 2019
Dear CM teachers,
CM results are all entered. You can view the CM results for your students online.
I would like to thank all of you for your hard work and support!
Special thanks to Marina Lomtatidze who is our Food Chair for CM day. She prepared a wonderful table of food and drinks and top of it, she donated $120 for us. Thank you very much, Marina!
Also a big thanks to Lieschen and Virginia who helped us even though they had no obligation to work. Thank you!!
Please let me know if you have any suggestions/concerns or feedback about your job or anything related to the CM day.
I will report about our CM at the Meeting on 4/1. If you can, please attend the meeting. You can pick up your Envelope (theory booklet, Performance evaluation sheet, Certificates, State honor seals) and Theory winner trophy.
Thank you! See you on 4/1.
Best,
Sunyoung
Theory Winners List:
PIANO
Prep (99%): Kyan Wiedmann
Level 1 (99%): Irene Kim
Level 2 (100%): Aditya Kiran, Megan Schmit, Elizabeth Tazyan
Level 3 (100%): Madison Lee, Maggie Nguyen
Level 4 (100%): Daniel Savluk
Level 5 (99%): Mindy Hong
Level 6 (96%): Jessica Pan
Level 7 (99%): Enni Harlan
Level 8 (98%): Brian Chu
Level 9 (99%): Oliver Harlan
VIOLIN
Level 2 (97%): Elizabeth Tazyan
Level 3 (99%): Arthur Davtyan
Teachers: Zew Hong Lee, Cesar Corona, Aroutioun Mikaelian, Susanna Zhamkochyan, Sunyoung Lee, Nonna Ayrapetova, Marina Bykhovsky, Dr. Alan Oettinger, Dr. Cynthia Harlan, Marina Lomtatidze, Hasmik Kotelyan.
*** Remember: Convention Application Deadline is 4/15.
early MARCH 2019
Dear CM teachers,
I’d like to remind you some CM procedures. For some of you it might be the first time participating CM. I hope it helps.
First of all, I’d like to ask all of you to be respectful and polite toward the evaluator, students and each other on our CM day. I’ve heard some complains about it. It’s a long day to everyone but we should be professional. Remember, the evaluators will also evaluate our branch.
1. Students must register at the Registration Desk (see UCLA map that I sent you). From that point, parents have to wait in front of the Registration desk area or outside of the building. Parents are NOT allowed behind the Registration Desk and any of the evaluation rooms. The parents can use the restroom located outside ONLY (court yard. See the UCLA map).
Please let the parents know before 3/16 so there is no misunderstanding.
2. After registration, students should go into the Theory room. The Theory room is located same floor as Registration Desk located. Students must use the restroom before going into the Theory room. We try to avoid students using restroom during the test in order to prevent cheating. The restrooms for students are located right in front of the Theory room.
3. Students must take Theory test and Ear Training Test in the same room. If they finish the Theory test, they need to hand out the finished test to the teachers who are working inside the Theory room and wait outside of the Theory room. There will be chairs for them.
Please make sure students don’t leave the Theory room area. A room monitor who is going to take students to the performance evaluation room can’t find the student if this student leaves the Theory room area.
3. If students didn’t finish the Theory/Ear training test when they are about to perform, the students must hand in the test booklet to the teacher who is working inside the Theory room and say “I didn’t finish the test”. Then the Theory test booklet would be placed in the pending box. After finishing performance test, the student MUST go back to the Theory room and finish it. *** Students are not allowed to place their theory test booklets in the pending or finishing section. They must hand in to the theory room monitors. Please make sure students don’t take the Theory test outside of the Theory room. If it happens, the students will receive 0 point on their Theory test.
4. When a room monitor takes the student to the performance room, student must open his/her books in order (the first measure of each line should have measure numbers. Please put a paper clip or small post it sticker and number the pieces: Write 1 for the first piece, 2 for the second piece and etc.)
*** We had 2 evaluators complained about missing measure numbers on the book last year.
Tips: Be polite to the evaluator. When a student goes into the performance room with the books, student should say “Hi” to the evaluator. After finishing, say “Thank you” to the evaluator. Dress nicely.:)
5. Evaluator would ask the student to start with Technique. When I evaluate other branch students, some students have no idea what Technique and SR means… Please make sure your students understand what they are.
Be sure not to start playing unless the evaluator tells the student to play. The evaluator needs time to write the comments. The evaluator will tell the student when to start Technique, SR and each piece.
6. After performance tests are done, the evaluator will give the book back to the student. Say “Thank you” to the evaluator and take the books and leave the room.
If the students finish Theory/Ear Training test and Performance test, they can go back to the Registration area or place where their parents are waiting.
Lunch (simple sandwich) will be served to all the teachers around 12-12:30pm. If you want, you can bring your own lunch.
Good luck to all your students!!
If you have question, let me know.
Please be on time on 3/16. Please don’t take your job lightly. Every teacher’s job is very important on our CM day for our students.
Thank you! See you on Saturday.
Best,
Sunyoung
February 2019
Dear CM Teachers,
I hope everyone received the CM students’ schedule and campus maps for the students/parents. Your job assignments will be sent out this week.
When you have any questions on CM, the questions must come to the CM chair. I’d like to suggest the followings:
1. First, check the CM policies and Procedures under your site. www.new.mtac.org>Certificate of Merit>Resources. You will find a lots of information under ‘Resources’. Or check the CM syllabus.
2. If you can’t find the answer under CM polices or syllabus, send an E mail ONLY to the CM chair. I will try to answer within 48 hours.
3. If I, CM chair can’t answer the question, I will contact one of the CM council member to assist us. It might take more than 48 hours.
If the parents have questions, the question must directed to the student’s teacher first. Then the teacher check polices and syllabus. If the teacher can’t find the answer, write an E mail to me. Parents shouldn’t contact me or CM council directly regarding CM questions.
You can also ask CM questions to Zew Hong Lee or Dr. Alan Oettinger. When you write an E mail, please cc me so I can see the messages, too.
It’s important to me to understand what kinds of questions our branch CM teachers have so I can assist better and improve our branch CM.
***Important reminders on CM day:
***NOTE: Student must arrive at least 1 HOUR earlier than their scheduled Performance Time. If the student is in Level Prep through Level 2, drop him/her off just 1 hour earlier than the assigned performance time. The Theory evaluation room will open at 8AM. The students who are scheduled from 8:30AM to 9AM can enter the room at 8AM. The theory room will close at 5:00 PM. The students must turn in their exam by 5:00 PM. The students in Level 8~ADV should arrive and begin their test no later than 3PM in order to turn it in by 5PM.
REMEMBER:
1. Students MUST register at the Registration desk and start the Theory test first. During the Theory test, students will be called out by their name or picked up when it’s time for his/her Performance Test. Take all the belongings (EXCEPT Theory Test Booklet) and follow one of the teacher to an assigned Evaluation room.
**If the student didn’t finish the Theory test and Ear Training test when his/her name is called out, the Theory booklet MUST remain in the “Pending Section” (hand it in to one of the teacher inside the Theory room). After the Performance evaluation is done, the student MUST return to the Theory testing room and finish the test. If the students finished the Theory test and Ear Training test before the Performance evaluation, hand in the booklet to one of the teacher inside the Theory room and wait in the theory room until their names are called out.
2. Parents are NOT allowed in the testing area, including students’ restrooms, evaluation rooms and theory testing room (CM Policy section 5A #6). Parent may wait in front of the registration desk, outside in the courtyard, or elsewhere outside the music building.
3. Be on Time. If a student is late, there will be an extra fee and possibly a long waiting period. Parents should pick up their child/children at the waiting area. Please DO NOT drop your children too early or pick them up too late.
4. Students are NOT allowed to bring the cell phone, iPods, iPads, Tablets, Kindle, and Cameras into the theory room. They must leave them with their parents or at the Registration desk.
5. Students MUST bring their music books. Make sure measures are numbered on the student’s score (Only the 1st measure of each line is necessary) and put a paper clip on the first page of each piece.
6. If your student is planning to use music (Not memorized) during the evaluation, the student MUST bring 2 books (1 for Evaluator and 1 for the student).
7. DO NOT bring any photocopies of music. If an evaluator finds photocopies of music, student is automatically disqualified.
8. There will be NO RESTROOM BREAK during the theory test. Make sure the students use a restroom before they enter the Theory room. If a student needs to use a restroom during the test, the student must raise a hand and one of the teacher will escort the student.
9. The CM evaluation results will be announced to teachers and parents by online after the evaluation.
Best,
Sunyoung
January 2019
Dear CM teachers,
1/15 is the deadline for entering the Repertoire, Convention and the Carpool option (no AM/PM option). Please don’t check the Branch Honor section since our branch will not have ‘branch honors’ from this year.
Make sure to double check if all the information is entered correctly and see if there is any missing information before 1/15.
NOTHING CAN BE FIXED OR CHANGED AFTER 1/15.
Please advise the parents not to make any other plans on CM day, 3/16, Saturday. If they don’t show up at their scheduled time on 3/16, the student must pay an extra fee and possibly wait for several hours to take the performance exam.
While entering Repertoire, if you can’t find a piece on the list, you need to CREATE the piece. Follow the steps on the screen.
Here is an example how to enter Carpool option.
Let’s say John Doe and Jane Doe are siblings.
1. Find John’s Application ID number (not Student ID number). You may want to write down the Application ID number on a piece of paper.
2. Type John’s Application ID Number & his last name on the Jane’s Schedule Preferences, NOT John’s.
Let’s say John, Jane and Joe are siblings.
1. Do the same for John and Jane.
2. Then for Joe, find out Joe’s Application ID number.
3. Go to John’s Schedule Preference and type Joe’s Application ID number on John’s Schedule Preference.
Please don’t wait until the last minute. If it’s too close to the deadline, there may not be enough time to fix or get helped.
If you have any questions, please let me or Zewhong (zewhong@gmail.com) know.
Thank you.
Best,
Sunyoung
October 2018
Dear CM teachers,
Thank you to the teachers who has attended one of the CM Mandatory Meetings of 2018.
Thanks also to Hasmik, for offering her Burbank Studio for us.
The teachers who attended may begin CM enrollment from 10/1.
Here are the IC and RAL lists for the CM performance evaluation for your reference.
Best
Sunyoung
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Ineligible for Certificate (IC) (Pass but no Certificate):
Students shall receive an IC rating for the following:
a. Performing incorrect repertoire categories (e.g. 2 baroque pieces), or incorrect Syllabus piece (e.g. incorrect Level)
b. Performing Technique from an incorrect Syllabus or level.
c. Advanced (Level 10) Etude is not from required Etude list as provided in the Piano Syllabus;
d. Performing any Unacceptable Repertoire.
Ineligible for Convention:
Students shall receive an “Ineligible for Convention Recitals” for the following:
a. Performance does not meet the required Convention ratings and/or theory score. (b) original music scores were not provided to the Evaluator, including a second original score if the piece was not memorized (and a third original score if a live accompanist performs).
b. Repertoire performed was not listed in the Evaluation Report Form.
c. English translation of the Title and Composer for music published in a foreign language was not provided.
d. Non-Piano (Winds, Strings, Voices): for pieces requiring accompaniment, student dose not have a live accompanist. (This is not a new requirement, as it it listed in 8.2 and 9.4, but is being added here for clarity).
Remain at Level Rating (RAL) (Fail):
a. Weak on SR and Technique or Weak on Repertoire.
b. ADV required Étude is not memorized except Strings and Winds.
c. Refuse to attempt to perform SR excerpt.
d. Photocopy of scores except for page turning.
e. Memory requirements are not met.