November 2025

JMTA High Notes
November 2025 —Vol. 29, no. 3
The general meeting, program, and holiday potluck was held on Thursday, November 13th at the Public Library Mandarin Branch. There is no meeting in December.
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President’s Pen
Dear Colleagues,
Wishing everyone a Happy Thanksgiving and a blessed Christmas and Holiday Season!
The FSMTA State Conference that our District hosted last month on Amelia Island was a great success; thanks to the many of you who worked tirelessly for many months to make it happen! A special thank you to Anita Renfroe who chaired the event, and to all of you who planned, made calls, met in meetings, went for pick-ups, solved issues, received donations, worked hands-on on the welcome bags, name tags, setting up, all the countless tasks that went into preparing for this event over the past year, and then dedicated time to volunteer or perform at the event. A big and appreciative thank you to you all!!
Thank you to Rhonda Danielson for giving an informative presentation on Lion Theory at our November meeting, and to Sandy Stewart for coordinating our fun potluck afterwards. There is no meeting in December, so our next meeting and program will be in January, led by Kama Rasmussen-Li. Hope to see you there!
In this publication you’ll find detailed information on upcoming events and deadlines such as Community Service for 9th and 12th graders, JMTA Senior Scholarship and Music Camp Scholarship,
JMTA student recitals, Student Day, and more!
Sincerely,
Angie Holt
JMTA President
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Table of Contents
MEETING MINUTES
September . . . . . . . . . . . 2 - 3
TREASURY REPORTS
September . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Monthly Programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 - 6
JMTA Student Recitals
December JMTA Recital . . . . . . .7
JMTA Community Service . . . . . . . . . . 8
JMTA Scholarships . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 - 10
District IV News
Student Day . . . . . . . . . . . .11 - 12
State News
October State Conference
photos . . . . . . . . . . . 13 - 17
Application Deadline Reminders . . . 18
AREA CONCERTS AND RECITALS . . . .19
Calendar of Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21
(control + click on link)

Welcome New Member!
McKenna Trahan
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MEETING MINUTES

October Meeting Minutes
Jacksonville Music Teachers Association
Thursday, October 9, 2025
Mandarin Presbyterian Church
9:30am

Call to Order: Angie Holt called the meeting to order at 9:35am.

Attendance:
In person - Angie Holt, Rhonda Danielson, Anita Renfroe, Cheryl Dubberly, Sandy Stewart, Ronald Touchton, Daniel Holt, Paulette Kilts, Denise Homsley, Kama Rasmussen-Li.
Zoom attendees – Mary McKee, Stefanie Batson-Martin

Parliamentarian: Lynn Freeman absent

Secretary Minutes: Rhonda Danielson
Minutes accepted as read.

Treasurer’s Report: Lorraine Sears
Motion to accept report by Anita, 2nd Paulette. Motion carried.

Communications & Internet Media: Angie Holt
Nothing to report.

Vice President of Membership: Mary McKee
We welcome new member Ciaran Abuan.

Programs: Open position
November – Rhonda will explain and demonstrate how Lion Theory can be used to prepare for Student Day.
Cheryl Dubberly suggested having online presentations by 3 people she recommended last month

Committee Reports:

Social: Sandy Stewart
Refreshments are covered for Nov. 13 meeting.

Student Recitals: Christine Couch & Gavin Taylor
Student recitals can be used for community service. Sandy will send Christine a copy of the letter that is used. The application for Student Recitals is on our JMTA.org website under Special Events.

Proton Therapy Recital: Sandy Stewart
Date has not been chosen yet.

Scholarship: Open position

Student Day: Angie Holt
Nothing new to report.

Altruistic: Sandra Roberts absent

Community Service Awards: Stefanie Batson-Martin

Ethics: Betty Atkinson

Archivist/Historian: Paulette Kilts
Nothing new to report.

Wellness Liaison: Open position

New Business:
FSMTA State Conference Anita Renfroe
More volunteers are needed for monitors, ushers, and registration table.

Adjournment: Meeting adjourned at 10:07.

Respectfully Submitted,
Rhonda Danielson, Secretary ________________________________________________________________________TREASURY REPORTS 

October 2025

Checking: Rate .10%
Expenses
10/01/25 new checks order $29.65
10/02/25 Check #1055 S. Stewart (social) $18.99
10/16/25 check #1056 FSMTA Conf. donation $100.00
Deposits
10/28/25 Dues ($63)/Recital ($10 )$73.00
10/31/25 Recital fees $80.00 10/31/25
Interest $0.77
   Current Checking $8,308.28
   Warren Fund $827.73
   TOTAL Checking Account $9,136.01
Business Money Market (Scholarship): Rate .60% ($1000+)
Expenses
Deposits
   TOTAL Business Money Market Account $138.23
Business Shares (Savings): Rate .10% ($100+)
Expenses
Deposits
10/31/25 Interest $0.02
   TOTAL Business Shares Account $199.23
18-23 Month Business CD: Rate 2.95% Matures 6/7/26
Expenses
Deposits
10/31/25 Interest $13.70
   TOTAL Business CD Account $5,473.83
13 Month Promo CD: Rate 4.16% Matures 10/16/26
Expenses
Deposits
10/31/25 Interest 17.73
   TOTAL Promo CD Account $5,026.29
   TOTAL ASSETS as of Oct. 31, 2025 $19,973.59
Submitted by Lorraine Sears 11/5/2025

MONTHLY PROGRAMS

January

The January meeting will be our bi-annual District IV meeting, headed by District President Kama Rasmussen-Li. (There is no program in December.) It will be held on the third Thursday of the month instead of the second Thursday, location TBA, on January 15th at 9:30am, with the program afterwards beginning about 10:15am. Kama will be presenting her program “The Silent Role of Gesture in Musical Interpretation.” We hope to see you there!

Thank you to everyone who is able to attend these meetings, and a special shout out to Sandy Stewart who coordinates the food and refreshments for each meeting. Our holiday potluck earlier this month was a success with much delicious food.

February – May

The dates for the rest of the spring semester meetings and programs are as follows, all on the second Thursdays of each month and as of this date beginning at 9:30am. Locations and program information are to be provided in the JMTA January newsletter.
February 12
March 12
April 9
​May 14

Following are pictures from our November meeting and program. Rhonda Danielson gave an in-house presentation on Lion Theory, followed by our potluck, coordinated by Sandy Stewart.

JMTA Student Recitals

December Student Recital Next Recital — Sunday, December 14, 2025 at 3:00 PM Venue: Arlington United Methodist Church Address: 1400 University Blvd. N., Jacksonville, FL 32211 Parking & Entry:
• Parking lot is located behind the
sanctuary (turn on Commerce Street).
• Please enter through the Sanctuary doors in
the breezeway near the parking lot.
• Note: The Sanctuary doors facing University
Blvd. may be locked. Reception Contribution:
• Each participating teacher is asked to bring a plate of cookies for the reception. Thank you! Application Deadline: Friday, December 5, 2025 Submit applications to: [email protected]

- Christine Couch and Gavin Taylor, JMTA Student Recital Co-chairs

Community “Proton Therapy” Recital

Proton Therapy Recital Chair Sandra Stewart has announced the date for the annual Proton Therapy recital for late-intermediate to advanced students to be Tuesday, April 21 at 6pm at the UF Proton Therapy Institute. More information will be coming from Sandy in an upcoming newsletter.
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JMTA Community Service Awards

Community Service Scholarship Information for current 9th and 12th Graders:

9th Grade: Students can include a list of service through music activities from 7th grade through the first half of 9th grade; they will need a recommendation letter from a school administrator or music teacher at their school. This can be from a previous middle school administrator or teacher for the 9th grade students. Students will need to include a short biography, a photo, and a recommendation letter from the FSMTA member teacher. A $55 dollar fee must be paid by the local MTA chapter; if the student does not live in a county that is covered by the local MTA chapter, the teacher will be responsible for the fee. Students must reside in the state of Florida.

12th Grade: Same requirements as the 9th grade scholarship applicant; their musical service activities can start during the second half of 9th grade through the first half of 12th grade. There are separate forms for 9th and 12th grade applicants, please be sure to submit the correct one. All materials are due to [email protected]. School administrators and FSMTA teachers can send their recommendation letters directly to this email. The deadline for payment and all documents is January 17, 2026.

9th grade State winners receive a certificate, plaque and a check for $250; 12th grade State winners receive a certificate, plaque and a check for $500. County winners receive a certificate. Here is a link to FSMTA’s website with more information: https://www.fmta.org/community-service-awards.html

- Stefanie Batson-Martin, Community Service Awards Chair
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JMTA SCHOLARSHIPS JMTA HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR SCHOLARSHIP COMPETITION

The JMTA High School Senior Scholarship Competition will be held at Mandarin Baptist Church on Saturday, April 11, 2026, time TBA. The deadline for application is Friday, March 6, 2026.
• If there will be only one applicant auditions will be held online.
• Auditions will be open only to students who have studied for six or more months with a JMTA member in good standing.
• Only high school seniors who will complete work during the school year in which they audition and who state their intention to pursue a college degree in Music may apply.
• Students seeking a dual major in Music and another field of study are eligible to apply.
• Music minors are not eligible to apply. The following must be submitted along with a signed application form:
(a) An entrance fee of $25.00, check made payable to JMTA
(b) Three letters of recommendation:
1. A letter of recommendation from applicant’s private teacher
2. A letter of recommendation from teacher or administrator from applicant’s school
3. A letter of character reference from a responsible adult who is not applicant’s immediate family. (c) Applicant’s repertoire list of three pieces from different time periods with duration no longer than 30 minutes. Repertoire must be memorized.

The winner of the Scholarship Competition is required to perform at the May JMTA meeting held on Thursday, May 14, 2026. All required documents and application fee must be submitted by deadline to:

Kama Rasmussen-Li
JMTA Scholarship Committee Chair JMTA

JMTA SUMMER MUSIC CAMP SCHOLARSHIP

JMTA Summer Music Camp Scholarship is awarded annually only to pre-college students of JMTA members. The deadline for application is March 29, 2026.

The scholarship may be awarded in full or partially.

Students who receive scholarships may attend the summer camp of their choice. Scholarships will be awarded on the basis of need. Only one scholarship per family may be awarded. Students who receive money for summer camps from other organizations are not eligible to receive assistance from JMTA.

Teachers must submit a short outline of their students’ qualification for scholarship along with their name(s) to the JMTA Scholarship Committee for consideration by the JMTA board.

Kama Rasmussen-Li
JMTA Scholarship Committee Chair
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District IV News

Student Day

A note from the FSMTA State VP for Non-competitive Events:

Student Day preparation: If you missed my presentation about Lion Theory at our Nov. 13 meeting, you are welcome to contact me anytime to learn how to subscribe and use this online theory preparation program. Another great resource for theory prep is the Music Masters Written Theory workbooks, which are specifically designed to prepare students for the FSMTA Student Day theory exams, levels Primary - 12. These materials are available at musicmasterstheoryprep.com.

Student Day Judging: If you are interested in judging Student Day events in District 4 or other areas around the state, FSMTA has an Apprentice Judging process which helps to prepare you, because Student Day judging is unlike other types of adjudicating. Our new state Apprentice Judging Chair is Suzy Reiser and you may contact her ([email protected]) or Angie Holt, who is JMTA's District 4 Student Day Chair, for more information.

- Rhonda Danielson, FSMTA VP for Non-competitive Events 561-602-2709

* * *

FSMTA District IV Student Day will be held on Saturday, April 11, 2026, at Mandarin Baptist Church, 11244 San Jose Blvd., 32223. The application deadline is Friday, March 6. For more comprehensive information please view the September JMTA newsletter under District IV News.

Here is the link to register: https://www.jaxmta.org/district-4-student-day.html
When registering, choose which section each student would like, morning or afternoon. All their activities will fall into their chosen section, including a non-
graded recital, where each student can play one of their Student Day pieces for their peers.

For repertoire lists, sample written theory and aural theory tests, keyboard skills information, adjudication forms, etc., they are all on the FSMTA website (fmta.org). Click on Student Activities on the home screen, and then FSMTA Non-Competitive Events. Scroll down to Members of FSMTA, click on log in here, and use the current password of Chopin, which is case-sensitive. (The FSMTA password changes every October, and as a member you will receive an email from their website admin with the new password each year.) Or you can click here to go to the website, where there is also a Handbook of Student Activities for more detailed information:

https://www.fmta.org/student-day-handbook.html

For their hard work and preparation, each student receives a beautiful certificate, and a medallion if they receive achievement. If they receive honors in their judge audition and at least an achievement in their written theory and aural theory, they also receive an honors ribbon from the State, and are invited to perform in the Honors recital held in the Recital Hall at UNF.

More information about the Music Masters Theory Workbooks:

An independent teacher has created an optional curriculum to help you prepare your students for the keyboard skills, written theory, and aural theory testing with helpful workbooks for each level. These follow the same leveling and guidelines that are provided in the Student Activities Handbook on the FSMTA website. These materials will assist students in mastering the FSMTA guidelines for Student Day. The contact information is as follows: Music Masters, 4111 NW 79 Ave., Coral Springs, FL 33065. To order, email Sue Colvert at Music Masters at [email protected]. The phone number is 954-752-2856. You can also go to at musicmasterstheoryprep.com.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

-Angie Holt, District IV Student Activities Chair
[email protected]
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State News

Thank you to Anita Renfroe and all those who assisted at the 2025 FSMTA State Conference in October at the Courtyard and Springhill Suites on Amelia Island! Following are photos from the conference.
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Application Deadline Reminders
(In order by application deadline)

JMTA December Student Recital – December 14
Application deadline – December 5
JMTA Community Service Awards
Application deadline – January 17, 2026
District IV Sonatina and Sonata Festival – February 7
Application deadline – January 19
District IV Concerto Competition – March 14
Application deadline – February 20
District IV Student Day – April 11
Application deadline – March 6
JMTA High School Senior Scholarship Competition – April 11
Application deadline – March 6
JMTA March Student Recital – March 29
Application deadline – March 20
JMTA Summer Music Camp Scholarship
Application deadline – March 29
Community “Proton Therapy” Recital – April 21
Application deadline – April 14
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AREA CONCERTS AND RECITALS

Click on each link for a calendar of upcoming performances:

The Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra Events
Click on link for more information and tickets:
Events | Jacksonville Symphony

University of North Florida Music Events
Click on link for more information and tickets:
https://www.unf.edu/coas/music/events.html

Florida State College at Jacksonville
Click on link for more information and tickets:
fine-arts-calendar.jpg (2550×3300)

Friday Musicale Events Click on link for more information and tickets:
https://fridaymusicale.com/events/

St. Johns Cathedral Music Events
Click on link for more information and tickets: https://www.jaxcathedral.org/events/
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Find A Teacher Section on Jaxmta.org
Teachers, please take a moment to check out your information on our Find A Teacher page on the JMTA website (jaxmta.org). If you would like any changes made, or if you’re not listed yet and would like to be added, please contact Angie Holt at [email protected] with the verbiage you would like put in.
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Did You Know?
Residents of Duval county, if they have a Jacksonville Library card, can use the many electronic resources from the https://jaxpubliclibrary.org/digital-library. Getting a library card is free. All that's needed is your driver's license and sign up in person at any of the 21 branches.
The card allows the use of Kanopy - which has free streaming movies, documentaries, educational resources [older teens/adults]. I saw a documentary "Making the Grade" which profiled Irish students and piano teachers whose students are preparing to take the Irish Royal Academy of Music Examinations. It was funny, moving, informative, and relatable, especially seeing snippets of the teacher's lessons in action and how the students feel about piano and their teachers overall. I highly recommend members watch it (and explore the other resources available from JPL)! - JohnWillard Utuk
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Need a Sponsor?
Does anyone in the JMTA need a sponsor or need help in any way? If so, John Scott, owner of Jacksonville School of Music & First Coast School of Music, is interested in helping our organization. If interested, contact John at [email protected]. His direction phone number is 904-248-1848.
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Music Exchange
Do you have too much music collected in your studio? Is there some you think you'll never use? Bring your unneeded music to any JMTA meeting. Bring home something new to you! Look for the "Free Music" spot. Music does not have to be brand new.
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Have you found us on Facebook?
Follow JMTA on Facebook for the latest happenings, photos, videos, and more!
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Events Calendar

Please view our website for any updates or additions to these events, as well as for more details including application deadlines: www.jaxmta.org.

Sunday, December 14 3:00pm JMTA Student Recital, Arlington United Methodist Church, 1400 University Blvd. N., 32211

Thursday, January 15, 2026 9:30am District IV Meeting and Program TBA

Saturday, February 7 As Scheduled, District IV Sonatina and Sonata Festival, UNF Recital Hall, 1 UNF Drive, Building 45, Room 1200, 32224

Thursday, February 12 9:30am JMTA General Meeting and Program TBA

Thursday, March 12 9:30am JMTA General Meeting and Program TBA

Saturday, March 14 As Scheduled, District IV Concerto Competition, UNF Recital Hall, 1 UNF Drive, Building 45, Room 1200, 32224

Sunday, March 29 3:00pm JMTA Student Recital, All Saints Episcopal Church, 4171 Hendricks Ave, 32207

Saturday, April 11 As Scheduled, District IV Student Day, Mandarin Baptist Church, 11244 San Jose Blvd., 32223

Saturday, April 11 TBA JMTA H.S. Senior Scholarship Competition, Mandarin Baptist Church, 11244 San Jose Blvd., 32223

Tuesday, April 21 6:00pm Community “Proton Therapy” Recital, U.F. Health Proton Therapy Institute, 2015 Jefferson St., 32206
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Stay tuned for more events to come! High Notes is distributed on the first of the month excluding June-August and December. All submissions are due by the 20th of the month prior to distribution. Submissions may be sent to [email protected].