British Columbia Registered Music Teachers' Association

British Columbia Registered Music Teachers' Association

British Columbia Registered Music Teachers' Association (BCRMTA). Founded in 1932 as the British Columbia Music Teachers' Federation, incorporating the Vancouver Music Teachers' Association (formed in 1920 with H. Roy Robertson as president) and other provincial groups. It changed its name to the British Columbia Music Teachers' Association in 1935. That same year, with fellow associations from Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba, it helped to found the Federation of Music Teachers' Associations (later CFMTA). In 1947 it received a provincial charter and was renamed the British Columbia Registered Music Teachers' Association. The objectives are to raise the standard of the profession of music teaching and to promote the interests of music teachers. In 2004 the BCRMTA had more than 1000 members. Those without access to one of its 21 branches are designated 'provincial members.' Many branches sponsor workshops, lectures, and festivals for their members and students. The provincial council presents a large-scale workshop with performers and clinicians once every two years. This event is also open to non-member teachers, student teachers, and students. The BCRMTA awards prizes to British Columbia winners of the Canada Music Week Writing Contest and scholarships to the winners of the Young Artists' Competitions, held biennially. An award is presented to the piano student of a member achieving the highest mark in the province for the teachers' ARCT exam. In 2001 the BC Registered Music Teachers' Musical Community Services Award was established to encourage students to share music with their communities. The Provincial Newsletter, begun in 1972, is published three times a year.