Dr. Mark Volker is on the faculty at Belmont College in Nashville. He received his BM from Ithaca College, his MM from University of Cincinnati and his Ph.D. from University of Chicago. He has participated in master classes with composers such as Joan Tower, John Harbison, Bernard Rands, Michael Torke, Fred Rzewski, George Crumb, John Corigliano and Jacob Druckman. Prior to coming to Belmont, he taught at Colgate University and he has also served as manager of the computer music studio at University of Chigago. He has received awards from Meet-the Composer, Masterworks, and SCI/ASCAP.

2011 Teacher of the Year: Marilyn Tolk

Our 2011 TMTA teacher of the Year was born in Canada and at age twenty-one moved to New York City to attend the Juilliard School of Music where she studied with Irwin Freundlich and Adele Marcus. She also received a degree in music education from Teachers College at Columbia University. She taught briefly at the New York Institute for the Blind in the Bronx, and then moved to Mendham, New Jersey where she performed and taught for sixteen years. In 1984 she moved to her current home in Nashville, TN.

Her students have received many superior ratings in local and state TMTA auditions, in addition to awards in Federation, Guild, and Clavierfest. She was one of the founders of the Nashville Piano Achievement Competition and served as its President for ten years. Several of her students have gone on to major in music. She has served as an adjudicator for Federation, NAMTA, Winterfest and Guild.

Marilyn is also a composer, arranger, organist and choral conductor. She has recently taken up the art of storytelling, which has become an inspirational vehicle for sharing her love of music and of life. She is presently at a storytelling event in North Carolina and unfortunately is unable to be with us tonight. TMTA is proud to present the 2011 Teacher of the Year award to Marilyn Tolk.

2011 Distinguished Service Award: Kathryn Stimson

Kathryn Stimson has taught piano at Rhodes College since 1993. She also teaches pre-college students at the Community Music School at the University of Memphis. She was the TMTA Elementary Auditions Chair from 1997-2006 and in 2007 she became Auditions Coordinator. In 2010 Kate led the committee that revised and published the Auditions Syllabus. She served as president of GMMTA from 2007-2009 and was named GMMTA Teacher of the Year in 2010. She will continue to serve TMTA as President-Elect for the next two years and then assume that office in 2013. For her continued service to TMTA, the Distinguished Service Award is presented to Kathryn Stimson.