The friendly and supportive atmosphere of the PTF allows for an open exchange of ideas and fosters the development of valuable relationships among colleagues.
Membership gives you access to our monthly programs, Spring Festival, Composer Showcase, performance group, and media lending library.
We hope that you'll join us this year!
Hello Teachers!
And just like that, another summer has come and gone, and we find ourselves at the start of another season of teaching, performing, learning, and making music.
I hope the past few months gave you an opportunity to step away from the usual routine—even if only for a little while. Summer has a funny way of reminding us that we are more than our schedules. Whether you spent your time traveling, playing music, attending a conference, working on a creative project, spending time with family and friends, or doing absolutely nothing at all, I hope you found something that filled your cup.
For me, one of the best parts of summer is seeing all of the different ways our members continue to grow as musicians and educators. We are a group of people who are constantly learning, experimenting, and finding new ways to inspire our students. That curiosity is one of the things that makes this profession so rewarding.
It is also one of the reasons I believe organizations like PTF are so important.
Teaching privately can sometimes feel like you are operating on your own little island. Our studios may be in our homes, schools, churches, or other spaces, and much of our day-to-day work happens independently. We don't always have a colleague down the hall to bounce an idea off of or share a teaching success—or a teaching disaster—with!
PTF gives us that connection.
Throughout the coming year, we have opportunities to gather, hear from wonderful presenters, exchange ideas, experience music together, and learn from one another. Our festivals and programs aren't simply events to put on the calendar; they are opportunities to step outside of our individual studios and remember that we are part of something much bigger.
And, of course, our students benefit from that too. Every new idea we bring into a lesson, every piece of music we discover, and every bit of inspiration we gain has the potential to make its way into the lives of the young musicians we teach.
As we begin this new season, I hope you will make an effort to be part of the PTF community. Come to a lecture. Attend a festival. Introduce yourself to someone you haven't met. Share something that has worked in your studio. Ask a question. Stay for a conversation afterward. Sometimes those informal moments end up being just as valuable as the program itself.
I am incredibly grateful to continue serving as President of the Piano Teachers Forum of Central New Jersey. What drew me to PTF in the first place was the opportunity to find other teachers who understood this unusual, rewarding, occasionally chaotic profession we have chosen. What has kept me here is the people.
Every teacher brings something different to the table. Different experiences. Different philosophies. Different musical backgrounds. Different approaches to teaching. That variety is a strength, and when we share what we know with one another, everyone has the opportunity to grow.
So, as we turn the page on another summer, I hope you'll join us for what promises to be another wonderful year. Let's continue to learn from each other, encourage each other, and—most importantly—keep music at the center of what we do.
I look forward to seeing you all soon!
David Zas, B.M., MSEIT
President
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