2025 Member of the Year: Margaret Murray
FVMTA honored Margaret Murray as their 2025 Member of the Year. Margaret moved to Appleton in 2021 and has enjoyed working with this group ever since. Although Margaret began her college music study at Oberlin, life's journey intervened. She ended up graduating from UW-River Falls with a B.A. in Liberal Arts then began moving around the country working with computers. While living in San Diego, she completed a Master's degree in Piano Performance at UC San Diego (UCSD). She played an All-Ravel Master's recital that featured Gaspard de la Nuit - meeting a lifetime goal inspired when she was in elementary school and saw the page of Ondine that decorates the multi-story wall of Schmitt Music in Minneapolis. Thanks to a wonderful employee benefit while working jobs involving UCSD computers and supercomputers, Margaret then pursued a Ph.D in Music. Her dissertation compared how pianists achieve expressivity while playing 19th century technology pianos vs. 20th century technology digital pianos with too many buttons.
Since moving to the culturally enlightened Fox Valley, Margaret has enjoyed accompanying students in Solo/Ensemble and other competitions. She also plays for the Wednesday Musicale group and even subbed for a sub to play in the pit orchestra for an Attic Theater production of Cole Porter's "Kiss Me Kate". Her computer skills came in handy for FVMTA.org website design and maintenance. Margaret also created and maintained Google forms for FVMTA's Young Artist Festival and Monster Concert registration. She is now attempting to create a way to sell Monster Concert tickets online on our website. In her spare time, Margaret repairs and remodels her almost 100 year old character home near Pierce Park in Appleton.
Since moving to the culturally enlightened Fox Valley, Margaret has enjoyed accompanying students in Solo/Ensemble and other competitions. She also plays for the Wednesday Musicale group and even subbed for a sub to play in the pit orchestra for an Attic Theater production of Cole Porter's "Kiss Me Kate". Her computer skills came in handy for FVMTA.org website design and maintenance. Margaret also created and maintained Google forms for FVMTA's Young Artist Festival and Monster Concert registration. She is now attempting to create a way to sell Monster Concert tickets online on our website. In her spare time, Margaret repairs and remodels her almost 100 year old character home near Pierce Park in Appleton.
2024 Member of the Year: Margaret Burton
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Fox Valley Music Teachers Association (FVMTA) is pleased to announce Margaret Burton as our 2024 Member of the Year. Margaret has been active in the organization since 2016, having served as Publicist, Vice President of Programming, EmCee for FVMTA’s 2023 Monster Concert, and a co-chair of “Roomful of Pianos” ensemble in June 2024. In the Wisconsin Music Teachers Association (WMTA, our state organization) she currently serves as Independent Music Teacher’s Forum chair. Respected by her professional peers as a volunteer and event coordinator, she was elected President of FVMTA in Spring 2024.
A talented conservatory-trained performer, Margaret teaches piano, theory and improvisation to students of all ages. She performs regularly as a soloist and collaborator throughout the Fox Valley with Wednesday Musicale, Lawrence Community Music School, and at various FVMTA events. On the local jazz scene, she can often be found tickling the ivories with the Neenah Ambassadors Big Band and BBR. When not teaching or performing, Margaret is very active in the aviation community, and currently pilots a Cessna 172. Other Members of the Year |