History of the ECMTA
In 2001-2004 teachers of six European music institutes worked under a Socrates Program Project: Chamber Music Curriculum Profile. The original Partner Institutes were Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, Cardiff, Debrecen University, Jyväskylä University of Applied Sciences/ Music Department, Estonian Music Academy, Hochschule für Musik, “Franz Liszt”, Weimar and Universität für Music und Darstellende Kunst, Wien.
During the project it proved impossible to create a common curriculum of chamber music, because the institutes are so different. The focus was put more into the importance of well organized chamber music studies within the curriculum of each institute. More can be accomplished in educating a musician, if instrument studies include ensemble practice. Instrumental, pedagogical and social skills improve through coporation with other instrumentalists. Playing in an ensemble is practice for work life with all its possibilities.
The advantages of Chamber Music have not been fully utilised yet, because in many cases its education has not been properly organized. Focusing on Chamber Music in the Curriculum can make the most of the existing sources, and the whole education can become pedagogicly, artisticly and financially more effective.
Chamber Music and teaching it are excellent tools for the transmission of western art music tradition to new generations. Well organized chamber music would have a direct impact on cultural life. It can be one of the most effective and useful tools for example in a small community´s musical life.Pedagogic Chamber Music Conference May 4-6th 2007, Finnish Music Campus, Jyväskylä, Finland Jyväskylä University of Applied Sciences/Music Department and its partner schools organized a Pedagogic Chamber Music Conference in co-operation with the AEC and its ERASMUS Thematic Network for Music Polifonia May 4-6th. The Conference called the attention of chamber music teachers and chamber musicians from all over Europe. There were practical workshops lead by professors from several European Music Academies, Pedagogic Chamber Music Material was presented and important issues on Chamber Music education were touched in several panel discussions.
The main event of the Conference was the forming of the ECMTA European Chamber Music Teachers´Association. The Association already has both institutional and private members from all over Europe. It has a big task in making more and more music educators and instrumentalists see the importance of chamber music in educating a musician. Do join us. The ECMTA is a big forum for information, exchanging views, keeping contact, keeping chamber music alive.
Previous boards of the ECMTA
2019-2022
Chairwoman:
- Marje Lohuaru, Professor, Head of Chamber Music Studies, Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre
Vice Chairwoman:
- Katariina Liimatainen, Kuopio Conservatory, Finland
Board Members:
- Eilis Cranitch, President and administrator Associazione Ensemble Xenia, Turin
- Katarzyna Jankowska-Borzykowska, Professor, Head of the Piano Chamber Music Department, Chopin University of Music, Warsaw, Poland
- Petras Kunca, Lithuanian Musicians Union, Vilnius
- Yiannis Miralis, European University of Cyprus, Nicosia
- Paulo Pacheco, Escola Superior de Música de Lisboa
- Piret Väinmaa, Head of Chamber Music Studies, Georg Ots Tallinn Music College, Estonia, Estonian Chamber Music Teachers´ Association “In Corpore”
Deputy Members:
- Carlo Bertola, Turin Conservatoire Giuseppe Verdi
- Jakub Tchorzewski, collaborative pianist, Poland/Italy
2016-2019
Chairwoman:
- Marje Lohuaru, Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre, Tallinn, Estonia
Vice Chairwoman:
- Katariina Liimatainen, Kuopio Conservatory, Finland
Board Members:
- Eilis Cranitch, Assoziazione Ensemble Xenia, Turin, Italy
- Filippo Faes, Conservatory in Castelfranco Veneto, Italy
- Petras Kunca, Lithuanian Musicians Union, Vilnius
- Yiannis Miralis, European University of Cyprus, Nicosia
- Miriam Roycroft, Royal Irish Academy of Music, Dublin, Ireland
- Jakub Tchorzewski, Conservatorio di Venezia, Italy
Deputy Members:
- Anna Prabucka-Firlej, Gdansk Academy of Music, Poland
- Michael Tsalka, pianist
2013-2016
Chairman:
- Dr Evan Rothstein, Guildhall School of Music & Drama, London
Vice Chairman & Treasurer:
- Keijo Aho, Helsinki, Finland
Secretary:
- Filippo Faes, Conservatorio “A. Steffani” di Castelfranco Veneto
Board Members:
- Alexander Bonduryansky, Moscow State Conservatory
- Carsten Dürer, Staccato Verlag, Ensemble Magazine, Düsseldorf
- Marje Lohuaru, Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre, Tallinn
- Yiannis Miralis, European University of Cyprus, Nicosia
- Anna Prabucka-Firlej, Academy of Music, Gdansk
Deputy Members:
- Petras Kunca, Lithuanian Musicians Union, Vilnius
- José Manuel Gil de Galvez, Concerto Malaga
2009-2012
Chairman:
- Evan Rothstein, Université de Paris 8 – Saint Denis; Indiana University Summer String Academy, Bloomington
Vice Chairman:
- Keijo Aho, Metropolia University of Applied Sciences, Helsinki
Board Members:
- Alexander Bonduryansky, Moscow State Conservatory
- Carsten Dürer, Staccato Verlag, Ensemble Magazine, Düsseldorf
- Filippo Faes, Conservatorio “A. Steffani”, Castelfranco Veneton
- Michael Flaksman, Hochschule für Musik, Mannheim
- Petras Kunca, Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre, Vilnius
- Anna Prabucka-Firlej, Academy of Music, Gdansk
Deputy Members:
- José Manuel Gil de Galvez, Concerto Malaga
- Merja Soisaari-Turriago, Jyäskylä University of Applied Sciences
2007-2009
Chairwoman:
- Merja Soisaari-Turriago, Jyäskylä University of Applied Sciences, Music Department
Vice Chairman:
- Avedis Kouyoumdjian, Universität für Musik und Darstellende Kunst, Wien – Joseph Haydn Institut für Kammermusik und Spezialenensemble
Board Members:
- Stefan Metz, Dutch String Quartet Academy, Netherlands, Strijkkwartet Academie
- Michael Flaksman, Staatliche Hochschule für Musik und Darstellende Kunst Mannheim
- Alasdair Tait, Royal Nothern College of Music and Drama Manchester
- Petras Kunca, Lietuvos muzikos ir teatro academija
- Evan Rothstein, ProQuartet-Centre européen de musique de chambre