European Guitar Teachers Association
EGTA has finally achieved Charitable status and the Charities Commission has assigned us the registration number 1125411.
The European Guitar Teachers Association was founded in 1990 following preliminary meetings instigated by Gordon Crosskey, professor of guitar at Manchester’s Royal Northern College of Music. John Williams has been its Honorary President since that time.
Its original stated aims were to improve the standard of guitar teaching, to raise the status of the instrument within the musical mainstream and to widen interest in guitar playing.
Much has already been done to achieve these aims and EGTA today acts above all as a resource and a discussion place for guitarists concerned with developing themselves as teachers, and their pupils as players.
2010 - we have the dates for the 21st Annual EGTA Conference which will feature Xuefei 
Xuefei Yang will be giving a masterclass and performance for us as part of this year's conference and other topics include: Bridget Mermikides on surviving electric guitar for classical players; Stephen Kenyon on conducting; Edis Bowden talks about Paganini.
The 21st EGTA annual conference will be held in Birmingham at Woodbrooke from 24th-26th August, 2010. This falls in the week before the August bank holiday.
The conferecne will be held at the Woodbrooke Quaker Study Centre, 1046 Bristol Road, Birmingham, B29 6LJ
National Youth Guitar Ensemble
EGTA founded the National Youth Guitar Ensemble. As the years roll on NYGE has become an established and respected source of the best guitar ensemble training available. Its annual courses culminate in large concerts across the UK.
The next course starts in a few weeks as a fore-runner to the York Guitar Festival.
Classical Guitar Teacher Vacancies
Classical Guitar Teacher in Surrey
Position available from September 2010 for about a day of tuition (day and times flexible) at Heathside School, (years 7 to 13) Brooklands Lane, Surrey KT13 8UZ. There will be about a day of teaching at Heathside but there may be scope to do more - an ensemble after school made up of students is also a possibility.
Contact
Raymond Macfarlane Director of Music rmacfarlane@heathside.surrey.sch.uk
School website http://www.heathside.surrey.sch.uk/index.html
Music Dept http://www.heathsidemoodle.com/Music/
Classical Guitar Teacher in Kirklees, West Yourshshire
There is a vacancy for September offering approx three and a half days work as a guitar teacher in the the heart of the Pennines.
Contact
Kirklees Music school office direct:
kirkleesmusicschool.org.uk via email
or
telephone 01484 426426.
Duties and Responsibilities
1 To undertake teaching which reflects the aims of KMS.
2 To ensure the appropriate differentiation of curriculum and variety of teaching materials to meet students of all abilities.
3 To be aware of the special needs of students and to liaise with colleagues who have roles relating to Special Needs.
4 To promote teaching and current learning styles which stimulate student interest and involvement in learning.
5 To undertake assessment of students’ attainment and progress.
6 To encourage students to participate in formal examinations, where appropriate.
7 To maintain a good understanding of developments in relevant areas of teaching.
8 To maintain records of students’ work in keeping with the policies of KMS.
9 To encourage proper care of equipment by students.
10 To attend meetings and contribute to the work of relevant subject and area teams as required.
11 To undertake agreed programmes of training and professional development.
12 To participate in the KMS Performance Management process as it develops
Kirklees Music School – a profile
Kirklees Music School is an independent organisation, a registered charity and company limited by guarantee, which exists to promote the advancement of public education in all aspects of the arts and sciences of music. It was formed in 1992 as an alternative to a music service fully funded by Kirklees Metropolitan Council. With close links with KMC education department, Kirklees Music School is the preferred provider of music services for Kirklees and district – in schools, at central classes and groups in our premises at Northumberland Street in Huddersfield and at the seven KMS music centres throughout the Kirklees area.
KMS aims to provide the highest quality music education for all. We aim to do this by:
• Providing enjoyable musical experiences delivered by a team of dedicated, qualified and skilled staff
• Identifying and nurturing talent to enable pupils to develop a love of music
• Welcoming participation in a wide range of rehearsal and performance opportunities
• Encouraging artistic and intellectual growth of the individual as part of lifelong learning
• Realising potential through success and achievement at all levels
• Fostering self-esteem, self-discipline and social integration
• Providing partnerships and other positive links with schools and the community
• Promoting high profile musical activity within Kirklees, nationally and internationally
KMS has over eighty members of staff, most performing a mainly teaching function, with a small administrative team based at the KMS offices in Beast Market, Huddersfield.
The Management of KMS is headed by the Principal (Thom Meredith) with two Vice Principals (Peter McHugh and Alison Smith), supported by the administrative team. They are backed by the Board of Directors, comprising a mix of representatives from local life including Councillors and parent representatives.To undertake a range of teaching activities, contributing to peripatetic music tuition, community-based music and the work of the KMS with schools.
Gordon Crosskey appeared at the Royal Academy of Music , London 21st March
Essential studies for the development of technqiue with demonstrations by RNCM and Menuhin school students.
The founder of EGTA UK and Britain's most celebrated guitar teacher talked on repertoire for developing technique at a special meeting of EGTA in London on Sunday 21st March. There was also a chance to hear studies demonstrated by some of the best guitar students in the country, with representatives from the Royal Northern College of Music and the Yehudi Menuhin school.
All EGTA members open to £100 grant
Any EGTA member can run an event in their region and be underwritten by EGTA for £100, to cover the risk of losses. Past events have included guitar exhibitions, master classes, and ensemble meetings. A future event in the South is being discussed now. Please contact us with your proposal ( there is a form called sponsored events in the member's section ) and we'll see if we can help.
The Achievements of EGTA
Publications
EGTA has increasingly used its resources to enable projects to be born, to develop and to flourish.
The EGTA Series published by Chanterelle/Mel Bay, including the One + One and Solo Now books, along with The Baroque Book and Classical Book, is an early example of EGTAs vision. All the books have become extremely popular and are used internationally, not least as set pieces in the syllabuses of the leading examination boards.
Latterly our own journal, Guitar Forum, has developed into the first and only scholarly publication in English devoted to the guitar, and its international acclaim is growing. Guitar Forum grew out of EGTA’s Guitar Journal, and the articles first published there are gradually being made available on line, attracting thousands of visits each month.
A Common Approach: National Curriculum - EGTA members were substantially involved in the development of A Common Approach, the national curriculum project for instrumental and vocal teaching published by the Federation of Music Services and the National Association of Music Educators. This document is being widely endorsed as an essential reference book for those teaching the classical guitar in schools today.
Member Participation
EGTA is administered by a national committee which also organizes the annual conference. Notable visitors in recent years have included Julian Bream and Graham Wade. Members are kept abreast of news and events, and are encouraged to become actively involved within the Association. All members can submit proposals to the committee for consideration to run local meetings, concerts and seminars under the EGTA banner.