2024 Conference Information
The 2024 KMTA Conference will be held Friday and Saturday, September 13-14, 2024, at Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green, Kentucky.
Call for proposals for the 2024 conference are open!
Please submit your conference session proposals here!
2024 Conference Artist – Éva Polgár
Pianist Éva Polgár is a sought-after recitalist, concerto soloist, chamber musician, recording artist, educator, and adjudicator. She joined ETSU as an Assistant Professor in Fall of 2023 to lead the keyboard area, and to teach applied piano, piano literature, and piano ensemble courses. Critics praise her for her “intelligent interpretations” (Funzine Magazine) and “emotional power” (New York Concert Review). Her dedication to her native Hungarian culture resulted in researching Béla Bartók’s piano arrangements of his original orchestral compositions and specializing in Franz Liszt’s music. Her solo album titled Liszt: Harmonies patriotiques et religieuses was released under Hunnia Records. She has appeared on BBC World Service’s program “The Forum: Franz Liszt – Hungarian pianist and painter in sound” as a panelist and expert in the field.
Polgár has toured the Americas, Asia, and Europe, most recently as Hungary Foundation’s Cultural Ambassador of the Year. She was featured at Carnegie Hall in New York City, The Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., the Hungarian Culture Centre in London, and the Franz Liszt Museum in Budapest. Her concerto performances include concerts with conductors Tamás Vásáry at the Budapest Danube Palace, Horst Förster at the Leipzig Gewandhaus, and Okko Kamu at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki. In the realm of cross-disciplinary endeavors, she collaborates extensively with visual artist Sándor Vály. Their experimental music albums released under Ektro Records have been broadcast by the Finnish Radio.
Polgár has won top prizes in competitions including the Los Angeles International Liszt Competition (LAILC). She has been elected co-director of LAILC together with Dr. Katherine Hickey in 2017, which empowers her to foster young musicians at their early stage of professional career. A committed educator and adjudicator, she has appeared at masterclasses, festivals, and competitions such as LAILC, the Bogotá International Piano Festival in Columbia, East China Normal University, University of Oregon, Montclair State University, and many more.
Polgár holds Master of Music in piano performance and piano pedagogy degrees from the Franz Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest and Sibelius Academy in Helsinki. She earned her Doctor of Musical Arts degree in piano performance at the University of North Texas, specializing in contemporary music performance practice. Before joining the music faculty at East Tennessee State University, she taught piano and related courses at Azusa Pacific University, University of North Texas, and Texas Womans’ University. Besides her teaching appointment, she is an elected member of Board of Directors at the Southern California Chapter and the national organization of the American Liszt Society.
You can find more informaiton on her website: www.evapolgar.com
Past State Conferences
Looking for info about a past conference?
This list has the current president, location, conference artist, and commissioned composer of each KMTA conference along with a link to more information, if available.
- 2023 Natasha Pence, University of Louisville, Alexandre Dossin, Richard Crosby
- 2022 Nina Belle Durr, Campbellsville University, Daniel Weeks/Donna Loewy, Larry Barnes
- 2021 Nina Belle Durr, Northern Kentucky University (joint with OhioMTA), Aaron Diehl, Thomas Couvillon
- 2020 Zachary Lopes, Online, Ann Schein, Dr. Matthew Herman
- 2019 Zachary Lopes, Central Lexington Public Library, Carr-Petrova Duo, Gyuli Kambarova
- 2018 Bernardo Scarambone, Galt House/KMAC, Sylvia Thereza, Dr. Steve Rouse
- 2017 Bernardo Scarambone, Transylvania U, Dr. Gregory Partain, Dr. Timothy Polashek
- 2016 Diana Aubrey, Courtyard by Marriott Hotel/UofL/Bellarmine, Harry Pickens, Richard Crosby
- 2015 Diana Aubrey, WKU, Latitude 49, Steven Weimer
- 2014 William Budai, Campbellsville, Stephen Beus, Larry Barnes
- 2013 William Budai, MuSU, Frederic Chui, Kurt Sander
- 2012 David Oyen, MoSu, Eunbyol Ko, Joseph Baber
- 2011 David Oyen, EKU, Bernardo Scarambone, Thomas Couvillon
- 2010 Krista Wallace-Boaz, U of L, Haochen Zhang, Richard Crosby
- 2009 Krista Wallace-Boaz, NKU, Cincinnati Opera, Greg Danner
- 2008 Vicki McVay, Campbellsville, Charles Rosen, Richard Burchard
- 2007 Vicki McVay, Centre College, Orion Weiss and Bavarian Philharmonic, Teresa Tedder
- 2006 Richard Scott, Transylvania U., showcase Recital, Joseph Barber
- 2005 Richard Scott, MoSU, Phillip Kevern, Gregory Partian
- 2004 Carol Dennes, MuSU, P. Karp and Eli Kalman, K. Holm-Hudson
- 2003 Carol Dennes, UK, Irina Voro, Richard Crosby
- 2002 Donald Speer, UofL, Stanislav Loudenitch, Michael Kallstom
- 2001 Donald Speer, EKU, Hayward Mickens, Sonny Burnette
- 2000 Diana Aubrey, NKU, Sergei Polusmiak, Charles W. Smith
- 1999 Diana Aubrey, Campbellsville, Cate Arroe, Larry Bitensky
- 1998 Denine LeBlanc, MuSU, Enid Katahn, Marc Satterwhite
- 1997 Denine LeBlanc, BG/Warren Co. Cntr., S. Kersenbaum, J. Curnow
- 1996 Janet Bass Smith, MoSU, Weekley and Arganbright, A.C. Moore
- 1995 Janet Bass Smith, UK, Alan Hersh, James Moore
- 1994 Stephen Brown, Ashland Plaza, Lee Luvisi, Frederick Speck
- 1993 Stephen Brown, U of L, McHugh-Oliphant Duo, Steve Rouse
- 1992 David Doran, WKU, S. Kersenbaum and E. Kersenbaum, J. Steffa
- 1991 David Doran, EKU, Richard Crosby, Christopher White
- 1990 Patricia Montgomery, MuSU, R. Slenczynska, M.N. McClellan
- 1989 Patricia Montgomery, U of L, Brenda Kee, Michael Kallstrom
- 1988 Wesley Roberts, UK, Nelita True, Larry Barnes
- 1987 Wesley Roberts, SBTS, Anthony Thurman, David Doran
- 1986 Ronald Boud, MoSU, Ann Schein, Nelson Keyes
- 1985 Ronald Boud, Campbellsville, G. Lucktenberg, Paul Brink
- 1984 Ronald Boud, EKU, Roe Van Boskirk, Kenneth Timm
- 1983 Larry Schenck, UK, UK Orchestra with P. Montegomery, J. Flippin
- 1982 Jean Huffman, Centre College, L. Keenan, M. Hinson, J. Chrisman, J. Carden
- 1981 Jean Huffman, U of L, David Kaiserman, Richard Bromley
- 1980 Marie Hargett, MuSU, A. and J. Paratore, Christopher Gallaher
- 1979 Marie Hargett, MoSU, Larry Keenan, Theodore Diakonoff
- 1978 Dorothy Hartsell, WKU, S. Kersenbaum, Claude Baker
- 1977 Dorothy Hartsell, U of L, Lee Luvisi, Jerome Seig
- 1976 Edgar Minor, UK, No record, Bennie Beach
- 1975 Edgar Minor, UK, Enid Katahn, Dan Welcher
- 1974 Larry Keenan, Louisville BG Cntr., No record, R. Hensel
- 1973 Larry Keenan, EKU, No record, Nelson Keyes
- 1972 Dorothy Spalding, SBTS, L. and I. Freundlich, Joseph Barber
- 1971 Dorothy Spalding, Berea, Dorothy and Carl Lewis, V. Severy
- 1970 John Winter, MuSU, No record, Paul Shahan
- 1969 John Winter. UK, Stockholm University Chorus, J. Woodward
- 1968 Glenn Fulbright, MoSU, Lenox Quartet, Frederick Mueller
- 1967 Glenn Fulbright, U of L, Lee Luvisi, Phillip Landgrave
- 1966 Glenn Fulbright, EKU, Grant Johannesen, NA
- 1965 Glenn Fulbright, WKU, Ruth Slenczynska, Phillip Landgrave
- 1964 Maurice Hinson, SBTS, SBTS Oratorio Chorus, NA
- 1963 Maurice Hinson, UK, Jung Ja Kim, NA
- 1962 John Chrisman, MoSU, William Newman, NA
- 1961 John Chrisman, Berea, Janos Starker and Leon Pommers, NA
- 1960 John Chrisman, MuSU, Louisville String Quartet, NA
- 1959 John Chrisman, KY Hotel, Louisville, LO and KOA, NA
- 1958 Jane Campbell, EKU, The Medley’s, NA
- 1957 Jane Campbell, UK, No record, NA
- 1956 Jane Campbell, U of L, Frances and Howard Karp, NA
- 1955 Jane Campbell, Berea, Berea College Music Faculty, NA
- 1954 Helen Greim, U of L, No record, NA
- 1953 Helen Greim, UK, No record, NA
- 1952 Helen Greim, UK, No record, NA