The San Francisco Branch of MTAC
2023-24 Board of Directors
President
Susie Fong
Membership Secretary
Abbygayle Baker
Director
Melody (Hua) Chen
Vice-President
Brite Zhou
Director
Tatyana Loskutova
Director
Amy (Ailing) Zhao
Treasurer/ Recording Secretary
Danielle Braga
Director
Osvaldo De Leon
Director
Robert Schwartz
2023-24 Program Coordinators
Festival Chair
Melody (Hua) Chen
Recital Chair
Robert Schwartz
Festival Assistant
Amy (Ailing) Zhao
Programs Chair
Osvaldo De Leon
Masterclass Chair
Tatyana Loskutova
About MTAC
General History
A group of musicians during 1892 gathered together to enjoy making music. They were also teachers of various instruments, happy to have companionship with other musicians. They decided to incorporate in 1897, when they became the San Francisco Music Teachers' Association. The MTA has been a source of inspiration, motivation, and influence for young people everywhere in the city of San Francisco. MTA teachers have enriched city life with Music Festivals at the Civic Auditorium, prize-winning band performances at the Worlds Fair, S.F. Symphony concerto performances and publication of original compositions. The famous Century Club has been our favorite place for special programs for many years and its doors are still open presently for our activities. All students have especially loved the holiday atmosphere and lovely decorations. Many professional musicians have marvelous memories of playing there for the rest of their lives. The S.F. Branch was the founder of the MTA. Since 1897, the organization has expanded throughout California. The S.F. Branch now is one of the largest branches in the State of California and actively participates with the many other branches at the Annual Convention. We are proud of our musical heritage from the 19th and 20th centuries. We look forward to serving the community with excellence and to build bridges of tradition as we have entered the 21st century.
Vollmer A. H. Hoffmeyer, Founder
Volmer A. H. Hoffmeyer was the guiding spirit who brought into being The Music Teachers' Association in October of 1894 and served as its president for four consecutive years. On his advice the Association was incorpororated in 1897. Our constitution, too, is the result of his careful, thoughtful compilation. Mr. Hoffmeyer was born of a distinguished family in Copenhagen, Denmark March 22, 1851.
After receiving a musical as well as an engineering education in Copenhagen, Hoffmeyer went to China in 1871 where he was in charge of laying the undersea cable to Japan. By 1878 he had settled in the Bay Area and was teaching piano from time to time concertizing as a classical pianist. It was during his presidency of The Music Teachers' Association that he married a well known San Francisco lady. Volmer Hoffmeyer died in Oakland on June 3, 1901.
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Past Presidents
HOFFMEYER, VOLLMER 1897-1899
ROECKEL-DAVIS, ELLEN 1898-1900
PATRICK, H.W. 1901-1903
PRATT, JOHN H. 1904-1904
SPARDINA, A. 1905-1905
HERZON, T.H. 1906-1906
REYNAUD, F. 1907-1907
PATRICK, H.W. 1908-1909
EATON, LOUIS H. 1910-1911
BRETHRICK, HENRY 1912-1913
MANNING, JOHN C. 1914-1915
KRUGER, GEORGE 1916-1918
FARWELL, ARTHUR 1919-1919
BARRETT, OLGAB 1920-1920
GIFFEN, FRANK C. 1921-1922
WILSON, ALVINA H. 1923-1925
MANNING, JOHN C. 1926-1927
GJERDRUM, HENRIK 1928-1930
FISH, HARRIET B. 1931-1932
BIRMINGHAM, LILLIAN 1933-1935
WHITCOMB, PEARL H. 1936-1936
SMALE, LOLA G. 1937-1937
PARSONS, GIEHL I. 1938-1939
RODETSKY, SAMUEL 1940-1942
ONTEVEROS, EDNAMAE 1943-1944
BROWNING, FRANCESCA 1945-1945
RAY, JOHN M. 1946-1949
IRVINE, SYDONIA 1949-1951
BIRMINGHAN, ALMA 1951-1953
TASSIE, PHALEN 1953-1955
OLSSON, EVELYN R. 1955-1957
LINEGAR, GERALDINE 1957-1959
MCKEE, ROSS 1959-1961
MIHAILOFF, SERGEI 1961-1963
DIETER, DORAN 1963-1965
PARSONS, GIEHL I. 1965-1968
MILLER, KATHERINE 1968-1970
SVIRIDOFF, ALLA 1970-1971
BIRMINGHAM, ALMA 1971-1973
MELVIN, BETHEL 1973-1975
SCHWARZOTT, WILHELM 1975-1977
PEOPLES, ZELDA DAMELE 1977-1979
POVERELLO, ANNE 1979-1981
BRODZIK, INNA 1981-1983
DUTTON, THOMAS F. 1983-1985
HENRY, ROBERT ALLAN 1985-1987
DUTTON, THOMAS F. 1987-1988
LEVINGER-JACOBS, SHARI 1988-1991
DUTTON, THOMAS F. 1991-1992
SVAZLIAN, GERARD 1992-2002
KEIKO BANKS 2002-2004
SCOTT PRATT 2004-2009
BONNIE KNIGHT 2009-2011
ROBERT SCHWARTZ 2011-2014
BARBARA BANNETT 2014-2016
DIANA CHAU 2016-2017
JOU-LU (LULU) HUNG 2017-2021
KEVIN SY (2021-2023)