Membership Benefits
Website Listing: Individual members receive an ongoing listing in the Find a Music Teacher or Accompanist directory on the VMTA website. Listing includes member name, qualifications/credentials, studio name (if applicable), areas taught, membership type, contact details, teaching location, and up to 2 social media/URL links. A dedicated piano accompanist search facility is available. Members can log in and edit their contact details and directory preferences at any time. Premium Profile: Individual members can purchase a premium profile to enhance their basic website listing. This includes a detailed description of teaching services, additional links to YouTube, Facebook and Twitter and a photo or other image. Professional Development: Discounted attendance at regular professional learning events. Free Webinars: Currently being offered to any interested teachers/students due to the Covid-19 pandemic. In due course, webinars will be offered free only to VMTA members , and a charge per webinar will apply to non-members. Performance Opportunities for Students of VMTA Members: Members can enrol their students in the Student Concert Series and Performance Day. Publications: Monthly eNews and updates including information about events and special offers for members Accreditation and Post-Nominals: Full members can use the ‘VMTA Fully Accredited’ badge in their digital and print communications, and place the letters MVMTA after their name as evidence of full accreditation. Associate, Graduate and Student members can apply to be upgraded at any time providing they can meet the full membership criteria. Please contact the VMTA if you would like a copy of the ‘VMTA Fully Accredited’ badge. Social & Networking Opportunities: The VMTA provides opportunities to socialise and network with other VMTA members, e.g. our annual end-of-year celebration. Discounts: Members and publication subscribers receive a 10% discount when advertising in the monthly eNews. Members may also request an official receipt for their current membership and show this as proof of membership to receive teacher discounts at various music retail outlets. Piano & Venue Hire: Members receive a substantial discount on venue hire and hire of the VMTA Schimmel grand piano located at St Peter’s Anglican Church Box Hill. To enquire, please contact Cecilia Joyner, Parish Administrator: Tel: (03) 9899 5122; Email: , or visit http://www.anglicansboxhill.org.au/hire-of-vmta-piano/. The church office is staffed on a Tuesday and Thursday. If your enquiry is urgent, please contact the VMTA office, Tel: (03) 5243 4200, Email: .
Membership Types
Full Membership (Full Accreditation) Associate Membership Graduate Membership Student Membership School Membership School Membership is available to any registered State Government, Independent or Catholic school. ***School Membership is now available to private & commercial music studios that employ 1 or more teaching staff*** Teachers who wish to be accredited and/or listed on the website will need to apply for individual membership. The benefits of school membership include: Please note that under the VMTA’s constitution, only ‘natural persons’ can be individual members of the VMTA and only individual members can be listed on the website teacher search directory or vote on issues where a poll or ballot is required.
Full members who wish to be registered as a teacher must have at least 3 years teaching experience. Full members who wish to be registered as a piano accompanist must have at least 3 years experience as a professional accompanist. Full members must have completed an approved tertiary course in music performance or music teaching. This could include the following: a graduate degree, bachelor degree, diploma of music, or any music qualification obtained from a recognised university or tertiary education institute (e.g. TAFE) (overseas equivalents will be accepted). The VMTA Board will accept general teacher training diplomas and music teaching certificates in lieu of tertiary music qualifications when combined with a minimum standard of AMEB Grade 8 Music Performance or equivalent. Examples of certificates include the Specialist Certificate in Inclusive Music Teaching (commencing at The University of Melbourne in 2021), Kodaly/Orff certificate, Suzuki/Yamaha accreditation, ABRSM (Instrumental Teaching), ATCL, ATMusA (AMEB), GradDipEd (generalist). Please note that successful completion of a practical or written music examination at Associate or Licentiate level (e.g. AMEB, ANZCA, ABRSM, Trinity College London) is not equivalent to a tertiary music qualification. Where tertiary music qualifications and examination certificates cannot be provided as evidence of standard reached, we will accept professional recordings of performances, or evidence of performance in a premier ensemble. Referees are also asked to substantiate teaching skills, experience and standard reached.
Associate members who wish to be registered as a teacher must have taught their discipline for at least 1 year and have achieved a high standard in the main area/s taught, being a minimum of AMEB Grade 8 or equivalent. Associate members who wish to be registered as a piano accompanist must have worked as a professional accompanist for at least 1 year and have achieved a high standard of piano performance, being a minimum of AMEB Grade 8 or equivalent. Where examination certificates cannot be provided as evidence of standard reached, we will accept professional recordings of performances, or evidence of performance in a premier ensemble. Referees are also asked to substantiate teaching skills, experience and standard reached.
Graduates must have completed an approved tertiary course in music and/or music teaching Graduate membership is valid for up to 3 years from date of graduation
Student members must be enrolled full time in an approved tertiary course in music and/or music teaching Student membership is valid for up to 4 years from date of enrolment
All staff at the school can attend VMTA professional learning events at the member rate Free webinars Monthly eNews & updates with special ‘member-only’ offers Students of the school may participate in our Student Concert Series Acknowledgement on VMTA website Provision of support, advice and advocacy including recommended teaching rates
Piano Accompanists
Full, Associate, Graduate and Student Membership is also open to professional accompanists who wish to be listed as a piano accompanist only. Please see above criteria for each membership category.
Affiliated Organisation Membership
This category is open to organisations who would like to be affiliated with the VMTA and are interested in supporting us. Benefits include the monthly eNews, discounted advertising in our publications, discounted hire of our Schimmel grand piano located at St Peter's Anglican Church Box Hill, and discounted attendance at professional learning events for interested staff.