Montana Music Educators Association
Advancing Music Through Education
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MMEA HONOREES
The Council of Past Presidents is proud to announce three Distinguished Service Award Winners for 2009, Terry Annalora, Beth Mazanec and Paul Ritter.

Please read more below about their significant contributions to music education.

Terry Annalora

Beth Mazanec

Paul Ritter
TERRY ANNALORA completed his twenty-fifth year as director of choral music at Custer County District High School, Miles City, Montana. He began his teaching career in Malta, Montana, in 1976. He holds a BS in music from MSU-Billings, an MA in vocal performance from the University of Montana and a secondary principal endorsement from MSU-Bozeman.

Although he is not retiring, he is leaving music education and has accepted the position of vice-principal at Custer County District High school in Miles City.

Terry has served as president of the Montana Choral Director’s Association (1991-93), the Montana Music Educators Association (2000-2001), and as a member of the MHSA Music Committee as well as chairing multiple MHSA district music festivals. He was the Miles City Unified School District’s Teacher of the Year in 1999. In 2002, he received the “Leadership Award” from the Montana Music Educators Association and was one of three finalists for Montana Teacher of the Year.

During his tenure at CCDHS, Terry built one of the finest choir programs in Montana. His choirs have been selected three times to represent Montana at the Northwest American Choral Director’s Association and Music Educators National Conference. Mr. Annalora is a fine tenor soloist and performs regularly for special events and concerts throughout the region.

Mr. Annalora founded and manages the Montana Choir Camp, a summer training camp for high school singers. He is frequently invited to guest conduct honor choir, serve as an MMEA clinician, or adjudicate music festivals. Terry has had an enormous impact on music education in Montana in so many ways!
After teaching K-12 music in Terry for three years, BETH MAZANEC moved to Helena and, for the past twenty-four years, has helped build a strong string program in the Helena schools. Her Helena High and Capital orchestras continue to grow and to earn the highest ratings at festivals.

Beth earned a Bachelor’s degree in Music Education from MSU-Bozeman and a Master’s degree in Secondary Education with an emphasis in Fine Arts Curriculum from UM-Missoula. She performs as a violinist and violist in Helena, maintains a busy private string studio, and is an active string adjudicator.

Beth and her husband, Tom, who retired last spring as a middle school choral director in Helena, have two sons, Mike and Nick, daughter-in-law Traci, an elementary music teacher in East Helena, and a grandson, Isaac.


Noted for her leadership and organizational skill as well as her excellent teaching, Beth has served as the chair of district and state festivals as well as the AA Orchestra Festival, and is a member of the MHSA Music Committee. She is also a past president of the Montana String Teachers Association. Those who work with Beth appreciate her quiet, efficient and effective way of managing events and people. MMEA appreciates, and is a better organization because of her significant contributions of time, effort and professionalism.
PAUL RITTER recently retired as Supervisor of Fine Arts for the Missoula County Public Schools K-12, a position he held for 13 years. He will conduct the Great Falls Symphony Association’s Symphonic Choir and teach classes at the University of Great Falls.

Prior to his administrative work in Missoula, Mr. Ritter was the Director of Choirs at Great Falls High School from 1972-1996. Mr. Ritter received Bachelor degree in History and Music Education from MSU in Bozeman, and his Masters degree from that same institution. Mr. Ritter has done additional study at several colleges and universities in the Northwest, and has studied extensively with Dr. Eph Ehly at the University of Missouri in Kansas City.

In his capacity as Fine Arts Supervisor in Missoula, Ritter supervised the K-12 programs in music and visual art. Recognized as a superb organizer, Paul hosted numerous district, state and invitational fesvivals during his tenure.

While at Great Falls High School, Mr. Ritter maintained an exceptional level of excellence in his choral teaching as evidenced by the Delphian Choir’s frequent invitations to perform at regional and national conferences.

Paul has been professionally active, serving on several national, regional, and state committees. He is past president of the Montana Choral Directors Association and the ACDA Northwest Division. He is in frequent demand as a clinician and guest conductor in the Northwest. Mr. Ritter was one of three performing arts teachers honored nationally by the Disney Company American Teacher Awards program in 1994. He appeared with the Delphian Choir in the live telecast from Washington, D.C. on the Disney Channel as part of the awards presentations.

Mr. Ritter is president and music director of the Montana Youth Choir, a select ensemble of young Montana singers which undertook biennial concert tours of Western Europe for many years. Although the group has not toured since 1995, the Youth Choir continues to support choral activities in Montana.
MONTANA MUSIC EDUCATORS ASSOCIATION

DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARDS

2009 Terry Annalora, Beth Mazanec, Paul Ritter
2007 Lowell Hickman, John Schuberg
2006 Carolyn Burns, Tomi Kent
2005 Dennis Granlie
2004 Tom Cook
2003 Gina Adoff
2002 John Baber
2001 David L. Edwards (posthumous)
1998 Joe Mussulman
1995 Sandra Verschoot, Richard L. Erickson
1994 Bill Larson, Don Simmons
1993 Ed Harris
1992 Dave Buness
1990 Larry D. Williams, James O’Brien, Jan Nerem
1989 Mike Roberty and Bob Bares
1987 I. Carlson and Frederick J. Nelson
1986 Dorothy Dahlstrom
1985 Gordon Wickham
1984 Royal Paus
1983 Creech Reynolds
1982 Virginia Vinal
1981 Art Brandvold
1980 Neil Dahlstrom and Rolf Johnson
1979 A. L. Harstad
1978 Betty Lou Berland and Robert Crebo
1977 Ed Sedivy and Dean Vinal
1976 Charles Johnson and James Cole
1974 Stan Richards
1973 Al Jahnke
1970 Eddie Hamper
1968 Lloyd Oakland
1967 Charlie Cutts


LEADERSHIP ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AWARDS

2008 Beth Mazanec
2006 Erik Engebretson
2004 Doug Bartholomew
2003 Nancy Murdock
2002 Tom Cook
2000 Terry Annalora
1999 David L. Edwards
1998 Reneé Westlake
1997 Gary Toombs
1994 Dennis Granlie
1992 Bill Larson, Don Goddard, Jim Robertson
Ray Champlain
1991 Dave Buness
1989 Leonard Ostwalt
1988 Sandra Verschoot, Roy Wood

SPECIAL 50TH ANNIVERSARY

1987 Lloyd Collins, Ray Starks, Art Pascoe, Joe Kessler, Marguerite Hood, O.M. Hartsell, Joe Eve

SPECIAL RECOGNITION

2004 Jim Haugen

1996 Dan Freund

1992 Joe Clark, Bill Eckroth

PRESIDENT’S AWARD

2005 Ed Harris

1991 Ed Sedivy

RETIREMENT PLAQUE

2009 Terry Annalora, Miles City; Ken Berg, Beth Mazanec & Tom Mazanec, Helena; Ty Nagode, Troy; Cheryl Pittack, Billings; Paul Ritter, Missoula.

2008 Paul Gates, Livingston; John Haughey, Billings; Carol Metzler, Billings; Vicki Ries, East Helena; Larry Rowton, Great Falls; Joyce Stewart, Forsyth

2007 Michael Atherton, Eureka; Billie Chubb, Thompson Falls; Cliff Goodman, Missoula; Lowell Hickman, Bozeman; Scott Paisley, West Yellowstone; Kathryn Parks, Hardin; John Schuberg, Missoula

2006 Jerry Arthun, Columbus; Carolyn Burns, Shelby; Bob Clawson, Whitefish; Tomi Kent, Missoula; John Klassen, Whitefish; Ed Retzer, Plentywood

2005 Ron Coons, Havre; Dennis Granlie, Great Falls; Bill Lee, Fairfield; Earl Miest, Belgrade; Frank Payn, Havre; Michael Rosbarsky, Missoula.

2004 Tom Cook, Missoula; John Laing, Kalispell; Jodi Mattson; Echolyn Travis, Helena; Mary Ann Zorn, Simms

2003 Gina Adoff, Missoula; Joanne Buleson, Glendive; Carol Clark, Shepherd; Kippy (Carol) Sand, Bozeman; Dianna Stidman, Glasgow; Ron Thompson, Choteau; Doug Trost, Wolf Point.

2002 John Baber, Jan VanHook, Russ Newbury, Barb Good, Jon Good, Gary Walker, Jeannette Bach, Betty O'Toole, Tom Larson

2001 Allan Dancer, Dave Heidel, Don Beller, Leonard Ostwalt, Ella Ostwalt, Lyla Wallman, Wayne Brownson

2000 Lila Beck, Georgia Cragwick, Kathy McIntosh, Becky (Frank) Street, Ken Bergenheier, Jim Firestone, Bob Ortman

1999 Don Black, Karl Overby, Punky Wesbrook, Steve Payne, GaryTangen

1998 Coral Madden, Marian Paulson, Shirley Hansen

1997 Jerry Evans, Marilyn Winter, Nancy Wilson, Larry Williams, Ken Boggio

1996 Larry Cragwick, Carl Smart, Arlie Schulz, Colleen Cook, Delores Vigesaa, John Borer

1995 Mary Davis, Leo Medina, Richard Erickson, Sandra Verschoot

1994 Harold Anderson, Don Carey, Priscilla Chadduck, Marcia Engebretson, Warren Frank, Judy Oakey-Frank, Dale Hallock, Linda Hallock, Judy Heiser, Bill Larson, Bill Manning, Nadine Mutch, Dean Naylor, Ron Sager, Donna Sager, Kenyard Smith, Don Simmons, Ron Wiley, Audrey Wiley

1993 Judy Suvak, Roy Wood,
Rod Lewis (posthumously)

1992 Jan Narem, RussTippets, Ruth Gustafson, John Kohler, Norm Brunken, Dave Buness, Ed Harris, Paul Halpin, Bill Manning, Bill Long, Ray Camplain, Don Goddard, Lloyd Reynolds

1988 Patricia (Pat) Peterson, Frank Guenthner, Bob Prescott

1986 Hal Herbig, Richards Merley

1984 Glen Dieterick, Dick Schlatter

1983 Patty Reynolds, Tom Madden

1982 Bob Narum

1981 Paul Cress

1978 Gwen Wallace, Jan Kober,
John Billings, Dorothy Dolack

1976 Earl Walton, Les Opp, Gerald Doty, John Lester, Eugene Andrie, Pauline Ragen, Amalita Bonelli, Elva Brown, Betty Lou Berland, Francis White, Marion Herron, Fritz Bruggerman




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