Fall Music Festival Coming to College of the Ozarks

College of the Ozarks is set to host a Piano Festival this weekend featuring K-12 Students according to a press release from the school:

The College of the Ozarks’ Collegiate Chapter of the Music Teacher’s National Association (MTNA) will host the MTNA Fall Piano Festival on Saturday, Oct. 23, in the Gittinger Music Building. The honors recital is free and open to the public, beginning at 1 p.m. Seating is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis. 

This event is open to piano students in K-12th grade coming from the Branson area. Individual judging times will be available for the young performers in the morning. During this time, the participants will play two pieces for college-aged students who will serve as the judges. They will rate their performance in addition to offering written feedback. Afterwards, each K-12 student will receive a certificate, and many of them will play one of their two pieces for the honors recital in the afternoon. 
The purpose of the MTNA Fall Piano Festival is to involve members of the community in the College’s music program, while giving students from the community a chance to perform in a lovely recital venue on a Steinway D (9-foot piano). This event also provides students at the College with the chance to learn how to give constructive feedback to K-12 piano students. 
The Fall Piano Music Festival is a long-time tradition at College of the Ozarks. Many colleges across the United States, including College of the Ozarks, have a collegiate chapter of the Music Teacher's National Association, and the festival is a perfect example of an activity that the MTNA recommends for college students.
“I love being of service to the community and at the same time watching the joy that K-12th grade students express in being able to participate in this event,” said Dr. Clara Christian, associate professor of music and director of piano/keyboard studies. “They really respect the mentorship they receive from the college students, and that is something I enjoy being able to watch and help facilitate. The college students benefit from this event almost as much as the pre-college students!”