TIA is the only local club in the area for the National Federation of Music Clubs, the largest non-profit organization in America promoting and supporting American music performers and music education. We have an annual adjudication event (Festival) which is open to non-TIA students in the area studying music elsewhere, and there are many other opportunities as well including serious cash incentives and scholarships for TIA students through NFMC.

 

Our annual event is this Saturday, and students are going to be amazing!

We also have some great local leadership and professional musicians/educators from the community serving as adjudicators!

 

Rob Comer, an educated and seasoned musician with over twenty years of experience as a guitarist, soloist, and band leader in the nation’s premier United States Army Band. Rob holds undergraduate and Master’s degrees and even taught for TIA in our beginning stages. Rob will be adjudicating and providing helpful, encouraging, and constructive feedback to our guitarists, strings, percussion, and wind students. We are excited to have him back for the fourth year in a row!

 

Joshua DiStefano is a Berklee College of Music graduate and another retired Army Bandsman with over twenty years serving here, abroad, and in deployment in the U.S. Army Bands. Josh is an accomplished pianist, composer, and arranger and is also currently co-writing and producing with Jenna. This is Josh’s first time adjudicating with us and we are excited to have him!

 

Dan Colgan is a a long time friend of TIA, and a graduate of Westminster Choir College in Princeton, NJ. He has served as the Organist and Director of Music at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in Olympia, WA since November of 2010. He is also the voice instructor at Centralia College, the Dean of the Olympia Chapter of the American Guild of Organists, and the director of the men’s ensemble, “Forza” of the Olympia Youth Chorus. He also served as the assistant director of the Olympia Choral Society from 2012-2018. Our students always appreciate Dan’s personal, encouraging, and helpful musical expertise.

 

Jessica Louise Barnes holds a bachelors degree in vocal music and served as a TIA vocal faculty member for a few years and now serves as the elementary music teacher at Evergreen Christian, and she also teaches a roster of private students out of her home. Jessica has worked with both children and adults in developing their ability to sing. She taught for several years at the elementary and high school levels, working with students on music theory basics, early instrumental skills, both in percussion and melodic instruments, and of course in vocal work as well. Jessica will be adjudicating voice again and we are excited to have her back for the fourth year in a row!

 

Are you a local music student or teacher that is not a part of TIA but would like to get involved in Festival next year? Drop us a line!