ASTA 75th Anniversary Fund


Give in celebration of ASTA’s 75th Anniversary and build a stronger and more inclusive ASTA for tomorrow! Donate now >>

Composition Competition


We are pleased to announce the winners of the ASTA 75th Anniversary Composition Competition. Please join us in congratulating these talented composers >>

Looking Forward Survey


As ASTA reflects upon its past and growth, we naturally find ourselves looking forward and contemplating the future of music education over the next 75 years. To this end, the ASTA 75th Anniversary Task Force developed a survey for young adults (ages 18 to 22) who played music in high school, to gain insight into how string teachers can most effectively teach this generation and those that follow.

Survey Results >>

Virtual Chapter Chats with String Experts


The ASTA 75th Anniversary Task Force has developed a new program of monthly virtual chats facilitated by ASTA state chapters for the 2021–2022 school year. The goal is to provide free resources for ASTA members in honor of our 75th anniversary. These Zoom chats will feature short presentations by experts in various areas of string education, followed by a discussion and Q&A. 

ASTA chapter leaders: Learn more about how to offer these virtual chats to your state's members.

Member Stories


This Month: Finding your "people"


Frank Diaz
Bloomington, Indiana

One of my favorite ASTA memories is meeting Dr. Gail Barnes when the conference was in Salt Lake City, Utah, in 2015. I was working at the University of Oregon at the time, building a string music education program at a school where I was originally hired for other purposes. As a multi-instrumentalist that did not take the “traditional” route into string education, I was always a bit insecure about talking to people who were well-established in the field. Would they accept me as their own? Read more >>

ASTA History Highlights


2021 marks ASTA’s Diamond Anniversary. That is 75 years of vision, innovation, organization, creativity, initiatives, assessment, reevaluation, and much more >>

Thank you to the ASTA 75th Anniversary
Task Force


Bob Phillips, Co-Chair
Hudsonville, Michigan

Pam Phillips, Co-Chair
Hudsonville, Michigan

Corie Benton
Acworth, Georgia

Brenda Brenner
Bloomington, Indiana

Kasia Bugaj
Tallahassee, Florida

Leslie DeShazor
Harper Woods, Michigan

Gene Dowdy
Boerne, Texas

BettyAnne Gottlieb
Cincinnati, Ohio

Mark Laycock
Wichita, Kansas

Lynn Ledbetter
San Marcos, Texas

Sharan Leventhal
Newton, Massachusetts

Taylor Morris
Mesa, Arizona

Duane Padilla
Honolulu, Hawaii

Paula Swart
Savannah, Georgia

Mary Wagner
Fairfax, Virginia

Kristen Pellegrino, Board Liaison
San Antonio, Texas

Reflections from the ASTA 75th Anniversary Task Force