NSMTA Fall Music Festival
The NSMTA Fall Music Festival provides students of all levels - and all instruments - with an opportunity to perform in a positive and non-competitive environment.
JUMP TO: Rules & Guidelines · Adjudicators · Registration · FAQ
NSMTA Fall Music Festival Chair: Heather Atagan, fallfestival@nsmta.org
Committee: Grace Juang · Heidi Mayer · Anthony Ty
EVENT DATE
Saturday,
November 14, 2026
10:00 AM–4:00 PM
LOCATION
New Trier Township High School
Winnetka Campus
385 Winnetka Ave., Winnetka, IL 60093
REGISTRATION DEADLINE
Sunday,
November 1, 2026
ENTRY FEES
Solo Performance
$35 Member / $45 Non-Member
Ensemble Performance
$45 Member / $55 Non-Member
About the Fall Music Festival
This festival is designed to meet the students where they are. Whether it's a beginner who loves Star Wars or a high school student preparing for college auditions. The Fall Music Festival is meant to motivate, encourage, and inspire!
Students will perform in small groups with appropriate age/levels and receive verbal feedback by a professional adjudicator. They will also receive brief written comments and a certificate of participation.
New Trier Township High School, Winnetka Campus
Fall Music Festival Rules & Guidelines
Please review the following guidelines before registering. If you have any questions, contact the Fall Music Festival Committee at fallfestival@nsmta.org
Student Levels
Students will register in one of three general divisions:
Beginner: 0-3 years of study
Intermediate: 3-6 years of study
Advanced: 6 or more years of study
Teachers may use their discretion when selecting the most appropriate division for their student.
Repertoire & Performance Time
Students will perform one piece.
Beginner Division: Maximum performance time of 5 minutes
Intermediate & Advanced Divisions: Maximum performance time of 7 minutes
Teachers will provide the title and composer of the student’s piece during registration.
Memorization is optional but encouraged. Students who perform their pieces memorized will receive a + rating along with their adjudication.
This festival is open to solos, ensembles, other instruments and voice.
Unaccompanied works are permitted. If a soloist requires accompaniment, please provide your own.
Performance Scheduling
The Fall Music Festival will take place from 10:00 AM–4:00 PM. During registration, participants may indicate a preferred performance window:
First Half: 10:00 AM–1:00 PM
Second Half: 1:00 PM–4:00 PM
No Preference
Performance time preferences cannot be guaranteed, but the committee will take requests into consideration and make every effort to accommodate them.
Final performance times will be communicated in the Member Portal after registration closes.
Parent and Teacher Volunteers
The Fall Music Festival a fun community event. Parents and teachers are encouraged to volunteer. The registration form allows teachers to indicate their availability for one or more of the following shifts:
10:00 AM–12:00 PM · 12:00–2:00 PM · 2:00–4:00 PM
Meet the Adjudicators
Kim Fleuchaus enjoys a diverse musical career spanning classical and world music. She has performed with the Milwaukee, Charlotte, Elgin, Rockford, and South Bend Symphony Orchestras; the South Carolina and Illinois Philharmonic Orchestras; Fifth House Ensemble; Cube Contemporary Chamber Ensemble; and the Goodman Theatre. She has appeared as a soloist with the South Carolina Philharmonic and the Colorado Springs Youth Symphony. Kim performs on both classical and ethnic flutes with the Dickinson Ensemble, which will release its second album and make its London debut in 2027. Her work also includes commercial jingles, video game music, studio recordings, live radio broadcasts, and film scores.
She earned a Bachelor of Music degree from Northwestern University and a Master of Arts in Ethnomusicology from Bethel University. Following her graduate studies, she began studying and performing on the Egyptian nay, a traditional end-blown reed flute. Her exploration of Arabic music has led to more than two decades of performances with Middle Eastern ensembles throughout the United States and Canada. Highlights include dozens of live theater performances, concerts at the White House and Kennedy Center, and her participation in the Salaam-Shalom Music Project, an interfaith musical collaboration. She also serves on the board of the Chicago Flute Club, as Membership Chair and as director of the Global Flute Voices Series.
Kim teaches at Deerfield and Lake Forest High Schools and at her home studio in Lincolnshire, where she lives along with her three children, two Bernedoodles, and a very supportive husband.
Mary Beth Molenaar received the Doctor of Music degree in Piano Performance and Pedagogy from Northwestern. She taught collegiate keyboard and pedagogy classes in addition to serving as director of Northwestern’s Music Academy for many years. She continues to teach piano and organ lessons in the Music Academy to children and adults.
Dr. Molenaar is the current President of the North Shore Music Teacher’s Association. She has chaired revisions of the state Achievement in Music piano syllabi in the past and is helping revise the current string curriculum and exams. She received the Illinois State Teacher of the Year award in 2025 and was named a national MTNA Foundation Fellow in 2010.
In addition to teaching and performing, Mary Beth enjoys learning new languages and creating visual and fiber art.
Carey Valente is in her 18th year of teaching in District 27. Ms. Valente earned a Master’s degree in Music from Northwestern University, a Bachelor’s degree in Music from Bowling Green State University, and has taught beginning band students throughout the Chicago area for 20+ years as an elementary school band director and a private woodwind instructor.
Previously, she was the Jazz Band Director and Woodwind Instructor at Oakton Community College, and taught applied saxophone at VanderCook College of Music. Ms. Valente also taught beginning band to many students in Chicago Public Schools, as well as Indiana, through the Merit Music in Communities program. As a saxophonist, Ms. Valente has performed with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, at the Society of Composers, Inc, and at the 13th World Saxophone Congress in Minneapolis. Since 2005, Ms. Valente has been a member of the Northshore Concert Band, a performing ensemble composed of many music educators in the Chicago area, and she currently serves on their board of directors.
Patricia Heineman-Vernon is an active member of the Suzuki Association of the Americas, Chicago Area Music Teachers (CAMTA), and Northshore Music Teachers (NSMTA). She has served as an adjudicator for the National PIano Guild and various events in the Chicago area for many years.
She holds a Bachelor of Music from Mundelein College and has had extensive training in early childhood music, Kindermusik and the Suzuki Piano Method. Kindermusik named her as Kindermusik Maestro for over 20 years as a result of her sharing early childhood music with countless families. Many of those very young children now have careers in music.
Currently her students study with her privately in Skokie and Chicago (Rogers Park). Her students participate in local competitions, AIM exams and festivals and consistently receive superior ratings.
Most recently, Ms. Heineman-Vernon served as co-chair of CAMTA’s Roberta Savler competition. In addition to her students and involvement with local MTNA chapters, she serves as an accompanist for various events in the nearby area.
How to Register
NSMTA Fall Music Festival registration is completed by the student’s teacher through the NSMTA Member Portal. Registration will be open from October 1–November 1, 2026.
NSMTA Members
The registration fee is $35 per Solo Performance and $45 for Ensemble Performances.
Log in to the NSMTA Member Portal
Select Events → 2026 Fall Music Festival
Register Performer(s)
Enter volunteer availability (optional)
Complete payment through the Payment Cart
Portal accounts are provided to teachers only, not parents.
Not an NSMTA Member?
Non-member teachers are welcome to participate in the Fall Music Festival. The registration fee is $45 per Solo Performance and $55 for Ensemble Performances.
Returning non-members with portal accounts can simply log in.
First-time non-member teachers must request portal access before registering.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What does my child wear?
Performance-appropriate attire is recommended.
Can grandparents attend the performance?
Absolutely, and they are encouraged to!
Can students play more than one piece?
No.
Can students sign up for more than one instrument?
Yes, but a registration for each performance is required.
My children are both participating. Can they be scheduled close to each other?
We will make every effort to accommodate families.
How early should we be there?
At least 15 minutes early. If you’re in an ensemble, plan to arrive at least 30 minutes early.
What happens if we miss our performance time?
Unfortunately, we are unable to accommodate those who miss their performance time.
Do we need to check in before the performance?
Yes, please stop by the registration desk when you arrive.
Can we watch other performances?
We encourage you to attend the other performances throughout the day!
Do we need to bring music?
Yes. If it is not memorized, please bring an extra copy for the judge.
Does the music have to be memorized?
Memorization is optional and will be acknowledged with a + rating on the evaluation sheet.
Please bring in an extra copy of your music for the judge if you will be using music.
How can we commemorate the performance?
Participants will receive a certificate of achievement and a written evaluation by the judge.
Where do we park?
See attached map.