May 19, 2008

Kirk D. Moss Named ASTA President-Elect

Fairfax, Va.---  Dr. Kirk D. Moss, associate professor of music at Minnesota State University Moorhead (MSUM), was named 2008-2009 president-elect by the 11,500-member American String Teachers Association (ASTA). His term as president-elect runs from May 2008 to May 2010 at which time he becomes president of ASTA in a full leadership capacity. Following his two-year term as president, he continues on as past president for another two years

As president-elect, Moss is responsible for overseeing all ASTA state chapters, as well as chairing two national committees. He will head the 2010 National Conference Planning Committee and the Special Projects Grants Committee. His active involvement with ASTA for the past 20 years adds to his scholarly credentials and will prove valuable as a member of ASTA’s Executive Board and his other committee responsibilities.

In his university teaching capacity at MSUM, Moss directs orchestral activities and string education. Under his leadership, the University Symphony Orchestra has grown dramatically, tripling in size! It has also gained recognition by performing at events such as the North Dakota MEA Conference and others.

Moss has 12 years of experience teaching elementary, middle, and high school orchestras. Under his leadership, these school orchestras won top honors from the Gold Award at the San Francisco International Music Festival to the Grand Champion Award at the Orlando Festival of Music. He has also been honored with an annual college string scholarship in his name for aspiring music students from a former school.

Moss has published articles in the Journal of String Research, American String Teacher, Music Educators Journal, and The Instrumentalist. He contributed to Teaching Music Through Performance in Orchestra—volumes 2 and 3. He also served a four- year term on the MENC Editorial Committee for the Music Educators Journal.

“We are fortunate to have Kirk serve as president-elect, and I am looking forward to working with him on a variety of projects. He truly understands the complexities of the association and its important issues,” says Donna Hale, ASTA executive director. For more information about Moss and other board members, visit the ASTA website at http://www.astaweb.com.

The American String Teachers Association is committed to advancing string education and performance in the United States and around the world. Its 11,500 members include educators, performers, string industry representatives, students, and string enthusiasts.