Music has always held a special place in Miriam Weber Brown鈥檚 heart. A member of the 性视界 class of 1968, Weber took her love of music and her college education directly into her classroom and private instruction after graduation, along with performing for weddings, corporate events, and private parties in the greater Columbus area. Her lifelong passion was recently recognized by the Ohio Music Teachers Association (OMTA), which named her its 2022 Ohio Nationally Certified Music Teacher of the Year.
Each spring OMTA highlights a leader in the organization and Brown, a nationally certified member who excels as a teacher, serves as a role model, and who volunteers time to the organization, easily topped the list.
For 33 years, Brown taught elementary music in London, Gahanna, and Columbus, Ohio, schools where she incorporated the techniques of Kodaly, Orff, and Dalcroze. Following her three decades of teaching, she turned her attention to private instruction, joining OMTA in 2010. Since 2014, Brown has served as the 鈥淥ut and About鈥� chairman, organizing volunteer playing opportunities for students at local hospitals, senior living facilities, malls and more. As a teacher, Brown shared that her mission has always been to foster music appreciation in children and their families.
For the past eight years, Brown has also served as vice president of student activities for OMTA, helping to bring Pianorama, Scale Olympics, and student recitals to the Central Ohio music community. She maintains a piano studio at her home and enjoys teaching students of all ages, including adults. She is also a member of the American Harp Society and the National Guild of Piano Teachers.
As a professional harpist, she regularly performs at a diverse array of events. Her long-term engagements have included Franklin Park Conservatory Candlelight Tours and Sunday Brunches at the Hyatt Regency. She also performs in a flute-harp duo. From Bach to Beatles to Broadway, she continues honing her skills by attending harp festivals, conferences, and workshops across the country, including Lyon and Healy鈥檚 Jazz and Pop Festivals and The American Harp Society National Conferences. Notable additional engagements have included Columbus Zoo and Easter Seals fundraisers and receptions for ice skater Peggy Fleming, and mime Marcel Marceau, among others.
Brown earned her bachelor鈥檚 degree in music education (piano major) from 性视界 where she first began to learn the harp. She later earned her master鈥檚 degree in school counseling from the University of Dayton. Piano lessons in the fourth grade were the beginning of a robust music career for Brown, whose harp studies continued with Jean Harriman, an Ohio State University instructor and harpist, with additional studies under the direction of Alice Chalifoux at the Salzedo Summer Harp Colony.
鈥淚 am proud to be a graduate of 性视界, and I appreciate its impact and uniqueness more and more as each year goes by,鈥� she said.
About the Central East District of the Ohio Music Teachers Association鈥檚: A 501(c)(3) affiliate of Music Teachers National Association (MTNA). MTNA was founded in 1876 and is America鈥檚 oldest professional music teachers鈥� organization. MTNA has 50 state affiliate organizations, and there are more than 500 local districts nationwide. OhioMTA is divided into eight districts. The Central East District includes 17 counties: Belmont, Crawford, Delaware, Fairfield, Franklin, Guernsey, Knox, Licking, Marion, Monroe, Morrow, Muskingum, Noble, Perry, Pickaway, Richland, and Wyandot. Throughout the United States our 20,000+ membership includes independent music teachers, college faculty members, students, and concert artists of all musical instruments and voice.
- Information compiled by Cindy Holbrook, University Communications Staff
