Music Teachers National Association MTNA
Music Teachers National Association is a 150-year-old 501(c)(3) professional membership association headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, serving U.S. music teachers through certification, competitions, publications, conferences, and the Find a Teacher directory.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1876
- HeadquartersCincinnati, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Music Teachers National Association MTNA does
Music Teachers National Association (MTNA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit professional membership association founded in 1876 and headquartered at 600 Vine Street, Cincinnati, Ohio. The organization operates a multi-tiered membership structure (Active $107, Collegiate $25, Senior $81, Patron, Corporate $200, Institutional $200, International $107) serving individual music teachers, collegiate students, corporate partners in the music industry, and educational institutions across all U.S. states organized into seven geographic divisions (East Central, Eastern, Northwest, South Central, Southern, Southwest, West Central) with affiliated state and local associations. Its mission is to advance the value of music study and to support the professionalism of music teachers.
MTNA's core offerings include the NCTM (Nationally Certified Teacher of Music) Professional Certification Program built on five competency standards and Teacher Profile Projects, a public Find a Teacher directory of certified members, MTNA Competitions spanning chamber music, performance, composition, brass, voice, and two-piano formats at state/division/national levels, the year-round MTNA eFestival video-evaluation platform ($25 per submission via YouTube links), publications (American Music Teacher journal, MTNA eJournal, Business Digest), and professional development events including the biennial National Conference (next: April 2-6, 2027, St. Louis), TEMPO, GP3, the Collegiate Symposium, and the Virtual String Teachers Summit. The MTNA Foundation Fund distributes more than $250,000 annually in grants.
MTNA's technical infrastructure is a web-based association management platform powered by Exware, serving as the system of record for member management, certification processing, event registration, eFestival submissions, the Find a Teacher directory, and publication delivery. The technology footprint is conventional association software rather than a differentiated technology product; eFestival delegates video hosting to YouTube. MTNA operates with 11-50 employees and reports no external investors, M&A activity, or funding rounds, consistent with its member-governed nonprofit structure. The organization celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2026 and is GDPR and CCPA compliant.
Music Teachers National Association MTNA firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Music Teachers National Association MTNA
- Legal name
- Music Teachers National Association
- Website
- https://mtna.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1876
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Music Teachers National Association is a 150-year-old 501(c)(3) professional membership association headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, serving U.S. music teachers through certification, competitions, publications, conferences, and the Find a Teacher directory.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Music Teachers National Association MTNA industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Professional Music Education Association
- NAICS
- Professional Organizations (81392), Business Associations (813910), Educational Support Services (611710)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Music Exam Prep & Certification (ABRSM, Trinity, RCM, AP Music Theory) (EDAMANAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Music Education & Practice Software (Ear training, tutors, metronome tools) (MPAIAIAJ)
Keywords
Where Music Teachers National Association MTNA is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Cincinnati
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Music Teachers National Association MTNA business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Membership Dues: Annual membership dues constitute the primary revenue stream. MTNA offers multiple membership tiers (Active $107, Collegiate $25, Corporate $200, Institutional $200, International $107, Patron $107, Senior $81, International Collegiate $25) with additional state and local chapter affiliation fees varying by geography. Senior members age 70+ receive a 25% discount on national dues.
- Certification Fees: Initial certification costs $200 for MTNA members ($300 for non-members), with annual renewal fees of $30 per area of performance for members ($35 for non-members). Delinquent renewal fees add $10 per year of delinquency for members ($15 for non-members).
- MTNA eFestival Application Fees: A $25 application fee per submission for up to 15 minutes of video performance, providing constructive critique from professional evaluators. This is a per-transaction fee model.
- MTNA Foundation Fund Donations: The MTNA Foundation Fund accepts charitable contributions, distributing more than $250,000 annually in grants and awards to support music study and teaching programs.
- Conference and Event Revenue: Revenue from national conferences (e.g., 2027 National Conference in St. Louis, April 2-6), GP3 Forum, TEMPO virtual events, Collegiate Symposium, and leadership events.
- Publication Subscriptions and Advertising: Revenue from American Music Teacher magazine subscriptions, MTNA eJournal subscriptions, Business Digest, and advertising opportunities across publications.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Active membership for professionally engaged music teachers |
| Subscription | Annual | Student membership for college/university music program enrollees |
| Subscription | Annual | Corporate membership for companies supporting MTNA |
| Subscription | Annual | Institutional membership for educational institutions |
| Subscription | Annual | International membership for music professionals outside the U.S. |
| Subscription | Annual | Senior membership for Active Members age 70 and older |
| Subscription | Annual | Patron membership for supporters not professionally engaged in music |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | MTNA Professional Certification - Initial |
| Subscription | Annual | MTNA Professional Certification - Annual Renewal |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | MTNA eFestival evaluation submission |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels9 records
Music Teachers National Association MTNA product offering
Product offeringCore offering
MTNA is a 501(c)(3) professional membership association that supports music teachers through tiered annual memberships, the nationally recognized NCTM professional certification program, student performance competitions and the year-round MTNA eFestival video evaluation service, peer-reviewed publications (American Music Teacher, MTNA eJournal, Business Digest), and professional development events including the biennial National Conference, TEMPO, GP3, Collegiate Symposium, and member webinars. The association also operates the Find a Music Teacher Directory connecting the public with NCTM-certified instructors and runs the MTNA Foundation Fund, which distributes over $250,000 annually in grants and awards.
Product overview
MTNA is a professional membership association for music teachers that operates as a unified platform of interconnected programs and services rather than a modular software product. The core offerings include the MTNA Professional Certification Program (granting NCTM designation), a Find a Music Teacher Directory, competitive events (MTNA Competitions, eFestival), publications (American Music Teacher journal, MTNA eJournal, Business Digest), professional development events (National Conferences, TEMPO, GP3, Collegiate Symposium, Webinars, Virtual String Teachers Summit), and the Foundation Fund grant program. These services are accessed primarily through the main website (mtna.org) and a dedicated certification portal (certification.mtna.org).
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- MTNA Foundation: The MTNA Foundation Fund annually provides more than $250,000 in grants and awards to support programs that nurture the creation, performance, study, and teaching of music.
Products and services
- MTNA Membership Annual tiered membership for individual music teachers, collegiate students, seniors, patrons, international members, corporations, and institutions, providing voting rights, access to publications, member discounts, webinars, and eligibility to enter students in competitions.
- MTNA Professional Certification Program (NCTM)
Quantifiable outcome
- MTNA Foundation Fund provides more than $250,000 annually in grants and awards
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Music Teachers National Association MTNA
Customer profileNamed customers15 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Music Teachers National Association MTNA technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
Feature3 records
Music Teachers National Association MTNA partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Music Teachers National Association MTNA competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Lessonface: Lessonface is an online marketplace connecting music students with vetted teachers for remote lessons. It competes with MTNA's Find a Teacher Directory by offering a digital-first, transaction-enabled alternative for teacher discovery that doesn't require association membership.
- Yamaha Music Education System: Yamaha's music education division offers teacher training, curriculum, and certification through its global network of music schools. It represents a corporate alternative to association-based music teacher development with stronger international reach.
Direct peers
- Suzuki Association of the Americas: The Suzuki Association promotes the Suzuki Method across the Americas with teacher training, certification, and workshops. Like MTNA, it offers teacher certification programs and serves private music instructors, but with a more concentrated focus on the Suzuki pedagogy across multiple instruments.
- National Association for Music Education (NAfME): NAfME is the largest U.S. music education association, focused primarily on school-based music educators (K-12) rather than private studio teachers. Both organizations serve music teachers nationally, offering conferences, publications, and professional development, making them directly comparable as parallel pillars of the U.S. music education ecosystem.
- American String Teachers Association (ASTA): ASTA serves string educators with a similar membership model, conferences, publications (American String Teacher journal), and certification opportunities. It is directly comparable to MTNA as a discipline-specific parallel association within the broader music education profession.
Broad incumbents
- American Federation of Musicians (AFM): AFM is a labor union representing professional musicians in the U.S. and Canada. While it serves performers rather than teachers, it shares MTNA's model of a national membership organization with local chapters providing professional services and representation.
- Royal Conservatory of Music (RCM): RCM is a Canadian-based music education institution offering internationally recognized music examinations and teacher certification. While it operates more broadly as a music school and exam body, its Music Development Program competes with MTNA's NCTM certification in the credentialing space.
- Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM): ABRSM is the leading global music examination board offering graded exams and teacher certification. Although primarily U.K.-based, ABRSM operates internationally and competes with MTNA's certification programs in the music teacher credentialing market.
- Music Publishers Association (MPA): The MPA represents music publishers globally and serves as an industry association similar to how MTNA represents music teachers. Both operate as membership-based industry associations with advocacy, events, and professional resources for their respective constituencies.
Regional players
- National Guild for Community Arts Education: The National Guild supports community music and arts schools with accreditation, professional development, and advocacy. It overlaps with MTNA's mission of supporting music education institutions and the educators who run them.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Music Teachers National Association MTNA social profiles
Digital presenceMusic Teachers National Association MTNA compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Music Teachers National Association MTNA financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Music Teachers National Association MTNA leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Music Teachers National Association MTNA subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Music Teachers National Association MTNA funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Music Teachers National Association MTNA M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Music Teachers National Association MTNA
What does Music Teachers National Association MTNA do?
MTNA is a 501(c)(3) professional membership association that supports music teachers through tiered annual memberships, the nationally recognized NCTM professional certification program, student performance competitions and the year-round MTNA eFestival video evaluation service, peer-reviewed publications (American Music Teacher, MTNA eJournal, Business Digest), and professional development events including the biennial National Conference, TEMPO, GP3, Collegiate Symposium, and member webinars. The association also operates the Find a Music Teacher Directory connecting the public with NCTM-certified instructors and runs the MTNA Foundation Fund, which distributes over $250,000 annually in grants and awards.
Is Music Teachers National Association MTNA a public or private company?
Music Teachers National Association MTNA is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Music Teachers National Association MTNA founded?
Music Teachers National Association MTNA was founded in 1876. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Music Teachers National Association MTNA based?
Music Teachers National Association MTNA is headquartered in Cincinnati, United States, in the North America region.
How does Music Teachers National Association MTNA make money?
Six revenue lines are on record. Membership Dues are the primary driver. The others are certification Fees, MTNA eFestival Application Fees, MTNA Foundation Fund Donations, conference and Event Revenue and publication Subscriptions and Advertising.
Who are Music Teachers National Association MTNA's main competitors?
Emerging players on record are Lessonface and Yamaha Music Education System. Direct peers are Suzuki Association of the Americas, National Association for Music Education (NAfME) and American String Teachers Association (ASTA). Broad incumbents are American Federation of Musicians (AFM), Royal Conservatory of Music (RCM), Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM) and Music Publishers Association (MPA). National Guild for Community Arts Education is listed as a regional player.
Does Music Teachers National Association MTNA have an API?
No public API is recorded for Music Teachers National Association MTNA.
What industry is Music Teachers National Association MTNA in?
Music Teachers National Association MTNA's product category is Professional Music Education Association. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAMANAJ, Music Exam Prep & Certification (ABRSM, Trinity, RCM, AP Music Theory), with a secondary code of MPAIAIAJ, Music Education & Practice Software (Ear training, tutors, metronome tools). Its NAICS code is 81392 and its SIC code is 8600.