Cathy Baylor has been named as the EMTA Volunteer of the Month for May 2026! We offer our appreciation and congratulations to her and thank her for consenting to provide us with this interview. She will receive her certificate of Recognition of Extraordinary Volunteer Service at the May General Membership Meeting.

First, please share with our readers a bit about your teaching. 

I came late to teaching piano.  I had studied at the University of Washington when I was younger, but my life took some different turns and I didn’t return to piano studies and teaching until my daughters were young adults.  I had switched majors when I was younger and hadn’t completed a music degree so I was especially grateful to the MTNA for providing me with the opportunity to earn my NCTM.  The certification process was long and hard, but I’ve never been more proud than when I got my Certification notice in the mail! I’ve been teaching piano for about 25 years and it’s been profoundly rewarding.  I love the students and I especially love how there is always opportunity for more self-improvement and growth.  I still learn more everyday.

I absolutely love teaching!  If I weren’t teaching piano, I’d be teaching something else.  I jokingly call myself a “predatory teacher” … I run them down, sit on them and teach them!

I have been gradually working into a retirement role. I’ve allowed my studio, which usually held steady at 26 students, to atrophy to 14, and with two graduating seniors this year, there will be only 12 next year.  This is bittersweet for me, but I AM looking forward to spending more time with my grandchildren and traveling with my husband in future years – while we still can!

Please tell us how you have volunteered service to EMTA and to our students. 

My first volunteer position was, I believe, in 2003,  when I was on the EMTA Program Committee.  Mary Beth Cecil, who was the Chapter President at the time, and I put together a wonderful program with Jody Graves.  Not only was the program a success, but it was the beginning of a lovely relationship with Jody.  And Mary Beth was a wonderful mentor!

From there I worked for a couple of years as Secretary and then Vice President.  I still love putting on education programs, so this was a really fun job for me.  Finally, I did one term as President.  After that I was a WSMTA District Vice President for a term where I put on the District Conference and District Recitals.  The last volunteer position I held at the state level was as a charter member of the Equity and Inclusion Committee.

I have volunteered on numerous EMTA projects including the Time Era Festival that Ruth Bradshaw started; I was happy to work with her and later with Keva McMorrow.  I was also involved with the beginning of the Music Literacy Program.  Most of the other chapters had what they called “Ribbon Festivals” so past President Warren Kunz brought us all together to start one at EMTA.  I continue to help in the Scoring Room for that Musicianship Festival each year.

Warren was followed as President by Tim Saye and I followed Tim into that role. For the last few years of my participation, Roxanne Karr and I were co-Presidents. 

For several years I’ve been on the Jazz, Rags and Blues Festival committee.  I spent five years studying jazz piano and made lots of connections with local jazz teachers so I have been able to help the committee find good clinicians.  However, while I will still help in this way, I’ll be retiring from this position after this year and won’t be involved in the nuts and bolts part of the festival.

How have you balanced your teaching load with all of the time that you have devoted to EMTA volunteer work?

I haven’t found this particularly difficult.   Maybe the choice to cap my numbers at 26 has helped with this.  I do make-up lessons on weekends, but I never schedule regular lessons on weekends.  Other than the occasional project, I’ve never felt the actual teaching was a full-time job, so there was always plenty of time during the mornings to work on volunteer projects.

While the teaching part was not full-time, teaching PLUS volunteering was a full-time job!  But I’ve always been happy with that.  

We were granted our 501(c)(3) charter status by the IRS based on the fact that most of the work done by our organization is done by professionals who volunteer.  Our students get so much out of the programs we put on for them!  EMTA enrichment activities greatly enhance our students’ musical experiences and education and thereby enhance the value of our studios.

Is there a special memory about your volunteer activities that you would like to share?

Well you know, it always gets down to the people.  If I have one piece of advice for younger teachers starting out, it’s very simple: Get involved in as many ways as you can!  You will meet wonderful people, which in itself is rewarding, but of course the connections you build will help your business and your self-improvement as well.

This year two of my students are graduating seniors, and they will be holding Senior Recitals.  I was having a difficult time finding appropriate venues, but then I remembered Ruth Bradshaw.  She was President when I was Vice President (maybe in 2009 or so?)  and at one time we spent a lot of time together.  Ruth has a beautiful studio with a fine instrument that she keeps up very well.  So, even after not having seen her in several years, I gave her a call and we had a lovely “catching up” conversation during which I asked her if she would be willing to host one of the recitals.  She, of course, graciously agreed to do so. What a wonderful resource to have!

Besides benefiting EMTA members, please tell our readers about any benefits or personal rewards that you feel that you get from doing volunteer work for EMTA?

In addition to providing educational opportunities both for my students and myself, EMTA, WSMTA, MTNA and support of the EMTA members have allowed me to spread my wings and grow as a leader.  It’s a safe and supportive environment for us to try new things with rewarding results that give confidence and growth.

I took that confidence and ran for the Edmonds School District school board in 2016 and recently I threw my hat in the ring for an appointment on the Lynnwood City Council.  While I was not successful in either of these efforts, there is no doubt in my mind that the involvement with EMTA and its members helped me build the leadership skills I needed both to do these jobs and to run the campaigns.

Is there anything else that you would like to say to our members about volunteering for EMTA?

I have been involved in many volunteer groups, and EMTA stands out.  Our members are smart and dedicated.  If you call them, they get back to you right away and are always willing to help.  When I first became President, I got calls from past Presidents immediately offering to help me in any way they could.  Mostly I called them for advice.  Sometimes I would be conflicted about decisions that I had to make, but I was never alone.  I always had the advice of Mary Beth Cecil, Keva McMorrow, Ruth Bradshaw, Warren Kunz, Naoko Noguchi and Carolyn Malnes, among others, to rely on.

And we are all dear friends.  Because of caring for my parents for the last several years, I haven’t been able to be as active as I had been in previous years, but I will never forget how everyone rallied around me when my father passed away and the wonderful card you all sent me when you learned of my mother’s passing.  

Love you all!

Cathy

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Thank you to EMTA member, Rick Asher, for coordinating the EMTA Volunteer of the Month.