2023 – 2024 Music Teachers’ Association of California® (MTAC) Certificate of Merit® Guidelines

Questions? or if interested in music lessons, please email us at info@88KeysMusicAcademy.com or call 626.445.KEYS (5397)

Certificate of Merit® (CM) Program 2024 Updates: Key Highlights

Download the PDF for the full list of 2023-2024 CM updates and details.

2023-2024 Certificate of Merit Program® Updates PDF

New Application Period

To accommodate the in-person and online testing scheduling, teachers will now create CM applications in September and parents need to submit their payments by October 5, 2023. Here are the new registration dates below:

CM Application Period opens:	September 1, 2023
CM Application Payment opens:	September 1, 2023
CM Application Period closes:	September 30, 2023*
CM Application Payment closes:	October 5, 2023
CM Grade/Level Change Requests Close:	October 5, 2023

*This includes applying to all levels of CM, Panel and YAG, and submitting Special Needs Accommodation Requests.

The full CM calendar is now available in your Teacher Portal.

New CM Application Process

Students and parents will be able to choose if they will take their CM Evaluation in person at a Regional Testing Center or online through the Testing Portal.

CM Online Regional Testing Dates

The CM Regional online testing dates will be available on your Teacher Portal beginning on August 1, 2023. These dates are only for students taking the online CM Evaluations.

New Repertoire Editing Dates

Teachers will need to enter repertoire to their students’ applications by December 15, 2023 to avoid the applications being deleted from the system. After the repertoire has been entered, Teachers will be able to edit their students’ repertoire up to 5 days before their student’s testing period. This includes:

Updating the piece’s movement or syllabus page information
Adjusting which piece will be the submitted Syllabus piece
Adjusting which piece will be the student’s Convention piece
Correcting any typos in the repertoire’s title or composer
Applying for a CM Convention Recital

New CM Technique Recording Process

All CM Online Students must use the Official CM Technique chart found on the MTAC Online System in their recordings and they must show their technique chart to the camera at the beginning of their recording. In-person students will be provided with an official Technique chart when they arrive for their evaluations.

CM Syllabi for CM 2024 – 2025

The new CM Syllabi for all instruments will not be released until the late spring of 2024 to be used for CM 2025. Please continue to use the current CM syllabi for CM 2023 – 2024.

Duets/Ensembles No Longer Accepted for Evaluation

As of 2023-24, ensembles are no longer part of the CM program.

CM Policies and Procedures for CM 2023 – 2024

The updated CM Policies and Procedures will be posted in August 2023 to both the Teacher and Parent Portals. This will include:

Updates to this year’s programing
Updated Panel and YAG guidelines
Updated CM Convention Recital guidelines
General reminders

Get The FULL List of Certificate of Merit® Program Updates

Note: The information above does not reflect all of the updates and changes to the 2024 Music Teachers’ Association of California® (MTAC) CM program. Download the PDF for the full list of 2023-2024 CM program updates and details.