American Music Teacher articles from April 2002

American Music Teacher archives from April 2002

Is the glass half full or half empty? (Dear Reader).
April 1, 2002... As you know, there is no right or wrong answer to the question--just differing views. And there are those who will go on to say that those views are pessimistic, optimistic or realistic. That is the case with an e-mail I received regarding the...

Changes. (In Unison).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... MTNA President Dr. R. Wayne Gibson asked me to step in and write this column about the MTNA Student Competitions program. Student Competitions is one MNTA program area currently experiencing several changes, and as I began to detail the...

National Music Week events. (Items of Interest).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... The National Federation of Music Clubs (NFMC) announces National Music Week, May 5-12, 2002, with the theme, "Music... A Language of the Heart." Now in its seventy-ninth year, this event began as an expression of the public's interest in...

Education Act boosts arts. (Items of Interest).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Congress recently passed the No Child Left Behind Act, which includes key provisions long sought by arts education advocates and marks a major victory for arts learning. Experts say this is the biggest overhaul of education law since passage of...

Steinway & Sons offers legendary pianos. (Items of Interest).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Steinway & Sons introduces the Alma-Tadema grand piano re-creation, the first piano in its premier Legendary Collection, offering one-of-a-kind re-creations of historical Steinway artcase pianos. "The Legendary Collection celebrates Steinway's...

Van Cliburn documentary released. (Items of Interest).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... "The Cliburn: Playing on the Edge," the new documentary featuring a behind-the-scenes look at the Eleventh Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, is now available in VHS and DVD-10 formats. With twice the data storage capacity of a...

Kantor joins CIM faculty. (Items of Interest).(Paul Kantor, Cleveland Institute of Music)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... MTNA member Paul Kantor was recently appointed the Eleanor H. Biggs Memorial Distinguished Professor of Violin at the Cleveland Institute of Music (CIM). "Paul Kantor is poised to be a major violin teaching influence for the future," says CIM...

Schwartz appointed CCMC artistic director. (Items of Interest).(Debbra Wood Schwartz, Crowden Center for Music in the Community)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... MTNA member Debbra Wood Schwartz was recently appointed artistic director of The Crowden Center for Music in the Community (CCMC) in Berkeley, California. She also is the co-director and co-founder of Summer Music Berkeley, a chamber music...

Pilar Bayona Piano Competition winner announced. (Items of Interest).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Domenico Codispoti, 26, won first prize in the Pilar Bayona International Piano Competition in Zaragoza, Spain, in December 2001. Codispoti, a virtuoso studying for the Artist Certificate in Piano at the Meadows School of the Arts at Southern...

Sibelius 2 now available. (Music Marketplace).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Sibelius USA, Inc., 1407 Oakland Blvd., Ste. 300, Walnut Creek, CA 94596; (925) 280-0600; Fax (925) 280-0008; infoUSA@sibelius.com; www.sibelius.com. $299/education market; $899/five-user lab pack. Site licenses available for educational...

New digital tuners by Shenzhen Weike Electronics. (Music Marketplace).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Shenzhen Weike Electronics Technology Development Co. Ltd., 7/F, 7 Bldg., Tianan Industry Zone, Nanyou District, Shenzhen, 518052 China; +86-755-6062521 or +86-755-6062701; Fax: +86-755-6062997; weike@public.szptt.net.cn; www.Emetronome.com....

Count Basie arrangements released by Warner Bros. (Music Marketplace).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Warner Bros. Publications, P.O. Box 251507, West Bloomfield, MI 48325; (800) 327-7643; www.warnerbrospublications.com. $55 for each title in series. The recently released Quincy Jones/Sammy Nestico Premier Jazz Series, published by Warner...

Musical Discovery encouraged through new interactive CD Rom. (Music Marketplace).
April 1, 2002... Music Discovery Network, Creative Musicians Coalition, P.O. Box 6205, Peoria, IL 61601-6205; (800) 882-4262 or (309) 685-4843; Fax: (309) 685-4878; aimcmc@aol.com or mdei@musicdiscoveries.com; www.aimcmc.com or www.musicdiscoveries.com. $5. ...

European bass offers sculptured sound. (Music Marketplace).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Entertainment Music Marketing Corporation (EMMC), 770-12 Grand Blvd., Deer Park, NY 11729; (631) 243-0600; Fax: (631) 243-0605; Emmcmusic@aol.com; www.emmcmusic.com. Contact company for price. Entertainment Music Marketing Corporation...

ARD Competition. (Competitions).
April 1, 2002... The 51st International Music Competition of the ARD will take place in Munich, September 4-21, 2002. This competition is accepting applications in piano, oboe, bassoon and piano trio. The competition is open to musicians of all nations whose...

In memoriam.(Obituary)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... NEA Chair Michael Hammond On January 29, 2002, the National Endowment for the Arts released news of the unexpected passing of Michael Hammond, the NEA chairman, who took office just one week prior on January 22. He was 69. "Michael...

Inside the private lesson.(how to be a successful music teacher)
April 1, 2002... While the private lesson often is considered the focal point of instrumental music programs, it remains flexible and ambiguous in terms of curriculum and instructional approaches. One constant has always been the relationship between teacher...

Quotes to live by.
April 1, 2002... The following list of inspirational quotes can help teachers motivate students in the right situation: "Don't think you can make up for [taking it easy in practice] by working twice as hard tomorrow. If you have if within your power to...

Success in half an hour a week. (The Short Music Lesson).
April 1, 2002... Editor's note: Student names used in this article do not refer to existing students. We teach because we love the job. We are not looking for fame or riches. We are not hoping to produce star performers--though a few now and then would be...

Fun activities for elementary music students. (Engaging Rhythyms).
April 1, 2002... Have you ever heard a student tell you that "It's too hard to count and play"? Have you ever taken on a transfer student who was missing a solid foundation in rhythmic awareness and execution? Although good rhythm technique is critical to...

Sonata by Mozart, lyrics by Ima desperate teacher.(music teaching techniques)
April 1, 2002... One characteristic of a great teacher is the ability to be flexible in the approach used with students--finding 100 ways, as needed, to present the same concepts to different students. Many teachers use lyrics and words to help students solve...

Hearing voices?: Addressing the subject of balancing voices in pianistic textures.(piano teaching)
April 1, 2002... Accomplished performing musicians must pay close attention to many musical elements simultaneously. One might ask, "Am I observing all the composer's indications in the score?" "Are notes articulated clearly and intelligibly?" "As much as...

It's a group thing: getting started in group teaching.
April 1, 2002... The room was filled to capacity; seventy-five enthusiastic teachers, representing twenty-three states, were seated in semicircular fashion around three studio scenarios; three vertical, acoustic pianos and a chalkboard, a computer and screen...

2002-2003 MTNA Student Competitions.
April 1, 2002... Rules, Requirements, Official Application Forms Linda Stump, Director of Competitions COMPOSITION COMPETITIONS The intent of the composition competition sponsored by Music Teachers National Association is to encourage creativity and...

Music Study Awards a hit. (Association News).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... MTNA members are taking advantage of the new MTNA Music Study Award to celebrate their students' musical accomplishments, and the orders are pouring in at headquarters. In fact, they are in the second printing. The Music Study Award is a...

Linda Stump appointed MTNA Competitions Director. (Association News).(Music Teachers National Association)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Linda Stump, NCTM, MTNA National Competitions Chair, has been appointed MTNA director of competitions by Executive Director Dr. Gary L. Ingle. She will be in charge of organizing, evaluating and implementing the MTNA competitions at the...

Insurance and financial benefits for members. (Association News).(Music Teachers National Association)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Optimum insurance coverage and financial products are now available exclusively to MTNA members through Robert H. Clarkson Insurance Agency and Financial Services, Inc. (RHC) and Raymond James Financial Services. With each elective option,...

Annual dues to increase $1. (Association News).(Music Teachers National Association)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... At the winter meeting of the MTNA Board of Directors, the Board voted to increase 2002-2003 active member dues to $50 at the national level. Board members agreed that regular, small dues increases were preferable to random, larger...

MTNA exhibits at NAMM. (Association News).(Music Teachers National Association)(National Association of Music Merchants)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... In an ongoing effort to increase MTNA's visibility, the association exhibited at the 2002 winter show of the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM). The show was held in Anaheim, California. This is the third year MTNA has occupied...

Reist attends APA meeting. (Association News).(former Music Teachers National Association president Joan M. Reist)(American Pianists Association)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... MTNA Immediate Past President Joan M. Reist, NCTM, recently attended her first meeting of the American Pianists Association (APA) Artistic Advisory Committee. MTNA's immediate past president serves on the committee. At the meeting,...

Leadership Summit set for September. (Association News).(Music Teachers National Association)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... The fifth, annual Summit for MTNA Leadership will take place in Cincinnati, Ohio, September 13-15, 2002. Members of the MTNA Board of Directors, division presidents, presidents-elect, state presidents, national program chairs and MTNA staff...

MTNA benefits from Amazon.com purchases. (Association News).(Music Teachers National Association joins Amazon.com Associates Program)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... MTNA is a participant in the Amazon.com Associates Program. As an Amazon.com associate, MTNA receives a 5% commission on purchases whenever customers access the store via MTNA's website at www.mma.org. If you are seeking a book or CD, DVD,...

Calendar.(Calendar of Events)
April 1, 2002... Calendar Summer State Conventions (As reported to MTNA by February 1, 2002) Alabama: June 6-8 Birmingham-Southern Birmingham College Alaska: Cancelled Arizona: May...

East Central Division. (Division News).(Michigan Music Teacher's Association)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... The East Central Division competitions and meetings were held at Michigan State University in East Lansing in January. Michigan MTA (MMTA) is growing with the addition of the North Central chapter, located in Gaylord, and the Grand Valley State...

Eastern Division. (Division News).(New Hampshire Music Teachers Association )(New York State Music Teachers Association )(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... The New York State Music Teachers Association (NYSMTA) recognizes an individual each year who has displayed outstanding services to the music profession. This year the citation was awarded to Genevieve Federico, a respected and devoted teacher...

Northwest Division. (Division News).(Wyoming Music Teachers Association )(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... This issue's column features the activities of the Wyoming Music Teachers Association (WMTA). Under the leadership of President Pam Hall and President-elect Jeanne Howard, NCTM, this creative group is certainly proving true that old phrase...

South Central Division. (Division News).(music teacher conventions)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... What an exciting time to be an American Music Teacher! Being a part of Music Teachers National Association and specifically the South Central Division is such an honor. Sharing with teachers throughout the country is an inspiration. The...

Southern Division. (Division News).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... In this issue we share news from Ronald Shinn, NCTM, Alabama MTA president and Susan Naylor, NCTM, Georgia MTA president. The Alabama Music Teachers Association (AMTA) will celebrate its 50th anniversary this upcoming June 6-8, 2002,...

Southwest Division. (Division News).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... The Southwest Division Executive Council and Council of Division Presidents meeting took place January 5 at New Mexico State University in Las Cruces, New Mexico. The discussion was frank, open and friendly. Here is a summary of some of the...

West Central Division. (Division News).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... In order to acquaint the MTNA membership with the West Central Division (WCD), following are features of our division. The WCD is comprised of eight states: Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota....

Shirley Raut appointed new Director of Development. (Foundation News).(Music Teachers National Association)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Executive Director Dr. Gary L. Ingle announces the appointment of Shirley A. Raut to the position of Director of Development. Raut, retired former executive director of MTNA and the FOUNDATION, will direct all fund-raising aspects,...

Task force appointed. (Foundation News).(Music Teachers National Association)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... The FOUNDATION has appointed Margaret Lorince, NCTM, L. Rexford Whiddon, NCTM, and Robert Nelson to work with Executive Director Dr. Gary L. Ingle and Director of Development Shirley Raut to develop a planned giving campaign. This task force...

Double your money. (Foundation News).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Many corporations are willing to match employee donations to a nonprofit. Do you or your spouse work for such a company? The MTNA FOUNDATION encourages applicable donors and their families to check with their corporate headquarters to inquire...

Polyphony. (Professional Resources).(new column)
April 1, 2002... Connections Welcome to this inaugural posting for Polyphony, American Music Teacher's new column! This column is meant to hear and share the many voices of teachers throughout the United States. In exchanging ideas, sharing philosophies...

Random access. (Professional Resources).(music web sites)
April 1, 2002... Have Your Students Performed for a Global Audience? Like most music teachers, I hope that every week is a productive week for my students. However--human nature being what it is--I have found the two or three weeks just prior to a student...

The shortcomings of our virtues. (Independent Music Teachers Forum).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Thorstein Veblen, the brilliant economist and social critic, began many of his analyses with the observation that economic systems had the shortcomings of their virtues--and the virtues of their shortcomings. As independent music teachers...

The next generation. (Local Association News).(music teaching)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... After our state executive board meeting and state convention, I realized that about 3% of our state members enter the MTNA competitions, and about 5% of our members had students playing in various and assorted honors recitals at the state...

Advocacy resources: U.N. conference and music organizations promote music's benefits. (Music in the Community).(United Nations)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... From the United Nations to the local school board, law- and policymakers are heeding the advocacy message of music teachers and related experts in the field. Several of the world's leading authorities on music and wellness addressed a U.N....

MTNA corporate members (as of February 15, 2002). (MTNA).(Music Teachers National Association)
April 1, 2002... MTNA thanks the following corporate members for their support: Adventus, Inc., www.adventus.com Alfred Publishing Company, Inc., www.alfredpub.com Allegrezza Piano Company, Inc., cwroten@webtv.com All Things Musical,...

MTNA institutional members (as of February 15, 2002). (MTNA).(Music Teachers National Association)
April 1, 2002... MTNA thanks the following corporate members for their support: Arkansas State University, www.astate.edu Azusa Pacific University, www.apu.edu Barclay College, barclaycollege@havilandtelco.com Berry College, www.berry.edu Carroll...

Fantasies and Delusions.
April 1, 2002... by Billy Joel. G. Shirmer (Hal Leonard Publishing Corp., 7777 W. Bluemound Rd., P.O. Box 13819, Milwaukee, WI 53213), 2001. 96 pp., $16.95. Moderate to difficult. Billy Joel (a.k.a. William Joel) is many things to many people. Until five...

The Classical Spirit: 1750-1820, Book 1.
April 1, 2002... by Nancy Bachus. Alfred Publishing Co., Inc. (16320 Roscoe Blvd., P.O. Box 10003, Van Nuys, CA 91410-0003), 2001. 64 pp., $9.95. Intermediate. In the latest addition to her valuable series, which includes The Baroque Spirit and The...

The Godowsky Collection, Vol. 2.
April 1, 2002... The Godowsky Collection, Vol. 2, edited by Millan Sachania. Carl Fischer (65 Bleecker St., New York, NY 10012), 2001. 439 pp., $49.95. Difficult. The Godowsky Collection, Vol. 2, is a collection of Godowsky's transcriptions and...

The Heart of the Concerto.
April 1, 2002... The Heart of the Concerto, by Kenon D. Renfrow. Alfred Publishing Co., Inc. (16320 Roscoe Blvd., P.O. Box 10003, Van Nuys, CA 91410-0003), 2001. 32 pp., $6.95. Optional accompaniment on General MIDI disk. Intermediate to late intermediate. ...

Variations on Nun Danket All.
April 1, 2002... by Matthew H. Corl. H. W. Gray/Warner Bros. Publications (15800 N. W. 48th Ave., Miami, FL 33014), 2001. 11 pp., $4.95. Intermediate. Considering the vast amount of organ literature based on hymn tunes, it may seem surprising that the genre...

A Franciscan Pastorale.
April 1, 2002... A Franciscan Pastorale (based on St. Francis of Assisi's "All Creatures of Our God and King"), by Franklin D. Ashdown. H. W. Gray/Warner Bros. Publications (15800 N. W. 48th Ave., Miami, FL 33014), 2001. 7 pp., $3.95. Intermediate. The...

The Operagoer's Guide: One Hundred Stories and Commentaries.
April 1, 2002... The Operagoer's Guide: One Hundred Stories and Commentaries, by M. Owen Lee. Amadeus Press (133 S. W. 2nd Ave., Ste. 450, Portland, OR 97204-9743), 2001. 233 pp., $12.95. Anyone who has tried to explain a convoluted opera plot to another...

Masterpieces of Music Before 1750: An Anthology of Musical Examples from Gregorian Chant to J. S. Bach.
April 1, 2002... edited by Carl Parrish and John F. Ohl. Dover Publications, Inc. (31 E. 2nd St., Mineola, NY 11501), 2001. (Copyright 1951 by W.W. Norton & Co. Renewed 1979 by John F. Ohl and Catherine C. Parrish.) Masterpieces of Music Before 1750 is a...

Opera: a History in Documents.
April 1, 2002... Opera: A History in Documents by Piero Weiss. Oxford University Press (198 Madison Ave., New York, NY 10016-4314), 2002. 368 pp., $35. If you were afraid that one more perfunctory rendering of opera history in its chronological,...

Leadership.(Directory)
April 1, 2002... Board of Directors Wayne Gibson, NCTM President 5201 Highland Trl. Acworth, GA 30102-2544 (770) 926-8700 Fax (770) 926-7188 waygib@aol.com Phyllis Pieffer, NCTM President-Elect 4852 Wishkah Rd. Aberdeen, WA 98520-9628...