American Music Teacher articles from December 2006

American Music Teacher archives from December 2006

A decade of advancement.(Dear Reader)(Music Teachers National Association)
December 1, 2006... In December 2006, I complete my 10th year as executive director of MTNA. As humans, we assign special significance to certain time-related milestones--years, decades, quarter-centuries, and the like. In reflecting on the last 10 years, I feel a...

Team teaching.(In Unison)
December 1, 2006... "Two teachers may jointly enter a duet team. Both teachers must be listed on the application and must pay current active MTNA dues or the Nonmember Teacher Entry Fee." These two sentences are the second bullet in the rules and regulations...

Novus via music group launches series.(Items of Interest)(American Papular Piano)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Novus Via Music Group Inc. has announced its new series American Papular Piano, written by Christopher Norton and Scott McBride Smith. Specifically crafted to build solid traditional skills in the context of popular styles, the series ranges...

Piano technicians guild unveils new website.(Items of Interest)(Ptg.org/learningCenter)(Website overview)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... The Piano Technicians Guild have introduced their new website--The Piano Learning Center, found at www.ptg.org/learningCenter/. The Piano Learning Center is a one-stop location full of materials for piano teachers to help students expand their...

Fire destroys PianoDisc headquarters.(Items of Interest)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... On September 27, 2006, a six-alarm fire destroyed approximately 60 percent of the Sacramento, California, headquarters of PianoDisc, one of the world's leading makers of state-of-the-art piano playing systems and owners of Mason & Hamlin....

From the top on PBS.(Items of Interest)(From the Top: Live from Carnegie Hall on public broadcasting services)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... WGBH Boston is collaborating with From the Tap and Carnegie Hall to bring the music variety program to PBS member stations. Like the weekly radio program distributed by NPR, the television series will showcase the top-notch musicianship,...

Merger creates music for all.(Items of Interest)(Bands of America and Music for All Foundation merge)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Bands of America and the Music for All Foundation have merged to create Music for All, Inc. For 31 years, Bands of America (BOA) and its Orchestra America division have provided educational experiences for instrumental music programs and...

Yamaha acquires Rogers Drums.(Items of Interest)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Yamaha Corp. of America has acquired the intellectual property rights to the Rogers Drum Company. The move followed the Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing of Brook Mays Music. Rogers, founded in 1849, boasts a rich heritage of manufacturing...

Music making on the rise in U.S.(Items of Interest)
December 1, 2006... A new U.S. Gallup Poll reveals that Americans of all ages are continuing to pursue music making and offers insight into the attitudes behind this passion as part of the 2006 Music USA: NAMM Global Report. The report, which covers a broad...

Sylvia McNair joins IU faculty.(Items of Interest)(Indiana University. School of Music)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Sylvia McNair, an Indiana University alumna, two-time Grammy Award winner and internationally renowned soprano, has returned to the IU Jacobs School of Music to join the voice faculty. McNair's career has encompassed more than 70 recordings...

MakeMusic, Inc. releases finale 2007.(Music Merchandise)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... MakeMusic, Inc., 6210 Bury Dr., Eden Prairie, MN 55346; Finale 2007 is available for Windows and Macintosh computers; www.finalemusic.com; www.makemusic.com. MakeMusic, Inc. has released Finale 2007 for Macintosh and Windows computers....

Bach Student Trumpet.(Music Merchandise)
December 1, 2006... Conn-Selmer, Inc., P.O. Box 310, Elkhart, IN 46515-0310; www.connselmer.com. Conn-Selmer, Inc. introduces a new student trumpet under its Bach brand name. The Bach model TR500 trumpet offers an affordable option for beginning players and...

The Festival for Creative Pianists.(Competitions)
December 1, 2006... The Festival for Creative Pianists has moved to Mesa State College in Grand Junction, Colorado. The next festival is June 12-16, 2007. This unique competition combines classical and jazz idioms in a constructive educational setting....

Young Artists Competition.(Competitions)
December 1, 2006... The New York Federation of Music Clubs will hold the Biennial Young Artists Competition, sponsored by the National Federation of Music Clubs. Competition categories include piano, strings, woman's solo voice and man's solo voice. Entries...

USA International Harp Competition.(Competitions)
December 1, 2006... The USA International Harp Competition will take place in July 2007 in Bloomington, Indiana, at Indiana University. Deadline for application is March 1, 2007. Applicants must be between ages 16 and 32 as of July 1, 2007. Prizes include a...

DeBose Fine Arts Festival and National Piano Competition.(Competitions)
December 1, 2006... The DeBose Fine Arts Festival and National Piano Competition, presented by the DeBose Foundation and Southern University-Department of Visual and Performing Arts in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, is April 15-21, 2007. The DeBose National Piano...

Shigeru Kawai.(Passages)(Obituary)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Shigeru Kawai, chairman emeritus of the Kawai Global Group, died on August 20, 2006, at the age of 84. Kawai's leadership was the driving force behind the growth and worldwide success of the Kawai company for nearly five decades. He served as...

Elisabeth Schwarzkopf.(Passages)(Obituary)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Famed soprano Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, one of the greatest voices of the 20th century, died at her home in western Austria on August 3, 2007, at age 90. Schwarzkopf, who retired in 1975, captivated audiences and critics alike during a career...

5 minutes with ... Bruce Stevens.(Interview)
December 1, 2006... Bruce A. Stevens has been president of Steinway & Sons since 1985. Prior to that, he was director of international marketing for the Polaroid Corporation. Stevens was raised in a musical family and studied French horn, trumpet, drums and piano....

The art of listening with depth, understanding, flow and imagery.(piano music)
December 1, 2006... Why is it that some performances we hear are pertly competent, technically impressive and even stylistically correct, but leave no lasting impression? Why is it that others are memorable, moving and somehow alive? We hear these contrasts on the...

I learned to play jazz piano and you can too.
December 1, 2006... When I was living in Madison, Wisconsin, in the early 1970s, I had been fired from a lucrative musical theater accompanist job because I did not now how to improvise. I was in shock. Me? I was a hot-shot classical pianist, I could play...

The draggin' dragon: some lighthearted tools for serious sitting.(Viewpoint essay)
December 1, 2006... Have you ever suffered from back pain? Hardly a day goes by when I don't encounter someone who is coping with problems in some part of their back--lower back, middle back, upper back or shoulders. It seems almost a sign of these stressful...

Federico Mompou: Catalonian composer magnifico.(Biography)
December 1, 2006... "We dedicate this article in memoriam to Pierre Huybregts (1934-2003), talented pianist who introduced me to the world of Mompou, and with whom I presented many of his songs."--Joseph Rawlins Catalonian composer Federico Mompou (1893-1987)...

Your membership dues at work.(National Association News)
December 1, 2006... Dear Members: One of the Board of Directors' most important responsibilities is to oversee the financial assets of the association. The Board's financial oversight is coordinated by the Finance Committee, composed of Secretary-Treasurer...

MTNA leaders attend Summit.(National Association News)(Brief article)(Conference notes)
December 1, 2006... The ninth annual Summit for MTNA Leadership was held in Cincinnati, Ohio, September 15-17, 2006. Nearly 100 MTNA leaders, including state presidents, division directors-elect, program chairs and the board of directors, attended the weekend of...

Collegiate chapter of the year award.(National Association News)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Each year MTNA recognizes a collegiate chapter that exemplifies outstanding self- and member-promotion and effective community outreach, honoring that chapter with the Benjamin Whitten Collegiate Chapter of the Year Award. The winning...

Encourage music for everyone.(National Association News)
December 1, 2006... As the second half of the school year gets underway, it is time to think about rewarding all students for their music-making efforts. If you are planning a studio festival, especially for the first time, consider participating in the MTNA...

MTNA benefits from Amazon.com purchases.(National Association News)(Music Teachers National Association)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... MTNA is a participant in the Amazon.com Associates Program. As an Amazon.com associate, MTNA receives a 5 percent commission on purchases whenever customers access the store via MTNA's website at www.mtna.org. If you are seeking a book, CD,...

MTNA executive director participates in MENC Podcast.(National Association News)(Music Teachers National Association's Gary L. Ingle)(MENC: The National Association for Music Education's John Mahlmann)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... MTNA Executive Director Gary L. Ingle recently was interviewed by MENC: The National Association for Music Education Executive Director John Mahlmann. The interview was part of MENC's "Notes from the Clef," an occasional Podcast series. This...

Eastern division.(Division News)(New Jersey Music Teachers' Association)(Brief article)(Conference notes)
December 1, 2006... The New Jersey MTA has had a banner year, punctuated by an innovative and successful Performathon! The 2005 fall conference was held November 18-19 with guest artists including Jerome Lowenthal of The Julliard School, flutist Jayn...

East central division.(Division News)(Illinois Music Teachers' Association appoints Karen Rogers)(Indiana association launches website)(Christopher Carlon to offer newsletter)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Illinois State MTA is naming Karen Rogers as a FOUNDATION Fellow. Professor of music emerita from Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville, she has authored the Illinois Achievement in Music Teachers Manual, and student workbooks for nine...

Northwest division news.(Division News)(Music Teachers' Association)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... In September, Washington State MTA held its annual adjudicators conference and Leadership Seminan These conferences allowed the opportunity for state adjudicators, officers, chairs and chapter presidents to meet, get acquainted, exchange ideas...

South Central division.(Division News)(meeting of Music Teachers National Association)(Arkansas Music Teachers Association launches website)(Oklahoma Music Teachers Association presents awards)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... South Central had an excellent division meeting at the annual Summit for MTNA Leadership. All four state presidents, as well as other state and national officers were present. We look forward to division competitions January 27-28 at the...

Southern division.(Division News)(Music Teachers' Association)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Highlights from Greensboro MTA include Susan Alcon's "Studio Makeover," Suzanne Hock's session on "Dalcroze Eurhythmics," and Don Hodges's program on "Development in the Music Brain." The Charlotte MTA encouraged students to strive for student...

West Central division.(Division News)(Music Teachers' Association)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Missouri MTA is growing with ideas, rejuvenated collegiate chapters, innovative state conferences, a new design of NOTES (print publication), investigation of funding strategies, and an expanded website (wvvw.missourimta.org). Several Missouri...

Southwest division news.(Division News)(Music Teachers' Association)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Luiz de Mauro Castro and his wife Bridget were featured artists at the Hawaii MTA state conference held November 10-13. They also helped judge the HMTA competitions. The Nevada MTA's state conference was held November 3-5 in Las Vegas at...

Foundation fund.(Association News)(Music Teachers National Association)
December 1, 2006... Legacy Society The MTNA FOUNDATION FUND has established the Legacy Society to recognize those individuals who have made a commitment to the future of the FOUNDATION through a planned gift or by fully funding a named endowment at the...

Professional certification: what is your teaching philosophy? Part II.(Association News)(Column)
December 1, 2006... Even before Part I of this column, which appeared in the October/November AMT, went to print, requests for presentations at local association meetings and sessions at state association conferences were pouring in to the MTNA National...

Polyphony.(Professional Resources)(helping out music teachers)
December 1, 2006... Q. How do you help students learn to play "into the keys," particularly in passages with soft dynamics? I find that this problem affects students' ability to play legato when soft, and I would like some strategies or images to use when working...

It's all your business: developing professional studio documents.(Professional Resources)(Column)
December 1, 2006... During this volume year, AMT presents "The Best of Beth"--three of the best columns as selected Beth. The second of these columns is presented here. --AMT What is the independent music studio? Educational facility? Arts organization?...

Random access: the 21st Century Recital Hall how internet audio and video can provide an alternative stage.(Professional Resources)
December 1, 2006... As music teachers, we view technology as either a tool to help our students learn or as an aid to manage our studios. We most often associate music technology with theory, notation or sequencing software programs. However, there is technology...

The power of peer role modeling.(Forum Focus: Arts Awareness and Advocacy)(Column)
December 1, 2006... I'm not a music teacher, I never have been, but I know a lot about kids and what makes them tick. I first became involved with young musicians when I volunteered to be the producer for my daughter's youth orchestra tours at New England...

Getting started with StAR.(Forum Focus: Collegiate Chapters)(Student Achievement Recognition Award)(Viewpoint essay)
December 1, 2006... "I don't have time for this." I bet you've said that, or at least thought it, several times in the last few days. Here you are with finals approaching and you've got a huge paper due for Music History, a composition to write for Theory IV,...

Person first and together: a different kind of teaching.(Forum Focus: Independent Music Teachers)
December 1, 2006... (start slow, soft, to self... "Private lessons." Think, "Individual." He says, "Semi-Private," (to full voice... She says, "Diads." Someone says, "Class," Others say "No." You call out, "There ARE...

MTNA corporate members.(Music Teachers National Association)
December 1, 2006... (as of October 1, 2006) MTNA thanks the following corporate members for their supports: A Tempo Software Alfred Publishing Co., Inc., www.alfredpub.com Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music, www.abrsm.ac.uk/usa Bags...

MTNA institutional members.(Music Teachers National Association)
December 1, 2006... Baldwin-Wallace College, www.bw.edu Barthelmes Conservatory, www.tulsaconservatory.com Berry College, www.berry.edu Bowling Green State University, www.bgsu.edu/colleges/music California State University-Santa Barbara,...

Key Notes, Creative Steps to Piano Success.(Book review)
December 1, 2006... * Key Notes, Creative Steps to Piano Success, by Barbara Wing. American Literary Press (8019 Belair Rd., Ste. 10, Baltimore, MD 21236), 2006. 92 pp. $12.95. The collected thoughts and wisdom of an experienced, creative and insightful...

The Disciplines of Vocal Pedagogy: Towards an Holistic Approach.(Book review)
December 1, 2006... * The Disciplines of Vocal Pedagogy: Towards an Holistic Approach, by Karen Sell. Ashgate Publishing Company (101 Cherry St., Ste. 420, Burlington, VT 05401), 2006. 253 pp. $94.95. Revising her doctoral dissertation to produce this book,...

Olivia Forms a Band.(Children's review)
December 1, 2006... * Olivia Forms a Band, by Ian Falconer (Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020), 2006. 39pp. $17.95. Olivia Forms a Band is a wonderful children's book about a young pig with a very creative mind....

Practiceopedia: The Complete Illustrated Guide to Mastering Music's Greatest Challenge, an A-Z of Everything Students (and Parents) Need to Know about Practicing.(Book review)
December 1, 2006... * Practiceopedia: The Complete Illustrated Guide to Mastering Music's Greatest Challenge... An A-Z of Everything Students (and Parents) Need to Know About Practicing, by Philip Johnston. Practice Spot Press (52 Pethbridge St., Pearce ACT 2607,...

America's Songs: The Stories behind the Songs of Broadway, Hollywood, and Tin Pan Alley.(Book review)
December 1, 2006... * America's Songs: The Stories Behind the Songs of Broadway, Hollywood, and the Tin Pan Alley, by Philip Furia and Michael Lasser. Routledge (270 Madison Ave., New York, NY 10016), 2006. 336pp. $29.95. America's Songs is a storybook, a...

Getting the Most out of Mozart: The Vocal Works.(Book review)
December 1, 2006... * Getting the Most Out of Mozart: The Vocal Works, by David Hurwitz. Amadeus Press (512 Newark Pompton Turnpike, Pompton Plains, NJ 07444), 2005. 210pp. $22.95 David Hurwitz brings his lifetime of passion for music, thoughtful perceptions...

Lining Out the Word: Dr. Watts Hymn Singing in the Music of Black Americans.(Book review)
December 1, 2006... * Lining Out the Word: Dr. Watts Hymn Singing in the Music of Black Americans, by William T. Dargan. University of California Press (2120 Berkley Way, Berkley, CA 94704), 2006. 320 pp. $45. Lining Out the Word is a scholarly treatise citing...

Top Ten Jazz Standards.(Book review)
December 1, 2006... Top Ten Jazz Standards, by Sharon Aaronson. Alfred Publishing Co., Inc. (16320 Roscoe Blvd., P.O. Box 10003, Van Nuys, CA 91410), 2006. 31 pp. $8.95. Late Intermediate. It is always a pleasure to see another set of arrangements based on...

Hymns for Two.(Brief article)(Book review)
December 1, 2006... Hymns for Two, arranged by Carol Klose. Hal Leonard Corporation (7777 W. Bluemound Rd., P.O. Box 13819, Milwaukee, WI 53213), 2006. 63 pp. $10.95. Intermediate. Piano teachers looking for intermediate-level sacred duets will find 12...

Rejoice! Engaging Hymn Settings for Piano.(Book review)
December 1, 2006... Rejoice! Engaging Hymn Settings for Piano, by Wendy Stevens. Concordia Publishing House (3558 S. Jefferson Ave., St. Louis, MO 63118), 2006. 38 pp. $16. Of the seven hymn arrangements in this collection, one is for Easter, one is...

... Depends what you mean by "progress": the potential for artistry in average young performers.(The Back Page)
December 1, 2006... I had a young student once who, having learned that I got goose bumps on my arms when she played her very best, would check to see and say, "Are you goose bumpy yet?" I often was, because there was a certain integrity about her tone, expression...