American Music Teacher articles from February 2004

American Music Teacher archives from February 2004

KC here we come!(Dear Reader)
February 1, 2004... In its early days, Kansas City was a small town of settlers and missionaries providing a gateway to the West. Today, with nearly 1.8 million people residing in the metro area, Kansas City has grown to be the twenty-ninth largest city in the...

MTNA membership: priceless.(In Unison)
February 1, 2004... Have you ever been asked, "Why should I join MTNA? What can MTNA do for me?" Then the person apologetically gives a further explanation to try to give validity to the questions, such as, "I just teach in a smaller community, and I am not...

Steinway reports sales increase.(Items of Interest)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2004... Steinway Musical Instruments, Inc. reported a 10 percent increase in sales for the quarter ending September 27, 2003, amounting to $83 million. In addition, its EBITDA increased 23 percent, amounting to $11 million. Piano sales for the...

Carl Fischer announces new appointments.(Items of Interest)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2004... Barry O'Neal recently was appointed director of concert music for Carl Fischer, where he formerly was director of promotion. In his new position, O'Neal is responsible for all aspects of the development of the concert music catalog at Carl...

NFMC offers new award.(Items of Interest)
February 1, 2004... The National Federation of Music Clubs (NFMC) introduces its Ouida Keck Professional Development for the Independent Piano Teacher Award, worth $1,000, established in honor of this past NFMC national president. This award will be given...

Gibson Guitar Corp. introduces Gibson Audio.(Items of Interest)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2004... Gibson Guitar Corp. has expanded beyond its core musical instrument business into consumer electronics with the founding of Gibson Audio. Gibson Audio will design and develop audio products at the point between digital technology and...

ASTA to host National String Forum in March.(Items of Interest)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2004... The American String Teachers Association will conduct its National String Forum and Festival at the Adams Mark Hotel in Dallas, Texas, March 11-15, 2004. This event will encompass five tracks: National Studio Teachers Forum, the...

International Singing Conference set for October 2004.(Items of Interest)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2004... The National Center for Voice and Speech (NCVS) will conduct its second International Physiology & Acoustics of Singing Conference, October 7-9, 2004, in Denver, Colorado, at its new facility in the Tramway Building and the Executive Tower...

Convention for the Arts in Washington, D.C.(PrivateLessons.com: leading studio marketing network for private music teachers)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2004... The Americans for the Arts and the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies will hold their second joint convention July 17-20, 2004, in Washington, D.C. at the Omni Shoreham Hotel. During Participate 2004, attendees will come together and...

Ludmila Lazar honored by Roosevelt University.(PrivateLessons.com: leading studio marketing network for private music teachers)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2004... Roosevelt University recently recognized MTNA member Ludmila Lazar, for her exemplary service to the university and achievements in her career, with the Rolf A. Well Distinguished Service Award. She is professor emeritus of piano and...

Berklee College offers online music lessons.(PrivateLessons.com: leading studio marketing network for private music teachers)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2004... Berklee College of Music recently announced the launch of Berklee Shares, a new program providing free online music lessons and encouraging musicians to share and distribute these music lessons online. The Berklee Shares lessons are...

Dossin wins Argerich Piano competition.(PrivateLessons.com: leading studio marketing network for private music teachers)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2004... MTNA member Alexandre Dossin recently received the first prize and the special prize for the best performance of the Sonatina Espanola by J.J. Castro during the second Martha Argerich International Piano Competition in Buenos Aires, Argentina....

SmartMusic Studio 8.1 released.(Music Marketplace)
February 1, 2004... Make Music Inc., 6210 Bury Dr., Eden Prairie, MN 55346-1718; (952) 937-9611, fax: (952) 937-9760; www.makemusic.com or www.smartmusic.com. Price varies. MakeMusic! Inc. recently released SmartMusic Studio 8.1, the latest version of the...

Suzuki introduces new Digital Pianos.(Music Marketplace)
February 1, 2004... Suzuki Corp., P.O. Box 261030, San Diego, CA 92196; (800) 854-1594; www.suzukimusic.com. Contact local dealer for price. Suzuki Musical Instrument Corporation's new SS Series Digital Pianos include sixty-four-note polyphony, a built-in...

Crazy Campsongs for kids.(Music Marketplace)
February 1, 2004... Jenpet Books, P.O. Box 2542, Alameda, CA 94501, (510) 521-3582; info@crazycampsongs.com; www.crazycampsongs.com. $9.99. Crazy Campsongs, a new songbook released by Jenpet Books, features a collection of original new songs for kids presented...

Instrument holders for wheelchair trays available.(Music Marketplace)
February 1, 2004... A Day's Work, 2320 N.E. 8th Rd., Ocala, FL 34470; (352) 861-0510, fax: (352) 861-7445; ray@adaysworkmusiceducation.com; www.adaysworkmusiceducation.com. $114.50. A Day's Work recently designed and added single instrument holders for...

53rd ARD International Music Competition 2004 Munich.(Competitions)
February 1, 2004... The 53rd ARD International Music Competition will take place August 30 September 17, 2004, in Munich, with awards for viola, flute, harp and string quartet. There are first, second and third prizes for viola, flute and harp worth 10,000...

Coleman Chamber Ensemble Competition.(Competitions)
February 1, 2004... The 58th Annual Coleman Chamber Ensemble Competition will take place April 24-25, 2004, at Caltech in Pasadena, California. Among the prizes will be a $6,000 Coleman Association Centennial Award, a $4,000 Coleman-Barstow Award for Strings,...

Jon Kimura Parker.(2004 MTNA National Conference Artists)
February 1, 2004... Imagine an enormously talented pianist, passionate about communicating his love of music to his audience, with a devilish sense of humor that inspired him to play the X-Files Theme within the cadenza of the Mozart D-Minor Piano Concerto, K....

The collaborative spirit ... Zephyr ... in action.(2004 MTNA National Conference Artists)
February 1, 2004... Zephyr, a New York City-based trio, is a unique collaboration that is described as "an ensemble of three highly talented and personable musicians with an attractively varied repertoire." Zephyr members are Lady Jeanne Galway, flute, Darrett...

Catch the rising stars.(2004 MTNA National Conference Artists)
February 1, 2004... Scott Conklin While many five-year-old boys dream of becoming a firefighter or police officer when they grow up, Scott Conklin decided soon after his fifth birthday that he wanted to be a concert violinist. As a successful violin soloist...

Directory of summer programs.(Directory)
February 1, 2004... ALASKA University of Alaska-Fairbanks Jo Scott, Producing Director/Founder, Fairbanks Summer Arts Festival, P.O. Box 80845, Fairbanks, AK 99708; (907) 479-8869; festival@alaska.net; www.fsaf.org Fairbanks Summer Arts Festival...

2004 MTNA National Conference.
February 1, 2004... Dear Colleague: You are cordially invited to the premier educational networking event for the music-teaching professional. Join your friends and colleagues for the MTNA National Conference in Kansas City, Missouri, March 27-31, 2004. This...

Conference artists.(Calendar)
February 1, 2004... All information is subject to change. PIANO CONCERT Tuesday, March 30 8:00 P.M. Music Hall Jon Kimura Parker Internationally acclaimed concert pianist Jon Kimura Parker was born, raised and educated in Vancouver. A...

Conference events.(Calendar)
February 1, 2004... OPENING SESSION Saturday, March 27 7:00 P.M. Music Hall Barry Green, keynote speaker Barry Green, author of The Inner Game of Music, will serve as keynote speaker during the conference opening session. The Rising Stars...

Presenters and sessions.(Illustration)
February 1, 2004... PRESENTERS AND SESSIONS All information is subject to change. A complete conference schedule is available online at www.mtna.org. Robert Abramson Dalcroze Hand Dances for the Piano Monday ...

Master classes.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2004... PIANO Jon Kimura Parker Monday, March 29 Internationally acclaimed concert pianist Jon Kimura Parker has performed with major orchestras throughout the world. A passionate music educator, Parker hosts the classical music...

Special events.
February 1, 2004... PEDAGOGY SATURDAY VIII Teaching for Independence: Creating Lifelong Musicians Saturday, March 27 8:15 A.M.-5:15 P.M. Conference registration and additional fee required. This year's Pedagogy Saturday will explore the theme...

Tour registration.
February 1, 2004... National Conference Kansas City, Missouri March 27-31, 2004 Tr ours will depart from and return to the Kansas City Marriott Downtown Hotel. No refunds or exchanges will be made after March 4, 2004. Should you find it necessary to cancel...

New this year!
February 1, 2004... TECHNOLOGY SESSIONS This year, MTNA will offer technology sessions throughout the conference, free with your registration. Made possible through a partnership with the International Association of Electronic Keyboard Manufacturers, these...

Registration/travel information.
February 1, 2004... SINGLE-DAY REGISTRATION A badge indicating the clay of the week will be issued to those attendees and presenters who register for one day. This will provide admission to any session and the exhibit hall for only the day indicated on the...

Official notice of annual business meeting.(Association News)
February 1, 2004... The annual business meeting of the association for the presentation of reports and discussion of association affairs will be held in conjunction with the Association Breakfast on Tuesday, March 30, 7:00-8:00 A.M. in the Imperial Ballroom in the...

2002 MTNA competition winners selected as ARTS Week National Finalists.(Association News)
February 1, 2004... Four 2002 MTNA state winners have been selected among 125 ARTS Week National Finalists for 2004. Kathryn Huo, Tim Sawyier, Christopher Schmitt and Stephanie Wu will travel all-expenses-paid to Miami, Florida, for ARTS Week 2004, the week of...

Official notice of bylaws amendment proposal.(Association News)
February 1, 2004... At the annual business meeting, the MTNA Board of Directors is proposing an amendment to Article V, Section 5 regarding the vacancies on the national Board of Directors and division officers. The purpose of the amendment is to provide a means...

Official notice of revised Code of Ethics approval.(Association News)
February 1, 2004... At the annual business meeting, the MTNA Board of Directors is proposing a revised Code of Ethics to be approved by the membership. A task force, appointed by MTNA President Phyllis Pieffer, NCTM, and chaired by Sigrid Luther, NCTM, developed...

New members can apply online.
February 1, 2004... In an effort to make the MTNA website as user-friendly as possible, new members now can join online. In the past, new members had to complete a form and mail it, with their dues payment to MTNA national headquarters. Now, they can complete...

MTNA partners with the Performing Arts Medicine Association.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2004... MTNA has partnered with the Performing Arts Medicine Association (PAMA) and the Texas Center for Music and Medicine at the University of North Texas to develop health education materials specifically for National Association of Schools of Music...

New foundation fellow named.(Foundation Fund News)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2004... Barbara Wasson, MTNA member front Dayton, Ohio, was presented with the MTNA FOUNDATION Fellow award at the Ohio Music Teachers Association (OMTA) annual conference on November 15. Amy Immerman, OMTA president, said following the presentation:...

Do you know ...(Foundation Fund News)
February 1, 2004... ... that you can make your annual contribution to the MTNA FOUNDATION FUND along with your dues renewal payment? Simply indicate the amount you wish to give on the line provided and include it in the same check with your dues. Also, don't...

MTNA Legacy Society.(Foundation Fund News)
February 1, 2004... The MTNA Legacy Society recognizes those individuals who have made a commitment to the future of MTNA through a planned gift or by fully funding a named endowment at the $10,000 level. Because of the foresight of these Legacy Society members,...

East Central Division.(Division News)
February 1, 2004... The East Central Division is indeed fortunate to have Laura Melton of Bowling Green University as the ECD competitions chair. Her talent, competence and dedication are recognized and appreciated. The ECD meeting at the 2004 MTNA National...

Eastern Division.(Division News)
February 1, 2004... The Eastern Division is featuring the state of Delaware for this article. Delaware State President Jacqueline Faulcon is sharing this information regarding this small, but dynamic, state's activities. The Delaware convention was held at the...

Northwest Division.(Division News)
February 1, 2004... Northwest Division MTNA Competitions were held in Missoula, Montana, January 16-18, 2004. Presidents from each state in the division attended a state presidents' meeting and helped at the competitions wherever needed. The division competitions...

South Central Division.(Division News )
February 1, 2004... Throughout the year our local associations bring in well-known clinicians or seek the talent of local teachers to provide educational and inspirational workshops. In Louisiana the Alexandria music teachers recently hosted Maurice Hinson, NCTM,...

Southern Division.(Division News)
February 1, 2004... I always feel this is a strange time of year for us, as music teachers. Most of the world is thinking about new beginnings, with the new year having begun. But we have our new beginnings in August or September with the start of the school year....

Southwest Division.(Division News)
February 1, 2004... It always is interesting to hear about the progress in each state. Utah MTA welcomes ninety-seven new members who joined the organization in the fall of 2003. Performance evaluations, an annual statewide event open to piano students of all...

West Central Division.(Division News)
February 1, 2004... Members and friends of the West Central Division are invited to attend a no-host dinner during the MTNA National Conference in Kansas City in March. The dinner will be held at 6:00 P.M., immediately following the division business meeting at...

Fly to port folio: with immediate connections to ...(Certification)
February 1, 2004... * Standard II * Standard III * Standard IV As you should have heard by now, teachers seeking Professional Certification can opt to travel the older, more straightforward "final examination" route or now can choose the newly created, scenic...

State MTA presidents directory.(Directory)
February 1, 2004... Alabama--Brent Reeves, 3508 Laurel View Rd., Birmingham, AL 35216-3826; (205) 979-6472; brentandlorna@aol.com Alaska--Timothy Smith, 16056 Hidden Creek Ln., Anchorage, AK 99516-7524; (907) 345-4156; aftcs@uaa.alaska.edu Arizona--June...

MTNA division elections.
February 1, 2004... The MTNA Bylaws state that the active general membership of each division shall elect the division officers and director in even-numbered years. The ballot and supporting information about the candidates are presented in this issue of AMT. All...

Polyphony.(Professional Resources)
February 1, 2004... Q. I often hear teachers comment on performances of other teachers' students in a positive way, impressed with the students' ability to perform musically, with security, and with seeming personal involvement and enjoyment. This applies to most...

What's new in pedagogy research?(Professional Resources)
February 1, 2004... Many independent music teachers extend their teaching day and increase their income by offering various types of group and private instruction for preschool children. A recent study titled "Musical Play: A Case Study of Preschool Children and...

Insurance insights: common insurance mistakes.(Professional Resources)
February 1, 2004... As busy music professionals and business owners, sometimes there are numerous business issues that have to be completed before you even can begin teaching. Setting up the studio, ordering music, purchasing instruments, scheduling appointments...

A closet, a box and a lifetime of memories.(Forum focus: arts awareness and advocacy)
February 1, 2004... A few weeks ago I decided to tackle the project of cleaning my closet. It's something I actually do rather frequently. Each time is exciting for the first few minutes, and then I become disinterested, which is why I have to clean my closet so...

Chamber Music Database now on MTNA website.(Forum focus: collaborative performance)
February 1, 2004... It's here! The long-awaited Intermediate-Level Chamber Music Database is now on the MTNA website and ready for you to explore. MTNA's former Collaborative Performance Advisory Committee was charged with "advancing the study and performance...

A dean's view of the value of MTNA.(Forum focus: college faculty)
February 1, 2004... As the dean of a mid-sized conservatory of music, I think I have a somewhat unique perspective on the importance of MTNA to collegiate music faculty. Let me begin with the national conference, scheduled for March 27-31, 2004, in Kansas City,...

Collegiate Sunday.(Forum focus: collegiate chapters)
February 1, 2004... To encourage members to participate in the Collegiate Chapters sessions during the MTNA National Conference, MTNA is offering all programming except the Forum on "Collegiate Sunday." Collegiate members will be well represented in several...

Whetting your appetite.(Forum focus: independent music teachers)
February 1, 2004... Kansas City is a city with an appetite for great food, great music and good times. Located near the geographical center of the United States, Kansas City mixes influences of East and West, North and South in a unique blend. The birthplace of KC...

The power of people: the changing world of volunteerism, Part Two.(Forum focus: local associations)
February 1, 2004... Have you ever considered the number of hours you have donated in service to MTNA? Active membership in this organization, which functions primarily through volunteer efforts, means you probably have given many hours and contributed in a wide...

Play it Again, Sam: What, Why and When to Repeat.(Book Review)
February 1, 2004... by Marienne Uszler. The FJH Music Company, Inc. (2525 Davie Rd., Ste. 360, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33317-7424), 2003. 62pp. $8.95. This is a gem of a book. Only sixty-two pages long, it is a treasure-trove of pedagogical wisdom. Addressing key...

The Hobbyist's Guide to Playing the Piano.(Book Review)
February 1, 2004... by Marjory Frances Brown-Azarowicz. Vantage Press, Inc. (516 W. 34th St., New York, NY 10001), 2003. 198 pp. $18.95. Marjory Frances Brown-Azarowicz offers a calico-quilt of information about playing the piano for those who have decided it...

Jazz Composition: Theory and Practice.(Book Review)
February 1, 2004... by Ted Pease; edited by Rick Mattingly. Berklee Press (1140 Boylston St., Boston, MA 02215-3693), 2003. 237pp. $39.95. Unlike thirty years ago, nowadays there are many pedagogical materials devoted to jazz theory, improvisation, voicings,...

The Art of Piano Pedaling: Two Classic Guides, Anton Rubinstein and Teresa Carreno.(Book Review)
February 1, 2004... edited by Joseph Banowetz and Brian Mann. Dover Publications, Inc. (31 E. 2nd St., Mineola, NY 11501), 2003. 77 pp. $11.95. The introductions written by Joseph Banowetz and Brian Mann are important additions to this volume. They provide a...

Janacek and His World.(Book Review)
February 1, 2004... edited by Michael Beckerman. Princeton University Press (41 William St., Princeton, NJ 08540), 2003. 316pp. $22.95. This excellent volume is a varied collection of essays pertaining to the great Czech composer Leos Janacek (1854-1928) and...

A Symposium for Pianists and Teachers: Strategies to Develop the Mind and Body for Optimal Performance.(Book Review)
February 1, 2004... by Gail Berenson et al.; edited by Kris Kropff. Heritage Music Press (Lorenz Corp., Box 802, Dayton, OH 45401-0802), 2002. 275 pp. $45. This is a must-have for readers wanting a comprehensive but basic book about healthy piano playing. It...

Teaching Little Fingers to Play Hymns: a Hymn Book for the Earliest Beginner.(Sound Recording Review)
February 1, 2004... by Mary K. Sallee. The Willis Music Company (P.O. Box 548, Florence, KY 41022), 2003. 23 pp. $14.90. John Thompson's Teaching Little Fingers to Play has been a standard method book for piano teachers since 1936. Over the years, the...

Ties That Bind: Hymn Arrangements Old and New for Piano Solo.(Sound Recording Review)
February 1, 2004... arranged by Bob Burroughs. Carl Fischer (65 Bleeker St, New York, NY 10012), 2003. 24 pp. $6.95. Easy. The Ties That Bind is a collection of arrangements containing standard to contemporary hymns. The edition is clean and barely edited--no...

Romantic Rhapsodies-Book 2 (Composers in Focus).(Book Review)
February 1, 2004... by Melody Bober. The FJH Music Company, Inc. (2525 Davie Rd., Ste. 360, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33317-7424), 2003. 26 pp. $5.95. Intermediate. In her second book of Romantic Rhapsodies, Melody Bober shows her flair for spinning wonderful...

Big Time Piano (Popular), Level 4.(Brief Article)(Book Review)
February 1, 2004... by Nancy and Randall Faber. The FJH Music Company, Inc. (2525 Davie Rd., Ste. 360, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33317-7424), 2003. 40pp. $6.95. Intermediate. The Fabers have added a new Popular book to their Big Time series of supplementary...

Easy Piano Selections from the Sound of Music.(Brief Article)(Sound Recording Review)
February 1, 2004... by Richard Rogers and Oscar Hamerstein; arranged by Robert Russell Bennet. Williamson Music/Hal Leonard Corporation (7777 W. Bluemound Rd., P.O. Box 13819, Milwaukee, WI 53213), 2003. 54pp. $ 9.95. In Easy Piano Selections from the Sound of...

Sonata No. 1 pour Flute et Piano.(Brief Article)(Sound Recording Review)
February 1, 2004... by Elisenda Fabregas. Alphonse Leduc (Editions Musicales, 175 rue Saint-Honore, 75040 Paris Cedex 01), 2001. 43pp. $42.95. A stunning new work for flute and piano, this sonata is an exciting addition to the contemporary repertoire. Although...

Suite De Peer Gynt.(Brief Article)(Sound Recording Review)
February 1, 2004... by Edvard Grieg; arranged by Joel Jody. Alphonse Leduc (Editions Musicales, 175 rue Saint-Honore, 75040 Paris cedex 01), 2001. 31 pp. $20.95. Many teachers of wind instruments at both the private and university levels know the value of...

Leadership.
February 1, 2004... Phyllis Heifer, NCFM President 4852 Wishkah Rd. Aberdeen, WA 98520-9628 (360) 537-6863 Fax (360) 537-6852 Pianofil@techline.com Paul Stewart, NCTM President-elect University of North Carolina at...

Stage Fright.(The Back Page)(Brief Article)(Poem)
February 1, 2004... Stage Fright The overture has just begun. Has my career? Finally a Role--Cherubino. But brocade And make-up weigh me down. I shake. A pounding hammer, once a heart, Makes me lose the notes of Mozart. ...