American Music Teacher articles from February 2005

American Music Teacher archives from February 2005

See you in Seattle.(Dear Reader)
February 1, 2005... While tourists often associate Seattle with the Space Needle and the 1962 World's Fair, Pike Place Market where vendors throw fish or the home of the original Starbuck's coffee, MTNA members will see Seattle in a different light as the site of...

Food for thought.(In Unison)
February 1, 2005... Several years ago the Seattle Times published excerpts from the book Victory in Our Schools: We CAN Give Our Children Excellent Public Education, by Major General John Stanford, former superintendent of the Seattle Public Schools. The...

National Keyboard Pedagogy Conference in August.(Items of Interest)
February 1, 2005... The Frances Clark Center will host its annual National Conference on Keyboard Pedagogy (NCKP) in Oak Brook, Illinois, August 4-6, 2005. With the theme of "Making Music Together," the conference will feature renowned pedagogues Boris Berman,...

NAMM restructures to improve service.(Items of Interest)(International Music Products Association )(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... NAMM, the International Music Products Association has announced several staff changes as part of a reorganization effort. Pat Martin, NAMM's director of events, was promoted to the newly created position of chief operating officer,...

Theodore Presser distributes Universal.(Items of Interest)(Universal Edition)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Theodore Presser Company is now a distributor for Universal Edition (UE), a European music publisher. Presser distributes UE's print music catalog in the United States and Canada. Founded in Vienna in 1901 to serve the needs of the Austrian...

Rocky Ridge appoints new music director.(Items of Interest)(Rocky Ridge Music Center)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Carina Voly has been appointed music director of the Rocky Ridge Music Center. Voly, from Buenos Aires, Argentina, has performed with orchestras in Argentina, Israel and the United States. She began cello studies at the Conservatorio...

Violinist Chee-Yun joins Indiana University.(Items of Interest)(appointments)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Renowned violinist Chee-Yun has been appointed visiting professor of music (violin) at Indiana University's School of Music for the 2004-2005 academic year. Chee-Yun also will continue her post on the faculty of the University of...

Shepherd receives Macon Award.(Items of Interest)(Betty Sue Shepherd)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... MTNA member Betty Sue Shepherd, who has taught piano at Samford University for more than forty-five years, received the University's George Macon Teaching Award. This honor is presented annually to a faculty member whose performance as a...

Sibelius introduces custom stores.(Items of Interest)(Sibelius Software Ltd.)(SibeliusMusic Stores)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Sibelius Software, Ltd. now has an online self-publishing service, SibeliusMusic Stores, available at www.SibeliusMusic.com for small publishers, composers and arrangers to publish and sell music in an inexpensive, easy-to-use and secure...

AMC receives $245k donation.(Items of Interest)(American Music Conference)(Henry S. Grossman Foundation)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... The American Music Conference (AMC), a non-profit music advocacy organization and affiliate of NAMM, the International Music Products Association, has received a $245,000 donation from the Henry S. Grossman Foundation for music education...

John Benham writes for SupportMusic.com.(Items of Interest)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... John Benham, a thirty-year music education veteran and leading music advocate, began writing the music education web log--or "blog"--for SupportMusic.com. His weekly "CounterPoint" commentary offers an experienced insider's insights on...

Steinway introduces new piano library.(Music Merchandise)(Steinway and Sons)(Ekay Music)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... The Steinway Library of Piano Music, Ekay Music, Inc., 2 Depot Plaza, Bedford Hills, NY 10590; (914) 244-8500 or (718) 721-2600; info@steinway.com. Steinway & Sons has begun publishing new piano music in collaboration with Ekay Music,...

MakeMusic! Inc. expands SmartMusic program.(Music Merchandise)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... MakeMusic! Inc., 6210 Bury Dr., Eden Prairie, MN 55346-1718; (888) 874-2144; customerservice@smartmusic.com; www.smartmusic.com. Visit website for price. MakeMusic! Inc. has released SmartMusic 8.4, the latest version of the company's...

Kawai offers new digital piano.(Music Merchandise)(Kawai America Corp.)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Kawai America Corporation, P.O. Box 9045, Rancho Dominguez, CA 90224-9045; (310) 631-1771, fax: (310) 604-6913; productsupport@kawaius.com; www.kawaius.com. See local dealer for price. Kawai America Corporation now offers a digital piano...

Music Notation Software for everyday musicians.(Music Merchandise)(Notation Software Inc.)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Notation Software, Inc., 317-109th Ave. S.E., Bellevue, WA 98004; (877) 353-7297 fax: (425) 688-0795; sales@notation.com; www.notation.com. MidiNotate Musician 1.0 $49.95; MidiNotate Composer 1.0 $99.95. Notation Software, Inc. has...

BMI Composer Awards.(Competitions)
February 1, 2005... The 53rd annual BMI Student Composer Award competition is seeking entrants, offering $20,000 in prizes to young composers. Co-sponsored by BMI and the BMI Foundation, the BMI Student Composer Awards were established in 1951 to encourage...

Coleman Chamber Ensemble Competition.(Competitions)
February 1, 2005... The 59th Annual Coleman Chamber Ensemble Competition will take place April 30, 2005, at Caltech in Pasadena, California. Among the prizes will be a $7,500 Alice Coleman Award, a $4,000 Coleman-Barstow Award for Strings and a $4,000...

PianoArts 2005 Competition.(Competitions)
February 1, 2005... The PianoArts 2005 National Piano Concerto and Solo Competition will be held June 17-21 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It is open to contestants ages 14 to 18, with prizes totaling more than $7,000 and including a scholarship to attend the 2006...

Passages.(Impromptu)(Brief Article)(Obituary)
February 1, 2005... Lilian Kallir, 73, a pianist known for her elegant Mozart performances, both as a soloist and in duet recitals with her husband, the pianist Claude Frank, died of ovarian cancer October 25, 2004, at her home in Manhattan. Kallir was born...

Essential skills for promoting a lifelong love of music and music kaking: Part 1 of 4.
February 1, 2005... INTRODUCTION Stereotypes die hard, sometimes. There still are people in the U.S. who think all music teachers are kindly ladies with negligible training and no professionalism, handing out candy for good performances and slaps on the wrist...

Global odyssey: behind the artistry of Angela Cheng.(2005 MTNA National Conference Artists)(Biography)
February 1, 2005... The morning after Election Day 2004, I sat across from Angela Cheng, the Conservatory building still quiet around us, grey mists still lingering on Oberlin's Tappan Square visible through the window behind her. It's remarkable, I thought. This...

Adriana Zabala: artistry in every phrase.(2005 MTNA National Conference Artists)(interview)(Southeastern Festival of Song)(Interview)
February 1, 2005... Although Adriana Zabala's primary pursuit is opera, she enjoys a career that spans a wide range of musical interests including song repertoire, new works, concert and oratorio, cabaret and Latin jazz, and serving as program manager and...

Fellows of the American Pianists Association.(2005 MTNA National Conference Artists)
February 1, 2005... One is a raving Red Sox fan (but resident of New York) who prefers his coffee from a French press. Another is a sucker for every kind of wacko exercise gadget, most lately the "Gazelle," who goes vegan when he can (but has a weakness for...

Directory of summer programs.(Directory)
February 1, 2005... Alabama University of Mobile Barbara Laurendine, director of Summer Music Camp, University of Mobile, Fine Arts Department, 5735 College Pkwy., Mobile, AL 36613; (251) 442-2402, fax: (251) 442-2526; www.umobile.edu Summer Music...

Official notice of annual business meeting.(National Association News)
February 1, 2005... 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, April 5, 7:00-8:00 A.M. in the Metropolitan Ballroom,...

Official notice of bylaws amendment proposal.(National Association News)
February 1, 2005... At the annual business meeting, the MTNA Board of Directors will propose amendments to Article V of the MTNA Bylaws, which relates to division officers. The purpose of the amendment is to restructure the membership on the Board of Directors to...

MTNA Executive Director Gary Ingle to serve on From the Top advisory board.(National Association News)(Music Teachers National Association)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... MTNA Executive Director Gary Ingle recently was invited to serve on the advisory board of From the Top, a not-for-profit multi-media organization whose mission is to encourage and celebrate the development of youth through music. The board is...

Health promotion in schools of music conference.(National Association News)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... An unprecedented meeting of medical professionals and musicians took place at the end of September in Fort Worth, Texas. MTNA was one of twenty-three organizations partnering with the Performing Arts Medicine Association (PAMA) and the Texas...

MTNA member Amy Davis spokesperson for Brain Injury Association of America.(National Association News)(Music Teachers National Association)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... MTNA member Amy Davis of Bountiful, Utah, is using her persona story to help others. Four years ago, she was involved in a cheerleading accident that nearly ended her life. This traumatic brain injury set her life on a different course. An...

State affiliates recognized.(National Association News)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... MTNA Executive Director Gary Ingle presented a plaque commemorating Mississippi MTA's fiftieth year of MTNA affiliation, to Donna Banks, outgoing MMTA president, at the recent MMTA convention. Ingle also presented a plaque to the Georgia MTA...

Eastern Division.(Division News)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... In this month's column we hear from Delaware President Jacqueline Faulcon: The Peace Piano Perform-a-thon at the Kimmel Center was superb. The nine studios, ten teachers and their twenty-one students performed and raised more than $3,400...

East Central Division.(Division News)(conferences)
February 1, 2005... The Indiana MTA held its state conference November 12-13, 2004, at Butler University in Indianapolis. The conference featured composer Phillip Glass and the "Bang on a Can All Stars" ensemble and performances by commissioned composer Frank...

Northwest Division.(Division News)
February 1, 2005... Northwest Division MTNA competitions were held at Whitworth College in Spokane, Washington, January 14-16. Presidents from each state in the division attended a meeting and provided their services throughout the competition. These competitions...

South Central Division.(Division News)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Both the Arkansas MTA state performance competitions and the South Central Division competitions were held at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock (UALR). Special thanks to Linda Holzer, NCTM, for a beautiful recital. Also, thanks to...

Southern Division.(Division News)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... The fall Virginia MTA conference was held in Richmond, featuring conference artist, Scott Beard, NCTM. Clinicians Walter and Carol Noona presented a workshop entitled "When the Downbeat Teacher Meets the Offbeat Student." Local...

Southwest Division.(Division News)(Arizona Study Program)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... In this month's column we feature our forty-eighth state, Arizona. The Arizona Study Program (ASP) was started in 1958 and continues to provide a consecutive and comprehensive plan of music study designed to motivate and encourage students...

West Central Division.(Division News)
February 1, 2005... Members and friends of the West Central Division are invited to attend a no-host dinner during the MTNA National Conference in Seattle in April. The dinner will be held at 6:00 P.M., immediately following the 5:00 P.M. division business meeting...

Division meetings at 2005 National Conference.(Division News)(Calendar)
February 1, 2005... Listed below are the division meeting times and locations during the 2005 MTNA National Conference. All division meetings are Sunday, April 3, 2005, 5:00-6:00 P.M. Eastern Sheraton Seattle Suite 426 East Central ...

Conference artists.
February 1, 2005... PIANO CONCERT Tuesday, April 5 * 8:00 P.M. Angela Cheng Hailed by critics for her remarkable technique, tonal beauty and musicianship, Angela Cheng has appeared as soloist with nearly every orchestra in Canada, as well as the Israel...

Conference events.(Calendar)
February 1, 2005... FOUNDATION FUND GALA Monday, April 4 6:00 P.M. This year's Gala will take place on a Royal Argosy dinner cruise. The evening will begin with cocktails sponsored by Alfred Publishing Company Following cocktails, enjoy an elegant meal...

Pre-conference events.(Calendar)
February 1, 2005... (An additional fee and conference registration are required to attend either event or portions of both.) PEDAGOGY SATURDAY IX Saturday, April 2, 2005 * 8:15 A.M.-5:15 P.M. The Whole Musician: Making Music Last a Lifetime ...

Special interest tracks.(National Association of Teachers of Singing)
February 1, 2005... NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF TEACHERS OF SINGING SPRING WORKSHOP For vocalists, MTNA and the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) are joining together to offer the NATS Spring Workshop, Musical Theater III. This year's workshop...

Conference sessions.
February 1, 2005... (Subject to change) SUNDAY, APRIL 3 * Bridging Two Worlds: Farkas/Moore Violin and Piano Duo Pavel Farkas, Stephen Moore * Finding Your Balance: Techniques for Pianists, Their Ensemble Partners and Their Teachers Flvia...

Master classes.
February 1, 2005... Angela Cheng Piano Monday, April 4 Hailed by critics for her remarkable technique, tonal beauty and musicianship, Angela Cheng has appeared as soloist with nearly every orchestra in Canada, as well as the Israel Philharmonic,...

Studio Teacher Fellowship Award winners share their experiences.(Foundation Fund)
February 1, 2005... Each year the MTNA FOUNDATION FUND selects one recipient to receive the Studio Teacher Fellowship Award. This award is designed to assist independent music teachers in developing and enhancing a newly established music teaching studio. The...

MTNA to recognize Foundation Fellows at Gala.(Foundation Fund)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... MTNA will recognize the 2005 FOUNDATION Fellows at the FOUNDATION FUND Gala Monday, April 4, at the National Conference. The Fellow program offers a meaningful method for honoring deserving individuals while supporting the efforts of MTNA...

Student competition award sponsors.(Foundation Fund)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... For many years MTNA has enjoyed the support of individuals and corporations. The student competitions awards presented each year are made possible from the generosity of members through donations to the FOUNDATION FUND. Additional awards are...

My road to certification.(Professional Certification)
February 1, 2005... I graduated with a degree in medical technology and a minor in chemistry. After working as a toxicologist for a couple years, I left the profession to raise my family. (I now have four sons, ages 3-13.) I had taught piano lessons during high...

State MTA presidents directory.
February 1, 2005... Alabama--Nancy M. Vinson, NCTM, 720 Highland Rd., Auburn, AL 36830; (334) 821-2038; vinson23@charter.net Alaska--Timothy Smith, 16056 Hidden Creek Ln., Anchorage, AK 99516-7524; (907) 345-4156; aftcs@uaa.alaska.edu Arizona--June...

National officer candidates for the 2005-2007 biennium.
February 1, 2005... In accordance with Article VI, Sec. 2. of the MTNA Bylaws, this slate of two candidates per office was prepared by the MTNA Nominating Committee, consisting of R. Wayne Gibson, NCTM, Atlanta, Georgia, chair; Carleen Graft, NCTM, Plymouth, New...

5 minutes with ... Brian Chung.(interview)(Interview)
February 1, 2005... Brian Chung is senior vice president of Kawai America Corporation, a manufacturer of acoustic and digital pianos. He also is chair of the MTNA FOUNDATION FUND Development Committee, a former chair of the MTNA FOUNDATION Board of Trustees, a...

What's new in pedagogy research?(Professional Resources)
February 1, 2005... Does a student's level of confidence in his or her ability to practice affect the way he or she practices? This rather intriguing question was the basis for a recent study in Norway titled "Strategies and Self-efficacy Beliefs in Instrumental...

Polyphony: what is important?(Professional Resources)(Column)
February 1, 2005... Maybe it is because I turned 50 several years ago that I started asking more frequently, "Just what is important?" either with respect to the day's proposed activities or in a situation that can seem difficult with a student. Perhaps the issue...

Insurance insights: new products available for home-based businesses.(Professional Resources)
February 1, 2005... Over the past decade, the number of home-based businesses in the United States has grown tremendously. In fact, a 2002 survey by the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (IIABA) found there were 12 million home-based businesses in...

The Sapphire Trio in Europe ... It's all about relationships.(Forum focus: collaborative performance)
February 1, 2005... The view from the train window was a breathtaking landscape of snowtopped Alps and lush green farmland. White houses with red tiled roofs dotted the hillsides, and the window boxes were filled with brightly colored flowers. These spectacular...

Larger audiences? University music faculties can help.(Forum focus: college faculty)
February 1, 2005... These are troubling times for the classical music establishment. Our orchestras across the country and Canada are fighting (and sometimes losing) the annual and continuing battle of the budget. This war is not limited to just the smaller...

Membership recruitment.(Forum focus: local associations)
February 1, 2005... Membership recruitment is an important component of any professional organization, and most of us welcome ideas for increasing and sustaining members. My local association, the Tooele, Utah, chapter, found a unique way to showcase itself and...

TV Themes.(Book Review)
February 1, 2005... TV Themes, arranged by Phillip Keveren. Hal Leonard Corporation (7777 W. Bluemound Rd., P.O. Box 13819, Milwaukee, W1 53213), 2004. 62 pp. $10.95. Early intermediate-intermediate. TV Themes is a terrific collection of seventeen classic...

Alfred's Group Piano for Adults, Book 1, second edition, and Alfred's Group Piano for Adults: Teacher Handbook, Book 1.(Book Review)
February 1, 2005... Alfred's Group Piano for Adults, Book 1, second edition, and Alfred's Group Piano for Adults: Teacher Handbook, Book 1, second edition, by E. L. Lancaster and Kenon D. Renfrow. Alfred Publishing Company, Inc. (16320 Roscoe Blvd., Ste. 100, P.O....

Jerome Kern Piano Solos.(Book Review)
February 1, 2005... Jerome Kern Piano Solos, arranged by Bill Boyd. Hal Leonard Corporation (7777 W. Bluemound Rd., P.O. Box 13819, Milwaukee, W1 53213), 2004. 63 pp. $7.95. Intermediate. This collection contains twelve song arrangements for piano with the...

Songs Without Words.(Book Review)
February 1, 2005... Songs Without Words, by Christos Tsitsaros. Hal Leonard Corporation (7777 W. Bluemound Rd., P. O. Box 13819 Milwaukee, W153213), 2004. 39pp. $7.95. Late-intermediate--early-advanced. This imaginative collection is a fresh addition to the...

I Used to Play Piano: for Adults Returning to the Piano and MIDI.(Book Review)
February 1, 2005... I Used to Play Piano: For Adults Returning to the Piano and MIDI (w/CD), by E.L. Lancaster and Victoria McArthur. Alfred Publishing Company, Inc. (16320 Roscoe Blvd., Ste. 100, P.O. Box 10003, Van Nuys, CA 91410), 2004. 152 pp. $24.95. ...

More Mastering Classic Favorites 1.(Book Review)
February 1, 2005... More Mastering Classic Favorites 1 (w/CD), by Paul Sheftel and Phyllis Alpert Lehrer. Carl Fischer (65 Bleeker St., New York, NY 10012), 2004. 46pp. $12.95. Intermediate. Building on the success of their firs six volumes of Classic...

Jazz Piano: an In-Depth Look at the Styles of the Masters.(Book Review)
February 1, 2005... Jazz Piano: An In-Depth Look at the Styles of the Masters, by Liam Noble. Hal Leonard Corporation (7777 W. Bluemound Rd., PO. Box ]3819, Milwaukee W153213), 2004. 103 pp. $17.95. Advanced. The styles of fifteen jazz pianists are discussed...

Piano Virtuoso with Maestro, 1.0 Instructor Edition.
February 1, 2005... Piano Virtuoso with Maestro, 1.0 Instructor Edition; includes 2 student versions (and instruction book). Wickes, Inc. (111 Oak Meadow Dr, Simpsonville, SC 29681), 2004. 43 pp. $59.95. This software packet comes with an instructor CD-ROM,...

Theory Games Software, Levels 1A-2 (for Piano).
February 1, 2005... Theory Games Software, Levels 1A-2 (for Piano), Alfred's Basic Piano Library. Alfred Publishing Company, Inc. (16320 Roscoe Blvd., Ste. 100, P.O. Box I0003, Van Nuys, CA 91410), 2004. $19.95. Theory Games Software contains eight games...

Music in West Africa: Experiencing Music, Expressing Culture (w/CD).(Book Review)
February 1, 2005... Music in West Africa: Experiencing Music, Expressing Culture (w/CD), by Ruth M Stone; edited by Bonnie C. Wade and Patricia Shehan Campbell. Oxford University Press (198 Madison Ave., New Fork, NY 10016), 2004. 112 pp. $34.95. A delightful...

New Historical Anthology of Music by Women.(Book Review)
February 1, 2005... New Historical Anthology of Music by Women, edited by James R. Briscoe. Indiana University Press (601 N. Morton St., Bloomington, IN 47404), 2004. 528 pp. $39. 95. The New Historical Anthology of Music by Women is a collection of works by...

Your Musical Child: Inspiring Kids to Play and Sing for Keeps.(Book Review)
February 1, 2005... Your Musical Child: Inspiring Kids to Play and Sing for Keeps, by Jessica Baron Turner. Hal Leonard Corporation (7777 W. Bluemound Rd., P.O. Box 13819 Milwaukee, WI 53213), 2004. 239 pp. $14.95. This book is dynamite, it blasted away the...

In memoriam.(Obituary)
February 1, 2005... The following, in alphabetical order, is a list of MTNA members who died during the past year and whose family and friends notified MTNA national headquarters: Anita Anderson, Tucson, Arizona Carolyn Ashley, Geneva, Illinois Joanne...

Leadership.
February 1, 2005... Phyllis Pieffer, NCTM 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...

Going to a convention?(The Back Page)
February 1, 2005... MANY a teacher who's returned from a convention has been heard to say, "Conventions are all pretty much alike--nothing new this year." A statement like that is usually the sign of a poorly planned trip on the teacher's part. Any convention,...