American Music Teacher articles from June 2004

American Music Teacher archives from June 2004

Code of Ethics.(Dear Reader)(Music Teachers National Association)
June 1, 2004... At the Annual Meeting of the MTNA membership at our 2004 National Conference on March 30, a revised MTNA Code of Ethics was recommended by the Board of Directors and adopted by the members. This new Code was drafted by a task force appointed by...

Thank you.(In Unison)(Music Teachers National Association)
June 1, 2004... An association such as MTNA cannot function without the constant support and work of many volunteers from the local to the state to the national levels. MTNA is OUR organization. It is each one of us, you and I. Our action or inaction...

Steinway & Sons announces new publishing venture with Amadeus Press.(Items of Interest)
June 1, 2004... Steinway & Sons and Amadeus Press recently announced a new venture to create a series of book/CDs, CDs and DVDs celebrating the art of the piano through the artists who perform on them and the music they play. "Steinway pianos set the...

Carl Fischer to acquire Theodore Presser.(Items of Interest)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... Carl Fischer has entered into an agreement in principle to acquire Theodore Presser Company, subject to due diligence, where both companies will combine their strengths in the print and performance fields. Some back room operations will be...

West Virginia University fall conference to celebrate creative women.(Items of Interest)(Women and Creativity 2004: Examining the Past, Composing the Future)
June 1, 2004... "Women and Creativity 2004: Examining the Past, Composing the Future" will be the focus of the national conference hosted by West Virginia University October 13-15. This event will celebrate women artists, writers and thinkers. The...

NAMM and Boys & Girls Clubs of America form partnership.(Items of Interest)
June 1, 2004... NAMM, the International Music Products Association, and Boys & Girls Clubs of America have formed an alliance to bring an after-school music program called "Get the Music Edge" to Clubs nationwide over the initial three years. Working...

Corpus Christi Piano competition winners.(Items of Interest)
June 1, 2004... The Corpus Christi International Competition for Piano 2004 winners recently were announced. The first-place Mary Hope Brennecke Award of $5,000 was given to Anna Polusmiak from Northern Kentucky, whose teacher is Sergei Polusmiak. The...

Musicians and dancers symposium in Aspen.(Items of Interest)(Twenty-Second Annual Symposium on Medical Problems of Musicians and Dancers)
June 1, 2004... The Twenty-Second Annual Symposium on Medical Problems of Musicians and Dancers will take place June 24-27, 2005, at the Wheeler Opera House in Aspen, Colorado. Hosted by the Performing Arts Medicine Association (PAMA) in conjunction with...

Conn-Selmer promotes Catalano as director of marketing.(Items of Interest)(Jim Catalano)
June 1, 2004... Conn-Selmer, Inc. recently announced the promotion of Jim Catalano to director of marketing for Ludwig/Musser percussion products. In this new position, Catalano will lead product, pricing and promotional activities for all drum, tympani and...

Sibelius Educational Suite expanded.(Music Merchandise)
June 1, 2004... Sibelius USA, Inc., 1407 Oakland Blvd., Ste. 103, Walnut Creek, CA 94596; (925) 280-0600, fax (925) 280-0008; infoUSA@sibelius.com; www.sibelius.com. Starclass, $89; Instruments, $119; Compass. $119; Notes, $69.95; Auralia, $119; Musition,...

Suzuki releases new digital piano.(Music Merchandise)
June 1, 2004... Suzuki Corp., P.O. Box 261030, San Diego, CA 92196; (858) 566-9710, ext. 145, fax: (858) 627-9315; traffic@suzukicorp.com; www.suzukimusic.com. See area dealer for price. Suzuki Corporation introduces its newest addition to its line of...

Hamilton introduces mid-sized grand piano.(Music Merchandise)
June 1, 2004... Baldwin Piano, 309 Plus Park Blvd., Nashville, TN37217; (615) 871-4500, fax: (615) 884-7285; www.gibson.com. See local dealer for price. The Hamilton Grand Model H399 is the newest in a series of economical instruments that provide...

2005 Montreal International Voice Competition.(Competitions)
June 1, 2004... The Montreal International Musical Competition for Voice, formerly the Jeunesses Musicales Montreal International Competition, will take place May 9-20, 2005, in Montreal, Canada. Presented by Jeunesses Musicales of Canada, in partnership...

The 2004 Stravinsky Awards for young pianists.(Competitions)
June 1, 2004... The Stravinsky Awards 2004 Competition for Young Pianists is seeking applicants, and will award winners more than $5,000 in cash prizes and a possible live radio broadcast concert. The competition, divided into two age divisions, is open to...

Passages.(Impromptu)(Digby Bernard Bell)(John Robert Poe)(Obituary)
June 1, 2004... Digby Bernard Bell, NCTM, died March 5, 2004, at age 79. He had been active in the Oklahoma Music Teachers Association and a member of MTNA for more than forty years. Bell was involved in both organizations in many capacities, including as a...

Preparing our students for reality: should we really be encouraging so many performance degrees?(Visions)
June 1, 2004... I am a strong advocate of all undergraduate music students being the best possible performers. However, I wonder, are we really doing them a favor encouraging so many to be what is generally referred to as "performance majors"? We then continue...

Forming your teaching to the teaching of form.
June 1, 2004... Four years ago, when my seven-year-old student was a beginner, I said things such as, "Is the next group of notes the same, almost the same or different than the last group of notes?" Two years ago, when my nine-year-old student was at the...

Music as language: sight playing through access to a complete musical vocabulary.
June 1, 2004... This article was inspired by a request to be on a panel addressing the above topic for a local MTA meeting. My first concern is with what exactly we, mean by the term "sight reading"--is this something that is done only in one's mind? If...

Teaching vs. coaching emphasis: on musicianship building vs. interpretation of repertoire.
June 1, 2004... There are certain fundamental differences between teaching and coaching. Teaching involves the instillation of musical and technical concepts into students, while coaching focuses primarily on the interpretation and performance of the pieces at...

Annotated bibliography on musician wellness.
June 1, 2004... INTRODUCTION This year's bibliography contains some of the latest books related to wellness issues for musicians. The full bibliography can be found on MTNA's website at www.mma.org. The format of the bibliography is as follows: ...

2004 MTNA National Conference highlights.(Music Teachers National Association)
June 1, 2004... All photos [c] 2004 Harry Butler, Nashville WORKSHOPS James Byo, Louisiana State University, was a keynote speaker for Pedagogy Saturday VIII. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Linda Bailey provided an overview of services offered by the...

Karl Bruhn and Guy Duckworth receive MTNA Achievement Awards.(National Association News)(Music Teachers National Association)
June 1, 2004... Karl Bruhn and Guy Duckworth were honored with the 2004 MTNA Achievement Award at the Awards Brunch during the National Conference in Kansas City. Karl Bruhn has been active in both the retail and wholesale sides of the music industry. He...

Eileen Geske is Teacher of the Year.(National Association News)
June 1, 2004... At the 2004 MTNA National Conference in Kansas City, Eileen Geske was honored as MTNA Teacher of the Year. Geske holds a bachelor's degree in music education from Valley City State University (VCSU). Both prior to earning that degree and after...

California Association of Professional Music Teachers is State Affiliate of the Year.(National Association News)
June 1, 2004... California Association of Professional Music Teachers (CAPMT) is this year's MTNA State Affiliate of the Year and is more than 1,000 members strong. CAPMT, under the leadership of President Darlene Vlasek, carries out its mission to raise the...

Northern Virginia Music Teachers Association is Local Association of the Year.(National Association News)
June 1, 2004... The Northern Virginia Music Teachers Association (NVMTA) is the recipient of the 2004 MTNA Local Association of the Year Award. With 331 members, NVMTA is one of the largest local associations in the country. Among the recent achievements...

Liduino Pitombeira named MTNA-Shepherd Distinguished Composer of the Year.(National Association News)(Music Teachers National Association)
June 1, 2004... Liduino Pitombeira has been selected as the 2003 MTNA-Shepherd Distinguished Composer of the Year for his composition Brazilian Landscapes. Pitombeira is presently pursuing a Ph.D. degree in composition at Louisiana State University, where he...

Marienne Uszler honored with Frances Clark Keyboard Pedagogy Award.(National Association News)
June 1, 2004... Marienne Uszler is the recipient of the 2004 MTNA-Frances Clark Keyboard Pedagogy Award for the keyboard pedagogy text The Well- Tempered Keyboard Teacher. This book, now in its second edition, reaches well beyond most piano pedagogy...

Studio Fellowship winner.(National Association News)(Music Teachers National Association)
June 1, 2004... Joanna Grace of Madison, Wisconsin, is the recipient of the MTNA Studio Fellowship Award. The award, in the amount of $3,000, is made possible by the MTNA FOUNDATION FUND. Grace holds a bachelor of music degree from the Peabody...

Holzer awarded AMT Article of the Year.(National Association News)(American Music Teacher)
June 1, 2004... "Where the Sidewalk Ends," by Linda Holzer, NCTM, was selected as the 2003 American Music Teacher Article of the Year. This article, whose title is taken from a Shel Silverstein book, provides music teachers with insights and approaches to...

Heidi Mayer receives PTGF Award.(National Association News)(Piano Technicians Guild Foundation)
June 1, 2004... Heidi Mayer, NCTM, of Chicago, Illinois, received the 2004 Piano Technicians Guild Foundation (PTGF) Teacher of the Year Award, worth $1,000. This grant provides advanced study opportunities related to piano to Nationally Certified Teachers of...

Michelle Gordon receives NPF Studio Festival Award.(National Association News)(National Piano Foundation)
June 1, 2004... Michelle Gordon, NCTM, was selected by the National Piano Foundation to receive the NPF Studio Festival Award. This award recognizes excellence in the implementation of the Studio Festival Program, one of MTNA's Music For Everyone Programs. ...

Chattanooga Area Student Chapter is 2004 Collegiate Chapter of the Year.(National Association News)
June 1, 2004... The Chattanooga Area Student Chapter (CASC) has been selected as the Collegiate Chapter of the Year. CASC is a multi-school collegiate chapter for the Chattanooga area and was created several years ago to provide a chapter for a few small music...

Fifty-year members recognized.(National Association News)(Music Teachers National Association)
June 1, 2004... At the 2004 National Conference, MTNA recognized twenty-one members for their fifty years of service to MTNA and their many years of service to the music teaching profession. The following were honored at the Association Breakfast and Annual...

Service awards presented.(National Association News)(Music Teachers National Association)
June 1, 2004... Division Presidents honored at the Annual Meeting included Eileen Keel, East Central Division; Debra Ronning, NCTM, Eastern Division; Marilyn Brossard, NCTM, Northwest Division; Karen Harrington, NCTM, South Central Division; Roy Wylie, NCTM,...

MTNA co-sponsors Best 100 Communities for Music Education.(National Association News)(Music Teachers National Association)
June 1, 2004... An annual survey by a partnership of leading music and educational organizations named the Best 100 Communities for Music Education in America for 2004. Representing thirty states, the roster includes school districts whose commitment to...

Membership recruitment.(National Association News)(Music Teachers National Association)
June 1, 2004... The arrival of July begins a new membership year. This is the perfect time to recruit your colleagues in the music teaching profession to join MTNA. One way to recruit members is having information at state music conferences not affiliated with...

Zoning success.(National Association News)
June 1, 2004... Independent music teachers often are faced with zoning guidelines that restrict teaching from their homes. Member Karen Merchant recently emerged successful from her struggles with zoning issues in Verona, New Jersey. A recent amendment to the...

Discussion groups now online.(National Association News)(Music Teachers National Association)
June 1, 2004... MTNA has added an "online community" feature to its website. "MTNA is committed to using technology to provide as many services as possible," says Gary L. Ingle, executive director. "The State Presidents Advisory Council asked for this...

Fall state conventions.(National Association News)(Music Teachers National Association)
June 1, 2004... This list contains only the state MTA conventions held during the autumn months. State Date Florida November 11-14 Georgia November 4-6 Hawaii November 11-13 Illinois October...

Division elections results.(Music Teachers National Associations)
June 1, 2004... BOARD OF DIRECTORS The following were elected to the MTNA Board of Directors by the MTNA membership in the recent election. EAST CENTRAL Kenneth Williams Columbus, Ohio Kenneth Williams, NCTM, directs the graduate...

East Central Division.(MTNA Division News)
June 1, 2004... East Central Division placed well at the MTNA Competitions in Kansas City. Congratulations to the following teachers for their exemplary teaching and nurturing of young talent; each had students who placed first, second or third: Mary Ann...

Eastern Division.(MTNA Division News)
June 1, 2004... Eastern Division officers were installed at the recent Kansas City National Conference. Debra Martin, NCTM, New York, is the new president-elect. Our featured state for this issue is New Jersey. President Deborah Gers has prepared the...

Northwest Division.(MTNA Division News)
June 1, 2004... The Northwest Division held its annual meeting at the 2004 MTNA National Conference in Kansas City, Missouri. Following the meeting, a Northwest Division dinner took place at one of Kansas City's most famous steak houses. This event was one of...

South Central Division.(MTNA Division News)(Music Teachers National Association)
June 1, 2004... As outgoing division president, I give my best wishes to the incoming officers and my gratitude to those who have made my work with the division so rewarding. Often when we accept a post, we think of the work involved; but when our work has...

Southern Division.(MTNA Division News)(Music Teachers National Association)
June 1, 2004... As I take on my new position as Southern Division president, my first thought is to thank the Southern Division Immediate Past President and current member of the MTNA Board of Directors Roy Wylie, NCTM. Also, many thanks to former member of...

Southwest Division.(MTNA Division News)(Music Teachers National Association)
June 1, 2004... I join the members of the Southwest Division in thanking outgoing President Geri Cheney, NCTM, for her countless hours of dedication to our division. She has been an exemplary role model and will continue to strengthen the leadership as she...

West Central Division.(MTNA Division News)
June 1, 2004... The official meeting at the MTNA National Conference in Kansas City included the installation of new officers: Mary Ellen Moore, NCTM, as president and Tom Ediger, NCTM, as president-elect. A sincere thank you to all division members who...

2004 Incentive Giving Campaign winners announced.(MTNA Foundation Fund News)(Music Teachers National Association)
June 1, 2004... Congratulations to the Wyoming Music Teachers Association (WMTA), the Arkansas Music Teachers Association (AMTA) and the California Association of Professional Music Teachers (CAPMT) for winning the MTNA FOUNDATION FUND State Incentive Giving...

2004 Teacher Enrichment Grants awarded.(MTNA Foundation Fund News)(Music Teachers National Association)
June 1, 2004... Eleven teachers received grants this year from the MTNA FOUNDATION FUND. A total of $10,350 was awarded to recipients to help fund continuing education and professional development projects. This year's grants were awarded to Sherry Burns,...

Seventeen local associations receive grants.(MTNA Foundation Fund News)(Music Teachers National Association)
June 1, 2004... A total of $5,451 was distributed from the MTNA FOUNDATION FUND to seventeen local associations in 2004. Grant recipients were announced at the State Presidents Advisory Council meeting at the conference in Kansas City in March. Associations...

Maurice Hinson Endowment Fund.(MTNA Foundation Fund News)(Music Teachers National Association)
June 1, 2004... MTNA is pleased to announce the establishment of the Maurice Hinson Endowment Fund. Initiated by the members of the Kentucky MTA, many colleagues, friends and students contributed to the MTNA FOUNDATION FUND to recognize the achievements of...

Professionalism--what is it and who needs it?(MTNA Certification)(Music Teachers National Association)
June 1, 2004... "The Professional Keyboard Teacher." This is the actual title of, not just a chapter, but an entire section in The Well-Tempered Keyboard Teacher by Marienne Uszler, Stewart Gordon and Scott McBride Smith. From the tried and true Bastien How to...

Certification renewal for previous holders of the College Faculty certificate.
June 1, 2004... Questions arise frequently regarding the current renewal policies of MTNA Professional Certification for holders of the College Faculty certificate. College/university music teachers have tenure, rank and their employer's standards that provide...

2003-2004 MTNA National Student Competitions sponsors.(Music Teachers National Association)
June 1, 2004... Gail Lew, Warner Bros. Publications, Inc., is pictured with Zachary Garcia, winner of the MTNA Student Composition Competition, elementary level, sponsored by Warner Bros. Publications, Inc. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Thomas Malone,...

2003-2004 MTNA National Student Competitions winners.(Music Teachers National Association)
June 1, 2004... Student Composition Competitions Sponsored by Warner Bros. Publications, Inc. Elementary Composition Zachary Garcia, of Ada, Oklahoma, is in the fourth grade. He studies piano with W.T. Skye Garcia. Zachary previously has won three...

Composer classification list.(Illustration)
June 1, 2004... Composer Classification List Editor's Note: Although the repertoire requirements for MTNA Competitions have changed, there have been many requests for the Composer Classification List. We present the list now as a reference guide. ...

Polyphony: emotional health and the musician.(Professional Resources)(Interview)
June 1, 2004... Editor's Note: A version of this article first appeared in' the Piano Pedagogy Forum, Volume 3, Number 2, and is reprinted with permission of Piano Pedagogy Forum of the University of South Carolina. it can be accessed at...

What's new in pedagogy research?(Professional Resources)
June 1, 2004... Most of us have a deeply personal understanding of performance anxiety. Not only do we deal with our own anxieties when we play, we also must try to help our students understand how and why their bodies react to performance stresses and how to...

Insurance insights: evaluating your coverage and your needs.(Professional Resources)
June 1, 2004... Editor's Note: As a membership service, MTNA has, for the past several years, been offering quality, low-cost insurance products through the Robert H. Clarkson insurance Agency. MTNA also is committed to educating members about these products....

Summertime collaborations.(Forum focus: collaborative arts)
June 1, 2004... Summer can be a great time to introduce our students to exciting collaborative experiences. Any student is eligible, and no student is too young or too old to begin to experience the joys of making music with others. Scheduling during the...

Meet the 2003 MTNA-Shepherd: Distinguished Composer of the Year.(Forum focus: composer commissioning)(Music Teachers National Association)(Liduino Pitombeira)(Interview)
June 1, 2004... Hello! I'd like to introduce you to Liduino Pitombeira, currently of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, who was named the 2003 MTNA-Shepherd Distinguished Composer of the Year for Brazilian Landscapes No. 1. This exciting trio was selected from among...

It's summer! What will you and your local association be doing?(Forum focus: local associations)(Music Teachers National Association)
June 1, 2004... People can be divided into three groups: Those who make things happen, Those who watch things happen, and Those who wonder what happened. --John Newborn This quote easily can be applied to our local associations. Which group do you...

A Ravel Reader: Correspondence, Articles, Interviews.(Book Review)
June 1, 2004... A Ravel Reader: Correspondence, Articles, Interviews, compiled and edited by Arbie Orenstein. Dover Publications (31 E. 2nd St., Mineola, NY 11501), 2003. 617pp. $34.95. A Ravel Reader provides provacative readings into the life and times...

That's a Good Question ... How to Teach by Asking Questions.(Book Review)
June 1, 2004... That's a Good Question... How to Teach by Asking Questions, by Marienne Uszler The FJH Music Company, Inc. (Westport Business Park, 2525 Davie Rd., Ste. 360. Fort Lauderdale, FL 33317-7424), 2003. 90pp. $9.95. What kinds of questions do...

Little Mushrooms.(Book Review)
June 1, 2004... Little Mushrooms, by Peter Schickele. Elkan-Vogel, Inc./Theodore Presser Company (588 N. Gulph Rd., King of Prussia, PA 19406), 2003. 24 pp. $17.95. Intermediate. Little Mushrooms is a set of six pieces for piano duet written in 1997 to...

The Joy of Duets.(Book Review)
June 1, 2004... The Joy of Duets, by various artists. Hal Leonard Corporation (7777 W. Bluemound Rd., P.O. Box 13819, Milwaukee, WI 53213), 2003. 85 pp. $10.95. Intermediate. The Joy of Duets for one piano, four hands is a collection of ten...

Sunday Morning Pianist.(Brief Article)(Book Review)
June 1, 2004... Sunday Morning Pianist, arranged by Gail Smith. Creative Keyboard Publications, a division of Mel Bay Publications (P.O. Box 66, Pacific, MO 63069), 2003. 124 pp. $14.95. Upper-intermediate to advanced. Sunday Morning Pianist is a...

Jazz Chord Hanon: 70 Exercises for the Beginning to Professional Pianist.(Book Review)
June 1, 2004... Jazz Chord Hanon: 70 Exercises for the Beginning to Professional Pianist, by Peter Deneff. Musicians Institute: Private Lessons. Hal Leonard Corporation (P.O. Box 13819, Milwaukee, WI 53213), 2003. 70 pp. $12.95. Intermediate to advanced. ...

Flute Quartet No. 1.(Brief Article)(Book Review)
June 1, 2004... Flute Quartet No. 1, by Gary Schocker. Theodore Presser Company (588 N. Gulph Rd., King of Prussia, PA 19406), 2003. 19 pp. $28.95. Advanced. Scored for two C flutes (first doubling piccolo), alto flute and bass flute, this quartet is a...

Easy Songs for Shifting in the First Five Positions: a Violin Technique Book for Group Classes and Private Instruction.(Brief Article)(Book Review)
June 1, 2004... Easy Songs for Shifting in the First Five Positions: A Violin Technique Book for Group Classes and Private Instruction, by Kathryn Bird Kinnard. Summy-Birchard, Inc./Warner Bros. Publications (15800 N. W. 48th Ave., Miami, FL 33014), 2003. 44...

Band-in-a-Box.(from PG Music Inc.)
June 1, 2004... Band-in-a-Box. PG Music, Inc. (29 Cadillac Ave., Victoria, B. C. Canada V8Z 1T3), 2004. $88. Band-in-a-Box is an "intelligent" accompaniment software program that generates musical arrangements based on parameters set by the user. It can...

Touching lives with music.(The Back Page)
June 1, 2004... My role model, as a piano teacher, was my mother, who died fifteen years ago at age 85. To commemorate the 100th anniversary of her birth, I embarked last January on a project to record her favorite piano pieces so her grandchildren would have...