American Music Teacher articles from June 2005

American Music Teacher archives from June 2005

Extraordinary music.(Dear Reader)(Music Teachers National Association)
June 1, 2005... Upon becoming Executive Director of MTNA in December 1996, I made a commitment to visit all of our state affiliates as soon as practical. It is well established that the CEO of any major national organization must be out among the members and...

Meet Paul Stewart, MTNA president.(In Unison)(Interview)
June 1, 2005... On April 6, 2005, at the close of the MTNA National Conference, Paul Stewart, NCTM, was installed as MTNA president, succeeding Phyllis I. Pieffer, NCTM. AMT presents this interview with your new president. AMT: How does #feel to be the new...

MTNA code of ethics: one member's response.(Letter to the Editor)
June 1, 2005... This letter was received in response to the "Dear Reader" that appeared in the June/July 2004 AMT. I would like to address actions adopted by MTNA's Board of Directors concerning the revision of MTNA's Code of Ethics, the establishment of...

Playing a musical instrument found to reverse stress.(Items of Interest)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... A groundbreaking study recently published in the Medical Science Monitor shows for the first time that playing a musical instrument can reverse multiple components of the human stress response on the genetic level. The study's principal...

Americans for the Arts announces merger.(Items of Interest)(Americans for the Arts merged its operations with the Arts & Business Council, Inc.)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Americans for the Arts recently merged its operations with the Arts & Business Council, Inc. (A&BC). By combining its resources and programming initiatives with A&BC, Americans for the Arts will be able to more effectively achieve its goal of...

Art of teaching conference.(Items of Interest)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... The Royal Conservatory of Music (RCM) Community School in Toronto, Canada, will hold its annual Art of Teaching conference June 28-30, 2005, when music teachers from across Canada and the United States will gather to discuss and share ideas and...

U.S. Congress passes resolution supporting music education.(Items of Interest)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... The U.S. House of Representatives unanimously passed Congressional Resolution 45, stating music instruction "is an important component of a well-rounded academic curriculum and should be available to every student in every school." The...

Pearl River names Cyndie Caruth to dual position.(Items of Interest)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Pearl River Piano Group America Ltd. has appointed Cyndie Caruth of Ankeny, Iowa, as district sales manager for the Midwest territory and as national educational consultant, a new position established within the company. Caruth comes to...

Steinway and Boston piano offering new and reintroduced grands.(Music Merchandise)
June 1, 2005... Steinway & Sons, 1 Steinway PI., Long Mand City, NY 11105; (718) 721-2600; info@steinway.com; www.steinway.com. Visit local dealer for price. For the first time since 1914, Steinway & Sons will build and market its Model A grand piano in...

PianoDisc releases Opus7 upgrade.(Music Merchandise)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... PianoDisc, 4111 N. Freeway Blvd., Sacramento, CA 95834; (800) 566-3472, fax: (916) 567-1941; generalinfo@pianodisc.com; www.pianodisc.com. Visit local dealer for price. A downloadable software upgrade is now available for PianoDisc's Opus7...

Pearl River pianos introduces digital line.(Music Merchandise)(Pearl River Piano Group America Ltd)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Pearl River Piano Group America Ltd., 2260 S. Haven Ave., Ste. F, Ontario, CA 91761-0739; (909) 673-9155; www.pearlriverpiano.com. Visit local dealer for price. Pearl River Piano Group America Ltd. has introduced its new digital piano...

Hal Leonard to distribute Carry-a-Tune Technologies nationally.(Music Merchandise)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Carry-A-Tune Technologies, 5401 Hangar Ct., Tampa, FL 33634; (813) 886-1955, fax: (813) 886-0637; info@carryatune.com; www.carryatune.com $49.95, Singing Coach; $99.95, Singing Coach Unlimited. Carry-a-Tune Technologies is now available to...

Harmony of the Spheres MusicGuides.(Music Merchandise)(Brief Article)(Book Review)
June 1, 2005... Harmony Of The Spheres Publications, P.O. Box 1533, West Chester, P.A 19380: (610) 344-4867; CustomerCare@hotspheres.com; www.hotspheres.com. $3.25 each; $9 for set of three. Harmony Of The Spheres Publications offers three two-page,...

Passages.(Obituary)
June 1, 2005... Janice McCurnin, MTNA's first Teacher of the Year recipient, died April 4, 2005. McCurnin was named Teacher of the Year in 2000. A member of the Arizona State Music Teachers Association Board of Directors since 1992, McCurnin dedicated her...

Essential skills for promoting a lifelong love of music and music making: part 3 of 4: introduction.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Why did you choose to become a music teacher? Research has shown the benefits music study provides for all types of learning. That's one important reason to teach, for sure. But we believe most of us chose music teaching to share our love of...

Essential skills for promoting a lifelong love of music and music making: part 3 of 4: risks and rewards.
June 1, 2005... The question of what we mean by musical "skill" fascinates me, so I was delighted to be asked to contribute to this worthy series. Certainly, essential skills--substantial skills for a lifetime--are what we genuinely hope to impart as teachers....

Pedagogical tools for preparing and performing open scores.
June 1, 2005... One of the most difficult tasks undertaken by pianists is playing open scores. The prerequisites for successfully rendering a score include a reliable grasp of keyboard geography, command of tonality and harmonic structures, and a solid piano...

Understanding piano playing through MIDI: students' perspectives on performance analysis and learning.
June 1, 2005... In language, if inflection and nuance enhance the effect of the spoken word--in music they create the meaning of notes. (1) The notated score cannot conceivably provide all the indications that must be observed for the performance of a piano...

What's love got to do with it?(teaching music)
June 1, 2005... Seven-year-old Sarah was being particularly obstinate one lesson. Finally, she looked over at her mother and with a note of defiance said, "What if I quit the piano?" Unlike swimming lessons or spelling bees, the role of music lessons in...

44 Children's Pieces on Greek Melodies by Yannis Constantinidis: a Masterpiece of Mikrokosmic proportions.(Critical Essay)
June 1, 2005... Yannis Constantinidis composed the 44 Children's Pieces on Greek Melodies in 1950 with the intention of providing Greek conservatory students with compositions that have a distinctly folk flavor, gradually increasing in technical difficulty and...

A sword for battle.
June 1, 2005... Hunched over, cushioned by a nine-to-five chair, Earl Stewart brings to mind an African warrior in the eve of his last battle. He speaks on the phone as if relaying orders to his followers--short, direct, calm and confident. His glasses...

Annotated bibliography on musician wellness.(Musician Wellness)(Bibliography)
June 1, 2005... 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.mtna.org. The format of the bibliography is as follows: ...

2005 MTNA National Conference highlights.(Calendar)
June 1, 2005... MTNA 2005 National Conference Seattle, Washington April 2-6 WORKSHOPS "YOU'RE FIRED!" "The Donald," a.k.a. Scott McBride Smith (center) discusses teaching candidates with his assistants, Steven Hesla and Beth Gigante Klingenstein, in...

Louise Goss receives MTNA Achievement Award.(National Association News)(Music Teachers National Association )
June 1, 2005... Louise Goss was honored with the 2005 MTNA Achievement Award at the Awards Brunch during the National Conference in Seattle. Goss is an internationally recognized teacher lecturer, author and editor She is chair of the Board of Trustees of...

Ruth Pitts is Teacher of the Year.(National Association News)
June 1, 2005... Ruth Pitts, NCTM, was honored as MTNA Teacher of the Year at the National Conference in Seattle. Pitts established her own private studio in 1962, teaching piano, voice and music theory to students of all levels, and is a music instructor...

Rexford Whiddon receives 2005 MTNA Distinguished Service Award.(National Association News)
June 1, 2005... L. Rexford Whiddon, NCTM, was awarded the inaugural MTNA Distinguished Service Award during the Awards Brunch at the National Conference in Seattle. Whiddon, director of major gifts for the Columbus State University Foundation in Columbus,...

Ohio Music Teachers Association is State Affiliate of the Year.(National Association News)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Ohio Music Teachers Association (OMTA) is this year's MTNA State Affiliate of the Year, snowing a significant increase in membership and claiming, among all the entries, the highest percentage of members who are nationally certified. Ohio...

Pikes Peak Music Teachers Association is Local Association of the Year.(National Association News)
June 1, 2005... The Pikes Peak Music Teachers Association (PPMTA) in Colorado Springs, Colorado, is the recipient of the 2005 MTNA Local Association of the Year Award, receiving this honor in recognition of organizing innovative programs and projects and...

Stefan Freund named MTNA-Shepherd Distinguished Composer of the Year.(National Association News)
June 1, 2005... Stefan Freund has been selected as the 2004 MTNA-Shepherd Distinguished Composer of the Year for his composition Screams and Grooves, commissioned by the Missouri MTA. Freund is a visiting assistant professor of composition and music theory at...

Maurice Hinson honored with Frances Clark Keyboard Pedagogy Award.(National Association News)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Maurice Hinson, NCTM, is the recipient of the 2005 MTNA-Frances Clark Keyboard Pedagogy Award for the keyboard pedagogy text Guide to the Pianist's Repertoire. Now updated and expanded, this publication guides pianists of all abilities to...

Sara Renaud receives Studio Fellowship Award.(National Association News)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Sara Renaud, NCTM, of Columbia, Missouri, 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. Renaud holds a master of music degree in piano pedagogy from...

Lowry awarded AMT Article of the Year.(National Association News)
June 1, 2005... "Emerging Trends and Issues and Their Impact on the Individual Music Teacher," by Douglas Lowry, was selected as the 2004 American Music Teacher Article of the Year. Featured in the April/May 2004 issue, this article was part of AMT's...

Winnie S.C. Ip receives PTGF Award.(National Association News)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Winnie S.C. Ip, NCTM, of, Boston, Massachusetts, received the 2005 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...

Weber State University is 2005 Collegiate Chapter of the Year.(National Association News)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... The Weber State University Student Chapter (WSUSC) in Ogden, Utah, has been selected as me Collegiate Chapter of the Year. Among its notable activities is joining the Weber State Carnival of Clubs, playing music games and offering piano...

Fifty-year members recognized.(National Association News)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... At the 2005 National Conference, MTNA recognized 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 Meeting: ...

Whitten featured in article.(National Association News)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Long-time MTNA member Benjamin Whitten was featured in the Philadelphia Music Makers winter 2004 edition in a profile entitled. "Timeless Benjamin Whitten." which recognizes his many contributions to the music teaching field. He was...

Former MTNA national winner to compete in Cliburn 2005.(National Association News)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Stephen Beus, of Othello Washington, was Chosen to compete at the Twelfth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition May 20 to June 5, 2005. Beus, one of thirty-five pianists selected worldwide, was the 2003 MTNA Collegiate Artist Piano...

MTNA co-sponsors Best 100 Communities for Music Education.(National Association News)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... An annual survey by a partnership of leading music and educational organizations named the Best 100 Communities for Music Education of America for 2005. Representing thirty states, the roster includes school districts whose commitment to...

Board of directors.(National Association News)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... MTNA Board of Directors were recognized during the Awards Brunch at the MTNA National Conference, Pictured are, from left. Wayne Gibson, NCTM: Phyllis I. Pieffer, NCTM; MTNA Executive Director Gary Ingle; Paul Stewart, NCTM; Gall Berenson,...

2005 fall state conventions.(National Association News)
June 1, 2005... 2005 Fall State Conventions This list only contains the state MTA conventions held during the autumn months. State Date Location Florida November 10-13 Marco Island Hilton Beach Resort Georgia...

National officers: 2005-2007 biennium.(National Association News)
June 1, 2005... President Paul Stewart, NCTM Greensboro, NC President-elect Gail Berenson, NCTM Athens, OH Vice President Martha Hilley, NCTM Austin, TX Secretary/Treasurer Kathleen Rountree Greensboro, NC

Music Teachers National Association: annual meeting minutes.(National Association News)
June 1, 2005... Seattle, WA, April 5, 2005 CALL TO ORDER MTNA President Phyllis Pieffer called the meeting to order at 7:30 a.m. on April 5, 2005. ADOPTION OF AGENDA The agenda was adopted as printed. QUORUM President Pieffer...

Eastern Division.(Division News)(Brief Article)(Column)
June 1, 2005... In this column, we hear from Vermont President Kitty Davis, NCTM The Vermont MTA's fall convention and competitive auditions were held October 6, 2004, at the University of Vermont n Burlington. The guest clinician was Melanie Foster...

East Central.(Division News)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... The Ohio MTA All-Ohio Piano Ensemble (A-OPE) will honor David Karp, NCTM, with a concert of his duet and solo compositions June 10-12 on the camous of Bowling Green State University. Karp, Lyle Anderson, Connie Anderson, NCTM, David Engle and...

Northwest Division.(Division News)(music)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Many of the Northwest Division members attended the MTNA National Conference, which was held in our division in the spectacular city of Seattle, Washington, April 2-6. 2005 Three states in the Northwest Division will present state...

South Central Division.(Division News)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... The SouthCentral Division had an excellent meeting at the National Conference Division Certification Chair Debra Hadfield. NCTM, reported fourteen newly certified members from the division. Oklahoma MTA reported the deathe of its 2005...

Southern Division.(Division News)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... In Mississippi, Jackson MTA held an annual Bach Festival, which encouraged exploration of early keyboard music. The junior division offered categories in prelude, suite and invention; and the senior division spotlighted the prelude, fugue,...

Southwest Division.(Division News)(Brief Article)(Column)
June 1, 2005... In this month's column, we visit the Aloha state, Hawaii. "Pianomania," a major event hosted in July by the Hawaii MTA, featured two multi-piano concerts. More than 350 students from 3 major islands played duet pieces in ensembles, on 10...

West Central Division.(Division News)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... The West Central Division meeting during the MTNA National Conference in Seattle was attended by members representing all eight states in the division. Congratulations go to two Missouri residents who received special recognition at the...

Teacher Enrichment Grants provide opportunities for professional growth.(Foundation Fund)
June 1, 2005... Each year, the MTNA FOUNDATION FUND awards Teacher Enrichment Grants, designed to encourage and enable members of the profession to engage in lifelong learning and embark on creative projects that benefit both their students and the profession...

2005 incentive giving campaign winners announced.(Foundation Fund)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Congratulations to the North Dakota Music Teachers Association (NDMTA), Alaska Music Teachers Association (AMTA) and the California Association of Professional Music Teachers (CAPMT) for winning the MTNA FOUNDATION FUND State Incentive Giving...

2005 teacher enrichment grants awarded.(Foundation Fund)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Sixteen teachers received grants this year from the MTNA FOUNDATION FUND. A total of $11,775 was awarded to recipients to help fund continuing education and professional development projects. This year's grants were awarded to Jo E. Arthur,...

Seventeen local associations receive grants.(Foundation Fund)
June 1, 2005... A total of $8,742.50 was distributed from the MTNA FOUNDATION FUND to seventeen local associations in 2005. Associations receiving grants are: Aberdeen Area MTA, SD; Piano Teachers Workshop Central Arkansas MTA, AR; Family Workshop:...

State Affiliate Grants awarded.(Foundation Fund)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... The first-ever State Affiliate Matching Grants were awarded this year. These new grants are awarded to state affiliates to enhance professional and educational development of their members, as well as creating innovative programs that will...

What can it do for you?(Professional Certification)
June 1, 2005... One day, many years ago in a supermarket parking lot, I ran into an old high school classmate who was then a prominent dentist in our community. He greeted me with, "Hi, Barry, how are you? Are you still teaching piano?" I instinctively...

New Certification commissioners.(Nationally Certified Teacher of Music )
June 1, 2005... Paul Pollei, NCTM, and Michael Benson, NCTM, have been appointed to represent the Southwest and East Central Divisions respectively on the Certification Commission. They will serve until April 2006, completing the unexpired terms of Cheryl...

2004-2005 MTNA National Student Competitions winners.
June 1, 2005... 2005 National Conference Seattle, Washington April 2-6 Jade Conlee, right, winner of the MTNA Student Composition Competition, junior level, sponsored by Warner Bros. Publications, Inc., received her award from Gail Lew, Warner Bros....

5 minutes with ... Seymour Bernstein.(Professional Resources)(Interview)
June 1, 2005... Internationally renowned pianist, teacher, composer and writer, Seymour Bernstein studied with Nadia Boulanger, Georges Enesco and Sir Clifford Curzon. He has appeared as soloist and collaborative pianist in Asia, Europe and the Americas. His...

What's new in pedagogy research?(Professional Resources)
June 1, 2005... We've all experienced it--two children begin lessons at about the same time, and within a year, one is playing with a fair amount of ease, while the other is far behind and struggling. Why does this happen? Is it just a difference in practice...

Polyphony: the rhythm of musical development, the music lesson and the academic year.(Professional Resources)(Interview)
June 1, 2005... Q. You have spoken about the sound ideal for a piece and of the importance of projecting a musical interpretation and performance to that very high level. Would you clarify this? A. In the mind's ear, one has an ideal of the perfect...

Insurance insights.(Professional Resources)
June 1, 2005... After working with MTNA members for nearly three years, we have heard a lot of different scenarios regarding the environment in which a teacher provides instruction. These environments range from a home living room to a church to a school...

The collaborative experience: ensemble performance in music studies.(Forum Focus: Collaborative Arts)
June 1, 2005... Derived from the Latin collaborate, collaborate literally means to "labor with," to work together. Collaborative performances in the arts are nothing new, but the term in music is, in fact, relatively new. Making music together is the art of...

Health promotion in schools of music: the impacts on college faculty.(Forum Focus: College Faculty)
June 1, 2005... While in college, majoring in piano performance, not one word was ever mentioned about injury prevention, ways to handle performance anxiety or how musicians can protect themselves from the many risk factors that can endanger one's future as a...

2004 Distinguished Composer of the Year Stefan Freund.(Forum Focus: Composer Commissioning)(Interview)
June 1, 2005... The 2004 Distinguished Composer of the Year has a rich student history with MTNA. Stefan Freund, D.M.A., Eastman School of Music, is a professor of composition at the University of Missouri in Columbia and was the winner of four state...

Piano Angels.(Forum Focus: Local Associations)(donating pianos)
June 1, 2005... This is an extraordinary story of the love of music and those who have given generously so many young people could experience the joy of playing a musical instrument. I am a music teacher at Cavazos Junior High in Lubbock, Texas. In...

Piano Needn't be Lonely ... It's Fun Playing with Friends, 2nd Revised Edition.(Book Review)
June 1, 2005... Piano Needn't be Lonely... It's Fun Playing with Friends, 2nd Revised Edition, by Nadia Lasserson, 34 Carver Rd. London, SE24 9LT. 35pp. 6.50 [pounds sterling]. Nadia Lasserson says it so well in the title of her book--Piano Needn't be...

Musical Meaning in Beethoven: Markedness, Correlation and Interpretation.(Book Review)
June 1, 2005... Musical Meaning in Beethoven: Markedness, Correlation and Interpretation, by Robert S. Hatten. Indiana University Press (601 N. Morton St., Bloomington, IN 47404), 2004. 341 pp. $24.95. Robert S. Hatten's Musical Meaning in Beethoven is...

The Musician As Entrepreneur, 1700-1914: Managers, Charlatans, and Idealists.(Book Review)
June 1, 2005... The Musician As Entrepreneur, 1700-1914: Managers, Charlatans and Idealists, edited by William Weber. Indiana University Press (601 N. Morton St., Bloomington, IN 47404), 2004. 269; pp. $44.95. For anyone who has contemplated the economic...

Time Flies: How to Make the Best Use of Teaching Time.(Book Review)
June 1, 2005... Time Flies: How to Make the Best Use of Teaching Time, by Marienne Uszler. The FJH Music Company, Inc. (Westport Business Park, 2525 Davie Rd., Ste. 360, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33317). 73 pp. $9.50. Time Flies: How to Make the Best Use of...

Anthology of Impressionistic Piano Music--Intermediate- to Early-Advanced Works by Twenty Composers.(Book Review)
June 1, 2005... Anthology of Impressionistic Piano Music--Intermediate- to Early-Advanced Works by Twenty Composers, edited by Maurice Hinson. Alfred Publishing Co., Inc. (16320 Roscoe Blvd., Ste. 100, P.O. Box 10003, Van Nuys, CA 91410). 208 pp. $34.95. ...

Practicing for Artistic Success: The Musician's Guide to Self-Improvement.(Book Review)
June 1, 2005... Practicing for Artistic Success: The Musician's Guide to Self-Improvement, by Burton Kaplan. Perception Development Techniques (P.O. Box 421, Morris, NY 13808), 2004. 105 pp. $23.95. Practicing for Artistic Success is a book every...

Smooth Jazz Piano: The Complete Guide with CD!(Book Review)
June 1, 2005... Smooth Jazz Piano: The Complete Guide with CD!, by Mark Harrison. Hal Leonard Publishing Corp. (7777 W. Bluemound Rd., P.O. Box 13819, Milwaukee, WI 53213). 79 pp. $17.95. Late-intermediate to early-advanced. Smooth Jazz Piano is a...

EZ Jazz: Seven Easy-to-Play Jazz Piano Solos for Any Age.(Book Review)
June 1, 2005... EZ Jazz: Seven Easy-to-Play Jazz Piano Solos for Any Age, by Bert Konowitz. Lee Roberts Music Publications, Inc./Hal Leonard Publishing Corp. (7777 W. Bluemound Rd., P.O. Box 13819, Milwaukee, WI 53213). 24 pp. $10.95. Beginners. Anyone...

Twenty Four Miniature Preludes: 24 Progressive Piano Solos.(Book Review)
June 1, 2005... Twenty Four Miniature Preludes: 24 Progressive Piano Solos, by Johnny Todd. The Willis Music Company (P.O. Box 548, Florence, KY 41022), 2004, 36 pp. $4.95. Late-elementary to early-intermediate. This collection contains twenty-four...

The Songwriter's Workshop--Harmony.(Brief Article)(Book Review)
June 1, 2005... The Songwriter's Workshop--Harmony, by Jimmy Kachulis. Berklee Press (1140 Boylston St., Boston, MA 02215), 2005. 205 pp. $29.95. Intermediate to advanced. The Songwriter's Workshop--Harmony offers a new approach to creating fundamental...

Shingle Shaker Rag.(Brief Article)(Book Review)
June 1, 2005... Shingle Shaker Rag, by Glenda Austin. The Willis Music Company (P.O. Box 548, Florence, KY 41022). 6 pp. $1.95. Late-elementary to early-intermediate. Shingle Shaker Rag is a terrific new piano solo from Glenda Austin. Described as...

A Little Salsa in Tulsa (Piano Duet).(Brief Article)(Book Review)
June 1, 2005... A Little Salsa in Tulsa (Piano Duet), by Glenda Austin. The Willis Music Company (P.O. Box 548, Florence, KY 41022). 17 pp. $3.50. Early-intermediate. A Little Salsa in Tulsa is a thoroughly fun early-intermediate duet. Far from the...

Hearing Music Software.
June 1, 2005... Hearing Music Software, by Morton Subotnick. Viva Media (580 Broadway, New Fork, NY 10012), 2004. $29.99. Beginners. Hearing Music, the latest educational software by composer Morton Subomick, is an introductory ear-training program for...