American Music Teacher articles from June 2007

American Music Teacher archives from June 2007

We are "glocal".(Dear Reader)(Music Teachers National Association)
June 1, 2007... The year was 1887. In an address at the 11th annual meeting of MTNA, then-President Calixa Lavallee made the following statement: "The safeguard of our musical welfare lies in the central organization of our power. As long as each state exists,...

Meet Gail Berenson, MTNA president.(In Unison)(Music Teachers National Association)(Interview)
June 1, 2007... AMT: How does it feel to be the new president of MTNA? GB: When I first became president-elect, I alternated between feelings of excitement and sheer panic. Thankfully, I've had two years to adjust to the idea and familiarize myself with...

2008 youngARTS awards registration.(Items of Interest)
June 1, 2007... Registration has opened for the 2008 youngARTS program, the core program of the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts (NFAA) that identifies and rewards exceptional student artists from across the United States. High school seniors in...

TCW Resources sold to Kjos.(Items of Interest)(Neil A. Kjos Music Company)(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... Kathleen Lloyd, Laura G. Zisette and Charlene Zundel, otherwise known as the Three Cranky Women, have sold the TCW Resources catalog to the Neil A. Kjos Music Company. All TCW products are now available exclusively from Kjos Music, and new...

Jabez Press publishes invitational winner.(Items of Interest)(Jabez Press, LLC)(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... Jabez Press, LLC, a Fort Worth-based publishing company and record label, will publish the winner of the 2005 Jabez Press Composition Invitational, A Calendar Set: Twelve Preludes for Piano by Judith Lang Zaimont. The publication includes 12...

Yamaha produces 100,000th string instrument.(Items of Interest)(Yamaha Corporation of America)(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... Yamaha Corporation of America, Band & Orchestral Division, recently celebrated the production of its 100,000th string instrument, and 2007 marks the 10th anniversary for Yamaha String products--the first product created was the SV-100 Silent...

SUNY Potsdam becomes All-Steinway School.(Items of Interest)(State University of New York )(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... The State University of New York in Potsdam has become an All-Steinway School with the purchase of 141 Steinway pianos, the largest single acquisition of new Steinway pianos in Steinway & Sons' 154-year history. This is the first major...

Lorenz acquires Latham.(Items of Interest)
June 1, 2007... The Lorenz Corporation has acquired Latham Music, a string music publishing company. With the help of founder and editor Lynne Latham, Lorenz intends to maintain the Latham name and reputation, while focusing on growth in the string market. ...

String Consortium joins SupportMusic.(Items of Interest)(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... The National String Project Consortium (NSPC) of Columbia, South Carolina, recently joined the SupportMusic Coalition, a public service led by MTNA, NAMM, the International Music Products Association, and MENC, the National Association for...

Piano Wizard for Mac now available.(Music Merchandise)(Allegro Rainbow)(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... Allegro Rainbow; (877) 742-6604; www.allegrorainbow.com. Allegro Rainbow, a leading provider of music videogame software, has released Piano Wizard for Mac. Piano Wizard is the revolutionary, award-winning videogame that teaches anyone to...

Prairie Farm Press.(Music Merchandise)(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... Prairie Farm Press is a new website that offers guests free sheet music, piano forte music and hymns, among other things. All of the music is in the public domain and able to be copied freely. For more information, visit...

Carl Fischer announces new releases.(Music Merchandise)(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... Carl Fischer, 65 Bleecker Street, New York, NY 10012; (212) 777-0900; www.carlfischer.com. More String Town Tunes: Score and Teacher's Guide. Carl Fischer has introduced new products to their catalogue: More String Town Tunes by Doris...

Seoul International Music Competition.(Competitions)
June 1, 2007... The 3rd Seoul International Music Competition will be held in Seoul, South Korea, from November 27 to December 7, 2007. Seoul International Music Competition was established by the Dong-A Ilbo with the aim of promoting cultural exchanges...

Eileen Keel.(Passages)(obituary)(Obituary)(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... Eileen Keel, NCTM, an independent music teacher from Lansing, Michigan, died March 26. Keel was a charter member of the Capital Area Music Teachers Association (CAMTA), the Michigan Music Teachers Association, The National Federation of...

Musical mastery and the meditative mind via the GAP--Guided Attention Practice.(Viewpoint essay)
June 1, 2007... "How many of you meditate?" is among the first questions I like to ask a new group of students. When I see a just a few hands scattered about a room of more than 100 music majors, I smile and say "Okay now, everyone please raise your hands high...

Ensemble skills: do we really teach them?(Viewpoint essay)
June 1, 2007... Ensemble skills are among the most crucial but often-neglected aspects of musicianship. By "ensemble skills" I am referring to the ability to fit into and enhance an ensemble, large or small; to participate actively but as a "team player."...

Andaluza: from inspiration to interpretation.(Personal account)
June 1, 2007... Ever since I learned Granados' sixth Spanish Dance, Rondalla Aragonesa, as a teenager, Spanish music has been a passionate interest for me. So completely did it and other Spanish works capture my imagination, that it inspired me to travel...

The hurting musician: why performers resist letting go of limitations.(Personal account)
June 1, 2007... As an Alexander Technique teacher, I am usually the last resort for the hurting musician. The difficulties of playing major literature can cause pain or injury, which often exists a long time before someone tries Alexander Technique. If a...

Annotated Bibliography on Musician Wellness.(Music Teachers National Association)(www.mtna.org )(Website overview)
June 1, 2007... Introduction The annual Annotated Bibliography on Musician Wellness has been researched and compiled annually for more than 15 years now, first for the National Keyboard Pedagogy Conference and the last 10 years for MTNA. The publication...

2007 CFMTA-MTNA-RCM: Collaborative Conference highlights.(Canadian Federation of Music Teachers' Associations )(Music Teachers National Association)(Royal College of Music )
June 1, 2007... Opening Session and Concerto Concert The Opening Session of the 2007 Collaborative Conference was held at Roy Thomson Hall. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Peter Simon, RCM president; Paul Stewart, NCTM, MTNA president; Patricia Frehlich,...

Marienne Uszler and Henry Z. Steinway honored with MTNA Achievement Award.(National Association News)
June 1, 2007... Marienne Uszler and Henry Z. Steinway were honored with the MTNA Achievement Award at the 2007 CFMTA-MTNA-RCM Collaborative Conference in Toronto. Uszler was the editor of Piano & Keyboard, a former editor for American Music Teacher,...

Naegeli von Bergen Metcalf named MTNA Teacher of the Year.(National Association News)
June 1, 2007... The recipient of the 2007 MTNA Teacher of the Year Award is Naegeli von Bergen Metcalf. Born in York, Nebraska, Metcalf began piano lessons at age 7. At age 13, she began attending Rocky Ridge Music Center near Estes Park, Colorado. When...

Joan Reist receives MTNA Distinguished Service Award.(National Association News)(Music Teachers National Association)(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... Joan Reist, NCTM, was awarded the third annual MTNA Distinguished Service Award at the 2007 CFMTA-MTNA-RCM Collaborative Conference in Toronto. Reist spent 33 years as an independent music teacher and 28 years as director of the keyboard...

Iowa MTA named MTNA State Affiliate of the Year.(National Association News)(Music Teachers Association)(Music Teachers National Association)(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... Iowa Music Teachers Association is the 2007 MTNA State Affiliate of the Year. The award is based on membership growth and retention, certification, teacher education and programs, collegiate chapters, FOUNDATION FUND contribution, programming...

Las Vegas MTA named Local Association of the Year.(National Association News)(Music Teachers Association )(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... Las Vegas Music Teachers Association (LVMTA) in Nevada, led by president Heidi ElHalta, was selected as the 2007 MTNA Local Association of the Year based on a balance of several important criteria, most importantly community support and...

David McArthur receives StAR Studio Teacher Fellowship Award.(National Association News)(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... David McArthur is the recipient of the 2007 StAR Studio Teacher Fellowship Award. McArthur is currently pursuing a doctor of musical arts degree in piano performance at the University of Colorado-Boulder, where he is a student of Doris...

Frederick Harris Music Company's Celebration Series, The Piano Odyssey receives Frances Clark Keyboard Pedagogy Award.(Association News)(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... Frederick Harris Music Company's Celebration Series, The Piano Odyssey is the recipient of this year's Frances Clark Keyboard Pedagogy Award. Celebration Series, The Piano Odyssey, published in 2001, has gained the worldwide reputation of...

Jessica Johnson and Migori Koga awarded AMT Article of the Year.(Association News)(American Music Teacher )(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... "The Art of Listening with Depth, Understanding, Flow and Imagery," written by Jessica Johnson and Midori Koga, has been selected as the 2007 American Music Teacher Article of the Year. Johnson is assistant professor of piano and director...

David Froom named MTNA-Shepherd Distinguished Composer of the Year.(Association News)(Music Teachers National Association)(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... David Froom was awarded the MTNA-Shepherd Distinguished Composer of the Year at the 2007 CFMTA-MTNA-RCM Collaborative Conference in Toronto. Froom's music has been performed extensively throughout the United States by major orchestras,...

Ellen Sassano named MTNA-PTG Foundation Certified Teacher of the Year.(Association News)(Music Teachers National Association)(Piano Technicians Guild )(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... Ellen Sassano, NCTM, was named the MTNA-PTG Foundation Certified Teacher of the Year at the 2007 CFMTA-MTNA-RCM Collaborative Conference in Toronto. Sassano has a bachelor's degree from Gettysburg College in Pennsylvania. She was an active...

University of Oklahoma named Benjamin Whitten Collegiate Chapter of the Year.(Association News)(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... The University of Oklahoma Collegiate Chapter in Norman, Oklahoma, has been selected as the 2007 Benjamin Whitten Collegiate Chapter of the Year. Advised by Jane Magrath, NCTM, and Barbara Fast, NCTM, the University of Oklahoma MTNA...

Recognition of 50-year members.(Association News)
June 1, 2007... At the 2007 Collaborative Conference, MTNA recognized the following members for their 50 years of service to the music teaching profession: Beverly Bradley Atlanta, Georgia Margaret H. Brown Medford,...

Outgoing Certification Commissioners.(Association News)
June 1, 2007... Outgoing Certification Commissioners were recognized for their service. Pictured from left are Deborah Wallace, NCTM; Karen Taddie, NCTM; Lucinda Lear, NCTM, and Debra Hadfield, NCTM. On the right is Certification Program Chair Sylvia Coats,...

Outgoing MTNA National Officers.(Association News)
June 1, 2007... Outgoing MTNA National Officers were recognized for their service. Pictured from left are President-elect Gail Berenson, NCTM; Immediate Past President Phyllis Pieffer, NCTM; Vice President Martha Hilley, NCTM; and President Paul Stewart, NCTM....

MTNA co-sponsors Best 100 Communities for Music Education.(Association News)
June 1, 2007... An annual survey by a partnership of leading music and educational organizations has named the Best 100 Communities for Music Education in America. The 2007 roster includes school districts from 31 states. MTNA partnered with The American Music...

MTNA co-sponsors Recreational Music Making Teacher Training Seminars.(Association News)(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... MTNA and the National Piano Foundation have joined forces to offer Recreational Music Making Teacher Training Seminars in four locations around the country--Madison, Wisconsin (June 30-July 1); Harrisburg, Pennsylvania (July 7-8); Seattle,...

2006 Fall State Conferences.(Association News)(Calendar)
June 1, 2007... 2006 Fall State Conferences This list contains only those state MTA conferences held during the fall months. State Date Location California February 9-11, 2008 San Mateo Marriott Hotel...

Music Teachers National Association: annual meeting minutes Toronto, Ontario, March 27, 2007.(Association News)
June 1, 2007... Call to Order MTNA President Paul Stewart called the meeting to order at 12:00 NOON on March 27, 2007. ADOPTION OF AGENDA The agenda was adopted as printed. QUORUM President Stewart declared a quorum present at the...

Eastern Division.(Division News)(Massachusetts Music Teachers Association)(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... The Massachusetts MTA has undergone a technological facelift, reshaping its state logo and redesigning its website. The new website--www.mmta.net--includes a searchable member database called "Find-A-Teacher," which enables visitors to locate...

East Central Division.(Division News)
June 1, 2007... Wisconsin MTA held three statewide competitions in May: the Badger Keyboard and Badger Non-Keyboard competitions and the Badger Collegiate Performance Competition. The annual WMTA Leadership Summit will be held June 8, 2007, with keynote...

South Central Division.(Division News)(Music Teachers National Association)(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... The MTNA South Central Division meeting at the Toronto Conference was informative and enjoyable. A division dinner followed, at which time we shared excellent food and great fellowship. Arkansas State MTA President Tim Smith reported that...

Southern Division.(Division News)(Music Teachers National Association)(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... In Alabama, the Baldwin County MTA held scholarship auditions to support music summer camps or lessons. Wendy Bramhall's program, A Music Teacher's Toolbox for Creativity, was presented to the Huntsville MTA. The Metro Music Forum recently...

Northwest Division.(Division News)(Music Teachers National Association)(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... The Northwest Division state presidents and officers convened at the MTNA Conference in Toronto, Ontario, March 23-27. Each president shared ideas from their perspective states about membership, future and current projects, fundraising,...

Southwest Division.(Division News)(Music Teachers National Association)(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... The Arizona State MTA conference will be held May 31-June 2 in Phoenix. David Pasbrig will be the concert artist, and the clinician will be Helen Marlais, who compiled and edited Succeeding with the Masters series. Sylvia Coats, chair of the...

West Central Division.(Division News)
June 1, 2007... Being named the State Affiliate of the Year by MTNA was a major highlight for the Iowa Music Teachers Association. Every state has good reason to take pride in its MTA; it was very gratifying to have that sense of purpose affirmed by the...

Foundation Fund.(Association News)
June 1, 2007... Local Association Grant Recipients A total of $3,650 was distributed from the MTNA FOUNDATION FUND to nine local associations in 2007. Associations receiving grants are: * Tulsa Accredited Music Teachers Association, Oklahoma *...

Professional certification: the portfolio option: a timeline for success.(Association News)
June 1, 2007... Deciding that you want to apply for National Certification is a fabulous thing. Taking the first steps in plotting your course in the process of certification can feel daunting and paralyzing for some. But, following through with action and...

2006-2007 MTNA National Student Competition sponsors.(Brief article)(Photograph)
June 1, 2007... Morty and Iris Manus are pictured with Eleanor Bragg, center, winner of the MTNA Elementary Student Composition Competition, sponsored by Morty and Iris Manus. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Mitchell Breeling, third from left, winner of the...

2006-2007 MTNA National Student Competition winners.
June 1, 2007... STUDENT COMPOSITION COMPETITIONS Elementary Composition Sponsored by Morty and Iris Manus Winner: Eleanor Bragg, Eastern Division (Massachusetts); Alla Cohen, teacher Eleanor Bragg, age 10, has been studying composition at the New...

What's new in pedagogy research?(Professional Resources)
June 1, 2007... Take two equally talented and ambitious student musicians--one attends a top music school and pursues a life-long career as a professional musician, while the other drops out and goes into another career. Why does this happen? What makes the...

Polyphony.(Professional Resources)
June 1, 2007... Q As far as memorizing goes, do you think all students should memorize all works in their repertoire? My teachers had me play every one of my pieces until they were memorized. Is that a good thing? A All students are different, so no one...

Passing the torch.(Forum Focus: Local Associations)
June 1, 2007... You've probably heard it before: "I've volunteered for years in this music teachers association, and I'm cutting back now. It's time for the younger generation of teachers to take over. I resign." Teachers pass their torch after a lifetime of...

David Froom: MTNA/Shepherd Distinguished Composer 2006.(Forum Focus: Composer Commissioning)
June 1, 2007... The 2006 MTNA/Shepherd Distinguished Composer 2006 David Froom composed "Lightscapes" to fulfill his commission from the Maryland State Music Teachers Association. "Lightscapes" is a work for flute and piano in three movements; each of the...

World Music: A Global Journey, w/CDs.(Book review)
June 1, 2007... * World Music: A Global Journey, w/CDs, by Terry E. Miller and Andrew Shahriari. Routledge/Taylor & Francis Group, (www.routledge-ny.com; 1(800) 634-7064), 2006. 460pp. $59. Two compact discs with 70 audio examples and hundreds of pictures...

The Anatomy of Musicality.(Book review)
June 1, 2007... [website] The Anatomy of Musicality, by Rozalie Levant. (Rozalie Levant, publisher), 2006. 265pp. $34.95. In the introduction to this book, Rozalie Levant recalls from her youth, her teacher bellowing, "Listen to yourself!" This upset her...

Chopin, a Listener's Guide to the Master of the Piano, w/2 CDs.(Book review)
June 1, 2007... * Chopin, a Listener's Guide to the Master of the Piano, w/2 CDs, by Victor Lederer. Amadeus Press, (www.amadeuspress.com; 1(800) 637-2852), 2006. 146pp. $22.95. In Chopin, a Listener's Guide to the Master of the Piano, Victor Lederer...

The {Strangest} Song--One Father's Quest to Help His Daughter Find Her Voice.(Book review)
June 1, 2007... * The {Strangest} Song--One Father's Quest to Help His Daughter Find Her Voice, by Teri Sforza, with Howard and Sylvia Lenhoff. Prometheus Books, (www.prometheusbooks.com; 1(800) 421-0351), 2006. 296pp. $24. In The {Strangest} Song--One...

Start-Up at the New Met: The Metropolitan Opera Broadcasts, 1966-1976.(Book review)
June 1, 2007... * Start-Up at the New Met: The Metropolitan Opera Broadcasts, 1966-1976, by Paul Jackson. Amadeus Press, (www.amadeuspress.com; 1(800) 637-2852), 2006. 640 pp. $49.95. Opera lovers who revel in the memories of those unforgettable Saturday...

Do Re Mi: If You Can Read Music, Thank Guido D'Arezzo.(Book review)
June 1, 2007... * Do Re Mi: If You Can Read Music, Thank Guido D'Arezzo, by Susan L. Roth with Angelo Mafucci. Houghton Mifflin, (www.houghtonmifflinbooks; 1(800) 225-3362), 2006. 32 pp. $17. This is an excellent book to introduce to young children (and...

The Other Mozart: The Life of the Famous Chevalier de Saint-George.(Book review)
June 1, 2007... * The Other Mozart: The Life of the Famous Chevalier de Saint-George, by Hugh Brewster. Abrams Books for Young Readers (www.hnabooks.com), 2006. 48 pp. $18.95. While telling the life story of Chevalier de Saint-George, Hugh Brewster gives...

Americana.(Book review)
June 1, 2007... Americana, by Phillip Keveren. Hal Leonard Corporation, (www.musicdispatch.com; 1(800) 637-2852), 2006. 48 pp. $10.95. Late Intermediate to Early Advanced. Phillip Keveren's Americana collection describes itself as "15 picturesque...

Les Petites Images: Original Piano Solos in Impressionistic Style.(Book review)
June 1, 2007... Les Petites Images: Original Piano Solos in Impressionistic Style, by Jennifer Linn. Hal Leonard Corporation, (www.musicdispatch.com; 1(800) 637-2852), 2006. 23 pp. $6.95. Late Elementary. The Renoir cover sets the scene for the seven...

Tango: An Album of Brazilian Dances.(Book review)
June 1, 2007... Tango: An Album of Brazilian Dances, selected and edited by Victor Fell Yellin. Oxford University Press, (www.us.oup.com; 1(800) 451-7556, 2006. 48pp. $18.95. Would you like to improve your students' sense of rhythm while making beautiful...

Da Chara (Two Friends), for Flute and Guitar.(Book review)
June 1, 2007... Da Chara (Two Friends), for Flute and Guitar, by Ian Krouse. Peermusic Classical, (www.peermusicclassical.com; 1(800) 854-6764, ext. 230), 2005. 7 pp. each. $17.95. This piece is written in "traditional Irish style," beginning with a free,...

Charles Ives: Variations on "America," For Flute and Piano.(Book review)
June 1, 2007... Charles Ives: Variations on "America," For Flute and Piano, arranged by Daniel Dorff. Theodore Presser Co., (www.presser.com; 1(800) 854-6764), 2006. Flute: 4 pp., Score: 8 pp. $9.95. Daniel Dorff is a successful and experienced composer...

Finale 2007 from MakeMusic, Inc.(Product/service evaluation)
June 1, 2007... Finale 2007 from MakeMusic, Inc. (www.finalemusic.com; 1(800) 843-2066), Macintosh and Windows XP compatible. Suggested retail price $600.00. Academic/Theological price $350.00. Upgrade from Finale 2006 $119.95. As a long-time user and...

70 years of teaching piano!(The Back Page)
June 1, 2007... I was completely surprised when I received the letter recognizing my being a member of the Music Teachers National Association for 50 years. Time vanishes when one is busy. I have to give thanks to my wonderful parents for their deep love...