American Music Teacher articles from October 2006

American Music Teacher archives from October 2006

MTNA's commitment to technology.(Music Teachers National Association)
October 1, 2006... The computer age is upon us... (how's that for understatement?!). Our society has been utterly transformed by the new digital-reality. This technological revolution is so pervasive in our culture that many self-proclaimed experts and futurists...

10 years of Pedagogy Saturday.(Music Teachers National Association)
October 1, 2006... Congratulations to MTNA and Pedagogy Saturday on its 10th Anniversary! The time has flown by. The MTNA Ad-Hoc Committee for the Study of Performance Pedagogy Training had its first meeting in Cincinnati, Ohio, September 29-30, 1995. Present at...

MTNA winners receive awards.(Items of Interest)(Music Teachers National Association)(Dasom Kim, Andrea Johnson and Kenneth Chan receive awards)(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... Five MTNA competition prize winners have been named recipients of the Jack Kent Cooke Young Artist Award. This award is given by From the Tap, the non-profit organization best known for its hit National Public Radio Program featuring America's...

From the Top seeks musicians.(Items of Interest)
October 1, 2006... From the Top, the hit radio program that showcases America's best young classical musicians is auditioning young artists from across the country. Hosted by pianist Christopher O'Riley, each From the Tap broadcast presents five young...

Brook Mays files bankruptcy.(Items of Interest)(Brook Mays Music Inc.)(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... Brook Mays Music, the 105-year-old Dallas-based chain, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The filing was made at the U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Northern District of Texas. In the filing, Brook Mays listed assets of $10 million to...

John Homlish joins Casio Inc.(Items of Interest)(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... Casio, Inc., has named John Homlish executive vice president of sales and marketing. Homlish joins Casio from Samsung Electronics America, Inc., where he served as vice president of sales for six years. In this new position at Casio,...

Conn-Selmer partners with leading universities.(Items of Interest)
October 1, 2006... Conn-Selmer, Inc., has a new program that recognizes the high level of academic and musical excellence at qualified colleges and universities by naming the schools A Conn-Selmer School. A Conn-Selmer School designation is designed to...

National Geographic launches music initiative.(www.worldmusic.national geographic.com)(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... National Geographic has created a music initiative that offers consumers music from around the world. National Geographic World Music showcases international artists and musical performances in an interactive and immersive online environment....

Winners of PianoArts competition announced.(Items of Interest)(Michelle Naughton)(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... Pianist Michelle Naughton, age 17, from Madison, Wisconsin, was named the first-prize winner of the PianoArts 2006 Biennial National Piano Concerto and Solo Competition. Naughton performed in the final round with the Milwaukee Symphony...

World Piano Competition announces winners.(Items of Interest)(Tatiana Tessman)(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... Tatiana Tessman, 27, of Russia, received the Robison Foundation/ B. Robison Sporck-Stegmaier Award and the John and Shirley Davies Award for the Gold Medal for 2006 at the World Piano Competition. She currently studies with Stanislav...

James A. Hefner National Piano Competition Winners announced.(Items of Interest)(John Paul McGee and Darius Johnson )(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... John Paul McGee, from Bethune-Cookman College and taught by Beverly Serra-Brooks, NCTM, won the $1,000 first place prize in the Annual James A. Hefner National Piano Competition & Winners. The second place prize of $750 was awarded to...

Utah Duo wins Ensemble Competition.(Items of Interest)(Lenora Brown and Gaye England)(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... Lenora Brown, NCTM, and Gaye England, of Salt Lake City, Utah, combined to win the New England Conservatory International Ensemble Competition, in Boston. The two-piano team was awarded a gold medal, a first place award certificate and a...

Fisher-Price I Can Play Piano system.(Music Merchandise)(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... Fisher-Price, Inc., 636 Girard Avenue, East Aurora, New York 14052; (800) 432-5437; fpconaff@fisher-price.com; www.fisher-price.com; $79.99. The I Can Play Piano system from Fisher-Price allows kids to have fun while learning how to play...

Download Ensemble Sheet Music.(Music Merchandise)(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... MusicalCompositions.net; www. musicalcompositions.net. Ensemble music directors can now go to a website and instantly download music for their next rehearsal by visiting MusicalCompostions.Net. MusicalCompostions.Net offers reasonably...

Casio introduces 88 key piano-style keyboard.(Music Merchandise)(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... Casio, Inc., 570 Mount Pleasant Ave., Dover, NJ 07801; 800-706-2534; www.casio.com. Casio, Inc. has introduced the WK-8000, an 88 key piano-style keyboard with a powerful audio system, and bass reflex that offers users the ability to play...

MagicScore music software releases MagicScore School 4.1.(Music Merchandise)(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... MagicScore; press@musicaleditor.com; www.musicaleditor.com; $19.95. MagicScore School 4 is specialized notation software for music aficionados, students, teachers, schools and colleges. The program offers a variety of notation...

Cleveland International Piano Competition.(Competitions)
October 1, 2006... The Cleveland International Piano Competition will take place July 25-August 5, 2007, in Cleveland, Ohio. The biannual competition is open to pianists ages 18-30 and has a first prize of $50,000, a second prize of $25,000, a third prize of...

Washington International Competition.(Competitors)
October 1, 2006... The Friday Morning Music Club, Inc., presents the 54th Annual Washington International Competition for Voice March 2-3, 2007, in Washington, D.C. Applications are due by January 8, 2007. The first place winner receives $10,000, followed by...

2007 Kingsville International Piano Competitions.(Competitors)
October 1, 2006... The 2007 Kingsville International Isabel Scionti Piano Competitions will take place March 29-31, 2007, on the campus of Texas A&M University-Kingsville, hosting a piano concerto and piano solo competitions. More than $20,000 in prize money...

Mark Ray.(Passages)(president of European Piano Teachers Association)(Obituary)(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... Mark Ray, 44, immediate past president of the European Piano Teachers Association and the head of the school of keyboard studies at Manchester College, died in a drowning accident while in Nevada City, Nevada, as a visiting professor for the...

Daniel Steiner.(Passages)(president of New England Conservatory)(Obituary)(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... Daniel Steiner, president of New England Conservatory, died in June at age 72. The first non-musician to head NEC, he was a passionate music lover who applied his legal expertise and extensive experience in higher education to make the...

Countdown to Canada: 2007 Collaborative Conference * March 23-27 * Toronto, Ontario.
October 1, 2006... The 2007 MTNA Conference in Toronto, Ontario, March 23-27, at the Sheraton Centre Toronto will be the first joint effort of MTNA, The Canadian Federation of Music Teachers' Associations and the Royal Conservatory of Music. This Collaborative...

5 minutes with ... Ruth Edwards.(Interview)
October 1, 2006... Ruth Edwards served as MTNA president from 1995 to 1997. She has held positions on the faculties of Texas Wesleyan College, Northwestern University and the University of New Hampshire until retirement. She was also a contributing columnist for...

The art of teaching.(Pedagogy Saturday X)
October 1, 2006... Musical artistry is a lifelong pursuit, both in our own music making and the musicianship of our students. Additionally, our teaching can be performed with artistry, skillfully leading our students to greater achievement each week. During...

Beautiful teaching.(Padagogy Saturday X: THE ART OF TEACHING)
October 1, 2006... My good friend Steve Betts asked me to write a brief summary of my opening talk at the MTNA Pedagogy Saturday in Austin. I told Steve that I'd agree as long as he really meant brief. So, in response to my friend's request.... Perhaps the...

Together again, Martha Hilley and Fred Kern.(Padagogy Saturday X: THE ART OF TEACHING)(music education)
October 1, 2006... For the second plenary session Fred Kern and Martha Hilley combined their creative and expert talents to present a variety of practical suggestions to add creativity and effectiveness to music teaching. Kern opened the session with a strategy...

Basic technical training for the early level student.(Pedagogy Saturday X: THE ART OF TEACHING)
October 1, 2006... I started this session by having the audience imagine that they were 7-year-old beginning piano students. The group was led in a variety of warm-ups and finger/hand calisthenics. These included: 1. "stretch-grabs" (fingers widely extended...

Are piano students really different today?(Pedagogy Saturday X: THE ARTS OF TEACHING)
October 1, 2006... Most of us would agree that the answer to this question is definitely "yes." The world changes very quickly and each of us adapts to these changes in our own way. We are different people than we were last year and very different from what we...

Mapping music: some simple strategies to help students learn.(Pedagogy Saturday X: THE ART OF TEACHING)
October 1, 2006... As teachers, we are always looking for ways to help our students learn music faster and more easily. We try to discover what works best for each student's individual learning style, and determine the appropriate level of challenge at each step...

Call for nominations of candidates.(National Association News)
October 1, 2006... The MTNA Nominating Committee invites the membership to recommend candidates for division directors-elect for the 2007-2009 biennium. Candidates must be active members in good standing and must have given their consent. The Nominating...

Award applications available.(Music Teachers National Association)
October 1, 2006... Applications for the State and Local Affiliates, Collegiate Chapter and Teacher of the Year Awards are currently available on the MTNA website. These annual awards recognize excellence in music teaching, research and other significant...

MTNA leaders attend international music conferences.(Music Teachers National Association)(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... MTNA President Paul Stewart, along with other MTNA leaders, represented MTNA at the 27th International Society for Music Education (ISME) World Conference in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, July 16-21, and Executive Director Gary Ingle and...

Reduced price DVD available.(National Association News)
October 1, 2006... MTNA has partnered with The Cinema Guild to offer reduced pricing on the DVD Con Brio: Karl Ulrich Schnabel, Master Teacher of Piano. (See page 84 for a review of the DVD.) MTNA members may purchase the DVD for $49.95, which includes...

Beus wins piano competitions.(Stephen Beus)(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... Stephen Beus, 24, winner of the 2000 MTNA High School Piano Competition and the 2003 MTNA Collegiate Piano Competition, was named the Grand Prize Winner of the Vendrome International Piano Competition in Lisbon, Portugal, in July, marking his...

New member benefits.(Music Teachers National Association)(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... On July 1, 2006, MTNA began two new membership benefit programs: the Education Services Support Hotline and the Free Legal Consultation Services. During the first month of these programs the Education Services Department fielded an average of...

National Group Piano and Piano Pedagogy Forum.(Music Teachers National Association)(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... The fourth biennial National Group Piano and Piano Pedagogy Forum (GP3 Forum) was held August 4-5, 2006, in Norman, Oklahoma. This year was the first Forum held since GP3 became a program of MTNA in the fall of 2005. The theme of the Forum was...

Additional Hurricane Katrina recovery funds distributed.(Music Teachers National Association)
October 1, 2006... Music teachers in Louisiana and Mississippi received additional financial aid in June from the MTNA Hurricane Katrina Recovery Fund. In total, MTNA members have contributed nearly $44,000 to the fund, in addition to hundreds of boxes of music...

Gibson/Baldwin Music Education makes donation to the Foundation Fund.(Foundation Fund)
October 1, 2006... Gibson/Baldwin Music Education recently made a donation of nearly $10,000 to the MTNA FOUNDATION FUND. The Music Education Division was specifically created to support music education by offering new lines of affordable music instruments. A...

Time to name Foundation Fellows.(Music Teachers National Association)
October 1, 2006... Now is the time to decide whom your state will honor by naming him or her an MTNA FOUNDATION Fellow. MTNA's goal is to have each and every state affiliate name a FOUNDATION Fellow, whether it's a beloved teacher, former state president or other...

2007 grant guidelines and forms available.(Foundation Fund)
October 1, 2006... Guidelines and application forms for the 2007 MTNA FOUNDATION FUND grants are available on the FOUNDATION FUND website at www.mtnafoundation.org. Teacher Enrichment Grants are provided to music teachers for private study, specific...

Professional certification: what is your teaching philosophy?(music teachers)
October 1, 2006... This is the first of a two-part series. The second part will be presented in the December/January AMT. Our teaching philosophies identify our approaches, goals and motivation for doing what we do. We are all in the business of nurturing....

Polyphony.(music education resources)
October 1, 2006... Q: What are some quick ways to brush up on the history of various composers and events surrounding their lives for points that will be interesting to students, without taking on a far-reaching investigation? A: Several ways do come to mind,...

What's new in pedagogy research?(music education)
October 1, 2006... Does studying and playing music make you smarter for the rest of your life? Does it make you smarter in a particular subject, like math? Those of us who are a bit challenged in the IQ department alternately hope it's so and fear it's not! A new...

Pre-rehearsal preparation: are your student pianists setting the stage for an effective collaborative rehearsal?
October 1, 2006... Many of us have been confronted with the adage "Those who can't perform can always teach," and know that those two skills, performing and teaching, are inter-related but different. Certainly, we all know that teaching is much more than a...

An ideal opportunity.(Forum Focus: College Faculty Forum)
October 1, 2006... Dear Colleagues: The professional development and continuing professional activity of faculty is a matter of concern to every music executive. Opportunities for juried publication are declining, and faculty strive to identify appropriate...

Add value to your website.(Forum Focus: Local Associations)
October 1, 2006... NOW that the content and structure of your site is complete, you can turn your attention to dynamic elements that will bring added value to your user's experience. The last column addressed traditional types of multimedia elements including...

Opera Coaching: Professional Techniques and Considerations.(Book review)
October 1, 2006... * Opera Coaching: Professional Techniques and Considerations, by Alan Montgomery. Routledge/Taylor & Francis Group (270 Madison Ave., New York, NY 10016), 2006. 192pp. $22.95 An opera coach's job is certainly multi-faceted. The repertoire...

Meet the Musicians: From Prodigy (or Not) to Pro.(Book review)(Children's review)
October 1, 2006... * Meet the Musicians: from Prodigy (or Not) to Pro, by Amy Nathan. Henry Holt and Company, LLC (175 5th Ave., New York, NY 10010), 2006. 168pp. $17.95. This is an excellent book to introduce young musicians to those who have traveled the...

Tipbook Music for Kids and Teens: A Guide for Parents and Caregivers.(Book review)
October 1, 2006... * Tipbook Music for Kids and Teens: A Guide for Parents and Caregivers, by Hugo Pinksterboer. The Lorenz Corp. (P.O. Box 802, Dayton, OH 45401), 2006. 204pp. $11.95. Hugo Pinksterboer sees music, practice and performance as a journey that...

Ghost Town Suite: Ten Intermediate Piano Solos.(Book review)
October 1, 2006... * Ghost Town Suite: Ten Intermediate Piano Solos, by Heather Morris. The Willis Music Co. (P.O. Box 548, Florence, KY41022), 2006. 31 pp. $6.95. Early to Mid-Intermediate. Ghost Town Suite is the second collection of solos composed by...

Fast Track Solos: Dazzling and Daring Piano Solos, Books 1-4.(Book review)
October 1, 2006... * Fast Track Solos: Dazzling and Daring Piano Solos, Books 1-4, compiled and edited by Janet Vogt. Heritage Music Press c/o The Lorenz Corp. (P.O. Box 802, Dayton, OH 45401), 2006. 32 pp. $6.95 each. This set of four books announces in the...

Classical Folk: 15 International Folk Songs.(Book review)
October 1, 2006... Classical Folk: 15 International Folk Songs, arranged by Phillip Keveren. Hal Leonard Corporation (7777 W. Bluemound Rd., P.O. Box 13819, Milwaukee, WI 53213), 2006. 56pp. $10.95 Every piano teacher comes across the following two types of...

The Perfect Blend: Over 100 Seriously Fun Vocal Warm-Ups.(Book review)
October 1, 2006... * The Perfect Blend: Over 100 Seriously Fun Vocal Warm-Ups, by Timothy Seelig. Music Sales Corp. (445 Bellvale Rd., P.O. Box 572, Cester, NY 10918), 2005. 158pp. $24.95. In The Perfect Blend, Timothy Seelig, has compiled a comprehensive...

Ear Master 5.(Product/service evaluation)
October 1, 2006... * Ear Master 5, eMedia Corp. (664 N.E. Northlake Way, Seattle, WA 98105), $69.95. System requirements: Windows 98/ME/2000/XP/ or later 10 MB hard disk space Soundcard or other MIDI device, CD-ROM, SVGA monitor Free Demo:...

e-Media Intermediate Piano and Keyboard Method CD-ROM.
October 1, 2006... * e-Media Intermediate Piano and Keyboard Method CD-ROM, by Vadim Ghin. eMedia Music Corp. (664 N.E. Northlake Way, Seattle, WA 98105), 2006. $69.95. e-Media Intermediate Piano and Keyboard Method is designed to give the student...

Con Brio: Karl Ulrich Schnabel: Master Teacher of Piano.(Video recording review)
October 1, 2006... Con Brio: Karl Ulrich Schnabel: Master Teacher of Piano, directed by Beverly Jones and Charles S. Dublin. The Cinema Guild Inc. (130 Madison Ave., 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10016), 2002. 57 rains. University: $295.95; K-12 Schools: $99.95; Home...

Leadership.
October 1, 2006... BOARD OF DIRECTORS Officers Paul Stewart, NCTM President University of North Carolina at Greensboro School of Music Greensboro, NC 27402-6167 Work (336) 334-5380 Fax (336) 334-5497 pbstewar@uncg.edu ...

The Pedagogy of Pedagogy Saturday.(music education)
October 1, 2006... Professional conferences can be intense. Non-stop lectures, teaching demonstrations, eating, workshops, socializing, eating, concerts, eating--then again the next day. It is stimulating and exhausting. But when it does take place over several...