American Music Teacher articles from October 2007

American Music Teacher archives from October 2007

Effective learning.(Dear Reader)(Editorial)
October 1, 2007... One of the most remarkable discoveries of the past 20 years is the fact that Americans are getting smarter. It's remarkable because the conventional wisdom seems to postulate that people are getting dumber. As evidence, critics point to a...

It can happen to anyone!(In Unison)
October 1, 2007... I consider myself to be very lucky. Throughout most of my piano studies, I have had the good fortune to work with teachers who stressed an efficient and effortless technique. As a result, I have felt totally at ease at the piano and have...

Steinway appointments.(Items of Interest)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... Thomas Kurrer, an 18-year veteran of Steinway, has been named president of Steinway & Sons worldwide. He will succeed Bruce Stevens, who is retiring after 22 years with the company. Kurrer, who is currently head of Steinway's overseas...

National String Project Consortium accepting applications.(Items of Interest)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... The National String Project Consortium (NSPC) is now accepting applications to start new String Project sites at universities to address the string teacher shortage. The deadline for this round of applications is November 16, 2007. Each new...

PASIC 2007 announced.(Items of Interest)(Percussive Arts Society International Convention)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... The Percussive Arts Society International Convention (PASIC) will take place in Columbus, Ohio, October 31-November 3, 2007, at the Greater Columbus Convention Center. PASIC is the world's largest and most prestigious drum and percussion...

Buch is finalist in worldwide competition.(Items of Interest)(Brian Buch)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... Brian Buch, who won first prize in the 2007 MTNA Young Artists Composition Competition, has been named one of the finalists in the 2007 Queen Elisabeth Composition Competition in Brussels, Belgium. Buch, a senior at Indiana University in...

Indianapolis Symphony appoints new concertmaster.(Items of Interest)(Zachary De Pue)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... The Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra has appointed Zachary De Pue as it's new concertmaster. De Pue was one of 12 violinists who performed as guest concertmasters during a 15-month search. De Pue, a native of Bowling Green, Ohio, has been a...

Legends of Jazz study guides.(Music Merchandise)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... www.legendsofjazz.net/classroom To help promote jazz education in the classroom, LRSmedia and the International Association for Jazz Education (IAJE) have collaborated to create free companion study guides for Season One of the Legends of...

MakeMusic releases Finale 2008.(Music Merchandise)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... MakeMusic, Inc., 6210 Bury Dr., Eden Prairie, MN 55346; www.finalemusic.com; www.makemusic.com. MakeMusic, Inc. has released Finale 2008. This latest upgrade offers playback options, major productivity enhancements and even more control....

Yamaha debuts new class of digital pianos.(Music Merchandise)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... Yamaha Corporation of America, P.O. Box 6600, Buena garb, CA 90622; (714) 522-9011; infostation@yamaha.com; www.yamaha.com. $399.99. The NP-30 Portable Grand Digital Piano represents an entirely new class of Yamaha digital piano. Designed...

2008 PianoArts National Piano Competition and Music Festival.(Competitions)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... The 2008 PianoArts National Piano Competition and Music Festival, with prizes totaling more than $18,000, is open to contestants ages 15-19. The semifinals and finals will be held June 19-24, 2008, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The postmark deadline...

Beverly Sills.(Passages)(Obituary)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... Beverly Sills, acclaimed Brooklyn-born coloratura soprano and popular opera singer, died July 2, 2007. She was 78. During her performing career, with her combination of brilliant singing, ebullience and self-deprecating humor, Sills...

Correction.(Impromptu)(Correction notice)
October 1, 2007... The article, "Lessons Learned in Starting a Community Youth Orchestra," which appeared in the April/May 2007 AMT, should have included the following: Originally published as "Starting a Community Youth Orchestra," by Burke Sorenson in Teaching...

Notes from a musician's journal.(Marking Time)
October 1, 2007... Courage doesn't always soar. Sometimes courage is the small voice at the end of the day saying, I will try again tomorrow. --Anonymous Recently a young piano major came to me wanting pedagogy advice. "Amy, my neighbors asked me to...

Pedagogy Friday: exploring evaluation and assessment.
October 1, 2007... The Collaborative Conference of the Canadian Federation of Music Teachers' Associations, Music Teachers National Association and The Royal Conservatory of Music opened on March 23, 2007, with Pedagogy Friday: Exploring Evaluation and...

Unwrapping assessment: powerful tools for student progress.(Pedagogy Friday: Exploring Evaluation and Assessment)
October 1, 2007... To set the stage for the sessions that followed, Janet Lopinski and Scott McBride Smith shared their thoughts on the role of evaluation and assessment. The clinicians approached the topic from a broad perspective. No matter what type of...

Before and after: what to listen for in assessing our students.(Pedagogy Friday: Exploring Evaluation and Assessment)
October 1, 2007... This session focused on assessment and evaluation of musical performances. Using excerpts drawn from student performances recorded in Los Angeles, Dallas, New York, Vancouver, Edmonton and Toronto, the team of clinicians shared their insights...

A peak into the exam room.(Pedagogy Friday: Exploring Evaluation and Assessment)
October 1, 2007... A series of "mock examinations" was presented providing participants with a chance to literally peek into the exam room and catch a glimpse of how practical examinations are conducted. For teachers new to the RCM Examinations system, this...

Sharpen your pencils and mark with the examiners.(Pedagogy Friday: Exploring Evaluation and Assessment)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... "Sharpen Your Pencils and Mark with Lithe Examiners" consisted of a series of presentations modeled after the meetings held each session by the Theoretical Examiners in preparation for marking examination papers. Sharpen Your Pencils...

Assessment in your studio: training your students to hear and see what you do!(Pedagogy Friday: Exploring Evaluation and Assessment)
October 1, 2007... RCM Examinations was delighted to welcome Ingrid Clarfield as a guest clinician on the afternoon program. Clarfield, professor and coordinator of the piano department at Westminster Choir College of Rider University, is a nationally recognized...

Prose for pros.(Pedagogy Friday: Exploring Evaluation and Assessment)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... This session brought together William Littler, music and dance critic for the Toronto Star and lecturer at the Royal Conservatory of Music, and Edward Turgeon, pianist and senior member of the RCME College of Examiners, for a lively discussion...

Networking and marketing: panel discussion.(Pedagogy Friday: Exploring Evaluation and Assessment)(Discussion)
October 1, 2007... This panel of remarkable women, similar in that they are all distinguished music teachers who have established unique and successful careers for themselves in the music field, shared their views on establishing strong music programs in studios...

Building a solid technical foundation.(Pedagogy Friday: Exploring Evaluation and Assessment)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... This presentation provided an overview of the changes to the Technical Requirements for each of the grades in the upcoming Piano Syllabus, 2008 edition. The session was presented by two senior members of the RCME College of Examiners: Chief...

National Music Certificate Program.(Pedagogy Friday: Exploring Evaluation and Assessment)
October 1, 2007... Amy Rose Immerman and Sheila Vail from Cincinnati, Ohio, gave a comprehensive overview of the National Music Certificate Program (NMCP). This Certificate Program has been in effect in the United States for several years and is based on the...

The Big Picture.(Pedagogy Friday: Exploring Evaluation and Assessment)(The Big Picture: Classical Music Goes to the Movies)(Brief article)(Video recording review)
October 1, 2007... Joe Ringhofer, chief examiner for theoretical subjects, delivered an engaging and inspiring presentation entitled "The Big Picture: Classical Music Goes to the Movies." Designed for teachers of music history, music appreciation or for...

Undercover theory.(Pedagogy Friday: Exploring Evaluation and Assessment)
October 1, 2007... This presentation explored various ways of introducing theoretical concepts as part of a student's practical training. After establishing some basic analytical categories--tonal organization, sectional organization, dramatic structure, texture...

Developing creativity.(Pedagogy Friday: Exploring Evaluation and Assessment)
October 1, 2007... This presentation explored ways in which the development of creative musicianship skills can be incorporated into the "typical" piano lesson. The presenters, both classically trained musicians, share an interest in improvisation and have...

Nurturing a new generation of teachers.(Pedagogy Friday: Exploring Evaluation and Assessment)
October 1, 2007... The subject of teacher training was a recurring theme throughout the collaborative conference. In this session, Janet Lopinski and Jennifer Snow presented an interactive and engaging presentation that focused on the RCM Examinations Piano...

Neglected skills: aural perception and music reading.(Pedagogy Friday: Exploring Evaluation and Assessment)
October 1, 2007... What would you give to have a student who... * had a fine sense of musical pulse? * had excellent relative pitch? * understood the relationship of melody and harmony? * was able to sing in tune? * had secure eye/hand...

2007 MTNA Foundation Fellows.(Foundation Fund)(Music Teachers National Association)
October 1, 2007... The MTNA FOUNDATION FUND Fellow Program honors deserving individuals who have made significant contributions to the music world and the music teaching profession. In its eighth year, this program supports the efforts of MTNA through donations...

$1,000 grant available to NCTMs.(Association News)(Nationally Certified Teachers of Music)
October 1, 2007... The Piano Technician's Guild will award two scholarship's worth $750 each to MTNA Nationally Certified Teachers of Music (NCTMs) who agree to use it the funds to further their teaching skills, uses and recommends a Registered Piano Technician...

2008 division competitions.(Calendar)
October 1, 2007... EAST CENTRAL DIVISION January 18-20, 2008 * Olivet Nazarene University * Bourbonnais, Illinois Division Competitions Chair Brenda Conroy, NCTM 5200 N. Royal Pl. Peoria, IL 61615 Home (309) 692-4114 Cell (309)...

Polyphony.(Professional Resources)
October 1, 2007... Q What does "outside the box" mean for you? A An intriguing and certainly thought-provoking question this is! At first thought, I believe it has to do with thinking and listening in more creative ways than those to which we are accustomed....

What's new in pedagogy research?(Professional Resources)
October 1, 2007... How effective are your lessons? Thinking back over a recent lesson, how do you judge your performance as a teacher? Most of us would think about what illustrations, demonstrations and exercises were used to fix problems and weaknesses, what we...

Coaching duet/duo piano.(Forum Focus: Collaborative Performance)
October 1, 2007... The challenges of playing duets at one piano, duo piano and chamber music can serve as opportunities to open new worlds of musical understanding, awareness of ensemble issues and parameters of individuality. While the ultimate goals of musical...

Our local associations.(Forum Focus: Local Associations)
October 1, 2007... In preparation for our spring leadership retreat, an informal survey was conducted of the Pennsylvania local associations in an effort to cultivate a more active communication between them and the state leadership and to find out what they want...

A Living Legacy: Historic Stringed Instruments at The Juilliard School.(Book review)
October 1, 2007... [??] A Living Legacy: Historic Stringed Instruments at The Juilliard School, by Lisa B. Robinson. Amadeus Press (www.amadeuspress.com, www.musicdispatch.com; (800) 637-2852), 2006. 96 pp. $75. It was a wonderful pleasure to delve into this...

Approaches to Meaning in Music.(Book review)
October 1, 2007... [??] Approaches to Meaning in Music, edited by Byron Almen and Edward Pearsall. Indiana University Press (www.iupress.indiana.edu/catalog/; (800) 842-6796), 2007. 280 pp. $49.95. Approaches to Meaning in Music is a book of great...

Classical Destinations: An Armchair Guide to Classical Music.(Book review)
October 1, 2007... [??] Classical Destinations: An Armchair Guide to Classical Music, foreword by Simon Callow, photography by Wendy McDougall. Amadeus Music (www.amadeuspress.com, www. musicdispatch.com; (800) 637-2852), 2007. 235pp. $30. From the comfort...

The Naked Voice: A Wholistic Approach to Singing.(Book review)
October 1, 2007... [??] The Naked Voice: A Wholistic Approach to Singing, by W. Stephen Smith and Michael Chipman. Oxford University Press (www.us.oup.com; (800) 451-7556), 2007. 208 pp. $29.95. This newly published volume is a description of the pedagogical...

What They'll Never Tell You About the Music Business: the Myths, the Secrets, the Lies (& a Few Truths), revised and updated.(Book review)
October 1, 2007... [??] What They'll Never Tell You About the Music Business: the Myths, the Secrets, the Lies (& a Few Truths), revised and updated, by Peter M. Thall. Watson-Guptill Publications (www. watsonguptill.com; (888) 330-8477), 2006. 340pp. $24.95. ...

Charleston for Two: Five Light-Hearted Arrangements for Piano Duet, w/CD.(Sound recording review)(Book review)
October 1, 2007... [??] Charleston for Two: Five Light-Hearted Arrangements for Piano Duet, w/CD, by Mike Cornick. Theodore Presser Company (www.presser.com; (610) 592-1222), 2006. 31 pp. $24.95. Mike Cornick has successfully matched his previous duet...

Especially for Adults, Book 1 and Book 2.(Brief article)(Book review)
October 1, 2007... [??] Especially for Adults, Book 1 and Book 2, by Dennis Alexander. Alfred Publishing Co., Inc. (www.alfredpublishing.com), 2007. 23pp. $6.95 each. Book 1: Early Intermediate, Book 2: Intermediate. Each of these books feature 11 pieces in...

Piano Music of Africa and the African Diaspora, Volumes I and II.(Book review)
October 1, 2007... [??] Piano Music of Africa and the African Diaspora, Volumes I and II, Compiled and Edited by William H. Chapman Nyaho. Oxford University Press (www.us.oup.com; (800) 451-7556), 2007. Volume I: 35pp., $14.95, Early Intermediate. Volume II: 53...

Piano Sonata No. 3, Op. 82.(Book review)
October 1, 2007... Piano Sonata No. 3, Op. 82, by Lowell Liebermann. Theodore Presser Company (www.presser.com; (610) 592-1222), 2007. 20pp. $16.95. Lowell Liebermann's long-awaited third piano sonata is now available through Theodore Presser Company. Piano...

More Little Stories in Jazz.(Book review)
October 1, 2007... [??] More Little Stories in Jazz, by Mike Schoenmehl. Schott Music Corp./Hal Leonard Corporation (www.schott-music.com; www.musicdispatch.com; (800) 637-2852)), 2006. 40 pp. $10.95. More Little Stories in Jazz by Mike Schoenmehl follows his...

Vuelvo al sur: 10 Tangos and Other Pieces.(Brief article)(Book review)
October 1, 2007... [??] Vuelvo al sur: 10 Tangos and Other Pieces, by Astor Piazzolla. Boosey & Hawkes (www.boosey.com), 2006. 28 pp. $13.95. This is a welcome addition to the catalog. In the past 20 years or so, the works of Astor Piazzolla (1921-1992) have...

Leadership.(List)
October 1, 2007... BOARD OF DIRECTORS Officers Gail Berenson, NCTM President Ohio University School of Music Athens, OH 45701 (740) 592-4661 berenson@ohio.edu Ann Gipson, NCTM President-elect 11500 Northview Dr....

Appreciating empathy.(ad lib)
October 1, 2007... When my teaching day ends on Tuesdays, I sit down to a hastily microwaved TV-dinner (we're a two-piano-teacher household--our high cuisine is at lunch!) and look back on the day's teaching. I usually feel energized even after five hours of...