American Music Teacher articles from October 2008

American Music Teacher archives from October 2008

Collaborative efforts.(Dear Reader)
October 1, 2008... This issue of AMT continues the tradition of publishing the proceedings of Pedagogy Saturday. I hope that you were able to attend in person, but if not, these articles will give you an overview of the day's activities. The MTNA Board of...

Wishing you good health!(In Unison)
October 1, 2008... Whether 5, 25 or 75 years of age, we all strive to remain as healthy as possible to be able to enjoy life to the max! Musicians have found that taking steps to ensure good health and remaining physically and mentally active are also critical to...

Lewis retires from Yamaha Young and Sumner promoted.(Items of Interest)(Terry Lewis, Rick Young, Tom Sumner )
October 1, 2008... Terry Lewis, most recently Yamaha's executive vice president, as well as president of Yamaha Artist Services, Inc. in New York City, retired from the company, following a 26-year career. Lewis joined Yamaha in July of 1982 as a district...

Jazz Education Network formed.(Items of Interest)(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... Leaders from the jazz education industry have aligned to form the Jazz Education Network (JEN) to serve as a resource for anyone involved with jazz education. The alliance, formed in June of 2008, aims to build the jazz arts community by...

Steinway acquires Arkiv Music.(Items of Interest)(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... Steinway has acquired ArkivMusic, LLC, an online retailer of classical music recordings. Specializing in the delivery of a broad selection of classical music titles direct to the consumer, ArkivMusic sells more than 90,000 titles,...

TI:ME names new executive director.(Items of Interest)(Technology Institute for Music Educators's Kay Fitzpatrick )(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... TI:ME, the Technology Institute for Music Educators, has appointed Kay Fitzpatrick as its new executive director. Kirkpatrick replaces John Dunphy, who resigned in December 2007. Fitzpatrick, JD, CAE, has been in association management for...

The Colburn School appoints Landau director of career development.(Items of Interest)(Edna Landau)(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... The Colburn School has appointed Edna Landau, founder and former managing director of IMG Artists, as director of career development. In this role, Landau will design a curriculum intended to broaden the horizons of its students and enhance...

McCully recognized as a signature Sinfonian.(Items of Interest)(James K. McCully, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia)(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, the oldest and largest music fraternity for men, recognized James K. McCully of Alexandria, Virginia, as a Signature Sinfonian. The Signature Sinfonian award recognizes alumni members who have achieved a high...

UCLA creates Russian music site.(Items of Interest)(University of California-Los Angeles's Far From Moscow website)(Website overview)(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The department of Slavic Languages and Literatures at the University of California, Los Angeles, has designed a new website to showcase new music from Russia, www.FarFromMoscow.com. Administered and edited by...

Van Cliburn Foundation announces YouTube Contest winner.(Items of Interest)(Christopher Shih)(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... Christopher Shih has won the Van Cliburn Foundation's first-ever YouTube Contest for amateur pianists. Dr. Shih, a 35-year-old gastroenterologist from Maryland, won the contest by popular vote. He will receive an automatic entry to the...

International piano competitions showcase young talent.(Items of Interest)(Gina Bachauer International Piano Foundation)(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... Sijing Ye and Ching Toa Aristo Sham were named winners of the 2008 Gina Bachauer International Piano Foundation competitions. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] For the first time, the Foundation held two competitions back-to-back, the Junior...

Missouri Southern winners announced.(Items of Interest)(Missouri Southern International Piano Competition )(Awards list)
October 1, 2008... Winners of the 12th Missouri Southern International Piano Competition have been announced. Winners of the competition are: Senior Division, Avan Yu, 20, Canada, $15,000 grand prize plus Carnegie Recital Hall debut; Tian Lu, 22, China,...

Harmonic Vision launches technology initiative.(Music Merchandise)(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... Harmonic Vision; (630) 584-8513; www.harmonicvision.com. Harmonic Vision, developer of the Music Ace family of music education software, has developed a multi-part initiative to help piano teachers incorporate computer-aided instruction...

Piano Tracker.(Music Merchandise)(Website overview)(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... Piano Tracker; www.pianotracker.com. Piano Tracker is a new website that aims to be the ultimate resource for young artists and emerging professionals. Incorporating an online audition manager, the website keeps the user up-to-date and...

HFA adds license reorder option to Songfile.(Music Merchandise)(Harry Fox Agency)(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... The Harry Fox Agency, Inc., 601 West 26th St., Ste. 500, New York, NY 10001; (212) 834-0133; www.harryfox.com. The Harry Fox Agency, Inc. (HFA), a leading music rights licensing organization, has added a "license reorder" capability to its...

Wall clock helps musicians learn theory as they practice.(Music Merchandise)(Circle of Fifths Clock)(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... Circle of Fifths; www.circle-of- fifths.com; $14-$47. The Circle of Fifths Clock, able to be mounted on a wall and accompanied by an explanatory book and study guide, aims to help musicians figure out chord progressions, write songs and...

Leonard Pennario.(Passages)(Obituary)
October 1, 2008... Leonard Pennario, a popular classical pianist known for his enthusiastic public performances and recordings of the more melodic modern composers, died in June in La Jolla, Calif. He was 83. Pennario, listed in the New Grove Dictionary of...

Notes from a musician's journal.(Marking Time)(Column)
October 1, 2008... Scott is a sixth grader, and yesterday as he came in and got settled for his lesson, we were exchanging pleasantries. "How are things?" I asked him, "Anything new?" " Not really," he responded, "but I wish I could go to the Dollar Store and...

Making music together: preparing students for a lifetime of ensemble experiences.(2008 PEDAGOGY SATURDAY REPORT)
October 1, 2008... Making music together with other performers is one of the great joys of our profession, but often, music students are taught in isolation. From beginners to graduate students, and from amateurs to life-long professionals, collaborative...

Festivals and competitions as motivational tools.(2008 PEDAGOGY SATURDAY REPORT)
October 1, 2008... One of the ways teachers can motivate students to be involved with collaborative music making is to participate in festivals or competitions. Many activities exist in local, state and educational organizations, and today we picked four...

Keyboard collaborative careers: preparing students for a lifetime of ensemble experiences.(2008 PEDAGOGY SATURDAY REPORT)
October 1, 2008... Because most working pianists are involved with either collaborative piano or teaching, this panel presented information concerning the skills needed to prepare students for a career in the various forms of collaboration. The areas addressed in...

Focusing the rehearsal: tips and tricks for students and coaches.(2008 PEDAGOGY SATURDAY REPORT)
October 1, 2008... For any chamber music coach, the teaching of ensemble playing presents a multitude of issues. This panel was devoted to the realities of the actual rehearsal: a nuts-and-bolts look at activities that would transport a student group from point A...

Educating the collaborative major: when, why & how.(2008 PEDAGOGY SATURDAY REPORT)
October 1, 2008... Teaching accompanying, collaborative piano and chamber music at the college level have specific challenges for music faculty members. One Pedagogy Saturday panel, "Small Program, Big Impact," explored issues of smaller college programs,...

"Sharing the bench from the beginning": a Pedagogy Saturday session by Carolyn Shaak.(2008 PEDAGOGY SATURDAY REPORT)
October 1, 2008... The Pedagogy Saturday session "Sharing the Bench from the Beginning" showcased talented students from the Denver, Colorado, studios of Carolyn Shaak and June Haun. Students played pieces from Shaak's piano method, Piano Partners. This...

Small program, big impact.(2008 PEDAGOGY SATURDAY REPORT)
October 1, 2008... The purpose of this panel was to discuss the issues of accompanying assignments in small music schools that do not have an accompanying degree program. Specifically, how do these smaller music programs educate the college-level collaborative...

Round table straight talk.(2008 PEDAGOGY SATURDAY REPORT)
October 1, 2008... The intent of the session was to wrap up the discussions that had happened over the course of Pedagogy Saturday, and to propose plans for the future based on the happenings of the day. How do we keep the momentum of Pedagogy Saturday--a...

Piano teaching--traditional or recreational? What's the difference?
October 1, 2008... when we piano teachers first hear about teaching "Recreational Music Making" (or RMM) classes, our initial response is to ask, "What is RMM teaching... and how is it different from my traditional approach?" The word "traditional" may not...

MTNA presents award at NATS Conference.(National Association News)(Music Teachers National Association, National Association of Teachers of Singing )(Conference news)(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... MTNA President Gall Berenson attended the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) Conference in June. This year marked the 50th annual NATS Conference and Berenson presented the organization with an award of recognition from MTNA at...

MTNA leaders attend international music conference.(National Association News)(Music Teachers National Association, International Society for Music Education )(Conference news)(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... MTNA Executive Director & CEO Gary Ingle and President Gall Berenson represented MTNA at the 28th International Society for Music Education (ISME) World Conference in Bologna, Italy, July 20-25. Ingle gave a keynote address at the event. ...

RMM DVDs available for purchase.(Association News)(Recreational Music Making)(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... Six Recreational Music Making sessions at the 2008 MTNA National Conference in Denver were video recorded by a professional company and produced as a four-DVD set. A trailer about the DVDs is posted on the National Piano Foundation (NPF) and...

Cincinnati web site interviews Berenson.(National Association News)(Cincy Chic, Gall Berenson)(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... Cincy Chic, an online lifestyle publication for the women of Cincinnati, recently interviewed MTNA President Gall Berenson in its weekly "Chic Spotlight" feature. Berenson comments on her career as a music educator, her various awards and...

Foundation fund: 2008 MTNA Foundation Fellows.(Association News)(Music Teachers National Association)(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... Gloria Johnson Gloria Johnson, NCTM, is vice president of auditions for the Oklahoma MTA and junior performance coordinator for MTNA's South Central Division. She has served two different terms as president of the local Tulsa Accredited...

Professional certification.(Association News)
October 1, 2008... The Piano Technician's Guild has generously agreed to once again award $750 scholarships to two MTNA Nationally Certified Teachers of Music. The recipients of this award agree to use the funds to further their teaching skills, use and recommend...

Newly certified.(Association News)(Brief article)(List)
October 1, 2008... Newly Certified MTNA is proud to acknowledge the following newly certified music teachers: (June 1-July 31, 2008) California: Karen A. Magruder, Alta Loma, Piano Erinn Dawn Schwarz, San Diego, Piano ...

Scholarship applications.(Association News)(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... Now is the time for you to think about applying for these scholarships. Do you have an interest in attending RMM training classes at the National Conference? Is there a course you would like to take or someone you would love to study with? You...

2009 division competitions.(Calendar)
October 1, 2008... EAST CENTRAL DIVISION January 16-18, 2009 * Oberlin Conservatory * Oberlin, Ohio [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Division Competitions Chair Mary Siciliano, NCTM 34943 Pembroke Ave. Livonia, MI 48152-1170 (248) 474-3406...

Polyphony: performance psychology for musicians.(Professional Resources)(Column)
October 1, 2008... In this issue's column, we investigate issues surrounding the psychological aspects of performance and specific strategies for helping musicians play with greater confidence in themselves and trust in their training through an interview with...

What's new in pedagogy research?(Professional Resources)
October 1, 2008... When you teach your students how to memorize music, do you talk about how we use our visual, aural, kinesthetic and intellectual (conceptual) abilities to play from memory? If you are like me, at that point you warn them that kinesthetic, or...

College faculty certification.(Forum Focus: College Faculty)(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... Since 2005, college and university faculty have had the option to become a Nationally Certified Teacher of Music through the Administrative Verification option. "Administrative Verification was developed because faculty members had...

Welcome to the Collaborative Performance Forum.(Forum Focus: Collaborative Performance)
October 1, 2008... This is an exciting time to chair the Collaborative Performance Forum! The 12th Annual Pedagogy Saturday at the 2008 National Conference in Denver focused exclusively on the pedagogy of collaborative and chamber performance. The sessions...

Local Association of the Year.(Forum Focus: Local Associations)(Tidewater Music Teachers Forum )(Organization overview)
October 1, 2008... The Tidewater Music Teachers Forum of Virginia was named MTNA's 2008 Local Association of the Year. It was founded in 1964 with 31 members and has grown to a current membership of 111. The present membership is composed of teachers in the areas...

Body, mind and spirit.(Forum Focus: Wellness)
October 1, 2008... Learning ways to empower musicians through the body, mind and spirit toward wellness was the theme of the "Wellness Symposium" cosponsored by MTNA and the Canadian Federation of Music Teachers Associations. Held in New York City July 7-9,...

Fit as A Fiddle: The Musician's Guide to Playing Healthy.(Book review)
October 1, 2008... * Fit as A Fiddle: The Musician's Guide to Playing Healthy, by William J. Dawson. Rowman & Littlefield Education, 200Z www.rowmaneducation.com; (800) 462-642; 174pp.; $19.95. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] For more than 30 years Dr. William...

The Opera Companion.(Book review)
October 1, 2008... * The Opera Companion, by George Whitney Martin. Amadeus Press, 2008. www.amadeuspress.com; (800) 637-2852; 720pp.; $19.95. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] George Martin's The Opera Companion, written in 1961 to address an audience of "casual...

Prokofiev's Piano Sonatas: A Guide for the Listener and the Performer.(Book review)
October 1, 2008... * Prokofiev's Piano Sonatas: A Guide for the Listener and the Performer, by Boris Berman. Yale University Press, 2008. http://yalepress.yale.edu/yupbooks/ home.asp; (800) 405-1619; 256 pp.; $35. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Boris Berman's...

Jazz it Up! 7 Folk Songs Arranged for Jazz Piano Solo, w/CD.(Sound recording review)
October 1, 2008... Jazz it Up! 7 Folk Songs Arranged for Jazz Piano Solo, w/CD, by Eric Baumgartner. The Willis Music Company, 2008. www.musicdispatch.com; (800) 637-2852; 31 pp. $9.95. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Eric Baumgartner's 7 Folk Songs are musical...

Jazz Piano: A Primer for Classical Pianists.(Book review)
October 1, 2008... * Jazz Piano: A Primer for Classical Pianists, by Janeen J. Larsen. Xlibris Corporation, 2008. www.Xlibris.com; (888) 795-4274; 57 pp.; $29.32. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Most jazz piano primers currently on the market focus on theory and...

Keys to Artistic Performance, books 1 and 2.(Book review)
October 1, 2008... * Keys to Artistic Performance, books 1 and 2, by Ingrid Jacobson Clarfield and Dennis Alexander. Alfred Publishing Co., Inc., 2008. www.alfred.com; (818) 892-2452; 55 and 64 pp. respectively; $9.50 and $9.95 respectively. Early Intermediate to...

Throughout the Year: 12 Piano Duets for Every Season.(Book review)
October 1, 2008... Throughout the Year: 12 Piano Duets for Every Season, by Christos Tsitsaros. Hal Leonard Corporation, 2008. www.musicdispatch.com; (800) 637-2852; 43 pp., $6.95. Late elementary. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] This wonderful collection of...

Valses Sentimentales: 7 Original Solos, w/CD.(Sound recording review)
October 1, 2008... Valses Sentimentales: 7 Original Solos, w/CD, by Eugenie Rocherolle. Hal Leonard Corporation, 2008. www.musicdispatch.com; (800) 637-2852; 32 pp.; $12.95. Intermediate. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] True to form, the Valses Sentimentales...

Alfred's Basic Guitar Theory 1 & 2: For a Practical and Thorough Understanding of Music, for individual or class instruction.(Book review)
October 1, 2008... * Alfred's Basic Guitar Theory 1 & 2: For a Practical and Thorough Understanding of Music, for individual or class instruction, by Morty and Ron Manus. Alfred Publishing Co., Inc., 2007. www.alfred.com; (818) 892-2452; 48 pp.; $6.95. ...

String Player's Guide to the Orchestra (Score), Orchestral Repertoire, Excerpts, Scales, and Studies for String Orchestra and Individual Study.(Book review)
October 1, 2008... * String Player's Guide to the Orchestra (Score), Orchestral Repertoire, Excerpts, Scales, and Studies for String Orchestra and Individual Study, arranged by Susan C. Brown. Alfred Publishing Co., Inc., 2008. www.alfred.com; (818) 892-2452; 116...

My Piano: The Fun Way to Learn.(Product/service evaluation)
October 1, 2008... * My Piano: The Fun Way to Learn, E-media Music Corp., 2008. www.emediamusic. com; (888) 363-3424, $29.95. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] My Piano, The Fun Way to Learn, is an interactive software program designed for ages 6 and older. It...

Leadership.(List)
October 1, 2008... 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....

The half hour before.(ad lib)(Column)
October 1, 2008... I arrived at the university bright and early one morning, scuttled up the steps to the ninth floor, unlocked the piano lab so students in the eight o'clock class could warm up, and returned to my office to look over my notes for the day's...