IN THIS ISSUE
Back to the Future Festival Update
DATES TO REMEMBER
Nov. 7-8 - KMTA Honors Auditions
Dec. 19 - Christmas Recitals
Jan.
15 - Coffee Chat
(Topic: Gadgets and Gizmos)
Feb. 7 - The Classical Spillover Effects of Teaching from Jazz Fakebooks
Feb. 25-27 KMEA/KMTA Workshop
Mar. 6-7 Back to the Future Festival!
Mar. 20-24 - MTNA Conference
Apr.
9 - Coffee Chat
(Topic: Sharing Ideas for Personal and Professional Growth)
May 1-2 - Music Progressions
Jun. 1 - Recap & Potluck Dinner
Jun. 11-12 - KMTA Conference
NEWSLETTER ARCHIVES
Accidentally delete an issue of your WMMTA eNews? Not to worry! You can click here to view all of the eNews archives on the WMMTA website now.
Music
Progressions Updates
The Music Progressions meeting on October 23 was an informative time of
sharing ideas and learning about corrections that have been made to the
2006 edition of the Music Progression Curriculum Guide. The updated Guide
is now available for download from the Music
Progressions page of the KMTA website.
Also available
at the above link:
2009 Replacement Pages (if you would just like to download the
files with the pages that contain corrections, please look for this link)
2009 Language Changes (a brief overview of clarifications that
were made in the language used on the tests)
Language of the Evaluations (a helpful document you can use to
help prepare your students for the precise wording that will be used at
various points in the tests)
Masterclass
Report
On September 26, WMMTA hosted a master class featuring three
master teachers and six teachers from the ranks of WMMTA and WAPTL. This
event was the kick-off meeting for our program year, and was followed
by a pot-luck supper. We enjoyed the lovely home and the graciousness
of our hostess, Karen Wagner.The master teachers were Dr. Brad Nix of
Sterling College, Christy Williams of WSU, and Professor emeritus of WSU,
Paul Reed. The teachers whose students participated were Karen Ware, Christy
Williams, Natalie Wickham, Julie Bees, Karen Wagner, Joanne Ehrlich, and
Sally Buxton.
Response to the event was very enthusiastic. The teachers in attendance learned ways to help students with voicing, pacing of dynamics, memorizing contrapuntal music, metronome use to enhance style, and interpretation of Chopin through understanding how he was taught. The purpose of the kick-off meeting is always to reinforce the camaraderie that comes through learning together as we face the challenges of the coming teaching-year. Thanks to our Vice-President of Programs, Joanne Ehrlich, that goal was well met!
Sally
Buxton
I've
been working with Senior Activity Coordinators in Bel Aire and the Tri-Cities
to explore the possibilities for Recreational Music Making classes. I've
advertised that no talent or experience is necessary, and outlined the
wellness benefits of music making in my materials. I'm using Brenda Dillon's
approach and class plan, and I'm waiting now for the class to fill up
so we can begin. Brenda reports that this is the most stress-free thing
she's ever done, and that's what I'm ready for: stress-free experiences!
Megan
Desmarais
Senseney Music is now offering Recreational Music Making classes for adults.
Megan Desmarais is facilitating these classes which provide adult hobbyists
with a stress-free group setting to learn piano. The first session started
October 6 and adult students are meeting each Tuesday at noon using the
Musical Moments series by Debra Perez and Will Bailey. Musical Moments
includes an accompaniment CD so that students can play along with appealing
music from the very beginning. The students are enjoying the innovative
sounds that the accompaniments bring to their playing. The group setting
is also a big draw to the students who like building relationships together
as they learn their new skill. Megan enjoys teaching this new approach
that emphasizes that learning music is fun and anyone can participate.
More classes will begin in January 2010.
If you have any news you'd like to submit for inclusion in the next issue of WMMTA eNews, please submit it to Natalie Wickham by e-mail.
Back
to the Future Festival Update
The
WMMTA Festival Committee met on Friday, October 30 and is happy to report
that the Botanica location has been secured for the Back to the Future
Festival on March 6 and 7, 2010! Please see the attached flyer (or
download the flyer from the
WMMTA website) for additional information about the festival. Entry
forms will be available by the 1st of next year. Watch for additional
details in the December WMMTA eNews and on the WMMTA
website.
WMMTA
Board Meeting Minutes - October 16, 2009
President Laura Vollen opened the meeting at Senseney Music
on Friday,
October 16 at 12:35 PM. Present were Margaret Dietz, Marlene Hallstrom,
Sally
Buxton, Joanne Ehrlich and Megan Desmarais.
Treasurer
Marlene Hallstrom reported that the budget for 2009-2010 had not yet been
approved. She highlighted the changes that were made from last year
and Sally moved that we accept the budget changes; Joanne seconded the
motion. The motion was carried. Marlene distributed the financial report
from July to present. The balance of the Festival Account is $1235.33
and the balance for the Main Account is $3981.61.
1st Vice-President
Joanne Ehrlich reported on recent and upcoming programs.
The Masterclass held at the home of Karen Wagner was successful with good
attendance. Because the program went long, it was suggested that in the
future we put a time limit on performances. Only a few attendees were
able to
stay for the meal that followed. The next event is a Coffee Chat on Friday,
October 23 at 10 AM to discuss the changes made in Music Progression tests.
A
collaborative meeting with WAPTL, The Magic of Holiday Music, is scheduled
for
Sunday November 1 from 2-4 at Senseney.
As Festival
Chair, Joanne also reported the progress made on the festival, “Back
to the Future: Celebrating the Piano!, scheduled for March 6-7, 2010 at
Botanica. We are allowed to set up between 1-5 on March 5. We received
a
grant of $500 from KMTA. The facility will cost $1500 for both days. The
Piano
Technician’s Guild is collaborating with us to present demonstrations
on how the
piano works. Students can perform any music that demonstrates the full
spectrum of piano literature. Ensembles are encouraged.
In the absence
of Past President, Natalie Wickham, Laura reported that e-news
archives have been added to our Website. The deadline for the November
enewsletter is Oct. 26.
Music
Progressions Chair, Julie Brown, needs an assistant for the weekend
of
Music Progressions and possibly someone to take over for next year. Sally
and
Joanne are both willing to help.
Continuing Ed. Chair Sally Buxton has been working on making revisions in Music Progression Curriculum. Most of the revisions change the wording on the tests. Sally is hoping to get all old curriculum books from KMTA to insert copies of the revisions and sell them at the Coffee Chat later this month. Sally also presented the updates to the MTNA certification program.
Referral
Chair Margaret Dietz informed us of a couple of members who are
seeking students. Because we don’t know these members very well,
it was
suggested that we reach out to them more by calling them and encouraging
them to become more involved.
Laura called
for Old Business and discussed the Adopt-A-Piano campaign for
WSU practice room pianos. Laura will contact Linda and Peg to find out
how
the campaign is going.
As New
Business Laura wanted to update our Festival schedule. Our Festival
schedule for the next 4 years is:
2010 - Botanica
2011 - Play-A-Thon
2012 - Zoo
2013 - Octoberfest
Marlene moved that we close the meeting; Margaret seconded the motion.
The motion was carried and the meeting adjourned at 2:15.
Respectfully
Submitted,
Megan Desmarais
THE
FUTURE OF THE PIANO
by Roy E. Howard, Ph.D. (member of the Wichita
Piano Technicians Guild)
IS there a future for the piano? There is no future if people stop playing the piano because they satisfy their needs for music some other way. Every home in all the world has music, but very few have a piano. We have to work hard to foster more than appreciation for the piano. Then next generation must cherish it as we do, or it will go the way of the harpsichord, reed organ, Edsel, and Saturn.
There are many aspects to our job of fostering these values. We must start to identify them, and see if there are any that we have the power to address. For example, maybe we can't change how changes in the world economy has caused a shift in piano production to other countries; but can we encourage our community to attend and support arts events that use pianos; schools, churches, and other institutions to have and use them; promote events that bring friends together around the piano; and encourage families to use the piano to interact with each other and build memories. We must be very good marketers in competition with many distractions to everyone's time and resources.
If we are successful, pianos will continue to have a role in families and communities for generations to come. Our main job is not to produce a few elite performers and a cadre of consumers. We must help everyone want to have a piano and play it. That will only happen if the piano meets their needs, especially the need for social interaction.