Welcome back, one and all!
I hope your summer was relaxing and enjoyable and that you are well into an exciting new teaching year.
The fall potluck at Carol LaRusso's was a lot of fun. A big “thank you” to Carol for once again volunteering to act as our hostess.
The Marin county directories have been printed and are in the music stores, thanks to our new Membership Secretary, Marie Carbone. You will notice that there is no longer an alphabetical listing of teachers included. Instead, you will be receiving a spiral-bound booklet called a Membership Directory and Yearbook.
This includes a calendar with all of our MTAC events pre-printed on it, a written description of each event, a membership phone and e-mail list, our various Codes of Ethics and extra paper to make notes. We are hoping that many teachers will find this handy to use as their “music” calendar. Please let me know how you like it and what improvements, if any, can be made next year.
I’d like to take this opportunity to welcome new members Mary Fleming (piano), Joey Edelman (piano) and Elizabeth Robinson (cello, voice) as well as say “hi” to returning member Tom Truchan (piano). Since Elizabeth was just approved and will not be listed in the directory until January, I’d like you all to have her contact information: Elizabeth Browne Robinson, 96 Portsmouth Drive, Novato 94949-8226. Phone: 577-1668. Email: elizabeth.browne.2000@alum.bu
.edu
Now, on to the events and announcements!
UPCOMING MONTHLY STUDENT RECITALS
You may register students for recitals by email or mail. If you register by email, please include student's name, age, the level of the piece, the complete names of the piece, the last name of the composer and the length of each piece. For those who are entering more than one student, you must also give the recital chair the total time your students will be playing.
If you register by postal mail, please use the MTAC-Marin Branch Student Recital Registration Form available under BRANCH ACTIVITIES on the branch website.
Teachers may not exceed a total of 10 minutes and 7 students, except for the Teen Recital or if your student will be competing in the Margaret Bean Davis Music Competition.
Each program chair has complete discretion regarding programming, acceptance of late entrants, timing, etc.
Date: SEPTEMBER 30th
Time: 3:00 PM
Place: J B Piano, 540 Irwin Street, San Rafael
Deadline to submit students: September 26th
Fee: $5.00 per student payable in advance. Make checks out to MTAC.
Chair: Eleanor Stern - 663-1379 - IVNEL@telescience.net
OCTOBER 21ST
Time: 3:00 PM
Place: JB Piano, 540 Irwin Street, San Rafael
Deadline to submit students: October 15th
Fee; $5.00 per student payable in advance. Make checks out to MTAC.
Chair: Stephen Shen - 380-9366 - xianti98@yahoo.com
TEACHER-TO-TEACHER WORKSHOPS
We have also added something to the calendar that we hope you will all enjoy, i.e. workshops for teachers by teachers. This is your chance to expand your knowledge and have fun doing it!
The first one is coming up soon!
Teacher to Teacher: Share Your Favorite Teaching Tips, Student Savers, etc.
Time: 3:00 P.M.
Hostess: Mariko Heenan
Place: 383 Irwin Street, San Rafael
Deadline to RSVP to the Chair: 10/3/07
Chair: Christina Bradley - 302-0396 - musicamarin@pacbell.net
Description: Join your fellow teachers for coffee, tea and a chance to share favorite teaching tips, tricks and/or pieces that you use to motivate those problematic students. This is a great way to learn about new repertoire.
We’ve also got two more scheduled, one on November 4th by Gini Wilson on jazz for the classical pianist and the other on December 2nd by James Marchand on the art of pedaling. Watch your newsletter for updates.
BRANCH DIRECTORY
If you discover incorrect information or typos in the new directory, please let me know. Information can be immediately changed on the website, but unfortunately will not be corrected in the Directory until January when we will do a second printing.
2007 LESSON FEES SURVEY
I have received a lot of responses to the survey and, as promised will email the results to you next week as a PDF attachment. Approximately 45% of the members responded, so the results should prove to be quite accurate.
MONTHLY RECITAL & BRANCH HONORS
RECITAL CHAIRS NEEDED
We still need a few volunteers to donate about three hours of their time to chair one of our Monthly Student Recitals. Also, we need someone who participates in Certificate of Merit to chair the Branch Honors Recital from 12 Noon to 5 PM on March 30th. (Branch Honors Recital Chair does NOT have to create the program, only be there to emcee the day of the performance.) If you'd like to volunteer, contact Vice-President Paul Agricola at 383-2027 or pagricola@hotmail.com
DISCOVERY SCHOLARSHIP
One of our scholarship recipients dropped out over the summer, which means we have room for another applicant. Please contact me with the name and address of the student’s parents/guardian and I will send them an application. Deadline for the student to submit the application is October 30th. Since it involves a bit of paperwork, I would suggest letting me know sooner rather than later.
Discovery Scholarship is our award-winning community service outreach, started 20 years ago by the terrific, energetic, committed Barbara Vonk. Through our annual donation drive, we raise money offer full or partial music lessons scholarship to needy children. Applicants are screened and interviewed by the Scholarship Committee. Those accepted are guaranteed that their scholarship will last until 12th grade provided they meet the financial and other (minimal) requirements to continue the scholarship.
We are able to do this because some of our wonderful Marin Branch teachers are willing to accept a hefty reduction of their normal teaching fee ($30 for a 45 minute lesson) in order to teach our scholarship students. Complete anonymity is guaranteed to the student. If you’d like to be on our list as a volunteer teacher, please let me know.
CERTIFICATE OF MERIT
This year's Certificate of Merit date is Saturday, March 15, 2008, to be held at the College of Marin.
NEW THIS YEAR: The CM syllabus has been extensively revised. YOU MUST ORDER THE NEW SYLLABUS (and read it!) from the State Office, 978-9668. There are significant changes in required technique, changes in repertoire categories and requirements, and new information regarding theory exams. PLEASE OBTAIN YOUR NEW SYLLABUS AND STUDY IT BEFORE REGISTERING YOUR STUDENTS.
CM AND THE INTERNET: This year both Registration and completion of the Evaluation Forms for each CM student will be done online. Your CM Branch Chair (that's me, Helen Konowitz) also prefers that you communicate with her by email. The public library can help you if you do not have an email address, or if you need help with the internet.
HELP SAVE HELEN'S SANITY: Please be sure to consult your syllabus, CM policy and Encyclopedia (both available at www.mtac.org) before you send Helen your questions. I read my email nearly every evening and will get back to you as soon as I can, usually within 24 hours.
REGISTRATION: begins as usual on September 15 and ends as usual on November 15. Please study your new syllabus before registering students, and do NOT wait until November 15! As usual, there is no late registration - I'd appreciate everyone completing registration by November 1 to allow time to correct the inevitable problems that crop up.
TECHNIQUE EXAMPLES: We have been informed that the sheets of specific technique requirements will be available or order from the State Office by October 1st. You can phone or fax your order or use the order form in the back of any copy of the Music Teacher magazine.
Linda Rohmund has produced a DVD that shows the correct technique for all levels. However, it is NOT timed. Therefore, should you order it, do not have your students try to play along with it. She allows a few seconds in between each element. However, it is a good teaching tool for hand position, tempo, etc. If you’d like to view it ahead of time, contact Helen Konowitz (helenknow@aol.com). Otherwise, email Linda directly at
lindarohmund@cox.net
COMPOSERS TODAY & IMPROVISATION
If you have a student who is improvising or composing on their instrument, I just wanted to remind you that each year we schedule a Composers Today recital. Students are encouraged to perform their compositions (or part of a composition) for a friendly audience.
Also, new member Joey Edelman has graciously agreed to be our Improvisation Chair. Thanks you, Joey! So, this year we will include an Improvisation element in the Composers Today recital, scheduled for April 20th. If you are interested in more informatioin on the MTAC Improvisation program, contact Joey at 453-5059 or joey@edelmansound.com
More information in the next newsletter.
C/M EVALUATORS NEEDED
Northern California Chair Judi Sands-Pertel is seeking more teachers to be trained as C/M evaluators. If you are interested, contact Helen Konowitz (helenkonow@aol.com) for the dates and times of the next trainings. The pay is $40.00 an hour.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Long-time member Marian Marsh has decided to resign from MTAC now that the last Bella Resek Vocal Competition is over. Marian was our stalwart mainstay for the last 15 years, guiding our Vocal Committee and chairing the annual Bella Resek Vocal Competition with good grace and humor. We want to take this opportunity to thank her for all the years she devoted to our vocal programs and wish her all the best in her future endeavors.
Marin branch member, Hua Shen, son of Stephen Shen, has relocated to China. He is now working at the International School in Changsha, Hunan as a piano, English and music teacher. He lives in the Foreign Experts Building and instructs the children of American and British residents in the Hunan Province. Hua received his Bachelor’s degree from San Francisco State where he studied with William Corbett Jones.
This past July Stephen Shen accompanied Prof. Jones, acting as translator and agent, during Jones’ one-month concert tour in China.
UPCOMING EVENTS
SEPTEMBER 30th
Concert pianist/teacher, Antonio Iturrioz will be featured in his film
"Art of the Left Hand" on Channel 22 ( Channel 8 on Comcast Cable},
Sunday, September 30, 2007 at 10:30 p.m. Legendary pianist Byron
Janis called the film "unique" and said "it should be listened to."
All pianists should find this of interest and are encouraged to watch.
OCTOBER 18th
The San Francisco Chamber Jazz Quartet in Concert!
Gini Wilson; piano, Steve Heckman: reeds, Pat Klobas on Bass and Ron
Marabuto, drums This group rarely gets to perform in Marin; experience an exciting crossover of improvisational and lyrical jazz, with elements of
classical music and world music such as Piazzola Tango, including the Blues, in a terrific local venue.
Time: 8pm
Tickets: $16.00 general, $12 students
Please call for tickets
LARKSPUR CAFE THEATER - 500 Magnolia Ave., Larkspur; 924-6107;
www.larkspurcafetheater.net
NOVEMBER 17th & 18th
The Fourth Annual Golandsky Institute
Berkeley Seminar on the Taubman Approach to Piano Playing
The Berkeley Piano Club
2724 Haste Street
Berkeley, California
CLASSIFIEDS
6'1" K.Kawai KG-3C (1987) combines the stately presence of a Classic Grand with an exquisite clarity of tone. It has a sparkling resonant sound and is a fine instrument which has only been in the home of a professional Bay Area pianist who recently upgraded to a
larger grand. The piano has a bright and clear sound with a friendly keyboard, has been kept in perfect tune and was regulated in July. It includes the bench. It is a marvelous opportunity for a serious pianist looking for a real bargain. $9,000. If interested, contact Gini Wilson at 388-0976 or chamberjazz@comcast.net
DEADLINE TO SUBMIT ITEMS FOR THE NEXT NEWSLETTER
OCTOBER 25th
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