Thank you to all the volunteers who have given their time and effort over the past year. We have successfully pulled off our events this year with minor problems and enriched our studios with many programs for our students that enhanced their musical education. We have one more recital for our students. The last recital of the year is the Spring Festival at JB Piano on May 23 at 2 PM. Send in your student information to Karen Rodgers. Go to the Branch Activities heading on the MTACMarin.org web page and scroll down to the Spring Festival heading to enter your students. There is no charge for the recitals. http://www.mtacmarin.org/student_recital/2010_spring_festival.html
After the Spring Festival we are going to have a quick General Meeting to vote on the Board for the 2010-2011 school year. We have one new Board Member, Darcy Reynolds as agreed to join the board even though she has just joined our Branch!
The new board for 2010-2011 is as follows:
President: Paul Agricola
Vice President: Judy Litcherman
Recording Secretary: John Boyajy
Membership Secretary: Christin Bradley
Treasurer: Marilo Heenan
Board of Directors: Elenor Barcsak, Mary Fleming, Karen Rogers and Darcy Reynolds.
Branch Honors Recital
On Saturday, April 24th, we held our annual Branch Honors Recitals at JB Piano Company in San Rafael. Branch Honors is open to students who participate in the Certificate of Merit evaluations and perform at an above-average level in all elements of the test. This year 79 students were selected by the evaluators, representing 40% of the the total number of students who participated in the evaluations on March 27th. In all, 71 students performed and will receive a special gold honors seal on their Certificates of Merit.
The three Honors recitals went very smoothly. The students all performed beautifully. Since we cannot run programs like these without the participation of our member teachers, so I would also like to thank Marie Carbone and Paul Agricola for volunteering to chair a recital. The following studios were represented at the Honors Recitals: Paul Agricola, Florence Aquilina, Christina Bradley, Marie Carbone, Hyunjung Choi, Janice Clark, Phoebe Dong, Karen Fournier, Jennifer Grant, Mariko Heenan, Constance Herbert, Raymond Herbert, Helen Konowitz, Carol LaRusso, Judy Lichterman, Audrey Mahler, James Marchand, Cristina Marcu, Karen Rogers, Barbara Wilkes and Virginia Wilson. - Chris Bradley, Branch Honors Program Chair
Congratulations to all the winners of the 2010 MBD
Level 4:
First Place -- William Zhao, Mendelssohn
Second Place -- Victoria Jung, Chopin
Level 5:
First Place -- Daria Hoang, Mendelssohn
Second Place -- No award.
Honorable Mention: Silas Blunk and Michelle Ramseier, Kuhlau
Level 6:
First Place -- No award.
Second Place -- Chloe Fung, Chopin
Honorable Mention -- Taylor Lee, Schumann
Senior:
First Place -- Julie Ramseier, Brahms
Second Place -- Peter Struck, Schumann
Honorable Mention -- Kuni Migimatsu, Chopin
These outstanding young artists performed at the MBD Winners Recital on Sunday, April 25, 2:00 PM, at JB Piano.
Thank you to James Marchand MBD Competition Chair. James really put in a lot of work and effort, and Thanks to his wife Claire Marchand who also spent her time to help out. James did a great job on his first year and we are looking for the competition to grow in the coming years. The Board has been working on changing the format to give all our students a chance to take advantage of this program. The MBD Committee will be sending everyone the changes in the following weeks. We are really excited about this and hope that all our Members will take advantage of the new categories.
Teacher to Teacher
One of our goals is to enrich the experience as “Sole Proprietor Business” and that is what Marie Carbone has created with our Teacher to Teacher meeting that she has hosted at her home over the past year. It is a format where teachers can exchange view on running their business, share and learn new material and receive help and advice on anything that comes up in our studios. It has been a place to meet others who could use the sounding board on how to run this crazy business. Look for the coming dates and plan to attend next fall!
Spring Potluck
It is time again for our Spring Potluck, another place to meet like minded teacher and enjoy a nice afternoon and performance at Nancy Loder’s house June 13, 2010 at 4 PM. One of our past teacher’s granddaughter, Pat Meier-Johnson will attend and will bringing several boxes of Bella Resek's library of sheet music. She has full scores and various sheet music for anyone who would benefit and share with their students from Opera and Broadway Musical from the 1930’s. Her only request is that these are for our Student’s use. Bella was a long time Marin MTAC Member and it is wonderful that even now she is able to touch our student’s lives. All interested teachers and students are invited to take the scores home. I’ll be sending an additional letter at the end of the month.
A Note From Elenor Barcsak
Elenor Barcsak would like to say "Thank You" to all who supported her solo concert for the Thursday Musical Club on April 15th.
Look for the review posted on line thru the Classical Sonoma Web Site. Elenor is working with Greg Bottini who recorded the Concert in hopes of releasing a CD soon.
New Policy for Branch Transfer Requests
THE OPEN DOOR PERIOD FOR ALL BRANCH TRANSFER REQUESTS IS NOW APRIL 16th TO AUGUST 31st
To receive approval, all Branch transfers must now be requested between the period of 4/16 to 8/31. This allows our webmaster adequate time to move the CM students in the database to the new Branch of their teacher’s choice prior to the opening of CM registration. Any member wishing to make a Branch transfer request will be unable to do so between September 1st and April 15th because this is the active period for Certificate of Merit.
State Membership Secretary
Carol Oak
MTAC Convention
I hope that you will be able to attend the State Convention this July 2-6 2010. It is being held in LA this year is packed full of events. This is another way to enrich your studio. There are many seminars and events for you to take and fortify you for the coming year. You will also hear some of the best students from all the California Branches.
St. Mark's Anglican Church in Larkspur is in need of an organist (to volunteer). If you have any students who would like experience playing in a church setting, please contact Rev. James Prudhome at 415-461-6960. No experience needed. St. Mark's Anglican Church is at 1129 Magnolia Avenue in Larkspur.
From Member Sandra Simich
Sandra is performing this summer with Alberto Portugheis, Martha Argerich & Friends.
Martha Argerich joins Alberto Portugheis, and a glittering array of world class musicians from Britain, America, Croatia, Hungary, Romania, Israel and Lebanon, all paying tribute to
Argentina and its music. Most of the program will consist of works with a strong Argentine flavor, but we will also listen to composers from other countries who felt very deeply the harmonies, colors and rhythms of their motherland.
Music Conservatory & Virtuoso Program Summer Piano Achievement Workshop
Dates: July 25-30
Eligibility: Ages 8-18
Auditions: Saturday, April 24 or a time to be arranged with the workshop director,
Florence Aquilina. Please call (415) 258-1921or (707) 539-3968 to arrange an audition.
Tuition: $450
Our Piano Achievement Workshop centers on the Merit Certificate components of technique,
theory and sight reading at student’s own level, as well as giving ensemble experience through
piano duets and two-piano repertoire. In addition, each student will be guided in the
composition of a short piece. The workshop culminates in a recital of the ensemble pieces
learned during the week and the students’ own compositions.
Registrations are due by May 14. Please enclose a check made payable
to the San Domenico Music Conservatory, and return to:
San Domenico Music Conservatory, 1500 Butterfield Road, San Anselmo, CA 94960.
Please let your students know about the 2010 Summer Musical Theatre Camp held at the Redwood High School Little Theatre.
It will be 6 weeks of singing, dancing and acting with 2 topnotch productions of "Oliver" and "Rent".
Enrollment is still open for:
"Oliver" June 15th-July 18th young people ages 8-12 years
"Rent" June 18th-Aug 1st young people ages 13-18 years
Directed by Marilyn Izdebski - Musical Director Mary Fleming
