mc a dear mmta members, m c teac e
TRANSCRIPT
MichiganMusicTeacher
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PUBLICATION OF
THE MICHIGAN
MUSIC TEACHERS
ASSOCIATIONAffiliated with the Music Teachers
National Association
1
Vol. LVIII No. 4 June 2012
Dear MMTA Members,
It’s mid-May and the bulging rose buds in my garden are on the cusp of opening, a
sure sign of the advent of summer and the winding down of our seasonal schedules,
just as summer activities come to the fore. So whatever that means for you, whether
teaching at one of Michigan’s premier music camps, in collegiate or independent stu-
dios, I hope that everyone has ample time to savor the beauty of a Michigan summer!
And now for a recap of MMTA’s spring activities, beginning with May 11, a picture-
perfect spring evening that I spent with Eric Van De Vort on the campus of Western
Michigan University. I had the pleasure of introducing Eric, MMTA’s distinguished
service recipient, at the Michigan Youth Arts awards (MYA) banquet honoring 14
outstanding educators who were nominated by participating state arts organizations.
Eric was presented with an MYA touchstone award recognizing his outstanding
achievement in arts education, which was commemorated with a plaque and framed
resolution. Congratulations, Eric!
Since this year was the 50th anniversary of MYA, each organization was recognized
as well, and presented with a plaque “awarded in profound appreciation for leadership
in arts education and for continuing the tradition of the Michigan Youth Arts Festival.”
Following the banquet, Eric and I attended the MYA Honors Concert, featuring audi-
tioned high school choral and instrumental ensembles, as well as high school seniors
who performed solo concerti with the Western Michigan University Orchestra. It was
an unforgettable evening of heart-lifting music, and we reveled in the musical accom-
plishments of our Michigan youth.
Likewise, MMTA members can be proud of our SAT Piano and Voice Finalists and their exceptional teachers. The SAT Finalists
auditioned on Saturday, May 6 at the Michigan State University College of Music. Thanks to our MMTA Auditions “team,”
namely SAT Auditions Chair Margarete Thomsen, and SAT Semi-Final Chairs Wendy Wan-Hsing Chu, Loretta Lanning, and
Maria Lonchyna-Lisowsky, who organized the semi-finals and finals; and to Technology Chair Eric Van De Vort, for spearheading
the online semi-final registrations that were used statewide this year. I am looking forward to hearing our SAT Piano and Voice
winners in the MMTA Honors recitals at our fall conference in Ann Arbor.
MMTA Conference recitals will also include our MI MTNA Finalists, several of whom placed in the national competitions held
at the MTNA Conference in New York City in March (see the lists of winners from the SAT and national competitions on pp.3-
4 in this issue of the MMT). Among the national first place winners is Michigan’s own Daniel Cho (student of MMTA member
Pam Peng Chen), who won the MTNA Elementary Division competition for Composition. Congratulations, Daniel!
Attending the MTNA Conference in New York was exciting…from the pre-conference pedagogy Saturday sessions to the closing
Awards Brunch on Wednesday. The Awards Brunch included the presentation of the Benjamin Whitten Collegiate Chapter of
the Year Award to the University of Michigan Student Chapter. Jovanni-Rey V. de Pédro, chapter President, and John Ellis,
faculty advisor, attended the conference and accepted the award. Congratulations, U-M Student Chapter!
Two MTNA Conference sessions on the music of Bach were presented by Louis Nagel, the first session on the Inventions, and
the second on the French Suites. Louis has graciously submitted an article (upon request!) on the latter for this issue of the MMT.
We hope that his “musings” will become a regular feature of this publication.
While at the MTNA conference Gary Pedersen and I attended the annual meeting, the State President’s Advisory Council (SPAC),
the East Central Division meeting, and a break-out session with states sharing similar membership numbers. We both found the
last-mentioned session very valuable for the exchange of information and ideas. Michigan was well represented at these meetings,
as Maria Lonchyna-Lisowsky joined us, and Gerardo Ascheri, who is now the Director of the East Central Division. Congratu-
lations, Gerardo!
President’s Letter cont. on p.5
SPECIAL MMT ISSUE: 127th MMTA State Conference Extravaganza!See pp. 6-12 inside THIS ISSUE for all announcements, deadlines, registration forms, artists’ bios, swimsuit photos,
and session descriptions related to this October’s 2012 MMTA State Conference in Ann Arbor. Not to be missed!
MICHIGAN MUSIC TEACHEROFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE
MICHIGAN MUSIC TEACHERS ASSOCIATIONAFFILIATED WITH THE
MUSIC TEACHERS NATIONAL ASSOCIATIONDr. Stuart Foster, Editor, 1524 Columbine Drive, East Lansing, MI 48823
Submit materials to: [email protected]; 517-894-4753MMTA Web Site: www.michiganmusicteachers.org
PRESIDENTDr. Penny Draper513 Woodland DriveEast Lansing, MI 48823517-351-4632
VICE PRESIDENTGarik Pedersen8766 Sleepy Hollow DriveSaline, MI 48176734-429-3439
SECRETARYDorothy Vogel405 W. 11th StreetTraverse City, MI 49684-3145231-947-1700
TREASURERDiana Spitnale Miller3352 W. River Dr.Gladwin, MI 48624-9730989-426-2644
PAST PRESIDENTDr. Adrienne Wiley4007 WashingtonMidland, MI 48642989-837-0903
PARLIAMENTARIANChristie Otter14735 RichfieldLivonia, MI 48154734-464-3319
CERTIFICATION CHAIRDebra Culver2635 Perry Lake RoadOrtonville, MI 48462-8926248-793-3060
MEMBERSHIP CHAIRCheryl Cameron5514 State RoadFort Gratiot, MI 48059810-385-9888
LOCAL ASSOCIATIONS COORDINATORCynthia RobertsonP.O. Box 360Interlochen, MI 49643-0321231-883-5661
COLLEGIATE CHAPTERSCOORDINATORDr. Adam Clark2891 Riley Ridge RoadHolland, MI 49424513-349-7993
TEACHER EDUCATION CHAIRSara Carriere3911 Edmonton CourtAnn Arbor, MI 48103734-665-3322
AWARDS CHAIRJennifer Drake110 N. Lauderdale DriveKalamazoo, MI 49006-4346269-373-4971
TECHNOLOGY CHAIREric Van De Vort712 Sunset RoadAnn Arbor, MI 48103734-883-9490
SAT COORDINATORDiana Munch22720 Nancy AvenueSouthfield, MI 48033248-356-1274
SAT PIANO HANDBOOK CHAIRDr. Gerardo C. Ascheri2200 Groesbeck AvenueLansing, MI 48912-3449517-485-1363
SAT AUDITIONS CHAIRMargarete Thomsen8765 Eastham DriveCanton, MI 48187734-451-9678
SAT STRINGS CHAIRRuth Fry2102 8th StreetPort Huron, MI 48060810-989-9516
SAT VOICE CHAIRElaine Yanz2998 Parman RoadDansville, MI 48819517-623-6083
SAT WOODWINDS CHAIRAnn Decker-Beck12480 Glasgow DriveRomeo, MI 48065-4479586-752-0824
MTNA COMPETITIONSCOORDINATORLia Jensen-Abbott412 S. Clinton StreetAlbion, MI 49224517-629-2950
MTNA COLLEGIATE & CHAMBERMUSIC COMPETITIONS CHAIRArvi Sinka407 Randall DriveTroy, MI 48085248-689-3459
MTNA SENIOR COMPETITIONSCHAIRLia Jensen-Abbott412 S. Clinton StreetAlbion, MI 49224517-629-2950
MTNA JUNIOR COMPETITIONSCHAIRGail Lytle Lira131 Oakland DriveEast Lansing, MI 48823517-351-8402
MTNA COMPOSITION CHAIRMary Ann Anschutz5404 Sunset DriveMidland, MI 48640989-631-6833
CONCERTO COMPETITIONCHAIRPatricia Lobbestael55161 Washington DriveShelby Township, MI 48316248-652-8917
NON-COMPETITIVE ACTIVITIESKelly Yoakam120 W. Sycamore StreetMason, MI 48854517-244-9433
MTNA FOUNDATION CHAIRAlex Hanway889 Artdale DriveWhite Lake, MI 48383313-402-8916
INDEPENDENT MUSIC TEACHERSFORUM CHAIRThea Hoekman216 Southwoods AvenueFremont, MI 49412231-924-1504
COMMISSIONED COMPOSERCHAIRCharles Aschbrenner324 East 16th StreetHolland, MI 49423616-396-4282
MTNA COLLEGE FACULTY FORUMREPRESENTATIVEDavid Abbott412 S. Clinton StreetAlbion, MI 49224517-629-2950
COMMUNITY OUTREACH &EDUCATION CHAIRBarbara Collins4430 W. Water St.Port Huron, MI 48060810-982-4133
HISTORIANMary S. Vander Linde1100 Fountain View Circle #1Holland, MI 49423616-396-5379
CHANGE OF ADDRESS OR E-MAIL
Send toCheryl Cameron, Membership Chair: [email protected]
~ or mail to: ~Cheryl Cameron, 5514 State Road, Fort Gratiot, MI 48059
2 Michigan Music Teacher
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3Michigan Music Teacher
SAT Piano and Voice FinalsMay 5, 2012, MSU
Forty-four young pianists and four voice students took part in the MMTA State Piano and Voice Finals
at Michigan State University on May 5. Here are the results of the judging:
Piano: Intermediate DivisionJeanne Hanley & Derek Polischuk, Adjudicators
First Place: Joshua Zhe, student of Izabella Vilensky
Second Place: David Mutone, student of Catherine Rollin
Third Place: Carolyn Wu, student of Catherine Rollin
Honorable Mentions:
Rachel Mei Lanting, student of Annie Leong
Kathleen Gu, student of Catherine Rollin
Emily Foster, student of Helen Marlais
Piano: Junior DivisionJennifer Drake & Eric Van De Vort, Adjudicators
First Place: Heather Gu, student of Mary Siciliano
Second Place: Nolan Feeny, student of Derek Polischuk
Third Place: Andrew Busscher, student of Joan Conway
Honorable Mentions:
Ryan Neff, student of Izabella Vilensky
Shannon Lin, student of Izabella Vilensky
Piano: Senior DivisionAdrienne Wiley & Garik Pedersen, Adjudicators
First Place: Jason Gong, student of Catherine Rollin
Second Place: Sukruth Shashikumar, student of Mary Siciliano
Third Place: Yuanzhe Zhong, student of Mary Siciliano
Honorable Mentions:
Stephanie Pestana, student of Meghan Schaut
Kangling Gu, student of Catherine Rollin
Voice
Donna Green & Larissa Clark, Adjudicators
First Place: Elizabeth Clutts, student of Kathleen Merrill Leach
Second Place: Nicole Potchen, student of Julia Ellis
Third Place: Lindsey Hirt , student of Julia Ellis
Honorable Mention:
Evan Hertafeld, student of Julia Ellis
Repertoire lists are available for download at http://www.michiganmusicteachers.org/SATFinalsResults.php
ECD National Winners - 2011-2012 MTNA Competitions Junior Competitions State Category Prize Name Teacher
IL Piano 2nd place Ryan Jannack-Huang Brenda Huang
IN Strings 3rd Place Sung Moon Park Susan Moses
Senior Competitions OH Brass 1st Place Grant Jameson David Zerkel
MI Piano 2nd Place Jiyuan Grace Zhang Thomas Lymenstull
OH Piano Duet 3rd Place Iris Jang/Brook Zhang Nina Polonsky
IL String 2nd Place Emily Camras Tanya Carey
WI Voice 1st Place Emily Pogorelc Helen Ceci
MI Woodwind 2nd Place Jordan Lulloff Joseph Lulloff
Young Artist Competitions MI Piano 2nd Place Jannette Fang Logan Skelton
IN Voice 2nd Place Molly Bock Oliver Samuel Savage
Chamber Music Competitions IL String 1st Place Anasazi String Quartet
Veronica Pigeon, Violin
Amanda Ramey, Violin
Kelly Moore, Viola
Samuel Araya, Cello
Brandon Vamos
IL Wind 1st Place Cerulean Saxophone Quartet
Phil Pierick, Soprano
Ben Kenis, Alto
Drew Whiting, Tenor
Jesse Dochnahl, Baritone
Debra Richtmeyer
Composition Competitions MI Elementary 1st Place Daniel Cho Pam Peng Chen
IL Senior 1st Place Jonas Tarm Matt Hagle
IN Young Artist 2nd Place Kenji Kuriyama Don Freund
4 Michigan Music Teacher
Michigan Music Teacher 5
President’s Letter, cont. from p.1
The experience of attending the MTNA conference in New York included visits to many of the city’s cultural sites. Chief among
these was the Metropolitan Museum of Art, which has an awesome collection of early keyboard instruments, representing every
major phase of development. A highlight of the collection for me was viewing the earliest extant piano by Cristofori, dating
from 1720. My husband Bill travelled with me and we also visited the Morgan Library and Museum, the New York City Library,
Dowling Music and Steinway Hall, Carnegie Hall, St. John the Divine, saw the musical “Newsies” with our daughter who came
in from Philly, strolled in Central Park, viewed Ellis Island from the Empire State Building, and enjoyed an evening with our
Manhattan-based relatives. It was a memorable trip, and I thank MMTA for the privilege of representing Michigan at the
conference.
On April 29 the MMTA Executive Board and Full Board meetings were held at the Michigan Historical Library in Lansing.
Pertinent information from those meetings can be found in this issue of the MMT. Please check the SAT updates and clarifications
in the report submitted by Diana Munch and Margarete Thomsen.
MMTA welcomes two new board members: Jackie Willertz is the Non-Competitive Activities Chair, and Lester Castellano
becomes Membership Chair after our October conference. Both Jackie and Lester are well suited for their positions and we look
forward to working with them on the board. That said, we’ll miss Kelly Yoakam and Cheryl Cameron, the outgoing chairs,
respectively, of those positions. Both Kelly and Cheryl had reached term limits. We especially appreciate their expertise and
time commitment so generously given to MMTA for many years.
MMTA “business” continues during the summer months, with meetings scheduled for the MMTA Board, the SAT Piano Test
Committee, the SAT Piano Handbook Committee, and the SAT Semi-Final Chairs. During the summer, Vice President Gary
Pedersen and the Ann Arbor Area Piano Teachers Guild will be finalizing the myriad details involved in planning the 127th
MMTA Conference. I am looking forward to listening, learning and reuniting with colleagues at our fall conference! In the
meantime, our summer activities should include travel, reconnecting with family, relaxation, reflection, and the renewal of spirit
that these activities inspire. Best wishes for such a summer!
Sincerely,
Penny Draper
MMTA President
I AM INTERESTED IN THE
MMTA CERTIFICATION
Name __________________________
Address ________________________
City ___________________________
Instrument ______________________
Make Check for $5.00 Payable to MMTA
Send to:
DEBRA CULVER
2635 PERRY LAKE ROAD
ORTONVILLE, MI 48462
(248) 793-3060
Summer Event!
PIANO RETREAT – A Two-Day Retreat for Music Educators
Wednesday, August 1 and Thursday, August 2, 2012
Sponsored by the MSU College of Music and the
Capital Area Music Teachers Association
Join Derek Kealii Polischuk, Assistant Professor of Piano and
Director of Piano Pedagogy, and Deborah Moriarty, Professor of
Piano and Chair of the Piano Department at Michigan State Univer-
sity, with special guest clinician Randall Faber for a Piano Retreat
on August 1st and August 2nd of 2012. Piano teachers are invited to
come to the Michigan State University College of Music for a two-
day workshop where they will have the opportunity to hone their
own craft in piano performance by taking lessons with these
acclaimed teachers, participate in master classes, and attend
workshops on current topics in piano pedagogy and performance.
Registration for the Piano Retreat is only $100 for two days, or $70
for one day. Contact Dr. Polischuk at [email protected], or Gail
Lytle Lira at [email protected] for further information.
Michigan Music Teacher6
127th MMTA State ConferenceOctober 21 - October 23, 2012, Ann Arbor, MI
Dear MMTA Members,
Preparations for the 127th MMTA Conference are in full gear. The conference opens on Sunday, October 21 at 1:00 p.m.
(on-site registration beginning at noon), and continues through noon on Tuesday, October 23 at Kensington Court Hotel,
610 Hilton Boulevard, Ann Arbor. The hotel is easy to find (you can see it from I-94) and has plenty of free parking. Local
host for this event is the Ann Arbor Area Piano Teachers Guild, whose members are busy with many behind-the-scenes
details of conference planning. Read more in this newsletter about the Debussy celebration with the gamelan ensemble.
Anyone looking for an occasion to wear their batik sarong? Here it is!!
This year’s Conference Artist is Robert Weirich, one of the most respected and sought-after artist-teachers in his generation
(read about him elsewhere in this issue). Bob's bio is beyond impressive; not only has he done it all, he is the rare individual
whose broad experience as a pianist, teacher, artistic director-administrator, columnist, and composer has energized his
career and kept him at the top of his game. If you've heard him before, you'll want to hear him again, and if you haven't,
don't miss this opportunity! Our Conference Clinicians are Pamela Ruiter-Feenstra and Ellen Rowe, both engaging
presenters and artist-educators who are recognized as being at the forefront of two different, but related fields. Our Teacher
Education session will be an intermediate level master class (you spoke – we listened!), with our own Thomas Lymenstull,
from Interlochen; and in the IMTF session three of our members will share their experiences bridging the gap between
Suzuki and "traditional" instruction.
Of course the conference will also feature MMTA/MTNA student winners in concert, the MMTA-commissioned
composition, and various break-out sessions.
Be sure to check the website for a more complete listing of the conference schedule. The web address is
http://www.michiganmusicteachers.org/conference.php
I expect to have posted the complete schedule by late June.
In addition to these motivating sessions and outstanding concerts, our MMTA Conference gives the opportunity to
connect and share ideas with many colleagues from across Michigan. And if you still think you'll have extra time
on your hands, you'll be across the street from Briarwood Shopping Mall, and just two miles from beautiful
downtown Ann Arbor.
I look forward to seeing you in Ann Arbor in October!
Sincerely,
Garik Pedersen, MMTA Vice President
Please note and observe the following deadlines relative to our 2012 Conference:
August 1: Deadline for conference schedule material for the booklet. This includes presenters, titles and descriptions, and
performers' bios, photos, and program information.
August 15: Deadline for advertisers and exhibitors.
August 15: Deadline for all other entries in the conference program book. This includes Welcome letters, Teachers of the
Year, Distinguished Service Award, and list of conference volunteers.
September 20: Deadline to register for a room at the conference hotel and receive the MMTA conference rate.
September 28: Conference preregistration deadline - both mail and online. This is also the last date to withdraw from the
conference and receive a full refund.
MICHIGAN MUSIC TEACHERS ASSOCIATION127th Annual State Conference
October 21, 22, and 23, 2012 ~ Ann Arbor, MichiganCONFERENCE AND MEAL REGISTRATION
(note online registration also available- http://www.michiganmusicteachers.org/conference.php)
Name: ____________________________________________________________
Address: __________________________ City: ______________ Zip: _________
Phone: _____________________________ Email: _______________________
Local Association: ___________________ Certification: State National
REGISTRATION FEES:
Advance Conference Registration: MMTA Member (registration after September 28 - $ 75.00) $ 60.00 _________
Advance Conference Registration: non-MMTA Member (registration after September 28 - $ 85.00) $ 70.00 _________
Registration: MMTA Member’s spouse (registration after September 28 - $45.00) $ 35.00 _________
Student Registration Waived _________
MEAL RESERVATIONS (Advance reservation only - not available after September 28):
Monday Evening Banquet: $ 28.00 __________
Please select one Banquet Entrée: Tax and gratuity are included in price
_____ Sautéed Chicken Breast Piccata with Capers, Mushrooms & Lemon Butter Sauce
_____ Whitefish Pomodori, Roma Tomatoes, Garlic, Basil and Red Onion over fresh Great Lakes Whitefish
_____ Roasted Vegetable Pasta, Lightly marinated & roasted Root Vegetables & Grilled Portabella Mushroom Cap, served with Penne Pasta tossed in Pesto
Entrées include Garden Green Salad, Warm Rolls & Butter, Fresh Green & Wax Beans with Julienne Carrots, Wild Rice Medley, White Chocolate Mousse in a Dark Chocolate Cup with Raspberry Coulis and Fresh Berry Garnish, Coffee or Tea.
TOTAL ENCLOSED: __________
CONFERENCE AND MEAL ADVANCE REGISTRATION DEADLINE: September 28, 2012
Please mail this registration form and check (payable to MMTA) to:Diana Spitnale Miller, MMTA Treasurer, 3352 W. River Dr., Gladwin, MI 48624-9730
For more information, contact: Garik Pedersen, MMTA Vice President and Conference ChairmanPhone (734) 487-1427 Email: [email protected]
Michigan Music Teacher 7
Michigan Music Teachers Association127th State Conference
October 21-23, 2012
610 Hilton Boulevard48108
734-761-7800 or 800-344-7829http://www.kcourtaa.com/
The Kensington Court Ann Arbor is located at South State Street and Interstate 94 in the
Briarwood Shopping Mall circle, only 2.5 miles from downtown Ann Arbor and the
University of Michigan, and 25 miles from Detroit Metropolitan Airport.
Conference rate for Single or Double/Double Rooms: $99/night + taxes
• This rate is only available until SEPTEMBER 20. Rates cannot be changed at check-in or at checkout.
• To receive this rate, you must make reservations by telephone, at one of the numbers above, and state that you are with the MMTA 2012 State Conference.
• Please do NOT make your reservations online. You will NOT receive the special conference rate, and your room will not be credited as part of MMTA's required occupancy.
• Please note that there are no rooms available at Kensington Court for Saturday night, October 19. Members coming in the night before the conference will have to make other arrangements.
• Check-in time is 3:00. Early check-in may be available for those who call the morning they are checking in. Baggage storage is available.
8 Michigan Music Teacher
9Michigan Music Teacher
1. Conference Artist Robert Weirich will present a lecture on Monday
and a Master Class on Tuesday morning.
Robert Weirich has performed in musical centers throughout the United States,
including Alice Tully Hall, the Kennedy Center, Chicago’s Orchestra Hall, and at
such summer festivals as Tanglewood, Ravinia and Marlboro. Recent perform-
ances include solo recitals in Florida, New York, Illinois, Ohio and the dedicatory
recital of the Choukas Performing Arts Center at Vermont Academy. Since 2004
he has been the convention artist for the Music Teachers National Association state
organizations in Massachusetts, North Carolina, California, Arkansas, and Indiana.
Chamber performances include a tour of Thailand and Hong Kong with UMKC
colleague Carter Enyeart, a presentation on four-hand piano with wife and col-
league Karen Kushner at the 2005 MTNA national convention in Seattle, and a
boundary-breaking lecture-recital with several UMKC colleagues on Bartok’s
Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion, given at UMKC and at the 2006 national
Conference Highlights
meeting of the College Music Society in San Antonio. Again since 2004, he has presented master classes at several
important schools of music, including the Oberlin Conservatory, Indiana University, and the College-Conservatory of
Music at the University of Cincinnati. He gave three performances of Rachmaninoff’s Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini
with the Syracuse Symphony in 2005, and performed Beethoven’s Emperor Concerto last June with the Kansas City
Chamber Orchestra. His first solo CD, Piano Music of Aaron Copland, was released in 2008; the New York Times called
his performances “brilliant, probing and austerely beautiful.” He has held the Jack Strandberg Missouri Endowed Chair
at the UMKC Conservatory since 1998, serving as head of the keyboard division from 2004-08, and as Associate Dean
for Performance Studies from 2005-07. He is justifiably proud of his students, who regularly win major competitions,
hold university positions throughout the country, and challenge him on a daily basis in the studio.
2. Conference Clinician Pamela Ruiter-Feenstra will present an inter-
active session on the use of improvisation in the playing and teaching
of Bach.
Pamela Ruiter-Feenstra’s passion for early music, historical instruments, and
improvisation coalesce in her performances as organist, harpsichordist, clavi-
chordist, and conductor; in her articles and books; compositions; recordings; and
in her teaching. As Professor of Music and University Organist at Eastern Michigan
University (Ypsilanti, MI; 1996–2008) and Bethany College (Lindsborg, KS; 1989–
96), Ruiter-Feenstra developed successful improvisation pedagogy, methodology
and symposia; and aural-oriented performance practice by directing the Collegium
Musicum and other early music ensembles. She is a founding member of Voci
dell’Anima, an early music ensemble featuring voice, cornetto, viola da gamba,
organ and harpsichord. Currently, Ruiter-Feenstra is developing a series of improv-
isation pedagogy books: Muse, a multi-disciplinary early childhood vocal music
curriculum; Improvisation Encounters, an improvisation tutor for high school and
early college keyboard students and any musician new to improvisation; and Bach and the Art of Improvisation (CHI
Press, 2011), improvisation pedagogy in a musicological and historical context, for intermediate to advanced improvisers.
She frequently plays, sings, conducts, and teaches at various churches and institutions; has a private studio of piano,
organ, harpsichord, and improvisation students; and is a Fleur de Son Classics artist.
Michigan Music Teacher10
Conference Highlights
3. Conference Clinician Ellen Rowe will present a session
entitled "Jazz Improvisation: Learning the Language."
Ms. Rowe performs at jazz clubs, festivals and concert series throughout
the U.S. and has toured in Germany, Holland, Switzerland, Ireland,
Poland and Australia. In addition to her work as leader of her own trio
and quartet, for which she garnered first place in the Hartford, CT
Advocate Readers’ Poll for Best Acoustic Jazz, she is in demand as a
sideman, performing with a variety of artists including Kenny Wheeler,
Frank Morgan, John Clayton, Tom Harrell and Jiggs Whigham. She has
had the honor of appearing twice on National Public Radio’s “Marian
McPartland’s Piano Jazz” and has three CDs out, under her own name, including “Sylvan Way”, “Denali Pass” and
“Wishing Well”, with guest Ingrid Jensen. In keeping with the eclectic nature of her earliest musical influences, she has
also continued to perform classically, recently performing the Stravinsky Piano Concerto with the University of Michigan
Wind Ensemble.
Her compositions and arrangements have been performed and recorded by jazz ensembles and orchestras around the
world, including the Village Vanguard Orchestra, BBC Jazz Orchestra, U.S. Navy Commodores, Berlin Radio Jazz Or-
chestra, Westchester Jazz Orchestra and DIVA. Her big band compositions are published by Sierra Music Publications.
Ms. Rowe is currently on the faculty of the University of Michigan School of Music, where she is Associate Professor
of Jazz Piano, Director of the University of Michigan Jazz Ensemble and Chair of the Department of Jazz and Contem-
porary Improvisation.
4. Teacher Education Session – Intermediate Master Class with Dr.
Thomas Lymenstull
Pianist Thomas Lymenstull has performed throughout the United States as well as in
Japan, Taiwan, and the People’s Republic of China. He has been heard nationally and
internationally on Voice of America and National Public Radio. Lymenstull has been
featured with orchestras in the United States and China, including the Los Angeles
Chamber Orchestra. He won first prize in the Joanna Hodges International Piano Com-
petition and was a prizewinner in the Washington International Piano Competition.
Thomas Lymenstull is Instructor of Piano at Interlochen Arts Academy, where his
students routinely win scholarships to top music schools and prizes in state and national competitions. Formerly Associate
Professor of Piano Pedagogy at the University of Southern California, Lymenstull was a Teaching Fellow of the USC
Center for Excellence in Teaching, and developed the keyboard skills program for piano majors to include improvisation
of Mozart cadenzas. Lymenstull has also researched contemporary piano music from China, and includes this repertoire
on recital programs.
Lymenstull has presented workshops in piano pedagogy, and his articles have appeared in American Music Teacher and
California Music Teacher magazines. He taught for several summers at the Tunghai University Music Festival (Taichung,
Taiwan) and currently divides his summers between Interlochen Arts Camp, Montecito Music Festival, and yearly master
classes in Asia.
Dr. Lymenstull studied at Eastman and the University of Southern California, and received a Fulbright Fellowship to
study piano and conducting in Vienna, Austria. His teachers include John Perry, Cecile Genhart, Frank Glazer, Alexander
Jenner, and John Simms.
Michigan Music Teacher 11
Conference Highlights
5. Debussy, the Javanese Gamelan, and You!
The Ann Arbor Area Piano Teachers Guild will help us celebrate the sesquicentennial of
the birth of Claude Debussy (1862-1918) with a special focus on the characteristics of
Javanese gamelan music. This is a type of music that interested and influenced him: its
freedom from rules of functional harmony, its free forms, unrelated to those of European
music, the fascinating timbre of the percussive instruments, and the layered texture, free
from European rules of counterpoint. Since 1889, the year Claude Debussy first experi-
enced the music of a gamelan orchestra, many composers have been inspired to imitate,
evoke, and otherwise translate its hypnotic sounds into their own compositions. From
Ravel to Messiaen, Bartók to Lou Harrison, many works, procedures and styles were
6. IMTF Session - The Best of All Worlds: What Suzuki and “Traditional” Teachers Have to Learn from
Each Other
Rather than viewing each other with suspicion, we can cultivate a healthy curiosity about the “other” method of teaching
children. Three seasoned Suzuki piano teachers who stand with one foot firmly in each “camp” examine the Suzuki
ideas that can be adapted by all teachers and the wisdom of generations of piano teaching that can inform our Suzuki
pedagogy. We expect that our students have only to gain!
Panel members: Renee Robbins
Gerardo Ascheri
Susan Day
first suggested through an exploration of the Javanese gamelan. At the heart of these explorations was the grand piano.
Already a dominant player in Western art music, the piano's unique acoustics – mixing the sustained singing of strings
with a percussive attack – became a curious analogue to the gamelan: a workshop for reimagining these exotic and fresh
musical ideas.
Join us on Sunday, October 21, the first evening of the conference, when the Ann Arbor Area Piano Teachers Guild is
delighted to present pianist Robert Satterlee and the University of Michigan's Javanese Gamelan – once named a
“Venerable Lake of Honey,” and one of the only double gamelan orchestras in the United States – in a unique concert
featuring both music for the gamelan and some of the piano repertoire it has influenced. Dr. Satterlee will both perform
and discuss these important piano works, while the gamelan's director, ethnomusicologist Susan Walton, will further
inform us as to the nature of the Javanese orchestra. The program will close with traditional pieces for our pleasure, and
the concert will be followed by a reception with a Balinese theme which you will not want to miss! The cost of the
evening concert is included in your registration (please bring your nametag), but there will be tickets available at the
door for only $10, so please feel free to invite students and friends!
Earlier on Sunday, the conference’s opening session will offer a
more in-depth discussion, plus further piano repertoire as a preview
to the evening’s recital. This session will feature local pianists, with
a discussion led by Lester Castellana.
These events should prove to be a fascinating and memorable start
to our annual conference – we heartily invite every one of our
MMTA members to attend!
Lester Castellana and Eric Van De Vort
Co-Chairs, 2012 MMTA Conference (AAAPTG)
[Garik Pedersen, MMTA Vice President, contributed information
to this article]
12 Michigan Music Teacher
Did You Know?
That MMTA must guarantee a mini-
mum occupancy in order to have a
venue for our conference? Please
consider staying in the conference hotel
(at the special conference rate!)
That all deadlines for this year's confer-
ence are earlier than last year, even
though the conference is later (please
see "conference deadlines" in this
newsletter)?
That MMTA must guarantee a mini-
mum food purchase in order to have a
venue for our conference? Please help
us by enjoying delicious food and won-
derful camaraderie at the conference
banquet – another great opportunity to
get to know and interact with teachers
from throughout Michigan!
That our conference preregistration fee
has remained the same for many years,
although we have raised the on-site
registration fee this year? Save money
and preregister!!
That all members who participate,
present, or attend any part of the con-
ference must register (this includes
college student members, although their
registration fee is waived)? Don't forget
to preregister!
That registration fees cover only a
fraction of all conference expenses? As
an MMTA member, your dues help to
fund your conference, so if you haven't
attended before, come this year – take
advantage of the investment you have
made by joining MMTA!
More Conference-Related Information
Your Vote Counts![Follow-up from the online survey of MMTA members after our last conference]
Thank you to all who participated in the post-conference evaluation survey after last year's conference. It was very helpful
to receive responses from members who did not attend the conference as well as from those who did. Using data from the
survey to narrow the options, we now are asking you to vote again on two important issues about conference scheduling:
1. Would you prefer that the conference be held in
A. AUGUST? or B. OCTOBER?
2. Would you prefer that the conference be scheduled from
A. Friday-Sunday? or B. Sunday-Tuesday?
Please email your vote to Garik Pedersen at [email protected] or mail to Garik Pedersen, MMTA Vice President, De-
partment of Music, Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti, MI 48197
As they say in politics:
IF YOU DON'T VOTE, YOU DON'T COUNT!!
Musical Musings
Thoughts on Playing the French Suites, by Louis Nagel
Words of Introduction by David Abbott
Dear MMTA Members and Colleagues:
It is with utmost pleasure that I write a short introduction to the wonderful article by Louis Nagel on Bach's French Suites
that is based on the lecture presentation he recently gave at the MTNA national convention in New York City.
I first met Louis when we sat together on the collegiate piano jury for the East Central District piano auditions about six
years ago. Louis' astute perception on each student as well as the music was a great pleasure to experience. It was a pleasant
surprise to discover how our thoughts on Beethoven as well as much of the playing heard that day were so closely aligned
in musical "synchrony". Louis is always searching for intelligent and honest, communicative playing, and each of our all
too infrequent encounters has been an inspiring experience for me. It is a pleasure to introduce my collegiate colleague's
wonderful comments on the French Suites. I am sure that his insights in music eminently suitable for many students in
your studios will be of great interest to us all.
Thoughts on Playing the French Suites
I have had the rare pleasure of learning and recording the six French Suites of J.S. Bach, and presenting this body of music
as a lecture/performance at the MTNA meetings in New York this past March. The title of my presentation was THE SIX
FRENCH SUITES, BACH’S BON-BONS. In the process of preparing this program, I came to realize what a joy it is to
work on music so full of beauty, logic, challenge and beauty. I mention beauty twice simply because it is the beginning and
ending of this project. The music is beautiful, and my deepening realization of its beauties became something of the theme
of my presentation.
Two of these suites I had learned as a young boy. At fourteen, I did not like the E Major Suite, and balked at learning it
beyond a rather superficial level. In a very belated apology to Grant Graves, the superb and long-suffering teacher who
tried to get me to play the piece with conviction, I can only say you succeeded, but with a bit of a time warp! Dwight
Anderson, the wonderful teacher with whom I studied the G Major Suite as a fifteen-year-old, had better success with me
and I played it with pleasure a few times in recitals before going off to Juilliard. From 1960 to the summer of 2011, I did
not touch the G Major Suite and taught it infrequently. The E-flat and B Minor Suites I learned comparatively recently, and
the first two I knew but casually. So much for the authoritative teacher who plays much Bach! If confession is good for the
soul, I am now in great shape spiritually!
Upon considering these suites as a group and studying them seriously, comparing different sources, experimenting with
different fingerings, thinking about phrasings and articulations and dynamics, I realized how valuable these works are as
teaching repertoire IF THE STUDENT IS READY FOR THEM. And herein lies a problem. When they might well be
assigned in the hierarchy of Bach repertoire, after the Inventions, Sinfonias, and perhaps a few of the simpler Preludes and
Fugues, the student may not enjoy their monotony. After all, without exception, each suite is comprised of several
movements, all in binary form, all within each suite in the same key, and most with relatively thin textures. No rich chords,
no octaves or thirds to show off technical prowess, and no rich swaths of sound to bathe the ears and massage the egos.
This is music whose beauties are subtle. It takes a certain level of maturity to appreciate the dialog among the three voices
that sing throughout the Allemande of the C Minor Suite. The adventure of playing the rich Sarabande of the D Minor Suite
is not an athletic adventure at all, but one rich in dynamic potentials. I think of it as starting quite loud and then diminishing
as it progresses through its forty-eight measures, counting repeats. Arriving at tempo and character of the courantes is
something of a challenge as there are courante, corrente and even gigue styles among the six movements. The Gigue of the
G Major is the virtuoso piece of the entire set, and maintaining throughout a steady tempo and even touch is a formidable
task. But just as interesting a challenge is to decide upon articulations --- all legato, all staccato (my personal choice), or
some stylistically appropriate combination of both. What about coloring this perpetual motion with touches of pedal? How
French Suites cont. on p.14
Michigan Music Teacher 13
14 Michigan Music Teacher
French Suites, cont. from p.13
shall we structure the crescendi and diminuendi? In other dances, like the menuets or the gavottes, do we ornament repetitions,
and if so, how? Can we be fairly certain that we are adding ornaments that the master himself would have accepted? We cannot
know for sure, but we can take reasonably informed chances if we know some of the repertoire in which ornamentation is
written out. More advanced than these suites, such works as the second movement of the Italian Concerto, or the varied repetitions
found in the Sarabande of the G Minor English Suite, or the Sarabande of the E Minor Partita --- these are pieces that can be
studied if not actually learned, to see how Bach instructed us, his twenty-first century pupils, just what he did when he ornamented
his own music. And most of all, what sort of technical approach gives us the transparency of line? I feel these are worthy and
fascinating problems for a student to confront. And the truth is, the solutions are not etched in stone. When I resurrected the
E-flat Suite from the dust bin of my brain, I found myself wanting to do different things than my impulses from first learning it
several years earlier directed me to do. My ear asked of me a different tempo or a different dynamic level. And the same growth
occurred with the two I had studied when I was in my teens. Bach left us the notes and the challenge to recreate his music as
we re-evaluate our responses to it. Rarely do we have markings telling us interpretively what to do. Titles, meters, and experience
with playing and listening to his music are our guides.
What is it like to perform the French Suites? In a way, little different from performing a Debussy prelude or a Brahms sonata.
That is to say one needs to focus on the music with intense concentration and know it so well that IF we get in trouble (after all
we all are human) we can extricate ourselves without sacrificing the flow and direction of the music. If one listens to Bach both
linearly and vertically, one learns the same skills that guide a performance of Beethoven, Brahms, or Debussy. If one understands
the structure of the music being performed, the road map of sound will be better illuminated. And if one practices not only for
technical mastery, but for AURAL mastery --- that is, to hear WHY each note is where it is and where it is going, the sounds
will come alive with security. That is always the goal of any performance but often we fall short. Listening with understanding
is a critical key to performing any piece of music whether a French Suite, the Emperor Concerto, the Brahms-Handel Variations,
or L’isle Joyeuse.
For me the Suites are exciting to perform and a joy to teach. They are not – as my lecture title humorously implied – “bon-
bons” at all. That they are not the virtuosic works that are the English Suites or the mature and profound compositions that are
the Partitas does not in any way diminish their value as teaching and concert pieces. They were written in all likelihood for
Anna Magdalena, his second wife and true musical partner, who was a good enough harpsichordist to play them. They were
crafted with the same meticulous attention to detail that characterizes his Preludes and Fugues and his other larger works. And
they remain a beautiful part of the repertoire unsurpassed for training the fingers, ears, minds, and souls of today’s pianists and
harpsichordists.
[Note from the Editor: We envision that “Musical Musings” could be a regular column. “But how could that ever be accom-
plished?!,” I hear you ask. I will tell you. We all have favorite parts of the repertoire, sometimes pieces that come with long per-
sonal histories and often anecdotes attached, or just pieces that we love to think and talk about and share with (and occasionally
foist upon) others. Well, write down some of those thoughts and recollections you’re already having about those pieces you al-
ready love and send them to me, and given 700 or so members, each of whom has a long and constantly evolving list of favorites,
voilà, we have a “Musical Musings” column that will go on for decades. Oh, and one last important note, I am hereby making
the executive decision that it’s okay if not every article achieves the almost unfairly high standard set by Louis’ French Suites
article!]
Teacher Education Corners
I’m sure all of you read the Jane Magrath article in the January-February 2011 Clavier Companion issue last year, but I just read it.
I love the concept of sticky ideas. Students love to learn something ‘human’ about a composer. Like the fact that Granados died when
his boat was torpedoed and he jumped out of a life raft to save his wife. A story is at the heart of an effective sticky idea. For an idea
to stick it must never be trite. It must be credible, concrete, clear. It should connect with an emotion and have an element of the
unexpected. At a workshop the clinician suggested making a student stare at you as you begin with “This is for the rest of your life”
and then proceed to give them a sticky idea. Sometimes the sticky idea can be a password to get into the studio next week. In our
own playing we have progressed so far beyond the first years of learning that it is difficult to pare down an idea to a concrete, clear
and profound sticky statement. Do you remember ideas from your teachers that have stuck with you? Have you found successful
ways to make ideas stick with your students? Please send me an email with sticky ideas that you want to share!
Sara Carriere
Teacher Education Chair
Message to Local Presidents (and All Members): Hard Copies of the MMT
This June issue of the MMT is available online as usual, but in addition, a hard copy of this issue is getting mailed to each and every
MMTA member. The remaining three issues of the year, however, are no longer getting mailed out to any members (and have not been
mailed out for a couple of years now). This, of course, has saved MMTA a lot of money, but a friendly reminder can’t hurt that the
system only works if at the same time, local association presidents (or the helpful colleagues to whom they delegate):
a) Determine which of your members either do not use email, or for whatever reason express a strong preference for receiving a hard
copy of each MMT issue, and
b) create an appropriate “infrastructure” whereby these members are able to receive said hard copies of each issue. Thank you!
MTNA Student Competitions Changes
Beginning in the upcoming 2012–2013 year, the following changes will take place:
• Application deadline is 3:00 p.m. Eastern time on September 12, 2012.
• Current membership dues for MTNA or a nonmember teacher fee must be paid prior to accessing the competition application.
• Compositions will be uploaded online as PDF files. Scores are NOT to be mailed.
For complete competition information, visit www.mtna.org.
SAT Semi Finals Online Registration
Thank you to all those who used or tried to use the new online registration for SAT semi-finals in 2012. A survey is still available for
those who used the online system, at this address:
http://www.michiganmusicteachers.org/members/semifinalsSurvey-teachers.php
The District chairs and the State Finals Chair appreciated having most of the entries done online. The reduction in paperwork sent
through the mail, as well as the reduction of incomplete or difficult-to-read hand entries made the job easier at both the Semi Finals and
the State Finals. I know some of us tried the online registration and had difficulties. To my knowledge, these difficulties were addressed
and resolved quickly. Some changes to the registration process are in the works for next year, most notably the feature of an intermediate
save, so some of the data can be entered, saved, and added to at a later time.
The District and State Semi Finals chairs are meeting this summer to discuss the registration process. If there are concerns that we
don’t yet know about, please email me, and that issue will be put on the agenda.
Sincerely,
Eric Van De Vort
MMTA Technology Chair
SAT Rules Changes and Clarifications for 2013
All students entering SAT must perform new repertoire each year.
Students must perform complete pieces for SAT.
For example, students must play all variations in a set of theme and variations.
All teachers entering students in the Semi-Finals next year will be required to work
or find a qualified substitute.
Diana Munch, SAT Coordinator
Margarete Thomsen, SAT Auditions Chair
Michigan Music Teacher 15
In Memoriam
Evelyn Joan Evon, music teacher, choral director, pianist, accompanist, administrator, mentor, professional
colleague, spiritual guide and treasured friend.
Evelyn received her masters degree from Teacher’s College at Columbia University and did post-graduate work
at the University of Michigan, Indiana University, and at the Mozarteum in Salzburg, Austria. A woman with
many lives, Evelyn began her career as Sister Marie Madonna, a Dominican Sister, teaching music and religion
classes, directing choirs, and producing Broadway musicals at St. Alphonsus High School in Dearborn, Michigan.
Choir students from her years of teaching at Colegio Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic have kept in
touch with her for many years and still sing the music she taught them. During her college teaching career,
Evelyn taught piano, piano pedagogy, music theory and ear training. Her collegiate music instruction included
Siena Heights University in Adrian, Michigan; Barry College in Miami, Florida; Marygrove College in Detroit,
Michigan; and Stetson University in Deland, Florida.
After she became Mrs. Evelyn Evon and moved with her husband to Novi, Michigan in the late 1970’s, her
impressive resume arrived on my desk at Marygrove College, where I (Sue) was in my early years of teaching
and chairing the music department. I soon had the pleasure of hiring this seasoned teacher and former music
department chair at Barry College. Bringing her rich experience in teaching, administration, diplomacy and
human relations, Evelyn nurtured, mentored, and graciously supported me and the other department faculty as
we began our careers. I was delighted to see her move into the position of music department chair. Her spirit,
energy, wisdom, and “deep love of life” brought our faculty and students together in a genuine, synergistic,
musical community. While at Marygrove, she performed as a duo pianist with Huw Lewis, and also accompanied
the Marygrove Chorale and the Ford Chorus under the direction of Dr. Lee Riggins. I learned so much about
life and joyful living from Evelyn. I will continue to feel her spirit and influence with me always.
As Evelyn retired from college teaching she directed her musical activity to the Livonia Piano Teachers Forum,
private piano teaching, and frequent duet and duo piano performances with me (Diana). I got to know Evelyn
Evon when she was LAPTF President, and I decided that I wanted to get more involved with SAT. Shortly after
that, we performed in a piano quartet for a LAPTF fundraising event, and she asked me if I’d like to be her two-
piano and piano duet partner. We did many performances from 1999 until 2010. Usually we played in Tuesday
Musicale and Friends of Four Hands programs, but we also performed three full-length concerts. Evelyn also
helped me by conducting my church choir, and we often played piano duets for church services. She was my
good friend and duet partner who never let us miss a week of practicing our duets and two-piano music unless
it was absolutely necessary! Even though Evelyn stopped performing in public after the spring of 2010, the two
of us got together to practice duets weekly. Our last rehearsal was two weeks before she passed away, which I
think is a testimony to her desire to keep as active as possible and to keep music in her life. I will really miss
her.
She was an inspiration to all whose lives she touched, and made a deep impression on her students, who continue
her legacy. One of her students from her teaching days at St. Alphonsus in Detroit came to visit her every year
when he returned from Poland to the Detroit area each summer. Some of the other words students have used to
describe her were “an excellent musician”, “kind”, “caring”, “joyful”, “elegant”, “classy”, “a fine teacher” with
a “love of music and a passion for vocal music”. While living in Farmington Hills, Michigan, she taught piano
lessons in her home until February of this year, less than two months before she died.
Written by Diana Munch and Sue Vanderbeck Lenz
Michigan Music Teacher16