Fall 2016 CounterPoint - Michigan Federation of Music Clubs

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MFMC President’s Message
Welcome to the 2016-17 season of MFMC and to the many club programs,
festivals and award auditions on the horizon! The culmination of upcoming
events this season will be the 100th MFMC Convention, hosted by the
Northeast District on Friday and Saturday, May 19-20, 2017. Convention
details will follow in the Spring Edition of CounterPoint and our centennial
celebration promises to be fabulous. Reserve dates now and plan on
attending!
Speaking of conventions, the 99th MFMC Convention, hosted in May by the
Northwest District in Grand Rapids under the leadership of MFMC
Immediate Past President Mary Jane Timmer, was outstanding. Our thanks
to Mary Jane and her committee for the many hours involved in making it a
success!
Penny Draper
MFMC President
In June, several MFMC members attended the NFMC Conference in Tulsa, Oklahoma, including my husband
Bill, MFMC Webmaster and Poetry Chair; Ingrid Maire, MFMC Communications Chair and Senior Club
Reporter; and Tenney Miller, an MFMC Past President and Chairman of the Past Presidents Assembly (PPA).
We enjoyed convention sessions, exceptional concerts, reconnecting with friends from past NFMC
conventions, and touching base with MFMC Past President Connie Randall, who is now NFMC Chaplain and a
Texas transplant.
In July, the annual NFMC Northeastern Region Meeting was held at Chautauqua, New York and the Michigan
contingent traveled together for the 3rd annual van trip. Bill Draper was the appointed driver and other
attendees included MFMC Past President Joanne Holman and husband Tom (his cello rode along this time,
very carefully strapped into its assigned seat); Tenney Miller; Jean Watson, Southeast District President; and
my Dad, Ed Pekrul. In addition to attending the meeting and hearing our award winners perform at
Chautauqua Institute, NFMC Northeast region members spent two lovely hours on the lake aboard the
Chautauqua Belle, one of twenty surviving boats from the steamship era (see photos on the MFMC website).
At the end of July, Mary Jane Miller, MFMC Parliamentarian; MFMC Immediate Past President Mary Jane
Timmer and I met for a day-long work session in order to finish our revision of the MFMC Standing Rules,
which will be presented to the board for amendments and approval. This project was initiated during Mary
Jane’s presidency and after many hours spent together working on the revision, we look forward to its
completion.
Our busy federation summer prepares and inspires us to continue serving our local clubs, MFMC and
ultimately, NFMC, in so many ways. By attending club meetings, singing in our club choruses, running award
auditions or serving on our club boards, we support the lofty aims and ideals of our federation. This year,
Michigan festival sites counted 4,386 participants entering 36 events! That was possible because of your
involvement. For me, serving as president of this august organization is a privilege and honor. I am looking
forward to observing and participating in another year of federation activities!
Sincerely,
Penny Draper
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Newsflash
MFMC CALENDAR
2016
Sept. 23 Northwest District meeting
Oct. 7 Southwest District meeting
Oct. 14 Southeast District meeting
Oct. 21 Northeast District meeting
Oct. 28 MFMC Fall Board meeting
For Club Treasurers:
Please send in membership roster information using
the following Excel format:
First and Last
names
Address number
Street name
City, State, Zip
2017
Feb. 1 Spring Deadline:
NFMC Spring Music Clubs Magazine
Apr. 1 Deadlines:
Profiles
25- & 50-year club members
Deceased members’ names
Apr. 28 MFMC Spring Board meeting
May 7-14 National Music Week
Theme: An Adventure for Life
May 18-20 MFMC Annual Convention
Auburn Hills Marriott
Host – Northeast District
Jul. 15 Membership rosters to:
How do you receive CounterPoint? If
there’s a problem, please contact the Editor:
elizamc428@comcast.net
I’d prefer reading CounterPoint online.
Send Name and Club affiliation to the Editor
and request removal from the mailing list.
Read online at mfmcmi.org.
I’d like to continue receiving CounterPoint
issues by mail, but I’ve been receiving
multiple copies. Send Name and each Club
affiliation to the Editor.
Penny Draper, MFMC President
penny@pennydraper.com
Sandra DeRemer
MFMC InterimTreasurer
sandra.deremer@gmail.com
Susan McDonald
CounterPoint Editor
elizamc428@comcast.net
Aug. 1 Deadlines:
NFMC Fall Music Clubs
Magazine
MFMC Fall CounterPoint
Access MFMC website at
http://www.mfmcmi.org/
for updated information.
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Women of
:
Clara Wieck Schumann
Clara Josephine Wieck, born in Leipzig in 1819, was a German musician, composer
and considered one of the most distinguished pianists of the Romantic era during
her 61-year concert career. Her husband was composer Robert Schumann. The two
were friends and mentors to Johannes Brahms and Clara was the first to publicly
perform his works.
Clara lived with her father following her parents’ divorce in 1824. He meticulously
ran her life, providing her with daily lessons in piano, violin, singing, theory,
harmony, composition and counterpoint, and insisted on two-hour daily practice
sessions. Clara was 8 years old when she met gifted pianist Robert Schumann, 9
years her senior, while performing at the home of Dr. Ernst Carus. Robert was so taken with Clara that he
discontinued law studies and took a room in the Wiecks’ home to study piano with Clara’s father.
Clara gave her first full recital at age 11. By the time she was 17, Clara was in love with Robert. However, her
father considered Schumann merely an unknown composer, while Clara was already famous as both
performer and composer. Wieck refused to consent to their marriage and eventually a court sanction was
necessary to allow them to wed. The young couple settled in Leipzig when Clara
was 20 years old and she eventually gave birth to 8 children. Clara continued to
perform, compose, teach piano and support Robert in his composing career.
Although Robert encouraged her composing, he considered his work more
important. In an era when women, apart from singers, almost never composed or
performed in public, Clara Schumann did both. She took on the task of performing
her husband’s works, since an injured right hand prevented him from presenting
his own compositions. Also, Clara was one of the few pianists of her time to
perform music from memory. Additionally, she promoted works by major
composers along with her own, including J. S. Bach, Domenico Scarlatti,
Beethoven, and Schubert.
Suffering from depression, Schumann became increasingly ill from both mental and physical ailments. He
often found moral support from the young Johannes Brahms. The Schumanns admired Brahms and the trio
became close friends. After Robert’s death, Clara virtually ceased composing but Brahms remained a
supportive friend. Clara did continue her public performances, became known as the foremost interpreter of
Robert Schumann’s work and was a force in reintroducing eighteenth-century keyboard music to the public.
She died in 1896.
Clara Schumann’s own compositions remained unknown until the second half of the twentieth century. Many
are still unpublished and owned by private collectors, so the full extent of her compositional skill remains a
mystery. Her life became the subject of an opera, Clara, a play, Clara's Visitor, and a widely acclaimed novel,
Clara.
Online Sources:
www.musicacademyonline.com/composer/biographies.php?bid=51; encyclopedia.com
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ClaraSchumann
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Around Michigan
90 Years for The Birmingham Musicale
Happy 90th birthday to The Birmingham Musicale, founded in 1926! The club
hosted a “party program” on March 10th at Congregational Church of
Birmingham. Six different areas of club talent were on display: members from
The Birmingham Musicale String and Choral Ensembles performed, as well as
duo pianists, a vocal soloist, wind quintet, and members of Musical Productions
Ensemble. Refreshments were served following the program in the Fellowship
Hall where attendees could view a newsreel from 1927, peruse posters,
scrapbooks and artifacts
loaned by club members and
watch a presentation by members
of Rainbow Rhythms, part of
Music Outreach. Several MFMC
guests were present, including
President Penny Draper.
Member Ed Price shows his
newsreel as MFMC Southeast
District President Jean Watson
looks on.
Rainbow Rhythms perform “Chiquita
Banana Song” for program attendees.
The Farmington Musicale Celebrates 50th
On Sunday, April 17th, 2016, the Farmington Musicale presented a diverse concert in celebration of 50 great
musical years in the Farmington community. While keeping in mind their focus of music for youth,
outstanding literature, and community involvement, the concert was presented
free of charge and concluded with a beautiful reception for all. Nardin Park United
Methodist Church, one of the very first Farmington Musicale locations, was the
venue.
Beginning with the Trombone Ensemble from the Farmington Community Band, 10
members of the section opened with Fanfare la Peri by
Dukas and an original composition, The Third Day by
Naomi Yamaguchi
Erdmann. Former scholarship winner, vocalist Christine
Masell, sang selections by Giordani, Faure, Puccini, Loewe, Gershwin and Rodgers.
Young pianist Naomi Yamaguchi played works by Haydn, Beethoven, Chopin, and
Debussy. Bill Baxtresser, trumpeter and past music award winner, performed music
by Mahler, Davis and Artounian, accompanied by Mary Behnan.
Mary Behnan
Bill Baxstresser State of Michigan Representative Christine Greig presented a special tribute to the
club. It is Farmington Musicale’s intent to continue making music a vibrant part of Farmington's future. We
thank all members for their work and dedication.
Article submitted by Fern Barber, President of Farmington Musicale
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Fall District Meetings
Northwest District Fall Meeting
Friday, September 23, 2016
at the home of Mary Jane Timmer
3635 Leonard NW, Grand Rapids
616-453-7025
Luncheon on our own at Walker Road House
RSVP to Lorraine Ridenour
1600 Cherry Hill Dr., NE
Grand Rapids 49505
(616) 458-2078
lridenour@juno.com
Reservation deadline ~ September 19, 2016
Southwest District Fall Meeting
Friday, October 7, 2016 at 10:00 a.m.
Schuler’s Restaurant
115 S. Eagle St.
Marshall, MI
Luncheon ~ choice of 3 entrees under $20.00
Dessert provided
Contact: Joyce Vance
Jmvance39@att.net
Northeast District Fall Meeting
Friday, October 21, 2016 at 10:00 a.m.
First Congregational Church
723 Court Street
Port Huron, MI 48060
Noon luncheon ~ $20.00
Reservations due ~ October 1, 2016
Checks payable to:
The Port Huron Musicale
c/o Beth Hancock
1401 Oak Street, Port Huron, MI 48060
810-985-3614
exgander44@yahoo.com
Southeast District Fall Meeting
Friday, October 14, 2016 ~ coffee @ 9:30 a.m.
meeting @ 10:00 a.m.
Lunch Price ~ $20.00
Checks due ~ October 4, 2016
Payable to: The Tuesday Musicale of Detroit
Memo: SE District
The Tuesday Musicale of Detroit
P.O. Box 36535
Grosse Pointe Farms 48236-0535
Contact information: Dina or Eric Winter
ericwinter2@comcast.net
313-885-7882
Grosse Pointe Woods Presbyterian Church
19950 Mack Avenue
Grosse Pointe Woods 48236-2344
http://www.gpwpres.org/GPWPC/Dire
ctions.html
http://www.gpwpres.org/GPWPC/Directions.html
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Junior Composers
MFMC vigorously supports the state’s young composers. Michigan
composers up to age 18 can participate in an annual nation-wide
competition by submitting one original composition. Any length, style
and instrumentation may be used. Applicants are required to submit
either hand-notated or computer generated compositions, plus an
audio rendition to accompany the entry. All compositions are sent to MFMC Junior Composers Chairperson
Nancy Meyette.
The Junior Composers yearly contest deadline is January 15th. Judges, usually college-level professors,
evaluate all submissions. Eventually, 8 winners from Michigan are determined from 4 categories: Junior Class
I (ages 9 and under); Junior Class II (ages 10-12); Junior Class III (ages 13-15); and Junior Class IV (ages 16-18).
The judge must decide which contestants are 1st- and 2nd-place winners, since there can be no ties. Once 8
winners are chosen, those compositions are sent to the NFMC Regional Chairperson in New Jersey by March
1st to be judged alongside compositions from the other 10 states in the NFMC Northeast Region.
This year, Michigan had 3 Regional winning compositions out of 8 submitted from Michigan, which were then
submitted to the NFMC Chairperson in Colorado. All 3 winners received monetary awards at the National
level.
Congratulations to the NFMC 2016 Junior Composers Northeast Region award winners
…from Michigan!
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William VanZytveld
Article submitted by Nancy Meyette
MFMC Junior Composers Chair
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Nadia Halim
Alyssa Campbell
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Permit No. 88
Mary Mayo ~ Unsung Hero
Few opportunities existed for women to effect societal change in America during the
mid-nineteenth century. However, a Michigan folk hero named Mary Anne Bryant,
born in a Calhoun County log cabin near Battle Creek in 1845, challenged that notion.
She was able to receive a private school education, taught by two of her aunts,
before marrying Civil War Veteran Perry Mayo in 1865. Affectionately known by the
press as the “nut brown maiden”, a nod to the famous ballad and her obvious Irish
heritage, she became a champion of the Grange Movement. This rare organization
Mary Mayo welcomed women members as equal to men. Her Fresh Air Outing Program and
relentless speeches encouraged colleges such as Michigan Agricultural College, later
re-named Michigan State University, to open their doors to women. The first Michigan Grange meeting was
held on the MAC campus in January, 1874 and grew to over 600 chapters by 1876. Arts and Music
organizations such as Michigan Federation of Music Clubs, which accepted women as both members and
leaders, owe their roots to these early efforts.
Article submitted by Bill Draper
In Memoriam
James Robert “Bob” Waggoner
Bob Waggoner passed away peacefully on June 19, 2016 at
age 89. He and wife Gail were married for sixty-eight
years. Bob was Farmington Musicale Treasurer for
five years and MFMC SE District Treasurer from 2011 to
2016. He took these responsibilities seriously, and his
monthly reports reflected his conscientiousness and
dedication. Bob was a true gentleman and will be missed by
all in MFMC.
Notice submitted by Jean Watson, MFMC Southeast District President