Technique for the Elementary/Intermediate Pianist October 2011

October 2011
Musical Excellence since 1950
Wednesday, October 26, Arlington Woman’s Club
President’s Message
2
VMTA Fall Conference
Business Meeting 10:15am, Program 11:00am
Young Artist Musciale
3
Talk About Teaching
Technique for the Elementary/Intermediate Pianist
National Certification
Concerts, Workshops,
How to Get from Here to There: Required Repertoire as a Foundation for
Advanced Literature
Festivals, and Conferences
Theory Is Fun!
4
Composition Competition
Pianist Veda Zuponcic presents an informative program
about teaching technique to elementary students. She
will cover piano literature that every elementary piano
student must learn in order to play advanced repertoire.
Newsletter Re-Imagined
5
Pianos for Sale
Miss Zuponcic made her formal European debut in 1971
as a recipient of the Martha Baird Rockefeller grant. Critics in London, Vienna, Amsterdam and Berlin noted her
powerful and fluent technique, intelligent interpretations, and her natural
affinity for Romantic composers. As a prizewinner in the Alfredo Casella
Competition she toured Italy, and since then Miss Zuponcic has performed
widely on four continents. Born in Aurora, Minnesota, Miss Zuponcic’s early
studies were with Dorothy Crost Bourgin of Virginia. She went on to study at
Indiana University with the great pianist and pedagogue Sidney Foster.
Ms. Zuponcic has been Professor of Music at Rowan University of New Jersey
since 1972, where she has built a reputation as a successful teacher of students of all ages. In 1992 she was an Exchange Professor at the Moscow
State Conservatory. She has served on the juries of numerous national and
Nov/Dec Newsletter
Submission Deadline:
November 15, 2011
nvmtanewsleter@gmail.com
TEACHER REFERRAL
LIST
To place your studio on our
referral list download the
form at nvmta.org. Fill it
out and enclose it with your
international competitions and she is in frequent demand as a clinician, pre-
$35 check payable to NVM-
senting workshops and masterclasses throughout the world. Her students
TA, to Peggy McNulty, 1209
have been prizewinners at many national and international competitions.
Stable Gate Ct., McLean,
She is currently the Artistic Director of the Northern Lights Music Festival in
Va. 22102. For questions
Aurora, Minnesota, an intensive solo & chamber music performance program
for serious pianists and string players of all ages. She has recorded two
CD’s for Melodiya, including works by Carter, Dello Joio, Fine, Copland and
Gershwin.
(find also at nvmta.org, Meetings)
contact Peggy at
703.356.3219 or
Peggy.McNulty@verizon.net
Page 2
President’s Message
(find also at nvmta.org, President’s Message )
There’s a chill in the air, Samantha is debating between the Homecoming Dance and an optional recital
and pumpkins are everywhere. Must be October.
It was wonderful to see all of you at our first Membership Meeting on September 28 th.; only a few of us
were caught off-guard by the 10:15 AM starting time. However, there were enough members present to
engage in a lively discussion of upcoming events as well as possible responses to the MTNA Executive
Board decision to eliminate the National Performance Competitions in Brass, Strings, Woodwinds and
Voice. The NVMTA board crafted a draft resolution and motion to the Executive Board of MTNA, for consideration by our membership, urging the MTNA Board to rescind this decision. NVMTA members are
encouraged to voice their opinion about this matter to Executive Director Gary Ingle and MTNA President
Ben Caton, as well as individual MTNA Board Members. Email addresses of MTNA board members as well
as Gary Ingle’s July 25, 2011 memo to the Competitions Committee can be found on the MTNA Issues
page at nvmta.org.
Following the business meeting Rene Johnson’s hands-on Fun with Theory presentation had us tapping,
drumming, and clapping music theory. Many of us even won prizes in the theory games raffle! Please
join us at our October 26th meeting at 10:15 AM at the Woman’s Club of Arlington as pianist Veda
Zuponcic presents a program about Elementary/Intermediate piano technique and required repertoire as
a foundation for advanced piano repertoire.
Kenneth Lee,
President
VMTA Fall Conference
October 28 – 30
Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond
The Art and Science of Teaching Music
Ann Schein, Guest Artist
Concerts, Master Classes, Student Competitions, Networking and Pedagogy
Workshops by Scott Beard, Lise Keiter, Samantha Luck, Rosita Mang,
Dmitri Shteinberg, Martha Smith and Sonia Vlahcevic
Schedule and registration form at www.music-usa.org/vmta/
Page 3
October 2011
Young Artist Musicale: Muli Yu, age 13 and
Bryan Ho, age 15, with pianist Jeffrey Siegel after the
Young Artist Musicale Performance in September. Muli
said, "We enjoyed other students' playing and Mr. Seigel's Keyboard Conversation was awesome! He had a
good sense of humor and he had an amazing control
over the piano. We enjoyed our time at GMU!"
Talk About Teaching
Would you like to Talk About Teaching? Come to any one or all of five informal get-togethers throughout
the coming year. The idea is simply to provide a forum for teachers to talk about their work with each
other. You may suggest a topic ahead of time, bring one with you, or just come to hear others.
Talk About Teaching takes place at Nancy Breth's studio in McLean on the second Wednesday of every
other month. Everyone is welcome to come and can find directions to the studio at brethstudio.net.
Space is limited, however, so please RSVP Nancy at nancy@brethstudio.net.
Classes begin in September, from 10am until noon, and take place on the following Tuesdays: November
8, January 10, March 13, and May 8. (find also at nvmta.org, Members Area)
National Certification
This fall is an ideal time to start the process of national certification. Mtna.org outlines the process clearly and it is easier and more streamlined than ever! Your Name,
NCTM, presents you as an independent music professional to colleagues and others.
National Certification provides you with the confidence to share your unique gifts as a
teacher. It’s definitely worth the effort! If you need information, encouragement or
extra help contact Diane Perett, perettduet@aol.com or 703.534.4124.
(Find also at mtna.org, Members Area)
Virginia Chamber Orchestra Concert: Bravo Mozart
Music Director, Emil de Cou, opens the Virginia Chamber Orchestra’s forty-first season
with an all-Mozart program, featuring Aaron Goldman and Dotian Levalier in Mozart’s
Concerto for Flute and Harp. The concert takes place on Sunday, October 23, 2011 at
4:00pm at the Ernst Community Cultural Center, Northern Virginia Community College, 8333 Little River
Turnpike, Annandale, Virginia 22003. Tickets are available online and at the door and students are admitted free. Parking is free and a complimentary reception follows the concert. To purchase tickets
contact 703.758.0179 or virginiachamberorchestra.org . (find also at nvmta.org, Community Events)
Page 4
Theory Is Fun!: At Wednesday’s meeting President Ken Lee and member Jacqua
Yeomans leap to their feet to answer Rene
Johnson’s (left) theory questions about the
order of modes. Theory can be fun!
Theory Resources for Teachers
Music Mind Games by Michiko Yurko, musicmindgames.com (suggested by Jacqua Yeomans); Musiclearningcommunity.com, some free games, some with membership, track student progress; Teoria.com; learnmusicytheory.net (printable worksheets); susanparadis.wordpress.com (ideas); musictechteacher.com/musicquizzes.htm; rhythmmasters.org (pdf files for printable rhythm sheets at
various levels; gmajormusictheory.org/Fundamentals/workbooks.html (free theory worksheets); laytonmusic.files.wordpress.com/ (printable candy bar rhythms; and learningwrapups.com/ (a 25% discount on ALL supplies with the code ―NVMTA‖.
Learning Wrap-Ups Set of 10 Boards for Intervals and Chords: $5.00 ea. + shipping (a 50% discount)
Drills on major and minor chords in root position and inversions. Available from Rene Johnson at
r@renej.us.
(Find also at mtna.org, Members Area)
NVMTA COMPOSITION COMPETITION
The NVMTA Composition Competition comes up quickly— the application
deadline is January 31, 2012. Awards include having the McLean Symphony
select your composition to be orchestrated and performed, three Jo Lombard
Awards, and the chance to perform at the Composition Competition Honors
Recital. Each candidate receives detailed judges’ comments—a wonderful
learning opportunity for our young composers. Competition requirements at www.nvmta.org. Contact Amy Conley for questions at amidee01@aol.com. (Find also at nvmta.org, Competitions/Festivals)
Kudos to the Finance Committee: Many thanks to Elizabeth Blakeslee and Linda Gutterman for
serving as member auditors for the NVMTA financial system. Another thanks to Elizabeth and Linda,
as well as Ken Lee, for serving on the Finance Committee to help prepare the FY 2012 Budget. Hats
off to the team of three for a great job!
Link Your Website to the NVMTA Web Site: If you have joined the NVMTA Teacher Referral List
and you would like to link your studio website to your listing on the NVMTA web site, contact Peggy
McNulty at Pegy.McNulty@verizon.net.
October 2011
Page 5
Newsletter Re—Imagined
For over 50 years the NVMTA Newsletter has served its
members well. Written communication, however, has
changed greatly since the 1950’s and, as with all good and beloved things, the newsletter must
keep up with the times. Our current newsletter arrives in a fixed format that is often outdated
days after publication. However, we have an exciting, new website that delivers the same information immediately and is always up-to-date.
Our last newsletter in its current format will be the 2011 November/December issue.
As of Janu-
ary 2012, the newsletter’s information will be incorporated into the site as soon as it becomes
available. Check out nvmta.org and go to the ―Competitions/Festivals‖ page, ―Community
Events‖ in the drop-down to see continuous updates about what’s happening in our organization
and around town. Competition results have been available on the ―Competition Results‖ page for
the past 6 months; the President’s Message is now available on the ―President’s Message‖ page
and members can post their news in the Member Area. So go to nvmta.org, catch up on all the
developments — and don’t get left behind!
Piano For Sale: Young Chang G-157 grand piano with mahogany satin finish,
serial #G086976. The piano is in excellent condition both inside and out and has
seen very light wear. Recently appraised for $5,000 but will consider best offer.
Please contact Doreen at 703.859.6091
Piano For Sale, $4800: This 2004 Kawai UST-8, a well-maintained, professionalgrade piano, is Kawai’s sturdiest studio piano. It produces a lovely, deep sound, has
a lovely walnut finish, is in perfect condition and conveys with a humidifier. Our sons
trained on this piano and were very involved in NVMTA events; it has many more
years to give budding pianists. Contact Julie Hildbold at 703.779.9678.
Advertise Your Business on the
NVMTA Website and get a free listing in the Newsletter! Reach musicians, teachers and the music community by advertising on our website 24/7
as well as in the newsletter (for free
and also on the site 24/7!). Contact
Bettye at bcooley.music@gmail.com
for rates, fees and artwork.
Page 6
PIANO TUNING AND REPAIR
Frank Cahill
703.239.2754
Ronit Seter
Piano, Theory
Ph.D. in Musicology
Children and Adult lessons, Historical Musicology
www.fairfaxpianostudios.com
703.277.1001
20
rseter@mindspring.com
years teaching experience
Fairfax City