Fortissimo Notes

Fortissimo in High Gear YOUR SUPPORT ALLOWS OVER 100 CHILDREN TO EXPERIENCE THE BENEFITS OF GOOD MUSIC EDUCATION Highlights of 2019 and celebrations of 2020 of Fortissimo Orchestra include our 3 rd Side by Side concert with the Palomar Symphony Orchestra. Thank you to Dr. Ellen Weller. This is the beginning of many more opportunities for our young musicians. This concert was in late October and included memorable moments with our incredible instructors, Anna Piland and Shannon Yandall. We were thrilled to see Dr. Carmen Garcia, our Superintendent of the San Marcos Unified School District, with Pam Lindamood, Governing Board member, and choir member at Palomar College. We loved seeing one of our donors, and loyal supporters, Gregg Evans, along with my personal loyal supporter, husband Bill Beeson, and Dr. Lindamood a big fan of music for kids as well as being Pam’s secret weapon! Here are our little treasurers, Cadenza (advanced) Hub, waiting to take the stage! ~ Carole Beeson Founder Kid's College Fortissimo Orchestra Program Director

Fortissimo Winter Concert

It was a big day for our musicians, their teachers and their parents. Our wonderful Fortissimo students played with the Concert Choir at San Marcos High School under the direction of Pam Lindamood. We were so honored by the presence of so many very special guests including, Dr. Carmen Garcia and her daughters, Victor Graham, Executive Governing Board Member of SMUSD, Dr. Michael Remson, San Diego Youth Symphony Director, Vincent Wavra, Principal of San Marcos Middle School, Juan Aquilar, music Director of SMMS, Charlie McGhee, recently retired music director Double Peak, and Fortissimo music advisor. Each orchestra played; Preludio (advanced beginners) under the direction of Shannon Yandall, Intermedzo (intermediate) under the direction of Mario Miragliotta, and Cadenza (advanced) under the direction of Anna Piland. What a total delight to have members of the High School Concert Choir join Fortissimo for some Holiday caroling. It was bittersweet as we had to say farewell to our ‘Anna’, who is headed for a new adventure with her husband back to her native country, Australia. She has meant so much to all of us and been so instrumental in the heart and soul of Fortissimo. It was also Maestro Mario’s first concert with us. His musicians wowed us! We’re so lucky to have you, Mario! Shannon is stepping up to be the director of Preludio as well as taking over Cadenza. We feel so lucky to have her enthusiasm, talent and experience. Not to mention her mega talented musician daughters who are very present at all our rehearsals. The kids love them and so do I!

Cello Camp

This January we held our first ever Fortissimo Cello Camp for our Fortissimo cellists. This was a fabulous success and a great opportunity for our cellists of all ages to work together and get to know each other! We are especially thankful to our older musicians who participated as mentors and strengthened the bonds of our ever-growing Fortissimo community. At camp we reinforced musicianship, note reading, and cello technique through fun team building games and activities. Some of our attendees especially enjoyed playing Musical Jeopardy, playing in parts (working in teams), and using soft modeling clay and straws to practice molding the perfect relaxed bow hold!

Music Matters

As you can imagine, I receive many articles about music and children. I’ll share the ‘kernels’ that you also may find interesting. “Musicians and educators alike say learning music is so much more than just playing an instrument, or learning about your favorite artists. It’s a window into other disciplines – and life skills and teaches how to learn and how to get along.” Lorrie Murray, executive director of the Bay Area Music Project. She notes that, “Music may not be a lifestyle or profession for everyone, but it can teach everybody lifelong lessons. As much as we love to be known as a music program, we’re a social development program”. This, from the nonprofit Bay Area Music Project. The next ‘kernel’ is from Jeff Poulin, editor of Creative Generation, as found in The Ensemble Magazine. The most dominant narratives from the published literature of some 27 different national arts education service organizations in the US are as follows: Learners in the lowest brackets of socioeconomic status exhibit lower dropout rates when engaged with the arts in formal education; Learners with an education rich in the arts have historically earned higher grade-point averages and standardized test scores; Learners who are highly engaged in the arts are more likely to go on to, and graduate from, institutions of higher education than peers without arts education.

Meet Katelin Rudeen

Happy New Year Families! I am very excited to join the Fortissimo team.  I grew up in Poway, California and started my music lessons from a young age. First with piano and then the violin. I haven’t stopped playing since! In my senior year of high school, I performed as a solo violin player, and in the orchestra.I attended California Polytechnic State University and earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Liberal Studies, as well as academic minors in Spanish and Music. I played violin in the Cal Poly Symphony all 6 years that I spent in the area, and also performed the violin, piano, and voice in community service events. In 2016, I moved back home to San Diego where I received my teaching credential at California State University, San Marcos. I earned dual teacher credentials in Multiple Subjects, as well as an Education Specialist Credential.. I continued to stay active in music by performing violin in the Encinitas Symphony Orchestra and the Moonlight Theatre orchestra. This year marks my 4th year teaching students with special needs at Joli Ann Leichtag Elementary School. I am thrilled to join the Fortissimo Family and look forward to teaching and inspiring the love of music in your children!               Kind Regards, Katelin Rudeen

Grant News

Our goal for 2020 is $100,000 which would allow us to begin a new group of 3 rd and 4 th graders, purchase all the necessary instruments, hire the instructor and support staff for over 100 musicians as well as purchase tuners, music books, music stands, tee shirts, etc. Here is the status at the beginning of this 2020 year. A very special thank you to our donors and contributors who have brought us to this point. The Hunter Family Advised Foundation David T and Doris E. Staples Foundation The McGhee family Foundation The Aaron Eighmey Foundation The Neighborhood Reinvestment Program The Nordson Corp. Foundation San Marcos Community Foundation And the many contributions from our parents, friends and family We couldn’t do it without you! Make a Difference We see every day the impact of the Fortissimo program on our musicians. Their families and schools see the same. These musicians are becoming better students in addition to better musicians. Music education makes a large impact in these students lives - students who would not have these opportunities without support from you. Please help us create better futures for these children through music education - consider making a donation today.

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