Newsletter
FEB. 2021
In This Issue
President's Greeting
Spring Speaker Series
NEPTA Member's Recital
Nancy Oliva Award Winners
Wanda Paik Award Winners
Irene S. Golan Teachers' Exchange
Music for Hope
Welcome New NEPTA Members!
Recitals and Competitions
Grants
Board of Directors
Member News
NEPTA Facebook

UPCOMING EVENTS:


Monday, Feb. 22nd
10:00 a.m.
Speaker Series:
Artist 
Artina McCain
(online)
 
~

Sunday, March 21st
3:00 p.m.
NEPTA Members' Recital
(online)

~

Monday, March 22nd
10:00 a.m.
Speaker Series:
President of 
New England Conservatory
Andrea Kalyn
(online)

~

Monday, April 5th
10:00 a.m.
Irene S. Golan Teachers' Exchange
(online)

~

Monday, April 26
10:00 a.m.
Student Master Class
Dmitri Shteinberg
(online)


UPCOMING EVENTS:


Monday, Feb. 22nd
10:00 a.m.
Speaker Series:
Artist 
Artina McCain
(online)
 
~

Sunday, March 21st
3:00 p.m.
NEPTA Members' Recital
(online)

~

Monday, March 22nd
10:00 a.m.
Speaker Series:
President of 
New England Conservatory
Andrea Kalyn
(online)

~

Monday, April 5th
10:00 a.m.
Irene S. Golan Teachers' Exchange
(online)

~

Monday, April 26
10:00 a.m.
Student Master Class
Dmitri Shteinberg
(online)

PRESIDENT'S GREETING

 Dear NEPTA Members,

 Our new year is off to a  great start and we are in  the midst of our first  online recital season in  NEPTA's 71 year history!  I have enjoyed hearing  the progression of  recitals from the little  ones through the older  age groups and I have  been amazed that teachers, students and parents alike have jumped into this new online recital format. This has enabled us to continue to share our love of music with each other, and what a wonderful variety of music we have experienced!  NEPTA members can log into the NEPTA website Zoom page at anytime to watch the recitals in progress and participating students can share the Zoom link with family and friends.  Recital programs can be found on our website under "Students and Parents" or by clicking here.  I continue to joke with my colleagues that by the time we learn and perfect this online technology, we will be back to in-person events!

We will be kicking off our 2021 Speaker Series event this Monday, February 22nd with guest artist Artina McCain presenting:  "Kaleidoscope:  Introducing students to underrepresented composers."  Also, on March 22nd, we will be treated to a presentation by Andrea Kayln, President of New England Conservatory, on "Creative Confidence and the Culture of Practice."  Please join us for these special online events and invite your friends! (Details for guests and a flier can be found below.)

I would also like to invite you to our upcoming NEPTA Members' Recital held online on Sunday, March 21st at 3:00 p.m.  We will enjoy a concert of solo, four hand and two piano works by our NEPTA members.  Please share this flier among your colleagues by clicking here
  
In this newsletter you will also find information about our upcoming Irene S. Golan Teachers' Exchange held on April 5th, our recent student award winners, as well as the new Music for Hope program for students in need.  

Once again, I am in awe that NEPTA is a vibrant organization run entirely by volunteers!  I'm grateful to each NEPTA volunteer for making this possible!

I look forward to seeing you this Monday!

Diana Tetzlaff
President
SPRING SPEAKER SERIES EVENTS

Mark your calendars and join us for our spring Speaker Series events:

"Kaleidoscope: Introducing students to underrepresented composers"
Artina McCain

Monday
February 22, 2021 
10:00 am -12:15 pm


Please click here for Artina McCain's 
biography.


"Creative Confidence and the Culture of Practice"
Andrea Kalyn, President 
New England Conservatory

Monday
March 22, 2021
10:00 am - 12:15 pm

Please click here for Andrea Kalyn's biography

The Speaker Series is free to NEPTA members, and the first meeting of the year is also free for non-NEPTA members!  Guests can click here to register and receive a link to the meeting.  The non-member fee for all other events is $20.  

Click here to share the Speaker Series Flier 

To join the NEPTA online zoom meetings please go to:
NEPTA MEMBERS' RECITAL -  March 21st 

Please join us as we support and celebrate our NEPTA teachers performing in this annual event. Click here  to view the information and share this flier.

Many thanks to Sivan Etedgee, Chair and Eleanor Perrone for organizing this event!
NANCY OLIVA AWARD WINNERS


Congratulations to this year's Nancy Oliva Award winners and their teachers: 
  • Ella Li, student of Veda M. Kogan
  • Ian Lin, student of Tanya Schwartzman
  • Claire Tong, student of Natalia Harlap
  • Vartan Arakelian (Honorable Mention) student of Lilit Karapetian-Shougarian 
The Nancy Oliva awards were established to encourage the artistic achievements of students of NEPTA members with independent studios.  Three $50 awards were given to 7th graders who performed in the NEPTA Intermediate I Recitals on January 24, 2021.

Many thanks to Karin Kydland, Recital Chair. Thanks also to Nina Grimaldi and Bonnie Anderson, Nancy Oliva Scholarship Committee.
WANDA PAIK AWARD WINNERS


Congratulations to this year's Wanda Paik Award winners and their teachers: 
  • Daniel Lin, student of Eleanor V. McLaughlin
  • Richard Liu, student of Valerie Henkin
  • Congyu Joshua Sima, student of Lilit Karapetian-Shougarian
  • Neil Nori (Honorable Mention) student of Natalia Harlap
The Wanda Paik awards were established to encourage the artistic achievements of students of NEPTA members with independent studios.  Three $100 awards were given to 8th graders who performed in the NEPTA Intermediate II Recitals on January 31, 2021.

Many thanks to Yun Lee, Recital Chair. Thanks also to Dianne Impallaria and Janice Zaganjori, Wanda Paik Scholarship Committee.
IRENE S. GOLAN TEACHERS' EXCHANGE 

Monday, April 5th, 2021 

Boston Globe and the NEPTA Editions Committee 

On Sunday May 4, 1962, the iconic music critic, Michael Steinberg, titled his column in the Boston Globe "Letter from a teacher." The "Letter," which had been sent to nine Greater Boston music stores, read in part: "The undersigned music educators have been concerned with the difficulty of obtaining certain editions of music which, in the light of modern scholarship, are now considered to be the most worthwhile."

The lengthy article describes the work of an editor of music. "...the editor needs solid scientific knowledge of [music] history, of sources, of notation." After discussing some editions as examples, Steinberg concludes that teachers should suggest to students those considered more appropriate.

Thus was the birth of your Editions Committee. We now plan to morph into a "Repertoire and Editions" Committee, emphasizing little-known and undertaught music as well as keeping you aware of good new editions of the old chestnuts. 

Our next meeting, on April 5, will be held online as a Teacher's Exchange. We will present the  performance of some less difficult works of Mendelssohn, the "Alcotts" from Ives's Concord Sonata, and works of Mexican composer Manuel Ponce.

We hope it will be Fun for the Fingers and Fuel for the Mind!             

Sandra Rosenblum, Chair
Sivan Etedgee
Miriam Gargarian
 MUSIC FOR HOPE  

A BIG THANK YOU to everyone who participated in the "Music for Hope" recitals in November to help raise money to support piano lessons for students in need.  

In these times of Covid, music is even more essential. There are so many students in our community eager to learn piano but unable to afford or access music programs.  NEPTA is in the unique position to match these students with our teachers who find themselves with flexibility in their teaching schedules due to the pandemic, and Zoom provides flexibility in connecting.

NEPTA Teachers were chosen by lottery drawing in January and are currently being placed with students from IFSI (Immigrant Family Services Institute in Boston) for online lessons. IFSI students attend school in the Boston Public School System and are eager to learn piano with our teachers affected by the pandemic.

If you are interested in adding a new student to your studio (online teaching at this time) and be paid for doing so, or if you would like to make a difference in the life of a student dreaming of studying piano by contributing your time,
 please click here for further details or email Diana Tetzlaff at: [email protected]

Thank you to the Music for Hope Committee Members:

Colleen Campbell, Ranko Konishi-Houston, Yun Lee, Barbara Lieurance, Cindy Null, Lydia Reed-Guertin, Shizue Sano and Diana Tetzlaff, Chair.

*****
If you are interested in helping to raise money for 
Music for Hope, please consider a tax deductible donation to NEPTA which is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization by clicking here.

Pictures are provided with permission from IFSI and the student's parents
WELCOME NEW NEPTA MEMBERS!


We wish to give a warm welcome to our newest NEPTA members and those rejoining us since September:

Paul-Andre Bempechat
Christina Dietrich
Lilit Endeman
Joo Hye Kim
Isabella Li
Helen Meng
Michael Shea
Epp Sonin

Many thanks to Janna Bruene, NEPTA Membership Chair for overseeing the NEPTA application process.

If you have a colleague interested in joining NEPTA please contact Janna Bruene, NEPTA Membership Chair at:  [email protected] or 
click here for more information:
STUDENT RECITAL AND COMPETITION DEADLINES

Recital and Competition registration is available online at the NEPTA website by  clicking here.  All of our programs will be online until further notice.

Recitals will be held "live" on Zoom. If it is not possible for a student to play live on Zoom due to technical difficulties or other challenges, the student may submit a video to the recital chair at least one week before the event. A series of recitals for each category will be held between 2:00-8:00 pm.

Recital Deadline:

Adult Recital (18 years or older)  Deadline: 3/25/21


Competition Deadlines:

Mildred Freiberg Competition (Grades 6-8) will be held on Sunday, April 11, 2021.  The application deadline is Thursday, March 11, 2021.  YouTube videos must be emailed to the chair by midnight 3 days before the competition date on Thursday, April 8, 2021.

The Ruth Davidson Competition (Grades 9-10) and the Alice  Hamlet  Competition (Grades 11-12) will be held on Sunday, April 18, 2021.  The application deadline is Thursday, March 18, 2021.  YouTube videos must be emailed to the chair by midnight 3 days before the competition date on Thursday, April 15, 2021.

How to set-up for a Zoom recital: click here
How to submit a YouTube video: click here
GRANTS

Grants-in-Aid:

Eight awards in the amount of $150 each are available to students in need. To apply send a brief note from the teacher stating the family's need and reasons for financial assistance to Carol Chaffee, Scholarship Chair:   [email protected]

Susan B. Demb Teacher Enrichment Grants:

This program was established in honor of retired member Susan B. Demb for the purpose of fostering teaching excellence.  On May 17, 2021 two NEPTA members will be awarded up to $500 each to further their professional growth and enrichment by enrolling in a continuing education course, workshop, seminar, or conference in piano pedagogy. Applications are due May 1, 2021 to Lydia Reed Guertin, Chair: [email protected]

Please  click here for information on how to apply.

Donations

Donations to NEPTA Scholarships, Awards, Grants-in-Aid can be made by  clicking here.

Thank you for your support!
NEPTA BOARD OF DIRECTORS


Many thanks to our Board of Directors who continue to work hard behind the scenes:  Vice President Sivan Etedgee, Treasurer Shizue Sano, Executive Secretary Caroline Ly Germeys, Recording Secretary Eric Bouwman-Wozencraft, Cindy Null, Robin Cho, Bonnie Anderson, Yun Lee, Vivian Handis, Nilly Shilo, Vivian Fang, Diane Anderson and Tanya Schwartzman.  
Diana Tetzlaff, President.
MEMBER NEWS SCHEDULE
 
Member news emails will be sent in September, November, January, March, and May. Please submit member news to Ellie Perrone at [email protected] with the subject line NEPTA Member News and follow the member news guidelines on the website  www.nepta.com

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NEPTA's Facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/NEPTAPiano/, or go to NETPA's website and follow the Facebook link.