APRIL PROGRAM - DR. JEFF KLEINSORGE: "HOW TO TREAT A FIVE-YEAR-OLD AS A PIANIST RATHER THAN AS A STUDENT" | |
What if I were to treat a beginning pianist – from the very first lesson – not as a student, but as a pianist? That thought experiment changed the nature of my teaching. The result was a novel sound-before-symbol approach that emphasizes artistic interpretation, sight reading, playing by ear, and an especially heavy emphasis on technique, while slipping in strong doses of ear training and paving the way for important theory follow-ups. It creates independent and informed learners who are capable of polished, gold-medal performances. The presentation will lay out the lesson structure, and then deep-dive into several levels of detail on each of the items: interpretation, sight reading, etc. Examples will come mostly from the first two years of lessons, since these – in the right hands – lay the foundation for everything a pianist will ever do. We’ll nonetheless make important excursions into upper levels, through advanced high school, to see this lesson strategy’s end game.
Dr. Jeff Kleinsorge is the Director of the Preparatory and Community Music Program at Concordia University Chicago, where he also teaches Piano Pedagogy and Keyboard Skills. He spends his summers as a member of the Piano Faculty at the Interlochen Arts Camp. He blends his eclectic academic background in performance, pedagogy, and composition into a unique approach to teaching that produces informed, creative, expressive, and accomplished pianists. Dr. Kleinsorge is currently the president of ISMTA.
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Immediate Job Opening for Piano Choir Accompanist and Piano Service Musician
Roselle United Methodist Church
206 Rush Street
Roselle, IL 60172
Requirements
· Ability to play advanced piano accompaniment for choir
· Work cooperatively and under direction of choir director
· Play 5-minute prelude, 1-1 ½ minute offertory, postlude, and hymns
Time Commitment
· Remaining 2023/2024 choir season runs through Sun., June 2, 2024
· 2024/2025 choir season runs from late Aug. 2024 –June 8, 2025
· Sunday worship service piano music is year-round except the first Sunday of each month
· Choir practice Wednesdays 7:15-8:45 P.M. during choir season
· Choir practice Sundays 9:15-10:15 A.M. & choir performance in worship service between 10:30-11:30 during choir season
· Play prelude, offertory, postlude, and hymns in Sunday worship service 10:25-11:30/11:45 year-round except the first Sunday of each month
· Christmas concert rehearsal Sat., Dec. 7, 2024 TBA
· Christmas concert Sun., Dec. 8, 2024 at 3:00
· Potential Ash Wednesday service March 5, 2025
· Good Friday service April 18, 2025
Compensation
· Choir $125/week (Wed. rehearsal & Sunday rehearsal/performance)
· Worship service $100/week
Contact
· Chris Wachna 630-529-1309
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Please join us for the annual NWSMTA luncheon. The luncheon will take place on Monday, May 13th, 2024 at 10:30 am. This year’s event will be held at:
THE BAKESTER patisserie
13 1/2 West Davis Street in Arlington Heights
We’ll connect with old and new friends, share stories and install our new board of officers. In addition to your delicious menu, participants will receive entry into a raffle drawing featuring amazing prizes. A trivia contest will also be held.
Members will be responsible for their own orders. Let’s take a break from work!
Looking forward to seeing you there.
Justyna
| COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIP AND CAMP SCHOLARSHIPS | |
The College Scholarship 2023 winner, Justin Hill, has received his second scholarship installation of $500 last month.
The College Scholarship amount has been raised this year from $1000 to $2000.
The Camp Scholarships have also been increased to
$600 for the1st place winner of each junior/senior division and
$400 for the 2nd place winner of each junior/senior division.
The Deadline for applying the Scholarships is May 1st 2024.
| AIM LEVELS 3 - 9 PERFORMANCE EXAMS | Congratulations to the 181 students from 38 teachers who participated in the AIM levels 3 to 9 Performance exams at Harper College on Sunday March 17th and thank you to all the judges and volunteers who made it possible. | |
OAKTON SIX PIANO ENSEMBLE | |
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Dear NWSMTA members,
It is not too late. You can still participate in NWSMTA’s upcoming programs. We have a program planned for you this coming Monday. Jeff Kleinsorge, President of ISMTA, will present his own way to develop students from five years to advanced high school musicians. A fantastic opportunity to pick up some new ideas to incorporate into your own teaching.
April 28th, students are welcome to perform in a joint NWSMTA recital. It will be held at St. Michael’s in Barrington. There’s room for a large audience, great acoustics and a fantastic instrument. You are always invited to attend.
The May luncheon is the place to be. Friends and colleagues have so much to talk about and share. It is time to take a moment to enjoy yourself.
All that Jazz will be coming up on Fathers’ Day. Get your students ready to hit the stage under the lights with a pro jazz ensemble to back them up. Whatever their level, they will remember their first gig forever.
MTNA has an archived treasure available. And it is free to members! Webinars have been saved and catalogued for you to watch at your convenience. They date back to 2015. To check it out, go to MTNA.org and log in.
To navigate to the webinars click on … LEARN / WEBINARS / VIEW PAST WEBINARS / SELECT YEAR / CLICK MORE / MEMBERS VIEW
This could be a nice summer project for you to check out. Let me know your favorites and I will pass it on to others.
Enjoy the summer, enjoy music and enjoy life.
Deborah Lynch
Newsletter Editor
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Northwest Suburban Music Teachers Association | https://www.nwsmta.org | | | | |
