March General Meeting
Monday, March 21, 2022
9:45 AM
Meeting ID: 798 765 8928
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MARCH
PROGRAM
IMT (Independent Music Teachers)
Dr. Janice Razaq
"Exploring Some Unfamiliar Contemporary Gems,
AIM Levels 8-9-10"
Monday, March 21, 2022
Online Zoom 9:45 A.M. Meeting
MTNA NATIONAL CONFERENCE
Saturday-Wednesday, March 26-30, 2022
Online
APRIL
Saturday, April 9, 2022
Deadline: Registration Awards Competition
AIM: LEVELS 1-2 COMPLETE & 10-12 PERFORMANCE EXAMS
Sunday, April 10, 2022
Harper College
Sunday, April 10, 2022
Deadline: Online Registration Spring Classical Recital
TEACHERS' MUSICALE
Monday, April 11, 2022
Location TBD
Friday, April 15, 2022
Deadline: Online Registration Spring Pop & Jazz Recital
PROGRAM
Eunjin Lee
"Dalcroze Eurhythmics for your Beginning Students"
Monday, April 18, 2022
At Countryside Church, 1025 N. Smith Rd., Palatine 9:45 A.M. Meeting
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A NOTE FROM OUR PRESIDENT |
Hello NWSMTA members!
As music teachers, we all know what it’s like to give of ourselves and guide our students to become musicians - it’s a very rewarding feeling! We are not only teaching students to read music, but to make music, and to enjoy music - for a lifetime. Our motivation is in the joy of sharing our love of music and music-making with others because we have come to love it so much ourselves.
My grandson, above, wants to learn to play the piano. He is 7 years old and enjoys listening to music. My son says he inherited my music gene (along with my eyes and hair). I took a good Casio keyboard, stand, and bench - along with the Faber Primer level books - to their house, and thoroughly enjoyed teaching him his first lesson! Above, you will notice that I am playing - because after his lesson, he turned to me and said “Grandma, I want to play Jurassic Park.” I should have known that was coming, but didn’t. But, I played the melody for him - and now he can play it too! What fun!
Many of you have had the same experience, I am sure - but now it’s my turn to share. It was a special joy for me. (notice the T-Rex on his T-shirt) I hope we never lose our motivation for teaching!
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Brenda Haynes, MA, NCTM
President, NWSMTA
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Marcia Rudin recently joined NWSMTA . She lives in Palatine where she teaches piano students in her home studio as well as Notes 88 Music Studio. She has a Bachelor's degree in music education with a double major in flute and piano, and a M.A. in flute performance. She has performed with several orchestras, ensembles, and flute choirs in the area and is currently the resident flute instructor at John Hersey High School in Arlington Heights.
Welcome to NWSMTA!
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PROGRAM - DR. JANICE RAZAQ
"Exploring Some Unfamiliar Contemporary Gems, AIM Levels 8-9-10"
March 21, 2022 Independent Music Teachers
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The Independent Music Teacher’s meeting will be presented by Dr. Janice Razaq, March 21 at 9:45 AM on Zoom. The topic will be "Exploring Some Unfamiliar Contemporary Gems, AIM Levels 8-9-10",
This presentation will introduce you to some contemporary repertoire that you may not have used for your students. It’s a good way to get out of the habit of always assigning the same tried and true pieces year after year! The pieces will be performed after briefly giving some teaching and practicing tips. Repertoire may include these pieces plus a few others: “Petite Berceuse” by Barber (8); “Kaleidoscopes” by Lees (8 & 9); “Rivers of America” by Matz (8); “The Firefly” by Bilotti (9); “Songs Without Words” by Tsitsaros (9); “Portraits in Jazz” by Capers (10); “Le Cahier Romand” by Honegger (10).
Janice Larson Razaq has a DMA from Texas Tech University, and other degrees from The Eastman School of Music and the University of Illinois. She has the Licentiate Diploma from the Royal Academy of Music. A Fulbright scholar to London, she performed at Wigmore Hall. She was an award winner in the Canals International Competition in Barcelona. Dr. Razaq is heard on WFMT and Minnesota Public Radio and plays concertos with area orchestras. Recent performances/presentations were for the American Matthay Association for Piano at The Eastman School of Music, at Arizona State University, and in Tennessee at Union University. She presented for the Canadian Federation of MTA in Nova Scotia and for the virtual MTNA National Conference in 2020. Professional offices held include Past President of the American Matthay Association for Piano, Past-President of ISMTA and Past ECD Director of MTNA. She is Director of Keyboard Studies at Harper College where she teaches applied piano and piano ensemble and is in demand for judging competitions and giving master classes.
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APRIL MONTHLY MEETING IN PERSON AT COUNTRYSIDE CHURCH |
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The April 18 monthly meeting will be held at Countryside Church, 1025 N. Smith Rd., Palatine at 9:45 AM. The program will be “Dalcroze Eurhythmics for your Beginning Students” presented by Dr. Eunjin Lee of DePaul University.
There are many methods and games for off-the-bench activities for young beginner students. Dalcroze can offer a joyful and experiential way of teaching young students basic concepts for any instrument lesson. All participants will experience rhythmic vocabulary, singing, improvisation, and active listening through movement, which they can apply to their young students.
Please wear clothing suitable for unrestricted movement and non-slip socks or jazz shoes.
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Hello dear colleagues!
Time is flying and the deadline for the Awards Competition is approaching fast - it's April 9th.
The competition will take place at Harper College on April 23rd.
Registration, all competition information and the repertoire are on the NWSMTA.org website as well as a program video presentation by Dr. S. Belsky.
Click HERE to view the Repertoire list.
If you have any question regarding music books please address them to
Galina Kostukovsky, her email is:
Give your students an opportunity to play LIVE and take part in this exciting event.
Olga Ulitsky/Olga Bornovalova co-chairs of the AWC
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The Spring Classical Recital will be held on Sunday April 24, 2022 1:30pm. It will be live performance via Zoom (online). All music must be performed from memory. Deadline to sign up is April 10. Looking forward to your students’ performances.
Yoko & Chyi-Ling
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The 4th Annual "All that Jazz" event will take place on Sunday, June 12, starting at 11:30 A.M. Teachers are invited to enter students of all ages and levels. Please read and review rules and suggestions for how to prepare a lead sheet, and work with your students on counting in, on our website, at https://www.nwsmta.org/jazz-combo-experience.html
The musicians who back up our students are professionals who perform regularly, and are also teachers, so they have been wonderful and understand how to work with young children.
Online registration is available on the website. Deadline for entry (including lead sheets) is Sunday, May 29th.
This is an invaluable opportunity for students to perform on stage with a live jazz trio. We are hoping for more teachers to be able to share this experience with their students! Please email or call Maureen P. Flood at 847-208-4518 or Justyna Weirich at 847-322-4393.
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AIM LEVELS 3-9 PERFORMANCE EXAM |
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Congratulations to the 190 students who participated in the AIM Levels 3 to 9 Performance exams at Harper College and thank you to all the judges and volunteers who made it possible. |
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Inge Sedey is continuing to recuperate from her broken bones. Wishing her continued healing and better times ahead.
Janice Wilkans
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The camp scholarship has 2 divisions: Junior division, up to 8th grade - Senior division, 9th through 12th grades. This is for any instrument, but the student must be studying the instrument with a teacher who belongs to NWSMTA for at least 2 years. 1st place winners in each division receive $300 and 2nd place winners in each division will receive $200. The checks will be made out to the camp that the student will be attending. The scholarship is open to students attending a music camp in person or virtually if that might still be the case this year. Enrollment form, and information regarding rules and requirements are on the website. Click on FOR MEMBERS, STUDENT EVENT INFORMATION, CAMP SCHOLARSHIP. If you have any questions or need more information, please contact me.
Deadline to apply is April 15th.
Pat Borchardt
847-356-6016
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The $1000 college scholarship is open to graduating high school seniors who will be either majoring or minoring in music at a college or university. The scholarship is open to all instruments and the teacher of this instrument must be a member of NWSMTA for at least 2 years. The scholarship will be paid in 2 installments, the first installment of $500 will be sent to the school for the Fall Semester and the 2nd installment of $500 will be sent to the school after the student has sent the chairperson a copy of acceptable grades from the first semester. Enrollment form, information regarding all requirements and rules are on the website. Click on FOR MEMBERS, STUDENT EVENT INFORMATION, COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIP. If you have any questions or need more information, please contact me.
Deadline to apply is April 15th.
Pat Borchardt
847-356-6016
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Dear NWSMTA members,
I had the pleasure of serving as a judge for the AIM exam held on Sunday, March 13th. The students were well prepared, but about half of them anxiously commented that it was their first time playing for someone in person in two years. I responded that it was special for me to be able to share that with them. On my way home, I reflected on what performing for someone must have meant to them. It dawned on me that the students I heard that morning sounded better than those performing online over the last two years. Then I remembered, they had suddenly been thrown into a long period of online lessons. That transition created a new challenge to learning music. Every student who has continued through the struggle is a winner. That was evident from their performances.
After completing his exam, one student told me that he felt he had not done well. I was surprised at his statement and asked what he thought had not gone well. He told me he was disappointed in how many mistakes he made in his pieces. I was able to tell him quickly a few of the things I particularly enjoyed about each piece. I saw his face change from being disappointed to relief. Frequently, we can enjoy the positive reaction of our live audience. So many things about a performance are not quantifiable. As a performer, we often concentrate on what we are worried about in a piece. These students are young, so they may have a harder time focusing on what the music is telling the audience. But as Ingrid Clairfield would say, “It’s important to work on artistry when teaching the Appassionata Sonata. But it is just as important to teach it right from the beginning lessons.” It's encouraging for students to know there's a balance to correct notes. It's communicating to the audience what you think each piece is about. When the focus is on artistry, we all gain from the music.
Congratulations to the students and their teachers for motivating our students to continue learning and performing music for others. We need it and the world needs it. And thank you to the AIM committee, who held it all together. Their passion for AIM and concern for every student entering the exam is pure love.
Deborah Lynch
Newsletter Editor
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Northwest Suburban Music Teachers Association | https://www.nwsmta.org |
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