Greetings!

Thank you to everyone who attended the WSFMC Fall Conference on Sept. 19th, whether you joined us in person or on Zoom. I truly appreciate you taking the time and making the effort to be there.

A great deal of work goes into preparing and producing a conference, even when it is only 2.5 hours long. The Executive Board spends considerable time taking care of business so that important information can be presented to the membership in a succinct manner. Reports are prepared, elections are held, a professional development presentation is created, and a wonderful lunch is purchased and served.

With all of that in mind, it can be disappointing to see only 19 of our 89 senior members attend. Each year, I find myself asking, “What could I have done differently?” I ask that question because I genuinely care about the WSFMC and want to make sure we are meeting the needs of our members.

It is also important to me that our members are actively involved in the organization and have opportunities to share their ideas, perspectives, and suggestions for how we can continue to improve. The WSFMC is stronger when our members participate, contribute, and help shape its future.

Thank you again to those who attended and supported the conference. Your participation truly does matter, and I hope we can continue to find ways to encourage greater involvement from our membership.

Welcoming New Board Members!



At this conference, we voted on a new WSFMC Treasurer. By unanimous vote, Tia Monsen from the Puyallup Club was elected as our new State Treasurer! With her previous and current experience as a treasurer, I know Tia is going to do a wonderful job in this important position.

Of course, welcoming Tia also meant saying goodbye to our beloved Carol Hibbard, who has served the WSFMC faithfully for so many years. Carol was presented with a token of appreciation, given on behalf of all WSFMC members, in recognition of her many years of service. She then shared a few words about how much she loves the WSFMC and the Festivals we provide for our students. Her words were heartfelt and inspiring, and it was a beautiful reminder of the impact this organization has on all of us.

Tia and Carol will work together throughout this year as Tia transitions into her new position and becomes comfortable with her responsibilities. I am so grateful that we will have the benefit of Carol’s experience during this transition.

We also introduced several new WSFMC Board members. Read on to learn about all the new changes!

I'm thrilled to welcome all of our new board members to the team of hard-working volunteers. Your contributions are immeasureable!

Sincerely,

Sally L. Palmer

WSFMC President

e-mail: wsfmcpresident@gmail.com



Click Here for WSFMC Board Members

This issue of Melody Lines is jam-packed full of really good information, so please read thoroughly. Click on links to get even more information. Thank you!

A huge welcome to our new WSFMC Treasurer, Tia Monsen!

Tia is an active member of the Puyallup Federated Music Club, where she has been serving as the club treasurer for quite some time. Tia also shares her talents with her church ccommunity, also serving as their treasurer, so she moves into this position with wonderful experience. Hopefully you will all get the chance to meet and work with Tia as she is such a delight, friendly and enthusiastically willing to serve! Thank you, Tia!

More new Board Members!


Raj Singh - American Music Division Chair - Greater Newcastle FMC (Junior Member)

Tamara Foley - Competitions & Awards Division Chair - The Mozart Club

Hyun Su Seo - Angie Greer Music in Poetry - Issaquah FMC

Yelena Balabanova - Junior Composers Contest - North Sound FMC

Honoka Cater - Student/Collegiate Division Chair - Issaquah FMC

Tina Singh - PR / Marketing Chair

New Senior Club Presidents!

Amanda Harris - Issaquah Federated Music Club
Sandra Edwards - The Mozart Federated Music Club (Vancouver, WA)

We are so appreciative of all these members' willingness to serve the members of the WSFMC!

Hyun Su Seo - Angie Greer Poetry

Honoka Cater - Student/Collegiate Chair

Tina Singh - PR/Marketing

Tamara Foley - Competitions & Awards

Yelena Balabanova - Jr Composers Contest

It is time for the NFMC Angie Greer Music in Poetry Award!

submitted by Debra Hughes, NFMC Angie Greer Music in Poetry Award Chair
WSFMC Chair: Hyun Su Seo, Issaquah FMC

Yo! Yo! Listen, don't miss the beat,

November 1st is comin' - quick on its feet!

Got a poem in your head? Let words fly.
Any genre's welcome - give poetry a try!

Dear NFMC Teachers (aka Junior Couselors):
PLEASE encourage your students to write something about their musical adventure. A poetry challenge will enhance your teaching activities and deepen their cognitive connection with their music training. And then enter those poems! 
DEADLINE: posted by November 1st.

GET THE REQUIREMENTS FORM / CLICK HERE!

APPLY - Here are the steps to take:

1. Go to NFMC-music.org
2. Click on "COMPETITIONS AND AWARDS" on the top bar of the pages
3. Scroll to select "JUNIOR DIVISION"
4. Scroll to the bottom choice - "NFMC ANGIE GREER MUSIC IN POETRY AWARD"
5. Select either the "REQUIREMENTS FORM" or "APPLY NOW"

From Interest to Commitment : Membership
"People join when they see clear benefits."
Submitted by Sally Palmer, WSFMC President & Membership Chair


I gave a membership presentation at our WSFMC Conference, and unfortunately we didn't get through the whole thing, so I wanted to share the outline and notes I prepared for the presentation. It's absolutely worth taking a look, not necessarily because I'm a good writer, but because my notes came from research on marketing strategies.

I used Alaska Federated Music Club examples because, despite the fact that they are a huge state with people spread out over many, many miles, they have had a fabulous increase in membership! In this last year they've had at least SIX new teachers join. So, I went looking for how they did it and found some great examples.

Please, take the time to read through this presentation. We're gaining momentum by having some new board members who are excited about seeing the organization grow, so let's all do our part!

CLICK HERE for the Membership Presentation

A request: Please send me a quick email when you have a new member join your senior club. I get inquiring emails from prospective new members asking about how to join and which club they should join. I might not hear back from them after I've replied to their original email as to whether or not they made a decision. The WSFMC roster is only updated in late fall. I try to follow up on the emails that are sent to me asking about membership, so if you can send me an email that a new member has indeed joined your club, that would be great. Thanks so much! ~Sally wsfmcpresident@gmail.com

PRACTICE FOR PURPOSE 

2026-2027

In an ideal world, all of our students would practice diligently because they love to practice and progress. We all know that we do not live in an ideal world. So . . .

Why not give your students an opportunity to Practice for a Purpose?

What is it?

Practice for Purpose is a fundraiser in which students pledge to practice music for a set number of minutes each day over the course of a week to raise money for music education. Before you break out in a sweat over the word fundraiser, read on!

Supporting Music Education

This year, the NFMC Western Region is proud to support Every Child’s Encore, a nonprofit in Alaska’s Kenai Peninsula, providing instruments, instrument repair, education, and resources at no cost to Alaskan children, so every child who wants to make music can. 

How does it work? (Keep reading!)

How this works for TEACHERS:

• Pick a week between Sept and May to do a studio wide practice event.
• Announce Practice with Purpose to your studio families and encourage them to participate.
• Several Weeks (2-3 weeks) before the selected STUDIO PRACTICE WEEK, send home the Student Brochure with the student and encourage them to get sponsors.
• Provide students/parents printed Sponsor Sheet(s) or provide the PDF Sponsor Sheet to the students/parents for them to email or print themselves. 
• Students provide the Sponsor Sheet to the sponsors.
• Teachers DO NOT collect any money!!! Sponsors donate directly online. Sponsors donate their pledge directly to Every Child’s Encore through online donation. Every Child’s Encore will provide receipts to the donors via email. 

Have fun with your studio! Use it as an incentive to get a GREAT week of practicing out of your students while they help other music students in ALASKA!!! 



CLICK HERE for the STUDENT BROCHURE

This is for the student! Print out, fold in half and send home with students.

This is where they keep track of their sponsors.

• To print it brochure style: select “Flip on short edge” and print double sided

Then it comes out beautifully and foldable!! 



CLICK HERE for the SPONSOR SHEET

The Sponsor Sheet is a one page sheet for students to give to their sponsor.

How to make their donation is on this sheet!!

CLICK HERE for the INDIVIDUAL SHEETS which is not needed unless you want to use it. This is the student brochure with each page seperately–just in case you want to print them individually.



Collecting donations? (You'll be happy to read this part!)

DO NOT COLLECT ANY DONATIONS from sponsors. 

Sponsors are to directly donate to Every Child’s Encore using the QR code or go to ca-fmc.org (California Federation of Music Clubs website)

Share the successes!!

• Report successes to your state club and local club!! 
• Don’t forget to ask for photos and include stories of success for publishing in your club or state newsletters, social media, and NFMC publications.  

The Western Region will have a report of the success of Practice for Purpose at the Western Region lunch at the NFMC Convention in Greenville, South Carolina in June 2027! Also look for articles in Junior Keynotes.

Let's give the Western Region and Washington State the spotlight they deserve!

SPOTLIGHT - Raj Singh, American Music Chair

Rajveer (Raj) Singh has volunteered to be our American Music Division Chair!

Raj is a senior at Eastlake High School, and is a piano student of Sally Jung from the Greater Newcastle Federated Club. We're so glad to have a young, enthusiastic Junior member take on this role. Raj shared his vision with us at the WSFMC Conference and he's already busy planning an American Music Showcase! You'll find that information a little further down. We are so happy to have you on board, Raj!

NOVEMBER AWARD OPPORTUNITY

Take the Stage! Join the Parade!

Celebrate American Music - Composers & Musicians!

Submitted by Raj Singh, WSFMC American Music Division Chair

Picture Source: H. Armstrong Roberts/ClassicStock / H. Armstrong Roberts/ClassicStock

Every November, music teachers, performers, and local music clubs across the nation participate in a nationwide movement: American Music Month. At the heart of this celebration is the National Federation of Music Clubs (NFMC) signature campaign—the Parade of American Music—and its prestigious national competition, the Professor R.A. Schramm Parade of American Music Award.

Let’s seize this opportunity and march beyond the 18 th century European masters. Let’s dedicate the month of November celebrating and spreading awareness of American composers and musicians – ranging from classical icons to Jazz and folk and living, local contemporary composers.

Any level of your club’s engagement in the movement during the month of November, qualifies for the Schramm Parade of American Music recognition. Clubs competing for the Schramm Award shall fulfil any combination of the key requirements, such as:

1. Hosting an all American composer/musician recital
2. Securing a mayoral/gubernatorial proclamation
3. Generating public relations and media coverage

For full details, please review Form AM 1-1. CLICK HERE for the form

PLAN NOW! The contest parameters must happen in the month of November. You can replace the word "program" with "recital" if that works better in your studio.

Participating in the Parade has many benefits for your club. There is excitement for youth members to perform American repertoire that is popular, modern and relatable to their generation and times, fostering a deeper love for music. Securing a mayoral photo-op builds the club’s credibility and public presence. Furthermore, winning a cash award or a certificate of merit positions your local club as a leader within the Federation.

As the WSFMC American Music Division Chair, we are here to support you. We look forward to your participation in the Parade of American Music by bringing your club’s artistic talent into the national spotlight and serve the bigger cause: Elevating American composers and stimulating public appreciation and awareness of American music.

Celebrate American Music: WSFMC Sponsored Showcase!

February 7, 2027

The Washington State Federation of Music Clubs (WSFMC) American Music Division is thrilled to announce a special sponsored showcase dedicated to celebrating and promoting the rich tapestry of American composers and artists!

 Date: Saturday, February 7th

 Location: Newport Covenant Church (Bellevue, WA)

We invite local clubs, teachers, and student performers to join us for an inspiring showcase of American musical traditions, ranging from classical, Jazz, or contemporary compositions.This event offers a wonderful platform for young musicians to perform and shine.

How to Participate: To ensure every performer is included in our printed program, please submit your participating students' names and selected repertoire by December 1st. We look forward to your club’s participation in making this celebration a memorable success!

For submissions or questions, please reach out to: Rajveer Singh, American Music Division Chair, rajveerdotsingh@gmail.com.

CONGRATULATIONS JEANNE PARK!

Congratulations to Jeanne Park, 2026 Winner of the Michael R. Edwards Graduating Senior Performance Award!

$5,000 award

Jeanne is a graduate of Skyline High School in Sammamish, WA., and will be attending Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. We want to mention that Jeanne took composition classes with our own Sharon van Valin of the Greater Newcastle Federated Music Club, and was the First Place 2025 Class IV winner in the WSFMC Junior Composers Competition! Congratulations Jeanne!


CLICK HERE for Jeanne's wonderful bio
Click Here for Jeanne's performance of Carmen Fantasie Brillante with the Evergreen Philharmonic. An incredible performance!

CLICK HERE for more information about applying for this award.

Congratulations to the First Place Winner of the NFMC American Music Junior Award - 
Sally L Palmer Junior Music Studio!! The award is $250.

To view this opportunity for next year, CLICK HERE

Nancy Drake Memorial Community Concert
The Eastside Music Teachers Association is presenting a community concert on October 24th. There will be a 2:00pm performance and a 5:00pm performance. Works by Mozart and Chopin will be featured. The concert will be held at Newport Covenant Church in Bellevue. Admission is only $20.


ALL THINGS FESTIVAL!

ALTERNATING vs. COMBINING?? A Festival Question
This is a Festivals question I heard asked a lot at the NFMC Conference this year. I asked the NFMC Vivace Chair, Sandra Preysz, to share her short powerpoint presentation with me and she kindly did so.

CLICK HERE for this information.

AT-A-GLANCE Festival Timeline & Who Can Do What in Vivace

CLICK HERE for this very helpful resource.

Want help with VIVACE?

CLICK HERE to access links to answer many questions. A very helpful resource!

If you are unsure or still confused, contact Selina Chu, WSFMC Festivals Chair, at wsfmcfestivals@gmail.com.

Minutes & Reporting 2026

CLICK HERE for WSFMC Conference minutes & Executive Board reports (President, Treasurer, Festivals, HCS, Liability Insurance)

CLICK HERE for WSFMC Public Relations / Marketing report

CLICK HERE for NFMC 2026 Conference Report (Scottsdale, AZ)

CLICK HERE for WSFMC Junior Composers Contest report

CLICK HERE for WSFMC Arts Division report

CLICK HERE for WSFMC Competitions and Awards report

Fabulous Performance Opportunities!

WSFMC Secretary and teacher extraordinaire, Yelena Balabanova, and her students have been having some fabulous musical experiences! Chicago International Music Competition and Festival gave these students a wonderful gift of lifetime memories! They hope to return again for a challenging and highly educational event that is also fun, welcoming and inspiring!

Great results: 1st Place duet in Rising Star category-Miyako and Aisha! Second Place duet in Rising Star-Aisha and Farah, 2nd Place in Rising Star Solo-Miyako, 2nd Place in Rising Star Young Musician-Yuxin Sun! 

We are very proud of Joyce, 14, for performing her first full solo recital! The program included masterworks by Chopin and Kapustin's high-energy compositions. The concert benefited seniors in the Mukilteo Community and represented Keys of Kindness. The video is available on Keys of Kindness website.

DID YOU KNOW? ARE YOU IN TUNE?
Did you know that the NFMC has a monthly electronic newsletter that is available to everyone at no cost?? Each of the nine divisions of the NFMC put a short synopsis of what's going on in that division and offers reminders. It's a quick and easy read. WE NEED EVERYONE TO SUBSCRIBE!

Scroll down to the bottom of the NFMC website's home page (nfmc-music.org) and you will find this:

Sign up here for the NFMC Monthly Newsletter (IN TUNE)

Then enter your email and click on SIGNUP NOW. It's as easy as that!

Also, join the NFMC Facebook page for additional events and award winners.

Please review this information, which can also be found on the NFMC website under the "About Us" tab.

CLICK HERE for the NFMC Code of Conduct document.

CLICK HERE for the NFMC Legacy Society brochure.

CLICK HERE for the Estate Gift form.

WASHINGTON STATE TO SHINE BRIGHTER

How many of you, when you receive an NFMC magazine - Music Clubs Magazine and/or Junior Keynotes - go right to the back to see if anything has been submitted under "state news" for Washington State? It always makes me sad when there is no article for WSFMC. How can we rectify that?

For the Junior Keynotes magazine, it would be great to submit articles related to:

• Grand and President Cup winners
• Competitions and awards that have been won by our Juniors
• Junior Club activities and achievements, including service projects
• Accolades and accomplishments from any of our Junior Counselors (teachers)

For the Music Clubs Magazine, it would be great to submit articles related to:

• What's happening in our Senior Clubs such as special programs, honors, awards, projects
• Accolades and achievements from our Student/Collegiate Division
• New Senior or Collegiate members who join your club

PICTURES can be included and are enthusiastically desired.



There are only three times a year these magazines are published and it feels like a long time between submission and publication (hopefully this will be remedied when the magazines are offered online), but nonetheless, we want our state to be RECOGNIZED.

If any of our Junior Associate Clubs would like to submit something (programs, achievements, etc.) to the Junior Keynotes magazine, please do so!! As well as this bimonthly newsletter!

Submit all articles and pictures to me - Sally Palmer, WSFMC President & PR Rep. Please make sure pictures are in jpeg/jpg format. wsfmcpresident@gmail.com

Thank you!

WE LOVE OUR JUNIOR ASSOCIATE CLUBS!!

Bellevue Youth Symphony Orchestra - https://www.byso.org/

Cascade Youth Symphony Orchestras - https://www.cyso.us/

Maple Valley Youth Symphony Orchestra - https://www.mvyso.org/

Seattle Youth Symphony Orchestra - https://syso.org/

Student Orchestras of Greater Olympia - https://studentorchestras.org/

Tacoma Youth Symphony Association - https://tysamusic.org/

Check out these websites for upcoming events and how you can show your support.

If you know of a group of junior age students who could benefit from being members of the Washington State Federation of Music Clubs, please contact Sally Palmer, Membership Chair.

Next Melody Lines Newsletter coming December 1st.

Please submit any announcements or articles by November 15th.

We would LOVE your contributions!!

Sally Palmer, Editor

LIABILITY INSURANCE COVERAGE 2025 - 2026

Submitted by Dr. Yelena Balabanova, WSFMC Liability Insurance Chair



NFMC and its members are purchasing Liability Insurance only. This provides coverage to a third party for bodily injury or property damage the entity causes. You must be a member in good standing to obtain insurance!

National designated deadline to submit requests:

August 15 for events September 1 – December 31

December 1 for events January 1 – August 31



• Cost per event is $25. Add $10 extra per event if registered after the designated deadline
• Cost per event having consecutive days is $30.
• An event on a single day but at multiple sites costs $25 per site.
• No requests will be processed without an accurate address and date of event.
• If an event requires a rider of an additional insured, give the exact language required.
• Any changes requested after a certificate is issued will result in a $5 change fee.
• If you need to change an event date, and wait to inform NFMC until the original date has passed you will owe another full event fee. There is NO credit in that situation.
• A certificate verifying insurance coverage is issued only to an event that requests it. Certificates will be sent to the state liability chair and will be mailed to requested members.
• Coverage is not guaranteed until payment is received and processed by NFMC Headquarters. "No payment = No Insurance" 

WSFMC members:

Inform Insurance Chair by email in advance when you will make the payment online,

so Yelena can process the submission the same day you make the payment.

Make payment on www.nfmc-music.org/payment/

Select "Liability Insurance" under Plans

and Fill in your "Event Name, Date and Location" under Notes

Email payment receipt and forms below to YelenaBalabanova@gmail.com

2026-2027 Liability Insurance Request 
CLICK HERE for Liability Insurance Letter from NFMC Chair

CLICK HERE for Liability Insurance Request Form

CLICK HERE for Child Protection Form

CLICK HERE for Protecting Child Sexual Abuse document

CLICK HERE for NFMC payment page (same as mentioned above)