Greetings!

Thank you to those of you who came to our WSFMC Annual Conference. We hope you found it worth your while. I heard from one teacher, "I've been doing this for 40 years and I'm still learning new things when I come to these [meetings]." Here's what we learned from our Post-Conference Survey:


• Every person rated their overall experience as "EXCELLENT."
• Some enjoyed networking with other teachers; some enjoyed getting new information and reminders.
• Some found the "business" part of the conference "relative" and "informational."
• Every person rated the special presentation on Competitions & Awards as "VERY RELEVANT."
• Some had some wonderful ideas for future presentations.
• Every person enjoyed the special performances and lunch!

We are always grateful for your interest, your attendance, and your feedback. We missed those of you who were unable to attend.

Articles for Melody Lines Please send articles for Melody Lines to me at wsfmcpresident@gmail.com. Please send no later than a week before publication. Publication months are October, December, February, April, June, August.

I would LOVE to hear from all of our WSFMC Members who have news and information to share.

PLEASE click on the LINKS for valuable information. Thanks!

Sally L. Palmer

WSFMC President

e-mail: wsfmcpresident@gmail.com

Above: Four of our six Junior Composers Contest winners who came to our WSFMC Conference to present their compositions. Owen McOmber (piano), Londyn Gauthier (piano), Anya Pimkina (piano), Zoey Feng (strong quartet). Below: The string quartet that performed Zoey's composition.

Competitions & Awards presentation

Important Reminder! The deadline date for the Angie Greer Music in Poetry Contest is November 1st. This is a new deadline date and it's just around the corner! We hope that Washington State will be well represented! CLICK HERE for the rules & requirements.

WSFMC Annual Reports

NFMC Convention Report - CLICK HERE

Festival Report - CLICK HERE

Competitions & Awards Report - CLICK HERE

Liability Insurance Report - CLICK HERE

Helen Crowe Snelling Report - CLICK HERE

Junior Composers Contest Report - CLICK HERE

Public Relations/Social Media/Melody Lines Report - CLICK HERE


Festivals Specially Capable Musicians

Several of the WSFMC Conference attendees asked about the "Festivals Specially Capable Musicians" Form, JR 3-13. There were questions about what constituted "specially capable" and "disability." Physical disabilities and mental health issues are all considered "specially capable." So many issues our students may struggle with are not visible issues (anxiety, depression, autism, ADD, etc.), so those issues are indeed taken into consideration. When looking at the JR 3-13 "Festivals Specially Capable Musicians" form, here are things to remember:

• Teacher and parent (or adult student) must fill out and sign the form.
  
• Disability and the accommodation requested must be included in the application
  
• Form must be completed and approved by the State Chair at least one month before the Festival date
  
• Festival Chair must be informed, and the judges must be informed ahead of time
  
• Don't leave a paper trail: return applications to the parent, don't include SCM on ratings sheets or certificates, no public announcements of SCM status
  
• 
  
• A permanent application is now available as of 2026, but the teacher must submit the form every year. It's not necessary to have the permanent form "reapprove
  
• Click Here for the Festivals Specially Capable Musician Form JR 3-13

NATIONAL MUSIC WEEK

It’s time to start planning and get your students involved in

“NFMC – National Music Week!”

NATIONAL MUSIC WEEK ESSAY CONTEST

Theme for 2026 “Music…is our Constant Companion”

Get your students involved in Creative Writing!

National Music Week Essay Contest: May 3rd – 10th, 2026

A $75.00 monetary award is presented to one winner chosen in every winning state.

DEADLINE for ESSAY CONTEST is January 10th, 2026.

All applications must be filled out and submitted on-line (NFMC-Music.org)

Please follow the NMW Essay Contest rules to complete the application process.

National Music Week: May 3rd – 10th, 2026

National Music Week has as its objective “to create an understanding and appreciation of the value of music in the home, community, nation and the world.”

National Music Week is sponsored by the National Federation of Music Clubs (NFMC).

Check out the website, to find out more ideas and ways to celebrate music during National Music Week. Questions? Contact: Chris VanBuskirk WSFMC – NFMC-NMW Chair

classickeys@comcast.net 253-820-4505

CLICK HERE for the ESSAY application and additional information. Happy writing!!

Important Junior Composers Contest Information


State entry fee increases voted in favor of by the state board in April 2025

Class I - $30

Class II - $35

Class III - $40

Class IV - $40

When registering, the state and national fees are submitted to  nfmc-music.org/payment and the application, score, and mp3 are submitted in the same time-frame to https://forms.nfmc-music.org/forms/. 

Junior Composers Contest entry deadline is February 1, 2026. Compositions should be submitted to NFMC in January. 

Here is the link to the JCC rules https://www.nfmc-music.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/JR-7-1-3.pdf. 

I've just secured our 2026 judge: Ron Mallory, currently in Kansas, but with a UW MM degree and career work begun in the Eastside area in the '90s. He is an award-winning composer, with many works listed in J.W. Pepper catalog.

Let's get all of our students and youth orchestra members to submit a composition this year. Imagine the creativity!!

CONGRATULATIONS!! A huge shout out to Susanna Valleau, winner of the NFMC Ouida Keck Award for the Professional Development for the Independent Piano Teacher. This is a very prestigious award and we are extremely proud of Susanna and her representation of Washington State. Susanna belongs to the Issaquah Federated Music Club.

Susanna Valleau is a Seattle-based organist, pianist, and music teacher, living her dream of building a career entirely through music. She serves as music director of St. Dunstan’s Episcopal Church in Shoreline, Washington, where she proudly plays the newly installed Ortloff organ. As a solo performer on the organ, she has appeared at regional and national conventions of the American Guild of Organists, as well as in concerts throughout the United States. Susanna is on faculty with the Seattle Girls’ Choir, maintains an active piano and organ studio, and collaborates regularly as an accompanist and in chamber music settings on piano, harpsichord, and organ. She is currently pursuing a Graduate Certificate in Injury-Preventative Keyboard Technique with Dr. Barbara Lister-Sink at Salem College.

More Congratulations!!

Anderson Foong began learning piano at the age of 4 under the guidance of Mrs. Betty Mak (Greater Newcastle Federated Music Club). He participated in his first Piano Festival in 2011 and has continued to do so for 14 years, achieving Superior ratings each year in Concerto, Solo, and Theory until earning his Grand Cup this past year. Outside of his time practicing piano, Anderson has been active in the Science Olympiad, an interdisciplinary STEM competition, where he has placed in the top 3 at the state level for the past four years. A nature enthusiast, he also enjoys wildlife and macro photography, especially of his pet tarantula, Itsy Bitsy. In June 2025, he graduated from Interlake High School in Bellevue, Washington, earning his International Baccalaureate and high school diploma. Anderson will be studying biology at Purdue University in West Lafayette.

Nathan Cheng, a recent graduate of Newport High School and piano student of Betty Mak (Greater Newcastle Federated Music Club) in Bellevue, Washington, has participated in The National Federation of Music Clubs Piano Festivals since the age of eight, has participated in Piano Solo, Concerto and Theory events since 2013, earning consecutive Superior ratings throughout his time of playing. Through Ms. Betty’s piano studio, Nathan has continued to play and perform in recitals as well. Nathan’s other interests include playing tennis, coaching, and hiking. Nathan plans to attend the University of Southern California this fall.

Thank you Ellen Leapaldt!! Thank you Chris VanBuskirk!!

Ellen has agreed to serve as the Washington State Federation of Music Clubs' Arts Division Chair and Chris has agreed to serve as the National Music Week/NMW Essay Contest Chair for WSFMC. We so appreciate your willingness to support and serve the Washington State Federation of Music Clubs! Your time, talents and efforts are so appreciated! Both Ellen and Chris are in the Puyallup Federated Music Club.



Next Melody Lines Newsletter coming December 1st.

Please submit any announcements or articles by November 15th.

We would LOVE your contributions!!

Sally Palmer, Editor

NFMC JUNIOR MUSIC COMPETITIONS submitted by John Van Lierop, Jr., WSFMC Awards/Competitions Chair

In this August Melody Lines issue I will share with you the five NFMC National Junior Competitions that include the piano. The entry fee is very low- only $10 per contest except $20 for the Michael Edward’s one. It’s not too early to start planning and preparing your students for these National Competitions.

The applications and requirements can be found on the NFMC Home page. On the menu click Competitions & Awards, then click Junior Division and finally all the Junior Division Competitions appear. Everything is now done online, including the application and payments, as well as uploading any videos.

There will be a special presentation of the NFMC Competitions and Awards at our September 27 WSFMC Fall Conference. Please plan on attending this meeting with other members of your club.

I will briefly describe the five piano competitions that are available for 2026. I have included the new award money that has increased over last year. These increases might not be reflected yet on the present online entry forms. Make sure all applications have “August 2025” written in the lower right-hand corner of the application (and the rules and procedures paperwork. All updated forms should be online by the first of September 2025.)

CLICK HERE for the full article and the FIVE Junior Piano Awards

I have a request- Could you teachers please inform me when you enter one of your students in any of these competitions? We want to recognize your students in one of our future Melody Lines, whether they are a National winner or not. Just being in the competition takes a lot of work! 

Keeping in the loop with all things FESTIVAL!

2024-2028 NFMC Bulletins will be available online soon!   Keep checking on the NFMC website. New National Festival Chair is Debbie Wiser – exceptionally well-organized and confident in tech world.  “Gamma testing” for online bulletin started on September 15. 

10 paper bulletins on hand now – free to anyone today.  Still useful for rules.   

Popular Music event – the Choice piece does NOT have to be listed in the Bulletin.   Published arrangements of game/anime/movie music are acceptable for this event.  Be sure to check pg. xiii of the Bulletin for specific requirements. 

Piano Duets:  only one piece can come from the “required” list this year 

Festival entry fees due to the state will go up $1 this year:  _____/entry.  Gold and silver cup fees will also go up this year _____________/cup 

October 1 ordering deadline for Festival certificates and theory tests.  Be sure to let me know your club’s Festival date.  I will send pdfs of the tests and answer keys 2 weeks before your Festival.  

Your new 2025-2027 NFMC Festivals Team!

As always, if you have questions about Festivals, contact your Club Festivals Chair first. If that person does not have the answers, either you or they should then contact our WSFMC Festivals Chair, Selina Chu.

The following Junior Division recommendations were approved in June by the Board of Directors at the 2025 NFMC Convention held in Austin, TX:

1. Federation Cup pre-orders must be approved by the NFMC Federation Cup Chair and NFMC Executive Director.

2. The JR 3-13 Specially Capable Musician application must be approved by the local (area) and State Festivals Chairs. A one-time filing is now applicable for permanent conditions. The student’s teacher must retain the initial approval form and resubmit it each year to the Area Chair.

3. The Popular Piano Solo Event choice piece may/may not be from the required list.

4. Eliminate the class correlations/requirements for sight-singing/playing.

5. The solo correlations for the Violin Concerto event are now not mandatory; they are guidelines only.

Colleges, Universities, Conservatories, oh my!

Would you like your former college or university music department/school of music, or conservatory, be notified of the many NFMC Student/Collegiate Scholarships and Awards? It's easy to do! Just give the name of your college/university/conservatory to Sally Palmer at spalmer19@hotmail.com or wsfmcpresident@gmail.com and she will make the contact! If you have any current contact information from the school of music you attended, please share that also! New materials are being prepared by the NFMC to notify ours nation's colleges and universities and music conservatories of the Awards and Scholarships available to their music students. Thank you!

FYI - Did you know that the Eastern Washington University Music Department and the Seattle Pacific University Music Department are both FEDERATED music clubs?? Did you attend either one of these universities?

WE LOVE OUR JUNIOR ASSOCIATE CLUBS!!

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

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

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.

News from Deborah Freeman, NFMC President

Click Here for News

IN TUNE! NFMC Newsletter

Our National President, Deborah Freeman, sends out IN TUNE with NFMC each month which includes some awesome NFMC Division information that you may not have ever heard about if you don't stay "In Tune!"

Click here for June 2025 IN TUNE

Click here for July 2025 IN TUNE this has some important information from the recent NFMC Convention held in June.

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 $20. Add $5 extra per event if registered after the designated deadline
• Cost per event having consecutive days is $25.
• An event on a single day but at multiple sites costs $20 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

2025-2026 Liability Insurance Request NFMC Liability Insurance Letter

NFMC Liability Insurance Request Form

Child Protection Policy Form