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Upcoming Events
February 16
Postmark Deadline
AIM Levels V - XII
Mar. and Apr. Performance Exams
February 16
PROGRAM: Daniel Horn
"Practicing the Essence of Debussy"
Faith Lutheran Church, 431 S. Arlington Hts. Rd., Arlingtonn Hts.
9:15 A.M. Chat
9:45 A.M. Meeting
March 1 & 2
Workshop: Kristin Yost
"Creating the Independent Music Teachers' Paradise"
Barrington Library
505 N. Northwest Hwy, Barrington
Mar 9, 9:45 A.M.
AIM Judges Meeting
Rolling Meadows Library
March 15
AIM: LEVELS V-XII PERFORMANCE EXAMS
Harper College, Music Instruction Center
March 16
PROGRAM: Elena Abend
"Music of Latin American Composers"
Faith Lutheran Church, 431 S. Arlington Hts. Rd., Arlingtonn Hts.
9:15 A.M. Chat
9:45 A.M. Meeting
March 18
Deadline: Awards Competition
March 21-25
MTNA National Conference
Las Vegas, NV
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A Prelude from Our President
Dear fellow friends and teachers,
Lately as I help prepare my students for their auditions, exams, performances and contests, I have been thinking about what I can do to help them to develop their own style, their own voice, as a pianist with expressive abilities. When I am working with a student, we talk about many aspects of the music, once the initial learning is done. Following the score and trying to discover what the composer's wishes were is one facet of their work. Creating a mood or even a story in their imagination gives them something to get across to their listeners. Getting in touch with how the piece makes them feel when they hear it or play it is another step to a fulfilling performance. Sometimes just taking the piece apart and putting it back together, or playing it in different rhythms and tempos can give them fresh insight on what they ultimately want to do when they play it for others.
We teach the nuts and bolts of music...the fundamentals...over and over again, every day...and that is necessary, to become fluent in our language. But we also teach the artistic ear to listen, and the mind to use the skills of dreaming, imagining, pretending, building, remembering, feeling...to make music that others will be inspired, challenged and delighted by. We are teaching our students to create living art, for isn't that what music is?
I read a quote today from the book The Conscious Parent, by Dr. Shefali Tsabary - "When you parent, it's crucial you realize you aren't raising a "mini me," but a spirit throbbing with its own signature. For this reason, it's important to separate who you are from who each of your children is. Children aren't ours to possess or own in any way. When we know this in the depths of our soul, we tailor our raising of them to their needs, rather than molding them to fit our needs." If we substitute the word "student" for "child" and "teacher" for "parent,"
this applies to us and our teaching so well! It just reminds me how important it is to create an ongoing dialogue with each of our students, right from the start, where we give them respect for their ideas and encourage them to express themselves. They will blossom as they realize that there is room for their interpretation, as well as the composer's, and that it is welcome.
Robin
Robin Meredith-Kramer
President NWSMTA
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February Program
DANIEL PAUL HORN, PIANIST
An active and versatile pianist, DANIEL PAUL HORN is Professor of Piano and Chair of Keyboard Studies at the Wheaton College Conservatory of Music, where he has taught since 1984, and was honored with a 2009 Senior Academic Achievement Award for sustained excellence in scholarship. As a solo recitalist, he has appeared at colleges and universities throughout North America, at the American Liszt Society Festival, and in live broadcasts over WFMT-FM, on its Pianoforte Foundation Fazioli Salon Series and 2010 Beethoven Piano Sonata series; he has also appeared with various Midwestern orchestras, including the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. An avid chamber musician, he regularly collaborates with members of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. With the MasterWorks Ensemble, he has played in Bermuda and at the Beijing Modern Music Festival; in addition, he has performed with the Ying String Quartet, the Rembrandt Chamber Players, cellist Stephen Balderston, pianist Alexander Djordjevic, and Guarneri Quartet violinist John Dalley. He also works with noted singers, including sopranos Michelle Areyzaga and Sylvia McNair, baritone Gerard Sundberg, and bass Stephen Morscheck; with soprano Carolyn Hart and mezzo-soprano Denise Gamez, he has performed recitals in Chicago, New York, and Paris. Working with living composers, he has premiered music by George Arasimowicz, Jacob Bancks, Delvyn Case, David M. Gordon, Neal Harnly, Patrick Kavanaugh, Daniel Kellogg, and Max Raimi.
As an early keyboardist, he was harpsichordist in performances of Handel's Messiah and Haydn's Creation under the baton of John Nelson, and has twice performed on the Historical Piano Concert series at the Frederick Collection in Ashburnham, Massachusetts. In 1997, he recorded the critically praised disc "Wanderings" for Titanic Records on an 1829 Graf fortepiano, and in 2010 released Sehnsucht: Music of Robert Schumann; he also recorded for the Centaur label with CSO cellist Donald Moline, and for the Canadian Music Centre with soprano Carolyn Hart.
A Detroit native, Horn studied at Peabody with Walter Hautzig, and at Juilliard, where he studied with Martin Canin and Felix Galimir, and earned his doctorate. He has also coached with Jerome Lowenthal, Ann Schein, Joseph Bloch, Roy Howat, and Menahem Pressler, for whom he twice served as a guest assistant at Indiana University. In addition to his duties at Wheaton, he has been a faculty artist at the Sewanee, Adamant, Blue Mountain, MasterWorks, and Dakota Sky summer festivals.
PRACTICING THE ESSENCE OF DEBUSSY
Practicing the essence of Debussy is about far more than learning to imitate a particular style of phrasing or pedaling; it's about exploring the multi-faceted connections that join the music, art, poetry and culture of his time into a rich tapestry. In this introduction to Debussy's piano music, we will look at the composers, performers, and artists who influenced him, consider the French pianistic traditions he inherited, and sample the special qualities that make his work so evocative and rewarding. Drawing on a tradition going back to Debussy himself, we will think together about approaches to the piano and to Debussy's meticulous scores that can help bring this wonderful repertoire to life.
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Workshop - March 1st & 2nd
Don't forget to register for our NWSMTA workshop, which is fast approaching! Our clinician this year is Kristin Yost. Kristin brings her experience and expertise to piano teachers around the world. She has written the book, "How I Made $100,000 My First Year as a Piano Teacher." Kristin is a frequent presenter at national conferences, and has written articles for Clavier
Companion and other professional music publications.
The workshop will be held on March 1 & 2 at the Barrington Library. On Sunday, from 3:00 - 4:30 p.m., Kristin will give an interactive recital entitled: "French Classical Music Meets American Popular Top 40," and will be interest to teachers, students and parents.
On Monday, registration is from 9:15-9:30, and morning sessions include:
A Piano Teacher's Paradise: Financial Freedom for the Independent Piano Teacher
Gain sound business practices to set yourself up for financial success; take vacations, earn 12-months of revenue and even save for your retirement. This session will allow you to realize your earning potential and provide solutions for your concerns, all while doing what you love.
Keeping Student Numbers UP in THIS Economy
Let's face it - the circumstances of the world's economy are not going to be changing any time soon. Learn how YOU can attract the "right" kind of student for you, and keep them coming back each week, year after year!
There will be a coffee break and a lunch break - boxed lunches available from Egg Harbor.
The afternoon session will be:
Modern Tools for Teachers
Stay current on the best APPS available for music teaching and receive demonstration on Kristin's Fav 5 !
This promises to be a great workshop - please register and spread the word to your students and other teachers!
Click here for page 1 of the Workshop brochure
Click Here for page 2 of the Workshop brochure
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College Scholarship
 Only 2 months before the deadline for the college scholarship, which is April 15. If your student is graduating college this year and is majoring in music (any instrument), they can apply for the $1000 college scholarship. The teacher of the instrument must be a member of NWSMTA for at least three years. Complete rules and application form are on the website. This year, our judge is willing to judge the student in her home in Wauconda, if the student prefers to perform in person. Otherwise the student can send in a DVD or perform via youtube. If you have questions, please call or email. If sending an email, please state college scholarship in the subject line.
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Festival of Pianos
 The 22nd Annual Festival of Pianos will take place September 26th and 27th, 2015 at Northbrook Court. The guidelines and registration forms are on the website. The repertoire has been selected but will not be put on the website until the final tempi have been determined. However, if you want the repertoire now to teach for spring recitals, please contact Diane Adamek at [email protected] and she will email the list to you.
Note that the registration forms and repertoire list are in landscape format, so please change your printer settings before printing them out.
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Free Recital
Yukiko Fujimura
Piano Recital
Friday, February 27, 2015
7:00pm
Salem United Methodist Church
115 W Lincoln Avenue, Barrington, IL
Free admission
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Library
NEWER PUBLICATIONS IN OUR LIBRARY (Fall 2014)
Acoustic & Digital PIANO BUYER
Larry Fine
The Art of Teaching Music
Estelle R. Jorgensen
The Art of the Piano-Its Performers, Literature and Recordings (with CD)
David Dubal
At the Piano, Interviews with 21st-Century Pianists
Caroline Benser
The Beethoven Sonatas and the Creative Experience
Kenneth Drake
CHOPIN pianist and teacher as seen by his pupils
Jean-Jacques Eigeldinger
Creative Piano Teaching
Yvonne Enoch
The Dynamic Studio: How to keep students, dazzle parents,
and build the music studio everyone wants to get into
Philip Johnston
Fourth Finger on B-Flat- Effective Strategies for Teaching Piano
Joanne Haroutounian
Guide to the Pianist's Repertoire (Fourth Edition 2013)
Maurice Hinson & Wesley Roberts
The Independent Piano Teacher's Studio Handbook-
Everything You Need to Know for a Successful Teaching Studio
Beth Gigante Klingenstein
The iPad Piano Studio
Leila Viss
Menahem Pressler, Artistry in Piano Teaching
William Brown
My Nine Lives: A Memoir of Many Careers in Music
Leon Fleisher
Note by Note, A Celebration of the Piano Lesson
Tricia Tunstall
Notes from the Pianist's Bench
Boris Berlin
The Perfect Wrong Note
William Westney
The Pianist's Craft: Mastering the Works of Great Composers
Richard PaulAnderson
The Pianist's Guide to Transcriptions, Arrangements, and Paraphrases
Maurice Hinson
The Piano (New Grove Musical Instrument Series)
Stanley Sadie, Editor
Piano Repertoire Guide, Intermediate and Advanced Literature
Cathy Albergo, Reid Alexander
A Piano Teacher's Legacy, Selected Writings by Richard Chronister
Edward Darling, Editor
Piano Teacher's Resource Kit (reproducible)
Karen Harrington
Practical Piano Pedagogy (with CD-ROM)
Martha Baker-Jordan
Practiceopedia, The Music Student's Illustrated Guide to Practicing
Philip Johnston
Professional Piano Teaching
Jeanine M. Jacobson, E. L. Lancaster, Editor
Questions and Answers, Practical Advice for Piano Teachers
Frances Clark
Studio Makeover: Technology "Addition" (on CD)
Keys to Imagination
The Success Factor in Piano Teaching: Making Practice Perfect
Elvina Truman Pearce
Thinking as You Play- Teaching Piano in Individual and Group Lessons
Sylvia Coats
The Well-Tempered Keyboard Teacher (2 copies)
Marienne Uszler, Stewart Gordon, Scott McBride Smith
What Every Pianist Needs to Know About the Body
Thomas Mark
What Music Means to Me (with DVD)
Richard Rejino (photography), Barbara Kreader (poetry)
OLDER PUBLICATIONS RECENTLY ADDED TO OUR LIBRARY(Jan. 2015)
Inside Music, How to Understand, Listen to, and Enjoy Good Music
Karl Haas
John Cage, Composed in America
ed. by Marjorie Perloff & Charles Junkerman
Liszt, The Artist as Romantic Hero
Eleanor Per�nyi
Modern Music, A Concise History
Paul Griffiths
The Mozart Handbook, A Guide to the Man and HisMusic
ed. & comp. by Louis Biancolli
Musical Thoughts & Afterthoughts
Alfred Brendel
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A Note from the Editor
 What I love about NWSMTA... 1. Our membership. The combined years of teaching experience, coupled with a supportive attitude is our biggest resource. It may be your first experience with a special needs student or you may be ready to try your hand at creating a website. There's someone to encourage and assist you whatever direction you're headed. Help is an email away. 2. Excellent programs. NWSMTA has a history of having outstanding speakers, often from our own group. The Independent Music Teachers' program had something for everyone. I have my laminator now and have a new outlet for my creativity. My students love their new laminated certificates which make a great keepsake. Janice Razaq's program and excellent handout on adjudicating was beneficial, whether you wil be judging or wish to use it as a tool for helping your students achieve a higher level of musicianship. It is so easy to have a student share a video of their playing. It's an opportunity to use Janice's comments to observe your student's performance as an adjudicator would. 3. Opportunities for our students. From recitals, to AIM, to Baroque dancing, discount tickets to concerts, scholarships and on and on. Our students are also benefactors in what NWSMTA has to offer. 4. Library Resource. Our library is available for online brousing 24 hours/day. New materials,, including books, CDs and DVDs, are regularly being added. The membership has input into what is purchased. Requests for material can be emailed and delivered at the next meeting or picked up earlier. Access to these fine materials can make you a better teacher and musician. And it's free with your membership. 5. Friends. You cannot attend a concert that you don't look around and see many friends also in the audience. There's always a group ready to do lunch. There probably aren't many who could understand your commitment to your students, or the difficulties of having students invade your home for an hour each week, but another teacher knows your pain. Deb Lynch Newsletter Editor |
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Hospitality
I sent a card to Jill Hodges family, expressing our sympathy at the passing of Jill.
Hospitality Chairperson, Janice Wilkans
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March Teacher Seminar by Gail Smith
 Note time change When: Saturday-March 21, 2015 Check-in: 1:30 pm - 2:00 pm
Seminar: 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm Where: HENDRICKS PIANOS, 421 Maple Ave, Downers Grove, IL 60515 Fee: $25 includes the new workbook - 'Composing & Improvising' Register your attendance by email to [email protected] and pay at the door. Celebrate 'Women's History Month' and 'Bach's Birthday while attending a fact-filled workshop demonstration. You will learn how to improvise and compose in a step-by step process. Right-hand patterns, will be shown, as well as easy left-hand patterns to play instead of holding one triad. Popular songs, folk songs or Happy Birthday will instantly sound terrific. Learn new fills, sound effects and creative ideas. This "One-of-a-kind Workshop", will be given by, Gail Smith. She has written and, compiled over 70 books for pianists such as the following, "The Complete book of Improvisation", "Fills and chord Progressions", "Four Centuries of Women Composers". "Complete book of Modulations"; :Complete book of Chords"; "Complete Book of Scales'; "The Great Literature Series" by Mel Bay and "Creative Christmas Carols"; Women Composers in History" and "Piano Music of AMY BEACH" published by Hal Leonard as well as many books of Hymn arrangements by several other publishers. Gail Smith has given workshops and concerts in most every state as well as in Japan, Germany and Sweden. She gave a recital in an embassy in D.C. to celebrate Terresa Carreno's 150th birthday. She was the pianist for the "Singing Policeman", on his Tour across America and was the pianist at the famed Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. This workshop will stimulate and inspire those who want to improvise or compose. Those attending will receive a free copy of the first known piano solo that can be played upside down and sound the same (an Ambigram) plus the palindrome titled "STATS". |
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Northwest Suburban Music Teachers Association
Robin Meredith-Kramer, President
Maureen Flood, Website
Deborah Lynch, Newsletter
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