www.msmta.org A bi-monthly publication of the Maryland State Music Teachers Association December 2005

Affiliated with Music Teachers National Association

Maryland State Music Teachers Association

The 2005 MSMTA Collaborative Conference was held on the weekend of October 15th and 16th at Anne Arundel Community College in Arnold, Maryland. The two spectacular days were filled with a wonderful mix of chamber music, piano, and vocal sessions and presenters, a few which were so exceptional we have special reports from attendees that follow.

Our opening Chamber Music session, with master clinician Joy Puckett Schreier, was an amazingly, exceptional, enlightening, and instructive session so noteworthy that the room seemed to vibrate with energy from her depth and skill. The student performers came from the studio of Doug Guiles and were outstanding and malleable musicians.

The day flew by with sessions from faculty at Anne Arundel Community College. Diane Kinsley presented a session on the Art of Accompanying and a Master Class with Jason Stern, a well-renowned Met baritone, was thoroughly entertaining. Matt Edwards’s session on Heinrich Schenker/Theories of Musical Construction reducing a symphonic score to three notes was instructive and presented in an amusing manner.

At the end of the first day we were graciously guided by Marilyn Neeley in a discussion by an outstanding panel of their personal journeys to the love of chamber music, the vast and rich repertoire available and how this musical collaboration has brought depth to their own performances and teaching roles. The panel members were Joy Puckett Schreier, Noel Lester, Denise Nathanson, Dave Duree, and Matt Edwards.

Our evening was completed with another collaborative mix of repertoire and musicians in a concert held in the Pascal Center of Performing Arts. The program was varied and engaging but my favorite was the concluding duet performance by Mary Anne Barcellona and Jason Stearn as Nedda and Silvio from Pagliacci by Ruggiero Leoncavallo.

The second day the conference gathering began with Dallas Weekly and Nancy Arganbright showcasing their duet literature. Kjos provided the conference with music packets to peruse and purchase. A very special master class followed with Mary Saunders from Pennsylvania State University on belt singing. This session did not end on time due to an amazing and startling depth of discussion so the session continued in another room into a three hour session on bel canto/can belto.

Nancy Breth is a remarkable teacher and speaker. Her students performed with ease and excellence “The Beggars Opera” and a free copy for all registrants was donated by Hal Leonard. Nancy Breth brought a significant list of accessible chamber music for the young musician to this session and her second session on the Practice Guide provided guidelines that with regular practice and normal talent even the average student can succeed. Sunday’s conference concluded with the Composers Circle honoring our youthful composers.

A special thank you for the amazing heroic rise to the occasion by Bonnie Lynn-Pausic, convention co-chair, and Doug Byerly, Music Department Coordinator, for swiftly choreographing the luncheons, banquet and board meeting breakfast when at the last minute the original catering/food service cancelled. The meals were adorned by beautiful arrangements provided by the MTAB, Music Teachers Association of Bowie and another thank you to Anne Arundel Music Teachers for providing members to introduce session presenters. A special heartfelt thank you for exceptional assistance in the planning and execution of this year’s conference go to Doug Byerly, Helen Smith-Tarchalski, and Richard Hartzell.

Ann McCandlissConvention Co-Chair

2005 MSMTA Collaborative Conference – A Wonderful Mix

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PRESIDENTJoselyn Cross Makowski2329 Blue Valley DriveSilver Spring, MD 20904301-384-1056

VP CERTIFICATIONAnn S. Matteson5204 Paducah RoadCollege Park, MD 20740

VP MEMBERSHIPRichard L. Hartzell1817 Arcola AvenueSilver Spring, MD 20902

VP PUBLICATIONSClaudette Horwitz5004 Barkwood PlaceRockville, MD 20853

VP STUDENT ACTIVITIESCarol Wolfe-Ralph6102 Gallery StreetBowie, MD 20720

CORRESPONDING SECRETARYHelen Smith Tarchalski17737 Stoneridge DriveGaithersburg, MD 20878

RECORDING SECRETARYJudith Dalton9268 East CourtWhite Plains, MD 20695

TREASURERJudith E. Parks6300 Farmington LaneWoodbine, MD 21797

HISTORIANDeborah White-Bondhus10637 Green Mountain CircleColumbia, MD 21044

MEMBER-AT-LARGEMaxine Lewack1614 Peacock LaneSilver Spring, MD 20904

IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENTGary W. Dinn

LOCAL ASSOCIATION PRESIDENTS

ANNE ARUNDEL MTABetsy Green

MTA GREATER BALTIMOREFaith Wenger

MTA BOWIEJeannine Case

CARROLL COUNTY MTASue Gubernatis

MTA CHARLES COUNTYJudith Dalton

GREATER COLUMBIA MTAHelen Weems

EASTERN SHORE MTARaymond Hobbs

FREDERICK COUNTY MTAKaren Skelly

HOWARD COUNTY MTAKathryn Stansbery

GREATER LAUREL MTADeborah White-Bondhus

MONTGOMERY COUNTY MTAJean Lauderdale

PRINCE GEORGES MTALinda Head

MTA SOUTHERN MARYLANDDonna White

Mary Saunders Belting Master Classand follow-up session

On Sunday October 16th, the MSMTA Conference presented Mary Saunders of Penn State who gave a master class in “belting”, a term used to describe the very strong and penetrating sound women can make with the lower register or “chest voice” part of their voices. Ms. Saunders is head of the voice department of Penn State’s music theatre program.

She worked with six singers, four of college age and two adults. They each sang a song prepared in advance, and they were all accompanied by Matthew Edwards of Anne Arundel Community College. Some of the singers were very comfortable with this particular use of the voice and others were brand new to it. Ms. Saunders stressed the similarities between using this part of the voice for singing and employing it in normal speech patterns and habits. For some it clearly was helpful to begin to use this sound in song through speech. It was also stressed that in the world of musical theater, composers have been writing for this particular sound for 100 years or more. And if one seriously considers a career in this field, it is a kind of vocal production that is virtually a requirement for one to be competitive.

There were approximately 50 people in attendance, and it seemed to be an interesting mix of singers, voice teachers, coaches and pianists. All seemed very receptive and appreciative of Ms. Saunders’ presentation.

Richard L. Hartzell

CONGRATULATIONS

MSMTA is delighted to congratulate Jarl Hulbert who has received the MTNA National Certification in Piano.

He will automatically be awarded Maryland State Music Teachers Association Certification at the state level also. Certification signifies commitment to the musical profession and we are proud of Jarl’s accomplishment.

Jarl was at the 2005 MSMTA Conference at Anne Arundel Community College manning the University of Maryland table. He was promoting the American Piano Series at the University of Maryland, March 8 through 12 and the 2007 William Kapell International Piano Competition and Festival which will be held July 10 through July 21.

Ann Matteson VP Certification

WEBSITE UPDATEAs some of you may have noticed, the MSMTA web site has been undergoing some renovations. A new color scheme and navigation layout have been introduced on many pages; over the next several weeks all pages on the site will be updated. Also, pages with outdated information will be either updated or removed.Formerly, the web site only worked well for Internet Explorer; the new navigation provides full functionality for other web browsers such as Netscape, Mozilla and Firefox. Other changes include reducing the number of colors and fonts to make the site more readable, and providing direct links to other music organizations in the state of Maryland.If any members have suggestions for other content, please forward them to Claudette Horwitz.

John RalphMSMTA Webmaster

MSMTA NEWS

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STANDING

COMMITTEE

CHAIRS

ADVERTISING

Robert Hauptman

BYLAWS/PARLIAMENTARIAN

David Holmes

CERTIFICATION

Ann Matteson

COLLEGE FACULTY

Matt Edwards

COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND EDUCATION

Deborah White-Bondhus

COMPOSITION COMMISSIONING

Li-Ly Chang

CONVENTION

Ann McCandliss

FINANCE

Dianna Souder

FUND RAISING

TBA

INDEPENDENT MUSIC TEACHERS

Helen Smith Tarchalski

LOCAL AND STUDENT ASSOCIATIONS

Kathryn Stansbery

MTNA FOUNDATION

Michele Hobart Rohan

MSMTA FOUNDATION/FUNDRAISING

TBA

MEMBERSHIP

Richard Hartzell

MULTIMEDIA

Ina Nacev Allen

NOMINATING

Claudette L. Horwitz

PUBLICATIONS

Claudette L. Horwitz

PUBLICITY

Mary Wolf

STUDENT ACTIVITIES

Carol Wolfe-Ralph

TALENT RESOURCE

Jeffery Beaudry

TECHNOLOGY

Helen Smith Tarchalski

from the President...One of the most difficult tasks for me in being the MSMTA president is this periodic message to the membership. How to get started…there’s too much to say… and only 500 words in which to say it? How to avoid long lists of “thank- you’s” when there is such a long list of people who deserve public thanks? et cetera, et cetera. But I plunge in, hoping that all of the board members and committee and event chairs will take my sincere gratitude as a given.

There are two people I must mention this time around. Ann McCandliss did her usual spectacular job with the 2005 MSMTA Convention in October, despite a couple last minute serious set-

backs that would have flattened most event planners. She and her assistant chair, Bonnie Pausic, handled everything with cool grace and efficiency. The programs were fun and informative, and now, in late December, I am still hearing reference to several of them.

Carol Wolfe-Ralph deserves some sort of medal for surviving all the problems with getting the Student Activities calendar set for this year. The SAH was ready to be printed in early September, awaiting final confirmation of dates from some of the facilities she had dealt with all summer. When word finally came from the University of Maryland in College Park, after numerous unreturned phone calls and emails, it was approaching Thanksgiving…and they had decided that not only could we not have the dates we had requested, but we could no longer use those facilities at all in the future! After much back and forth, we were rather grudgingly granted the right to use the facility this year, but told we will have to seek other venues in the future.

This is an issue we must pursue as high as we have to go. For several years it has become harder and harder to get co-operation from that facility. We are offered Easter weekend and Memorial Day weekend…even when the School of Music is on break during some of the times we request. We can’t use the number of classrooms we need, even though it means running our large events from 8AM till 8PM or 9PM. In short, it is very insensitive treatment of our professional organization. Our membership includes more than 265 graduates of UMCP who hold music degrees and countless others who take specialized classes, and/or support the music offerings at the school. We train the talented students who choose to seek degrees from the university…I can go on! I’m wound up now!

My personal belief is that a major problem is one of perception of what we do, and that it is up to us to change that. We are a strong, vital part of the music community. Our members are in all the major orchestras, choruses, opera companies, chamber groups, college faculties, and serve on numerous boards of major music organizations throughout the metropolitan area. Too many to innumerate have national or international reputations as performers, composers, authors, and pedagogues. We truly have earned and deserve better treatment from a major state university whose website announces that it is our school, whose purpose is to serve the community. We are very fortunate in the fact that the other facilities we use are more than cooperative, and welcome the chance our events offer to showcase their schools.

Wishing each of you a Blessed and Contented 2006!

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STUDENT ACTIVITIESDAVID R. HORWITZ MEMORIAL COMPETITION RESULTS

The second annual David R. Horwitz Memorial Competition for Violin and Piano Duo was held on December 18, 2005 at the Academy of Music in Gaithersburg. This is one of the first of the many events sponsored throughout the academic year by the MSMTA for its students and teachers. Eight high school musicians performed works by Handel, Beethoven, Franck, Schnitke and Prokofiev.

Dr. Hsiu-Hui Wang, pianist with the Gemini Trio, judged the event, and chose the following winners:

1st Prize ($100.) went to Jessica Kim, violin, student of Natalia Yampolsky, and Cristina Rudenko, piano, student of Anna Ouspenskaya.

Two 3rd Prizes ($50. each) were awarded to Max Li, violin, student of Judith Silverman, and Alvin Hua, piano, student of Hyun Park, and to Adriana Socoski, violin, student of Daniel Lau, and Laura Stolfzfus, piano, student of Michael Jamanis.

Honorable Mention was given to Melissa Truong, violin, student of Steve Wilber, and Jonathan Truong, student of Dr. Deborah Brown.

Dr. Wang received her bachelor’s degree summa cum laude from the Hartt School of Music, master’s degree from the University of Southern California, and her doctoral degree in piano performance from the University of Maryland, College Park. She is on the music faculty of Goucher College and Howard Community College where she has been selected as the 2003-2004 Arts and Humanities Division Outstanding Full-time Faculty.

Co-chairs Claudette Horwitz and Judith Silverman are very grateful to Philip Hosford for the use of his facilities at the Academy of Music which included warm-up rooms for the contestants.

Teachers who may wish to participate in this competition next year are invited to send their names to the chairs. Violin teachers will be sent a list of interested piano teachers and vice versa. This exchange should take place in the late spring so that repertoire can be chosen before the end of the school year. The violin/piano duo repertoire is extraordinarily beautiful music and a great learning experience for piano students.

Dr. Hsiu-Hui Wang, Cristina Rudenko and Jessica Kim, 1st Place winners.

Laura Stoltzfus, Adriana Socoski, Dr. Hsiu-Hui Wang, Max Li, and Alvin Hua. They were tied for 3rd place award.

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The Composers Circle took place in the Cade Fine Arts Center of Anne Arundel Community College on Sunday October 16 at 3:30 p.m. This is one of the most delightful highlights of the conference each year. Students from around the state of Maryland played their compositions and gave the audience information about themselves and the pieces they composed.

The purpose of the Composers Circle is to encourage students and teachers to compose and to provide a venue for their compositions to be heard. Sometimes we have students who write the lyrics and then set them to song, which was the case of the charming song The Dimples On Your Cheeks. The audience also heard blues pieces, compositions with clever titles, a Fantasy for Violin and Piano, and the program ended with a teacher composed piece for soprano, cello and piano appropriately named Autumn – Homecoming from Seasons #2.

The students received a printed booklet of all the pieces performed and a certificate was presented to each student. It was a very special event because the students/teachers were not just performing music, they were performing the music that they had created.

Following the concert, there was a reception in honor of the participants. Participating teachers were Patricia Graham, Batya Harel, Dimitri Nassar, Ruth Peng, Helen Weems, Marcia Slentz-Whalen and Barbara Wing.

Teachers who are interested in composing and/or having their students perform compositions should start thinking about preparation for next year’s Composers Circle as it takes time to compose music. The Composers Circle is held at the MSMTA Conference each fall. Students can use technology to write their music or they can hand-write it to present for the Composers Circle. Students at all levels are encouraged to compose.

Ann Matteson

MSMTA COMPOSERS CIRCLE MTNA COMPETITION RESULTSThe MTNA-MSMTA Competitions were held November 6 at UMBC:The following winners were chosen:

Junior Piano Winner: Rebecca Zhang (Marjorie Lee) Alternate: Christine Chew (Nancy Breth) HM: Connie Zhou (Rosita Mang)

Senior Piano Winner: Kimberly Kong (Yong Hi Moon) Alternate: Ha Eun Lee (Yong Hi Moon)

Senior Woodwinds Winner: Dondi Ellis (Jennifer Rundlett) Alternate: Hleb Kanasevich (Sidney Forrest) HM: Elizabeth Pack (Gina Eichman)

Young Artist Piano Winner: Joseph Irrera (Alexander Shtarkman) Alternate: Michael Bunchman (Marian Hahn)

MSMTA is very grateful to the following chairpersons for their hard work and expertise in administering these competitions.

MTNA Student Composition Competition: Dr. Hui-Yen Chang MTNA Junior High School Competition: Douglas Guiles MTNA High School Competitions: Marilyn Stoughton MTNA Collegiate Competitions: Marilyn Stoughton MTNA Collegiate Chamber Music Competition: Dr. Nancy Roldan

We are also grateful to the following judges who served so ably in adjudicating these events:

Senior Piano: Joy Puckett Schreier, Jeanne Pascal, Marjorie Lee

Junior Piano: Gary Dinn, Lois Jones, Bonnie Kellert

Senior Woodwinds: Marlee Lindon, Lindsey Spear, Karen Hopkinson

Young Artist Piano: Nancy Breth

IN MEMORIAM…Our deepest condolences to Christopher Hall on the passing of his father, who had been gravely ill for some time. Mr. Hall lived in Minnesota.

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Student assistant Erin Campbell and Keyboard chair Luba Turkevich at the Montgomery County Keyboard Musicianship exam.

MSMTA KEYBOARD MUSICIANSHIP PROGRAM

Montgomery County (MSMTA) Keyboard testing was held on December 4th at the ACADEMY OF MUSIC in Gaithersburg. Bonnie Kellert chaired the event with her usual expertise and efficiency. One hundred and fifty eight students (158) from the studios of 18 teachers, tested in Scales, Arpeggio, Sight Reading, Harmonization, Transposition and Improvisation. I am happy to say that there is a high standard of playing at all levels in all MSMTA chapters. This rise in the quality of performance testifies to the fact that each year about eighty (80) trophies are awarded.

By studying these keyboard skills, the students acquire thorough knowledge of the tools of musicianship which enables them to learn and memorize the repertoire with better perception.

In January, the Greater Laurel Chapter will test 185 students on two separate days at Jordan Kitts Piano Location. Lisa Bussing and Erlinda Ng chair this event. Considering the fact that each student plays a minimum of 15 minutes, the testing will require many judges and long hours. Greater Laurel has many advanced levels of level 10, and many students perform advanced improvisation. Congratulations to teachers who devote so much energy in training the skills of musicianship.

Luba Turkevich. Chair

MEMBER NEWS

On the Trail of a Fleeting Subject

Experts Study Whether More Hummingbirds Are Spending Winters in Colder East Coast ClimesBy D’Vera CohnWashington Post Staff WriterWednesday, December 14, 2005; Page B01

David W. Holmes backed his station wagon into the driveway of a Calvert County home yesterday and popped open the hatchback so his trapping partner could pull out the bird cage. A hummingbird had been seen there, and Holmes wanted to get his hands on it.

He wasn’t surprised that a tiny tropical creature would be zipping around the Washington metropolitan area on a windy morning with temperatures in the mid-20s. The licensed bird-bander had already had placed numbered bands on the legs of three others in suburban Maryland this month as part of research into why and how hummingbirds spend the winter in this area. Some experts think the population of East Coast wintering hummingbirds is growing and hope the study will prove their theory true.

A hummingbird sighting was thrilling enough to have attracted a parade of visitors after the news went out on a birding listserv last week. Two men and a woman had scouted the bird unsuccessfully with binoculars and a spotting scope for half an hour before Holmes, a 65-year-old music teacher, and Bruce Peterjohn, a 53-year-old biologist, arrived in North Beach.

The men, who are serious amateur ornithologists, took down the nectar-filled feeder on the home’s front porch, hung it inside their bird cage and set it on a card table. As Holmes ambled back to the station wagon to assemble his tools, the hummingbird zoomed into view, circled the cage and flew inside toward the feeder. The trap door clicked shut. Continued on Page 7

Congratulations to MSMTA Treasurer, JUDITH PARKS, who has officially received her Doctorate in Music

Education. She will be attending her graduation on December 22, 2005.

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“I can’t believe it,” Holmes muttered. “Definitely not ready.”

He knelt by the open hatchback, moving rapidly because he knew the captured bird would be terrified, which can be fatal to hummingbirds. With ungloved hands, he cut and shaped an aluminum alloy band, so small that he stores them on a safety pin. He read out the number -- N87604 -- and Peterjohn recorded it on a data sheet. Then Holmes retrieved the bird, which was slamming itself against the cage in its anxiety to get out.

“Good grief,” said Holmes, cupping the iridescent bird in his hand as puffs of feathers blew into the air. The hummingbird was molting, but stress also can cause feathers to fall out. Delicately, Holmes placed it in a black sock to calm and warm it, took it back to the car, then wrapped the band around its leg. He could feel its heart beat.

With a magnifying jeweler’s loupe, he measured the bird’s wing, tail feathers and bill with a caliper, calling out the measurements for Peterjohn to record. Seeing the bird up close, looking at the color and width of its tail feathers, they could tell it was a male rufous hummingbird, born this year.

Rufous birds, named for their reddish color, nest in the Northwest, and most spend the winter in Mexico. But within the past two decades, people who left their feeders out in cold months began seeing them in Eastern states. At least three have been banded this decade at a Smithsonian Institution garden in downtown Washington. A bird banded in Richmond several years ago turned up in Montana the following fall, then was captured in Richmond again the next winter. The Calvert County bird banded yesterday was not the first for homeowner Jim Stasz, who had another at his feeder a decade ago. By late January, most or all will leave for warmer places.

“They used to be considered lost,” said Bob Sargent, founder of the Alabama-

David Holmes, a bird-bander from Columbia, prepares to release a rufous hummingbird after it was caught and banded. He has banded three others this month in Maryland. (By Ray K. Saunders -- The Washington Post)

based Hummer/Bird Study Group, which is coordinating much of the winter hummingbird research and training most hummingbird banders, including Holmes. “That’s just not true. These birds are here by design. They are doing what their genetic makeup tells them to do.”

Sargent believes the Eastern winter hummingbird population is growing, either because the birds are being helped along by backyard feeders or because they are reproducing more rapidly than other hummingbirds. Winter hummingbirds also eat insects when it is warm enough that they come out.

Hummingbirds weigh about an eighth of an ounce. Holmes had forgotten to bring his scale -- “How did I do that?” he reprimanded himself -- but could tell that the bird had no body fat. That is normal, he noted, because hummingbirds bulk up during the day, eating

their weight in sugar water, and slim down while in a sleep-like state overnight.

But this bird suddenly seemed too still. Its bill gaped. “Oh, dear, what have we done?” Holmes, who has banded birds since 1970, recalled thinking.

He sped back to the porch and held the hummer up to the feeder. Peterjohn leaned over the bird, hoping his breath would revive it. “Take him inside,” Holmes said. “Get him at least warm.”

After a few minutes there, they decided the blast of the car heater was a better solution and rushed back to the station wagon. Inside the hot car, the bird gradually perked up.

When Holmes emerged, the hummingbird was pushing against his hand, struggling to get away. He opened his fingers, and it bolted. Within a few minutes, it settled on a second nectar feeder in the front yard.

“It turned out to be more interesting than I wished,” Holmes said later, sitting in his car. “The standard fear is that you are going to hurt them. Birds are delicate, but they are delicately strong. They go through an awful lot in the wild.”

Continued from Page 6

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LOCAL ASSOCIATIONS

Summer- usually a dormant period for the Association - made a big “splash”, when the first Water Music Festival was held at the home of Marcia Slentz-Whalen on July 16th. Five teachers, thirty students, their parents and siblings participated. Six mini-recitals were held in Marcia’s studio, with groups of parents and children circulating from studio to swimming pool to Snack Station on the patio. Repertoire had to be water related; selections ranged from ocean voyages and limpid streams to snow and ice. The day was a huge success despite threatening weather. We hope to make this an annual event.

September 9th was our first General Meeting of the academic year, which was highlighted by a presentation entitled ”Positive Approaches to Teaching Adolescents” by guest speaker Martha Smith from NVMTA in Arlington Virginia.

In September we held our 3rd Annual Members’ Dinner and Musicale at the studio of Ellen Winner. Seven members and spouses attended; both the food (pot luck) and performances- some planned, some impromptu were wonderful.

Our November 4th General Meeting featured special guest Carol Klose, whom we all know as a wonderful composer of piano student music for Hal Leonard Publications. (She also happens to be the mother of our President Betsy Green!) Carol’s presentation dealt with how to include composition in all our lessons. The meeting was very well attended, particularly since an invitation had been issued to MSMTA organizations from neighboring counties. (Guests included members from the Bowie, Eastern Shore and Harford County organizations.)

November 5th was our 20th Annual Music Marathon at the Mall. This year we were fortunate to be able to hold it at Westfield Annapolis Mall (near the entrance to Nordstroms). One hundred students from the studios of ten members performed at hourly recitals (from 10:00 until 6:00) on a 6’4” Petrof grand. Performers received Certificates of Participation and a final round of applause at the close of each recital from an

enthusiastic audience of family members and shoppers. Suzanne Hilton and Ellen Winner chaired this event.

The year 2005 was brought to a close with the annual Holiday Festival recital, which was held at the Ginger Cove retirement community in Annapolis on December 10th. Twenty-four students from three studios performed Christmas, Hannukah and related festive seasonal selections.

AAMTA members are looking forward to a relaxing(?) holiday and a wonderful year ahead.

Betsy Green, President

HCMTA has started off the new year with quite a few events. Nancy Riley chaired our Oktoberfest Student Recital on October 23. Our second Student Recital was held on November 20, with Alla Merport as the chair. Both recitals were held at the Howard County Center for the Arts in Ellicott City.

At Howard Community College in Columbia, we have hosted two centers for the MSMTA Keyboard Musicianship Exams, one in October, chaired by Olga Kuperstein, and one in November, with Christopher Hall chairing. Nearly 200 students participated this year!

The next event will be our annual Theme Festival in February, chaired by Kathy Stansbery. The theme this year is “Music of the Americas.” Students will play pieces by composers from the Western Hemisphere, including North, South and Central America, as well as the Caribbean region. It should be an interesting recital!

Our Theory Testing will follow on March 4 at Howard Community College, again chaired by Alla Merport and assisted by Olga Kuperstein and Sima Elkis. (We are looking forward to the updated tests resulting from the hard work of Deborah White-Bondhus and her Theory Committee!)

Our first competition, the Piano Ensemble, will be chaired by Christopher Hall and held in March. Many, many thanks go to all of our hard-working chairs, several of whom oversee more than one event each year.

Kathy Stansbery, President

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GCMTA is pleased to announce that our April 2 Master Class will be facilitated by Bonnie Kellert. It will be held in the home of Kay Patterson, and will cost $11 per auditing teacher.

Helen Weems, President

GREATER COLUMBIA MUSIC TEACHERS ASSOCIATION

Our November meeting was privileged to have Lois Narvey’s informative talk on a harpsichordist’s view of Bach on the piano. Her presentation was stimulating in the ideas she expounded for transfering performance practices of the Baroque era to the modern piano. Our December meeting had several of our talented and accomplished members performing. Among them were Margee Patterson, Li-Ly Chang, Marilyn Briant and Andrew Zatman, Louise Kupelian, and new member I-Ling Chen. These delightful performances were followed by a very festive pot-luck luncheon.

Jean Lauderdale

MTASM began the 2005-2006 year with a day of All Boys and All Girls Recitals. These recitals were held at Asbury Retirement Center, Solomons and were chaired by Barbara Graham.

November 19 marked the day for an Ensemble Concert at Cornerstone Presbyterian Church in Lexington Park. The duets, performed by students, friends, families and teachers of various studios, took place on two grand pianos. It was an exciting event! Barbara Graham was chair.

The holiday season was celebrated with a day of recitals on December 3 at St. Mary’s College. Festive music was performed by students from various studios. Co-chairs were Barbie Carpenter and Donna White.

Donna White, MTASM President

MUSIC TEACHERS ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHERN MARYLAND

Frederick County Music Teachers Association was happy to welcome several new teachers to our group this Fall. About 70 students participated in 3 Halloween Recitals, many in costume, and our Fall Adjudication was a success with a fun theme of “Jazz, Rags, & Blues” in November. We’ve had several interesting programs at our monthly meetings: “Four Time Periods In About an Hour” from our own Bobbie Rastall, with new ideas to help us integrate music history into lessons, and a wonderful program from guest Judy Dalton called “Teaching Harmonic Structure”. Our December potluck brunch was small but enjoyable (thank you, early snow!). We’re already looking forward to Keyboard Exams and Valentines Recitals in February.

Karen Skelly, President

Fall activities for the Music Teachers Assn. of Bowie included a Halloween Recital

on Oct. 29, featuring 78 students (most in costume) performing piano, harp and vocal selections in 4 recitals. These recitals were held at the Unity Center of Light in Bowie and chaired by Bonnie Pausic. The “MOZART AND FRIENDS” Festival was presented by 95 students on Dec. 3 at the Village Baptist Church in Bowie. Included in the 4 recitals was a unique segment entitled “Hello Mr Mozart” in which the chair, Betsy Angebranndt, spoke about the life, family and musical works of Mozart, and then several members (including Jeannine Case, Maxine Russell, Martha Sallet, Marcia Slentz-Whalen, Gail Vehslage, and Elizabeth White) performed more difficult works of Mozart on flute and piano. Our next event, the Chamber Music Festival, will be held on Sat, Jan. 21 at Jordan Kitt’s in College Park. Chair Marcia Slentz-Whalen reports that 74 students on flute and piano and accompanied by 2 sets of string players, will perform in 6 recitals that day. Our annual Holiday Luncheon, chaired by Amaryllis Price, was held on Dec. 7 at Outback Restaurant in Bowie. The luncheon was delicious, delightful and well attended by over 30 people, and MTAB treated retiring members Mary Jo McGovern and Joan Koppenhaver as a “Thank You” for their many years of volunteer service.

Jeannine Case, President

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MEMBERSHIPCONGRATULATIONS TO THE FOLLOWING MEMBERS:

Kathryn Mary Fisher successfully passed her Provisional Audition on September 25, 2005 and is now an active member of MSMTA. The judges were Barbara Kornreich and Miriam Fung, and the audition took place at Jordan Kitt’s in College Park. Her teaching field is piano.

Bridget Wang passed her Provisional Audition on November 27, 2005 and is now officially an Active member of MSMTA. Her teaching field is piano. The audition was held at Jordan Kitt’s and the judges were Lisa Bussing and Wendy Dengler.

PLEASE UPDATE THE FOLLOWING MEMBER INFORMATION IN YOUR DIRECTORY:

Nicole Amyot3100 N. Leisure World Blvd #820Silver Spring, MD 20906(301)598-0368

Chien-Tai Chencitynoah@gmail.com

Eun Joo Chung 6112 Cliffside TrailColumbia, MD 21045-7412(410) 953-0312

Karen England(301) 776-9258

Christopher Hallbreslaulemberg@yahoo.com

Richard Hartzellrlhartzell@verizon.net

Amy Kaye 501 Saint Paul St. Apt. 1512Baltimore MD 21202-2293.

Mary Jo McGovern221 Booth Street, Apt 311 Gaithersburg, MD 20878-5467(301) 926-4674mcgovernm@comcast.net

Seungmin Paik9734 Evening Bird Ln.Laurel, MD 20723

Ae Ja Parkaepark1228@gmail.com

Kay Pattersonkaydougpat@comcast.net

Bonnie Pausic(301) 390-6463

Nancy Rileypianoriley@hotmail.com

Rita Rogers7814 Halehaven CourtSevern, MD 21144(410) 551-5668staugfl89@aol.com

Nancy Roldannroldanmd@aol.com

Tina SmithPiano Perspectives School of Musicppsm@verizon.net

Deborah Kay Zagorin10121 Roveout LaneColumbia, MD 21046deborahkaypiano@yahoo.com

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Karin Brown2115 Sulgrave AvenueBaltimore, MD 21209(410) 601-0274barinkrown@aol.comViolin, Viola

I-Ling Chen1017 Grand Champion DriveRockville, MD 20850(301) 869-8218harmonicpiano@yahoo.comPiano, Accompanying

Diane D. Dombek - Provisional9655 Corn Tassel CourtColumbia, MD 21046(301) 776-7156dombek4@att.net

Stephen Lynn Gibson4401 Huntchase DriveBowie, MD 20720(301) 860-1793stephenlgibson@aol.comPiano

Diane J. Kinsley1416 Point-a-Woods Ct.Arnold, MD 21012(410) 757-2071dianekinsley@att.netPiano

Lina Morita11215 Oak Leaf Drive #2006Silver Spring, MD 20901(585) 802-6223linamorita@hotmail.comPiano

Julie Ann Neuberger37325 East Spicer DriveMechanicsville, MD 20659(803) 920-9426julieann.neuberger@gmail.comPiano, Pedagogy

Barbara Lake Peters1323 Hamilton Blvd.Hagerstown, MD 21742-3342(301) 797-7824barmusic01@hotmail.comPiano

Rita Rogers -- Provisional7814 Halehaven CourtSevern, MD 21144h: (410) 551-5668; c: (410) 245-0163staugfl89@aol.com

Debra R. Smedley23268 Oak Crest LaneCalifornia, MD 20619(301) 863-5568smedleym@gmpexpress.netPiano

Kuei-I Wu5904 Stevens Forest RoadColumbia, MD 21045(410) 964-9435kueii5@hotmail.comPiano

Anita P. Yuthasastrkosol9715 C Leatherfern TerraceMontgomery Village, MD 20886(301) 417-9615anita4music@aol.comPiano

REINSTATED MEMBERS:

Ann Mitrisin6514 East Halbert RoadBethesda, MD 20817(301) 229-7882Piano

Tao Chang Yu8767 Hayshed LaneColumbia, MD 21045(410) 730-6023icetyu@mac.comViolin

WELCOME NEW MEMBERSPLEASE UPDATE THE FOLLOWING MEMBER INFORMATION

IN YOUR DIRECTORY:

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OTHER ORGANIZATIONSAMERICAN LISZT SOCIETY BALTIMORE-WASHINGTON CHAPTER

presents the

WILLIAM GARRISON FESTIVAL & PIANO COMPETITIONhttp://www.garrisonpianocompetition.org

PO BOX 26288Baltimore, MD 21210

BOARD OF DIRECTORSNancy Roldán - PresidentErnest Ragogini - Vice-PresidentPatricia Graham - TreasurerKitty Allen - SecretaryThomas Mastroianni - Liaison DC EventsAudition Coordinators Patricia Graham - American Pianist Douglass Guiles - Young Artist Elizabeth Hart - Collaborative Pianist

ADVISORY BOARDJenifer Garrison - Ex-officioThomas BenjaminLoraine BernsteinPhyllis Bryn-JulsonDavid CannataRena Charnin-MuellerJosé CuetoBruce EicherLeon FleisherElizabeth HartLee HoibyPhillip KolkerJoAnn KuleszaFernando LairesJulian L. LapidesWilliam LeebMarilyn NeeleyEdward PolochickDoug RobertsAnn ScheinMary SchwendemanMary Pat SeurkampMurry SidlinDonald SutherlandNelita TruePaul Zeigler

December 2005

Dear Colleague:

The Board of Directors of the William Garrison Festival and Piano Competition under the auspices of the Baltimore-Washington Chapter of the American Liszt Society would like you to join us for our 2006 Festival to be held at College of Notre Dame of Maryland September 15 through 17.

We are glad to announce two additional categories to the 2006 Garrison Festival and Piano Competition: The International Collaborative Pianist and the International Young Artist competition for pianists. The American Pianist will continue in a similar format to 2005.

The Baltimore-Washington Chapter of the American Liszt Society congratulates its new members and the winners of the inaugural 2005 American Pianist Competition:

FIRST PRIZE: Robert Mitchell Student of Nelita True at Eastman School of Music

SECOND PRIZE: Lura Johnson-Lee Maryland

BEST INTERPRETATION AWARDS

Composition by Franz Liszt: Joshua Jobst MA Student at Eastern Michigan University

Composition by an American Composer: Lura Johnson-Lee

Judges for the competition were Marilyn Neeley, Gila Goldstein and Edward Polochick. Don’t hesitate to call us if you wish to find out more about the 2006 festival and our exciting plans. See information enclosed.

Most sincerely,

Nancy Roldán, DMA (410) 833-9547 nancyroldanpiano@aol.com

The American Liszt Society, Inc. is a non-profit tax-exempt organization under the provisions of section 501 (c) 3 of the Internal Revenue Code.Additional information may be obtained visiting its website: www.americanlisztsociety

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AN INVITATION FROM LANCASTER, PA MTA

The teachers of Lancaster Music Teachers Association (local chapter of PMTA/MTNA) would like to invite you to a wonderful teacher event to be held on February 17 and 18, 2006 at Elizabethtown College, Elizabethtown, PA. With the assistance of the college and grants from MTNA and PMTA, our chapter has been able to schedule a recital, seminar and “Un-Master” Class with noted author, teacher and concert pianist, Dr. William Westney. Some of you may have read Dr. Westney’s book The Perfect Wrong Note: Learning to Trust Your Musical Self. Dr. Westney has presented his workshop at The Juilliard School, Peabody Conservatory and recently, at our own state convention in PA in 2004. Our teachers who attended the convention felt so strongly about Dr. Westney’s message that we decided to invite him for an encore presentation in our home town for all the local teachers who missed him.Conference registration is now open and there is a discount for registering ahead of time (deadline February 1st). The cost is $30 per teacher ($35 after 2/1) which includes the artist recital on 2/17, the seminar presentation “The Perfect Wrong Note” on 2/18 AM (9AM to noon) and Dr. Westney’s patented “Un-Master” Class on 2/18 PM (1 to 4 PM).If you wish to register, simply reply to: Cheryl Faul Gingerich, LMTA VP of Teacher Enrichment, 2878 Kissel Hill Road, Lititz, PA 17543 - (717) 569-4774, cfg57@comcast.netFor more information on Dr. Westney, you can link to www.williamwestney.com. For directions or information on Elizabethtown College link to www.etown.edu. All events will be held in Zug Hall.We hope some of you will make the trip to Amish country for this imaginative and refreshing teacher event!

Sincerely, Rachel Moore, NCTM, LMTA Publicity

AMERICAN LISZT SOCIETY BALTIMORE WASHINGTON CHAPTER

William Garrison Festival and Piano Competition 2006

COMPETITION GUIDELINESApplication deadline is June 15, 2006 for all three categories. Applicants must submit an application form, preliminary audition recording, and required documentation. Semifinalists will be notified of their participation in July. For additional information contact the audition coordinator after December 15, 2005.

THE AMERICAN PIANISTAudition Coordinator, Patricia Graham pgraham1@jhu.eduAmerican Citizens Ages 25 through 40 by September 30, 2006Application fee $75.00Repertory: Preliminary Round. Unedited CD recording Contents: Prelude and Fugue by J. S. Bach from WTC; an Etude; Sonata-Allegro form movement by Beethoven, Schubert, or Brahms.Semifinal/Final Rounds: Full Recital Program which includes a work by Franz Liszt and an American work written after 1920.

THE YOUNG ARTISTAudition Coordinator, Douglas Guiles, douglas10359@comcast.netInternational Pianists Ages 15 through 24 by September 30, 2006Application Fee $75.00Repertory: Preliminary Round Unedited CD recording. Contents: Prelude and Fugue by J. S. Bach from WTC; an Etude; Sonata-Allegro form movement by Haydn, Mozart, or early-mid period BeethovenSemifinal/Final Rounds: 50 minute Recital Program which includes a work by Franz Liszt and an American work written after 1920. THE COLLABORATIVE PIANISTAudition Coordinator, Elizabeth Hart ehartk@yahoo.comInternational Pianists Ages 25 through 40 by September 30, 2006Ensemble Application Fee $130.00Open to Duo Ensembles A- Piano and Another Instrument Repertory: Preliminary Round Unedited CD recording Content: Solo work by Liszt; A piece or movement with piano as orchestra substitute; Sonata-Allegro

form movement from the ensemble’s major repertory Semifinal/Final Rounds: Full Recital Program which includes a Romantic work and an American composition written after 1920.B- Piano and Voice Repertory: Preliminary Round Unedited CD recording Content: Solo Etude by Chopin or Liszt; An Opera Aria; Four Lieder by two different composers. Semifinal/Final Rounds: Full Recital Program which includes Franz Liszt Lieder and an American composition written after 1920.

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OTHER ORGANIZATIONS Continued from Page 13

$10,000 SCHOLARSHIP AWARDThe MusicLink Foundation seeks talented music students from age 8-18 for the Jack Kent Cooke Young Artist Award.

The MusicLink Foundation, working as a pipeline organization for the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation, is seeking talented music students in financial need who may qualify for the Jack Kent Cooke Young Artist Award - Deadline is January 3l, 2006. This is the final deadline for this year.

Eligibility for the award:- Students between the ages of 8 – 18- Outstanding abilities in music- Demonstrated financial need- Solid academic record

The award provides 25 recipients:- A performance on the From the Top radio program- A $10,000 scholarship to assist with music-related training- Cultural Leadership Training to help young musicians become community advocates for the arts

APPLICATION DEADLINE: JANUARY 31st

If you know of a student who may apply for this award or a teacher who may be working with talented students in financial need, please forward this email on, with application attachments. Also, please send their names and email addresses in a reply to us so we can monitor them through the application process as well as checking off “MusicLink Foundation” in question #5 on page 8.

The MusicLink Foundation is a non-profit organization that provides ongoing music lessons to promising students in need, of all school ages. Teachers who are currently teaching students at a reduced rate may qualify for our MusicLink discounts, camp scholarship opportunities, and other incentives. MusicLink offers additional performance and camp opportunities for talented students in need through our Talent Search component. Email us for details about our different MusicLink programs.

info@musiclinkfoundation.org www.musiclinkfoundation.org

FMMC PIANO COMPETITIONThe Friday Morning Music Club Competition for High School Pianists, held every year in memory of Fanny Ross Henbest and Audrey Davis, will take place on April 8, 2006 at the Sumner School in Washington DC.

Membership in FMMC is not required to enter students.

Repertoire must include Bach prelude and fugue, the first movement of a Classical sonata, a substantial Romantic work, and one Impressionist or modern selection.

Awards for the first three places are $500, $300 and $200.

Applications are available from Nancy Breth (nancybreth@att.net); the postmark deadline is March 10, 2006.

DEADLINE FOR NEXT NEWSLETTERPlease email all notices and copy for inclusion in the February MSMTA newsletter by January 30, 2006, to:

chorwitz@starpower.netor mail to:

Claudette HorwitzMSMTA Newsletter Editor5004 Barkwood PlaceRockville, MD 20853

The MSMTA Newsletter is published bi-monthly by the Maryland State Music Teachers Association, Inc.Circulation: 725