NFMC Junior Keynotes, Spring 2017

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NATIONAL FEDERATION OF MUSIC CLUBS

Junior Keynotes Spring 2017 • Vol. 89, No.3

4 20-2 e n u See you in Dayton! J

2017 National Music Week Essay Winners See page 16

Abigail Grace Richards TARBA Winner, see page 27


ACCENTS AROUND THE WORLD

Early Intermediate Level This selected new collection of 10 classic Gillock pieces is a must-have for any piano studio. Includes beloved solos such as: American Folk Dance • Arabian Nights • Carnival in Rio • In Old Vienna • Sarabande • Spanish Gypsies – and more! Perfect for an around-the-world themed recital! 00122148 ...................................................... $7.99

ACCENT ON CLASSICAL

Early to Mid-Intermediate Level Gillock transformed several classical favorites into accessible teaching pieces, including Beethoven’s “Für Elise” and “German Dance” (Op.17/9). He often composed pieces “in the style of” a famous composer, like the brief, gorgeous “Homage to Chopin” and the light and playful “Etude (In the style of Czerny).” Other pieces in this timeless collection include: Capriccietto • Barcarolle • Piece in Classic Style • Sonatina in C. 00416932 ...................................................... $8.99

ACCENT ON DUETS

Mid to Later Intermediate Level Eight fantastic Gillock duets in one book! Includes: Sidewalk Cafe • Liebesfreud (Kreisler) • Jazz Prelude • Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy (Tchaikovsky) • Fiesta Mariachi. A must-have for every piano studio. 00416804 1 Piano/4 Hands........................... $12.99

ACCENT ON THE SEASONS

Early Intermediate Level A dozen charming, original pieces by William Gillock were specially selected for this compilation, based loosely on the four seasons. Every student will find their favorite season represented! Titles: Dancing in the Garden • Figure Skating • Graceful Skiers • The Haunted Tree • Horseback Ride • Journey in the Night • Last Spring • Sleigh Ride • Summertime Blues • Summertime Caprice • Waltz for Autumn • Windy Weather. 00118900 ...................................................... $8.99

ACCENT ON SOLOS This popular 3-book series features original Gillock piano solos that progress from early to later elementary level. A Complete edition is now available. 00200896 00416295 00416214 00416179

Complete ........................ $12.99 Book 1 – Early Elementary Level ..... $5.99 Book 2 – Mid-Elementary Level ....... $5.99 Book 3 – Later Elementary Level ..... $6.99

CLASSIC PIANO REPERTOIRE – WILLIAM GILLOCK Each of these collections of Gillock pieces have been re-engraved and complied into new collections that are guaranteed to become staples in your library! 00416957 Elementary Level (8 Solos) ............. $8.99 00416912 Intermediate to Advanced Level (12 Solos) ..................................... $12.99

NEW ORLEANS JAZZ STYLES – COMPLETE Gillock’s bestselling New Orleans Jazz Styles have been a repertoire staple since the 1960s. All three books are now available in one – all 15 original piano solos together! Comes complete with online audio. 00416922 Book/Online Audio ....................... $19.99

FOUNTAIN IN THE RAIN

Mid-Intermediate Level A sophisticated Gillock classic popular around the world! Composed in 1960, “Fountain in the Rain” is reminiscent of impressionism and continues to be on annual recital lists. Students enjoy the changing harmonies and nailing the splashy, gorgeous cadenza in the middle! 00414908 Piano Solo ...................................... $3.99 00114960 1 Piano/4 Hands (arr. Glenda Austin) ........................ $3.99

WILLIAM GILLOCK RECITAL COLLECTION

Intermediate to Advanced Level Features an extensive compilation of over 50 of William Gillock’s most popular and frequently performed recital pieces, including Fountain in the Rain, Valse Etude, Goldfish, Sonatine, Portrait of Paris, Sleighbells in the Snow, Sarabande, Arabesque Sentimentale, and more! Newly engraved and edited to celebrate Gillock’s centennial year. 00201747 .................................................... $19.99

Order Today! Order from any music retailer or visit willispianomusic.com

Willis Piano Music


W H AT ’ S I N S I D E

TA B LE OF CONTENTS

SPRING ISSUE, 2017 Vol. 89, No. 3

2 Staff Directory

14 American Music

3 President’s Message Zuill Bailey Wins Grammy

16 National Music Week 2017 Essay Winners

NFMC Dayton Biennial Convention 4 Welcome Letter 5 Official Call 6 Daily Schedule

26 Junior Awards / Dance Chairman 27 Thelma Adams Robinson Ballet Award Winner 28 Lynn Freeman Olson

7 Junior Chairman

29 Junior Club Achievement Chairman

8 Festivals Bulletin Editor 10 Festivals Management System Chairman

30 Junior Composers Chairman 31 Junior Composers Summer Camp

12 Festivals Chairman 13 Festival Cup Chairman

A DV ER T I S ERS’ I N D E X IFC Willis Music 1 Music Teachers National Association 9 NFMC Federation Festivals Bulletin 11 NFMC Junior Composers Contest 11 Together We Sing 14 NFMC American Music Posters 15 Clavier IBC Hal Leonard

32 State Buzz

NFMC_MTNA_Ad_Layout 1 1/24/13 2:56 PM Page 1

Whether you are a seasoned professional or new teacher, membership in Music Teachers National Association is an essential part of your professional life. Since 1876, MTNA has been the foremost leader in empowering the music-teaching professional by providing valuable resources and networking opportunities for its members.

Spring 2017

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S TA F F D I R E C T O R Y

NFMC Junior Keynotes Directory National Federation of Music Clubs, Inc. • Chartered by the Congress of the United States (ISSN 0022-6629) HEADQUARTERS National Federation of Music Clubs 1646 W. Smith Valley Road Greenwood, IN 46142 317-882-4003 Fax 317-882-4019 email: info@nfmc-music.org www.nfmc-music.org

Federation Cups Gloria Lien, Chairman 6738 W. Kimberly Way Glendale, AZ 85308 623-561-2989 602-418-2989 Gloria.hope.lien@gmail.com Festivals Management System Sandra Preysz, Chairman 2174 E. Lonsdale Drive Cottonwood Heights, UT 84121 801-944-1808 sandrapreysz@msn.com

President Michael R. Edwards 891 NW 73rd Avenue Plantation, FL 33317-1141 954-325-0064 micedwards@aol.com

Junior Club Achievement Gilda Hendricks, Chairman 1926 Earls Bridge Road Easley, SC 29640 864-855-3732 gaah1926@att.net

Advertising Jennifer Griffin, Chairman 1646 W, Smith Valley Rd. Greenwood, IN 46142 Phone: 317-882-4003 Mobile: 317-771-5369 Fax: 317-882-4019 info@nfmc-music.org

Junior Composers Deborah De La Torre, Chairman P.O. Box 2680 Centennial, CO 80161 303-519-4595 trazom1234@yahoo.com

Junior Division Linda D. Lind, Chairman 8905 Longmead Court Burke, VA 22015 703-569-0014 lindalindva@gmail.com

NE Region: Jane Goldstein PO Box 1055 Waitsfield, VT 05673 802-496-3418 janegoldstein49@gmail.com

Federation Festivals Bulletin Sandra Preysz, Editor/Chairman 2174 E. Lonsdale Drive Cottonwood Heights, UT 84121 801-944-1808 sandrapreysz@msn.com

SE Region: Susie Cook 101 Stratford Drive Madison, MS 39110 601-856-9180 lsusiecook@bellsouth.net

Federation Festivals Lisa Smith, Chairman 3774 Barbizon Circle S. Jacksonville, FL 32257 904-886-4188 nfmc.festivals.chair@hotmail.com

NC Region: Lori Jessen 1912 Locust St., Box 851 Dakota City, NE 68731 712-253-0718 LoriJessen@gmail.com

NC Region: Mike Barnard, Chairman 109 5 Streeet Girard, IL 62640 217-627-2251 barnard1@speednet.com

SC Region: Gene Vollen

NE Region: Virginia Kleeberg, Chairman 200 W. Roosevelt St. Muncie, IN 47303 765-288-6404 ifmc-music@outlook.com

W Region: Jodie Jensen 5475 Flag Way Colorado Springs, CO 80919 719-262-0394 jodiejens@yahoo.com

SC Region: Lavonna Whitesell, Chairman 5117 NW 161st St. Edmond, OK 73013 405-715-1536 Lswsongbird@yahoo.com

Lynn Freeman Olson Composition Award James Schnars, Chairman 331 Cleveland Street #804 Clearwater, FL 33755 727-400-4305

SE Region: Cynthia Abernathy, Chairman 13115 Pavilion Ln. Fairfax, VA 22033 703-376-8883 cjaneabernathy@gmail.com W Region: Aaron Bloom, Chairman 4633 Exeter Street West Linn, OR 97068 503-656-6948 abpianolessons@gmail.com

311 S Olive St Pittsburg, KS 66762 620-231-7683 gvollen@cox.net

Mary Alice Cox Award Matt Miller, Chairman 13819 W. National Avenue New Berlin, WI 53151 262-786-0487, Ext. 743 mattmillerbass@aol.com

Dance Gay Dill, Chairman 814 South Second Street Atwood, KS 67730 785-626-9434 gaydill1@att.net

National Music Week Helena Meetze, Chairman 613 Hatrick Road Columbia, SC 29209 803-776-6500 hmeetze@bellsouth.net

Thelma A. Robinson Ballet Award Gay Dill, Chairman 814 South Second Street Atwood, KS 67730 785-626-9434 gaydill1@att.net

NMW Essay: NE Region Mary Ellen Ulmer, Chairman 168 East Branch Road Mercer, PA 16137 724-946-2877 ulmerme@hotmail.com

Wendell Irish Viola Award Dr. George R. Keck, Chairman 2112 Hinson Rd. #23 Little Rock, AR 72212 870-403-2951 keckg@att.net

NMW: SE Region Julianne Edwards, Chairman 116 S. Walnut St., #201 Muncie, IN 47305 561-613-7237 jmedwards220@gmail.com

Angie Greer Music in Poetry Contest Dr. Marie Speece, Chairman P.O. Box 1 Union Grove, NC 28689-9001 704-539-5243 mariespeece@yadtel.net

NMW Essay: NC/SC/W Regions Jan Hansen, Chairman 101 Rio Mesa Drive Grants Pass, OR 97527 541-956-1659 jhansen3536@gmail.com

Stillman Kelley/Thelma Byrum Nathalie Steinbach, Chairman 15 Mount Vernon Avenue Fredericksburg, VA 22405 540-373-6352 ymsfred@earthlink.net

Summer Music Centers Mary Ellen Nolletti, Chairman 104 County Road 537 Etowah, TN 37331 Phone: 423-263-5889 snupy36@msn.com

Claire Ulrich Whitehurst Piano Solo Award Suzanne Carpenter, Chairman PO Box 357275 Gainesville, FL. 32635-7275 352-373-5049 treasurer@ffmc-music.org

State News Connie Randall, Chairman PO Box 522 Kaufman, TX 75142-0522 248-921-7032 conniebrandall@yahoo.com

Music for the Blind Awards Lee Ann Cummings, Chairman 146 W. Pinebrook Drive Brandon, MS 39047 601.992.9330 cummings-lee28@att.net Marilyn Caldwell Piano Solo Award Marilyn Caldwell, Chairman 2011 St. Francis Street Kennett, MO 63857 573-888-5274 marilyncaldwell5@yahoo.com Joyce Walsh Award Dr. John D. Kelly, Chairman 3204 Ashwood Dr Jonesboro, AR 72404 870-932-1025 jkelly@astate.edu Martha Marcks Mack Junior Vocal Award Naomi Sanchez, Chairman 671 Ashbury Street San Francisco, CA 94117 415-378-1447 Knsanchez@hotmail.com Lana M. Bailey Piano Concerto Award Dee Blaser, Chairman 4404 Heritage Drive Lawrence, KS 66047 785-843-8776 dblaser@sunflower.com

Junior Keynotes 1646 W. Smith Valley Road Greenwood, IN 46142 Jennifer Griffin, Executive Director 317-882-4003 nfmc@nfmc-music.org Music Clubs Magazine Editor, Jean Moffatt P.O. Box 791 Seminole, TX 79360 Phone: 432-758-2419 Cell: 432-209-0298 jmoffatt20@live.com

REPRINTING: All material is protected by copyright. Request information and permission from the editor for any reprints. DISCLAIMER: Opinions expressed in this magazine do not necessarily represent the views of the National Federation of Music Cubs or of Junior Keynotes Magazine. ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION PRICE: A subscription is included in each Junior Counselor’s membership dues. Additional subscriptions are available for $6. See PR 12-1 for bulk pricing. SINGLE ISSUE: Purchase extra single issues for $3 each. Use PR 12-1 Magazine Order Form.

The National Federation of Music Clubs is a tax-exempt, non-profit philanthropic and educational organization dedicated to music education and promotion of the creative and performing arts in America since 1898. The Federation became officially chartered by the U.S. Congress on August 9, 1982. The mission of the Federation is to support and develop American music and musicians.

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PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Memo from the President

Former Young Artist Wins Grammys

On Sunday evening February 12, 2017, I started receiving text messages that “Zuill won the Grammy!” I checked Monday morning, and the news had already been posted the night before. The news of Zuill’s Grammy spread like wildfire. It is an understatement to say that Federation members were ecstatic. In the announcement on this page, you can read Zuill’s “official” bio; however, I would like to tell you the rest of the story. According to “reliable sources,” at age seven Zuill began participating in festival in piano solo and continued for five years. At age 13, Zuill performed in cello solo for four years. After earning gold cups for both piano and cello, Zuill left the junior division and entered the student auditions. He won the NFMC Lawrence Foster Award in cello. Then in 1991 in Philadelphia at the age of 19, this talented musician became the youngest participant to win the Young Artist in strings. That year after winning the Young Artist, Zuill sold his bow in order to upgrade his cello. When he went to Greensboro, North Carolina, to perform as their guest YA, Zuill was using a loaner bow. Upon hearing this, Federation attendees started a successful campaign to purchase a “hair” on the new YA winner’s bow. This is Federation at its BEST! Several years ago when I was the national guest at a state convention, their board of directors became aware that a child did not have the financial means to attend a summer music camp. Even though it was not an easy task, this board found the funding to send this child to camp. I was very impressed, and once again, this is the Federation at its BEST! We will have several “firsts” at the NFMC 59th Biennial Convention. I am not going to announce all of them at this time. I will say, however, that you may hear a Grammy winner perform at our banquet on June 23! See you in Dayton! Keeping the Music Alive for the Future! (Through our Juniors)

NFMC’s 33rd President

seek it

National Music Week 2017 Theme:

Music… An Adventure for Life

(Photo Chris Pizzello / Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)

by Michael R. Edwards

Zuill Bailey

Zuill Bailey participated in the receipt of three Grammys on Feb. 12 in Los Angeles. He dedicated his Classical Instrumental Solo award to his mother, Past NFMC President Lana Bailey (2007-2011), who is undergoing treatment for non-Hodgkins lymphoma. A world-renowned cellist, Bailey is the 1991 NFMC Young Artist in Strings winner. He has returned to judge NFMC YA competitions, most recently in Salt Lake City in 2007. In 2009 he and his trio performed at the NFMC convention in Orlando. Neither of his parents was present at the Grammys due to his mother’s treatments. His 14-year-old son Mateo represented the family. All three of the Grammys in which he had a part stemmed from a live performance of “Daugherty: Tales of Hemingway” by the Nashville Symphony, conducted by Giancarlo Guerrero. Composer Michael Daugherty also received a Grammy for Contemporary Classical Composition. The third was for a Classical Compendium which included “Tales of Hemingway,”“American Gothic,” and “Once Upon a Castle,” all composed by Daugherty and performed by the Nashville Symphony. In his acceptance speech, Bailey told the audience, “Music heals and inspires. This is particularly important for my mother, to whom I dedicate this award. I will be there next week to play for and hopefully to heal her.” Bailey received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the Peabody Conservatory and the Juilliard School. He performs on the “rosette” 1693 Matteo Gofriller Cello, formerly owned by Misha Schneider of the Budapest String Quartet. In addition to his extensive touring engagements, he is the Artistic Director of El Paso Pro-Musica (Texas), the Sitka Summer Music Festival/Series and Cello Seminar (Alaska), the Northwest Bach Festival (Washington), guest Artistic Director of the Mesa Arts Center (Arizona) and Professor of Cello at the University of Texas at El Paso.

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D AY T O N OHIO FEDERATION OF MUSIC CLUBS WELCOMES YOU TO THE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF MUSIC CLUBS 59TH BIENNIAL CONVENTION

JUNE 20-24, 2017 I am so excited to invite you all to the convention in Dayton. We have lined up interesting and unusual workshops and performances. Come, share the excitement! It’s going to be loads of fun! On Tuesday evening, 14-year-old Noah Waddel of Florida and the winner of the Stillman Kelley competition last year will perform. I heard he is phenomenal on the piano. You do not want to miss his performance at 7:30. Meet and greet reception follows immediately after Noah’s recital. I would love to meet and welcome the newbies to the convention. On Wednesday morning, we will present the works of internationally acclaimed poet and librettist Paul Lawrence Dunbar. Dunbar, the only African American in his class, was a valedictorian graduate. He was a classmate and a close friend of Orville Wright. I heard the show is stellar. You do not want to miss it. This is one that I am really looking forward to. In the afternoon, you will see Cleveland Institute of Music professor Dr. Lisa Rainsong’s presentation on Earth’s First Musicians and Protecting their Concert Halls. I was awed the first time I saw Lisa’s presentation. You must see it to believe it! There will be some surprises during her presentation. In the evening, the Burundian Drummers will perform. These performers from Burundi, Africa were in a world concert tour in 2014 which included Dayton as their last stop to perform at the “World Affaire” at the Dayton Convention Center. They expressed their fears for their lives if they went back due to unrest in Burundi. They applied for asylum and made Dayton their new home. Some of the drummers have been drumming since they were small children. You will be amazed by their acrobatic moves. Theirs is a high-energy performance. Don’t be surprised if one of them decides to let you join in the drumming. Get your video camera ready! Classical guitarist Jim McCutcheon earned his degree in physics at the University of Dayton before he decided to study classical guitar at Wright State University. Jim combined his knowledge in physics and music to create a fascinating presentation on science and music. See his amazing and very educational tricks on Thursday morning. This is a participatory presentation. Those of you who saw Jim’s performance at the Indianapolis conference are probably saying, “But I want to hear him play.” I will see what I can do. I might be able to persuade Jim to showcase his virtuosity in classical guitar. At the Rose Fay Thomas luncheon, the Quantz Trio, a woodwind Ensemble, will perform and Maestro Neil Gittleman, conductor of the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra, will speak about his experiences with DPO and successes of the Dayton Performing Arts Alliance. The winners of the Young Artist Competition will perform in the evening followed by a reception. Congratulate and get to know the winners.

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In preparation for the bus tour on Thursday, a 30-minute introductory film on Wilbur and Orville Wright will run three times in Salon A/B from 11:00 am – 1:30 pm. If you are joining us for the bus tour, please make sure that you are in the lobby to check in at 1:45 pm. The bus will leave promptly at 2:00 pm. Our first stop is at the Wright Dunbar Interpretive Center in the Wrights and Dunbar neighborhood. Here, you will learn about the lives of the Wright and Dunbar families. Our second stop is at the Carillon Historic Park, where you will be greeted with music from the Carillon bells while a staff breaks us up into groups of 25. Each group will have a docent who will give you a tour. You will see the Wright Flyer III and several important inventions of notable inventors from Dayton. Our last stop is at the beautiful and historic Woodland Cemetery and Arboretum where the Wrights, Dunbars and so many other notable citizens including Erma Bombeck were buried. A historian will hop on the bus to guide us through the cemetery. There will be short stops for picture taking depending on how much time we have left. Incidentally, the 2nd Street Market is open on midday Thursday and Friday and from 7 am until 2 pm on Saturdays. They serve breakfast and lunch. On Friday, we will be on our own for lunch as well as for dinners on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Please stop by the info desk just outside Salon A/B for recommendations for restaurants nearby and directions. We will also have menus from the restaurants for you to glance at. After lunch, the Festival chorus will perform. Everyone should come and show your support. O.K., ladies, it is time to take out from the closet that beautiful and elegant gown that you have not worn for years. Make sure it still fits. If not, you still have time to lose a few of those unwanted pounds because Friday’s banquet is a formal affair. This is your chance to look elegant. State presidents, remember, all eyes are on you during the Parade of Presidents! After the banquet, the Ellis piano duo competition winners will give a program, followed by a reception. Don’t forget to turn in the list of members from your state who have passed on so we can honor them during the memorial breakfast on Saturday morning. The service is always beautiful and inspiring. Please bring your family and extend your stay and make Dayton your vacation destination. There is so much more to see in Dayton. Contact me at 937-280-4288, my e-mail address is ofmc@woh.rr.com if you need help with your itinerary. I look forward to welcoming you in Dayton. – Christy Smith, Dayton 2017 Chairman


OFFICIAL CALL NFMC BIENNIAL CONVENTION // JUNE 20-24, 2017 // DAYTON, OHIO // CROWNE PLAZA HOTEL

An official name badge is necessary for attendance at every NFMC Biennial Convention function. members are asked to inform the recording secretary if they must request an excuse for an absence. The excuse must be received before the Biennial Convention starts. NFMC BIENNIAL CONVENTION LOCATION

Crowne Plaza

33 East Fifth Street Dayton, OH 45402 937.224.0800 Group Block Code: SIC

Full Registration $100.00. Entitles the registrant to a program book, admittance to all open meetings and programs, evening concerts and receptions. Daily Registration $50. Entitles the registrant to a program book and admittance to all open activities for a single day/evening. Student and Junior member Full Registration $25. No charge for an official name badge for a single meal function. Registration Hours: Tuesday, June 20 Wednesday – Friday

1:00pm – 5:30pm 8:00am – 2:00pm

ATTENDANCE All sessions except for the executive committee meetings are open to all registrants. Each state is encouraged to have at least one representative attend each session. The business meeting of a division or committee is for official business and observers can attend but the chairman will control participation. There will be multiple sessions in most time slots to fit the interests of the attendees. BOARD ATTENDANCE (NFMC Bylaws, Article VI, Section 2C): An unexcused absence from more than one Board session shall be considered a resignation. Board

Hotel Reservation cutoff date: 5:00pm on May 26, 2017. Each person is responsible for making his/her reservation. Visit or call 1.800.689.5586 for reservations. When registering use the above block code. If special services are required, please mention them at the time you make the reservation. Group rate per night, plus tax, is $119 for Standard Guest Room. Club level available for an additional $35 per night. PARKING AND AIRPORT SHUTTLE Complimentary indoor self-parking is available in the Dayton Transportation Center, which is connected via skywalk to the Hotel. Street parking is available near the hotel. Valet parking is available with a charge of $15 per person, per day.

expected to be worn at all sessions. The final dinner IS formal. State presidents will process with escorts in formal attire; individual pictures will be taken. For the tour, you may want to wear slacks and walking shoes.

American Festival Chorus: White shirts or blouses, dark slacks or skirts, men wear dark ties. VOTING CREDENTIALS Credentials will be available from the NFMC registrar and the NFMC website.

PROPOSED BYLAWS Bylaw changes will be posted in MCM spring issue (30 day notice is required by the bylaws)

and on the NFMC website.

MEMORIAL SERVICE CONTRIBUTIONS Memorial contributions should be sent to the national memorial chairman, Susan Tury, using the form that appears on the NFMC website.

SCHEDULE AT-A-GLANCE Tuesday, June 20, 2017 10:00am - 12:00pm Investment/Finance Committee 4:30pm - 6:00pm

Executive Committee

4:30pm - 6:00pm Festival Chorus Rehearsal

HOTEL AMENITIES

Wednesday, June 21, 2017

The hotel will provide complimentary internet in guest rooms and meeting space; there is also a fitness center and outdoor pool. All guest rooms have premium bedding, cable television, refrigerator, hairdryer, alarm, coffee pot and ironing board.

10:15am - 10:30am Board of Directors/ Presidents Council Joint Meeting

HOTEL RESTAURANT AND LOUNGE There is a restaurant and lounge in the hotel. Hours are 6:30 AM to midnight. WEARING APPAREL

This is summer in the mid-west. The hotel is air-conditioned. Comfortable business attire is

10:30am - 11:30am Board of Directors Meeting 3:00pm - 4:30pm

Presidents Council

Friday, June 23, 2017 8:30am - 9:25am

Newly Elected Board

3:00pm - 4:00pm

Presidents Council

Saturday, June 24, 2017 9:45am - 12:00pm

Spring 2017

Board of Directors/ Executive Committee

JUNIOR KE YNOTES 5


D A I LY S C H E D U L E NFMC BIENNIAL CONVENTION // JUNE 20-24, 2017 // DAYTON, OHIO // CROWNE PLAZA HOTEL

TUESDAY, JUNE 20, 2017

10:00 am – 11:30 am

Junior Division

9:00 am - 6:30 pm

Online Festival Training

10:00 am – 11:00 am

Arts Division

10:00 am – 5:00 pm

Registration

10:00 am – 11:00 am

Presenter – Jim McCutcheon

10:00 am – 12:00 pm

Investment/Finance Committee

11:00 am – 12:00 pm

Public Relations Division

1:00 pm – 1:30 pm

Budget Committee

11:00 am – 12:00 pm

Student Division

1:30 pm – 3:00 pm

Finance Committee

11:00 am – 12:00 pm

American Music Division

3:00 pm – 4:00 pm

Sergeants-at-Arms Committee

3:00 pm – 4:00pm

Protocol Committee

3:00 pm – 4:00 pm

Regional Vice Presidents Meeting: OLD and NEW

12:00 pm – 1:45 pm

Rose Fay Thomas Luncheon Performer – Quantz Wind Ensemble Presenter – Neal Gittleman

5:00 pm – 6:00 pm

Executive Committee

2:00 pm – 5:30 pm

Tour

4:30 pm – 6:00 pm

Festival Chorus Rehearsal

5:30 pm – 6:30 pm

Festival Chorus Rehearsal

7:30 pm – 8:30 pm

Noah Waddell Piano: Stillman Kelley Winner

8:00 pm – 9:00 pm

Young Artist Program

8:30 pm – 9:30 pm

Reception

9:00 pm – 9:30 pm

Reception

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 21, 2017

FRIDAY, JUNE 23, 2017 8:00 am – 12:00 pm

Registration

8:30 am – 9:25 am

Newly Elected Board Members

9:30 am – 10:30 am

Annual Busness Meeting

10:00 am – 2:00 pm

Browse and Buy

10:30 am – 11:30 am

Parliamentary Procedure – Louis William Rose

Presenter – Paul Lawrence Dunbar

10:30 am – 11:30 am

Competitions & Awards Division

10:15 am – 10:30 am

Board of Directors/Presidents Council Joint Meeting

10:30 am – 11:30 am

Policy Resolution Committee

10:30 am – 12:00 pm

Festival Chorus Rehearsal

10:30 am – 11:30 am

Board of Directors Meeting

11:00 am – 12:00 pm

Treasurer’s Forum

12:00 pm – 1:30 pm

South Central Region Luncheon

1:30 pm – 2:30 pm

Festival Chorus Concert

12:00 pm – 1:30 pm

Southeastern Region Luncheon

2:30 pm – 3:30 pm

Membership and Education Division

12:00 pm – 1:30 pm

Northeastern Region Luncheon

2:30 pm – 3:15 pm

Headquarters/Office Committee

12:00 pm – 1:30 pm

North Central Region Luncheon

3:30 pm – 4:30 pm

Young Artist/Ellis Committee

12:00 pm – 1:30 pm

Western Region Luncheon

3:15 pm – 5:00 pm

Finance Division

2:00 pm – 3:00 pm

Presenter – Dr. Lisa Rainsong

3:00 pm – 4:00 pm

Council of State Presidents

2:00 pm – 3:30 pm

Festival Committee

3:30 pm – 4:30 pm

Arts Advocacy

2:00 pm – 3:00 pm

Bylaws Committee

3:30 pm – 4:30 pm

Periodicals Committee

3:00 pm – 4:30 pm

FAMA

5:30 pm – 6:00 pm

Optional Photo Opportunity by Appointment

3:00 pm – 4:30 pm

Council of State Presidents

6:00 pm – 7:45 pm

Formal Banquet

4:30 pm – 5:00 pm

Meet and Greet Nominees

8:15 pm – 9:15 pm

Ellis Duo Winners

5:00 pm – 6:00 pm

Festival Chorus Rehearsal

9:00 pm – 10:00 pm

Reception

7:30 pm – 9:00 pm

Performer – Burundi Drummers

8:00 am – 5:00 pm

Registration

8:30 am – 10:15 pm

Formal Opening Formal Opening with The Wright Brass Quintet of the Airforce Band of Flight

Presenters – Francis Christmann, George Keck

10:15 am – 11:30 am

THURSDAY, JUNE 22, 2017 7:00 am – 9:30 am

Election of Members-at-Large

8:00 am – 12:00 pm

Registration

8:30 am – 10:00 am General Session: “Where’s the Money?” Performer – Jenna Sehmann, Nelson Double Reed Winner Presenter – Carolyn Nelson

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• Spring 2017

SATURDAY, JUNE 24, 2017 8:30 am – 9:30 am

Memorial Service Breakfast

9:45 am – 12:00 pm

Board of Directors/Executive Committee


JUNIOR CHAIRMAN

What is This Thing Called NFMC? by Linda Lind, Junior Division Chairman Those letters just roll off our tongues so easily, but do we stop and really think about what they mean? Oh sure, we know they stand for the National Federation of Music Clubs, but just what is that? A federation is defined as “the act of constituting a political unity out of a number of separate states or colonies or provinces so that each member retains the management of its internal affairs.” Another definition that seems to define NFMC more closely is “a group of states with a central government but independence in internal affairs.” The guiding documents of the NFMC are the bylaws and the standing rules. In those we find the basic objective “. . . promotion of American music and musicians throughout America and other countries.” To carry out this objective the National Federation of Music Clubs is divided into nine divisions. Let’s take a look at what each of these nine divisions has to offer our juniors and their counselors.

American Music Division – “promotion of performance of American Music and awards for such activities.” 1. Educational Institutions Annual Award – AM 3 - $400 – state or privately supported high school (grades 9-12) 2. American Music Award – AM 5 - $250 – junior club members performing, promoting and studying American Music under the supervision of an NFMC junior counselor. Go, juniors!

Arts Division – “promotion and performance of creative arts activities (not limited to American music) and awards for such activities.” 1. Crusade for Strings Junior Activity Report – AR 3-2 – this report form makes a wonderful guideline for planning junior club activities for the year, ideal for a junior club program! 2. National Music Week - AR 12-1 through AR 12-9 - “. . .offers the opportunity to salute music, the common denominator for people of all nations throughout this century.” Observed during the first complete week in May. Begun in 1924. Let’s celebrate American music! 3. National Music Week Essay Contest – AR 13-1 – “. . .essays to be written based on the current year’s theme.” Award of $50 to each state with a declared winner and Award of Merit Certificate to each winner and teacher. Juniors, put those writing skills to use! Finance Division – “formulates policies including budgeting, investments, fund raising and award proposals.” Without the guidance of this division, the monetary awards in all the other divisions would not be possible. Yeah, for Finance! Public Relations Division – “. . .editorial and promotional oversight

for activities involving public relations with members and general media…” Here is where the periodical for the Junior Division rests. The Junior Keynotes is the lifeline upon which all juniors and junior counselors rely. Here we find the latest and breaking news. Here we find

our declared winners featured. Here we find just how much fun it is to be a junior member of the NFMC. Fun, indeed!

Competitions & Awards Division – “. . .includes awards administered by various chairmen within the limits of specific age requirements.” The C&A Chart – CA 20-1 - should be in the hands of every junior counselor. Here you find all the annual and biennial awards for juniors to include summer camp awards and scholarships. Order yours now! Membership & Education Division – “. . .includes the extension

activities for recruiting and retaining members and educational projects to enhance club program planning.” ME 1-1 is the application for individual members and ME 4-1 is the application for organizations. ME 3-5 is the Junior Counselor’s Guide. This is everything you need to know about organizing a junior club. (Also can be ordered with the numbers JR 3-15a, b, c, d & e.) Now is the time to think outside of the box and seek out those in our communities that could be prospective members. Think about associate membership. Membership growth should be an unspoken objective. Order yours now as well!

Student/Collegiate Division – “. . .coordinates the promotion and performance activities for student age members.” Why is this division important to juniors and their counselors? It is the next step on the path of our young musicians. We need to make our juniors aware that there is “life after Festival”, that there is a place for them to continue while in college and a place for them in our senior clubs. This is our future! Administration Division – “includes the areas of regulations and

policies governing the NFMC.” This is that central government – Board of Directors and Executive Board – that passes along to the states those things that are needed to deal with internal affairs.

JUNIOR DIVISION – “. . .coordinates the promotion and performance activities for junior age members.” SAVED THE BEST FOR LAST!! The letters JR on all publications deal with juniors and junior counselors. There are 82 forms and literally events from A to Z. How many are you taking advantage of? Go for it! Call it National Federation of Music Clubs, NFMC, just National, the Federation, it’s all the same. The nine separate divisions work together and the net result is greater than all of the separate parts on their own. Come to Dayton in June and see these nine divisions in action. Spread the word! Music is indeed our source of energy and motivates us in our work for our juniors – the future of American music.

Spring 2017

JUNIOR KE YNOTES 7


F E S T I VA L S B U L L E T I N

NFMC Federation Festivals Bulletin Revisions by Sandra Preysz, Festivals Bulletin Editor

LYNN FREEMAN OLSON PIANO SOLO Page 27 #2. “Choice compositions for Pre-Primary and Primary Classes may be by any American composer (including Olson). Choice compositions for Elementary I Class and above may be by any composer (Including Olson) and may be from any historical period.” The word “may” means to select from any American composer. In the LFO Event, the Primary Classes choice piece must be by an American composer, Elementary I and above, by any composer.

PIANO HYMN

Piano Hymn Title/Tune List

For the most current adjustments to the Bulletin, visit the NFMC website at nfmc-music.org

CLASS Class I Class I Class I Class I Class I Class I Class I Class I

TITLE I Have Decided to Follow Jesus My Hope is Built on Nothing Less Just As I Am What a Friend Away in a Manger Brethren We Have Met to Worship The Hills Are Bare at Bethlehem Alas and Did My Savior Bleed?

TUNE Assam Solid Rock Woodworth Converse Mueller Holy Manna Prospect Martyrdom

Class II Class II Class II Class II Class II Class II Class II Class II

Amazing Grace Joy to the World I Am So Glad Each Christmas Eve Follow On All the Way My Saviour Leads Me When I Survey the Wondrous Cross Children of the Heavenly Father Come Ye Sinners, Poor and Needy

New Britain Antioch Jeg Er Saa Glad Down in the Valley Lowry Hamburg Tryggare kan ingen vara Restoration

G F D G minor

Class III Class III Class III Class III Class III Class III Class III Class III

When Morning Gilds the Skies Rejoice the Lord is King Higher Ground Dear Lord & Father of Mankind In the Garden The First Nowell Go Tell It on the Mountain What Wondrous Love is This

Laudes Domine Darwall Higher Ground Rest Garden The First Nowell Go Tell It Wondrous Love

C C G D Ab D G D minor

Class IV Class IV Class IV Class IV Class IV Class IV Class IV Class IV

Praise to the Lord, the Almighty Lead Me to Calvary Beneath the Cross of Jesus All Glory Laud & Honor Good Christian Men, Rejoice O Sing a Song of Bethlehem For All the Saints It Came Upon the Midnight Clear

Lobe Den Herren Duncannon St. Christopher St. Theodulph In Dulci Jubilo Kingsfold Sine Nomine Carol

F or G Eb Db Bb F E minor G Bb

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KEY C F D F F G F G F or G D G


F E S T I VA L S B U L L E T I N

CLASS Class V Class V Class V Class V Class V Class V Class V Class V

TITLE Break Forth, O Beauteous Heavenly Light When the Roll is Called Up Yonder Be Thou My Vision Faith is the Victory Rejoice, Rejoice, Believers The God of Abraham Praise The Church’s One Foundation All Creatures of Our God and King

TUNE Ermuntre Dich Mein Schwacher Roll Call Slane Sankey Haf Trones Lampa Fardig Yigdal Aurelia Lasst Uns Erfreuen

KEY Eb Ab Eb Eb Ab Ab Eb Eb

OUR MYSTERY ARTIST IS FOUND! NATIONAL FEDERATION OF MUSIC CLUBS

Junior Keynotes Winter 2016 • Vol. 88, No. 2

Music...

Notes to the Future

VIOLIN CONCERTO Junior Class I B Rieding, Oskar

Concertino in a minor, Op. 2 is a single movement concerto. The complete work should be performed.

VIOLIN DUET

JRK - Winter 2016.indd 1

Advanced Class Add the following: Cohen, Jeremy De Beriot, Charles Mozart, Wolfgang

Wienizwski, Henryk

Stylistic Duets for Two Violins, any one 3 Duos Concertante Op. 57 for 2 violins, any one mvt. 12 Duos, Op. 70, any one mvt. (Litoff Collection) PE L02111a (Nos. 1-4) PE L02111b (Nos. 5-8) PE L02111c (Nos. 9-12) Etudes Caprices, Op. 18 (any one etude) IM2722

CELLO SOLO

All stringed instruments follow the same rules for selection of the solo choice piece. The choice piece may not be another variation or movement of the required composition.

Violinjazz Publishing G Schirmer Litoff Verlag

International Music Co

12/16/15 9:19 AM

Josina Grantier is a senior at The Perpich Center for Arts Education, a public arts high school in Minnesota. She grew up in a log house in the woods outside Bemidji, Minnesota and plans to attend Saint Catherine’s University in Saint Paul, MN.

STRING ORCHESTRA EVENT Junior High Medium Class – duplicate listing. DELETE Bach/Isaac Brandenburg No. 2 (corrected listed in Junior High Easy Class)

MUSICAL THEATER FEMALE MA III Vilia / SINGERS MUSICAL THEATRE ANTHOLOGY - MEZZO - VOL. 3 Composer is NOT Herbert, Victor It should be listed as Lehar, Franz.

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JUNIOR KE YNOTES 9


F E S T I VA L S M A N A G E M E N T S Y S T E M

Festivals Management System by Sandra Preysz, NFMC Festivals Management System Chairman Most rooms in the house are framed and now we are ready for some interior decorating. The main room of the home should receive the most updating because there is no need for teachers to see the wiring and nails. We will sheetrock and paint. Each music teacher will be able to view a simple, clean, easy-to-navigate screen to register students for Festival. Yes, we will make it user friendly now that we know everything works. Let’s take a look at some encouraging usage data compiled through the end of January, 2017. About one-third of our NFMC Festival teachers, students and performance records are in the database. Festival administrators continue to work online, so the numbers grow every day! Registration for 2017 is still going on in some areas using the system, but at the end of January, the system had been used to register 10,103 student events for Festival 2017. An event is an individual entry for an event such as piano solo, duet, concerto, theory, or violin solo. This is almost the same number of events entered for ALL of 2016. Since registration is still on-going in many Festival areas, this number will be higher when the current festival year ends. Many areas are working hard to enter historical data so that they will be ready to Our goal is to train at least one person from each register students for Federation Festival 2018. state so they, in turn, can train those within their The total number of events recorded in the state. Each state should think carefully about system, including past years, is now 107,601; whom to select to receive the training. This person and that number increases each and every day or these persons should be quite computer literate so that they will be able to learn the details as areas enter data. Currently, there are 1,842 of the Online Festivals Management System from teachers listed in the system who are teaching the administrative side. 32,076 students, some of whom may be aging Participants should bring their own laptop. Either out of festival participation this year. a Mac or PC works well, but older computers with Individual data entry has proven to be the aged operating systems have proven problematic. better way to enter historical data. We still Remember that the Online System cannot yet be have several .xml files that have not been accessed from an iPad or mobile device. uploaded even though they were originally After being confirmed, the following items must submitted last summer. It is a very difficult be completed prior to June 20, 2017, so the process requiring many, many corrections. workshop can run smoothly. Individual entry has proven to be the • Java 8 (or latest version) installed on computer. preferred method by the vast majority of • e-mail registered with Google for identity testing areas. New areas should contact me verification for authorization and instruction when they are ready to begin the individual data entry • e-mail listed with nfmc-festivals.org website (making the person authorized for access) process. This year, our NFMC President has – Sandra Preysz, NCTM requested an independent review of the NFMC Online Festivals Management System Chairman system. Part of the review is to include comments from the Festival administrators who have worked with the system. I know

A comparison to building a home will serve as a good analogy to explain the status of the Festivals Management System. At this point, the building has a solid foundation and strong framework with no leaks. (All registrations comply with Federation Festival Bulletin rules. Points are calculated correctly including combining solo and concerto.) The entry door is secure but it requires several keys and codes to gain entrance. This is because the “electrical wiring” is now outdated and needs to become more current to ensure simple secure access on the internet. Currently, it takes some tricky extra wiring to get into the system, and since we are not all electricians, it is causing a lot of frustration. There are also false warning messages telling of nonexistent dangers. These come from older code connecting to newer browser security. Updating code in a computer program is a common occurrence as technology changes.

NFMC Online Training Workshops BEGINNING AND ESTABLISHED LEVELS

June 20, 2017 in Dayton, Ohio NFMC will again be conducting workshops to train Administrators for the Online Festivals Management System. The workshops will be Tuesday, June 20, 2017, the day prior to the formal opening session of the NFMC June 20, 2017 in Dayton, Ohio. There is no fee for these workshops. Two levels of instruction will be offered: beginning and established • Beginning sessions will be at 8:30am – 10:00am and 12:00pm – 1:30pm The same material will be covered in each session. • The established user session will be in the afternoon from 3:30pm - 5:30pm Attendance will be limited to 18 people per session and will require confirmation prior to the conference. The workshop is designed to help festival chairmen and other administrators. These people will be given the first opportunity to attend. Registration will open beginning March 1 and will close on May 15, 2017. The nfmc-music.org website will feature a link for registration. It is also provided here: www.signupgenius.com/ go/20f0945a4a622a3fd0-online2

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F E S T I VA L S C H A I R M A N

these administrators are anxious to give their comments to the reviewer. After all, they have been hands-on with the system, some for four years now. A list of administrators was provided in November, but the reviewer is not yet ready to contact the testing areas for their feedback. I am sending an updated list to include areas in Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, South Carolina, Texas and Utah which are new to the system. They have recently started the process of entering historical data. Some have even been able to complete all historical entries AND use the system for this year’s registration. They would like to be included in the reviewing process. This week I worked with one area administrator from Iowa new to the system this year and showed her how to generate the point history report for a teacher. She was SO happy to see it calculate and appear with one click and said that it made all of her hours and hours of work worthwhile. Since the review is being done independently, I do not know a time frame for completion. Because of the review, some improvements that testers deem necessary have been put on hold. Unfortunately, this includes updates to simplify the login process. These updates are at the very top of the list of improvements requested by basically everyone who uses the system. I do want to thank everyone who has worked through the login challenges this year. It has not been easy, but your perseverance is much appreciated. As the administrator of one of the testing areas stated (now using the system for the 3rd year), “I am anxious to give my review of the system. I know the data is fantastic, but the “user friendly” aspect is still far from ideal.”

Our wish list for the future: • A secure login that is newer technology. • User friendly functions for the simple tasks needed by each individual music teacher 1. Create a new student. (with new cautions not to create a duplicate when student is already in the system) 2. Register for an event. 3. Print the confirmation invoice. 4. Print point history record. • Online manual instructions for all functions of the system. • Include a field for the accompanist in all vocal instrumental event registrations. • Include a field for choice piece to indicate which collection or method book. (requested specifically for piano to ensure the choice piece is in the original form – not an arrangement) • Revisions to the export registration xml/excel file including but not limited to: 1. Separate fields for required piece, composer; choice piece, composer. 2. Separate fields for last name, first name of participant. The Festivals Management System is designed for NFMC. Area Festivals administrators who have served as testers have given many suggestions that have already been incorporated into the system. We are always open to more ideas as we continue to build this system tailored to meet our each and every need. This is a custom home, practical and functional, designed to help us all.

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Spring 2017 • JUNIOR KE YNOTES 11 National Federation of Music Clubs


F E S T I VA L S C H A I R M A N

Chase Your Dreams With Passion by Lisa C. Smith, NFMC Festivals Chairman Like many of my colleagues, I have decorated my studio with numerous little positive, cheerful, and inspirational quotes about music and life. I have done this because I feel these various colorful statements will brighten up my studio and will help inspire my students to work hard and be disciplined in their musical studies. One of my favorites is on a wall plaque that has pink and purple flowers across the top and says, “Chase your dreams with a passion that makes it impossible for your fears to keep up.” I believe my affinity for this particular statement not only stems from my ability to relate to it on personal and professional levels but also because I think that it eloquently expresses the tension between the drive to achieve one’s aspirations and the drag of fear and, many times, adversity. As music educators we teach our students the fundamental skills they need in order to succeed and hone their art, but we can also impart life lessons to them along the way through their musical endeavors. The NFMC Federation Festivals Program provides a plethora of experiences that you can use to encourage your students to passionately pursue their dreams with such intensity that their fears will fade away. I will give an example of this idea from my early years. I began my Festivals journey at the age of seven. My first year was blissful. In fact, the experience was so positive it has stayed ingrained in my psyche all these years. I remember performing a piece titled “Patriotic Variations” by Lynn Freeman Olson. It was so much fun that I could hardly wait for Festival to arrive again the following year when I could choose a new required piece.

Most of us are in the midst of our respective state’s Festivals season. Remember that your students trust you to guide them successfully through the process with encouragement and wisdom. Not all of my performances were perfect. In my second year of participation in festival the judge asked me if I was planning to play the repeats in my choice piece and, if so, to omit them. Being young and still somewhat new to the experience of Festival, I panicked and had a minor memory slip in the piece. I learned several lessons that day in terms of life, preparation, and keeping calm no matter what life threw at me. My teacher at the time provided me with support and many insights into the experience. This encouraged me to analyze and make adjustments in my practice habits so as to prevent lapses of concentration in the future. Incidentally, this guidance proved extremely useful later in my life, when during a performance the lights in the venue went out leaving me to play in pitch darkness. I feel my Junior Festivals journey prepared me for my future career and helped make me who I am today; I loved the entire experience, the camaraderie, and the American music. I am still able to chase

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• Spring 2017

my dreams with passion and persevere through occasional anxieties because of the confidence I gained through participation in the Festivals Program as a Junior. Most of us are in the midst of our respective state’s Festivals season. Remember that your students trust you to guide them successfully through the process with encouragement and wisdom. As a Festival teacher you can give your students every advantage by: • Making sure that you have responsibly followed all of the NFMC Federation Festivals guidelines found in the NFMC Federation Festivals Bulletin, the NFMC Junior Division Federation Festivals Procedures Manual (JR 3-18), and that you have checked the NFMC website nfmc-music.org for all bulletin adjustments. • Reminding your students that they are not competing against other students in Festival and that each student is graded only on individual merit. Let your students know that they should avoid comparing themselves to others and measure their performance only against what they feel they are capable of achieving. Personal successes are accomplished through hard work combined with focus and passion. • Preparing your students for accurate execution of their literature and educating them on the formalities that occur in the audition room during Festival. For example, pretend you are their judge. • Telling your students to embrace the fear, nervousness, or stage fright. Communicate to them that fear of failure and/or of the unknown is natural and universal. It is a rare individual who feels no anxiety when performing in front of other people. In order to help combat nerves, it is imperative that you stress to your students the importance of practicing diligently and with purpose. Thorough preparation will give them the confidence to face their fears and turn them into positive energy. Any significant accomplishment in life requires that the individual confront fear armed with courage, have correct preparation, and a positive mindset; Festival participation is no different. • Explicitly encouraging your students to have fun performing in Festival. There is nothing more exhilarating than expressing oneself through music. NFMC Federation Festivals give ambitious musicians opportunities to explore, to experiment and to discover their own creative abilities through performance. I wish you all productive and successful Festival experiences. Festival students, please keep in mind that you can accomplish anything with hard work and positivity. In the words of one of the great innovators and entrepreneurs of the twentieth century, Walt Disney, “All our dreams can come true if we have the courage to pursue them.”


F E S T I VA L C U P S

Junior Keynotes Readers:

Staying in Touch by Gloria Lien, Federation Cup Chairman In the next few issues, it would be fun to know where and what some of our first President and Grand Cup recipients are doing now. What helps and encouragements have pushed you not to give up on music. What brings you the greatest joy? What is toughest to deal with musically? It would also be benefical to know what inspires both you as juniors and you as teachers. As a teacher, personally, I’d like to know how you as teachers prepare your juniors. It’s a delicate balance not to peak too early. At the same time, one needs to gage freshness of the piece, memorizing, last minute schedule changes from school, athletic events, family emergencies. How do you do it all? If you are a new teacher, Do you have a mentor? Does that help? Do you recommend it? Please send your comments to me, Gloria Lien, 6738 W. Kimberly Way, Glendale, AZ 85308 or, ideally, email Gloria.hope.lien@gmail.com. My phone for further questions is 602-418-2989.

Federation Cup Winners PRESIDENT’S CUP WINNER Utah Jack J. (JJ) Garzella started playing the piano at age 5, when he took lessons from his grandmother, Edna Dieter, before kindergarden each day. In grade school, JJ Garzella he moved to Utah and began studying with Sandra Preysz. He has continued to play through middle and high school. During high school, he also played in the percussion ensemble and the marching band, culminating in a solo concert on piano and marimba. He is now a freshman at the University of Utah, an avid piano player, and a member of the percussion ensemble.

GRAND CUP WINNER Minnesota Charlotte Read, a senior at Eastview High School (EVHS) and School of Environmental Studies (SES), has studied with teacher Jill Kilzer since 2005. In 2016, Charlotte Read she earned her NFMC Grand Cup after achieving consecutive Superior ratings for Piano Solo (12 years), Piano Duet (5 years), and Piano Concerto (6 years). Charlotte has been a repeat winner in the Minnesota Music Teachers Association (MMTA) state piano contest where she also earned alternate winner in the Junior Young Artist category. Charlotte is active as a flutist in the EVHS Wind Ensemble, flute soloist, keyboardist in the marching band and pit orchestra for school

theater productions. She composes for piano, flute, voice, small ensemble and full band. Charlotte conducted her original piece for full band, The Hollow, at her eighth grade year-end band concert. She has completed music theory level 7; participated in two MMTA Master classes and Music Bridges (an MMTA program which provides an opportunity to explore and experience relationships between music and other art forms); and performed at a MusicLink Foundation fundraiser. Charlotte has served as pianist at several weddings, volunteered her skills and talents where possible, and has even sat in a few times with a local rock-n-roll band. Recently, she completed the production of a ten-song CD of original music that she used for a fundraiser for an upcoming field study in the Galapagos. In addition to her love of music, Charlotte has a passion for biology, ecology and environmental studies which she plans to pursue at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire starting 2017.

Spring 2017

JUNIOR KE YNOTES 13


AMERICAN MUSIC

“I frequently hear music in the very heart of noise.” – George Gershwin

George Gershwin (1898-1937)

by Deborah Freeman, American Music Division Chairman This is an exciting time for American music, as teachers and students prepare for our upcoming NFMC Federation Festivals! All students are learning music by American composers, and Gershwin’s piano preludes are always inspirational favorites for my students. George Gershwin was born Jacob Gershowitz on September 26, 1898, in Brooklyn, New York. The son of Russian-Jewish immigrants, George began his foray into music at age 11 when his family bought a secondhand piano for George’s older sibling, Ira. After dropping out of school at age 15, Gershwin played in several New York nightclubs and began his stint as a “song-plugger” in New York’s Tin Pan Alley. Song pluggers were basically pianists who helped in selling new sheet music by playing the latest tunes in a music store. After three years of pounding out tunes on the piano for demanding customers, he had transformed into a highly-skilled and dexterous composer. To earn extra cash, he also worked as a rehearsal pianist for Broadway singers, and in 1916 he composed his first published song, “When You Want ’Em You Can’t Get ’Em.”

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Successes George was close friends with Arnold Schoenberg, and they enjoyed tennis weekly at Gershwin’s Beverly Hills court. He even asked Schoenberg for composition lessons, but Schoenberg refused by saying: “I would only make you a bad Schoenberg, and you’re such a good Gershwin already.” In the mid-1920s, Gershwin moved to Paris for a while, where he applied to study composition with prominent teacher Nadia Boulanger who, along with several other prospective tutors such as Maurice Ravel, refused him by saying he was fine the way he was. Gershwin also sought to study with Igor Stravinsky. When he

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AMERICAN MUSIC

approached the composer at a party, Stravinsky surprised him with the question, “How much money do you make a year?” Upon hearing the answer Stravinsky replied, “Perhaps I should study with you, Mr. Gershwin.” From 1920 to 1924, Gershwin composed for an annual production put on by George White. After a show titled “Blue Monday,” the bandleader in the pit, Paul Whiteman, asked Gershwin to create a jazz number that would heighten the genre’s respectability. Legend has it that Gershwin forgot about the request until he read a newspaper article announcing the fact that Whiteman’s latest concert would feature a new Gershwin composition. Writing at a manic pace in order to meet the deadline, Gershwin composed what is perhaps his best-known work, Rhapsody in Blue. During this time and in the years that followed, Gershwin wrote numerous songs for stage and screen that quickly became standards, including “Oh, Lady Be Good!,” “Someone to Watch over Me,” “Strike Up the Band,” “Embraceable You,” “Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off ” and “They Can’t Take That Away from Me.” His lyricist for nearly all of these tunes was his older brother, Ira, whose witty lyrics and inventive wordplay received nearly as much acclaim as George’s compositions. Together they composed Of Thee I Sing, widely hailed as one of the greatest Broadway musicals ever staged and the first musical comedy to

win a Pulitzer Prize. In 1935, a decade after composing Rhapsody in Blue, Gershwin debuted his most ambitious composition, Porgy and Bess. The composition, which was based on the novel Porgy by Dubose Heyward, drew from both popular and classical influences. Gershwin called it his “folk opera,” and it is considered not only to be Gershwin’s most complex and best-known work, but also among the most important American musical compositions of the 20th century. Following his success with Porgy and Bess, Gershwin moved to Hollywood and was hired to compose the music for a film titled Shall We Dance, starring Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. It was while working on a follow-up film with Astaire that Gershwin’s life would come to an abrupt end.

Untimely death In the beginning of 1937, Gershwin began to experience troubling symptoms such as severe headaches and noticing strange smells. Doctors would eventually discover that he had developed a malignant brain tumor, and on July 11, 1937, he died during surgery at 38 years old. Sharing American music from sea to shining sea…

Spring 2017

JUNIOR KE YNOTES 15


N M W E S S AY W I N N E R S

W Y A INN S S E ER 7 1 S 0 2

National Music Week May 7-14, 2017

Music... An Adventure for Life SOUTH CAROLINA FEDERATION OF MUSIC CLUBS

by Helena S. Meetze National Music Week National Chairman HELENA S. MEETZE, PRESIDENT COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA

One hundred five students representing twenty states submitted essays on this theme, exceeding our number of eighty-seven entries from nineteen states in 2016. We applaud these young people for expressing their thoughts. The regional chairmen had the difficult task of selecting the winners and felt as if more than one could have been selected from some states. In reading the winning essays myself, I was amazed at the approach they took on this theme and the application of memories from early childhood. They truly have great ideas as to how to make “Music…An Adventure for Life.” Each state winner will receive a $50 monetary prize, a certificate of merit and a congratulatory letter. Their essays and photos are included in this issue of Junior Keynotes. It is hoped that you will enjoy reading all of them, with much admiration for the level of ability. The teachers of all students who entered this contest are to be thanked for encouraging them to participate. The regional chairmen are to be thanked for the responsibility of receiving and judging them. Our dedicated chairmen are: Mary Ellen Ulmer, Northeastern Region Julianne Edwards, Southeastern Region Jan Hansen, North Central, South Central and Western Regions

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nmw 2017 Essay winners ALABAMA

Talladega

Karina Hurtado 12th Grade Teacher: Pamela Thomson

Life itself is an adventure. From the moment we are born, our life-long adventure begins. Just recently I visited my grandmother in the hospital, and as I was walking to the elevator to go to her room, I heard something that sounded so familiar. As I tuned in even more intently, there it was - the song that I have heard so many times as a young child, Johannes Brahms’ Lullaby. Why in the world was the hospital playing this beautiful song? I wondered. My curiosity got the best of me; I had to know. Once I got off the elevator to go to my grandmother’s room, I went to the nurse’s desk to inquire about this beautiful song I just heard. The nurse explained to me that every time a baby is born, the Brahms’ Lullaby is played to welcome the baby into our world. How precious is that! The first weave in the tapestry of those babies’ lives is tied to music. For the rest of the day, I pondered all the songs that have become part of our adventure called life. Every person I know has been greeted with the joyful tune of ‘’Happy Birthday” to commemorate their special day. When we hear the tune, fond memories of our own birthdays float to mind, As we enter kindergarten, we are taught many songs that weave their way into the tapestry that all of life’s adventures create. “Here We Go Around the Mulberry Bush” reminds us of a time of when we were carefree children. We have songs for every holiday; New Year’s, Valentine’s, Easter, and yes, Christmas. Then we have the standard to which many soon-to-be-graduates process into their graduation ceremonies: “Pomp and Circumstance.” Another special moment that is identified via song is when we find that special someone and get married, “The Bridal Chorus” is almost universally acknowledged as the tune of choice for this occasion. Traveling can lead to many new and exciting adventures that bring color to the tapestry of

Music... An Adventure for Life

life. A few years ago, my family and I went on two mission trips with our church. After visiting Guatemala, we made our way to Nicaragua. While there, we hosted Vacation Bible School during the day and invited the community to come back to church each night for service. During this worship service, the tunes with which I grew up were played, but the words were translated to Spanish. Hearing and seeing this financially poor community celebrate with music was magnificent. They were some of the happiest people I have ever met. One of the songs played was “Shout to the Lord,” and the joy was almost tangible. Music truly is the language that crosses all barriers and boundaries. As I reflect on our adventures and the role that music plays in creating the tapestry of life, l am reminded of my great-grandfather. He loved gospel music of all kinds, and he would sing and read his Bible daily. “Taps,” the simple and uniting bugle call, was played at his funeral. This song is played for countless heroic men and women who have served so bravely for our nation. It wraps their loose thread and allows us to look at the full tapestry.

ARKANSAS Jonesboro

Cecily Long 11th Grade Teacher: Dr. J.D. Kelly

My first time to be involved with music was when I learned to play piano at the age of seven. I look back at my books from when I first started taking lessons thinking to myself how easy it is to play through those books now. However, I remember how difficult it was for me at the time to master the basic rhythms and techniques of the books along with being able to orient both hands to the keyboard at the right time when reading the procession of notes off the page. My piano teacher taught me that much practice and patience was needed to improve my memory and dexterity. This involved repeating a measure at least ten times perfectly and separating my left and right hand

accordingly. A difficult journey at first, I found it rewarding as I persevered through it. After sufficient practice and patience, I could finally play through what initially seemed daunting and turn it into something I would enjoy by playing around with rhythms, dynamics, and other aspects of the music. This made the music more unique and gave me a chance to show myself to the audience. I played in recitals and worked competitively toward piano festivals and competitions, all of which helped me become a more confident person. I began listening to classical music religiously seeking every chance to attend piano and orchestral performances. I listened to many composers from Bach to Beethoven to Rachmaninoff appreciating their works while trying to reflect on why they wrote the works they did. I loved every moment of the music as I engaged myself in the moods, melodies and harmonies conveyed. This inspired me to learn clarinet which I found a much easier process compared to learning piano with only minor difficulties such as maintaining steady air flow. I played in the concert band at my school and the orchestra at my church. Being a part of what I had always enjoyed hearing provided a whole new experience for me. I learned how to listen for melodic lines in other instruments, be expressive, and balance and blend among the group. By the time mistakes were improved, the intonation of the ensemble sounded beautiful. The most important aspect I gained from learning how to play music was learning how to love music. Not only is it my hobby, but it is my escape from reality. Music is one of the painful and pleasant reminders of my life. As much as I am unaware of it, music follows me everywhere. When I hear Chopin’s “Marche Funebre,” I instantly recall times of tragedy, or when I hear Joplin’s “The Entertainer,” I think of instances where I am most happy. I am not jaded; in fact, I have become more confident and adventurous because of the way music has shaped me. I love music because it is the friend who has stood by my side through the tough and exciting circumstances of my life.

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nmw 2017 Essay winners CALIFORNIA Chino Hills

Miranda Lee 11th Grade Teacher: Sophia Kwok

Music, when stripped of every elaborate variation, every technical name, is something so simple, yet so universally fathomed, that every living soul has encountered its existence. A sound – not a chord, not a note, but simply a sound: a reverberation in the air that can be felt by even the most obvious ear. When an artist first touches a key on the piano, first strokes a string on the violin, the first entity they experience is a sound. Not yet a note, for it has no name, but timbre that marks the beginning of an adventure, consummate in the sense that it is not limited by age, nor ability, nor knowledge. Music – not only created, but heard, felt, and loved – is an adventure anyone can experience, and one without limits. Artists begin their musical adventure with the first sound they produce from an instrument, which they soon learn to associate a name with. G, A, C, D - a classification for each sound they hear, and a modest yet crucial embarking. The beginning of every adventure is like that of a musical one: energetic, undaunting, and simple. A new traveler is as excited to begin their journey as the artist is hopeful about to set their fingers on the keys. The first compositions that an artist comes across are not difficult; the artist struggles minimally and often takes a shallow interpretation of the score: happy, sad, fast, or slow. No feat seems too challenging, and as time passes, the adventurer yearns for a new development in their travels. So, they receive one: a new scale pattern to master, a steep mountain to climb. The old optimistic energy becomes difficult to call upon, and can often only be mustered in irregular bouts. An artist experiences deeper emotions with this challenge: frustration, when they are unable to produce the crystalline trills they desire, and anger, when physical incapability makes certain chords seemingly impossible to reach. The artist, like a traveler who has trudged halfway up a hill, often doubts the strength of

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their motivation. Repetition: the same notes, the same step, over and over again become tiresome. Progress, miles away, never appears to get closer. The dream of an idealistic, exhilarating adventure is replaced by the reality of long hours, hard work, and bitter growth. Yet every small step forward seems like a breakthrough. An artist becomes overjoyed when they are suddenly able to play at an unprecedented speed, to effortlessly convey the fluidity of an intimidating phrase. Each tread brings the traveler closer to the peak of the mountain, just as each success brings the artist closer to the heart of their musical adventure. Energy replenishes itself as the adventurer realizes that their culmination is within reach - the point where it is no longer sounds that are being produced, but music! True, genuine music! The first sound that was created by a brush of the fingers has finally evolved, flourished into a universal masterpiece entrenched in experience and flooded with emotion: music, an adventure with no limits, and an adventure for Life.

FLORIDA Apollo Beach

Kayla Truong 7th Grade Teacher: Suzanne Herman

People always say that the eyes are a window to the soul, and I believe that music is the connection that connects our hearts to our souls. Life is a journey that is full of conflicts and solutions, emotions and experiences, happy and sad events, and music always comes along with it. Music is a universal language that represents life. Music itself is a journey of experience that we can all connect and relate to. From the dawn of time, cavemen danced to the beat of sticks hitting stones in the caves. They made prehistoric flutes out of bones, blowing through the holes to create various sounds. Using their voices, they sang chants and prayers to the gods to give them peace. Since that point in history, music has come a long way. No matter where

you are or what you do, music connects to us emotionally or physically. Regardless of which language we speak, we react to the music, humming and singing to the tunes. At a time of celebration or sadness, music is always there. Music can be heard at weddings or funerals. Music can invoke feelings, inspirations, and ideas. Music heals and gives us hope in times of despair, and music can inspire us to create. Songs and folklore have been passed down for many generations even before any form of writings were invented. Some of the greatest songs in the form of literature were inspired by life, for example, Homer’s Odyssey and the Indian religious text Mahabharata which were passed down by verses and lyrics. Music surrounds our lives. The sound of rustling trees, birds chirping cheerfully, and even cars racing down the highway are all part of the music of life. Animal mating rituals are part of the music of life. Every day, we are discovering more things about music. Listening to the beat of a drum or a trumpet before battle in a movie, we can see heroes and civilizations fall, being replaced with others. As civilization advances, so does music. We listen to music from radio stations, stream live from YouTube, and create playlists. We now can stream music with a click of a button on a mobile device. We now can take music anywhere we go, anytime we like. Life is an adventure, and I believe music decorates and amplifies all the aspects of life. At any moment, any one of us can listen to any tunes and let ourselves go to any destinations of our choice. Life is beautiful because of the diversity, and music makes it happen. I believe that life is music and music is life itself! Humanity is life, and life cannot be without music! Can you imagine the world without music? What would life be like without music.


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nmw 2017 Essay winners IDAHO Buhl

Kayanna Zamora 7th Grade Teacher: Carolyn Kohntopp

Having music in one’s life can alter their personality, improve hand and eye coordination, increase levels in human growth hormone, and reduce anxiety. There are many benefits to playing the piano, and great joys when I use music in ways to encourage others. At my work, Boys and Girls Club, I play songs for the children and they play songs for me. We exchange this similar phenomena and learn from each other. Music is a beautiful thing that connects people together and can be played and heard forever. My name is Kayanna Zamora, and I have been playing piano since I was six years old. My love for music started when my great aunt gave me a keepsake. It was a piano with an embroidered bench. I played it not knowing a note, and I believe that is why my parents signed me up. They probably were tired of their daughter banging on the keys! I enrolled with Linda Sheridan, then went to Carolyn Kohntopp two years later. They have taught me great skills and helped me grow into the person I have become. Taking lessons gave me security in reading and mathematics. I also gained an appreciation for songs on the radio because I could only play one note at a time. As I aged, my mindset grew. I am sixteen years old now and a junior at Buhl High School. I have received scholarships, awards, and prizes for my talent in music. I am able to perform more challenging pieces and play the songs on the radio. I have been given the chance to play in competitions and grow as a musician with my local honors jazz band, concert band, and pep band. When I graduate high school in 2018, I plan to become a music teacher. I love working with children and being able to inspire them. Children are a beautiful gift that are open to new ideas, like playing pieces that are two-hundred-twenty years old! When my piano teachers introduced me to these pieces, I was worried if my teachers were really that old, but then I realized that

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the music was pure gold. These composers are famous today and forever because of the outstanding music they published. I have realized that you cannot master the piano; there will always be another step to take. A famous composer, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, once said, “It is a mistake to think that the practice of my art has become easy to me.” This man was a stunning composer; I want to play as great as him one day. I might be eighty years old or ninety-seven years old and believe that I mastered the piano, but until then I need to continue this musical adventure to see where it will take me.

INDIANA Fishers

Rupali Singh 10th Grade Teacher: Lisa Cremer

Exquisite, serene, blissful: words all used to describe art. Art requires intuitive thought, creativity, and imagination. Music, just one form of art, is for those willing to go to another world. In this musical world, goals are reached, achievements are made, and more wonders are to come. Music takes the composer, the pianist, the conductor, and many more along for a ride, and all they have to do is sit back and create beauty. Creating and making music is just one adventure that will continue for eternity because once everything else is gone, music still stays. Along this ride, new pieces are created, and these pieces describe raw emotions and pure thoughts. These pieces are created to tell adventures. Music can be used to describe any type of experience. Imagine climbing up a mountain and reaching the top. Peaceful music with powerful chords and notes brings chills to the adventure. If the mountain climber slips and almost falls, loud, low chords can be heard to create suspense. Once you reach the top, quiet, high notes are heard that give the experience its true meaning. In music, not only is the process of creating it an adventure but within the music small adventures can be heard.

Picture yourself swimming to the bottom of an ocean and experiencing the world of sea creatures. As you swim through the sparkling aquamarine water, you hear a certain melody. Beautiful long phrases of music can be heard that sound like you are floating in this water, drifting peacefully by as the current takes you to your destination. Finally, when you are in the heart of the sea you see coral, schools of colorful fish; purples, blues, yellows, and greens can be seen in the water. Now the long phrases turn to short staccato notes that describe something in this adventure happening next. A jellyfish comes towards you, the music grows louder and shrill in your ears. The jellyfish is staring into your eyes and then suddenly turns away. The music grows quiet and soon cannot be heard anymore. Every note, every phrase, every measure of music describe the adventures. These adventures and memories are created and remembered only through music. Music can and will always be heard for all the adventure in your life. As Oprah Winfrey says, “The biggest adventure you can take is to live the life of your dreams.” Having the opportunity to play music, and to grow as a musician, is my biggest dream of all.

LOUISIANA New Orleans

Ciana Williams 10th Grade Teacher: Sylvia Palmer

In his famous quote, Oscar Wilde said, “To live is the rarest feeling in the world. Most people exist, that is all.” I feel the only way to truly ‘live” is through adventures. Music is a musician’s biggest adventure that never grows old or runs out. Leaping into the unknown, failing, and learning are all some of life’s biggest feats. Music can help you experience all these factors of life. For instance, many failures are experienced while going through the journey of learning a song to mastering it. However, these failures are just a part of the mountain trail, and eventually, you get to the mountain peak. Some pieces introduce you to a new culture and

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nmw 2017 Essay winners language. Others can be fulfilling and exciting like you are ziplining in a foreign valley. Some songs can be so descriptive or peaceful that they provide an escape or sense of relief. Music opportunities offered to you can become some of the best adventures of your life. Music can launch new relationships, and bring you to places you did not know existed. Many people wish they possessed the ability to go back in time, or even see how life was in another era. Music allows you to do exactly that! Some songs can bring vivid flashbacks of your past life. Others can take you to another decade while the lyrics describe how the life and people were in that time. Music is universally known and a part of most people’s lives. It is experienced and greatly appreciated everywhere, not only now but forever. So if ever in need of an exciting adventure, try to learn a new piece of music, seek out some new songs, or discover a new artist!

MINNESOTA Renville

Rachel Wordes 11th Grade Teacher: Carol Bakker

Music has always been the greatest adventure of my life. From accompanying a choir, to singing in a musical group, to teaching guitar lessons, to enjoying a song on the radio, music has never grown boring or unexciting for me. Music inspires, challenges, motivates, and is a constant companion. Through the pain and triumphs, I have discovered that music has and will always be an adventure in my life. My crazy, wonderful adventure with music began with piano lessons in first grade, and I have been pursuing this classic, grand instrument ever since. Piano has established my love of music, and I don’t know what I would do without that valuable friendship. Piano is the friend who has challenged me and helped me to improve myself with opportunities such as competitions, playing for church and community events, and theory tests. The therapeutic keys of the piano have soothed my

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anxieties and stress, but those same keys have also frustrated and exhausted me. Because piano demanded so much attention in my life, I pursued music relentlessly by expanding new horizons of instruments, songs, and concepts. In music, there seems to always be something new to discover, a piece to challenge myself with, or a new instrument to learn. My musical experiences have been challenging, exciting, successful, and even painful. Nerves still unwantedly appear at every performance, although I have performed countless times for all types of audiences. Many challenges and disappointments have occurred in my musical career, such as not winning a hard-worked for competition, or making embarrassing mistakes on a piece. However, many joys and little victories are also evident, such as a successful performance, receiving a kind, sincere compliment, or finally memorizing a difficult piece. Even the painful or difficult experiences I have learned from, and they molded and prepared me to become better musically, even as much as the successful experiences. The adventures and experiences in music never end; therefore, I will always continue to learn and grow. I am convinced that music will always have the worth and priority of a best friend in my life. New instruments can be pursued, and I can excel further in instruments I already play. Music is a talent I can use anytime, anywhere, and continue to learn and love in the future. With music, a new instrument is always calling to be played, a song longing to be listened to, and the love of a lifetime ready to be explored.

outlet. Throughout the history of what scientists believe was the beginning of time, there was music. Music is the ultimate adventure because it has the ability to make you believe that you are in places such as Paris, London, Milan, Egypt, and even another galaxy. You can be transformed into a Hollywood star, top mathematician, or even the biggest villain. It is reasonable to believe music was here before most people were on this earth, and it will be here long after they are gone. Music is constant. Music is strong willed and emotional. It can pick you up when you are down or cause you to empathize with people. It is the one thing that can be there to comfort you when you feel no one else is in your corner. Music forces you to analyze your life to see what and why some decisions are right or wrong. In a world of darkness, it is the light. For many people music is their drug; it is what they crave. Many people believe the eyes are the windows to the soul, but a person’s musical interests bring him or her close to finding and exploring his or her soul. Music is so prolific. Music has been present during the good, bad and ugly moments, both personal and cultural. It can make you laugh, cry, feel better, and understand the important social injustices. It is one of the only aspects that is ultimately the same everywhere you go. It brings cultures together and breaks fights apart. Through turmoil and chaos it prevails. Through sunny days and clear skies, it embraces. So, to say that music is an adventure for life might be an understatement. When you really reflect on the boundaries of music, music is an adventure for lifetimes.

MISSISSIPPI

MISSOURI

Jackson

Webster Groves

Courtney Francois

Madeline Allen

9th Grade

12th Grade

Teacher: Carolina Whitfield-Smith

Teacher: Gail Larson

Music is an adventure for life. It compels you to travel to new, exotic lands near and far. When looking to escape earthly problems and avoid reality, music can be a therapeutic

She has always been a constant presence in my existence. She gave me purpose and direction; I gave her a home, a refuge from stress, fatigue, and frustration. Through me, she


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nmw 2017 Essay winners was reinvigorated. While her fingers skittered over my black and white keys, energy flowed, soothed, and refreshed her soul from my soft and loud notes. I helped her brain to rest after a day of thinking, creating, absorbing, and learning. I was her easel; she was the artist. She wanted to begin our adventure together in kindergarten, but her parents were unsure whether this would be a lasting passion, or a flight of fancy that would die as soon as hard work was required. Excitement bubbled through her as she began in first grade, and she loved every minute of practice and performance. During our quest together, I have taught her many things: commitment, determination, perseverance, self - discipline, and success from hard work. I remember her practicing Beethoven’s “Sonata Pathetique” when I taught her how to break apart large pieces into smaller, more manageable, sections. She repeatedly worked on sections of Bach’s “Prelude and Fugue in C Minor” until it was committed to memory and internalized in her fingers. I taught her to value practice and to keep working, even when she didn’t feel like it or it was difficult, and she has experienced success because of it. In middle school, the cello caught her interest, so I had to share her practice time with the new instrument. When she found the time to practice with me, she fell in love with Beethoven’s “Moonlight Sonata” and Chopin’s “Nocturne,” which are still her favorites today. Playing these pieces with her is a stroll down memory lane, brimming with nostalgia. I encouraged confidence, and she began to share her talent with others at church, nursing homes, and with the orchestra. Once she entered high school, I thought she had changed. Our time together became limited, and I heard talk of robotics club, student council, and orchestra. I was afraid that she had lost interest, and I missed our moments together. But she demonstrated her love and desire for me by setting her alarm and waking at 5:30 AM for us to train together. Suddenly, there was a halt in our practice time. I worried and wondered what had happened to her. Occasionally, as she passed by me, I heard about physics labs being due, French presentations being readied, and English

Music... An Adventure for Life

papers being written. It seemed as if there was a constant barrage of assignments, which left little time for me. I remembered when she was younger and how easily music and scheduling practice time came to her. Now, even when she rose early in the morning, other tasks often needed her immediate attention. Although she was busy, I was glad to see her using the skills I had taught her; perseverance, grit, and determination. I saw her handling her academic demands with grace, poise, and honor. It is now her final year of high school, and I’ve seen this little girl, adolescent, and young woman come full circle. This year, as I have helped teach her, she has made a point to include what is important to her, and she has found daily time that we can spend together. Even as she wrestles with a full schedule of challenging classes, she still works on those fugues, sonatas, and nocturnes with me, and I rejoice with her accomplishments, as her journey continues.

NEW JERSEY Westfield

Mira Yang 11th Grade Teacher: Sondra Tammam

Ebony and Ivory. Moonshine-polished luminosity which creates such graceful harmonies The bane of my youth, when I dreamed to play on a polished stage with a diamond chandelier, Its opulence dangling over my head like a raincloud full of teardrop crystals I sit at the bench, my mind filled with fear. My feet, clad in a pair of freshly polished MaryJane shoes, shake nervously by the damper pedal. The recital hall is silent except for the faint swishing of the chandelier crystals. This was my first performance in Carnegie Hall, and every note mattered. My journey into the realm of piano performance began at age eight. I had been tapping away at a plastic keyboard since age five, but only after I entered the third grade

did I begin to let my music be heard. Before Carnegie Hall, I had only performed in front of family, fellow students and a few judges at various music festivals. Those moments had been different. Bearing the weight of thick books inked with the blood of Bach and Beethoven, the 88 key creation speaks an eternal language, refusing to rest. After the first performance came the second. Aside from the thundering applause and the beautiful gowns, I fell in love with Carnegie hall for its elegant ambiance. Previously barely able to practice for thirty minutes, I became accustomed to being engulfed in music, disappearing into the blanket of beautiful sound for hours on end. I explored composers from all countries generations, from Kabalevsky to Tauriello. One moment I would be prancing through the rainy gardens of Debussy, and the next, I would be under the moonlight with Beethoven. From the wispy, desperate words of the runaways, to the bellows of the lovesick baritones, I’d like to thank the Yamaha in the Living Room, a scrapbook of fingerprints, tears, and blue ribbons, for sharing its stories, its wisdom, and its desire to satisfy even my most vibrant dreams. The year I lost my grandmother and grandfather to illness, I would play their favorite Chinese folk songs on the piano and imagine their voices singing along. When my mother was undergoing treatment for breast cancer, I would fill the home with Chopin, her favorite composer. In order to give back to my community, I began to move my music to new venues, including hospitals and retirement homes. Not only has music been by my side through every hardship life has thrown at me, but I have learned that it is a source of therapy for not only those who are listening in the audience, but the performer as well. I know that I will never stop loving music. Each time I practice or perform, I learn

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nmw 2017 Essay winners something new about both my canvas and myself. Music truly is an adventure for life; not only does it live with you for a lifetime, but it continues to shape you, day by day, into a stronger, more multi-faceted human being capable of handling any of life’s obstacles.

NORTH CAROLINA Charlotte

Audrey Zhou 11th Grade Teacher: Diane W. Higgins

It seems as if there are many constants in life. Friends, family, they all seem as if they will be there forever. However, change is inevitable. While we may not want it, we can’t stop it. People move away, shift their personalities. Time catches up to everyone eventually. Nothing is truly guaranteed in the end. Except for one thing: music. Music is there in childhood. As a toddler, you’ll sing along to songs on the television. You’ll play tunes with toys. At night, you’ll be lulled to sleep by lullabies. Music is everywhere, encompassing and ever present. As you grow, you’ll find that to be true still. A parent might hum a cheerful tune; a friend might chant a new rhyme. Music will even be there when you least expect it. It will be in the pitter patter of the rain as it falls and in the quick beat of your heart as you ride a bike for the very first time. Music is there in adolescence. Maybe it’s helping you through all-night study sessions and fights with best friends. It will intensify the emotion in crowded movie theaters. It will be there when people need to practice their instrument, whether it’s you, a family member, or a friend. Mall trips and car rides will be infinitely better when you’re singing at the top of your lungs. When the world feels as if it is crashing down around you, it will be there to comfort you. When you feel as if you’re on top of the world, it will be there to keep you feeling incredible. Music is there in adulthood. Job applications, interviews, and rejections will all be easier to go through with music. Music will also

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bring happiness, whether it’s relaxing in your apartment or having fun at a concert. When friends and family have been whisked away by time, it can even ease mourning. Some pieces of music might hold more significance than others, whether it be a wedding march or a song you know all the lyrics to by heart. Maybe your musical tastes will have changed, but it will still comfort you. As you progress through life, you might not notice it at first. Whether you do or don’t, it doesn’t change the fact that music will be there for you. In your young years and old, through the ups and downs, the lows and highs, comfort can always be found in it. After all, music is an adventure for life.

OHIO Mason

Olivia Gittens 10th Grade Teacher: Dr. Jackson Leung

There once was a little girl who was given a music box pianist as a gift. The little girl named this pianist Isabelle, and she would watch her play the piano daily, never making a mistake. This girl loved her music box, and she strived to be perfect like Isabelle. Along with this music box came a book describing Isabelle’s life. Little did the girl know, Isabelle had a backstory that had brought her an adventure she never dreamed of. And so she began to read... Just like the little girl, Isabelle also tried to be perfect. Unfortunately, her musical life didn’t go as expected, and she was forced to take some rough paths upon which she didn’t wish to travel. When Isabelle was younger, she had a music teacher that she loved dearly. This teacher treated her like a princess and told her she could do anything she desired. As time went on, the connection Isabelle had with this teacher started to fade, and she was made to feel like she could not accomplish her dreams. Now Isabelle enjoyed a particular piece, and it was her goal to play it perfectly. However, when Isabelle asked her teacher for permission

to play it, she got one answer, “No, you can’t play it and you never will.” Isabelle was stunned, and from that moment she found herself on a rocky, uncertain musical adventure. Isabelle got a new teacher, and he told her that she would be able to play the piece but she had to wait. When Isabelle finally started to play this piece, she realized it was harder than she had anticipated, and she became discouraged. Isabelle’s teacher began to doubt that she would be able to play this piece and suggested that she choose another. Refusing to give up, Isabelle worked her hardest to learn this piece and practiced constantly until it was perfect. Isabelle’s dream had always been to perform this piece with an orchestra, so she entered a competition that would give her this opportunity. When the results came in, Isabelle was very disappointed to learn she had not been chosen to play. Isabelle entered another competition only to find out that she was not chosen as a finalist but an alternate. Isabelle had never been so discouraged! She was ready to give up when she received a letter saying that one of the finalists had dropped out, and she was needed to play. At the competition, Isabelle played better than ever and to her delight, she was chosen as the winner! With this win, Isabelle was able to play with a professional orchestra, one better than she ever dreamed of playing with. Even though everything didn’t go as planned or as scheduled, Isabelle realized this was the best ending possible. As the little girl closed the book she realized that she didn’t have to be perfect; music wasn’t going to come easily and above all, music really is an adventure of life.

OREGON Portland

Noah Kurzenhouser 10th Grade Teacher: Aaron Bloom

What is life? Is life simply the number of years you physically exist on planet Earth? Is it


N M W E S S AY W I N N E R S

nmw 2017 Essay winners the emotional journey one embarks on when their infant eyes first open and see the world? Could it be a combination of a myriad of life and societal factors that impact us on a personal level? Perhaps there is no definitive answer, and maybe we’ll never know what it means to “live.” Although we can’t define “life,” we experience its highs and lows, its triumphs and failures. We learn, we practice, and when we stumble, we pick ourselves up- just like in music. Life is like a blank musical score. When we begin life, no strikes against us exist. When a composer begins constructing a new piece, nothings is present except for an idea and a blank sheet a paper. Just like the composer, we choose a “key” for our piece, our life. Sometimes this is externally applied by society, and we may have not much say in it - but we can always switch keys in a piece, right? The point when an individual decides to pick a “key,” the moment of realization, is different for everybody. This “key” helps define who we are and who we will become. When a key is chosen, the composer begins to, well, compose. Flats, sharps, crescendos, and decrescendos are all taken into account. These musical devices impact the piece greatly, helping transform it into a finished product. During our lives, our musical scores, we experience our fair share of flats and sharps. A flatted note by itself may sound awkward, out of place - same goes for sharps. With enough listening and practice, though, one gains appreciation for flats and sharps; people begin to realize that they enhance a piece. When learning to ride a bike and one falls off, a sense of despair arises. This can be considered a single flat. However, after falling repeatedly, the child understands that although it was painful in the moment, it aided in the learning process. This can be likened to a full appreciation of flats/sharps. During our life, we also experience crescendos and decrescendos. The highs of life, the crescendos, are a stunningly blissful experience; getting an A on a difficult math test, finally mastering a complex piece, or getting your first paycheck are prime examples. We wouldn’t grow, however, if we experienced just crescendos; life’s decrescendos are equally important. When we make a mistake, hurt someone, or lie, one’s outlook on life diminishes,

Music... An Adventure for Life

just like the volume in a piece. We must utilize these “decrescendo moments” and reflect, so we can one again experience a crescendo. You are the composer of your life, not anyone else. Your life is both minor and major, filled with both sharps and flats. There will be mess-ups and mistakes along the way. But when you reach the end of your life, your piece, the audience will applaud and you can take one final bow; your piece has been completed, your purpose fulfilled.

SOUTH CAROLINA Elgin

Maddox Mock 8th Grade Teacher: Diane W. Higgins

Music is the most human invention, and can change a person’s life. Music is an amazing adventure for the mind and soul. Music means to me what I think it means to many people – that it is a way to take yourself away from the struggles or hardships of life. When you are with your instrument, there is nothing else that matters in the world, and your mind can wander or just listen to the music you are creating for yourself and others. Music is the greatest invention because it was the first invention that could evoke human soul, and made sounds a way of expressing a person’s soul through a sheet of paper, and an instrument. Music can also be an amazing adventure for a person. When I was discovering how to play certain pieces of music, I was also learning a lot about the history behind the style of the piece and about the composer. Music has also taught me how to control my weaknesses. One of the greatest examples of this was overcoming my stage fright to perform for others. Even though I still struggle with that, I am much more secure with my abilities than I was in the past. But most importantly, music brings together people who can become your best friends, and that is the greatest adventure of all.

SOUTH DAKOTA Sioux City

Treyla Tucker 11th Grade Teacher: Daryl Jessen

Music is different for everyone. Some people see a song and can only see the lyrics, but others can see deeper and connect with the story behind the music. Each song, each beat, each note means something different to everyone, and it affects each person in their own way. Some people use music as something to fill the silence, some use it to keep them entertained, but I use it to explain things when I can’t explain them myself. When I was younger my grandmother would sit for hours and read me books, tell me stories, and laugh with me. The entire time this was going on my grandfather would play the piano in the background. He would play these beautiful soft melodies and never hit a wrong note. I could pick apart the songs and hear each note being played, each key being tapped, each measure of the song being written as he played. My grandmother would ignore the music and keep reading, but I never stopped hearing it. I associated the beautiful piano music with my grandmother. I thought the two went together. She was graceful, elegant, and beautiful just like the piano music. Now that I no longer have her, whenever I see her face in a picture or think of her, I can hear the gorgeous music and that to me is what music is. Not having her was hard, but hearing the music and having my grandfather play it made it easier for me to handle it. It helped me express what I can’t say, and it let me remember her in an amazing way. That’s what music is in life. It’s complicated and dark and beautiful all at the same time. It’s nothing and it’s everything. Music isn’t there to be understood - it’s there to help you understand. It’s not pointless notes on a page, it’s a story written by someone who needed to express themselves. Every song out there was written with a purpose, but that doesn’t mean it has the same purpose for you. Music is whatever you want or need it to be. It’s an adventure, but in the best way. Without music life would be

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N M W E S S AY W I N N E R S

nmw 2017 Essay winners harder. So while some people think music has no purpose, there are others who know that it means everything. Not everyone understands, but not everyone needs to. It’s an adventure; let it take you where you need to go.

VIRGINIA Chantilly

Aadith Vittala 12th Grade Teacher: Marilynne Jost

When I think of the words “adventure” and “music,” there is only one person who springs immediately to my mind: John Williams, American composer extraordinaire. No matter who you are, there is a high chance you have listened to something that he has composed, whether the ominous repeated two-note sequence in Jaws, the whip-slinging, galloping music from Indiana Jones, or the ominous march of the Stormtroopers in the Star Wars series. What is it about his music - and music in general – that inspires our imagination? The first key is that music creates motion. When I was in kindergarten, we had music class once a week. One day, our music teacher sat at the piano, playing “Für Elise,” and told us to simply do what felt natural. Very soon, we were all dancing gracefully around the classroom. Motion and music are partners: just watch a pianist and you will see. They do not simply press keys in the right order at the right time; often, unconsciously, they will themselves move on the piano, their body swaying to the music they create. Or think about a marching band – moving under the strict authority of their music’s tempo. Motion needs the beat, and music supplies it. But imagination is not simply motion; we also need emotion. Emotion rises quite naturally from tone. The slow crescendo and acceleration of the Jaws theme builds a scene of suspense; the uplifting melody of the Indiana Jones theme gets us ready to head out on an adventure; and the majestic “Imperial March” prepares us for the onslaught of Stormtroopers. Music creates emotion, and the combination of

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Music... An Adventure for Life

motion and emotion set a natural precedent for imagination. We might not be able to physically run with Indiana Jones in his adventures, but the music of John Williams allows our mind to follow him, even as our bodies remain glued to our seats at the theater. This brings up an important point; if we were to make movies as evocative of the true experience, why would we add music? As Dr. Jones races around ancient traps, he cannot hear the dramatic music that accompanies his adventures. To be true, movies should not include any background noise other than what is natural to the setting. Yet almost all movies include music on top of their dialogue. Even most silent films include music as background! We cannot think of music simply as a background, as a way to augment the experience. Music is as essential to the storytelling as the dialogue; just as dialogue conveys the plot, music conveys the emotions. To adventure, we must be prepared to imagine. Music provides us a way to imagine, whether we like galactic wars, archaeology, or giant sharks. John Williams epitomizes this idea. Through his composing, he proves to us all that music is the truest adventure.

WASHINGTON Bellevue

Luke Chen 7th Grade Teacher: Sharon Van Valin

When I was little, I loved adventures. I liked exploring the woods or going to places where I was not supposed to. Trying new things are exciting to me. When I was five, I came across the cello, and that was when my new adventure began. I loved the sound of the cello. Over the next seven years, I went through a colorful journey full of musical adventures. I learned to play the cello; I learned to play the piano; I joined ensembles; I joined orchestras and played in music festivals. I loved practicing and I hated practicing. There was joy and there were tears. Music’s variety gave me more experience. I

listen to different genres of music – some happy, some sad, and they give me new ideas about what I can compose. When I was performing with an ensemble and an orchestra, I learned to listen more to other instruments’ parts, and this let me listen to all parts better. Through this process, I grew in knowledge and understood how to work not just myself but a large group of musicians. Learning to take risks and exploring on my own is also crucial. When I take risks, for example, playing new music that is basic, or trying something new in a composition, I either succeed or I make a mistake. In both ways, I learn – if a success, I remember to do things that way, or do it more; or if a failure, I learn how to fix it and move on. Exploring through music lets me find my own way through it pure guidance may not lead you to some secrets of music, left for you to explore. Practicing the music, you can explore through it on your own. When you break it down piece by piece, and practice each part, after you put the piece together, you look back and see how much progress you have made, giving you a sense of accomplishment. Most importantly, music is exciting. The thrill of being on stage and performing to an audience fuels passion and the love of music. Composing my own music, I feel how my music resonates inside of myself. At the turn of every page, there is another surprise just waiting for you. The ups and downs in music represent the ups and downs in life just exactly the way they are – music is a miniature life. We go through twists and turns, learning how to do specific things in music. We keep discovering new things to do in music, and that’s why it is an adventure, and learning more from music is even better. But the best thing is that music will stick with me as old as I get. When I am old, I will still love adventure. Music is my adventure for life.


N M W E S S AY W I N N E R S

nmw 2017 Essay winners WISCONSIN Milwaukee

Siddharth Nadkarni 7th Grade Teacher: Sam Ecoff

Six years ago, I attended a Milwaukee Youth Symphony Orchestra concert. I watched every instrument play to see if anything impressed me. One instrument stood out: the cello. I was entranced by the smooth motion of the bow playing the strings. I immediately began cello lessons. The lessons were tough at first. Day by day, I improved my playing until my teacher finally said, “Siddharth, I would like you to audition for MYSO.” I was excited. It was my dream to be in the orchestra that I watched from the audience. I was accepted. Every week, I attended the rehearsals and played my cello to the extent that I could. I absolutely loved it. It was time. I heaved my cello up and walked onto stage with my string quartet. I hastily sat down and adjusted my bow, my endpin, and my stand. I quickly glanced at the other instruments. We nodded and the first violin cued. I looked at my music, and my heart stopped. My music was upside down! I nervously looked at the large crowd and I relaxed. No one had noticed. I slowly extended my arm and plucked the music out of the stand. Then I rotated it and dropped it in its rightful place. I breathed a silent sigh of relief and let my bow smoothly move back and forth. Musicians’ lives are usually a mixture of successes and failures, especially in music. Failure is one of the keys to playing well because it helps us to learn from our mistakes. They love music because it is full of life; it embraces their emotional side. I began music in the first few years of my life. One day, I heard my mother playing “Ode to Joy” on the piano. I ran up to the piano and tapped out a few notes until I found the tune. From that point on, I began music lessons. I relished every minute of playing the piano. It felt like I had found my lifelong passion. I have always enjoyed composing. The fact that I could create my own music was fascinating to me. In my piano lessons, I was given many opportunities to create music, I did it to the best

Music... An Adventure for Life

of my abilities, and I wanted to pursue it further. Sometimes, musicians need to change. I decided to replace my piano lessons with composition lessons. I learned techniques, styles, and the theory behind every music creation. To this day, I still compose and play the cello. Music has been an experience which has lasted for my lifetime. Musicians have always been inspired by other musicians who are successful, and it gives them a reason to keep playing music. From the time I played “Ode to Joy” to now, I have come far enough to say one thing: this has truly been an adventure of a lifetime.

WYOMING Hartland

Dacotah Morgan 10th Grade Teacher: Lorrie Morgan

Music is an amazing thing. It is something that is challenging but fun at the same time. Music is an art like no other...it can express feelings; it can heal people; it can tell stories from long ago and it is a way to display talent. I love playing an instrument because it’s not something that one can just pick up and easily become a master at. It requires a lot of hard work and dedication. Playing the viola makes me happy because I am able to share my talent with the people listening and to make music with others. I enjoy playing many different genres of music including fiddle music, Celtic, classical and even Lindsey Stirling! My favorite composer is Antonin Dvorak. I am currently working on a piece entitled “Oblivian” that I transcribed for viola. I am excited to perform this in April at the Young Musician’s Festival in Evanston and Spring Music Festival in Casper. I try to fill my daily life with music as much as possible. I enjoy group performances most. I have played with Maue Music Studios for events such as bazaars, parades and open houses. I have also accompanied choirs and played for a musical, a wedding and funerals. Last month, I was asked to accompany the North Platte

District Women’s Honor Choir on a piece entitled “The Quiet Land of Erin.” It was a lot of fun! I had the privilege of playing in the 2016 and 2017 Wyoming All-State Orchestras. What an incredible experience! I also now perform with the Powder River Symphony in Gillette. My family members are also musicians and it brings us joy to make music together. My future goals include pursuing a career as a studio musician and making movie soundtracks. Before beginning viola, I played violin for two years. I then decided to try viola because it is a less common instrument and to take on the challenge of learning a new clef. I have now been playing viola for two and a half years, and just recently started playing clarinet with the Wheatland concert band. I like practicing because I know that every minute that I spend practicing makes me a minute better. Since I am homeschooled, I can pick up my instrument throughout the day and practice whenever I have a spare moment. I strive to take good care of my instrument so that it stays nice and lasts me a long time. I try to enhance my viola as much as possible and enjoy experimenting with different kinds of strings to make the instrument sound the best that it can. Playing the viola is the best part of my day, and I wish that it was something everyone could experience. I think that music is not receiving the regard it deserves because we are in such a digital age that people are missing out on the enjoyment of live music. Music is truly an adventure for life!

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J U N I O R AWA R D S

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Submit your original artwork for Junior Keynotes Magazine covers! Juniors only, 8.5 x 11, pen and ink w/color drawings, collages and photography will be considered. Please send original artwork by mail, or email high resolution jpg, eps or pdf files. Email info@nfmc-music.org for more information.

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by Dr. John D. Kelly, Chairman, Joyce Walsh Disability Award As a teacher, I have two students with disabilities, or special needs, as we refer to them here. The younger of the two is autistic and on the threshold of the teenage years. This student auditioned for, and was awarded a scholarship by our local federated music club, Treble Clef. This award will cover the cost of lessons for this academic year. Every spring the Treble Clef Club sponsors a grand program featuring young people with special needs which is attended by many local, regional, and state dignitaries. My two students will perform on this program. It is always a wonderful and inspiring event. To any of you music teachers out there, I say, do not turn down any request from a student with disabilities to study with you. They can be a delight for you as mine are for me.

Calling ALL Junior Dancers! by Gay Dill, NFMC Dance Chairman

Entry deadline is May 1, 2017. Application Form and Rules for Dance Award can be downloaded from the NFMC website, www.nfmc-music.org. Navigate to Competition & Awards, then click on Junior Annual Awards. Dance syllabus can be downloaded from Publications, click on Junior Division.

Now is the time to prepare to audition for the 2017 Junior Dance Award.

For more information call or email the chairman: 785-626-9434; gaydill1@att.net.

Applicants must be a member of the National Federation of Music Clubs, either as a member of an active federated junior club or as an individual junior member.

THERE ARE TWO LEVELS OF COMPETITION: Junior I 11 - 14 years of age Junior II 15 - 18 years of age CATEGORIES AND AWARDS: Junior I Ballet First Place: $200.00 Second Place: $100.00 Junior I Theater Dance (Lyrical, Jazz or Tap) First Place: $200.00 Second Place: $100.00 Junior II Ballet First Place: $300.00 Second Place: $100.00

Dance Instructor Jerel Hilding leads a class at the Lawrence Arts Center School of Dance in Lawrence, Kansas. Hanan Misko is the Dance School Director.

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Junior II Theater Dance (Lyrical, Jazz or Tap) First Place: $300.00 Second Place: $100.00


J U N I O R AWA R D S

Abigail Grace Richards THELMA ADAMS ROBINSON BALLET AWARD WINNER

The recipient of the Thelma Adams Robinson Ballet Award (TARBA) is 17-year-old Abigail Grace Richards of Stafford, Virginia. Named for a former NFMC president, the $2,500 biennial scholarship award is awarded to the winner at a ballet audition, who plans to major in ballet in a college/university or an accredited school of dance. Abigail started ballet lessons at DeGrasse Dance Studio at age seven and quickly added tap, jazz, lyrical and contemporary to her class routine. At age eleven, she joined the DeGrasse competition team and blossomed into a seasoned performer. Her dance roles included Clara and Sugar Plum Fairy in the Nutcracker Suite,

and Princess Aurora in Sleeping Beauty. She also won in several competitions dance titles as Miss Elite Performance Challenge, Miss Starquest, Miss On Stage America, and Miss On Pointe. Abigail has assisted as an elite dancer at dance conventions of “Excel in Motion” a dance event taught by dancers and choreographers who have appeared on the TV show, “So You Think You Can Dance.” Abigail attended summer sessions full time at Kirov Academy of Ballet in Washington D.C., and danced the soloist role in Waltz of the Flowers (the Nutcracker) and Swan Lake Pas de Trois, variation I and 2. She also performed with Russian ballet dancer Konstantin Novoselov, principal dancer of Universal Ballet, in Giselle’s Peasant Pas variation. She auditioned for a scholarship to the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York City and was awarded $40,000 to be used over the four years that she would attend. Abigail is guided in her dance world by a quote of worldrenown dancer Mikhail Baryshnikov: “I do not try to dance better than anyone else, I only try to dance better than myself.

Abigail Grace Richards

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LY N N F R E E M A N O L S O N

Q & A: Lynn Freeman Olson Piano Solo Event by James Schnars, Lynn Freeman Olson Chairman The Lynn Freeman Olson Piano Solo Event in the Federation Festivals is getting more attention from the teaching public these days. As with all newer entries in Festivals, questions arise, rules need clarification, and suggestions are offered to enhance and broaden the scope of this relatively new entity. Rather than present a long-winded narrative on what I believe may be helpful to teachers, I have decided to use a question/ answer format using some of the questions that have been asked of me by participating Festivals teachers. Hopefully, this will spark new questions and new suggestions that will help us make the Lynn Freeman Olson Piano Solo Event a strong and enriching experience for the participants.

Q: Am I reading rule #2 correctly – that my students may use an Olson composition for their choice piece? A: Absolutely. In the Olson event, entrants in the Pre-Primary and Primary Classes may use a choice piece by any American composer, including Olson. At the Elementary I Class and above, the choice piece may be by any composer (including Olson) of any nationality, and from any historical period.

Q: I noticed that while abridgments and transcriptions are not allowed, Rule #5 doesn’t disallow

arrangements in the Olson Event. A: That is correct. Mr. Olson wrote a number of arrangements for the earliest levels of piano study. Since this event was established to honor his work, we felt that the inclusion of a limited number of his early level arrangements might be just what some students require to pique their interest and encourage their participation in Festivals. This is a feature that is representative of the flexibility built into the Olson event.

Q: Will the required repertoire remain the same in future bulletins? A: The required repertoire will change in future bulletins. However, the changes will not be as sweeping as in the regular piano solo event. In the years when Mr. Olson headed the selections process for the Piano Solo Event, he always repeated a few pieces from the previous bulletins. There were a number of reasons for this. First, teachers did not have to completely “re-tool” their studio every time a bulletin was assembled. Secondly, certain very popular and successful teaching pieces – he liked to use Louise Bianchi’s term “pupil savers”– would be available to spark an interest in the reluctant student. Finally, there are certain teaching pieces that have stood the test of time. Teachers know they can count on the results they will get, and consequently these pieces

have become a standard part of their studio repertoire. With two exceptions, my intention is to retain at least a third of the current list in the subsequent bulletin. The exceptions are Moderately Difficult Class I and Moderately Difficult Class II. Mr. Olson composed fewer works at these levels, and therefore the current listings in these classes will be repeated in their entirety.

Q: Talk to me a little about the two levels in the Pre-Primary through Primary IV Classes. A: This is unique to the Olson Solo Event and provides a great deal of flexibility for the teachers of our youngest entrants. Level A and Level B are graded. That is, the pieces listed in Level B of these classes are slightly more difficult than those in Level A. Mr. Olson always felt that many of our youngest students are often not ready to move forward a full class each festival year. Today, as even more demands are made on our young people’s time, less of their time may be available for piano practice. Thus, some students may enter a period of slower progress in their keyboard studies. The easiest pieces at the next level may be just a tad difficult for them to achieve Superior ratings. Permitting them to remain in the same class an additional year using slightly more challenging material should help assure

LANA M. BAILEY PIANO CONCERTO AWARD Are you a high school senior who will be majoring in music next year at a college, university or conservatory? Check out the Lana M. Bailey Piano Concerto Award forms JR 20-1 and JR 20-2 to find the rules and application for this $800 annual award ($200 2nd Place). The competition has a postmark deadline date of .May 1, 2017 so polish your performance and submit your CDs! First or last movement from one of the following concerti meets the repertoire requirements: • Beethoven Concerto No. 1 in C Major, Op. 15 • Beethoven Concerto No. 3 in C Minor, Op. 37 • Gershwin Concerto in F • Grieg Concerto in A Minor, Op. 16

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• Mendelssohn Concerto in G Minor, Op. 25 • Prokofiev Concerto No. 3 in C Major, Op. 26 • Rachmaninoff Concerto No. 2 in C Minor, Op. 18 • Saint-Saens Concerto No. 2 in G Minor, Op. 22

Lana Bailey NFMC President: 2007-2011


JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT

ongoing success and eliminate Festival dropouts. When they do arrive at the next higher Class, they will be more likely to demonstrate a firm grasp of the skills necessary to achieve continued higher ratings. Do take careful note of the illustrative example for Rule 9 on page 27 of the Federation Festivals Bulletin.

Q: I don’t want my students to have to start all over again to earn Federation Cup points in a new solo event. Have you given any thought to combining points from both piano solo events for the Federation Cup in piano solo? A: You will be delighted to know that NFMC voted to permit students to alternate between the regular piano solo event and the Olson piano solo event carrying their Federation Cup points with them. So, when alternating, points in piano solo (no matter which event) all accumulate toward a Federation Cup in Piano Solo.

Q: I sometimes have a very motivated student who would like to participate in both Piano Solo Events in a given Festivals year. Is that permitted? A: The short answer is yes. Review Rule 5 under Alternating Events on page 11 of the Bulletin. In this situation, your student must be willing to work toward a Federation Cup in each solo event, and points earned would accumulate separately in each event. So, unless you strongly feel that the student is willing to commit to this rigor until enough points are earned to receive cups in both events, you might wish to go the route of alternating events from time to time so that points can be accumulated toward one Federation Cup in Piano Solo. Educators have known for years that the longer it takes students to reach an award goal, the less likely they are to stick with the program. That said, always remember that our overall goal in Festivals, I believe, is to keep young people interested in music! We want to guide them into the realization that music is part of “the good life.” I hope this article has answered many of your questions. Refer to the accompanying chart to easily compare and contract the similarities and differences between the two Piano Solo Events. If you still have concerns or questions that were not addressed here, write or call me: James Schnars, 331 Cleveland St., Unit 804, Clearwater, FL 33755 (727) 400-4305.

Magic Fingers Club Explores Ornamentaion by Gilda Hendricks, Junior Club Achievement Chairman Although we are now writing 2017 on our checks, there are still many wonderful memories from 2016. I hope you have remembered to use JR 1-1 to keep “track” of all the things you and your students have done in 2016 and are now doing in 2017; recitals, club meetings, submitting poems, essays, and compositions from your talented students not only encourage them, but offer opportunities. How exciting for a child to state that through Junior Keynotes their poem or essay “has been published nationally.” We as teachers not only have the role of instruction, but of encouragement, and NFMC assists us and our students through junior clubs to be able to display in many areas the skill and joy of music as well as the enthusiasm of recognition which is encouragement. Look what Pamela Thomson, teacher/counselor, and students of the Magic Fingers Junior Music Club in Alabama did to promote study of ornamentation. Students received a sheet listing the goals, rules, and rewards for the study of musical ornamentation for the year. The stated goal was: “To gain an understanding on how to integrate ornaments into our performances and to play them smoothly, musically, and correctly.” An “ornament of the week” is assigned, and the student must practice the ornament and perform it the following week. Students are working to receive the “2016-2017 Pianist of Ornamentation” reward to be given at the spring recital. Students and parents had been asked to begin saving toilet tissue rolls early in the summer. They were only told they would need them later and excitement began to build. On Sunday, September 11, twenty-one students met for an hour and a half Baroque/ Classical Ornamentation Workshop. As students arrived they were instructed to line up their empty toilet tissue rolls at a reserved spot. Next came the wig making process. First, they had to decide on their own wig design. Then the gluing process began. Hot glue was applied, and students placed their rolls to make a “Baroque” wig. After each child finished the gluing process they took their wig outside so it could be spray painted white. The end results were just wonderful! Can you believe this - the boys wanted to build the most elaborate ones!! While the wigs were drying, everyone came inside to receive “Ornamentation” books used to practice the “ornament of the week” and listen to harpsichord music that was full of ornamentations. What a way to build excitement and to have a fun meeting! Thanks to the Magic Fingers Junior Music Club and their teacher for sharing this wonderful idea with us.

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JUNIOR COMPOSERS

Composers-in-Training: 6th Grade Music Class Submitted by Lori Jessen, North Central Regional Junior Composers Chairman There’s no doubt that kids love music. They like to listen to it. They like to create it by singing or playing an instrument. And when given the opportunity, they like to write it. Capitalizing on this predilection for all things musical was the impetus for the addition of composing to the curriculum at Dakota Valley Schools in North Sioux City, South Dakota. Searching for something different for the 6th grade general music classes, teacher Daryl Jessen was inspired by being involved in the Junior Composers Summer Programs as a volunteer and teaching a conducting workshop. “Seeing what older kids were composing made me want to give younger kids a taste of what writing music is like,” says Daryl, “I just needed to figure out how to do that in an elementary classroom setting.” Dakota Valley is a 1-to-1 school, so all 6th graders have their own laptops. The first year NoteFlight (an online only application) was utilized for notation. It was easy for the kids to learn, but the time to log in and connectivity issues necessitated the switch to MuseScore (an application installed on each laptop). Both of these applications are free to use, so the addition of composition hasn’t required any budgetary resources. Designing projects that would be successful for students that are varied in their learning styles and previous musical instruction was an interesting process. The students created songs based on their name, fall, and winter by using a matrix to determine pitches and choosing from a set of pre-designed rhythms and harmonic patterns. The techniques of sequence, repetition, and retrograde were used to manipulate the basic melody. “I wanted to ensure that each student had the opportunity to

complete a successful composition. I’ve learned that PowerPoint is a great help in illustrating the concepts. The students respond very well to that form of instructional presentation.” Student feedback has been very positive. They enjoyed being able to collaborate and help each other. At the end of the unit, they listened to each other’s compositions. “That sounds really good!” was a common exclamation. Middle School Principal Harlan Halverson states, “We are pleased to have Mr. Jessen engage our students by having them create their own compositions and spark creativity that many of them may not know they have. Many students often become more engaged in class because of this wonderful opportunity! It is one more way to get students excited about school and all genres of music.” While the feeling of writing a pleasing piece of music is it’s own reward, prizes are given to several of the outstanding compositions in each of the four class sections and some pieces are also entered in NFMC’s Junior Composers Contest. Many students continue to experiment with the application outside the music room even after the composition unit is complete. Their other classroom teachers often have to make them stop composing in order to complete their other assignments first! Composing in the classrooms on the plains of South Dakota is just another way the influence of NFMC is spreading the spiritualizing force of music to the inner life of our nation.

Junior Composers 2016 Winners Addendum CLASS II – 2nd Place Nathan Paek

CLASS II – Incentive Noelle Paek

Teacher, Sharon Van Valin

Teacher, Sharon Van Valin

A 7th grader from Sammamish, WA, Nathan Paek began playing the piano at age five and started formal lessons two years later. His passion for composing his own music from an early age led him to study with Sharon Van Valin. Among the Nathan Paek many composition honors he has received, Nathan was awarded first place nationally in the 2015 MTNA Elementary Composition Competition. Besides music, Nathan loves to play racquet sports and pursue other creative endeavors such as writing poetry and illustrating his own graphic novels.

30 JUNIOR KE YNOTES

• Spring 2017

Noelle Paek is an 11 year old native of Sammamish, WA. She studies piano and music composition with Sharon Van Valin. Noelle loves playing the piano and recently the trumpet. She also enjoys creating her own music, and has won multiple awards Noelle Paek in local, state and national competitions, including first place in Class I of the 2014 NFMC Junior Composers Contest and second place nationally in the 2016 MTNA Elementary Composition Competition. In addition to music, she loves reading, photography, robotics and playing all kinds of sports. Her favorite subjects in school are math, history and writing.


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Another year means another opportunity for young creative artists to either hone their skills or simply learn the art of writing music. Located at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities campus, the Junior Composers Summer Programs(JCSP) aim to nurture and foster young students as they create and perform their own pieces all within a matter of a week. Last year, 32 ambitious students attended one of the 3 JCSP camps and walked away with not only newfound knowledge and skills, but also everlasting friendships and a rather raucous amount of fun. In a survey taken by the students, a vast majority of them agreed that they learned skills that they would not have learned if not for attending one of the JCSP camps.

Leading these young students in instruction and chaotic fun are none other than the fearsome foursome comprised of Dr. Seth Custer, Dr. Sarah Miller, Randall Davidson, and Eric Radloff. Dr. Custer is the Director of the Department of Theory and Composition at Bob Jones University in Greenville, SC. Dr. Miller teaches piano and composition at MacPhail Center for Music in Minneapolis and has had many winning students in NFMC contests. Mr. Davidson is semi-retired and freelancing as a cellist, composer and social organizer. Mr. Radloff, who is a JC alumnus from ten years ago, works in Los Angeles as a singer songwriter. As with every year, JCSP cycles through a new theme aimed at giving students the opportunity to write for professional ensembles. The theme this year is Words+Music. JCSP will be contracting VocalEssence to read submitted pieces. These readings are conducted in a workshop setting where performers give constructive feedback to the students about their pieces. These pieces are then recorded and provided to the composers as an addition to their portfolio. New this year is the opportunity for some students to engage in the vastly growing field of electronic music. The composer-inresidence this year is none other than fellow NFMC teacher Sam Ecoff. Students who apply for the JCSP Studio camp will get hands-on experience playing a hand built electronic instrument made by Mr. Ecoff as well as creating their own electronic pieces. Besides daily instruction in composition, field trips are often taken to art museums, nature centers and the MN Orchestra. We also enjoy an evening at Annie’s Ice Cream Parlour where shakes and burgers are consumed in a relaxed setting to ease students before another round of rigorous rehearsals! Please consider this experience for students ages 14-20 in July 2017. Dates are July 10-22. Many of our students described their experience at JCSP as” Superb” and “Amazing” among others; we are confident that your students will add to this growing list of superlatives! Registrations now being accepted and scholarships are available at www. juniorcomposers.org.

Spring 2017

JUNIOR KE YNOTES 31


S TAT E B U Z Z

State Buzz IOWA

WASHINGTON

“American Music Salute!” was the program presented by Siouxland Federated Music Club for the celebration of American Music Month at the Betty Strong Encounter Center on Sunday, November 6, in Sioux City, Iowa. This is the second year the club has been able to do a program at the Center. The event featured members of six local junior clubs. Narrated by Iowa Federation of Music Clubs President Lori Jessen, the program featured piano solos, duets & trios, a melodica duet, a vocal duet, and a flute duet along with a PowerPoint presentation. All the music was by American composers or arrangers, including a premiere performance of an Iowa Junior Composer Contest winner’s latest creation. This program has been a way for SFMC to be more visible in the community by providing an informative, educational, and entertaining event at a venue which regularly sponsors such opportunities. And our juniors had a blast performing! It’s a win-win!

Submitted by Sally Palmer

SOUTH CAROLINA Greenville Harmony Music Club Submitted by Deborah Freeman, Harmony Club counselor

On Christmas Eve morning piano students of the Westside Dizzy Fingers Junior Club (Greater Seattle Federated Music Club) performed holiday and Festival Cup winning music at the Kenney Home (Retirement Community) in West Seattle. All the residents, including the piano teacher’s 95-year old father, enjoyed this festive concert. It meant a lot to the students to share their music on this special day of the year. Teacher John Van Lierop’s students look forward to doing this community outreach program each year!! Some more great news from the Westside Dizzy Fingers Junior Club: In 2016, Peter Hoang, an 11-year student, earned a total of 6 cups so far (4 solo and 2 concerto), 60 points; and Peter Tran, a 12-year student earned a total of 7 cups so far (5 solo and 2 concerto), 75 points. Congratulations!

Peter Hoang

Peter Tran

Greenville Harmony Music Club shared Christmas selections with the residents of Westminster Retirement Center, Greenville, South Carolina. Students provided piano solos and duets, ukulele, and vocal selections to an enthusiastic audience, and we look forward to returning next year! This club is for grades 9-12, one of 3 clubs sponsored by Greenville Woman’s Music Club.

Visit nfmc-music.org for all the latest NFMC news, events and awards.

32 JUNIOR KE YNOTES

• Spring 2017


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FESTIVAL GEMS – BOOK 1

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SPOT

= 1 beat of sound

Bb

D

L.H. 2

R.H. 2

FEEL THE BEAT

TRACK 1

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will,

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

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Music by Harold Arlen Lyric by E.Y. “Yip” Harburg

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© Copyright 1939 EMI Feist Catalog Incorporated Used by permission of Music Sales Ltd. All Rights Reserved International Copyright Secured

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ORDER TODAY!

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TRACK 29

  Watts Intermediate Level arr. Jennifer   Eight great arrangements of piano-based pop ballads for the intermediate-level pianist.  All   of Me (John Legend) • Lost Boy Titles:    (Ruth B) • One Call Away (Charlie Puth) • Say Something (A Great Big World feat. Christina Aguilera) • See You Again (Wiz Khalifa feat. Charlie Puth) • 7 Years (Lukas Graham) • Stay With Me (Sam Smith) • When I Was Your Man (Bruno Mars).

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Moderately slow 8va Play both hands one octave higher than written (8 notes)

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OVER THE RAINBOW

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FESTIVAL GEMS – BOOK 3

Pedal marking

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 Feel the beat now!

DAMPER PEDAL MARKING When you depress the damper pedal (right pedal) it lifts the dampers and allows the piano’s strings to ring.

A flat sign before a note means to play the very next key to the left. Once the flat appears before a note, it remains flat for the entire bar.

2

L.H.

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FLATS

Down stems are for L.H. notes. middle

D

= 1 beat of silence

Place your R.H. and L.H. 2nd fingers on two white-key D’s in the center of your keyboard. Think “D for doghouse” to help you remember.

SPOT

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This handy collection features 8 NFMCselected piano solos at the late intermediate/ early advanced level. Includes: Cuentos Del Matador (Tales of the Matador) • Daffodil Caprice • Love Song in the Rain • Midnight Prayer • Nocturne d’Esprit • Rapsodie • Scherzo • Urban Heartbeat.

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Visit www.halleonard.com to see sample pages and to order from your favorite music retailer.


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Disclaimer: Opinions expressed in this magazine do not necessarily represent the views of the National Federation of Music Clubs or of Junior Keynotes. Annual Subscription Price: A subscription is included in each Junior Counselor’s membership dues. Additional subscriptions are available for $6. See PR 12-1 for bulk pricing. Single Issue: Purchase extra single issues for $3 each. Use PR 12-1 Magazine Order Form.


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