NATIONAL FEDERATION OF MUSIC CLUBS
Junior Keynotes Spring 2018 • Vol. 90, No.3
NFMC Conference •
3, 2018 June 19-2
2018 National Music Week Essay Winners See page 18
Abigail Grace Richards TARBA Winner, see page 27
Celebrating
20+ Years!
W H AT ’ S I N S I D E
TA B LE OF CONTENTS
SPRING ISSUE, 2018 Vol. 90, No. 3
2 Staff Directory
13 Junior Composers
3 President’s Message
14 Myra Brooks-Turner
NFMC Milwaukee Conference 4 Welcome Letter 5 Official Call 6 Daily Schedule 7 Junior Chair 8 Festivals Bulletin Editor 9 Festivals Chair / Joyce Walsh Disablity Awards 10 Festivals Online Systems Chair 11 Federation Cup Winners
15 Junior Awards-at-a-Glance 16 American Music
A DV ER T I S ERS’ I N D E X IFC Hal Leonard
17 Junior Club Achievement Chair / Junior Dance Chair
1 Clavier
18 National Music Week Essay Winners
10 NFMC Thinking of You Notecards
26 Martha Marcks Mack Awards
10 Lana Bailey Piano Concerto Award
27 Getting to Know Your Junior Award Chairs 28 State Buzz
8 NFMC Federation Festivals Bulletin
13 NFMC Junior Composers Contest 16 NFMC American Music Posters 17 Milwuakee Save the Date! IBC Willis Music
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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 President Michael R. Edwards 891 NW 73rd Avenue Plantation, FL 33317-1141 954-325-0064 micedwards@aol.com Advertising Jennifer Griffin, Chair 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 Division Linda D. Lind, Chair 8905 Longmead Court Burke, VA 22015 703-569-0014 lindalindva@gmail.com Federation Festivals Bulletin Lori Jessen, Editor/Chair PO Box 851 Dakota City, NE 68731 712-253-0718 LoriJessen@gmail.com
Federation Cups Mary Jane Timmer, Chair 3635 Leonard St. Grand Rapids, MI 49534 616-453-7026 ktimmer@sbcglobal.net
Thelma A. Robinson Ballet Award Gay Dill, Chair 814 South Second Street Atwood, KS 67730 785-626-9434 gaydill1@att.net
NMW Essay: NE Region Mary Ellen Ulmer, Chair 168 East Branch Road Mercer, PA 16137 724-946-2877 ulmerme@hotmail.com
Festivals Management System Sandra Preysz, Chair 2174 E. Lonsdale Drive Cottonwood Heights, UT 84121 801-944-1808 sandrapreysz@msn.com
Wendell Irish Viola Award Dr. George R. Keck, Chair 2112 Hinson Rd. #23 Little Rock, AR 72212 870-403-2951 keckg@att.net
NMW: SE Region Julianne Edwards, Chair 116 S. Walnut St., #201 Muncie, IN 47305 561-613-7237 jmedwards220@gmail.com
Junior Club Achievement Gilda Hendricks, Chair 1926 Earls Bridge Road Easley, SC 29640 864-855-3732 gaah1926@att.net
Angie Greer Music in Poetry Contest Dr. Janie Gilliam, Chair 9104 N Burchfield Dr. Oak Ridge, TN 37830 865-927-4410 WingsofMusic@prodigy.net
NMW Essay: NC/SC/W Regions Jan Hansen, Chair 101 Rio Mesa Drive Grants Pass, OR 97527 541-956-1659 jhansen3536@gmail.com
Junior Composers Pat Steege, Chair 502-1/2 N Oak St. Lake City, MN 55041 651-334-1355 psteege@mjssecurity.com
Stillman Kelley/Thelma Byrum Nathalie Steinbach, Chair 15 Mount Vernon Avenue Fredericksburg, VA 22405 540-373-6352 ymsfred@earthlink.net
Summer Music Centers Mary Ellen Nolletti, Chair 104 County Road 537 Etowah, TN 37331 Phone: 423-263-5889 snupy36@msn.com
NE Region: Jane Goldstein PO Box 1055 Waitsfield, VT 05673 802-496-3418 janegoldstein49@gmail.com
Claire Ulrich Whitehurst Piano Solo Award Suzanne Carpenter, Chair PO Box 357275 Gainesville, FL. 32635-7275 352-373-5049 treasurer@ffmc-music.org
State News Connie Randall, Chair PO Box 522 Kaufman, TX 75142-0522 248-921-7032 conniebrandall@yahoo.com
SE Region: Susie Cook 101 Stratford Drive Madison, MS 39110 601-856-9180 lsusiecook@bellsouth.net
Federation Festivals Lisa Smith, Chair 3774 Barbizon Circle S. Jacksonville, FL 32257 904-886-4188 nfmc.festivals.chair@hotmail.com
NC Region: Brenda Lewis 3200 Summit St. Sioux City, IA 51104 712-454-4469 brendalewisrn@aol.com
NC Region: Mike Barnard, Chair 109 5 Streeet Girard, IL 62640 217-627-2251 barnard1@speednet.com
1824 E 17th Ada, OK 74820 580-436-5329 wgarcia@ecok.edu
SC Region: W.T. Skye Garcia
W Region: Jodie Jensen 5475 Flag Way Colorado Springs, CO 80919 719-262-0394 jodiejens@yahoo.com
NE Region: Virginia Kleeberg, Chair 200 W. Roosevelt St. Muncie, IN 47303 765-717-2500 vkleeberg@outlook.com
Lynn Freeman Olson Composition Award James Schnars, Chair 331 Cleveland Street #804 Clearwater, FL 33755 727-400-4305
SC Region: Lisa Whitesell, Chair 1825 NW 147th Edmond, OK 73013 405-620-7346 whitesell_lisa@yahoo.com SE Region: Cynthia Abernathy, Chair 13115 Pavilion Ln. Fairfax, VA 22033 703-376-8883 cjaneabernathy@gmail.com W Region: Aaron Bloom, Chair 4633 Exeter Street West Linn, OR 97068 503-656-6948 abpianolessons@gmail.com
Mary Alice Cox Award Matt Miller, Chair 13819 W. National Avenue New Berlin, WI 53151 262-786-0487, Ext. 743 mattmillerbass@aol.com Dance Gay Dill, Chair 814 South Second Street Atwood, KS 67730 785-626-9434 gaydill1@att.net
Music for the Blind Awards Lee Ann Cummings, Chair 146 W. Pinebrook Drive Brandon, MS 39047 601.992.9330 cummings-lee28@att.net Marilyn Caldwell Piano Solo Award Marilyn Caldwell, Chair 2011 St. Francis Street Kennett, MO 63857 573-888-5274 mrlncaldwell@gmail.com Joyce Walsh Award Dr. John D. Kelly, Chair 3204 Ashwood Dr Jonesboro, AR 72404 870-932-1025 jkelly@astate.edu Martha Marcks Mack Junior Vocal Award Kristin Ivers, Chair 1419 Keller Ave. Williamsport, PA 17701 570-360-3217 Kivers210@gmail.com Lana M. Bailey Piano Concerto Award Dee Blaser, Chair 4404 Heritage Drive Lawrence, KS 66047 785-843-8776 dblaser@sunflower.com National Music Week Helena Meetze, Chair 613 Hatrick Road Columbia, SC 29209 803-776-6500 hmeetze@bellsouth.net
Junior Keynotes Editor, Jeanne Hryniewicki 7084 W Greyhawk Lane Franklin, WI 53132 414-235-9680 jfkish@hotmail.com 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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Spring 2018
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
Memo from the President by Michael R. Edwards
The spring issues of MCM and Junior Keynotes have the complete official call for the 2018 NFMC Conference. The Wisconsin Federation of Music Clubs is excited to be hosting this event. They have planned unique programs and great music for you to enjoy. As always, one of the highlights will be getting together with great friends and meeting new ones. Now it’s time to make your travel arrangements, book your hotel room at the Crowne Plaza Airport – Milwaukee Hotel, make your activity and meal reservation, fill out your voting credentials application and memorial contribution form. Please note that the boat tour and authentic German dinner at the Bavarian Bierhuas will be limited to 150 attendees. State President’s Day – This all-day event is scheduled on the first day of our conference – Tuesday, June 19, from 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. State President’s Day will provide tools to help presidents lead their states as they strive to reach their full potential in the Federation. New Online System – The new online system workshop that was originally scheduled for Tuesday, June 19, has been rescheduled for Wednesday, June 20 at 3:30 p.m. following the festival committee meeting. Our new system will be in its developmental stage. Proposed Bylaw Changes – These are listed in the official call. Please contact Lana Bailey for any clarifications. Arts Advocacy – Urgent!!! Lee Ann Cummings will give an update on the state of the arts. I urge each state to have at least one representative attend this workshop on Wednesday, June 20, from 2:00-3:00 p.m.
It was a sad day for all of us in South Florida and the nation with the attack on Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School on February 14. It was my privilege to audit many outstanding advanced piano solo festival auditions on February 3-4. Festival teacher Sandra Greenland has notified me that Carmen Schentrup, a senior who auditioned February 4 in piano solo VDII, was killed in the tragedy that struck Marjory Stoneman Douglas. Reviewing the festival schedule, I learned that Carmen auditioned in my room. Carmen was also a National Merit Scholarship finalist. William Olson, a ninth grader who also studies with Sandra, was wounded. A boy sitting next to William was killed. When will the madness end?
seek it
NFMC’s 33rd President
National Music Week 2018 Theme: Music… The Universal Language
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JUNIOR KE YNOTES 3
© VIS IT Mil wauk ee
2018 une 19-23, J • e c n e NFMC Confer
Please Join Us! You are all invited to Milwaukee for the 2018 Conference which will be held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Airport. There will be meetings, workshops and clinics during the day along with some special performances by our Junior Wisconsin and Illinois Award winners. The Rose Fay Thomas luncheon will include a surprise featuring Wisconsin cheese.
ukee © VISIT Milwa
We have a very special tour planned for you starting out with a narrated cruise highlighting the Milwaukee River and the Lake Michigan shoreline, followed by an authentic German dinner at the Bavarian Bierhaus complemented by Tyrolean music.
© VISI © VISITT Milw Milwauk aukee ee
Because Milwaukee is a potpourri of ethnic groups, we would like to share some of this local culture with you. On Tuesday evening you will be delighted by a performance of the Trinity Irish Dancers, the most widely recognized Irish Dance group in the world. Wednesday, we will hear Dr. Jeffrey Hollander, retired University of Wisconsin professor of music and internationally acclaimed soloist. Thursday brings us the Young Artist winner, Andre Chiang and Friday we will hear a performance from our own Stas Venglesvski on the Bayan Accordion together with Tatyana Krasnobayeva who will be playing her beautiful dulcimer dating back to sixteenth century Belarus.
Don’t miss our Friday night dinner honoring all the State Presidents and hear about a Wisconsin Legend, Les Paul. Located on the shores of Lake Michigan, Milwaukee is perhaps best known for its famous breweries and Major League baseball team, the Milwaukee Brewers. Milwaukee is rich in historical and cultural attractions including the Milwaukee Art Museum with its distinctive Calatrava, the Harley Davidson Museum, St. Josaphat’s Basilica, and the beautiful Pabst Mansion. Summer brings almost weekly outdoor ethnic music festivals to Milwaukee, and also the world’s largest music celebration, Summerfest. We hope you can extend your stay in Milwaukee and partake of some of our special attractions.
ukee © VISIT Milwa
Jeanne Hryniewicki Conference Chair
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Spring 2018
Official Call NFMC Conference • June 19 - 23, 2018 • Milwaukee, Wisconsin Crowne Plaza Airport Hotel For activity and meal reservations, memorial contributions and voting credentials please visit nfmc-music.org after February 1, 2018.
An official name badge is necessary for attendance at every NFMC Conference function. NFMC CONFERENCE LOCATION Crowne Plaza Airport Hotel 6401 South 13th Street Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53221 (414) 764-5300 Group Block Code - NFM 3, 2018 June 19-2 NFMC Conference •
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 19 10:00 am – 5:00 pm Wednesday, June 20 8:00 am – 5:00 pm Thursday, June 21 8:00 am – 12:00 pm Friday, June 22 8:00 am – 12:00 pm 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 chair 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 members are asked to inform the recording secretary if they must request an excuse for an absence. The excuse must be received before the conference starts.
Hotel Reservation cutoff date: 5:00pm on May 28, 2018. Each person is responsible for making his/her reservation. Visit www.crowneplaza.com, or call (414) 764-5300 for reservations. When registering use the above block code. If special services are required, please mention them at the time you make the reservation. Room rate is $114 per night, plus tax. Room rate includes a hot buffet breakfast for up to two people. PARKING AND AIRPORT SHUTTLE Complimentary self-parking and airport shuttle service is available.
HOTEL AMENITIES The hotel will provide complimentary internet in guest rooms and meeting space; there is also a fitness center and indoor pool. All guest rooms have cable television, refrigerator, hair dryer, alarm, coffee pot and ironing board.
HOTEL RESTAURANT AND LOUNGE There is a restaurant and lounge in the hotel. Hours are 6:30am – 12:00am. WEARING APPAREL This is summer in the mid-west. The hotel is air-conditioned. Comfortable business attire is expected to be worn at all sessions. The final dinner is NOT formal.
American Festival Chorus: White shirts or blouses, dark slacks or skirts, men wear dark ties. VOTING CREDENTIALS Voting credentials are available in the Spring issue of MCM and on the NFMC website. You can send the application with your registration or upload to the NFMC website.
PROPOSED BYLAWS Proposed bylaw changes are printed in the spring issue of MCM and on the NFMC website. MEMORIAL SERVICE CONTRIBUTIONS The memorial service is scheduled for Saturday, June 23.
Memorial Contributions – Any NFMC member may send a memorial contribution to the national memorial chair, Susan Tury, using the form that appears in the spring issue of MCM or on the NFMC website. Deceased Member List – State Presidents are to send a list of names of deceased members since the last NFMC meeting to NFMC Chaplain Connie Randall. Deadline June 1, 2018.
REPORTS State presidents should bring a synopsis of the year’s activities for sharing at the Presidents Council. No reports will be read at general session meetings. However, all officers and chairs are expected to have written reports prepared for publication in hard copy or on a CD. The deadlines are as follows: May 15 is postmark deadline for Committee chairs to email or mail one page report to his/her Division chair. May 25 is postmark deadline for Division chairs to send compilation of Division committee reports to NFMC Headquarters.
May 25 is postmark deadline for Officers to email or mail.
Reports will be compiled for all convention registrants. CDs and hard copies will be available at the registration desk for convention registrants. Division Chairs will be introduced at a general session; they will then introduce their committee chairs in attendance. No reports will be presented but attendees are encouraged to obtain the packet of reports or the CD, attend Division meetings and meet with chairs.
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chedule S y l i a D NFMC Conference • June 19 - 23, 2018 • Milwaukee, Wisconsin Crowne Plaza Airport Hotel TUESDAY, JUNE 19, 2018 9:00 am – 5:00 pm President’s Day Training 10:00 am – 5:00 pm Registration 10:00 am – 12:00 pm Investment/Finance Committee 1:00 pm – 1:30 pm
Budget Committee
1:30 pm – 3:00 pm
Finance Committee
3:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Sergeants-at-Arms Committee
3:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Regional Vice Presidents Meeting
4:00 pm – 5:00pm
Protocol Committee
5:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Executive Committee
4:30 pm – 6:00 pm
Festival Chorus Rehearsal
7:30 pm – 8:30 pm Trinity Irish Dancers Reception
10:00 am – 11:00 am Presenter – Linda Edelstein, Milwaukee Youth Symphony Orchestra, “Our Work and Impact” 11:00 am – 12:00 pm Public Relations Division 11:00 am – 12:00 pm Student Division 11:00 am – 12:00 pm American Music Division 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm
Regional Luncheons
2:00 pm – 6:30 pm
Tour
6:30 pm – 7:30 pm
Festival Chorus Rehearsal
8:00 pm – 9:00 pm Young Artist Program – André Chiang Dr. James Norden, Accompanist Reception
FRIDAY, JUNE 22, 2018 8:00 am – 8:45 am
Tae Kwon Do for Seniors
8:00 am – 12:00 pm Registration
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 20, 2018 7:00 am – 7:45 am Tae Kwon Do for Seniors 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
Registration
8:30 am – 10:15 pm
Formal Opening, Milwaukee Police Band Presenter – George Keck, Organizing Archives; Mary Kate Bielinski, Marilyn Caldwell Award Winner
10:15 am – 11:30 am Presenter – Ben Barbera, Milwaukee - City of Festivals 10:30 am – 11:30 am Board of Directors Meeting 12:00 pm – 1:45 pm Rose Fay Thomas Luncheon Ann Lobotzke, Harpist Presenter – Patrick Georhegan, “We Dream in Cheese”
9:30 am – 10:30 am Annual Busness Meeting Performer – Alyssa Warcup, Wendell Irish Viola Award 10:00 am – 2:00 pm Browse and Buy 10:30 am – 11:30 am Presenter - Dr. Jeffrey Hollander “Great American Songbook” 10:30 am – 11:30 am Competitions & Award Board 10:30 am – 11:30 am Policy Resolution Committee 10:30 am – 12:00 pm Festival Chorus Rehearsal 11:00 am – 12:00 pm Treasurer’s Forum 1:30 pm – 2:30 pm
Festival Chorus Concert
2:30 pm – 3:15 pm
Headquarters/Office Committee
2:30 pm – 3:30 pm
Membership and Education Division Presenter – Sam Ecoff Music Technology in the Studio
2:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Lee Ann Cummings, Arts Advocacy
2:00 pm – 3:30 pm
Festival Committee
2:30 pm – 3:30 pm
2:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Bylaws Committee
3:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Council of State Presidents
3:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Parliamentary Procedure
3:15 pm – 5:00 pm
Finance Division
3:00 pm – 4:30 pm
FAMA
3:30 pm – 4:30 pm
Young Artist/Ellis Committee
3:30 pm – 5:00 pm Presentation of New Online System
3:30 pm – 4:30 pm
Arts Advocacy Committee
5:00 pm – 6:00 pm
3:30 pm – 4:30 pm
Periodicals Committee
5:30 pm – 6:00 pm
Optional Photo Opportunity by Appointment
6:00 pm – 7:45 pm
Banquet Performer – MYSO String Ensemble Speaker – Sue Baker, Les Paul Foundation
Festival Chorus Rehearsal
7:30 pm – 9:00 pm Performer – Dr. Jeffrey Hollander Reception
THURSDAY, JUNE 21, 2018 8:00 am – 12:00 pm Registration 8:30 am – 10:00 am
General Session Presenter – Pat Steege, Junior Composers Chair Performer – Jacob Beranek, Junior Composer Class IV National Winner
10:00 am – 11:30 am Junior Division 10:00 am – 11:00 am Arts Division
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Spring 2018
8:15 pm – 9:15 pm Stas Venglevski and Tatyana Krasnobayeva Reception
SATURDAY, JUNE 23, 2018 8:30 am – 9:30 am
Memorial Service
9:45 am – 12:00 pm Board of Directors/Executive Committee 10:00 am – 12:00 pm Junior Day
JUNIOR DIVISION CHAIR
Help is Close at Hand by Linda Lind, Junior Division Chair “Help! I need somebody. Help! You know I need someone. Won’t you please, please help me?” These are some of the lyrics of a song debuted by The Beatles in 1965. We all need help at some time or another. This message is intended to be a care package sent to each and every one of you.
C
STANDS FOR CONCERN, COMPASSION AND A CHAIN TO HELP.
Concern not only for the Juniors in your care but the Juniors who belong to other Counselors. When called upon to be an adjudicator, do you judge with compassion and in the manner you wish your Juniors to be judged? Do you often find you don’t know where to find help? There is a very strong chain of help in the NFMC. It starts with your local/area chair or senior club and is directly linked to the state/ region/national chair in that order.
A
STANDS FOR ATTENTION, AID AND ASSISTANCE.
All chairs in the link to help are standing by to give you their attention, their aid, and their assistance. They have the answers at their fingertips via the NFMC Manual, Bylaws, and Standing Rules. A person’s most useful asset is not only knowledge, but also a heart full of love, an ear ready to listen, and a hand willing to help others. In the words of one of our Junior Division Chairs: “There should be absolutely no reason for an entry to be disqualified because it wasn’t submitted in the correct format. Ensuring that it is in the correct format shouldn’t be a problem given the willing spirit of Federation members to help one another. There’s always someone to help.”
R
STANDS FOR RESPONSIBILITY, REGARD AND RESPECT.
Working with young musicians brings with it a great responsibility. Juniors are our most valuable assets and we do lead by example. Showing regard and respect for our colleagues is something to always have in mind. There have been many changes in the way we do business in the NFMC. Moving more and more toward the IT side of things is well and good but we must always remember those who are a little “older but wiser.” They have been our anchors, our “go tos” for a long time, and we must be ready to assist them in adapting to the new ways and ideas. Always help someone. You might be the only one who does.
E
Guidelines
for Publication This year, we are implementing a few new guidelines for our magazine, Junior Keynotes. Our purpose is to maximize the space we have and to be impartial and all-inclusive in coverage. Please know that we appreciate your contributions of news and advertising. We want to tell the NFMC story in the best way possible. Help us do that!
✔ We will try not to
duplicate news in both Music Clubs Magazine and Junior Keynotes. News which applies to Juniors will go in Keynotes, all else will go in MCM.
✔ See your Junior
Counselor or teacher if you’d like to read or subscribe to Music Clubs Magazine (MCM) and find out about what’s happening in our Senior and our Student/ Collegiate worlds.
✔ We welcome
submissions. Please provide your submissions as Word documents, as they may have to be edited for space. We may have to limit photos unless there are several different topics with pictures. Coverage will be dictated by space available. We will always try to be fair.
✔ Submit only the STANDS FOR ENTHUSIASM.
The opportunity to witness first hand the enthusiasm in the NFMC Junior Division is coming right up. The NFMC Conference, June 19-23, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin will be here before we know it. Make your plans now to join in and catch that enthusiasm. There will be “Great Music on a Great Lake” and you don’t want to miss it.
highest quality pictures. Please provide
original high resolution JPG images 1MB or greater. When sending images via a mobile device please choose “original” or “large,” as images with reduced pixel counts are too low of a resolution for offset print production.
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JUNIOR KE YNOTES 7
F E S T I VA L S B U L L E T I N
NFMC Federation Festivals Bulletin Update by Lori Jessen, NFMC Festivals Bulletin Editor Thank you to everyone who has contacted me with suggestions for the new Bulletin, whether regarding rules, or content, about formatting, or even potential advisers. I have enjoyed the conversations and am compiling a list for further discussion with the Bulletin Committee. Please continue to send ideas! Let us know, too, about the things in the Bulletin that you really like and don’t want changed. The Bulletin is a tool to serve our members, and we want to be sure it can serve you the very best it can. Your feedback is the only way we can know if the Bulletin is fulfilling its purpose. The latest adjustments are listed here in Junior Keynotes, but always check the website for the complete list of Bulletin updates. May the blessing of music fill your days!
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For the most current adjustments to the Bulletin, visit the NFMC website at nfmc-music.org
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Contact HQ for more info: 317-882-4003 www.nfmc-music.org 8 JUNIOR KE YNOTES
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Spring 2018
F E S T I VA L S C H A I R
Festivals: Overcoming Adversity Like a Champion by Lisa C. Smith, NFMC Festivals Chair Overcoming adversity is one of the greatest challenges humans must face. Both large and small problems present themselves to us throughout our lives. Henry Ford once stated, “Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal.” Whether you are a Festival participant or a Festival administrator you must be unshakeable in moments of great turbulence or confusion in order to achieve success in your endeavors and commitments. You need to always keep in mind that you are the master of your own destiny and you should avoid straying from the path you have undertaken.
When attempting to prevail over adversity individuals should be consider the following carefully: Keep the correct mindset no matter what. Your thought
processes are vital; they govern whether you will make good decisions or bad ones when adversity comes calling. It is inevitable for circumstances to arise in your life that are not necessarily ideal, but it is how you respond to those challenges that will make the difference between a great performance and a mediocre one. As difficult as it may be, maintaining a positive mindset before, during, and after a challenging situation presents itself is extremely important; in that way the experience can contribute to personal development and growth of character. Once negative thinking gains a foothold in an individual’s mind a chain reaction is sparked which is difficult to extinguish. Whatever thoughts you feed your mind will manifest in action or non-action and both can have far reaching consequences. Negativity is immobilizing while positivity is invigorating.
Fear is not an option. Festival entrants and administrators must
fearlessly confront adversity and remain steadfastly committed to their end goal. Anything is possible for those who have faith and wish to persevere. For Festival entrants, they must embrace and prepare for the challenges a live performance may include and know that regardless of what might happen they will get to the end of their audition successfully. Festival administrators need to keep foremost in their minds their ultimate goal of running an efficient Festival event that benefits all participants even if numerous catastrophes occur or unruly individuals try to derail their efforts. Both sets of individuals ought to understand within themselves that quitting or giving up is not an acceptable alternative and must be considered a personal failure. In the words of Georges Jacques Danton, “Il nous faut de l’audace, encore de l’audace, toujours de l’audace!” (translation: We need audacity, and yet more audacity, and always audacity!).
Take ownership of your decisions and actions. It is easy to
blame others for your failure to overcome adversity but ultimately the culpability falls on nobody but you. Excuses are just temporary crutches to help ease the pain of knowing that you did not meet a challenge adequately. This can be especially painful if the consequences were unfavorable. Conversely, if you triumph over adversity and take responsibility for the actions that allowed for you to succeed you will become energized and ready to move on to the next challenge like a champion.
Joyce Walsh Junior Disability Awards by Dr. John D. Kelly, NFMC Chair, Joyce Walsh Junior Disability Award To all of the young people with disabilities who have a love of music and would wish to pursue this love, I say “do it and do it now.” There is no better time than the present. I recently accepted a new student who is so excited about music but had put off pursuing study for several years. This student regrets having put it off until now. Find a teacher and start down this wonderful road called music and plan to enter the Joyce Walsh Junior Disability competition later on. If you need a sponsor to help pay for the lessons, look around for a group or organization that will help you. In my locale, there is a group that helps students with disabilities afford their lessons, so I suspect there are other such groups around the country. And to the music teachers: never reject a student with a disability. The joy in their faces when they are able to accomplish something thought impossible is amazing.
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JUNIOR KE YNOTES 9
F E S T I VA L S O N L I N E S Y S T E M S C H A I R
Online Festivals System Update by Sandra Preysz, NFMC Festivals Online Systems Chair At the upcoming NFMC National Convention in Milwaukee, there will be a presentation on the progress of upgrading the Online Festivals system. This will include a peak at the new “look”. This is scheduled on Wednesday, June 20 at 3:30 P.M. This meeting will follow the Festivals meeting. For those who will not be in attendance in Milwaukee, status information and a preview of the look of the new system will then be available for viewing on the NFMC website after the convention.
The project will have the following stages: We do not have specific dates for each section, but here is a list of the basic sections and the estimated time frame for each: Preparation (almost complete) Project Design, Development and Testing by module (9 months)
Current users sometimes find that a composer of a choice piece is not yet in the system. When this happens, please have your state online chairman e-mail the information on the composer to me, and we can add the composer to the list in the online database. Information to include is full name, birth and death date, and place of birth. We are excited about the improvements envisioned by the new developer. He has thoroughly read the NFMC Festivals Bulletin and has asked many astute questions, showing an excellent understanding of the complexities in Festival rules and record keeping. This understanding is so essential if we are to upgrade our online system. The previous system automatically enforced rules of progression, correlation, combination of points, choice piece composer requirements and many other details which required endless hours to verify manually. As current users will confirm, Festival management is much easier when using an online system.
Full System Demo/ Review with the core team (2 weeks) Pilot Launch or “Alpha Test” to manage actual festivals & provide feedback (7 months) Full Launch or “Beta Test” to manage all festivals & provide feedback. The site developers will remain available for at least 18 months after the first festival is run with the new system to help with any adaptations that are needed with real use. There will be no workshop sessions scheduled the day before convention this year (2018). The new online system is not yet developed enough to make hands-on training sessions on the new site valuable this year. Next year will be a big year. Watch for announcements and opportunities for remote trainings this year, and we’ll feature the new System in topics at the convention in 2019. The new system is slated to have an internal help function that we can all contribute to as we adopt the new tool.
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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, 2018 so polish your performance and submit your DVDs! First or last movement from one of the Senior Class Piano Concertos in the 2017-2020 Federation Festivals Bulletin. One-movement concertos and Theme and Variation Concertos must be performed in their entirety. Application, rules, and requirements are available on the NFMC website www.nfmc-music.org
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Lana Bailey NFMC President: 2007-2011
F E D E R AT I O N C U P W I N N E R S
Federation Cup Winners PRESIDENT’S CUP WINNER UTAH Alyssa Fu has earned her 90-point President’s gold cup as of November 2017. She is currently a senior at Skyline High School and a student of the International Baccalaureate (IB) Alyssa Fu Program. She serves as the Lincoln-Douglas captain on the debate team, President of Technology Student Association (TSA), and National Honors Society. Alyssa has been a student of her mother Karlyen Tan, NCTM, since the age of four. She has consistently participated in the Utah Federation of Music Clubs since 2005, and has received 12 consecutive superior ratings in solo festival and performed 10 consecutive years in concerto festival. In 2015, she performed in the UFMC Salt Lake Chapter Honors Recital at Temple Square. Alyssa has earned a total of eight gold cups from National Federation of Music Clubs. In addition to her musical achievements, she enjoys reading, writing and dance. She is proud to be a recipient of an achievement that requires much perseverance.
GRAND CUP WINNERS FLORIDA Christine Tao, 18 years old, attends the 12th grade at Nova High School. She has studied piano with Maria Gomez for more than 13 years. She has earned many NFMC gold cups Christine Tao in piano solo, duet, sightplay, and concerto. In 2017, she earned the NFMC Grand Cup in piano solo and concerto. She has won many awards. She won first place at the FFMC state competition in piano solo for nine years. She has also placed several
times in other events, obtaining a combined nine first prizes in duet and duo. At the state competition, she was also nominated six times for the Irene Muir award for her performances in piano solo, duet, and concerto, and won the award in 2016 for her concerto performance. In 2016, she won first at the FFMC state senior concerto competition. In 2017, she won the Connie Tuttle-Lill All Performance award. In 2012, Christine won Junior Piano Concerto and in 2016, won Senior Piano Concerto at MTNA state competitions. Christine was alternate in the MTNA Florida Junior Piano Competition in 2013. In 2011 and 2012, Christine won first place in the FSMTA District 6 Concerto competition, Junior Division, in 2014 she was the alternate in Intermediate Division, and in 2016, she won first place in Senior Division. Christine has placed in the BCMTA Intermediate A competition, and earlier in 2014, won first place in Intermediate B. Throughout the years, Christine has placed in several categories of the Pompano Piano Competition. In 2013 and 2014, she won 1st place in the Advanced 1 and 2 categories. Christine likes playing ukulele, singing, and watching Netflix documentaries. She is the President of Nova High’s Debate Team, and has seen great success at the local and national levels, and is also the current state runner-up in Dramatic Interpretation.
NORTH DAKOTA Ezra Gray, a student of David Poffenberger, started playing piano under Poffenberger in 2005. He has performed piano solos in eleven piano festivals and seven piano concertos, all of Ezra Gray which (except for one solo) earned superior ratings. Besides piano, Ezra has been playing the tuba for seven years, participating in his middle school and high school bands respectively. He earned an AllState seat in 8th grade and in his senior year of high school for his effort on the instrument. Ezra has additionally played his tuba in the Century High School Wind Ensemble,
Pep Band, and Marching Band all throughout high school. Outside of school, Ezra has occasionally performed music on the tuba and piano at his local church during worship. Outside of music Ezra’s interests include theater, reading, hunting, and debate. He was a member of both the Century High School Drama Club and Debate Club, the latter of which he has won five debate trophies for. Ezra will be attending North Dakota State University as a freshman and plans on majoring in Political Science, possibly minoring in either Economics or History. After earning his bachelor’s degree Ezra plans on attending Law School and working towards a career in law. Lauren Wrede has been playing piano since 2006, studying under Myrna Baneck, Nancy Christenson, Michael Land, and most recently David Poffenberger. She has competed in eleven Lauren Wrede solo piano festivals and four piano concerto festivals. In addition to piano, she has played the French horn for seven years, participating in band throughout middle school and high school, as well as a few years of jazz band, playing both French horn and piano. Lauren was selected to be a member of the All-State band every year from 7th grade through senior year of high school. She also was a member of Legacy High School’s Wind Ensemble, Pep Band, and Marching Band, serving as a drum major for the marching band during her junior and senior years. She also was a member of Legacy High School’s choir program, most recently singing Soprano 2 in the Concert Choir. Lauren will be attending the University of North Dakota and plans to be a Pre-Physical Therapy student. She hopes to attend graduate school and graduate with a Doctorate of Physical Therapy with a minor in Psychology.
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F E D E R AT I O N C U P W I N N E R S
UTAH
ON THE COVER ARTIST
Carlie Bullock has earned her 75-point Grand Cup for Solos and Concertos. She has been taking lessons from Susan Schofield’s Piano Studio for eleven years and has also Carlie Bullock participated in the Ensemble Festivals earning her 45-Point Cup. She has completed all ten levels of AIM (Achievement In Music) and was asked to perform in a master class at the UMTA State Conference. Carlie has enjoyed donating her time and talents playing for the Festival of Trees for many years, which raises money for Primary Children’s Hospital. She has been teaching piano lessons for the past three years. Carlie will graduate from high school this year and will attend the University of Utah in the fall, where she earned the Trustees Scholarship for her academics. She recently earned her CNA license and has begun working in the medical field.
NATIONAL FEDERATION OF MUSIC CLUBS
Junior Keynotes Spring 2018 • Vol. 90, No.3
NFMC Conference •
3, 2018 June 19-2
2018 National Music Week Essay Winners See page 16
Abigail Grace Richards TARBA Winner, see page 27
Maya Hutagalung is 13 years old and in 8th grade and lives in Charlotte, North Carolina. Maya has been studying piano with Lee Lanier for over 6 years. She also enjoys playing the violin, drawing, reading and writing comics.
NATIO NAL FEDER
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Cover me, please! Submit your original artwork for Junior Keynotes front covers! Juniors only, 8.5 x 11, pen and ink w/color drawings, collages and photography will be considered. Please email high resolution jpg, eps or pdf files of your work. Email jfkish@hotmail.com for more information
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Ashley Anne Hansen, age 18, of Utah has earned her 75 point cup in flute solo. Ashley has been playing flute since the age of 6. She asked Santa for a flute and has played it ever Ashley Hansen since with Carrie Taylor as her teacher. She started out with a curved flute because her arms weren’t long enough to reach. She played in her junior high band for 3 years but chose to focus on her solo performance during high school. She started playing piccolo as an 8th grader and has achieved her 30 point cup in that. She has been involved in student government for the past 2 years, first as junior class vice-president and currently as the SBO student relations officer. She will be graduating this year with a GPA of 3.9 and going on to college. She has completed 2 half marathons with her dad. Her hobbies include snowboarding, wakeboarding, music concerts, dancing and hiking.
Jordan Harbaugh recently earned his Grand Cup for Piano in Solo and Concerto. He is a senior at Herriman High where he has maintained a 4.0 GPA. In addition to his academic Jordan Harbaugh accomplishments, Jordan has competed in men’s gymnastics every year since he was 6. Shortly after his first gymnastics competition season, he began taking piano lessons. He has balanced piano practice and gymnastics practice for the past 12 years. In addition to piano and gymnastics, Jordan enjoys writing both poetry and novels. Jordan studied piano with his mother, Katherine Harbaugh, and currently studies piano with Susan Schofield where he has had the opportunity to participate in duets and solo festivals, receiving 11 straight superior ratings in solo so far. He has also had several opportunities to play duets with his siblings at church functions and Festival of Trees, which supports a local children’s hospital. Jordan often ends his piano practice time with a spontaneous composition, expressing his feelings through music. Music will always be a part of his life. Judd Jensen has been studying music since he was 3 years old with the violin. He started playing the piano a year later and has been playing it ever since. Judd has competed and Judd Jensen won in the MTNA Young Artists competition twice. He has earned fifteen consecutive superior ratings in National Piano Federation competitions including 12 in the solo category, 2 in concerto, and 1 in duets. His true passion is the bass guitar, however, which he plays in several heavy metal bands.
JUNIOR COMPOSERS
Why Compose? By Emily Custer, Administrative Director Junior Composers Summer Programs For many composers, this question can cause a good bit of introspection. While the performance and interpretation of existing music is absolutely vital for a vibrant arts culture, composers are in a unique position to venture beyond the constraints of performance and contribute to an ever-changing musical landscape by creating brand new art. Composition is often a composer’s most personal form of musical articulation, driven by an inner need to express oneself on a deeper level. Aaron Copland (1900-1990), one of the premiere U.S. composers and music educators of the 20th century once said, “You compose because you want to somehow summarize in some permanent form your most basic feelings about being alive, to set down... some sort of permanent statement about the way it feels to live now, today.” At Junior Composers Summer Programs (JCSP), we are passionate about encouraging student composers as they define and pursue their compositional goals. Since 2002, JCSP has challenged students to transform their performance and creativity into a fuller expression of themselves. Music theory and composition are put to practice through student-led music making and collaboration, accompanied by the mentorship of outstanding professional artists and faculty. Every year, aspiring young composers nationwide come to Minneapolis to attend JCSP. Students with varied compositional interests can choose from three residential Junior Composers programs for 2018: Studio, Institute, and Songwriters. Studio is an intimate two-week program (July 9-21) with extensive private lessons and exploratory musical experiences. Institute is a oneweek program (July 15-21) with broad theory instruction, multiple private lessons and valuable collaboration with professional musicians and peers. Songwriters is a one-week program (July 15-21) with private lessons, workshops on songwriting/lyrics, theory instruction and recording of new student songs. Visit www.juniorcomposers.org to learn more about our programs, staff, registration, and scholarships. Our JCSP 2018 theme is Music + Film. Students are invited to compose a film score for instrumental chamber ensemble to be submitted by June
1, 2018. Selected scores will be read by a professional ensemble and presented along with an existing short silent film at camp. For more information, visit our website. Ultimately, a conscientious, inquisitive composer seeks to achieve the idea described in this quote by Steven Stucky (1949-2016), the late Pulitzer Prize-winning American composer, teacher and champion of new music: “I think a great piece, whenever it was written, gets under our skin, makes us feel something. That’s what Beethoven was trying to do.”
Junior Composers Contest www.nfmc-music.org Visit the Competitions & Awards page for more information.
NFMC Junior Composers Contest Poster.indd 1
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MYRA BROOKS-TURNER
Tennessee Composer Myra Brooks-Turner In Her Own Words Myra Brooks-Turner Myra Brooks-Turner was an educator, performer, composer, editor, and freelance writer. She was the publisher and creative entity for MBT Productions and had fifty piano compositions published by Schaum Publications, Inc. and FJH Music Company, Inc. Myra was a feature and research writer for Clavier Magazine and had her own column, “Composer’s Corner” in the NFMC Junior Keynotes Magazine. She was the owner of The Myra BrooksTurner Studio of Music in Knoxville. An Instructor of Music Theory, Improvisation and Keyboard Lab at Mercer University in Atlanta, she also taught at the Maryville Preparatory School of the Arts, as well as The University of Tennessee. As President of Mu Phi Epsilon International Professional Fraternity Atlanta Alumnae, she was a panelist at the national convention. Her Lifetime of Work is listed in the two-volume Mu Phi Epsilon Composers and Writers Centennial Edition. Having entered Carnegie School of Music at age ten and The Juilliard School in New York City at age twelve, she held a Bachelor of Music Degree in Piano Performance and Music Education, Magna Cum Laude, and a Master of Music Degree in Music Theory and Composition, Magna Cum Laude, from SMU, in Dallas, Texas. A piano student of Italian Maestro Paul Vellucci, a descendant student of Frédéric Chopin, in post-graduate piano performance study at SMU, Myra also composed and directed three stage musicals. She was a choral music specialist in the Dallas Independent School System and in Knoxville, Tennessee. Having composed and directed six stage musicals for Birmingham Children’s Theatre, she continued the stage productions as an instructor and director in Atlanta, Georgia, with Allegro Theatre, a federated music club,
January 13, 1933 - October 7, 2017
junior division group. A leader in the National Federation of Music Clubs for over forty years, Myra served as the TFMC East Division Vice President, State Junior Counselor and was the former editor of the State Piano Competition Bulletin. She was also a member of the NFMC International Music Relations Committee. Myra was a frequent adjudicator of composition competitions for The Music Teachers National Association, having been selected as one of the three national judges for the 2008 Texas Youth Composition Contest with Ronald Bennett and Phillip Keveren. She continued to be a judge for the Tennessee FMC Junior Composers Contest. Myra was a national music advisor in Vocal Solo for the
NFMC Festivals Bulletin in the 1990’s. She has 21 required compositions in the TFMC State Piano Competition Women Composers Listings for 2008-2010. She founded the Camelot Fine Arts and Knoxville SMC’s and was also a member of the Tuesday Morning Musical Club. Her original compositions have been selected as required pieces in various events – from Piano Solo to Art Songs – in the 2008-2010, 20112013, 2014-2016 and 2016-2020 Festival Bulletins. Myra was listed in Who’s Who In The World, 2004-2015, and other Marquis Editions.
The biography above was one Myra submitted for the printed program of the 2015 TFMC Biennial Convention. (The only changes are some of the verb tenses, from present to past, and listing of the current Festival Bulletin.) Myra, “Marti,” as she was known to her friends, was the featured “Tennessee Composer” of the Convention Concert and was also given a “TFMC Lifetime Service Award” by State President Janie Gilliam.
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2 0 1 8 - 1 9 J U N I O R A W A R D S - AT - A - G L A N C E
BIENNIAL JUNIOR AWARDS (2018-2019) Junior age: Must not have reached the 19th birthday by March 1. Name NFMC Claire Ulrich Whitehurst (Flanagan) Piano Award
CATEGORY PIANO SOLO
Age Limit High School: Grades 10-11-12 Must not have reached 18th birthday by application deadline
Entry Fee $10
Amount of Award $500 – 1st Place (for further study); $250 –2nd Place
Application Deadline March 1, even numbered years
NFMC Chair Suzanne Carpenter
NFMC Lynn Freeman Olson Composition Awards
COMPOSITION
Intermediate: Grades 7-8-9 High School: Grades 10-11-12
paid by private donor
$500 (Intermediate); $1,000 (High School)
March 1, odd numbered years
James Schnars 727-400-4305
NFMC Thelma A. Robinson Award in Ballet Honoring a Past National President
BALLET
Must have reached the 13th but not the 19th birthday by January 1, odd-numbered years)
$10
$2,500
February 1, even numbered years
Gay Dill Gaydill1@att.net
ANNUAL JUNIOR AWARDS (2018-2019) Members of the Junior Division should also carefully check NFMC Summer Scholarships, as various age levels are included in Summer Music Center opportunities. Name
CATEGORY
Martha Marcks Mack Junior Vocal Award
Age Limit High School Grades: 10 –11 –12 Must not have reached the 19th birthday by application deadline High School Senior who has not reached the 19th birthday by May 1
VOCAL
NFMC Lana M. Bailey Piano Concerto Award Honoring a Past National President
PIANO CONCERTO
NFMC Joyce Walsh Junior Disability Awards
INSTRUMENTAL AND VOCAL
Must have reached the 12th but not the 19th birthday by application deadline
NFMC Herman and Mary Neumann Award to Interlochen Arts Academy
PIANO, VOICE, ORCHESTRAL INSTRUMENTS
Must be in High School
Stillman Kelley National Instrumental Awards NFMC Thelma Byrum Piano Award in Stillman Kelley Auditions.
INSTRUMENTAL
Must not have reached the 19th birthday by March 1
PIANO
Entry Fee
Amount of Award
Application Deadline
NFMC Chair
$10
1st Place: $1,500; 2nd Place: $500
March 1
Kristin Ivers Kivers210@gmail.com
$10
March 1
Dr. John D. Kelly jkelly@astate.edu
NONE
$1,000
February 1
Interlochen Arts Academy
$1,250 – 1st Place (for further study); $750 – 2nd Place; $500 – 3rd Place; 5 regional awards @ $250 each
February 1 (to state chair)
Nathalie Steinbach ymsfred@earthlink.net
$350 for further study $1,000 – 1st Place; $500 – 2nd Place; 1 - $250 award in each of the
March 1
Lee Ann Cummings cummings-lee28@att.net
May 1
Gay Dill Gaydill1@att.net
$10
(Kelley & Byrum awards cannot be applied for separately)
NFMC Benzinger/Valentin Junior Music for the Blind Performance Award
NFMC Dance Awards (Jazz, Lyrical or Tap)
INSTRUMENTAL AND VOCAL
BALLET AND THEATER DANCE
NFMC Mary Alice Cox Awards
CELLO OR DOUBLE BASS
NFMC Agnes Fowler Junior Blind Composition Award
COMPOSITION
Must have reached the 10th but not the 19th birthday by application deadline
Must have reached the 11th but not the 19th birthday by application deadline
$10
$10
Must not have reached the 19th birthday as of $10 application deadline Must have reached the 10th but not the 19th $10 per birthday by application deadline manuscript Must not have reached the 19th birthday by $5 February 15
NFMC Angie Greer Music in Poetry Awards
POETRY
NFMC National Music Week Essay Contest
ESSAY
Must be in grades 7 through 12
NONE
NFMC Wendell Irish Viola Awards
VIOLA
Must have reached the 12th but not the 19th birthday by application deadline
$10
PIANO SOLO
High School Grades 10-11-12
$10
Marilyn Caldwell Piano Award
Delores Blaser
$800 – 1st Place; $200 – 2nd Place $2000 –1st Place $1,500 – 2nd Place, 1 award of $700 in each
$10
Age 11-14: Ballet and/or Theater Dance (Jazz, Lyrical or Tap) $200 –1st Place; $100 – 2nd Place Age 15-18: Ballet and/or Theater Dance (Jazz, Lyrical or Tap) $300 – 1st Place; $150 – 2nd Place $1,800 – 1st Place; $1300 – 2nd Place; $800-3rd Place $500
May 1
February 15 (to state chair) January 10 (to regional chairs)
Matt Miller mattmillerbass@aol.com Lee Ann Cummings cummings-lee28@att.net Dr. Janie Gillam wingsofmusic@prodigy.net Helena Meetze hmeetze@bellsouth.net
February 1 to the state chair
Dr. George Keck keckg@att.net
March 1
Marilyn Caldwell mrlncaldwell@gmail.com
March 1 March 1
Five $75 awards $50 in each of the 50 states $1,250 – 1st Place; $1000 – 2nd Place; One $250 Award in each of the 5 NFMC Regions $1,000 – 1st Place; $500 – 2nd Place
JUNIOR COMPOSERS (2018-2019) Chair: Pat Steege, 502 ½ N Oak St, Lake City, MN 55041; psteege@mjssecurity.com Name Class I Class II Class III Class IV NFMC Oscar Valentin Regional Awards
Age Limit 9 and under 10-12 13-15 16-18
Entry Fee $5 per entry plus state entry fee
Amount of Award $125, $100, and 2 incentive awards of $75 $150, $100, and 2 incentive awards of $75 $200, $150, and 3 incentive awards of $100; $125 John and Margaret Pierson award $250, $150, and 4 awards at $100; $200 – Outstanding string composition.; $125 – Olga Klein Nelson Award; $125 – Outstanding piano composition, Laura K. Wilson Memorial Award honoring Dorothy Dann Bullock.
Application Deadline February 1 to State Chair
Included in fee above; Not to be applied for separately
Spring 2018 2018 Winter
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photo: Marty Sohl / Metropolitan Opera
AMERICAN MUSIC
Verdi with Popcorn? by Deborah Freeman, American Music Division Chair I’m wondering how many of Junior Club members have attended an opera or heard an aria. “I hate opera” is often uttered by people who have never attended one. Opera is full of catchy, wonderful melodies; it’s full of drama and laughter; it’s full of wonder and life. More importantly, it’s there to be discovered by the many people who ‘hate’ it, as one of the most phenomenal and diverse art forms out there. There was opera of a sort in America before Independence in 1776, but it not at all like we enjoy today. Theatre of any kind was condemned by the Pilgrim Fathers, and the daily fight for food, shelter and survival made virtually any form of entertainment superfluous. Music may have been permissible, but only for worship purposes.
American Music 8-1/2" x 11" Posters Available Now! Contac HQ or o t rde onlin e! r an Music by ce of Americ al Observan The Nation
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Item AM 1-7 ONLY 50 ¢ ea.
By the time of the revolution, a few cultured enthusiasts knew the works of current European masters; Thomas Jefferson played the latest airs on the fiddle; Benjamin Franklin invented the glass harmonica and devised a theory of melodic and harmonic consonance. We have a new museum here in Greenville, SC, and it houses a glass harmonica! Google it and listen... Today, the Metropolitan Opera in New York plays an important role in American Opera, and its broadcast initiatives make it the visible face of opera in the United States. Some of us are fortunate enough to have operas in our area, but AMC Theatres have made it possible to live stream from the Met, in cinemas near most everyone. https://www. amctheatres.com/programs/the-met The Washington National Opera has been presenting simulcasts to schools and universities. The San Francisco Opera transmitted four titles last spring to more than 120 theaters. The Royal Opera House in London plans to transmit 10 opera and ballet performances in Europe this season and another 18 outside the continent. The Italian opera houses of Parma, Florence, Venice, Bologna and Milan are beaming their productions. Emerging Pictures transmits shows from the Glyndebourne Festival in England and the Salzburg Festival in Austria as well as from the opera house in Valencia, Spain. Of course there is nothing as magnificent as attending a live opera, but these broadcasts certainly enable those with no other opportunity to enjoy opera – it’s the next best thing (and you can have popcorn). Sharing American music from sea to shining sea… References: AMCtheatres.com, Metropolitan Opera, History Today.com
JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT / DANCE
Submit Your Achievement Summary Forms by Gilda Hendricks, Junior Club Achievement Chair It is that time of year - time to get your JR 1-1, Junior Club Annual Achievement Summary Form ready to send by the end of May. This way your Junior Club’s work and accomplishments for the year can be recognized. The major areas are club activities, club contributions, areas of participation (individual members and club), and areas of study. There are specific items you can check off under each major heading. This form should be much easier and less time consuming to complete so each Junior Music Club is encouraged to participate. You will receive a beautiful certificate signed by the NFMC President to display in your studio or place in your Download the Achievement Record Book (JR 1-2). JR 1-1 form on Our Junior Club has a Scrapbook Party each year. our website at It is fun to cut and paste pictures and programs of nfmc-music.org our years’ activities as well as display individual achievements in our scrapbook. The Junior Clubs in our State proudly display their achievement Record Books (scrapbooks) at the State Convention and State Junior Convention. There was an increase of JR 1-1 forms submitted last year and I look forward to receiving hundreds of JR 1-1’s this year. Seeing the level of participation increasing each year is exciting. It is rewarding to be recognized. Counselors be sure to completely and legibly fill in the information at the end of the form as this is the only way I have of communicating with you and seeing that your certificate is sent correctly.
ve Sa
Junior Dance Award by Gay Dill, Thelma Adams Robinson Ballet Award Chair THERE ARE TWO LEVELS OF COMPETITION: Junior I 11-14 years of age Junior II 15-18 years of age A student may enter in both Ballet and one form of Theater Dance or two forms of Theater Dance. Theater Dance includes Jazz, Tap and Lyrical Dance (a combination of a soft expression of jazz and a very fluid flow of ballet.) The application and requirement forms can be downloaded from the NFMC website: www.nfmc-music. org. Click on Competition & Awards, scroll to Junior Division NFMC Dance Award and click on the two forms. APPLICATION DEADLINE IS MAY 1, 2018
! ate D the
3, 2018 June 19-2 NFMC Conference •
Grace Meyer 2017 Theater Dance Winner Junior II
Registration is NOW OPEN! For more information visit www.nfmc-music.org
Spring 2018
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JUNIOR KE YNOTES 17
N M W E S S AY W I N N E R S
2018 Essay winners
l a n o i t a N k e e W c i s Mu 2018-201
, 2018 3 1 6 y a M al Language s r e iv n U e h .T
9
Music..
019 2 , 2 1 5 y Ma ey ... A Magic K Music
SOUTH CAROLINA FEDERATION OF MUSIC CLUBS
CONGRATULATIONS to all the state winners of the Essay Contest!
Seventeen 7th through 12th graders shared their ideas on the theme, Music…The Universal Language. Personal experiences, many of them quite emotional, were revealed as these students tried to communicate that all people the world over can share this same language. Even those who never have had an opportunity to study a particular instrument can still feel the rhythms of all kinds of music and express how certain pieces bring back memories.
to read the essays appearing in this issue and to perhaps challenge them to enter next year. The new theme will be Music…The Magic Key.
These winners are to be commended for their efforts, as well as all the others who entered the contest. Encourage your students
National Music Week Essay Contest Chair
HELENA S. MEETZE, PRESIDENT COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA
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Each winner will receive a $50.00 award, a certificate and a congratulatory letter. Teachers of the winners also receive a certificate and letter. We encourage the states to ask the students to read their essays at their conference, convention or on Junior Day.
Helena S. Meetze
N M W E S S AY W I N N E R S
nmw 2018 Essay winners Music...The Universal Language Alabama Glencoe
Carly Sims 10th Grade Teacher: Sharon S. Yancy
By definition, language must have two components: a set of meaningful symbols (words) and a way to combine the said symbols (syntax) into meaningful units (sentences), which means that music technically is not a language. Although syntax is present within music, an individual note or chord does not have meaning on its own; therefore, music does not meet the criteria of being a language as it contains only one of the required constituents. Nevertheless, communication extends far past language. Bees can convey the location of a new food source to their hive mates, florists use flowers to help customers express their intention of a relationship, and many other species have alarm and food calls. Music behaves similarly, communicating a message free from lingual bounds. I have no Polish background; I am utterly a boring American, yet I enjoy music from Chopin and Frank Sinatra. The German Beethoven also is one of my favorites, and the French Debussy has recently peeked my interest. My music taste is foreign and domestic; ironically, the similarities far outweigh the differences. Each artist has conveyed not only a message to me but an insight into his personality through his music. For example, Beethoven began to lose his hearing in1796, yet his “heroic period” spanned from 1803 to 1812. He composed an opera, six symphonies, four solo concerti, five string quartets, six string sonatas, seven piano sonatas, five sets of piano variations, four overtures, four trios, two sextets, and 72 songs during this time. In the “The Heiligenstadt Testament,” a note that he kept hidden his entire life, Beethoven reveals that his progressively worsening deafness is the cause for him seeming “malevolent, stubborn or misanthropic” and that his sole inhibition to leaving this world was his art. Even before I did this research, I knew that he felt this way.
I could feel the relief that Beethoven got from music; all that is new is what he was receiving relief from. I empathized with Beethoven. I, a unilingual, boring American, felt Beethoven’s sole purpose for living even though I live on a different continent, centuries after him, and lead a completely different life than his. I heard his despair even though he kept his suffering covert from others when he was alive. This incredulous revelation of mine can be paraphrased to this one quote from Beethoven himself: “music comes to me more readily than words.” Music may not be a language, but even if I spoke German and lived when Beethoven did, I would not have gained such an insight of his personality from knowing him personally than I did from his art. The limited bounds of language do not apply to music. Its meaning is not contingent on one component, culture, or anything. Music is pure freedom of expression, and I feel humbled and empowered to experience such a blessing.
Arkansas Jonesboro
Yibing Hu 9th Grade Teacher: Dr. J. D. Kelly
The 19th century American poet Henry Longfellow once called music “the universal language of mankind.” He was, without a doubt, correct. Unlike ordinary languages, music speaks directly to the heart. It has the power to make us feel the emotions in it. Long before mankind could use words, they were praising the gods with music. Music has been with us since the beginnings of civilizations, evolving and growing with us. Anyone can create music, regardless of who they are. In fact, making music comes to us more naturally than speaking. Because of this, it is able to bridge gaps across cultures that spoken languages cannot. As human beings, we have always been surrounded by music. Anyone, no matter who they are or where they’re from, can enjoy the
same type of music. While we may not be as familiar with foreign melodies, we still share similar emotions when we hear certain chords or melodies. This is mainly due to the fact that pitch, rhythm, and tempo are present in music and across all spoken languages. A language does not have to be made of words. They can all be interpreted, read, and written. In the end, though, the goal is to communicate a thought from one person to another. In this way, music is certainly a language. Music speaks louder than words in the same way actions do. When we listen to it, we feel things. For example, a piece in a major key makes us feel happy, while music in a minor key causes us to feel sad. Even without words, music can effectively reach another person. It is able to bring peace, happiness, and forge new friendships between people. Our modern world is filled with people of different cultures, from different countries, speaking different languages. This has created a language barrier between those who cannot speak the same language. Different languages generally do not share much in common, so it is difficult for those people to communicate. However, music is flexible. It is able to transcend the boundaries of language and culture, and is unique in its ability to encompass such a wide variety of sounds, instruments, beats, and genres. It is as much a form of expression as a speech, and is one of the many things that make us human. Music brings everyone together, no matter who they are, where they’re from, or how they look. It speaks for all of us, and is something we can all relate to. Although it doesn’t always contain words, it is indeed a universal language that unites us all.
Florida Brandon
Kenneth Deauna 12th Grade Teacher: Suzanne Herman
Many people value music to seek catharsis or just for seeking out pleasure through entertainment. However, music can hold greater
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nmw 2018 Essay winners Music...The Universal Language meanings that can be conveyed through various mediums such as song and dance. Through song, people can string words together with a melody to create a powerful message. People can communicate their feelings through song because the tone varies depending on the musical elements that create the frame for the lyrics. A crescendo indicates a growing passion that the singer feels towards the subject of the song, but a decrescendo can indicate feeling of release and acceptance. Tempo also plays a huge role in the communication of feelings in a song. A slow tempo allows the singer to take their time while they sing to allow listeners to grasp the meaning of the lyrics. A deeper and more soulful tone can be used when the tempo is slower. On the other hand, a fast tempo indicates a lighter and a liberated tone. The effectiveness of how people can communicate their feelings through song is determined by such musical elements. This also means that if one song is altered musically but the lyrics are kept the same, then the whole meaning can change. Alterations in the musical elements of a song changes the tone of the song and thus changing the way the listeners perceive the message. By modifying a fast-paced song into a slower one, the meaning becomes deeper and more personal because the listeners can grasp and understand the lyrics on a different level. Looking at dance, instead of just focusing on the sense of hearing, performers also focus on the viewers’ sense of sight. Dancing with music incorporates not only verbal language but also body language to communicate with others. For example, Latin dances such as the Salsa, the Mambo, and the Tango are very fastpaced. These dances exude auras of passion not only through the song but also through the dance. The dancers are very intimate with their partners which the viewers perceive as an act of passion. Slow dances such as the Waltz present a different form of passion. The slow pace of the music allows the dancers to take their time to connect with each other and develop a deep level of trust and intimacy. Solo performances allow the viewers to experience the dancer’s own body language in correspondence with the song. Ballet for example is a dance that people perceive as one that has fluidity. This fluidity can be depicted
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as sadness through slower movements or as happy through faster movements. Dances that lack fluidity correspond well with songs with a structured rhythm. These dances can show aggression and passion. Essentially, through music, people can convey messages using another plane. Rather than simply talking to someone, songs and dances are effective ways to communicate feelings and messages because it appeals to their senses of sight, hearing, and emotion rather than just their sense of reason.
Idaho Meridian
Hannah Pirc 12th Grade Teacher: Dr. Svetlana NagachevskayaMaddox
“Music is the universal language of mankind.” This phrase, penned by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, truly sums up the nature of music. In this essay, we will examine how music has been used throughout history, ways music is used as communication, and the potential for musical interaction for nonverbal communication. Throughout history, music has been used in remarkable ways. From the days of the Wild West, American Indians used tribal dances to communicate with each other. Settlers were even able to interpret these chants as an alarm to an impending attack. During the 20th century, Dmitri Shostakovich, a Russian composer, used his pieces to communicate powerful messages. Under the tyrannical reign of Stalin, Shostakovich’s compositions depict the tragedies going on behind the Iron Curtin. His symphonies spoke (and still speak today) of the horrors of that era without using a single word. Truly, music is the universal language. Music also has the ability to transcend language borders. With the use of Major (happy) and Minor (sad) keys, emotions can be conveyed across dialects. Even though we might not all speak the same language verbally, music can impact us regardless of spoken language. As Jennifer Patterson wrote, “There’s one language that everybody understands
no matter what tongue they speak: music. While we may not understand the lyrics of foreign songs, we all share the same emotions when we hear similar chords and melodies.” This principle, as noted by Natascha Chetna, is being applied in some foreign language classrooms to be able to connect with students who speak a different language. Music is also being used to reach out to those who struggle with verbal communication. For example, many Alzheimer’s and dementia patients are responding well to musical communication. As the Alzheimer’s Association states, “Music provides a way to connect, even after verbal communication has become difficult”. A study by the National Center for Biotechnology Information found that some dementia patients may retain their ability to respond to music. One patient who had severe dementia was able to recognize mistakes in common pieces, and would respond by laughing or saying “oh dear!” Using music to communicate with those affected by Altzheimer’s disease has amazing potential. Additionally, those on the Autism Disorder Spectrum also respond positively to music. New York University published an article on some exciting progress in music therapy for children (and adults) suffering from interaction disorders. By using a process called “musicing”, therapists and clients can engage through music. Eileen Reynolds (author of the article) wrote: “The effect can be powerful: Clients who initially might seem uncommunicative become comfortable expressing themselves through music, practicing self-awareness, flexibility, empathy, and language skills as they sing or play.” Music can connect when words cannot. Music is truly an amazing tool for communication! From the days of Shostakovich to emotional connections as well as modern-day progress for those who struggle with verbal interaction, music has been, is, and will be a vital form of communication to our world. Truly, music is a universal language.
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nmw 2018 Essay winners Music...The Universal Language Indiana Carmel
Jasmine Hsu 9th Grade Teacher: Edward Moy
I have grown up being part of two different cultures. My father’s ethnicity is Chinese and my mother’s is Indian. As a result, I never fit in anywhere, so I turned to music. I grew up listening to a unique blend of musical sounds. My father would sing traditional Chinese lullabies, my mother and I would clap along to Bollywood pop, and at school I would join with other young voices in patriotic American tunes. This fusion of music followed me throughout my childhood and continues to shape and define the music I play. My piano teacher began my formal musical journey with classical music from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. The intricate harmonies of Beethoven and Mozart were etched into my brain at a young age. In elementary school I developed an interest in Broadway musical theater. With my teacher’s permission, I started to play popular twentieth century American Broadway selections such as The Wizard of Oz and The Sound of Music. Middle school catalyzed my obsession with American pop music, and I found great pleasure in playing hits from Taylor Swift. At the same time, I also developed a passion for jazz. I was surprised to find myself as one of the few Asian-Americans performing jazz at recitals, competitions and festivals, which gave me even more motivation to excel in this genre. At recitals, I always delighted in infusing a bit of African American culture into the world of Chinese immigrant parents (the majority of the audience). So, what do Chinese lullabies, lively Bollywood hits, eighteenth century classical masterpieces, popular American music, and African-American jazz all have in common? They all convey emotions and stories through music. One does not have to understand another’s language to appreciate the message that the composer seeks to convey. For instance, I enjoy listening to Korean Pop music. Though I am unable to comprehend the
majority of the lyrics, I can still enjoy it. Music is music, whether it be manipulation of the eighty-eight keys, the brassy voice of a saxophone or heavy bass drops. Generations have used it as a form of expression to communicate personal thoughts and sentiments. No words are required for people of different cultures to understand the passions behind the music they create. All these years, I did not realize that I had been learning a universal language. Now I am able to communicate across cultures, just as those from other cultures are able to connect with me through music. These experiences have allowed me to become an ambassador of other cultures and eras through music, the ultimate universal language.
Kansas Lawrence
Rheanne Walton 10th Grade Teacher: Evelyn Falen
It is well known that music occurs naturally around the world. No matter the cultural, physical, or geographic differences between societies, humans everywhere have always found their way to music. Arguably, music is what sets us apart from animals - monkeys have opposable thumbs, parrots can use tools and we know some animals can even be selfaware - but no animals can do what humans do with music. I know what you’re thinking: birds and whales sing! You’re right: they do. However, humans can do what animals cannot with music which is to use it to communicate complex emotions. (Basically, humans can use music to do something other than search for a mate, though humans do plenty of that as well.) Humans are born with an innate sense of musicality which leads us to the study of this beautiful art. Through the years, obviously, music has developed - we’ve created a notation that is now used across the world and in many cultures, an obvious universal language - but even before that, humans and music have been inseparable. Flutes made of bone and ivory date back 43,000 years meaning humans have
been making music as long as we’ve existed. Even more than that, though, archaeologists have found a fragment of musical notation on a 4,000-year-old Sumerian tablet detailing a song honoring their ruler and how to play it on the lyre that we call “Hurrian Hymn No. 6.” For the first song that we have in its completion, look back to ancient Greece to find “Seikilos Epitaph” which was written in the first century to mark the grave of a woman. If you are interested in hearing these melodies, they are very easy to find. For me, at least, music is a window into the distant past - hearing their music is able to connect me to these people and their culture much better than a textbook or a site filled with ruins ever could. Much like vocal tones and expressions can help us understand someone speaking in a foreign language, chords and melodies can create a very strong emotional response in people. This is illustrated in a study done by McGill University which displays that, though music might not make people in different cultures feel consistently happy or sad, it does make them feel either excited or calmed. If the aim of language is to communicate, then music definitely succeeds. People from around the world enjoy listening to music that isn’t in their language. For example, many Americans listen to Korean Pop music and there are almost always big hits in America that are not in English: think 99 Luftballoons, Macarena, Gangnam Style and even this year’s Despacito. Music connects people where language cannot – music helps us look back in time and understand people who live across the world from us. So, personally, I must believe that Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was right when he said that “music is the universal language of mankind.”
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nmw 2018 Essay winners Music...The Universal Language Kentucky Georgetown
Grace Mukherjee 9th Grade Teacher: Dr. Rachel Taylor
Internationally, we have made “language” known as “how we communicate.” People communicate in many different ways, through national languages, through written languages, or even through art. The most magical form of language worldwide is music. Music is a language that doesn’t have to be spoken, just played and heard. All across the world, the power of music has helped us connect with each other emotionally. Through that power, we are able to come together. Thanks to music, mood is expressed without using words. For example, imagine Chopin’s masterpiece “Raindrop Prelude” is being performed. That particular piece expresses a melancholy, dreary mood. The continuous, slow “drop” of the raindrops in a minor key portray that mood. Then, as the piece continues, gradually the melody grows into a tempest, generating an angry, painful mood. Differentially, if a piece like Mozart’s “Concerto No., 1 in C Major” is performed, then immediately the major key of C portrays a purely joyful mood, whether it be because of the bouncy staccatos or the beautiful harmonies of the strings and piano. Music, similar to languages, is found commonly in every culture. Unlike language, music is universally understood. Music is found in almost every aspect of our lives, whether it be through movies, school curriculum, or even as motivation. For example, during the Olympics, the recognizable theme “Buglers Dream” is being played as all the Olympians from across the world parade into the arena. Another example is in movies. A single melody can affect a mood. For example, suspenseful melody can create an ominous mood in a scary movie. Music is also magically able to bridge cultural gaps. For example, unfortunately, a “wall” can sometimes be constructed between certain groups of people. But music can chip away at that wall. People are able to connect
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through a single song and shared love for a certain genre, artist, or instrument. Music has no race, gender, or religion and that is truly miraculous. Culturally, music is able to connect individuals allowing them to bond and break the stereotypical barriers. For example, Jon Lennon’s worldwide hit “Imagine” was an anthem for peace and had the power to shatter the borders of religion and culture. The following inspirational lyrics allowed people around the world to connect and be as one: “Imagine there’s no countries. It isn’t hard to do. Nothing to kill or die for and no religion too. Imagine all the people living life in peace. You may say I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one. I hope someday you’ll join us and the world will be as one.” In conclusion, everyone, no matter their race or beliefs, can express themselves and connect with others through music. Music expresses moods found in every culture, and that proves that music is truly a universal language.
Louisiana New Orleans
Anita Zahiri 8th Grade Teacher: Dr. Chia-Hsing Lin
As Henry Wadsworth Longfellow once stated, “Music is the universal language of mankind.” Music is known all over the world as a language through which humans express themselves. Every human culture has its own music, just as each has its own specific language. Each type of music creates a different emotion and feeling that its listeners experience as they listen to the piece. Although music may be in different languages, causing certain people to not be able to understand the lyrics of the song, we all share similar emotions as we listen to music. Music is incredible in its ability to be able to have so many different aspects such as sounds, emotions, instruments, beats, genres, and people who listen to different types of it every day. Music is global. This is because it reaches and affects every part of us since it is a form of expression. Although some may argue that you cannot engage in a conversation using
music, you can connect with people from all over the world with it on such a high level that words can sometimes not even replace. Music is a form of expression that helps people spread what they believe in or what their perspectives are. Music is a universal language because it bridges gaps between different cultures and languages from all around the world. Music is an aspect of life that brings all of humanity together and creates a universal community. It bonds people even thousand of miles apart and is something that all people can relate to due to the many styles and genres of music that people listen to and enjoy today. This aspect creates unity among all in the universe. It is one of the things many people have in common: their universal way of communication.
Missouri St. Louis
Graham Sagel 7th Grade Teacher: Marshnee Strong
In the past year, I have been to Israel, Italy, Latin America, and France, all while staying in my hometown of St. Louis, Missouri. I have always enjoyed singing ever since I was a young child; therefore, I am a member of the St. Louis Children’s Choirs, which is an organization with over 400 kids in it. In the choirs, we have sung many songs in different languages; some of the languages include but are not limited to: Hebrew, Latin, Spanish, French, Slovakian; the list goes on. When being asked why we sing songs in these languages, the director responded by saying this “if we sing in languages that we don’t understand, then not only are we helping to unite the world, but we are uniting the world with the power of music.” This has always stuck with me. I believe inside that music does have the power to unite people, no matter what language they speak. If a person hears calming music, he or she is calmed. If a person hears sad music, he or she is sad. No matter what the language, music has the unique power of doing this. There might not be an actual discovered
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nmw 2018 Essay winners Music...The Universal Language language that everyone can speak, but there is: it’s music. When people hear music, they come together. When people come together, it is a wonderful thing. Who knew that something like music had the power to unite genders, races, ethnicities, etc.? So, no matter what language is spoken, everyone feels a different way every time they hear music. Personally, I think it is amazing that music can do that, and that nothing else can. It’s weird how our senses are overpowered when we hear a certain noise. We can all connect through music, and it can help heal. I often hear about organizations that bring music to elderly people or people in a hospital. This is the reason why: people are better people when they hear music. You are truly yourself when you can relate to something, such as a beautiful selection on the piano, or a beautiful vocal piece. It also calms; when we are upset or angry, music has the weird power to calm us, and nothing else can in that way. So yes, I do believe that music is a universal language. We can all relate to it, connect from it, and experience something new every time we hear it.
Mississippi Madison
Matthew L. Yin 9th Grade Teacher: Ms. Carolina Whitfield-Smith
Public speaking is hard. Let’s face it: Some of us don’t have the extroverted personalities that allow us to deliver a heartfelt and passionate speech while speaking with a loud voice. Playing music is similar to giving a speech. Both of these acts involve communication, but one requires so much more emotion. “Language” is defined and widely accepted as a means of communication. Just like the English, Spanish, and Chinese languages, music is a language that allows us to express ourselves and convey our inner feelings to others. However, music is different from all linguistic languages in that we all, as humans, can make and understand music with our innate musical talent. This is what makes music the one and
only universal language. We’re all born with musical talent. We can all tell the difference between a bright violin sound and a dark cello sound. We can all keep rhythm to a steady beat or sing along when our favorite song comes on the radio. We can all, with the guidance of a teacher, learn the ins and outs of ear training and technical composition. Some astute musicians even acquire perfect pitch - a condition that allows them to identify notes without a reference tone. Music is so special because anybody can create and express their music in unique ways. Composers from all over the world incorporate special techniques to tell their own story. Different combinations and rhythms of notes can transmit a multitude of feelings through small phrases. For example, faster and higher notes impart happy feelings, while slower and lower notes convey sad and somber feelings. Dynamics also show sways in the mood of a particular measure. All types of formal musical pieces have syntax, just like how linguistic languages do; bar lines, time signatures, and form all have corresponding parts in linguistic pieces, like this one! Another specialty of music is that anyone can understand music. Music is about communication - specifically, the communication of feelings. One doesn’t need to know German to enjoy Beethoven’s ninth symphony. We use both our ears and our brain to understand and interpret the lyrics to a favorite song. Many times, these songs are used to demonstrate a landmark in the author’s life. To sum up, music is a universal language because all human beings, regardless of race, gender, or nationalities, are born with musical talent. All humans can make music, and all humans can understand and appreciate music. All cultures have different musical celebrations, but we don’t need to know a specific language to understand music as a whole. Music is comprised of special syntax and can express inner feelings in many, if not more ways an oral language can. So, the next time you’re asked to share your thoughts, maybe try composing a short piece instead of giving a public speech. Everyone will be able to understand your music. Let your music speak for itself.
North Carolina Advance
Emily Henson 11th Grade Teacher: Teresia Ann Queen
Every culture around the world has its own unique music, just as every culture has its own unique language. Language is more than symbols put together to make words, sentences, and paragraphs. They are complex and involve the elements of dynamics, pitch, rhythm, tempo, and tone. Ever tried to watch a foreign movie, or listen in on a foreign conversation? You do not know what is being said or what the conversation is situated around, but you can at least tell whether it is happy or serious conversation based on the tone, tempo, and pitch that is conveyed. Music is no exception. You do not have to understand the structure of a piece of music to understand if it is a happy or sad piece. The lightness of a singer’s voice, the major keys played on a piano, the upbeat and fast tempo are signals of a light hearted and happy piece. The rawness and somber of a singer’s voice, the flats played on instruments, the slow tempo and deep pitch of a piece indicates sadness. One thing that every human, no matter the location or culture, has in common is that we all understand and are able to express the same basic emotions. Emotions such as happiness, sadness, anger, fear, and love. Music has the capability of bringing out our emotions. It’s why hundreds of strangers gather at concerts and are able to connect with each other through the music that has affected everyone the same. I had the amazing opportunity to serve a church mission in Taiwan. My group and I organized many events with kids that included singing and music. No one knew how to speak Mandarin, but we were able to connect on a whole other level through the music. We all sang, not knowing any of the words, with huge smiles on our faces. Music is that connection that fills the empty void between two languages and is the only thing that is capable of crossing cultural, ethical, and linguistic boundaries.
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nmw 2018 Essay winners Music...The Universal Language Pennsylvania Wexford
Tatiana Sinelnikova 9th Grade Teacher: Tatiana Mester
What does music mean to you? For each person the answer is different, but for me, music is life, music is my savior. Because of music, I live the life of a successful young lady. Music saved me from disability, misery, and a life of difficulty. When I was four years old, I was labeled as a child with disability; I had a severe speech delay. My parents were told that I had to attend special classes where all children come with various disabilities and have additional speech therapy sessions. This is the only road known to many people – the only way to get help. However, my parents declined all the professional help and speech therapy classes. Instead, my father, who is a scientist, decided to test the power of music. He read numerous scientific articles claiming that music improves brain activity, and that music is the only universal language known to humanity. It was time to test science. It was time to test the power of music. My mother is a piano teacher, and soon I was surrounded by music 24/7. I started formal piano lessons at the age of four, having an hour-long lesson every day. I remember it was very difficult, as it would be for any four-year old child. Nevertheless, it was always presented to me in the form of a game, a rather challenging one. We were singing and dancing for the whole day after my piano lesson. I must say that in the beginning, my mother was mostly singing and I was dancing. Little by little, I joined the singing as I was captivated by music. The lovely melodies of the nursery rhymes and folk songs inspired my brain to cooperate. Music has such a healing and magical power that I was soon able to sing the whole song by myself! I was so proud to be able to sing “I love you” song from Barney & Friends. A year later, I was five years old arriving on my first day at Kindergarten. I was able to
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read and write. After screening, my speech was found to be above average. In fact, I was recommended to go into the Accelerated Reading program where children read chapter books. Although I was happy to read advanced books compared to my peers, I noticed that I was always humming some melodies while reading. Music became my first language for sure. I always say that Music was my first language that helped me to learn all other languages Music is the most important part of my life. I listen to it every day while doing homework. However, I do not listen to nursery rhymes anymore. I enjoy listening to Chopin, Rachmaninoff, Mozart and Beethoven. I enjoy listening to opera singers, and although I do not always understand the words they are singing, I understand it is the universal language – Music.
South Dakota
evolved with our empathy. The final note in this piece are the lyrics. Words once sung can grasp at the power which these notes possess, and dictate the meaning of a piece. Telling a story, expressing longing, begging, pleading, crying, shouting, whispering, an entire song twisted in a helix left with its rises and falls to roll across the stage and over the audience. Nothing can quite speak to people like music, simply because there is nothing else like it. To contain no dictation and yet be capable of being dictated, neither words, sculptures, nor paintings are capable of this. Music is the most complex form of communication, and the most direct.
Tennessee Knoxville
Grace Fox 10th Grade Teacher: Karen Gilbert
Dakota Dunes
William Winckler 12th grade Teacher: Daryl Jessen
Every existing word has a definition, the sound of each letter dictated by set rules, and the possible orders of these words determined by grammar. It takes an incredibly talented writer to communicate emotions and feelings in their entirety to the writer. Music only follows rules when it is written. When music is played the subtleties are applied by the performer. Each note’s meaning dictated not only by the one before, but by the entire song. Their meanings twisted and skewed endlessly until one is left with something so complex it can’t help conveying feelings, settings, and raw emotion. It is art, and some may claim that a writer can convey just as much, but a writer, speaker, painter, or anyone else is incapable of the complete complexity of music. Notes can be further flexed by overlaid tunes from the rest of an orchestra. It is capable of eliciting emotions with such consistency between people that our taste for it must have
Music is unique in its capabilities; it has the power to provoke strong emotions and conjure deep thought synchronously. It is the epitome of reaction to the human perception of beauty. Perhaps the boldest of its qualities is that it is understood throughout the race of humanity. Gentle melodies have the effect of tranquility, hushed, quiet tones as they lull you tenderly to sleep. Frantic and staccato themes can incite excitement, exhilaration, panic, or apprehension. Sometimes music can make us afraid, as suspense builds, as we hold our breath. It creates a display of behavior and passion. Music draws in the individual, uncovering realms of emotion whilst flowing gingerly through the air. Just as music captivates the individuals, it does something even grander on a larger scale. Music brings community to people, no matter what their identities or conflicting ideologies. It delicately weaves bonds between people, as deftly as a pianist’s fingers. It brings upon the spurring of a communal sentiment. In the event of a tragedy, many turn to music for comfort. Singing or playing the favorite songs of a lost one can pull people closer in a time of sorrow. Throughout history, music
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nmw 2018 Essay winners Music...The Universal Language has always persisted as a link between all of mankind. Despite cultural differences and language barriers, it continues to tie us to one common theme. Music contains the ability to unite; it provides the sense of togetherness. Togetherness is something the world needs more of. Music can create this if we let it.
Texas Lubbock
Ayin Palet Lewis 7th Grade Teacher: Amber Irlbeck
Music. What is music? It’s something that is a part of our lives in so many ways. Music is an influence and inspiration to so many people, leaving feelings of wonder and amazement in the wake of performance. Though music can be and is many things – beautiful, exciting, unique – music is also universal. As someone here in Texas can enjoy music and dance to the beat as it moves them, or sit still as the music touches their heart and opens their mind, so too can someone in Japan, or India, have the same experience. Whoever you are, wherever you are, even where you are reading this today – people all over the world, regardless of age, education, religion, language, or race can share and express, and understand one another through music. Music is not limited to you and what is around you, music reaches across the globe. From mountains to the countryside, from the smallest villages to the largest cities, music truly is a bridge between barriers! Knowing as a musician that you can play an instrument or sing and bring joy and love to others - sharing this language that is not spoken by a certain tongue but nevertheless is beautiful – is a wonderful feeling. So, just as many people can hear and enjoy music being performed, so also can they make music themselves. Two musicians who have never met and have nothing in common – though they don’t speak the same language – can play music together perfectly. They both can enjoy the feeling of sharing music with others and
although mastering an instrument or piece of music can be very hard, it can still be fun. In fact, this is not only limited to people. Music is universal in ways that go beyond the human race. In 2014 the Youth Orchestras of Lubbock’s Symphony Orchestra played a song called “And God Made Whales.” The orchestra played, and woven into this was a whale song! I was just 9 at the time, but this showed me that music really is everywhere, in everything, from people here to the other side of the world, from the whales under the ocean waves, to the birds in the highest skies, and everything between, that music is a language - a language we all share.
Washington Seattle
Carson Ling-Efird 7th Grade Teacher: Sharon Van Valin
When I was six years old and my family moved to the city of Kunming in southwest China, I discovered that music isn’t just something people listen to: it’s also a language that people everywhere can use to communicate. Although I wasn’t fluent in Chinese, I did speak the language of music, and this helped me to connect with the Chinese people I met. Over the ten months that I lived in Kunming, there were many times when I couldn’t understand the people around me. I remember often feeling uncomfortable, and I didn’t know what to say when people asked me questions. There were moments, though, when I connected with everyone around me no matter what language they spoke. That was always through music. When we arrived in Kunming, we moved into an apartment complex next to Jade Lake. When I practiced my music in the apartment, the security guards in the courtyard would recognize the Chinese pieces that I played, and then we had something to talk about together. Even though I couldn’t always understand people in Chinese and they couldn’t always understand me, I could always express my
feelings and emotions through my music. In Chinese, music is yinyue, which is written using the characters for sound (yin) and pleasure (yue). The pleasure of music is part of what makes it a universal language. For example, when I played at the birthday party of my Chinese martial arts teacher, the music that I played made everybody feel happy, and they could understand through the music, that I was happy for them too. Even as my Chinese advanced, I often wouldn’t know the words for music-related vocabulary. When I took music lessons, my music teacher would sometimes struggle to explain to me with words what he meant. But he could always communicate with his instrument. That was our common language. Since almost every Chinese kid played a musical instrument, music was also a way to connect with them and make friends. Music may be a universal language, but it is also a way to understand cultural differences. My Chinese piano teacher had a bust of Beethoven on his piano, and he was passionate about western classical music. But he was just as passionate about Chinese classical music. He always had me play Chinese classical pieces in addition to western music, and through the music I learned about China and Chinese culture. By using a language that we shared, I could understand what makes us different. We call it music, and the Chinese call it yinyue. The words are different, but the language is the same. And when we speak it together, it gives everyone pleasure.
Spring 2018
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JUNIOR KE YNOTES 25
N M W E S S AY W I N N E R S
nmw 2018 Essay winners Music...The Universal Language Wisconsin Hartland
Adah Van Eeckhout 11th grade Teacher: Sam Ecoff
Even if one was born hundreds of years ago, speaks a different language, or lives in a completely different culture, music can reach them. Music can tell someone so much about another person, about their feelings and about their life. When one is sad, they tend to play a song about loss, or when they’re happy and upbeat, they play a song with lots of energy. No matter how someone is feeling, they tend to play music that matches how they feel. Music has a way of touching us in a way that spoken language is not capable of doing. Music is, however, like language when it comes to culture; it changes over time. Music from the
Baroque period (1600-1750) was more strict and precise. However, in the Romantic period (1825-1900) it was flowing and elegant. Music changes throughout history, but even the music of the past can touch someone. One day in the spring of 2017, my family and I were at a nursing home with my grandfather. There was a piano in the lounge near his room and we decided to take him there. Once he was settled, I walked up to the piano and sat down. When I was ready, I began playing Canon in D by Johann Pachelbel, one of my grandfather’s favorite pieces. By the end of the piece my grandfather was crying. He had changed with old age, even after a few months he had changed so much. We had been talking to him, but it was like he didn’t fully hear us, he didn’t comprehend what we were saying. When I had played Canon in D, though, it had touched him in a way that words would never be able to do for him. That’s what music is to some people, it’s a
way of expressing how one feels. One doesn’t have to be a composer or even know how to play an instrument; one can still express themselves whenever you listen to the music on the radio or your playlist. That’s why music is truly the universal language.
NFMC Martha Marcks Mack Junior Vocal Award Attention High School Vocal Performance enthusiasts in grades 10, 11, and 12! The current Martha Marcks Mack Junior Vocal award is in progress. It is an annual award for high school singers. The Martha Marcks Mack Jr. Vocal Award, awards $1500 for first place and $500 for second place. Use the forms JR-21-1 and JR-21-2 found at the NFMC website https://www.nfmc-music. org/competitionscategory/junior-division/
Prepare today! Don’t delay! Kristin Ivers, Chair kivers210@gmail.com
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CALIFORNIA Sarah Aaldering of Los Gatos, California, is a freshman at Oberlin College and Conservatory Sarah Aaldering where she studies with Daune Mahy. She is double majoring in Vocal Performance and Environmental Studies. She won second place in the 2017 Mack Junior Award as a student of Kathleen Ludowise. She used the award toward the Oberlin in Italy summer program.
TEXAS Brittany Brewer of McGregor, Texas, is a freshman at Northwestern University Bienen School of Brittany Brewer Music where she studies with Pamela Hinchman. She is double majoring in Vocal Performance and German. She won the 2017 Mack Junior Award as a student of Julianne Best. In 2016 she was an Honorable Mention winner.
J U N I O R AWA R D S
M eet You! o t e c i N Getting to Know Your Junior Award Chairs
Lori Jessen
Gilda Hendricks
Festivals Bulletin Editor
Junior Club Achievement Chair
When I began taking piano lessons from our church organist as a young girl, I never dreamed where my musical journey would take me. I just wanted to be able to create beautiful music. My goal was to be able to play the pipe organ as well. When I was 13, I had progressed enough to be able to play the organ at my brother’s wedding. Then the director at church asked me to be the youth choir accompanist. That was my first paying gig, and I’ve been accompanying ever since – both paid and unpaid. Morningside College in Sioux City, Iowa, offered me a scholarship, and off I went to pursue higher education. As I navigated the foreign atmosphere of college life and a new environment, I got involved in the music department. I sang in the choir, accompanied, and polished my own skills in private lessons. After I played at one of the weekly Friday afternoon recitals, one of the seniors came up to me and asked me to accompany him for his senior recital. I was floored. As we strove together to perfect the repertoire, we became good friends, and then something more. We got engaged at Easter and married in July. The organist who started me in lessons played for our wedding. As we set up a new life together in a tiny town in Nebraska that had hired him as a band director, Daryl encouraged me to start giving piano lessons. In every place where his teaching career carried us, I was able to have a small studio, be involved in church music, and keep accompanying. As the five children God blessed us with came along, I was able to weave music all throughout those years where the hectic life of a busy family was my main responsibility. When we moved to a small bedroom community in northeast Nebraska, I already had two new students in our new area. A lovely elderly piano teacher was retiring, and wanted to pass on some of her students to me, the condition being that I join Federation so that they could continue their Festival participation. I had never heard of the group before, but I certainly was willing to become a member. Little did I realize the great blessing that decision would bring to my life. The local club met the second Friday of every month in a crowded room above the music store. For the most part, the group was comprised of women old enough to be my mother, with just a couple of male college professors. They accepted me as one of their own, and I learned to be a better piano teacher and musician because of them. I took my turn in the various local offices and then someone said, “Come to the District meeting.” At that gathering I was exposed to the bigger picture and the giant scope of the Federation’s activity. And I was hooked. Although I was a busy wife, homeschooling mother, church pianist & organist, accompanied for various events, and had around a dozen students, I made time to be involved in Federation projects. The people I met and the relationships created have been so very rewarding. While there are some faces that are still there from when I first joined, others have moved away, new faces have moved in, and some have passed on. We now have seven men among our ranks! And I’ve just realized that I’m the same age now that most of the women were when I first joined. Thankfully, this younger generation is also discovering the awesome opportunities Federation has to offer. I hope they find their journey just as satisfying as I have. I am looking forward to the new challenges, friendships, and music to be made as I continue being a wife, grandmother, church musician, accompanist, teacher, and serving in my various Federation roles of secretary, treasurer, board member, and editor.
The National Federation of Music Clubs has greatly enriched my life! I enjoyed taking piano lessons from the third grade through high school and then received my Bachelor’s degree in piano and organ. Knowing I wanted to teach, I pursued further degrees in education. After teaching several years in the public school, I opened my private piano studio almost 40 years ago! Still it was not until a lovely lady, Shirley Sarlin, daughter of a past NFMC President, Mrs. Hinda Honigman, invited me to join the Crescent Music Club in Greenville, SC that I became involved with the Federation and Junior Festivals. I have served as a Junior Festival Director for almost thirty years and hold several positions in the State Federation. Then through the friendship of Deborah Freeman, NFMC Amercian Music Chair and Helena Meetze, National Music Week Chair, and many other wonderful individuals (too many to name) I was delighted to become involved with the Federation on the National level which has led me to be honored to hold the position of Junior Club Achievement Chair. Working with young people is one of the greatest gifts and highlights of my life. I love what I do and appreciate the opportunities that membership and involvement with the National Federation of Music Clubs affords to students and teachers. My goal is to inspire and promote music study and appreciation by encouraging participation of teachers and their students in Junior Music Clubs across America and then to have these Junior Clubs be recognized for their wonderful work. Something about me personally, I grew up in Pickens County, SC and still live in the same County about seven miles from where I grew up. I hold degrees from Southern Wesleyan University, Furman University, and Clemson University. My husband, also from Pickens County, and I live in the house his grandparents built about 100 years ago! We have two children, both of whom play the piano and live close by. To quote C.S. Lewis, “You have hundreds of feelings that can’t be put into words. And that is why I think that in a sense music is the highest of the arts, because it really begins where the others leave off.” Music is important for the heart and soul of our nation and the well-being of the youth of America and begins with each individual. That is why I am involved with the National Federation of Music Clubs.
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S TAT E B U Z Z
State Buzz NORTH DAKOTA
SOUTH CAROLINA
Bismarck-Mandan Thursday Music Club Scholarship Committee
Greenville Harmony, Melody, and Tempo Junior Music Clubs
Bismarck-Mandan Thursday Music Club, a senior club of the National Federation of Music Clubs, recently awarded three major scholarships for 2018. Awards are based on talent and artistry, rather than financial need, and are intended to assist students with their serious study of music. The Greg Slag Scholarship ($500) is awarded to a graduating high school senior who is planning to pursue a music degree. The scholarship committee made the decision to present Emily Cicha this award to two deserving students this year. Emily Cicha, daughter of Karen and Joseph Cicha, attends Mandan High School and is a vocal student of Keri Hess-Bolte. She also studies oboe with Tonya Mertz. Oliva Kost Olivia Kost, daughter of Jay and Karen Kost, attends Century High School and is a piano student of Diane Eichhorst. The Belle Mehus Scholarship ($200) is awarded to a piano student in grades 6-11. Marissa Russon This year’s recipient is Marissa Russon, daughter of Troy and Camille Russon. Marissa attends Century High School and studies piano with David Poffenberger.
Submitted by Deborah Freeman, Junior Clubs Coordinator Greenville Harmony, Melody, and Tempo Junior Music Clubs shared Christmas with local retirement centers during the month of December.
Visit nfmc-music.org for all the latest NFMC news, events and awards.
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Crescent Heritage Junior Music Club
around the world. After the performance, pizza and cookies were enjoyed by all!
WASHINGTON
Crescent Heritage Junior Music Club submitted by Kay Mason The Crescent Heritage Junior Music Club held its Christmas meeting on Dec. 19, 2017, at the home of teacher and counselor, Mrs. Gilda Hendricks. Our special guest was Mrs. Sara Keller, who is the current President of the South Carolina Federation of Music Clubs and the immediate Past President of our parent club, the Crescent Music Club in Greenville, SC. As their Christmas present to Mrs. Gilda, students performed Christmas carols from
Submitted by Sally L. Palmer, WSFMC Junior Associate Club Chair Shout Out to our Washington State Junior Associate Clubs! We are so grateful for the participation of our fabulous youth symphony organizations as Junior Associate Club members in our state. We are excited that these young musicians have the opportunity to apply for scholarships and awards, as well attend any of the wonderful music camps across the country on scholarship. We congratulate and applaud our very talented Junior Associate Clubs: Cascade Youth Symphony Organization (250 members), Maple Valley Youth Symphony Orchestra (130), Tacoma Youth Symphony Association (325), Bellevue Youth Symphony Orchestra (380), Student Orchestras of Greater Olympia (120), Seattle Youth Symphony Orchestra (546), and our brand new Junior Associate Club – Spokane Youth Symphony, (200 members). That is a total of 1,951 young musicians as members of the NFMC!
Spokane Youth Symphony Orchestra
I N T R O D U C I N G
Jazz Piano Basics B Y
E R I C
B A U M G A R T N E R ALSO BY ERIC BAUMGARTNER:
ORDER YOUR COPIES TODAY!
The study of jazz can be a daunting prospect, for those particularly coming from a classical music background: it’s a challenge just knowing where to start! Jazz Piano Basics is a two series that presents the fundamentals volume of jazz in a logical and accessible fashion, primarily through short, progressive exercises that can be grasped quickly in a teaching or self-taught situation. Plus, online audio tracks are are indispensable to the provided that series. Even if jazz is not your primary musical passion, a basic knowledge of it is a valuable asset. Concepts include:
Improvise
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Improv No. 16
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Eric Baumgartner
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CHAPTER 6
Classic & Cool The exercises in this chapter are inspired by various standards from the classic jazz era of the 1940s and 50s. Remain consistent and patient in your approach as you’ll now be challenged with longer phrases, tricky melodic bits, and some active left hand “comping” (an abbreviated term jazz musicians use to mean “accompanying”).
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Improvisation Swing rhythms Common jazz chords and scales Accompaniment techniques 12-bar blues, and much more! JAZZ IT UP! FAMILIAR FAVORITES
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00416867 Book/CD • $9.99
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00234476 Book 1 ........................................ $16.99 00234477 Book 2 ....................................... $16.99
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JAZZ IT UP! CLASSICS
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Performance Piece. “Petite Waltz” is an elegant and subtle piece requiring confident control and a light touch (note that the dynamics rarely rise above mezzo piano). The second 8-measure phrase (measures 9 to 16) may be a challenge. The flowing right-hand melody is accompanied by a syncopated left-hand counter line. But, note the rhythmic repetition! Once you have measures 9 and 10 in your fingers, the remaining measures should come together quickly.
Swift and nimble
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Improv No. 17
00416903 Book/Audio • $12.99
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To ease you into the change of meter, this exercise will use only three melodic pitches.
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JAZZ IT UP! STANDARDS
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You are now ready to explore Improv No. 18 on page 47.
www.willispianomusic.com
42 • Classic & Cool
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