IN THIS ISSUE
Nurturing Creativity and Inspiration
June
General Membership
Business Meeting Minutes
DATES TO REMEMBER
August 27 - Kickoff Workshop!
September 17 - Nurturing Creativity and Inspiration
October 6 - KMTA District VI Fall Auditions
October 15 - Coffee Chat: Finding Time for Ear Training
November 6 - Coffee Chat: Soapbox Time!
November 13-14 - KMTA Honors Auditions
December 18 - Christmas Recitals
January 22 - International Day of Collaborative Music
February 12 - Preparing to Be a Professional Accompanist
March 12 - WMMTA Collaborative Music Festival!
March 26-30 - MTNA Conference in Milwaukee, WI
April - Coffee Chat: Summer Enrichment Plans
April 30-May 1 - Music Progressions
June 7 - Recap Meeting and Potluck
June 10-11 - KMTA Conference
NEWSLETTER
ARCHIVES
Accidentally
delete an issue of your WMMTA eNews? Not to worry! You can click
here to view all of the eNews archives on the WMMTA website now.
TEACHERS
NEEDED!
If
you have any openings in your studio, please let WMMTA Referral Chairperson,
Margaret Dietz, know (whd9@juno.com
or 722-2554). We are receiving calls from families looking for teachers
and want to make sure we have a current list of potential teachers to
whom we can refer them. Thanks!
FESTIVAL
SPONSORS
We
are so grateful for the following organizations that sponsored our Back
to the Future Festival!
WMMTA
Kickoff Workshop!
On Friday, Aug. 27, 4:30 to 8:00 pm, WMMTA will have
a gala KICK-OFF WORKSHOP to get the school year started with new ideas,
activities and enthusiasm! We will be meeting at Reformation Lutheran,
7601 E. 13th (between Woodlawn and Rock Road). Wear comfortable clothes,
and bring a salad or other food to share for our Potluck Supper midway
through the Workshop.
Natalie Wickham, NCTM, who is a bundle of energy and ideas, will be leading our main session, “Creative Collaboration: Making every lesson come alive!” You won’t want to miss her if you can possibly make it to this session! Whether you’re teaching an individual student or working with a group, you can make every lesson a rich and rewarding musical experience. In this fast-paced session Natalie will load you up with ideas to use in all sorts of scenarios: Fun with One, Friendly Duos, Family Favorites, and Groups Galore!
Other sessions will include discovering the “Best of the Best” ideas from the KMTA Conference, ensembles to do with your students, a quick musical stretch to do with your students, and more! (To “sweeten” the end of the workshop, there will be a drawing for door prizes.)
Please RESERVE your place for the Kick-off as soon as possible so we know how many handouts to prepare. Also, feel free to invite other teachers to come with you! Please call Judy Harrison at 684-2321 or email her at judyharrison145@cox.net to make your reservation.
Nurturing
Creativity and Inspiration
Friday,
September 17, 9:30-11:30 am, Senseney Music.
The Wichita Area Piano Teachers League has graciously invited WMMTA members to join them for their September program featuring Wendy Stevens and her compositions.
Wendy Stevens
talks about the inspiration and creative process of her new Hal Leonard
publications for students and how to apply this to your teaching.
Do you feel you lack creativity or inspiration in your teaching? Do
you need an inspirational boost but don't know where to find it? Do you
struggle to be creative in teaching new concepts? Do you feel you are
stuck in a rut?
If so, please join us in a practical workshop on nurturing creativity
and inspiration in your life and your teaching.
Wendy Stevens will be sharing about how composers are not the only "creatives" in music. Every human possesses creativity and can learn to utilize their creative potential in ways that are unique to their personality and ambition. Wendy will talk about how she found the inspiration for her latest books and how she brainstorms for creative ideas in her composing. She will demonstrate how the same creative and inspirational process can be used by teachers to solve student problems, create fresh activities for teaching, and connect with students.
Wendy Stevens is the composer of 13 collections and solos published by Hal Leonard, Augsburg Fortress, and Concordia Publishing House. Her newest publications are Returning to the Piano and American Portraits, published by Hal Leonard.
Board members present: Laura Vollen, Paige Cress, Marlene Hallstrom, Sally Buxton, Joanne Ehrlich, Margaret Dietz, Natalie Wickham
President Laura Vollen called the meeting to order at 6:20 p.m., in the home of Past-President, Natalie Wickham.
Treasurer Marlene Hallstrom gave her report. She said that the Back to the Future Festival netted $65, and gave a review of the fiscal year expenses to date. The balance of the main account at the end of May was $4,427.58.
Discussion followed concerning the current membership numbers, which are down to 54. Natalie commented that we are in need of a membership Vice-president, as well as a publicity chair. Joanne Ehrlich moved that the treasurer's report be approved, and Natalie Wickham seconded. The vote to approve was unanimous.
First Vice-President of Programs, Joanne Ehrlich reviewed the success of the programs of the year. As Festival Chair, she also reported that 137 participated in the festival, along with the Piano Technicians, and those participating in the composition contest and ensemble performance. The freewill offering for the Children's garden given by the parents amounted to $200.
Paige Cress, District VI President, reported that our KMTA district fall auditions will be held on October 2 at Tabor College in Hillsboro. The State auditions will be November 13 at KU, in Lawrence.
A discussion concerning ideas for increasing the number of members and the activity level of the current members followed. No motion for action was submitted.
Joanne Ehrlich moved to adjourn the meeting. Paige Cress seconded the motion. All the members agreed.
Respectfully
submitted,
Acting Secretary,
Sally Buxton
Board members voted to approve the 2010-2011 proposed budget submitted by Treasurer, Marlene Hallstrom. To view a copy of the budget, please download it from the WMMTA website by clicking this link.
June General Membership Business Meeting - Please Vote!
Note: Rather than waiting until the Recap Meeting next year to vote to approve the minutes from the general membership business meeting, the board has decided to call for a vote via e-mail. Please send your "yes" or "no" vote to President Laura Vollen at lavollen@cox.net. Thanks!
President Laura Vollen called the meeting to order, following a pot-luck supper in the home of Past-President, Natalie Wickham.
Natalie Wickham gave the nominating committee report and presented a slate of officers for the coming year. Marlene Hallstrom has agreed to be our President-Elect, and Judy Harrison, to be the First Vice-President of Programs. Joanne Ehrlich moved to accept the slate of officers. Paige Cress seconded, and approval was unanimous.
Sally Buxton then moved and Natalie Wickham seconded that the officers be elected by a unanimous voice vote. All approved the motion.
Judy Harrison asked for program ideas for the coming year and announced that Dee Ann Brown, acting for the Piano Teachers League, has planned a joint meeting for September 17 with Wendy Stevens presenting her newly published compositions.
Laurel Tiger suggested we invite an attorney to discuss copyright issues. Names mentioned for programs included Brad Nix, on injury prevention, Steven Spooner from KU, and a most-used- dances presentation by Sylvia Coats.
Judy reported that she is gathering ideas for Kick-Off meeting on a Saturday in August. Location and ideas for the day were discussed.
Sally Buxton presented the Teacher of the Year award to Ezma Maust, in recognition of her continued enthusiasm and efforts in teaching. Ezma is currently teaching group piano classes to adults at the Shepherd's Center Life's Adventures program for those 50 years and up. Classes in poetry, writing, and painting are conducted at the center by retired professors who are volunteering their time, as is Ezma. Even though Ezma moved to a senior living center recently, she has continued to be active in musical endeavors by accompanying a performance ensemble as well as her teaching. She has expanded that program in which she now needs an assistant.
Marlene Hallstrom
reported on a concert to be presented on Sunday, June 6 at Reformation
Lutheran Church. A mother and daughter will present a program entitled
"Heavenly Harps."
She also reported the availability of a Kimball grand piano, recently
rebuilt by Marty Hess which is for sale by the owner for $10,000. Marlene
is currently storing the piano for the owner.
Respectfully submitted,
Sally Buxton, Acting Secretary
Wendy
Stevens
Hal
Leonard has published American Portraits, a new, unique
collection of character pieces by member Wendy Stevens. "Inspired
by the forgotten heroes in American history, this stunning collection
captures the spirit of their amazing courage in sight and sound. Before
each character piece is a beautiful portrait along with intriguing historical
background sure to inspire the intermediate-level pianist." Visit
ComposeCreate.com
for more information and to see samples from the book. American Portraits
is available at Senseney Music.
Ezma
Maust
This
year, WMMTA was pleased to nominate and recognize Ezma Maust as our Teacher
of the Year. Ezma has been teaching for over 62 years! Her enthusiastic
spirit and unquenchable desire to learn and grow - and help others do
the same! - is an inspiration. Ezma continues to be a sought-after teacher
and we are blessed to have her in our organization!
If you have any news you'd like to submit for inclusion in the next issue of WMMTA eNews, please submit it to Natalie Wickham by e-mail.
Dear WMMTA Members,
Thank you so much for the CD of classical music that you gave to Baby Anna at the WMMTA Recap meeting. Your gift is so thoughtful and I love your idea of growing the organization through its own! We have enjoyed listening to the beautiful pieces and I think of you every time we play it. Thank you for your kind and thoughtful gift. Sincerely,
Wendy Stevens
The Adopt-A-Piano campaign at Wichita State University welcomed pianos to replace the irreparable ones in the practice rooms in Duerksen Fine Arts Center. WMMTA is proud to say that five of its members contributed pianos to the campaign: Linda Hamilton, Peg Mahoney, Sylvia (& husband Charles) Coats, Laurel (& husband Jon) Tiger, Dee Ann (& husband RJ) Brown, and Julie Bees (& husband Victor Isakov).
We are grateful to those members who were able to support this campaign. We will reap the rich benefits of their investment over the years as we continue to enjoy the facilities that WSU so graciously allows us to use!