The March Newsletter is here:
Greetings, Colleagues! March 1, 2024
BREAKFAST MEET: What a fun morning of conversation! Old friends and new friends joined in the conversation which was much easier in the quietness of the Highlands. Joining us this time were Rosemary Fraley (thanks for organizing this!), Rod Nevin, Ginny Thorpe, Dorinne Bilger, Holly Altenderfer, Pam Zebrine, Julie Shuck, Keri Shultz and Kory Hilpmann. Topics ranged from creating practice incentives, teaching kids with learning issues, pre-covid versus post-covid kids, general scheduling, group lessons, and much more. We’re going to skip March and April gatherings as the multitude of activities starts gearing up. Stay tuned for details on our spring General Membership Meeting to be held May 17th at Yocum Institute.
One of the topics of conversation at the February breakfast meet was teaching pre-covid versus postcovid children and how they are different. We all agreed there has been a shift in the young children’s ability to process, to formulate, to manage and absorb new materials. These are also the same kids that grew up with technology and social media which is having a questionable impact on not only on their ability to learn new skills, but also in coping with life in general. This morning, I happened upon this video which directly speaks to this issue. This is a Facebook link, but it should work for non-FB people, too. https://fb.watch/qpKM-w44jb/. Let me know what you think. I found it quite disturbing.
SIDE BY SIDE/Partners in Music: Sunday, April 21, 2024 ~ 3:00 pm, Immanuel United Church of Christ.
The program is shaping up very nicely. Even if you’re not performing, I hope you’ll come and enjoy an afternoon of music. And bring a friend! A freewill offering will benefit the IUCC music fund as a small thank you for the use of their facilities and instruments throughout the year. If you are participating, please email your repertoire and performer information by April 7th. Also, an invitation is attached to this email which you can share with everyone. We do need a few volunteers to serve as ushers for the event – hand out programs and hold the
donation plates at the end of the concert. Please let me know if you are able to help us out.
SPRING FESTIVAL enrollment is in with a total of 48 students! Participating teachers other than myself are
Holly Altenderfer, Sylvia Atmadja (welcome!), Dorinne Bilger, Mimi Fairbanks (glad to have you back!), Jennifer Frecon-Smith and Jim Neher (also welcome!). Our judges this year are Susan Kuntz for piano, and Maria Damore for voice. HONORS RECITAL is Sunday March 10 at Immanuel UCC in Shillington. Check the website Saturday evening for the recital start time(s). If anyone would be available to assist at the Sunday recital, it would be very much appreciated. Please email or text me.
WORLD PIANO DAY: World Piano Day is held every 88th day of the year – March 29th on normal years, March 28th on leap years such as this year. Who knew?! It was “founded by a group of like-minded people who aimed to create a platform for piano-related projects to promote the development of music and to share the joy of playing the piano.” Can’t go wrong with that! For more information and factoids, visit this website: https://nationaltoday.com/worldpiano-day/; OR this website – https://www.pianoday.org. I’m sure there is a World Vocal Day and World ‘your-instrument-here’ Day. If you know the dates, send them to me.
RANDOM NOTES
– RMF ORGAN SCHOLARSHIPS: Do you know any students studying organ? If so, encourage them to apply for the RMF Organ Scholarships next year! Unfortunately, organists are becoming an endangered species. What can we do to deter that?
– OUR OWN PMTA STATE CONFERENCE: June 14-16, 2024 at KUTZTOWN UNIVERSITY!!
– MUSIC IN OUR SCHOOL MONTHS: The month devoted to raising awareness of the importance of music education for all. For more information visit nafme.org
– RMTA SPRING GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING: Friday, May 17, 2024 at Yocum Institute for the Arts, 3000 Penn Ave., Reading PA 19610. 9:00 am/Board Meeting; 9:30/Social; 10:00/General Membership Meeting. 10:15/Presentation “Teaching jazz improvisation: Where to begin”.
– FUTURE MEETING TOPICS: Do you have a suggest for a meeting topic or speaker you’d like to see at one of our general meetings? Shoot me an email with your ideas.
– TEACHING TIP: In an effort to engage the imagination of the younger students, have them write a storyline for a piece they are studying. That might include different dynamics, tempos or articulations than what’s on the page to tell their story, perhaps a key change. But that’s okay! It gets them thinking in more detail about their music.
– Send me YOUR teaching tips to include in future newsletters!
Stay inspired!
Millie
mgeben@mac.com
610-334-4635
