Our Newsletter for February is here:
RMTA SPRING FESTIVAL registration deadline is Noon, Friday, February 23, 2024.
Refer to the website for the online registration and other pertinent details. At this point, we’re planning on piano and voice, unless I hear otherwise ASAP. Contact me with any questions. If you haven’t done so already, please let me know of your intentions to participate. Remember that this event is open to non-RMTA members, too. We could also use a few volunteers to serve as ushers for the student recital on Sunday.
(Suggestion: Participating teachers could bring their paperwork to the upcoming Breakfast Meet.)
February 1, 2024
Greetings, Colleagues!
BREAKFAST MEET: Come for food or just come for the company! (Thanks to Rosemary Fraley for coordinating this one.)
What: Breakfast meet for local music teachers.
Date: February 23, 2024, 9:00 am
Where: Highlands of Wyomissing, 2000 Cambridge Rd., Wyomissing; in the IRIS ROOM. You’ll need your license to check in on the automatic machine at the main entrance. Cost: If you want breakfast, the cost is $3 to $10. (e.g. Pancakes, juice, coffee-$5; omelette, juice, toast, coffee-$7.) PLEASE BRING A CREDIT CARD – they don’t accept cash. RSVP: Noon, Friday, February 16 to Millie. Headcount needed for this one. Weather: If we need to cancel due to the weather, the decision will be made by 5pm Thursday evening. You’ll receive an email Thursday evening and there will be a post on the website.
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. So far, the program will include piano, vocal and strings performing Schubert, Bach, Lynes, Mozart, Nestico, Goldston and Wittell. If you are planning on participating, please let me know ASAP! I would like to have program information by April 7th – titles, composers, performer names.
RANDOM Notes:
PMTA STATE CONFERENCE: June 14-16, 2024 at KUTZTOWN UNIVERSITY!!
NATIONAL OPERA DAY is February 8th.
RECITAL SPACE: If you are looking for a location for your spring recital, consider the WCR Center for the Arts. Thanks to an RMF grant, the charge to the teacher is only $75. The recital can be scheduled Sunday through Thursdays. Two slots are open for this spring. If interested, contact Crystal Kowalski at didyouprachce@aol.com or 610-301-6878.
TEACHING TIP: The term ‘make-up lessons’ is not popular amongst independent teachers. But it’s something we all end up doing for one reason or another. Instead of doing individual lessons, hold a group session with a focus on theory. For my elementary 30-minute lesson kids, I recently held a 45-minute class on a Saturday morning. They had all started lessons in September as beginners, so it was easy to come up with a unified lesson plan.
Teaching theory concepts in a group setting is so much more productive for a variety of reasons. And the kids really do inspire and encourage each other in the process.
TEACHING TIP: The notation software Musescore allows the user to create off-staff scores ideal for our pre-reading piano kiddos. You can create your own pieces or transcribe a piece for off-staff reading. And it’s free! Send me YOUR teaching tips to include in future newsletters!
Stay curious!
Millie Eben
mgeben@mac.com
610-334-4635
