fall 2017 scroll - ilasta.com · sarah friederich carol s em s kelsey chelberg hans jensen tobin...

THE SCROL Loff icial publication of the I l l inois Amer ican Str ing Teachers Association

committed to the advancement of string education and performance

FALL 2017

CONTENTS

LET'S CONNECT!

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[email protected]

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2017-2018 ILLINOIS ASTA BOARD OF DIRECTORS

PRESIDENTBRAD PFEIL

[email protected](630) 428-6452 (work)

PRESIDENT ELECTKATHERINE LEWIS


PAST PRESIDENTJASON HEATH

[email protected]

SECRETARYRHONA REAGEN

[email protected]

TREASURERSARAH DJORDJEVIC

[email protected](847) 692-8430

MEMBERSHIP CHAIRCHARLES EMMONS, JR.

[email protected] (home)

TECHNOLOGYNATHAN [email protected]

EDITOR, THE SCROLLINGRID NEVINGER


CONTENT EDITOR, THE SCROLLSTEVEN KATZ

[email protected](847) 634-2226

ASSISTANT EDITOR, THE SCROLLERIN LOESCHER


TEW CHAIRTOBIN [email protected]

(224) 653-5359 (work)

LUNCHEON/AWARDSDUNG PHAM


04 President 's Message

05 ILASTA New Members

06 Trevor Jones: A Five Tool Bassist

09 Illinois ASTA Member Spotlight

12 Ask the Experts: David Eccles

16 Elmhurst College Musicians Perform World Premiere in Millennium Park

18 Notes of Wisdom

ON THE COVER

Trevor Jones (photography by Dave Kelly)

SUBMISSIONS WELCOME!

We are seeking noteworthy submissions for our fall issue. Send your string related art icles, news, events or concert details to Ingrid Nevinger by 3/1/18: [email protected]

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Dear Illinois ASTA Members,

I hope the new school year finds you excited and reinvigorated about teaching strings. Whether in the studio or the classroom,

teachers in Illinois and across the country are doing amazing work with students of all ages. The music education system in the

United States is full of support from legislatures, communities, school districts, families and many other institutions. Private teachers

do tremendous work to contribute to school orchestra programs, youth symphony orchestras and the collegiate level. Many of us are

products of this system in which students participate in school orchestras, private lessons and youth symphonies. This summer, I was

reminded that this vital network of teachers and institutions is something that we often take for granted.

I was very fortunate to travel to Europe with students on two occasions this year. Over spring break, I traveled to Germany and the

Czech Republic with my students from Neuqua Valley High School. And over the summer, I conducted the Blue Lake International

Youth Symphony Orchestra on a tour of Germany and France. For anyone who has done these types of tours before, you know how

refreshing it is to look at a culture that is not our own. Not only do we experience the food, language, traditions and more, we also

get to look at the musical and educational institutions. We notice many commonalities between our educational systems, including

the little known fact that German schools also have ?pajama day.?

As I walked in the footsteps of Bach, Mendelssohn and Wagner, I realized that average American students have a much greater

opportunity to experience the music of these great composers than their counterparts in Europe. The typical instrumental music

program we have in our public schools does not exist in most places in Europe. Schools that have a music program might have one

large ensemble with all instruments and abilities. Communities don?t have stores that readily rent instruments to young students.

Private instruction for secondary school age kids is very uncommon. At one point, the bus driver of our tour made a powerful

statement after listening to the Blue Lake orchestra. He said, ?What your students are doing, I don?t think that it can happen here.?

I heard this refrain many times in my travels. Many people in the audiences for the Blue Lake tour had never heard a professional

symphony orchestra before, not to mention high school students playing Tchaikovsky. Both orchestras that I toured with were

comprised of typical high school students, with many different playing abilities. I felt a great sense of pride being associated with

these ensembles and our profession. These ensembles are a reflection of the work of all us, on every level. Our accomplishments

have produced an exceptional music education system for our children in the United States and should be celebrated.

Take the time this year to step back and appreciate what we have and to do what you can to make it even better. ASTA is

committed to bettering string education at all levels, and it starts with and every one of us.

Best wishes for a great school year!

Sincerely,

Brad Pfeil

President, Illinois American String Teachers Association

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PRESIDENT'SMESSAGE


Kristin SteinChristopher Pettit

Zoi PerilloDylan Palmer

Stephen Reichelt

Janet SikmaNicole Schmidt

Matthew FiorentinoChristiana Reader

William AkersJeanne Johannesen

Sarah FriederichCarol Semmes

Kelsey ChelbergHans Jensen

Tobin Langridge

NEW OR RENEWING ASTA MEMBERS

Members - keep us update! If you have changed your email address, mailing address or name, contact Charles Emmons with your updated information: [email protected]


TREVOR JONES: A FIVE TOOL BASSIST

Five tool baseball players are a manager?s dream. They hit for power, steal bases and have all the tools necessary to be an all star ball player. Five tool string bass players are also musical all stars. They have great musical skills in the multiple aspects required to be a professional bassist. Trevor Jones is such a player. Incredibly talented in both electric and stand up bass; he is the bass teacher at Illinois Wesleyan University, has a private studio in the Chicago area, is the house bassist for the Marriott Lincolnshire Theater, manages and performs in his own alternate rock band, and is a composer. In addition, he collaborates with Jason Heath on his blog (contrabass conversations.com) and contributes to several other online projects. Success in any one of these areas is fantastic, but excelling in all of these diverse genres makes Trevor a unique success and someone you should know.

A native of south central Pennsylvania, Trevor hearkens from a musical family. His mother, an elementary band director, played French horn and gave private lessons in the family's home. His father was a public school and college music teacher who had his own big band in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Growing up in this environment gave Trevor a front row seat watching his parents manage gigs, collect private lesson fees and live successful lives as professional musicians.

Trevor started out as a string bass player in his school?s orchestra program. His middle school and high school director, Duane Botterbusch, was his primary bass teacher growing up. A member of the Harrisburg Symphony, Jones describes Botterbusch as ?a mentor in every sense of the word?. He performed with Botterbusch in professional and college ensembles throughout high school refining his craft and learning ?really good rehearsal etiquette?. After receiving his music education degree at West Virginia University, Jones completed his masters degree at DePaul University, where he studied with Rob Kassinger.

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By Laura Plummer


For the past several years, Trevor has been the house bass player for the Marriott Lincolnshire Theater in northwest suburban Chicago. Jones was active in the musical theater program throughout high school, but never "knew how influential that would be? in his future. Marriott Lincolnshire Theater, a professional equity theater, produces over six shows a year and eight shows a week.

Jones' professional life requires skilled juggling - Marriott theatre performances , teaching responsibilities at Illinois Wesleyan University, and gigs with his alternative rock band Molehill (molehillmusic.com). However, according to Jones, being involved in a wide variety of musical activites keeps him balanced. Jones considers playing in Molehill his ?creative outlet."

When hired by Marriott, Jones was told how they love that he plays in his own band. Since Molehill is part of his professional identity, Marriott didn?t want Jones to halt that part of his life. Jones is very mindful of when, and how much time, he asks off for gigs with Molehill. ?I try to keep it reasonable and Marriott is great to work with."

As a classical bassist and private teacher, Jones holds a small studio. When auditioning prospective students, he looks beyond a student 's talent for special qualities - enthusiasm, quick to learn, and a willingness to work and stretch oneself. Most importantly, he looks to see ?how receptive and responsive they are to my instruction."

Jones is always looking for new projects and musical experiences. ?Something new keeps coming up every 6-18 months." He is very happy in musical theater, and wants to continue performing and composing for Molehill. In addition, he enjoys learning new music and leading master classes and clinics at schools throughout the state.

There is no doubt Jones is an all star performer and teacher who can hit it out of the park. He is well on his way to an Hall of Fame career.

By Steven Katz; photography by Dave Kelly


Desiree Ruhstrat , violinist, and David Cunl if f , cellist with the Lincoln Trio, join the f ine faculty of chamber music coaches at MYAC. MYAC coaches have led three ensembles to the Gold Medal at the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competit ion in the past four years, accomplishments of which we are very proud. Mart in Nocedal , MYAC Alum, cellist, and former Orchestra Director at Maine South High School, continues to give private lessons and work with mentors in MYAC?s Young Music Scholar (YMS) Program. He has also added the responsibil ity of administrating his program, MYAC?s Private Lesson Program, and assisting in the Chamber Music Program.


ILLINOIS ASTA MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

MYAC Private Lesson Program

MYAC wants as many students as possible to have the opportunity to take music lessons, but our business model does not include administrating a traditional private lesson program where teachers are recruited and studios f il led. Our focus is on ensembles that motivate students from grades K to 12 to practice for their private lessons. We hope that string teachers around the State (and outside) will check out our newly designed website, www.pri-vatemusicteaching.org, and create a listing. Please note that there are no fees to post on this website. We adhere to guidelines that all teachers listed on this website must have teaching experience and a degree from an accred-ited music school. For further information, contact [email protected].

Midwest Young Art ists Conservatory (MYAC)

celebrates its 25th Anniversary Season as we welcome new facul ty!

MYA new faculty: David Cunliff, Desiree Ruhstrat, and Martin Nocedal

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Bellezza String Quartet , 2017 Gold Medalists at Fischoff and WDAV Young Chamber Music Compet it ion(Masha Lakisova and Robert Sanders, violins; Peter Dudek, viola; and David Caplan, cello)

MYAC?s Young Music Scholars Program (YMS) presents creative and cultural opportunities for students, offering scholarships so that these students can play in an orchestra and participate in instrument classes as well. The teachers at schools where they have string programs choose students who they feel deserve this opportunity. A minimum tuition of $ 100 per year is required of each student. Every other week during the school year, YMS students receive private instruction from an instrument-specif ic professional teacher. Additionally, every week they receive practice help from a third or fourth year high school student, or mentor, who plays in the most advanced MYAC Orchestra. With this approach, instruction can be individual and reinforced by the practical help of a more advanced peer. We try to match the student and the mentor so that there is a good personal and musical relationship. Scholarship recipients not only receive professional instruction but also have the opportunity to observe and learn from music students like themselves. By observing master teachers, the mentors gain valuable teaching experience and can learn helpful l ife-lessons. Twice a year the YMS students give a solo recital to demonstrate the progress they have made with the classes. They also learn to play with a pianist who accompanies them in the recital. In addition to essential individualized instruction, YMS students belong to the MYAC family by playing in one of the six levels of orchestras that meet on Saturdays and by attending theory classes that supplement these rehearsals. To showcase the orchestras? hard work, 3-4 major concerts are held during the year at Pick Staiger Hall on the Northwestern University campus (or other available concert venues). Auditions are held annually and students are encouraged and expected to advance to the next level orchestra in a reasonable time frame. The Young Music Scholars Program requires a signif icant amount of effort and serious time commitment from the students and their families, but the results prove it is well worth it.

ILLINOIS ASTA MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

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Q: What is your current posit ion? What classes do you teach?

I am currently Director of String Education and Orchestral Activities at VanderCook College of Music. I teach cello and bass technique classes, string methods classes, and conduct the orchestra in the undergraduate, graduate, and continuing education programs.

Q: Tell us a lit t le about your background? Where did you grow up? Where did you go to college?

I grew up in Norfolk, Virginia where I started playing cello in the 5th grade. My mother is a retired choral music educator and church musician so I have been in music literally ALL of my life. Legendary string educators Carol Smith and Gregory Barnes were my first string teachers. From Vivaldi to Andre Crouch, performing all genres of music has been my experience. As a result, I feel strongly that string players should play and teach all styles of music.

While I started my bachelors degree in cello performance at University of Illinois with Laurien Laufman, my family needed me back on the East coast. Consequently, I completed a Bachelors degree with a double major in music and mass communication at Norfolk State University in my hometown of Norfolk. Upon graduation, I worked for years as an announcer and news producer for the NPR stations in the area and even had my news stories broadcast on NPR's Morning Edition. In coupling my broadcasting work with section work in Virginia

Symphony Orchestra cello section, I was living the dream.

I found my way to teaching in 1991 during long-term sub assignment at a middle school in support of my former middle school orchestra director. I knew pretty early on in that experience that I would devote my life to teaching. As a result, I completed my Master's in Music Education at University of Miami (FL) and am in the process of completing Doctorate work at Florida State University.

Q: Where did you teach prior to Vandercook? Tell us a lit t le about that?

Prior to my time at VanderCook was spent in Florida. In my first two positions in Brevard and Miami-Dade County I served as the resource/string teacher for entire feeder. In that role I was fortunate to work collaboratively with some amazing music educators. I like to think that those positions were the major influencers on my teaching pedagogy and style. Having to move between multiple educational and ability levels and colleague's teaching styles was exhilarating! In my last two teaching positions I taught orchestra and music theory at Arts Magnet schools in Miami and Fort Myers. In those positions I realized that my best instructional, musical, and character leadership had to happen in the ensembles outside of the select or auditioned groups. I enjoyed the sheer enthusiasm and love of music I experienced in all of the ensembles. My three years as a teaching assistant at Florida State University with Dr. Michael Allen rounded out my 16 years in Florida.

ASK

THE

EXPERTS

DAVID ECCLESphotography by John Kim

Q: What characterist ics do you look for in future music educat ion students?

Future music education students must be excellent musicians. In experiencing personal success in pursuit of musical excellence, future music educators will have a deep and wide well of success from which to draw. Of equal importance is the quality of empathy. Future music educators must be able to try to see the world through the eyes and experiences of their students. The quality of ones teaching does not matter if they have not made a personal connection with their students. Future music educators must be ready to create and maintain string programs at all levels. Entrepreneurship is also one of the characteristics that future music educators must build and develop. One can be a great teacher with a great relationship with their students but without connecting that program to the community there may always be a sense that the program is not grounded.

Q: Who were some of your influent ial teachers/mentors?

I continue to draw inspiration and support from my mother, Elizabeth Eccles who is still an active choral director and music educator. The sheer musical genus and humanity of cellists Lauren Laufmann (retired) and Ross Harbaugh (University of Miami) helped my find my voice and confidence as a performing musician. The work and philosophies of the late Dr. Michael Allen continue to guide and inform my teaching in this phase of my career. His clarity of thought of the instructional process and thoughts on helping non-string players find their teaching voice in the orchestra setting continue to guide me as I build the curriculum here at VanderCook.

Q: VanderCook cont inues to develop and expand the st ring educat ion program. Where do you see the program in the next 5-10 years?

The administration and board of directors here at VanderCook are absolutely committed to the long range growth and success of the string track. We have a stellar faculty of teaching artist who continue to help our students become competent performers and compassionate educators. As we continue to build a physical space that matches the excellence of instruction here at VanderCook, our program will continue to grow and attract the best and brightest string musicians and educators from around the world.

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Future music educators must be able to see the world through the eyes and experiences of their students.

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Q: What advice can you give high school students who would like to major in music?

High school students who wish to major in music should be voracious consumers of quality music of all genres. We live in an amazing time of exposure to all types of music. It is important they understand the musical, spiritual, and time commitment needed to be a great musician. They need to realize that there is no such thing as "overnight success" in the music industry. From the orchestral players in the Chicago Symphony Orchestra to the musicians in their favorite pop music act, to the music director of the local musical theatre group, the time and professionalism required to be successful in music is more accessible to those with a background of perseverance and dogged pursuit of excellence.

Q: You visit a lot of school orchestra programs during the year. Are there any common characterist ics that you not ice of successful music teachers?

Great teachers have great vision. As I visit the AMAZING orchestra programs around the country, I am constantly

inspired by the vision of our colleagues. They have clear musical, intellectual, and character goals for the short, medium, and long range development of their students. The power of their vision is that they are able to communicate that vision to their students and other stakeholders when needed. As I talk with their students, parents, and administrators they are able to speak

eloquently of the progress their student or institution has realized under the leadership of these master teachers. This is a great time to be a music educator. We must continue to network and seize the opportunities that continue to present themselves.

MEMBERS -



Instrumentalist and vocalist community members from various walks of life, including 36 music educators, joined the ranks of the

Elmhurst ensembles for the performance. These generous musicians donated their time and talents to attend rehearsals

throughout the month of August to make this concert an outstanding performance. Many thanks to them for their outstanding

contribution!

The Elmhurst College Philharmonic Orchestra held its first annual World Music Festival in 2011 at the encouragement of guest

lecturer Srini Krishnan, Headmaster of the School of Music in Chennai, India that was founded by A.R. Rahman, composer of Slum

Dog Millionaire. That festival was such a great success that it subsequently became a regular event on campus, transforming into

a series in 2013 with multiple events throughout the academic year. Featured programs have included ?Global Rhythms?Music of

India,? ?Olé! The Musical Influence of Spain,? ?RUSSIA!? ?The Music of Brazil, Italy, & France,? and ?KONTRAS! Music of Contrasts.?

Guest artists have included Celtic fiddler Liz Carroll, steelpan player Liam Teague, Russian cellist Ian Maksin, Mullane Healey

Godley Irish Dancers, and the Mexican band, Mariachi Real de Jalisco.

Important in choosing music for the Elmhurst World Music Festivals has been the requirement that the Philharmonic Orchestra be

included in the performances. Many world music festivals feature soloists and small ensembles, but the Elmhurst festival always

seeks to include a fusion of music that can be performed by a traditional symphony orchestra with music that is indigenous to the

particular culture. Dr. L. Subramaniam, composer of Bharat Symphony, has done just this ? he has written a beautiful work

depicting the history of India, incorporating the sounds, colors, and textures of the traditional symphony side by side with singers

and instrumentalists particular to India. Tabla, solo Indian voice, guitar, classical Indian violin, and folk tunes of India are

beautifully intertwined into the landscape of the symphony throughout this work.

Ambi Subramaniam and Mahesh Krisnamurthy returned to the Elmhurst campus on October 28, 2017 to perform in the Elmhurst

World Music Festival. The Glenbard East Symphony Strings joined the Elmhurst musicians for the event.


On Saturday, Sept. 9, 2017 the Elmhurst College and Community Philharmonic and Singers performed a world premiere work commissioned by World Music Chicago for the 70th Anniversary Celebration of India?s Independence. The work, written by arguably the most famous violinist in India today, L. Subramaniam, was performed by the 72-piece orchestra, 15-voice choir, 6-piece Indian ensemble, and vocal soloist and Bollywood star, Kavita Krishnamurti. Other performers from India included: Dr. Lakshminarayana Subramaniam (violin); Bindu Subramaniam (vocals); Debashish Bhattacharya (slide guitar); Ambi Subramaniam (violin); Tanmoy Bose (tabla) and Mahesh Krishnamurthy (mridangam).

Thousands of people were in attendance on this very beautiful late summer afternoon, and many swarmed the stage following the performance to get an autograph or catch a closer glimpse of these famous Indian musicians. Chicago has long been a friend of the Indian community, with L. Subramaniam having performed in Millennium Park on several other occasions. The work he composed for the premiere, entitled ?Bharat Symphony,? is a 4-movement piece depicting the history of India, from the country?s inception to the present. It is an elegant tapestry of Indian culture, symbolizing the four major periods of Indian history, namely: (1) Prehistoric Vedic era (2) The Mughal era (3) The British era (4) Post Independence modern era.

Joanne May is in her ninth year as Assistant Professor of Music and director of the Philharmonic Orchestra, chair of the string department, and music education instructor at Elmhurst College in Elmhurst, Illinois. During her tenure at Elmhurst College she founded the annual Elmhurst College World Music Series, assisted in writing the course, String Improvisation for Educators, added three new string faculty members to the department, started a secondary instrument string orchestra for music education students, began an electric string ensemble, conducted the Philharmonic at the Illinois Music Education Conference, and set up annual performance tours to high schools in several states.

Prior to teaching at Elmhurst College, May retired from teaching 33 years in public schools in Illinois and Missouri, serving as an instructor of strings, orchestra, band, choir, general music, and as music department chair at Glenbard East High School in suburban Lombard, IL. She received numerous awards for excellence in teaching, including the Mary Hoffman Award for Teaching Excellence by ILMEA, Glenbard Township High School District Distinguished Service Award, Educator of the Year and Distinguished Service Award from the Illinois American String Teacher?s Association, and Teacher Recognition Award for the Presidential Scholar Program in Washington, D.C. by the U.S. Department of Education. She is a National Board Certified Teacher, and served as President of the Illinois American String Teachers Association and President of the Orchestra Division of ILMEA. May is currently national chair of Orchestra Council for NAfME.

By Joanne May (photo below)

Elmhurst College Musicians Perform World Premiere in Millennium Park

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NOTES OF WISDOM

I?m guilty and I admit it. After 34 years of teaching, it?s time to come clean. I?m a thief. I have stolen from my peers and I feel no shame. And I know that I am not alone. My students know that I have some ?go to? phrases. Educational hooks, you may say, that help to teach and reinforce musical and technical concepts that I believe are impor tant. We all have them, however the best hooks or ideas, have helped me become a better teacher and helped my students improve.

I t all star ted with my undergraduate professors, including my supervising teachers dur ing my student teaching exper ience and has continued through graduate school, in service sessions, Mid-West Clinics, ILMEA sessions and ASTA Teacher Education Workshops. Guest conductors, university clinicians and fellow music teachers have all been a victim of my predatory nature. I have even stolen from former students who are now music professionals. I have no shame.

The purpose of this confession is not to easy my guilt or to ask for forgiveness. No. The purpose is to share some of these pear ls of wisdom, these educational hooks in the hope that you will take what works for each of you in our joint quest to become better teachers and to guide the next generation of musicians. Moreover, I hope you will join me and share the best ideas that you have stolen, borrowed and adapted for future issues.

The funny thing is that most of these ideas and thoughts may not be especially insightful or groundbreaking, rather they are basic, common sense teaching and playing hints or techniques that I hope will create an ?aha? moment. Maybe you are the rare innovator who has actually come up with something new and insightful that you can share. Either way, I hope that future ar ticles will share phrases, techniques, ideas about classroom management, teaching bow holds, what to do dur ing the first lesson, recruiting and retention, vibrato or how to take your students to the next level. The list of topics is endless. I f you would like to share who you stole (sorry, borrowed) your idea from, great. Otherwise, just share some small thought, idea or technique that works for you. You may be pleasantly surpr ised at its impact on teaching and learning in our classrooms and

studios.Master Class-?The Hardest Measures to Count are the

All Catos Rush

Jack Ranney, retired string professor at the

University Illinois-Urbana at Champaign,

was a great influence on my teaching

career. He would often say ?All Catos

Rush.? Pizzicatos, Spicatos, Marcatos,

Staccatos . . . they all rush. Why? Because

the spaces or silence between the notes

often get short changed, resulting in a

quickening of the tempo. This phrase

reminds students (and teachers) to be

aware of the pulse and to avoid problems

before they occur.

I don?t remember who first said this,

maybe it was me, but I doubt it. Whenever

students have a rest that lasts more than a

measure, they seem to turn off and stop

counting. This phrase helps students to

remember to stay actively involved in the

music whenever they have long periods of

rests. They can?t and shouldn?t rely on the

conductor to cue them on their next

entrance.

The Hardest Measures to Count

are the Ones You Don?t Play

By Steven Katz (pictured)

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fall 2017 scroll - ilasta.com · sarah friederich carol s em s kelsey chelberg hans jensen tobin...

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