Music Literacy Program: Spring 2023 Updates

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Melanie Stroud, WSMTA MLP Chair

Spring is a time of renewal and refreshing, and I am so glad it is upon us! On the other hand, for us, it is also a time of exhaustion with so many events upon us at the same time. In Kitsap, we just wrapped up our Music Artistry Program and Performance Competitions, and now it is full steam ahead to our Music Literacy Program and end of the year events! Although April usually begins with Spring Break, for me it usually begins with all of my last-minute preparations for our Carnival/MLP event. I’ll be giving my students their theory practice tests, going over corrections with them, giving them their two practice sight reading exams (you can find your own examples for free in a different teaching curriculum than you use for lessons, or you can purchase Wendy Stevens’ perfectly leveled practice exams at composecreate.com), and running them through all of their strategies for the day. Let me give you a little sneak peek into what that looks like! 

Suzie Q (Mary Grant’s favorite pretend student) is taking level 4 technique for piano, so I will have her memorize “SRICA” (Scales, Roots, Inversions, Cadences and Arpeggios), and she’ll play two sets (one each of her prepared major and minor scales) for two separate weeks prior to our event. She is taking level 5 rhythm, so I’ll have her clap two rhythms for me every 3 weeks or so (I started this back in November), and we’ll talk about how she can take her test back to her seat and quietly practice it before her test. She is taking level 4 theory, so she took her practice test, and we walked through what she messed up, and how to figure out key signatures etc… She is taking level 4 Sight Reading, so we did one practice test a month ago, and the second one two weeks prior to the event. We walked through exactly how to prepare her best for the test: sit down, tap and count it, play through each hand on her lap (paying special attention to the key signature and any accidentals), then play through the whole thing on her lap. We discussed exactly how she’ll be graded, with a half point off for any pauses or wrong notes, and how dynamics and touches are extra credit. She is taking level 6 Ear Training, so we have done extensive practice on interval recognition, I’ve made up a few rhythmic dictation examples that she has rocked, as well as a couple of melodic dictations for her to practice. 

In addition to her 5 main exams, Suzie will also be writing a short composer report, making a lovely cake decorated like sheet music, performing her recital piece and playing many fun games in the gym. 

Now, all of these offerings depend on your chapter. Perhaps this year your chapter is just dipping their toes into the MLP and offering theory. Fantastic! Or perhaps your chapter does the whole shebang, and you are individually dipping your toe into just the rhythm test. Fabulous! However you choose to integrate the MLP into your teaching, I am here to support you. If our goal is for every student to gain Music Literacy, then these exams are an invaluable tool in helping us reach that goal. Happy Teaching!



President’s Corner: February 2023

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Kathy Mortensen, WSMTA President

Let’s try something new.

We are looking forward to our state conference at Sun Mountain Lodge. Having the conference at a destination resort is an idea we started planning a few years ago. We thought it would be an attractive get-away to end a busy teaching and school year. Thanks to the WSMTA Board and good financial planning, the room rates are less than you would expect at an all inclusive resort. We probably won’t hold another state conference at a place off the beaten track, so if you’ve always wanted to visit the beautiful Winthrop area of our state during the gorgeous month of June, now is your chance. 

Planning state conferences is challenging. Where to hold them? Universities and colleges cannot put us on their schedules until they have worked out their own calendars for their faculty and classes. This means we can’t sign a contract with them until a few months before the conference and we cannot book a guest artist with any certainty.

If we book a hotel or conference event center, we must bring in the pianos. Perhaps the sound is not concert-hall quality. But these places can be booked years ahead.

We used to hold our state conferences in a different district every year, with a local chapter hosting and doing the bulk of the work. This tradition became unsustainable. In 2016 we moved to a state-wide conference Chair. Now we are trying a Co-chair approach. Laura Curtis co-chaired the 2022 conference with Carol Cross. Carol is co-chairing the 2023 conference with Lois Rhoads. Lois will co-chair the 2024 conference with . . . you? 

We used to have a conference from Monday to Friday. Then reduced the number of days. The conference dates are determined based on several factors including when the facility is available, and somewhat on when school is out. When we included a Saturday, more students participated in Honors Recitals. When we included a Sunday, more teachers left early to get to their church jobs. 

As many of our chapters have discovered, our members have less time to give to programs and events. Members are building their career and business. They have family commitments. They have revised their priorities. The state and chapter must reconsider the value of programs and events. Perhaps it is time to let a particular event go off the calendar. Some chapters are teaming up and holding joint meetings and presentations.

Let’s support efforts to try something new. If there’s an interested, enthusiastic volunteer, let them work on their idea. Maybe it was tried in the 20th century, didn’t last, but now it’s time to bring back the idea. 

Maybe it’s a different problem. There are few volunteers, but the program is important to members and to the organization. Consider hiring a part time assistant or project manager. Try a different type of venue. Limit the number of events that require hands-on, in person volunteers.

Teachers are life-long learners. We know that life is a journey, not a race. We can try something new, learn from our mistakes, and do things differently and better.

Yours in service,
Kathy Mortensen