Dr. Yelena Balabanova, NCTM presents:
Wigs, Tuxedos, and Passion
“Wigs, Tuxedos and Passion”
In this dynamic presentation with many videos of her current students Dr. Yelena Balabanova will share tips on why and how we teach the repertoire from four historical style periods. The presentation will highlight proven methods for efficient practice and creating memorable performances for all levels of students from beginner to advanced.
Dr. Susan Chan, NCTM presents:
Contemporary Chinese Piano Repertoire for Teaching and Performing
In this workshop, selected contemporary Chinese piano works suitable for teaching and more advanced works suitable for performing are introduced. The featured composers consist of major Chinese-American composers Chen Yi, Zhou Long and Tan Dun, as well as Beijing-based composer Zhang Zhao.
Dr. Deborah Rambo Sinn, NCTM presents:
My Left Hand: Elegance and Proportion
You’ve taught your students how to voice the melody. Now what? Intermediate to advanced repertoire will be used to demonstrate how the left hand influences every aspect of successful interpretation.
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October 8, 2021: Concert and Reception
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October 9, 2021: Live Presentations
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Location: The comfort of your own home
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Registration: $35
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WSMTA/OMTA/IMTA member discount: $15
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Student Member: $10
Registration begins September 1st.
Districts I & II are proud to present two days of engaging events that will provide valuable tools and musical experiences to energize and expand your teaching!
Conference Details
Districts I and II are thrilled that the 2022 Virtual District Conference features not one, not two, but three phenomenal presenters on October 8th and 9th. A reception over zoom will follow their concert on Friday evening. In addition to their valuable pedagogical lectures, each presenter will also provide a live Q&A session.
It will be a great time of learning and connecting as we press forward to better ourselves and our students.
Districts I and II welcome all WSMTA members and extend that welcome to colleagues in Idaho and Oregon, and ask them to join us for this exciting virtual conference at member rates.
Registration includes access to the performances, lectures and Q&A sessions through November 30th.
Schedule
Friday
7:00 – 8:30PM Evening Concert and Zoom Reception
Saturday
9AM: Meet and Greet
9:15AM – 10:30AM: Wigs, Tuxedos, and Passion
10:45AM – 12PM Contemporary Chinese Piano Repertoire
12PM – 1PM: Lunch
1PM – 2:15PM My Left Hand: Elegance and Proportion
2:15PM – 2:30PM Closing and Door Prizes
2021 District I & II Conference Presenters
Presenter: Dr. Yelena Balabanova, NCTM
Yelena Balabanova has performed as a soloist, accompanist, and chamber musician in many festivals and concert series, including Steinway Hall in New-York City, a four-year tenure at Colorado Music Fest, collaboration with the DaVinci and Veronica string quartets, and concert tours across the United States, Russia and Europe.
A native of the Moscow region of Russia, Yelena Balabanova began her musical training at the age of four, received her first college piano performance degree at the age of 19 in Moscow, and was awarded the Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Colorado. A teacher with 28 years of experience, Yelena loves to share her passion for piano with her community and students of all ages through teaching at the International Conservatory Studio, presenting workshops and clinics, coaching and creating performance opportunities for other musicians, and serving as a WSMTA Chairman for the Arts Awareness and Advocacy. Dr. Balabanova and her students were recognized with numerous national and international awards, including National Recognition Certificate from the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts.
Presenter: Dr. Susan Chan, NCTM
The New York Concert Review described Susan Chan as “a thoughtful musician and a sensitive player.” She performs as soloist and chamber musician, teaches and presents in conferences internationally. She has given recitals at Weill Recital Hall in Carnegie Hall and on the Seattle International Piano Festival Recital Series. She received a “Special Citation for Championing Piano Music by Asian Composers” in the American Prize competition, and was awarded an Oregon Arts Commission Artist Fellowship. Her critically acclaimed CD discography includes Echoes of China: Contemporary Piano Music released by Naxos.
In 2019 she presented at the MTNA National Conference. In addition she has presented at conferences of CMS (College Music Society), EPTA (European Piano Teachers Association), WPC (World Piano Conference) as well as MTAC (Music Teachers’ Association of California). She holds a Doctor of Music degree from Indiana University and serves as Professor of Music and Piano Area Coordinator at Portland State University. Susan Chan is a Si-Yo Artist™. Feel free to visit her homepage at susanchanpiano.com.
Presenter: Dr. Deborrah Rambo Sinn, NCTM
Deborah Rambo Sinn’s diverse career has taken her around the world. She has given concerts and masterclasses on four continents and has taught students from more than 14 different countries. She lived in Hamburg Germany for five years where she played concerts and musicals and operated two music studios for coaching and private instruction.
She holds a doctorate from Indiana University, where she studied with Menahem Pressler (Beaux Arts Trio). Before moving to Germany, she served on the music faculty of Angelo State University in Texas and taught one semester at Universität Lüneburg (Germany) as an exchange professor.
She teaches piano, piano classes, and entrepreneurial courses at Gonzaga University in Spokane. She has presented at MTNA national, at numerous state conferences, and at the National Keyboard Pedagogy Conference.
Dr. Sinn is the author of Playing Beyond the Notes: A Pianist’s Guide to Musical Interpretation, published by Oxford University Press in 2013. Her latest book, Pocket Piano Proficiency: an eBook for your phone or tablet presents teaching piano skills in an innovative new way. It available for download at musica-ferrum.com
Feel free to visit her homepage at www.DeborahRamboSinn.com
2020 District I & II Conference
Presenter: Dr. Lark Powers
Session: Building Blocks
Description: Helping students see (and hear) harmonic patterns to strengthen their musicianship skills
Bio:
In demand as a solo and collaborative artist as well as an adjudicator and presenter, Dr. Lark Powers has performed at such venues as Philadelphia’s Kimmel Center, the 92nd Street Y in New York City and at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. Internationally she has been heard in Europe, Mexico and Canada, including performances at the International Festival of Spanish Keyboard Music in Spain, the Simón Bolívar Amphitheater and the Palacio de Bellas Artes in Mexico City, and the Bibliothèque de Dinan in France. In addition to numerous collaborations with ensembles, including the Tacoma Symphony, the Fort Collins Symphony, the Washington-Idaho Symphony, and the Baroque Chamber Orchestra of Colorado, she appears in frequent two-piano concerts as part of the duo she forms with pianist Ricardo de la Torre. The duo performed last summer in Vienna, Lisbon and Valencia. This year, Lark is performing frequently in Tacoma and Seattle, including concerts at the Second City Chamber Music Series, the Listen Live at Lunch series at the Tacoma First Lutheran Church, and at the Fremont Abbey Arts Center.
Lark received a DMA in piano performance from the University of Colorado Boulder, and holds three Master’s degrees (in piano, theory pedagogy and in harpsichord) and a graduate performance diploma in piano from the Peabody Institute. Her undergraduate studies occurred at the University of the Pacific, where she earned a BM in piano performance, summa cum laude, after which she attended the Conservatoire National de Région de Paris for three years where she won a premier prix.
A Nationally Certified Teacher of Music and a Washington State Visiting Artist, Lark teaches at Pacific Lutheran University where she instructs applied lessons and accompanying, and coordinates the group keyboard program. Interested in scholarship, Dr. Powers is a frequent presenter at conferences and has presented on topics including pedagogical uses of keyboard harmony, using Baroque repertoire to foster student creativity, managing performance anxiety, and analysis of piano method books from around the world. This summer she will be performing at the Group Piano/Piano Pedagogy Forum at Oberlin as well as presenting at the WSMTA State Conference on the pedagogical works of Beethoven. She is a proponent of new music, and has recently given the Latin American premiere of Mark Janello’s Concerto for Two, as well as recording works by award-winning Thai composer Siraseth Pantura-Umporn with the Pan Pacific Ensemble which were released last fall on Albany records.
Presenter: Dr. William Chapman Nyaho
Session: Expanding the Canon of Music
Description: Exploring Music from Africa and its Diaspora
Bio:
Dr. William Chapman Nyaho earned his degrees from St. Peter’s College, Oxford University, the Eastman School of Music and the University of Texas at Austin. He also studied at the Conservatoire de Musique de Genève, Switzerland. He currently serves on the piano faculty at Pacific Lutheran University as well as on the summer faculty of Interlochen Center for the Arts. He also has his private piano studio in Seattle, Washington and teaches students of all levels and ages. His students have been prizewinners at competitions and have been well placed in universities and colleges.
Chapman Nyaho’s professional experience includes being a North Carolina Visiting Artist and Associate Professor of Music at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette where he held the Heymann Endowed Professorship and was the recipient of the Distinguished Professor Award. He has served as Visiting Professor of Piano at Colby College, Maine, Artist-in-Residence at Willamette University, Oregon and piano professor at Adamant Music School, Vermont.
He is an active solo recitalist, duo pianist and chamber musician giving recitals and concerts in Europe, Africa, and the Caribbean and in cities across the United States where he advocates music by composers of African descent. He actively serves as a regular guest clinician at colleges and universities around the United States. He is also adjudicator for several national and international piano competitions. He has served on national committees for the College Music Society, Music Teachers’ National Association and the National Endowment for the Arts.
As an advocate for music of Africa and its diaspora, Chapman Nyaho’s publications include a five-volume anthology Piano Music of Africa and the African Diaspora published by Oxford University Press. His recordings include Aaron Copland: Music for Two Pianos, Senku:Piano Music by Composers of African Descent and Asa: Piano Music by Composers of African Descent. His soon to be released new CD will comprise recordings of piano music from volumes 1 & 2 of his anthology.
Presenter: Dr. Jensina Oliver
Session: From Analysis to Artistry
Description: Helping students to play with artistry and nuance by learning how to discover and organize compositional devices.
Bio:
Known for her expressive and passionate performances, pianist Jensina Oliver has appeared as soloist and chamber musician in the United States, China, Canada, Costa Rica, Israel, and throughout Europe. Ms. Oliver earned her DMA at the University of Washington and has taught a wide variety of piano and music courses at Shoreline Community College since 1998. She currently resides with her family in Seattle, where she is a well-known performer, teacher, clinician, and adjudicator. A Nationally Certified Teacher of Music (NCTM), she has a thriving studio with students of all ages.