Rasmussen Rotunda in the Wheelock Student Center
Inside Rasmussen Rotunda of Wheelock Student Center
Entrance to Schneebeck Hall in Music Building
Kilworth Chapel Sanctuary
2019 Conference Guest Artist:
Irene Peery-Fox
Irene Peery-Fox received her doctoral degree from the Peabody Conservatory of the Johns Hopkins University, where she studied with Leon Fleisher. Before her doctoral work, she earned bachelor of music and master of science degrees from Juilliard, studying with Irwin Freudlich, Jeaneanne Dowis, and Ilona Kabos. She has also earned an ARCT degree from the Royal Conservatory of Toronto and a performing arts degree from the University of Alberta, Edmonton.
Irene has won numerous piano contests; twice she won the International CBC Talent Festival Contest. She also won the Alaska Music Trails Concert Tour. She has received four Ford Foundation Grants, four Canada Council grants, an INCO grant, and five full-time Juilliard scholarships for piano study. Her many concerto appearances include performances with orchestras in Montreal, Toronto, Salt Lake City, Winnipeg, Edmonton, Victoria, Calgary, Provo, and Lethbridge. She has performed solo recitals in Canada, the United States (including Carnegie), and Europe, as well as chamber recitals at Carnegie Hall and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. She has also performed on radio and television on the NBC, CBC, and BBC networks.
Irene was formerly a faculty member at the Peabody Conservatory of the Johns Hopkins University, Preparatory Division. Currently, she serves on the Brigham Young University piano faculty. Her students have been frequent prize winners in international, national, state, and local competitions. She is listed in the Canadian Dictionary of Music and Musicians and in the Outstanding Young Women of America.
CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHT
Lecture-Recital on Wednesday, June 19, 2019
Dr. Irene Peery-Fox will present her 16-year old prodigy, John Zhao in a lecture-recital of the works of Liszt, Chopin, Beethoven and other composers. Historical aspects and practice performance problems associated with each piece and composer will be presented by Dr. Peery-Fox preceding the performance of every composition.
Audience questions will be welcomed.
2019 CONFERENCE PERFORMANCE GUEST ARTIST:
JOHN ZHAO
John Zhao is sixteen years old and is a student of Dr. Irene Peery-Fox. Mr. Zhao has been a frequent prize winner in International, National and State competitions. He recently won two first International prizes in the American Proteges Competition, in both the Concerto and Piano and Solo competitions. As a result, John just recently performed in Carnegie Hall on June 9. In September of 2018 John won the annual Salute to Youth Competition in Salt Lake City and performed Tchaikovsky’s Concerto No. 1 with the Utah Symphony in Abravanel Hall in Salt Lake City. The performance was broadcast over 89.1 FM radio. John was first prize winner of the Utah Music Teachers Association Concerto Competition which afforded him the opportunity to perform in the Assembly Hall on Temple Square in Salt Lake City. Mr. Zhao won second prize in the International Keyboard Odyssiad Competition and Festival and third prize in the Los Angeles International Piano Competition. John was selected as an “Official Competitor” in the Gina Bachauer Junior International Piano Competition and finalist in the 15th Ettlingen International Piano Competition in Germany.
In addition to competitions John has participated in numerous festivals. He was a young artist performer in the 35th Piano Texas Festival, joining with the Van Cliburn Piano Competition in 2017. In addition, John participated in the National Chopin Training Camp sponsored by the US National Chopin Foundation in 2018. He attended the Oxford Music International Academy sponsored by the Canadian Department of Culture and French Ministere De La Culture, and participated in the Southeastern Piano Festival. John made his first orchestral debut at the age of ten yeas old and has continued to perform in many prestigious festivals and competitions ever since. In addition to his Tchaikovsky performance with the Utah Symphony Mr. Zhao has performed Chopin’s Andante Spianato et Grande Polonaise Brilliant with the American West Symphony, which was broadcast on University Utah Cable TV. He also has given other performances with the Salt Lake Symphony and the American Fork Symphony in Utah, plus a performance in Italy with the Napolinova Orchestra. This performance was broadcast on One Talent TV Classic music channel. As a representative of the Gina Bachauer Junior competitors John Zhao was interviewed and performed on KSL News and performed on the Utah Arts Festival Central Stages, in addition to being invited to perform for commercials. He has performed over twenty school concerts for the Gina Bachauer International Piano Competition Foundation since 2015. Other solo performances include: in Libby Gardner Hall at the University of Utah, for the TWO Pianist Return Show on the stage of the Rose Wagner Hall, at the opening ceremony for the Utah Chamber Music Community and several Carnegie Hall performances.
John is a straight A, International Baccalaureate student at Hillcrest High School, where he is senior officer of the National Honor Society and president of the Chemistry Club. He is a volunteer pianist at the Utah Senior Living Community, and for both the Music Therapy at Primary Children’s Hospital and the Intermountain Hospitals in Utah. He is the son of Wayne Zhao and Sunni Li in Salt Lake City.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR STUDENT PERFORMERS
FOR HONORS RECITALS:
Wednesday Recital #1
- Check-in at Check-In desk starting at 8:00 a.m. in Schneebeck Concert Hall Foyer.
- Warmup in practice room—assigned time for 15 minute block between 8:30 a.m. and 9:30 a.m.
- Instructions and venue try-out at Schneebeck Concert Hall at 9:45 a.m.
- Doors open in Schneebeck Concert Hall at 10:15 a.m.
- Recital in Schneebeck Concert Hall from 10:30 a.m. to 11:45 a.m.
Wednesday Recital #2
- Check-in at Check-In desk starting at 8:00 a.m. in Schneebeck Concert Hall Foyer.
- Warmup in practice room—assigned time for 15 minute block between 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m.
- Instructions and venue try-out at Schneebeck Concert Hall at 1:30 p.m.
- Doors open in Schneebeck Concert Hall at 2:00 p.m.
- Recital in Schneebeck Concert Hall from 2:15 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Thursday Recital #3
- Check-in at Check-In desk starting at 8:00 a.m. in Schneebeck Concert Hall Foyer.
- Warmup in practice room—assigned time for 15 minute block between 8:30 a.m. and 9:30 a.m.
- Instructions and venue try-out at Schneebeck Concert Hall at 9:45 a.m..
- Doors open in Schneebeck Concert Hall at 10:15 a.m.
- Recital in Schneebeck Concert Hall from 10:30 a.m. to 11:45 a.m.
Friday Recital #4
- Check-in at Check-In desk starting at 7:30 a.m. in Schneebeck Concert Hall Foyer.
- Instructions and venue try-out at Schneebeck Concert Hall at 8:15 a.m.
- Warmup in practice room—assigned time for 15 minute block between 9:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m.
- Doors open in Schneebeck Concert Hall at 10:45 a.m.
- Recital in Schneebeck Concert Hall from 11:00 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.
FOR MASTERCLASS:
- Thursday, June 20, 2019 from 4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
- Schneebeck Hall in the Music Building at the University of Puget Sound.
- You can park in P3 and P4 and the parking is free.
- You should check-in at the desk in the lobby of Schneebeck Hall.
- There is a recital happening right before the masterclass and you may not get an opportunity to try the piano on stage.
- From 2 p.m. onwards, there will be practice rooms for you to warm up in the Music Building and you can confirm those room numbers at the check-in desk.
- Please call 206-783-1975 if you have any trouble on the day of the masterclass.
FOR YOUNG COMPOSERS PROJECT RECITAL:
- Thursday, June 20, 2019 at 2:15 p.m.
- Check in at the desk in the lobby of Schneebeck Hall. Here’s a link to a map of the university and Schneebeck Hall is in Building #29. https://www.pugetsound.
edu/files/resources/com19maps. pdf - At check-in, you will receive a conference day pass for you and your family so that you can attend workshops and recitals on Thursday. Please note, there are no meals in the Diner included with day pass (you may dine there but the cost is not included with your pass).
- You will have an opportunity to try out the piano in the hall between 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. on Thursday.
- The recital starts at 2:15 p.m.
- if you are playing a recording of your piece, please be sure to give the recording to Erin Oliver before the concert. Erin Oliver will be organizing the practice time and will be available after 1 p.m. in or around the hall.
- if you have any difficulties finding the building or Erin on Thursday, please call 206-783-1975. You can also find assistance at the registration table in Kilworth Chapel (on the map, it’s building #22), which is quite close to the Music Building.
FOR WASHINGTON WINNERS CONCERT:
Information coming soon.
REGISTRATION FEES
IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE CONFERENCE REGISTRATION FEES:
- The conference is two and a half days long, with an extra Bonus Evening on Tuesday, June 18, 2019.
- You may choose to register for one day of the conference or for full registration. Two-day registration is the same price as (or more than) a full registration. Registration for one day is considered “one-day” and registration for more than one day is considered “full-time”.
- Registration for any day includes entry to all sessions, concerts, recitals, and masterclasses on that day. It also includes lunch on that day. You must register by June 10, 2019 in order for lunch to be included in your registration fee.
- There is a special full-time rate for first-time conference attendees but there is no special rate for one-day registration for first-time conference attendees.
- After June 10, 2019, conference registration will not be available online – registration will only be available at that point at the registration table at the conference, starting on June 17, 2019 at 4 p.m.
- The Banquet Dinner is NOT INCLUDED in any registration (full-time or one-day). It will be an additional cost added to any registration, should you choose to attend the banquet.
| TYPE OF REGISTRATION | BEFORE MAY 15, 2019 | AFTER MAY 15, 2019 |
|---|---|---|
| FULL-TIME Regular | $130 | $160 |
| FULL-TIME First-time Attendee | $90 | $120 |
| FULL-TIME Presenter | $97.50 | $120 |
| FULL-TIME Student/Collegiate Member | $70 | $90 |
| FULL-TIME Non-Member | $175 | $200 |
| ONE-DAY Regular | $70 | $80 |
| ONE-DAY Presenter | $52.50 | $60 |
| ONE-DAY Student/Collegiate Member | $40 | $45 |
| ONE-DAY Non-Member | $90 | $100 |
THOMAS HALL DORM ROOM RATES
Dorm rooms are available on:
- Tuesday, June 18
- Wednesday, June 19
- Thursday, June 20
The cost for a dorm room is listed below. The rooms are single rooms within a larger “pod” or “flat” of rooms with shared bathrooms. There can be between 9-14 rooms with 3-4 bathrooms in each pod. For more information about Thomas Hall dorm rooms, please click here.
Board members who wish to stay in a dorm room on Monday, June 17, please contact Administrative Coordinator Kirsten Carlson.
What’s included in the costs listed below?
- single room with bed linen
- breakfast on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday
- dinner on Thursday evening
PLEASE NOTE:
- Lunches are included with the cost of conference registration.
- Dinner is not included on Wednesday which is the evening of the conference banquet (although you can still go to the Wheelock Center for dinner and pay at the time).
Regular Meal service times in communal dining area, Wheelock Student Center, are as follows:
- Breakfast – 7:00 – 9:00 am
- Lunch – 11:30 am – 1:30 pm
- Dinner – 4:30 – 6:30 p.m
INFORMATION FOR REFRESHMENT BREAK SPONSORS
For the past two years, WSMTA has invited businesses, chapters, and individuals to participate in the conference and help support WSMTA by sponsoring a refreshment break at the conference.
- Sponsors of breaks and receptions will have their names listed in the conference program booklet as well as having their names displayed prominently at the break or reception they have sponsored.
- Chapters that would like to contribute to a break or reception but cannot afford full sponsorship of one event are welcome to contribute $50 or more to partially sponsor an event.
- There are different rates for WSMTA members and non-members.
THIS FORM MUST BE COMPLETED BY MAY 13, 2019 in order to have your name or the name of your business or chapter in the conference program booklet. Late sponsors are accepted.
| TYPE OF REFRESHMENT BREAK | WSMTA MEMBER RATE | NON-MEMBER RATE |
|---|---|---|
| MORNING COFFEE (Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday mornings) | $400 | $500 |
| AFTERNOON COFFEE (or other beverages) (Wednesday afternoon) | $200 | $400 |
| YOUNG COMPOSERS PROJECT AND COMMISSIONED COMPOSER RECEPTION (Thursday afternoon) | $400 | $500 |
| GUEST ARTIST RECITAL DESSERT RECEPTION (Wednesday evening) | $400 | $600 |
| WASHINGTON WINNERS RECITAL RECEPTION (Thursday evening) | $400 | $600 |
| CONTRIBUTION TO TUESDAY EVENING BONUS-DAY REGISTRATION SOCIAL | $100 | NOT AVAILABLE |
| CONTRIBUTION TO ANY RECEPTION BY A CHAPTER | $50 | NOT AVAILABLE |
If you have any questions, please contact 2019 Conference Chair Kirsten Carlson.
2019 CONFERENCE SCHEDULE
Times and locations of all events are subject to change. This information is the most accurate at this time.
TUESDAY JUNE 18 |
| 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. – BOD meeting |
| 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. – REGISTRATION (Wheelock Student Center Rasmussen Rotunda) |
| 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. PRE-CONFERENCE BONUS EVENT
(Wheelock Student Center – Rasmussen Rotunda) “Meet and greet” with finger foods served while the following is scheduled: 5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. Musical interlude 6:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. Mary Kaye Owen presents Making Friends in Spite of Our Lonely Profession 6:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Musical interlude 7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. IMTF Resource Roundtable lead by RoseMarie Tamburri |
WEDNESDAY JUNE 19 |
8:00 a.m. to 6 p.m.
|
| 8 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Coffee service (Kilworth Chapel Lower Floor Lobby) |
| 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. – Opening Meeting (Kilworth Chapel Sanctuary) |
10:30 a.m. to 11:45 a.m.
|
11:45 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. (Meeting and Showcase start at noon)
|
1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.
|
|
| 3:30 – 4:00 Afternoon Coffee – sponsored by Seattle Chapter (Kilworth Chapel, Lower Floor Lobby) |
4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
|
5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Meetings
|
6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
|
8:00 p.m.
|
THURSDAY JUNE 20 |
8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
|
| 8 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Coffee service (Kilworth Chapel, Lower Floor Lobby) |
9:00 a.m. to 10:15 a.m.
|
10:30 a.m. to 11:45 a.m.
|
NOON TO 7:00 P.M.
11:45 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
|
1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.
|
2:15 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
|
| 3:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Reception sponsored by the Tri-City Chapter (Lobby of Schneebeck Hall in the Music Building) |
4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
|
5:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
|
6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
|
8:00 p.m.
|
FRIDAY JUNE 21 |
8:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
|
8:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
|
8:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.
|
9:00 a.m. to 10:15 a.m.
|
11:00 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.
|
2019 CONFERENCE PRESENTERS
Joann Richardson, NCTM with Wyatt Smith
Dancing Fingers: An Introduction to Historical Keyboard Fingering Practices
- Standard fingering patterns have become so entrenched in keyboard pedagogy that many musicians have no idea that for a good part of music history, keyboard fingering techniques were anything but standardized. For centuries, fingering was intimately aligned with articulation and meter. Once fingers learn to dance in patterns idiomatic to the musical style period, the music often sounds historically authentic and is easier to play. Whether your keyboard is an organ, a piano, a harpsichord, or something else, learning about historical fingering practices may cause you rethink your own phrasing and articulation choices as you learn, teach, and perform music from different historical eras.
Through Bach’s Ears: A Lecture-Recital of Bach’s Musical Soundscape
- How might knowledge of Bach’s musical world affect our understanding of his music? Most keyboard training is heavily rooted in the traditions and sounds of the classical and romantic periods. Understandably, ears and fingers that are steeped in this repertoire will bring elements of this style with them when they learn music of the Baroque era. The musical forms and sounds that may have influenced Bach are decidedly different from those of later eras. This lecture-recital will explore the sounds, composers, and musical styles that were part of Bach’s musical soundscape.
Joann Richardson, WSMTA state chair for organ, leads an eclectic musical life as an organist, pianist, music teacher, choral director, and workshop presenter. Joann is certified by MTNA in organ and piano, and is certification, membership, and mentorship chair for the Kitsap Music Teachers Association. Joann has presented workshops on topics related to the organ, the piano, professional development, and music employment issues to the Olympic Peninsula Chapter of the American Guild of Organists, the Kitsap Music Teachers Association, and the Washington State Music Teachers Association. Joann holds degrees in music from Indiana University and Pacific Lutheran University.
Wyatt Smith with Joann Richardson
Dancing Fingers: An Introduction to Historical Keyboard Fingering Practices
- Standard fingering patterns have become so entrenched in keyboard pedagogy that many musicians have no idea that for a good part of music history, keyboard fingering techniques were anything but standardized. For centuries, fingering was intimately aligned with articulation and meter. Once fingers learn to dance in patterns idiomatic to the musical style period, the music often sounds historically authentic and is easier to play. Whether your keyboard is an organ, a piano, a harpsichord, or something else, learning about historical fingering practices may cause you rethink your own phrasing and articulation choices as you learn, teach, and perform music from different historical eras.
Through Bach’s Ears: A Lecture-Recital of Bach’s Musical Soundscape
- How might knowledge of Bach’s musical world affect our understanding of his music? Most keyboard training is heavily rooted in the traditions and sounds of the classical and romantic periods. Understandably, ears and fingers that are steeped in this repertoire will bring elements of this style with them when they learn music of the Baroque era. The musical forms and sounds that may have influenced Bach are decidedly different from those of later eras. This lecture-recital will explore the sounds, composers, and musical styles that were part of Bach’s musical soundscape.
American concert organist Wyatt Smith is a native of Rapid City, South Dakota. Wyatt concertizes extensively, keeping an active concert schedule throughout the United States and Europe. He has performed in twenty-eight states throughout the US, and more recently in England, Germany, and France. He performed at the 2012 AGO National Convention in Nashville, Tennessee as a Rising Star, having won the AGO/Quimby Regional Competition for Young Organists – Region VI in 2011. His performances have been heard on several episodes of American Public Media’s Pipedreams.
Wyatt serves as the Associate Director of Music & Communications Minister at Epiphany Parish of Seattle, and is the Affiliate Artist in Organ & Harpsichord at the University of Puget Sound. Wyatt is currently a doctoral candidate at the University of Washington in Seattle, where he studies organ performance with Dr. Carole Terry. Wyatt received his Master of Music degree from the Yale Institute of Sacred Music and the Yale School of Music, where he studied organ performance with Dr. Martin Jean. His Bachelor of Music degree in organ performance is from the University of South Dakota, where he was an organ student of Dr. Larry Schou.
Garrett Snedeker
Can Music Sound “Masculine” or “Feminine”? Including Gendered Themes in Music Lessons
- As music plays an important part in our lives, identity and self-expression are critical parts to our navigation of the world. Often, our identity reflects the music we cherish and celebrate, just as the music we love shapes who we are today. This presentation examines the relationship between identity and music, and how to include cultural themes of gender and sexual identity in musical teaching. This will enrich students’ cultural understanding and social awareness, and will help students on their journey of discovering their identities. The presenter will outline practical listening and score/study activities for students, as well as a brief overview of current LGBTQ+ terminology.
Garrett Snedeker is a recent graduate of Washington State University, with a Bachelors of Music in Piano Performance/Pedagogy. He was a member of the WSU Honors College, and studied piano with Dr. Jeff Savage. He is from Ellensburg, WA and studied piano with his mother, Marilyn Wilbanks. He was recently recognized as the Outstanding Senior for the WSU School of Music, and a “Top Ten” Senior at WSU.
Garrett won the 2017 and 2016 Washington State MTNA Young Artist Competition, and received Honorable Mention at the 2017 Divisional round. During the summer, he attended the 2017 and 2018 Bowdoin International Music Festival in Brunswick, ME, and the 2018 Classical Music Festival Piano Seminar in Eisenstadt, Austria. As a winner of the WSU Concerto/Aria Competition, Garrett performed the first movement of Prokofiev’s Concerto No. 3 with the WSU Symphony Orchestra.
In 2018, Garrett received the Presser Foundation Scholarship in Music, and the WSU President’s Award for Leadership. He served as president of Allegro, the Student Association for Music Advocacy, and president of the Pullman collegiate chapter of MTNA. The WSU collegiate chapter recently presented at the MTNA National Conference.
Next year, Garrett will study gender and music at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance in London, for an Intensive Masters in Piano Performance as part of a Fulbright Scholarship.
Jeff Pettijohn
Spinning Out Ideas: An Effortless Approach to Teaching Composition
- Students of all levels enjoy the idea of creating their own compositions. However, lacking the skill to develop a musical idea, many students find themselves unable to produce a finished piece. And, while development is the key to success when composing, many teachers find it difficult to convey the delicate balance between structure and freedom when it comes to development.
Join composer Jeffrey Pettijohn as he shares an effortless approach to spinning out pages of compositional development. Learn the tools that will allow you to capture the energy of the enthusiastic, but unorganized, young composer. Learn the tips and tricks of tying ideas together and give your students a chance
Jeffrey Pettijohn is a pianist, composer, teacher and public speaker. Having composed over a hundred piano pieces, including three major choral works, including a commissioned piece for the Swedish Women’s chorus, his compositions have been well received by audiences and piano students alike. His compositions have been performed at venues including Cornish College of the Arts, Columbia Tower Club, Sherman Clay, Starbucks Coffee Company and the Swedish Cultural Center.
Jeffrey holds a diploma of Instrumental Teaching, Piano from the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music and a Musikgarten teaching certificate for Family Music. In addition, his education includes the study of piano and composition with David Mesler, Emmy nominated composer and teacher at Seattle Central Community College and Dr. Peter Mack, professor of piano, Cornish College of the Arts. Jeffrey has also studied jazz piano with Marc Seales, head of the Jazz studies program at the University of Washington. Jeffrey has performed at Benaroya Hall, Broadway Performance Hall, Langston Hughes Cultural Arts Center and Tula’s jazz club.
Mary Kaye Owen, NCTM
Making Friends In Spite of Our Lonely Profession
- “If you go looking for a friend, you’re going to find they’re very scarce. If you go out to be a friend, you’ll find them everywhere.” –Zig Ziglar In this 30-minute session, the topic will be addressed by perusing pieces of historical advice, sharing anecdotal experiences, and planning personal goals. The 31st minute will take all session attendees armed with a pouch of helps to a no-host dinner nearby, where new friends are sure to be waiting. Tuesday’s dinner location will be a few blocks away in the Proctor District, and Thursday’s dinner location will be the UPS cafeteria.
Mary Kaye Owen maintains an independent piano studio in Renton, Washington. Her piano students have participated in many events sponsored by local chapters of WSMTA, National Federation of Music Clubs, National Guild of Piano Teachers, and WMEA’s Solo/Ensemble program. An Honorary Life Member and past president of WSMTA, Mary Kaye was named an MTNA Foundation Fellow in 2018. Currently the MTNA Northwest Division Performance Competitions Chair, as well as Senior Coordinator for the WSMTA MTNA Performance Competitions, she is a Nationally Certified Teacher of Music, specializing in piano. Mary Kaye earned a Bachelor of Sacred Music Degree from Multnomah University in Portland, Oregon, and holds a Master of Arts Degree in Music Education from the University of Washington. In addition to teaching piano privately, and substitute teaching K-12 in the Renton School District, Mary Kaye is Pianist for Living Word Lutheran Church in Puyallup, Washington. She and her husband, Dan, have two grown sons (Thommy and Titus), a 17-year-old Scottie dog (Truffle), and three alley cats (Hope, Mr. Bigglesworth, and Number Two).
Angelo Rondello
Successful Studios – sound business practices for financial security
- Do you struggle with collecting tuition and can’t predict your monthly income?
Do you feel powerless to add to your class size?
Does the summer leave you financially high and dry?
Do you feel like your students control you, whether it comes to scheduling, billing, or practicing/engagement?Successful Studios addresses these common issues and more, with practical advice that new and established teachers can use right away to create a higher and more predictable monthly income with more engaged students, and a feeling of control over your business.
Pianist, educator and cultural ambassador Angelo Rondello’s career has brought him across the globe and throughout the United States. His playing has been described as “fascinating, enthralling, magnetic” (Philippine Star), and “a true tour-de-force such as not often encountered.” (Classical Voice of North Carolina).
Founder and director of Music Exchange International and Seattle Music Exchange Project, Angelo’s cultural diplomacy work has created cultural exchanges that have brought musicians from around the world to perform and teach in the United States, and has showcased American performers and composers in numerous countries abroad.
A sought after educator, Angelo runs a private teaching studio serving the Seattle/Bellevue area, and his pupils range from beginners to award winning advanced students. He is a frequent adjudicator and competition juror and teaches masterclasses at universities, private studios and festivals throughout the world.
Judith Schoepflin, DMA, NCTM
I Just LOVE My Minuet
- This presentation demonstrates a variety of ways which help students engage and connect with the pieces they perform. As teachers we often get so focused on the details of the score that we often forget the importance of a student’s need to understand their pieces and to have a personal connection with them. This often results in joyless, disconnected and unmusical performances. Whether it is classical, country, or jazz, a strong personal connection is vital for anyone to truly make music.
Judith Schoepflin, NCTM, is Director of Keyboard Studies at Whitworth University in Spokane. A native of Bremerton, Judith received her doctorate in piano performance from the University of North Texas, where she was a student of Richard Cass and Joseph Banowetz.
Active as both a solo and chamber music performer, she has performed with numerous orchestras in the Northwest and Canada and regularly performs on Spokane’s National Public Radio station. As a member of the Mühlfeld Trio, she performed to critical acclaim in the U.S., Europe, Canada, and Mexico. This group recorded for Laurel Records and Irish National Radio. The Trio also performed at MTNA Conferences in Washington, D.C.; Portland, OR; and Miami, FL.
Judith is a regular workshop presenter and performer, and is active as clinician and adjudicator for a variety of state and regional competitions. In 2013, she received
MTNA’s Foundation Fellow Award.
She has actively promoted music by women through lectures and recitals, and is founder and director of Whitworth University’s series, Women Composers: The Untapped Source. This series has presented music by over 140 women from around the globe, and includes works from the 9th C. to the present ranging from piano to full symphonic scores.
Bruce Stark
Music of Bruce Stark: Tonal aspects and diverse influences to create fresh repertory
- This is a lecture/recital in which composer Bruce Stark introduces his music and speaks about his musical style while sharing videos and live performances, including solo piano pieces and a duet for cello and piano. The lecture/recital will conclude with Jeffrey Gilliam’s performance of Stark’s Sonata for Piano, commissioned by WSMTA this year. Stark’s music possesses several influences, and he will speak about—and demonstrate–how these influences contribute to his compositional voice. He will also speak about the composer’s path in today’s society. Come and enjoy an introduction of new repertory, a sharing of a composer’s perspective, and advice for young composers.
The music of American composer Bruce Stark reflects the varied elements of his musical upbringing: studies in percussion, jazz piano, and classical composition. He began formal studies at California State University, Northridge and completed a masters degree in composition at the Juilliard School as a student of Roger Sessions and Vincent Persichetti. Thereafter for more than 20 years he resided in Tokyo, producing a collection of works that reveal a compelling musical voice, drawing from a multiplicity of disciplines. In 2013 he returned to the U.S. and joined the music faculty of DigiPen Institute of Technology.
From piano and chamber works to choral and orchestral pieces, Stark’s music has been performed on the concert stages of four continents, recorded on numerous CDs, and broadcast on radio programs worldwide. Awards include First Prize in the Composers Guild Contest, Second Prize in the Barlow International Competition, and ASCAP composer awards. His compositions have been featured in the National Flute Association Convention, American Piano Festival, International Trombone Festival, Canberra International Chamber Music Festival, and the BluePrints series in New York City. Other performances include the Baton Rouge Symphony, Hong Kong Philharmonic, Rapides Symphony, Jakarta Symphony, Westwood Wind Quintet, Megumi Kanda, Paula Robison and numerous pianists.
Vicente Della Tonia, Jr., DMA, NCTM
Five-Finger Patterns and Famous Composers: Fresh Ideas for Solo and Duet Piano Works
- The five-finger pattern does not have to be a boring piano “exercise” anymore. Master composers such as Couperin, Stravinsky, Bartok and Diabelli, offer extensive solo/duet literature using five-finger patterns, for all levels to develop students’ technique, musicianship and artistry. This section will present how different composers explore this simple pattern while developing student’s dexterity. Fun to teach and exciting to play, these selections will certainly engage and motivate students and teachers, regardless of their age.
Dr. Vicente Della Tonia, Jr., has performed in concert halls throughout the United States, Spain, and Brazil. He has received top prize awards in competitions, such as the XXI Concurso Latino-Americano de Piano “Rosa Mística,” and the 23rd Concurso Nacional de Piano “Paulo Giovanini.” A dedicated researcher, Vicente has presented on piano pedagogy and literature, with an emphasis on first year of study, collaborative playing, group instruction, improvisation, and the works of American and Latin American composers. As a presenter, he has given lectures and workshops at VII Coloquio do Seminario Permanente de História y Música (Mexico City), as well as at the MTNA’s national and state conferences in Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Minnesota, Nevada, Texas, South Carolina, and Washington. A recipient of the Steinway & Sons’s Top Teacher Award of the Year, Dr. Della Tonia currently teaches Piano and coordinates the Keyboard Studies at Georgia State University/Perimeter in Clarkston, GA.
Davis Hill, MA, BMus
Fun and Finney Games for the Intermediate Piano Student
- This presentation is adapted from my Masters pedagogy project under Dr. Jody Graves at Eastern Washington University. I will present and discuss composer Ross Lee Finney’s “32 Piano Games.” This collection of short intermediate-level pieces serves as a primer for extended techniques for the young beginner, combining many notational, gestural, pianistic, and improvisational/aleatoric devices commonplace in 20th-century American piano music in exciting and accessible ways. I will show how these devices influence or appear in the intermediate repertoire. I hope to broaden understanding of this poignant and topical work, which is very much relevant to modern pianists, composers, and teachers.
Mr. Davis Hill lives in Spokane, Washington and recently finished his Master of Arts in Music (piano/pedagogy) at Eastern Washington University under Dr. Jody Graves. Davis is a student member of the Washington State Music Teachers Association, & Music Teachers National Association (WSMTA/MTNA). He is working on Nationally Certified Teacher of Music status through MTNA. He is a trainee of the Inter-Mountain Alexander Technique workshop, working towards certification as an Alexander Technique teacher through Alexander Technique, International. He is also a student of the Taubman technique of piano via the Golandsky Institute in New York.
Mr. Hill completed a Bachelor of Music in Composition at Eastern Washington University in 2013 where he concentrated in electronic and experimental music. He studied piano with Ms. Kendall Feeney and Dr. Jody Graves, and composition with Dr. Jonathan Middleton and Mr. Benjamin Luca Robertson. His career encompasses performance, composition, direction, teaching, ancient music studies, and pedagogical work. Davis also spent a year in France where he taught English and immersed in the arts culture. He has conducted musical theatre, wind ensembles, church choirs, and chamber groups of all kinds, and has performed with many ensembles of varying kind on piano, clarinet, electronics, and voice.
Yelena Balabanova, DMA, NCTM, with Andrew Tan
Five Essential Principles to prevent Musicians’ Injuries
- Do you ever experience any discomfort or pain while playing your instrument? Do you have students with tension problems, and physical limitations? In this presentation, a unique team of Certified Hand Therapist Andrew Tan and Dr. Yelena Balabanova will introduce 5 essential principles to prevent and treat common repetitive strain injuries in musicians: wrist tendenitis, carpal tunnel syndrome, cubital tunnel syndrome, lower back pain, and neck/shoulder tension. Participants will learn possible causes of those injuries, tips for postural education, conditioning exercises, and innovative techniques that teachers can apply in their studios and everyday life.
Yelena Balabanova, a native of Moscow, Russia, is one of only 6 Steinway Classical Artists in WA state. She is an acclaimed soloist and is widely recognized for her extensive repertoire, original interpretations, innovative programs, and a sought-after clinician on healthy technique and artistry, presenting numerous workshops and masterclasses every year. Among Yelena’s many credentials, she holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from CU-Boulder, received a Recognition Certificate from the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts and National Federation of Music Clubs.
Dr. Balabanova taught at the Renaissance Music Academy of VA, VA State University, University of CO at Boulder and was featured Artist in Residence at the CO Music Fest for four years.
Yelena is a founder of International Conservatory Studio and the North Sound Federated Music Club. Her students have been recognized at many festivals and competitions across USA, Australia, and Europe, and have been awarded admissions to prestigious programs like Cleveland Institute of Music, BYU, Peabody, Wheaton, University of CO, and others.
Currently Yelena serves the community as a Board member of the WA Federation of Music Clubs, Chopin Northwest Council, and WA State Music Teachers Association Membership Chair. For more information, please, visit www.pianoatskymusic.com
Andrew Tan, MS, OTR/L, CHT, CKTP, CEAS, with Yelena Balabanova
Five Essential Principles to prevent Musicians’ Injuries
- Do you ever experience any discomfort or pain while playing your instrument? Do you have students with tension problems, and physical limitations? In this presentation, a unique team of Certified Hand Therapist Andrew Tan and Dr. Yelena Balabanova will introduce 5 essential principles to prevent and treat common repetitive strain injuries in musicians: wrist tendenitis, carpal tunnel syndrome, cubital tunnel syndrome, lower back pain, and neck/shoulder tension. Participants will learn possible causes of those injuries, tips for postural education, conditioning exercises, and innovative techniques that teachers can apply in their studios and everyday life.
Andrew has practiced as a licensed occupational therapist (OTR) and certified hand therapist (CHT) for more than 10 years, he is specialized in rehabilitation for upper extremity injuries, sports injuries and musician-related injuries. In these 10 years Andrew worked in Taiwan, Singapore, New York and Seattle, he is also a certified ergonomic assessment specialist (CEAS) and certified kinesio taping practitioner (CKTP), developing innovative rehab techniques for musicians to regain max function and return to their musical career. Andrew is also the founder of the blog “Rehab For A Better Life”, a platform which share all physical rehabilitation knowledge for the general public. He believes rehab-related knowledge should be easy to learn and follow at home, because “knowledge is power only when we can share it”.
Rebecca Cook, NCTM
Teaching Across the Instrument: Flute ideas for the Piano Studio
- Practical ideas for using flute techniques to help your piano studio. Some of the ideas discussed include: dividing up practice times, tone production and nuance ideas. Some ideas of how to use piano in flute teaching will also be included.
Rebecca M Cook NCTM is a composer, flutist, pianist, teacher, mother, gardener, faith-centered, service oriented musician. She has a BM in Music Education and MM in Flute Performance in Pedagogy, both from BYU. She trained as a Kindermusik teacher, homeschooled her kids and studio teaching is her day job! She enjoys composing and arranging. She is currently the Woodwinds Chair for WSMTA, is a new MAP Visiting Artist and is an MTNA eFestival Adjudicator for Woodwinds.
Students at Washington State University
Genre and Culture: Teaching Twenty-First-Century Cultural Concepts through Blending Classical and Popular Genres
- A beloved musical tradition is the practice of blending genres, with numerous pedagogical resources exposing students to genres combined with classical literature. Genre-blending motivates students at all levels to personalize repertoire, while recognizing how music reflects and shapes cultural values. This presentation explores genre-blending as an introduction to different cultural perspectives to students. The presenters will demonstrate hip-hop, jazz, traditional hymns, and R&B combined with classical works for piano. We will explain how to teach genre-blending through a historical-cultural lens, addressing melody, harmony, and rhythm.
Cameron Barton, Natalie Kahler, Garrett Snedeker, and Morgan Zearott are current/previous undergraduate students at Washington State University, studying piano with Drs. Jeff and Karen Savage. As the officers of the Pullman Collegiate MTNA Chapter, they recently presented their group presentation on genre and culture at the MTNA National Conference in Spokane, WA.
Kira Theine, NCTM
Music History: Why We (Should) Teach It
- We will discuss the importance of music history and why it should be incorporated in lessons. We will discuss different ways to do this and how and where to find this information.
Kira Theine, NCTM, was born and raised in Hoquiam and graduated from Hoquiam High School in 1997. She then attended Western Washington University in Bellingham, WA and received her Bachelor of Music History and Literature degree in March 2002. While at WWU Kira participated in Collegium Musicum, which toured Europe, including Italy and Hungary. After college she moved to the Olympia area where she teaches piano and flute lessons and participates in the local chapter of the Music Teachers National Association where she has held several leadership positions in the Mason County and Olympia Chapters. Kira is currently District IV Vice President of WSMTA.
RoseMarie Tamburri
Independent Music Teacher Forum: “Mind Your own Business”
- Three essential pillars of running a successful studio are: Marketing, Technology and Self-Care.
- At this IMTF session, a panel of professional independent music teachers will discuss strategies and resources for marketing your business, using technology effectively, and taking care of your most important resource – Your Self! Our panelists will be: Mariya Lincoln, flute teacher, SMTA Administrative Coordinator and small-business consultant; Katie Levine, piano teacher, SMTA member and WSMTA Technology Chair, and Katie O’Rourke, piano teacher, SMTA member and Feldenkrais practitioner. Join us for an exciting discussion and sharing of valuable information and resources!
Throughout my life, music has served as both a passion and a discipline – a vehicle for communication
and meditation. Two of my main teaching goals are to help students build a life-long love of music and
develop technical tools for self-expression at the piano. My teaching philosophy is based on a simple
formula: “Creativity + Skill + Fun + Relevance = Learning”.
I hold a Bachelor of Music degree in Piano Performance from Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle. I am
an active member of the Seattle MTA, serve as the WSMTA Independent Music Teacher Forum (IMTF)
Chair and am a founding member of the chamber group Play On!
Many teachers have mentored and inspired me over the years both in music school and private study. A
debt of gratitude goes to my very first teacher, Sister Agnes Marie, who noticed a twinkle in my eye
when I sat at the piano.
Mariya Lincoln
Market Your Studio Like You Mean It!
- First, we’ll cover why you really should be excited about marketing! Next, how marketing applies to the private music teacher, and how the process of choosing a teacher has changed drastically in the last 10+ years. For technophobes and penny pinchers, we’ll cover how to have an online presence without breaking the bank or hiring anyone, and for anyone still not excited about marketing we’ll go over finding ways to promote your studio that suit your unique personality. Finally, you’ll receive resources and strategize next steps in marketing your own studio.
Mariya Lincoln works in small business marketing and private music teaching. She was the business advisor and marketing specialist for digital arts startup Digital Double from 2007-2017. Currently she does writing and marketing work for small businesses and is the Administrative Coordinator for the Seattle Music Teachers Association.
Mariya earned a BA in Music Performance from Southern Oregon University, working as a classroom teacher in China, Chile, and the US, before opening a private flute and piano teaching studio in Redmond in 2000. From 2001- 2006 she served on the board of the Seattle Flute Society. She is a co-founder of Flute Boot Camp, now in its 6th year.
Mariya has performed with her small ensembles at private events around the Puget Sound. She has staffed trade show booths for her own performance groups as well as for the Musicians’ Association of Seattle. She enjoys helping teachers with marketing so they can do what they love to do- teach!
Kristine Richman, NCTM
Intermediate Flute Repertoire Class
- Performances of excerpts of pieces for both the high school flute enthusiast and the aspiring professional flutist with focus on repertoire less well-known or not commonly performed. Students, teachers and professionals will play their favorite portions of these works. A brief discussion of favorite literature and ideas will begin and end the session.
Kristine Richman has DMA in flute performance from Michigan State University and is a NCTM. She is presently a Visiting Artist for the Washington State Music Teachers Association. She worked as visiting professor of flute at Brigham Young University. Currently, Kristine plays flute and piccolo for the Bremerton Symphony, teaches flute and homeschools her four children under the age of six.
Mark Stevens
Avenues to Academia: Making Yourself Marketable for a Career in Higher Education
- For many young professional musicians considering or pursuing graduate degrees,
the dream of a university teaching career is an exciting goal. While there are still many
opportunities available, the landscape of higher education is changing at a rapid pace.
In this session we will discuss topics including choosing a graduate program,
diversifying your expertise, building professional experience, searching for jobs, and
preparing application materials, with plenty of time for Q&A.
Dr. Mark Stevens enjoys a dynamic career as a solo and collaborative pianist, teacher, adjudicator, and arts administrator. He is currently on the music faculty at Washington State University. As an advocate for 20th and 21st century music, he performs a diverse range of repertoire, with an affinity for American composers.
An active teacher for two decades, Dr. Stevens has received teaching awards from the MTNA and the University of Oregon. His students have won nearly 20 prizes in competitions including the Seattle Young Artists Festival, and the Northwest Bach, Classical, Romantic, and Contemporary Festivals.
Dr. Stevens holds graduate degrees in piano performance and pedagogy from the University of Oregon and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He completed his undergraduate studies in performance at Whitworth University. He has served on faculty at the University of Oregon, the Chopin Academy of Music, as an instructor of piano and aural skills at Cornish College of the Arts, and as a teaching at the University of Oregon and University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
Janice Smith, NCTM
Avenues to Academia: Making Yourself Marketable for a Career in Higher Education
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No matter your instrument, teaching experience or location, if you teach privately you will be “interviewing”, in some form, potential students and parents. The interview isn’t simply a meet and greet. And it’s not simply an introduction to your music teaching studio. It’s the start of a relationship… and you want to start right.
Using audience participation and volunteers along with visual and written material, this session will provide examples of the artful ways we can present ourselves as teachers and guide the student and parent to share more about their personality, their motivations and their priorities.
The presentation will be divided into 3 parts:
- First Contact
- The Beginner Student
- The Transfer Student
We will explore the interview and communication process in each area, discovering how to use these insights to develop a meaningful, long-term relationship and create a successful instructional environment.
The attendees will be encouraged to take part in a question/answer discussion session during the last portion of the presentation.
Janice Smith, who has been teaching for over 20 years, has a thriving piano studio on the north side of Spokane, in Mead, Washington. She is a member of the Spokane Chapter of WSMTA, having held chapter positions such as newsletter editor, treasurer, website coordinator and President. Janice is the current Music Artistry Program (MAP) chair for the Spokane chapter. At the state level, Janice was adjudications chair for several years and is currently the Immediate Past-President. Never one to sit idle, Janice received MTNA Certification in 2015 and is the creator and director of the Spokane Piano Competition. In her spare time, Janice pursues gardening, fitness, reading, and technology studies. You can connect with Janice through Facebook (Janice Smith Piano Studio), LinkedIn, and https://spokanepianocompetition.com
Diana Walker
How to Practice
- When Pablo Casals, the great cellist, was 84 he was asked why he still practiced four hours a day. He answered, “I keep practicing because I believe I am making progress.” Practice is both the backbone and the bane of musicians. It doesn’t matter whether you are a student or professional, if you are in music at all practicing is a fact of life. What are the nuts and bolts of doing it? What do the experts say? What does current brain science tell us about it? How can I learn faster and smarter and teach that to my students? These are some of the questions we will explore.
Diana Walker earned her Masters in Piano Performance at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. She has been a teacher, performer, arranger, and composer. She has taught piano privately, for community colleges and served as chair of a piano department at the university level. She has performed lecture concerts, played with orchestras and most recently worked with a jazz trio using the keyboard works of J. S. Bach. For the last several years she has been the director of the Four Piano Benefit Concerts which support the Orchestral Recital Series of Tacoma. Her students have gone on to win competitions, scholarships, and earn advanced music degrees.
Rose Freeman, NCTM
MTNA Certification 101
- How do you maintain professionalism in your studio?
Through completing the five teacher profile projects through MTNA Certification, you will be encouraged by writing your teaching philosophy, challenged by evaluating lessons, and re-inspired by sharing about your teaching environment. Those who attend this lunch-hour workshop will leave with an understanding of the MTNA Certification application process, the five teacher profile projects, what the evaluators are looking for, and how MTNA Certification will preserve and enliven your teaching as a Professional independent music teacher!
Rose Freeman is a Nationally Certified Piano teacher. She offers classical, composition, pedagogy, and collaborative piano lessons from her home in Bothell to students ages “two to ninety-two.”
“Miss Rose” delights in the timeless art of music both as a Nationally Certified Teacher of Music and as the pianist of The Musical Mountaineers. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Piano Pedagogy from Whitworth University and has been an active member of Washington State Music Teachers Association since 2007.
She embraces the opportunity to teach the art of piano music to 40 students from her home studio in Bothell. She delights in delivering a well rounded musical education that stretches far beyond the notes played in her studio!
Jeffrey Gillliam, NCTM
Commissioned Composer Recital and Bruce Stark Presentation on Composition
- I will be performing the World Premiere of Bruce Stark’s Piano Sonata in the Commissioned Composer Recital.
- I will also perform a movement from Bruce Stark’s Piano Sonata as part of his Presentation on Composition.
Prior to joining the piano faculty at Western Washington University in 1992, Jeffrey Gilliam taught at The Juilliard School; The University of Michigan School of Music; and at The International Menuhin Music Academy in Gstaad, Switzerland. He has performed and taught all over the world, including guest university teaching positions in Thailand and South Africa, as well as receiving two Fulbright awards. He has recorded with violinists Yehudi Menuhin, Alberto Lysy, and Ruggerio Ricci for the EMI, Dinemec Classics, and Opus 111 labels. Originally from Akron, Ohio, Jeffrey Gilliam studied piano with Cécile Genhart at The Eastman School of Music, and with Theodore Lettvin at The University of Michigan. He also studied collaborative piano with Martin Katz and Margo Garrett.
In addition to teaching piano and collaborative piano at Western Washington University in Bellingham, he is Artistic Director of Western’s Sanford-Hill Piano Series. In 2015 he established his own endowed four-year piano scholarship: the Jeffrey Gilliam Piano Scholarship Endowment Fund. His students have gone on to distinguished piano performance programs at Stony Brook, New England Conservatory, Rice University, Manhattan School,and Eastman.
Karen Scholten
Music Literacy Program
- This workshop will cover the many testing areas of the Music Literacy Program, provide tips for preparing your students for the exams, and offer helpful ideas to make this an exciting and successful fundraising event for your chapter.
Karen Scholten currently serves WSMTA as the Music Literacy Program Chair, a position she has held since 2009. She also has served on the Hall of Fame Committee for Washington State for over 10 years and has been the MTNA Junior Competition Chair for Strings, Woodwinds and Piano for Washington State for the past five years. She studied music and theory at Seattle Pacific University and later was certified by the Center for Music and Young Children. Karen has taught piano privately for 34 years in her home studio. She is an active member of the Lynden Music Teachers Association and has served as President, Vice President, chaired the Program and Recital committees, and has also mentored several Student Teachers. She is currently the Historian for the chapter and chair of the nominating and member care Committees. Karen enjoys teaching students of all ages in her private studio and keeps busy giving workshops for the Music Literacy Program around the state. She plays music for her church, several Health care centers and volunteers playing for many community events. Karen lives in Everson with her husband of 37 years on their family farm. She has 3 wonderful adult sons and a soon to be amazing daughter-in-law.
Thomas Lee
Evoking, Suggesting, and Murmuring at the Piano: Franz Liszt and the Seeds of Impressionism
- How did the modern piano–a percussive instrument that produces its sound through the force of hammers striking strings–come to be called upon to conjure up vivid sights, sounds, scents, and sensations? To evoke the atmosphere of Far East pagodas, paint reflections in the water, and stir up sounds and scents whirling in the evening air? Today we often take this miraculous evocative ability of Impressionistic music for granted, and while Debussy and Ravel are largely credited for opening up these possibilities, the groundwork for their achievements were actually laid half a century before by Franz Liszt. The presentation will explore the evocative writing of Liszt’s nature pieces and his pioneering techniques in achieving sensory and pictorial suggestion at the piano. By studying various Liszt works, we will discover his innovative evocative language before drawing connections to works by Debussy and Ravel, ultimately uncovering the ways in which Liszt sowed the seeds of Impressionism.
Seattle-based pianist Thomas Lee enjoys a diverse career as a teacher and performer of the instrument. As both a solo and collaborative pianist, he has performed extensively around the region and on KingFM radio, as well as throughout the United States and abroad. Notable engagements include performances at Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall, as well as concerto performances with the UW Symphony Orchestra and the Kostroma Symphony in Kostroma, Russia. Thomas has claimed top prizes at the National Federation of Music Clubs Young Artist Competition, Buono & Bradshaw International Piano Competition, American Fine Arts Festival International Concerto Competition, Indianapolis Matinee Musicale Piano Competition, and the Frances Walton Competition.
Born in Hong Kong and raised in the Seattle area, Thomas received his pre-college training from Tatiana Lanford before pursuing undergraduate studies with Jon Kimura Parker at Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music, and graduate studies at Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music on full scholarship under the tutelage of André Watts. Thomas returned to the Seattle area to pursue doctoral studies under the guidance of Craig Sheppard at the University of Washington, where he earned the degree Doctor of Music Arts. His special interest in the music of Liszt is displayed in his doctoral dissertation, “Evocations of Nature in the Piano Music of Franz Liszt and the Seeds of Impressionism”–the subject of the current presentation, which he has also lectured on at the University of Washington and at the Seattle Music Teacher’s Association.
As a teacher, Thomas has enjoyed working with a diverse array of students both privately and within university programs — from the youngest beginners to advanced teens and adults, including a number who have gone on to become university piano majors. Thomas currently teaches out of his private studio in North Seattle, and for the Puget Sounds Piano School.
Lark Powers, DMA, NCTM
Playing With Blocks: How Keyboard Harmony Exercises Can Make Learning Repertoire Easier
- Keyboard harmony as a foundational tool to learn repertoire, memorize, and develop logical musical expression is sometimes overlooked, leading to students without a well-developed sense of harmony—despite studying theory—applied hands-on to the patterns making up standard repertoire. One solution is keyboard harmony exercises, including common chord progressions, sequences, figured bass, and passage blocking. When brief and carefully graded exercises make learning repertoire more efficient, students are motivated to build a repertory of chord progressions. Applied to different chord voicings and textures, learning pieces becomes a process of assembling familiar blocks. This session will explore keyboard harmony exercises from simple to complex, focusing on patterns in often-played pieces. Instances where the exercises directly reflect the harmony and voice leading used will be shown. Discussion will include creating customized exercises and combining these building blocks to improvise.
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 Chateau de Garrucha in Spain, the Simón Bolívar Amphitheater in Mexico City, and the Bibliothèque de Dinan in France. In addition to numerous collaborations with ensembles, including the Tacoma Symphony, the Washington-Idaho Symphony, and the Baroque Chamber Orchestra of Colorado, she appears in frequent two-piano concerts.
Interested in scholarship, Dr. Powers has presented on varied topics including managing performance anxiety, the pianist Ricardo Viñes, fugues of D. Scarlatti, the piano music of Arvo Part, and birdsong depictions in music. She has presented at WSMTA conferences, discussing Creativity in the Baroque Keyboard Repertoire, and Piano Methods From Around the World, as well as at College Music Society conferences and at the International Festival of Spanish Keyboard Music.
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 BM, summa cum laude, is from the University of the Pacific, and she attended the Conservatoire National de Région de Paris 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, accompanying, and coordinates the group keyboard program. She has served on the faculty of summer programs at the Icicle Creek Young Pianist Camp and WSU’s Summer Keyboard Exploration, and has taught continuo workshops at the Escuela Superior de Música in Mexico and at Oklahoma City University.
Sheila Vail, Examiner, RCM College of Examiners
RCM Certificate Program: A Pathway for Success!
- Hear from the U.S. National Director how she and thousands of students and teachers throughout the country use the RCM Certificate Program to support state and local activities, build solid skills and musicianship, and develop a lifelong love of playing music! Your students will love the broad array of musical styles and will enjoy the digital learning activities. Learn how to enrich your teaching with a world-class program that will motivate and inspire your students and provide you new services and professional opportunities.
A graduate of the Peabody Conservatory of Music Sheila Vail studied with Lillian
Freundlich and Leon Fleisher. As a private studio teacher Mrs. Vail has taught on the
Preparatory faculty of the Univ of Cincinnati and is presently the owner / administrator of
the Indian Springs Academy of Music in Cincinnati. Mrs. Vail is currently the U.S.
National Coordinator for the RCM Certificate Program and speaks nationwide about this
stellar program for students of all instruments and voice. She is a member of the Royal
College of Examiners and a frequent guest speaker at college and university pedagogy
departments. Nationally published, her articles have appeared in the American Music
Teacher magazine, Clavier Companion and other periodicals. Active in the Ohio Music
Teachers Association, Mrs. Vail currently serves on the OTMA Executive Board as the
State Student Certificate Program Chair.
22 – Kilworth Chapel
- Sanctuary for presentations and opening/closing meetings, basement for displays and vendors, and coffee breaks
- 3410 N 18th St, Tacoma, WA 98416
29 – Music Building
- Schneebeck Hall (recitals, concerts, and masterclass), L1 and L6 for presentation, and practice rooms
- 1567-1625 N Union Ave, Tacoma, WA 98416
- Tuesday registration and event, The Diner, Upper Marshall Hall for banquet, room 201 and 202 for meetings and presentations
- N 15th St, Tacoma, WA 98406