PERFORMING

STUDIO RECITALS

Private students may perform intwo Studio Recitals (January and June), which are held at St.Luke's Episcopal Church, Somers, NY, on their seven-foot Steinway grand piano. Students work hard to prepare for these recitals and must attend at least two of the four performance classes offered at my studio. (Attendance at all four classes is even better.) The classes are one hour long, only for performers and free.

 

 

 
THE NATIONAL GUILD OF PIANO TEACHERS ANNUAL AUDITIONS:
pianoguild.com
Students at all levels of ability are invited to play at these auditions. Students prepare scales, chord progressions and up to ten pieces, by memory, and play them before one judge. Students receive constructive and encouraging comments, a certificate, report card and bronze pin.

 

“The purpose of Guild Auditions is to encourage the slower and the average student, as well as the gifted student. The average pupil’s ability, not the unusually gifted, forms the mean basis of rating.” (Quoted from the Guild 2008 Syllabus)

 

 

NYSMTA DISTRICT 4 AUDITIONS AND CONCERTS:

New York State Music Teachers' Associations, District 4 includes Westchester, Rockland and Putnam Counties and is part of the New York State Music Teachers' Association (NYSMTA), which is a member of the Music Teachers' National Association (MTNA).

Links:    www.mtna.org                    (National Level)

              www.nysmta.org                 (State Level)

              www.nysmtadistrict4.org     (District Level)

Ambitious students perform three memorized works before two judges.

Programmed pieces must be from three different periods in music history.

Performers are graded by the judges: grades of 90 points or higher (out of 100), are invited to perform their best piece (chosen by the judges) in the NYSMTA District 4 Concerts held at the Westchester Conservatory. All participants receive a written report from each judge, a certificate and 2-7 points (depending on their grade) toward a District 4 Trophy.

 

NYSSMA (NEW YORK STATE SCHOOL MUSIC ASSOCIATION):
www.nyssma.org
Students perform one memorized piece, a series of prepared scales and a sight-reading example, before one judge. Participants receive an evaluation from the judge and a certificate.

Students must register through their public school music teacher eight weeks prior to the audition date.

 

THE "PLAY-IN":

Sponsored by NYSMTA District 4, students of District 4's teacher members may perform one piece, without an audition, in a recital setting. Why do it? Because practice makes perfect! Once the student has learned the piece and plays it beautifully by memory, the piece should then be performed. Students earn two points toward their District 4 trophy.

COMPOSING:

Composing is a priority for students of Little House. It offers students the unique perspective of a composer and requires them to learn details of notation and musical structure in a way not easily achieved otherwise. The experience is invaluable to their musical education.

For private students, composing is done primarily in the spring semester as they prepare for the Young Originals Composition Project. This program, sponsored by NYSMTA, District 4, publishes compositions of students of District 4 member teachers. All participating students must notate their compositions themselves and prepare them for publication. They are invited to perform their works in a public concert at the Westchester Conservatory, White Plains, NY, and awarded their own copy of the Young Originals Publication.  When the composing is complete, students have a composition to be proud of and they earn 5 points toward their District 4 trophy.

Several students from Little House Piano Studio have entered their Young Originals compositions in the New York State Music Teachers' Association Composition Competition and won first and second places for their works. At the state level, students are awarded cash prizes and their compositions continue on to the Eastern Regional Composition Competition. If they win there, they continue on to the National Composition Competitions!            

Young Originals Concert
Westchester Conservatory  2008

 

 

 

NYSMTA Conference 2008, Photo by Joanne Hihn

 

 

 

 

 

THEORY:

All music students must study music theory and keyboard harmony-- it is part of the process of learning to play music (even if many students try to argue that point!).

The Musicianship Festival offers students of NYSMTA District 4 teacher members an opportunity to test their music theory and aural skills. Seven exam levels are offered so that students are able to enter at a level that will be challenging, but not overwhelming.

Some of the things students will be tested on include, for example: Defining forte, piano, legato, allegro, allegretto, D.C. al Fine; writing in the counts for quarter note, eighth note, dotted quarter note, dotted eighth note rhythms, and providing the correct meter; rhythmic and melodic dictations; constructing a major scale and triad, writing out chord inversions, harmonic analysis, etc.

As the title of this event suggests, comprehending music theory builds musicianship: "Knowledge, skill, and artistic sensitivity in performing music." (According to the Random House Dictionary of the English Language.)

Students earn between 2-5 points toward a District 4 Trophy depending upon their score.

                               

TROPHY AWARD-POINTS:

New York State Music Teachers' Association (NYSMTA) District 4 has a Points Award Program in which students earn points for participation in different District Activities. 20 points earns students a small trophy, 40 points earns a slightly larger trophy, 60 points larger still, and so on.

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE “OUT-OF-STUDIO” EXPERIENCE: WHY BOTHER???

(If a piano student plays the piano and nobody hears them, did they make music?)

Parents sometimes ask me why their child should participate in music activities outside of my studio’s regular events. Everyone is involved with so many programs already—soccer, karate, dance, gymnastics, theater, choir, religious education. Why do we need more?

         1.  Students practice and study harder to prepare for performances, exams and auditions. Lessons, performance classes and at-home practice are more organized and productive as we prepare for an upcoming event. Playing for an audience is a great motivator. Auditions are especially beneficial because students receive comments and suggestions about their playing from a pianist other than me.

         2.  Students feel a great sense of accomplishment at having set goals and accomplished them. Every student who participates is happy and proud to have done so. They experience a powerful sense of I can do it! This confidence is contagious and will ripple out to all aspects of the student’s life. Playing an audition is an impressive accomplishment.

         3.  Parents are reassured that their child is progressing not just at my music studio, but according to the standards of long standing musical organizations such as the New York State Music Teachers National Association (NYSMTA) and the National Guild of Piano Teachers (NGPT). Did you know that your child may list NGPT and NYSMTA, District 4 audition results on college applications to demonstrate consistent study and improvement on a musical instrument?

Each Semester is full of “out of studio” experiences for all my private students. Go to Studio Newsletters to read about who is doing what!