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Explore UMD’s Viola Program!

Professors Katherine Murdock and Daniel Foster invite violists and music lovers from the region to the beautiful Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center for a day of listening and learning, music-making and discussion.

Registration deadline: March 8, 2012: Online registration form

Mail your checks separately to:
UMD School of Music
Attn: Jenny Lang
2110 Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center
College Park, MD 20740

$30: Participants and Auditors
$35: Walk-in Registration (day of event)
Free: Parents and Teachers

For parking and directions, click here.

Click here to view/download the program flyer.

For more information, click here.

Musicians of Mercy

Musicians of Mercy (MOM) is a collective of over seventy independent musicians and artists based in the Metropolitan D.C. area. 

Founded and directed by violist Robin Fay Massie, the group was formed in January 2010 following Haiti's devastating earthquake. 

Through the production of themed benefit concerts, MOM raises funds for victims of natural disasters and other tragedies.

What makes MOM unique? 

All performers volunteer their time and talents in concerts that are free or open to the public with a nominal admission fee. MOM believes that great music should be accessible to the entire community.  They showcase all musical genres from rock to jazz to classical and feature gifted solo performing artists, chamber ensembles, jazz combos, dancers, poets, and a full orchestra.

Please visit the MOM website for more information.

An Evening of Chamber Music: January 15, 2012

We are very pleased to be sponsoring an evening of chamber music featuring our own Jim Kelly. The event will take place on Sunday, January 15, 2012, at 5:00pm, at the Westmoreland Congregational Church, 1 Westmoreland Circle, Bethesda, MD 20816.

Featured Artists: Jim Kelly, Viola; Sonya Hayes, Violin; Alejandro Hernandez-Valdez, Piano

Special Guest Artists: Barbara Brown, Cello; David Basch, Viola; Fatma Daglar, Oboe; George Ohlson, Viola; Tsuna Sakamoto, Viola

With works by J.S. Bach, Debussy, Loeffler, Glazunov, and Britten

Suggested Donation at the Door $12

Proceeds benefit Food & Friends, Delivering Hope, One Meal at a Time

The mission of Food & Friends is to foster a community of caring men, women and children living with HIV/AIDS, cancer and other life-challenging illnesses by preparing and delivering specialized meals and groceries in conjunction with nutrition counseling.

Blue Mountain Festival: A Residential Chamber Music Camp

Dates: July 22-August 4, 2012
Location: Franklin and Marshall College
Violin/Viola Faculty: Sherri Anderson, Olivia Hajioff, Susan Kim, Marc Ramirez and Amy Wulfman
Cello Faculty: Regina Mushabac
Piano Faculty: Michael Sheadel and Luba Sindler
Voice Faculty: Susan Gaylord
Tuition: $1,000 R&B: $850
Tuition Includes:

• 2 Private Lessons
• 3-5 hours daily of coaching with a faculty member
• Daily written and aural theory
• Multiple performance opportunities

For more information and a short video about the program please visit our website.

Prodigy Coda Bow Drawing Winner Announced

We are pleased to announce that the winner of our Coda bow drawing is Mr. Jean-Louis Guill of Herndon, VA! Congratulations, Mr. Guill!

Paolo Pandolfo Master Class

Paolo Pandolfo will be teaching a master class at the Library of Congress on Friday, January 27th: Auditors Welcome!

Three young performers will be playing the viola da gamba for Mr. Pandolfo: Amy Dominguez and Niccolo Seligmann, both Peabody Conservatory students of John Moran, and Lucine Musaelian, a 14-year-old from New Jersey.

Music by Marin Marais, Antoine Forqueray and selections from the viola bastarda literature will be presented. Auditors are invited to the free, hour-long event at 3 PM on Friday, January 27 at the Coolidge Auditorium, Library of Congress. Visit the Library of Congress' web page for more information.

Mr. Pandolfo will also be performing at the Library of Congress on Saturday, January 28th at 2 PM, at the French Embassy on Thursday, January 26th, and at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History on Sunday, February 5th.

An Evening of Chamber Music benefiting Food & Friends

Update: The evening was a tremendous success, raising $1,200 for Food & Friends. Many thanks to the performers and to all who made the event possible.

We are very pleased to be sponsoring an evening of chamber music featuring our own Jim Kelly, on Sunday, January 15, 2012, at 5:00pm, at the Westmoreland Congregational Church, 1 Westmoreland Circle, Bethesda, MD 20816.

Featured Artists: Jim Kelly, Viola; Sonya Hayes, Violin; Alejandro Hernandez-Valdez, Piano

Special Guest Artists: Barbara Brown, Cello; David Basch, Viola; Fatma Daglar, Oboe; George Ohlson, Viola; Tsuna Sakamoto, Viola

With works by J.S. Bach, Debussy, Loeffler, Glazunov, and Britten

Suggested Donation at the Door $12

Proceeds benefit Food & Friends, Delivering Hope, One Meal at a Time

The mission of Food & Friends is to foster a community of caring men, women and children living with HIV/AIDS, cancer and other life-challenging illnesses by preparing and delivering specialized meals and groceries in conjunction with nutrition counseling.

Blue Mountain Festival: A Residential Chamber Music Camp

Dates: July 22-August 4, 2012
Location: Franklin and Marshall College
Violin/Viola Faculty: Sherri Anderson, Olivia Hajioff, Susan Kim, Marc Ramirez and Amy Wulfman
Cello Faculty: Regina Mushabac
Piano Faculty: Michael Sheadel and Luba Sindler
Voice Faculty: Susan Gaylord
Tuition: $1,000 R&B: $850
Tuition Includes:

• 2 Private Lessons
• 3-5 hours daily of coaching with a faculty member
• Daily written and aural theory
• Multiple performance opportunities

For more information and a short video about the program please visit our website.

TPVC Sponsors ASO Turtle Island Quartet Master Class

As proud sponsors of the ASO's Turtle Island Quartet Master Class, we invite you to see pictures of the event at http://on.fb.me/rbB351 and the thank-you note we received from Wakefield High's Orchestra below.

TPVC String Competition (in memory of Gretchen Hood)

Date: December 17, 2011
Time: This is an all-day event. Participants will be notified of their assigned times after the November 23, 2011 deadline.
Location: Catholic University, Wash., DC
Application Fee: Junior High $22 per student; Senior High $27 per student
Postmark Deadline: November 23, 2011
Awards: Junior High: 1st Prize $150; 2nd Prize $75. Senior High: 1st Prize $300; 2nd Prize $150

This competition is also open to non-WMTA Members. Non-member fees are: Junior High $44; Senior High $54

ALL WMTA RULES APPLY. This compeition will be held in audition format.

Eligibility:
Junior High: Grades 7-9
Senior High: Grades 10-12
Previous 1st-Place winners are ineligible to participate.

Repertoire Requirements:
Junior High: Two pieces of contrasting styles and periods; Maximum 10 minutes playing time; One of the pieces should be memorized.
Senior High: Three pieces of constrasting styles and periods; Maximum 15 min. playing time; Two or the pieces should be memorized.

Special Rules:
Pieces with accompaniment must be performed with an accompanist.
All contestants are to provide their own accompanist, who may be anyone other than their teacher.
Music may be used for accompanied sonata movements.
Students must provide judges with scores of the pieces.
Scores of accompanied pieces must include the piano part or piano reduction.
All participants are responsible for complying with U.S. Copyright law.
Please refer to the WMTA General Rules for details.

Participants who fail to comply with any of the rules or with the WMTA General Rules may not compete for prizes, but will be allowed to play for comments only.

Chair: Eleanor Woods (202)244-8658 E-mail eleanorviolinist@gmail.com
Chair: Emil Chudnovsky (410)746-5995 E-mail SqWoland@aol.com

Dustin Simmons receives Potter's Violins Instrument Award

Deb Bissen, Foundation and Advocacy Coordinator for ASTA (American String Teachers Association), shared this wonderful thank-you note from Dustin Simmons' mother, Denise, whose son is the very happy recipient of one of our beautiful cello outfits through ASTA's Potter's Violins Instrument Awards program.

"I wanted to let you know that Dustin received his cello yesterday via UPS. It was such a wonderful surprise. It was such a joy for me to see my son receive such a wonderful gift. This cello means so much to him. He is very passionate about music, and this will help him fulfill his dreams of sharing this passion through music education. I never dreamed that Dustin would own such a beautiful instrument, and the sound is amazing. We were also thrilled with the high quality bow and case. I must say we were quite emotional when we received this very special delivery. Thank you so much for choosing Dustin for this gift. It will bring him a lifetime of enjoyment."

ASTA Teacher Certification Workshop

The Sassmannshaus Tradition method has been Europe's best selling beginning violin method for over 30 years. It is now available in English and the translator and co-author Prof. Kurt Sassmannshaus is offering this teacher training seminar to show how the unique aspects of this method can be taught. The method is groundbreaking in its approach for very young children. It features large print and teaches note reading from the first lesson. It focuses on early position playing and introduces advanced left hand and bow technique with familiar musical material. You can become a certified teacher by attending this intensive weekend workshop.

When: Sept. 10 – Sept. 11, 2011
Where: The Lutheran Church of St. Andrew, 15300 New Hampshire Ave., Silver Spring, MD 20905

The workshop will include lectures by Kurt Sassmannshaus and demonstrations. To apply, please provide your name, address, phone number, email and current professional position or student status.

Tuition: $250. We accept personal checks, cashier's checks, money order or credit cards. Make the check payable to Starling Project Foundation. If you are paying by credit card, please call us at 513-227-6807.

Please send your completed application and tuition payment to:
Starling Project Foundation
PO Box 20013
Cincinnati, OH 45220
513-227-6807
director@starling.org

Please send your completed application by Friday, August 26, 2011. Be sure to check with your employer. Some employers will cover the cost of this training. ASTA members receive a $25 scholarship, courtesy of The Potter Violin Company. Be sure to include your ASTA membership number in your application to qualify.

Purchase your own copies of all four volumes of the Sassmannshaus Tradition Violin Method and bring them to the seminar with you. You will need to bring your violin to the training as well. The Potter Violin Company will also be on hand the first day to sell copies. Participants will arrange their own accommodations during the training. If you need any recommendations on hotels, restaurants or have any other questions about the training, please email Catherine Stewart.

We have arranged accommodations at the Marriott Bethesda North, 5701 Marinelli Rd., Rockville, MD 20852. You may reserve your room online or you may call the Marriott at 1-800-266-9432 for reservations. You will need to identify yourself as part of the ASTA Room Block group to get the $99.00/night rate. Hotel reservations must be made by August 19, 2011.

Musicians of Mercy Benefit Concert

The Musicians of Mercy will present a Benefit Concert for Earthquake Relief for Japan on Wednesday, May 25, at 7:30pm, at the Christ Episcopal Church, 6800 Oakland Mills Road, Columbia, MD 21045.

Admission is FREE. Donations are welcome. Concert proceeds will be sent to WorldVision's Japan Quake and Tsunami Relief Fund.

The concert will include: music from Antonin Dvorak's "New World;" Symphony No. 9, an original work by Japanese composer Ryuichi Sakamoto. Featured soloists include Erika Koscho, Michael Sheppard, Christine Delbeau, Chelsey Green, Integriti Reeves, Bo Kwon, Samuel Thompson, Jessi Sammis, Eunice Kim, Russell Wilson, Elizabeth Jaffe and Robin Massie.

For more information, email MusiciansofMercy@gmail.com.

CCE MAD Week: July 18-22, 2011

Our friends at CCE have scheduled their Musical Arts & Dance (MAD) Week for July 18-22, 2011.

Click on the thumbnail to open the flyer.

The Mark Wood Inferno Tour: March 26, 2011

‘Rock Out’ with Celebrated Electric Violinist Mark Wood on Saturday, March 26, 2011, at the Black Rock Center for The Arts, 12901 Town Commons Drive, Germantown, MD 20874. Registration fee is $60.00 per student and includes a workshop and concert. Concert tickets are $10.00 each. Registration Forms are available at www.asta.net and on our website. Music for the workshop will be available upon confirmed registration. Students should not bring electric violins to the workshop.

Register now! The registration deadline is Saturday, March 12, 2011.

UMD Viola Day 2011: February 26, 2011

Come explore the University of Maryland’s Viola program – Katherine Murdock and Daniel Foster invite violists from the region to the beautiful Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center for a day of listening and learning, music-making and discussion. Read more.

To register for the event, please contact Jenny Lang at jenlang@umd.edu. The event is free, but the office needs a count of participants to order food. COME FOR AS MUCH OR AS LITTLE OF THE DAY AS YOU WISH – ALL WELCOME.

Parking & directions

Suzuki Community Mourns the Loss John Kendall

Mr. John Kendall passed away on January 6, 2011, at the age of 93. John’s life’s work as an educator has influenced thousands of students and teachers. The SAA will forever be grateful to him for his contribution to music education. Funeral services have not yet been arranged. Visit http://www.suzukiassociation.org for more information.

TPVC establishes Bobby Raymond Scholarship Fund

In respectful and loving memory of our long-time friend and customer, The Potter Violin Company has decided to found a merit-based scholarship fund to be administered by the Suzuki Association of Greater Washington. After consulting with Mrs. Ruth Raymond, it was decided that the fund should be offered to qualified students who have achieved Suzuki Book 4 or higher, as certified by their teacher, in the form of matching granted funds to enable qualified Suzuki students to attend the Suzuki institute of their choice. The Potter Violin Company will provide $500 seed money each year for the next five years (2011-2016). Applications may be made by the student, but must be signed by the parent and the teacher, and awarded by the SAGWA scholarship committee.

Additional donations may be made to support the fund at:

Robert Raymond Scholarship Fund
C/o SAGWA Scholarship Committee
Attn: Stephanie Flack
3427 Austin Court
Alexandria, VA 22310

To apply for the scholarship, visit http://www.sagwa.org/.

ASTA MD/DC Goes to the Eastern Shore

On Saturday October 30th, ASTA MD/DC Board members Dr. Paul Scimonelli, Dalton Potter, and Dr. Sachi Murasugi traveled to the beautiful campus of Salisbury University on Maryland’s Eastern Shore to hold what we hope will be the first of many ASTA outreach and membership conferences.

Twelve stalwart souls joined us on this cool, crisp sunny Eastern shore morning to listen and be involved with Paul’s membership and advocacy presentation and Dalton’s stellar workshop. We had a broad representation of current and retired string teachers, orchestra directors, and working professionals, all interested in what ASTA had to offer. Some came from Prince George’s County and some from the southern Delaware counties. They were quite impressed with our new chapter website, as well as the National website. Each attendee received a packet brimming with information on the ASTA Life and Instrument insurance policies, Arts Advocacy, how to build a string program, the ASTA National Conference and a copy of our Stringendo magazine. Many commented not only on the “look” of our website, but also the advertising. Special thanks go to ASTA Executive Director Donna Sizemore Hale, Membership Coordinator Amanda Bernhardt, and our chapter President, Cathy Stewart, for their help and generosity with all of the materials for the packet.

After Paul’s presentation, we took a short break to set up for Dalton’s valuable “Kitchen Table” repair workshop. The attendees give Dalton their rapt attention as he showed them the inner workings of the violin, how to cut a bridge, set a sound post and easy and quick fix-ups any string teacher or orchestra director should know. After some work on their individual instruments, the attendee’s left with a copy of Dalton’s repair handbook and a renewed energy for their craft.

There were many great suggestions from the group. They expressed a desire to hold an ASTA Cap competition on the Eastern shore and wanted Dalton to return to do a full day’s repair session on student instruments. Future conferences are being planned for the Prince George/Anne Arundel county areas, as well as Frederick, Hagerstown, and the Western Maryland counties.

Many thanks to Salisbury University for their hospitality, and to Sachi and her husband Jeffery Schoen, also an ASTA MD/DC Board member, for all of their hard work and effort in coordination of this conference with Paul and Dalton. We look forward to doing many more.