Previous Issues
Tuning Up
A Newsletter of the Rockland County Music Teachers Guild - P.O. Box 283, New
City, NY 10956
OCTOBER 2004, Op. 43 No. 2
NEW MUSIC REVIEW
Monday Sep. 27th at noon, Hoff Barthelson School, Scarsdale. Books, music for
all instruments and voice, CD¦s and other materials will be performed and
reviewed. Music will be made available for purchase courtesy of Branson¦s
Music. Co-sponsored by several music teacher organizations, including RCMTG. For
more information, call George Bryant at 480-5036.
CREATIVE THEME RECITALS!
L Note Special Time and Location:
Home of Andrea Rich
Sunday Evening October 10th at 6:30 pm
A recital is a piano teacher¦s showcase, an occasion to enjoy the pianistic
abilities of each student on center stage, as well as an occasion for the
teacher to use creative imagination in planning and executing an interesting
program. Planning a recital with a specific theme adds interest and unity to the
program, making it an edifying experience for both performers and audience.
Our October meeting will explore imaginative ideas for theme recitals and will
encourage piano teachers to venture into new experiences. Recital theme topics,
preparation for performance, and suitable piano repertoire will be topics of
discussion. The presentation will conclude with an actual theme recital program,
The Young Virtuoso, with performances by our own guild members.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO PERFORM A PIECE (elementary - upper intermediate), call
John Lampkin at (845) 354-9567 or e-mail to JohnLampkin@JohnLampkin.com, and he
will supply you with music. Those who remember Kathy Bina¦s last presentation
for the guild know how much fun it is to participate, so come on, don¦t be shy!
Directions to Andrea Rich¦s House: (638-1079)
From North New City:
Little Tor Road South to Van Houten Gardens. Right on Red Hill Road. Up Red Hill
Road about 3/4 mile. Right on Carrie Drive. Right on Hallmark Drive to end of
the block on left - a blue ranch #23 Hallmark.
From the North:
Palisades Parkway South to Exit 11. At end of ramp, make a Left on New Hempstead
Road. At third traffic light, Right on West Clarkstown Road. Second Left on
Grand Street, Right on Carrie Drive. Left on Hallmark to end of block on left -
blue ranch, #23 Hallmark.
From the South:
Palisades Parkway North to Exit 10. At end of ramp, Left to light, thenstraight
ahead on to Burda Avenue. Go to the end of Burda Avenue. Left on Red Hill Road.
Right on Carrie Drive. Right on Hallmark to end of block on left - blue ranch
#23 Hallmark.
From our President, Rhoda Forté:
This is a busy time for all, as we resume our teaching schedules. I do hope that
your season gets off to a good start
Your Guild is also getting underway with lots of plans for meeting the needs of
our teachers. Our main programs are listed in the right column of this
newsletter. In addition, other programs have been suggested that seem to favor a
small group of our members. While they would not make good general meetings,
there is no reason why they cannot take place in a smaller venue, perhaps on a
Sunday afternoon. For example:
New Music Review - An occasional forum for teachers who wish to share appealing
and educational pieces with each other, and techniques for teaching them.
Book Discussion Club - Barbara Malagraph reports finding several books with
musical themes which might be fascinating for discussion. Barbara is happy to
moderate. This could be about 3 times a year at the home of different members.
Video Night - Films with a musical theme or irresistable musical score; films on
composers or performers - perhaps 2 or 3 times a year in a home setting.
For those involved in music for worship services - John Lampkin has suggested a
group called "Classic Praise"
Have YOU any suggestions for small get-togethers of interest to other teachers?
Please let us hear from you.
My very best wishes for a successful and rewarding teaching season. - Rhoda
Remainder of our Season at a Glance:
Wed. Nov 3rd, 10 am, Pearl River Library:
Synchronicity - a Piano/Percussion Duo featuring brothers Garah and Gregory
Landes - fusion of classical and jazz into an exciting a highly visual
experience.
Wed. Dec 1st, 10 am, Pearl River Library:
RCMTG members roundtable on topics suggested by YOU!
Sat/Sun Dec. 11th/12th,
Palisades Mall:
Annual Music Marathon, benefit United Hospice
Sat. Jan 15th, 6:30 pm, Home of Marilyn Hazan:
Annual Holiday Party!
Wed. March 2nd, 10 am,
Pearl River Library:
Lisa Yui "Women at the Keyboard"
Sun. April 3rd Young People¦s Auditions, Rockland Conservatory
Wed. April 6th, 10 am, Pearl River Library
Master Class TBA
Sun. April 17th, Blue and Gold Concerts, Pearl River Library
Wed. May 4th, 10 am, Pearl River Library TBA
May 15th, RCC Cultural Arts Theater: Young People¦s Concert features winners of
RCMTG concerto audition as soloists with Rockland Symphony
NOTE: David Dubal's lecture at the NJ Steinway Showroom had 80 in
attendance, and another 75 were turned away as there was no more room! RCMTG is
planning a program with Mr. Dubal sometime in 2005. Watch for details.
FOR SALE: Boston grand piano $12,000. Former student of past president. Call
Martha Patterson 268-2661.
The Other Side
Wow, summer's going fast. It is now time to prepare ourselves for the fall onslaught...
THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY
dialogues between teacher and student
by John Lampkin
Teacher: Would you like to learn another piece by Mozart?
Response from a Good student: Perhaps a sonata?
Bad: Who was Mozart?
Ugly: Got anything by Metallica?
Teacher: Would you like to learn a piece by the Beatles?
Good: Sure! I love vintage pop.
Bad: Who were the Beatles?
Ugly: I HATE classical music.
Teacher: Merry Christmas!
Good: I brought you chocolate!
Bad: I brought you a coffee mug!
Ugly: I brought you two coffee mugs!
Teacher: Curve your fingers.
Good: Right. For a firm, solid tone. I just forgot.
Bad: This lesson will go faster if you don't make me do things over!
Ugly: What are those wrinkles on your hands?
Teacher: This phrase must breathe...
Good: ...and with a diminuendo at the end?
Bad: I can't breathe. I have a really really bad cold, but I came to the lesson anyway.
Ugly: Want a breath mint?
Teacher: I can loan you a recording of the piece you are playing. Have you heard of Horowitz?
Good: One of the greatest pianists who ever lived!
Bad: Nope.
Ugly: He owns the dry cleaners?
Teacher: This new piece will require focus and close attention..
Good: Wow! That looks hard, but I'll try it.
Bad: Give me something else.
Ugly: Guess what! I got a new guppy!
Teacher: You haven't practiced for the last six lessons. Would you like to take a break for a while?
Good: I'm swamped with exams, soccer, and a dance recital, but I'll be back, better prepared!
Bad: Nah. My parents won't let me.
Ugly: Guess what? I'm going to be a music major!
© 2004 John Lampkin
The Other Side welcomes contributions from our membership on any topic! Please send your submissions to editor John Lampkin.
THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY, PART 2
musical situations
by John Lampkin
Good: Your daughter has just been given an instrument to learn for the third grade orchestra!
Bad: She gets a viola.
Ugly: She gets a trombone.
Good: A community orchestra has commissioned you to compose a symphony!
Bad: They mutilate it at the premiere.
Ugly: Everyone, quite sincerely, tells you how good it was.
Good:Your student wins a regional competition!
Bad: He then crashes and burns at the recital.
Ugly: At the following reception, he publicly thanks you for your tutelage.
Good: You are performing an evening of all contemporary chamber music with your ensemble!
Bad: In the opening selection, your Ives part sounds strange, even for Ives.
Ugly: You suddenly realize that everyone else is playing the Schoenberg.
Good: At the concert, you nail that difficult solo passage!
Bad: But at the time, you were supposed to be playing the tutti.
Ugly: There is now a conductor's baton protruding from your ribcage.
Good: You are hired to play in the orchestra!
Bad: After one rehearsal, they un-hire you.
Ugly: You show up at the concert and play anyway.
Good: They give you an instrument to play in your school orchestra!
Bad: It's the triangle.
Ugly: You are the only member of the percussion section.
Good: You show up early Sunday night to play in the concert!
Bad: The concert was on Saturday.
Ugly: No one noticed your absence.
Good: The conductor chose a relaxed tempo for the adagio!
Bad: The audience fell asleep.
Ugly: The bassoonist read War and Peace cover to cover, the horn player had enough time for
three tries to hit the high G, and during the tied whole notes the strings ate their takeout.
© 2004 John Lampkin
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