April 2025

JMTA High Notes
April 2025 —Vol. 28, no. 7
The general meeting for April was held over zoom on Thursday, April 10th, 2025, at 9:30am
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President’s Pen
Dear Colleagues,
This has and continues to be a year of changes in our musical community. Being a member of JMTA, FSMTA, and MTNA, as well as other local groups, can be such a benefit in providing support and advocacy to music teachers and to the area of fine arts. The arts are an important part of a well-rounded education and can give a boost to academic learning. Music and art are everywhere we look and such an integral part of our lives.
Membership in our local group helps each of us, but also benefits the area through participation in activities to help the community. The more we contribute to events by attending, advertising and supporting, the more we can help foster the world of the fine arts and help show how important music and the arts are to all ages.
Thank you for being a part of our music teacher association!
Sincerely,
Angie Holt
President, JMTA
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Table of Contents
MEETING MINUTES
March . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
TREASURY REPORTS
February and March . . .5
Monthly Programs
May . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Photo Gallery . . . . . . . . .  9
JMTA Student Recitals. .12
JMTA SCHOLARSHIPS . 12
DISTRICT IV NEWS . . . . .13
Over Coffee With. . . . . . . .14
AREA CONCERTS AND RECITALS . . . 17
Calendar of Events . . . . . .20

MEETING MINUTES
JMTA Meeting Minutes
Wednesday, March 13, 2024, 9:30am
St. Mark’s Evangelical Lutheran Church/Zoom
Present (In-person): Lorraine Sears, Anita Renfroe, Kama Rasmussen-Li, Angie Holt, Daniel Holt, Paulette Kilts, Sandra Roberts, Rhonda Danielson, Denise Homsley, Lynn Freeman, Mary McKee, Ron Touchton
Present (Zoom): Betty Atkinson, Lynn Roberts

Call to Order: 9:40am (Angie Holt)

Parliamentarian: (Lynn Freeman)
Nothing to report

Secretary Minutes: (Stefanie Batson-Martin)
February 2025 Meeting minutes have not been created yet

Treasurer’s Report: (Damon Martin and Stefanie Batson-Martin)
No report for February, Stef and Damon apologize for that!
Paulette requested date of renewal, new interest rate for the CD

Vice-President/Membership: (Mary McKee)
No new members

COMMITTEE REPORTS:

Communications & Social Media Update: (Angie Holt)
Angie will put the updated bylaws on the website
Sending emails and updating Facebook

Programs: (Open)
Anita and Mary are playing at the end of the meeting today
April: Sandy Stewart’s church, Mandarin Presbyterian, program on music theory
May: Anita’s house

Social: (Sandra Stewart)
Not present

Student Recitals: (Lorraine Sears & Gavin Taylor)
Last student recital was March 2, had a 50 minute program, this is it for the school year
We’ll discuss dates/locations for the next school year at the next board meeting
Sandy is sick but only had three students for the Proton Therapy Recital sign up so far, would really like more people to sign up, late intermediate, advanced, deadline is March 18 to sign up

Scholarship: (Kamila Shahtakhtinski)
The deadline has passed on March 5

Student Day: (Angie Holt)
March 8 at Mandarin Baptist, 31 students registered, 27 participated, 7 teachers, Stefanie Batson-Martin, Christine Couch, Denise Homsley, Angie, Anna Marr, Lorraine Sears and Emily Stewart
Thank you to Judges: Michael Mastronicola, Sandra Stewart
Denise and husband, Mark, Lorraine, Christine, Anna Marr and husband, Rhonda and Stefanie helped out
Information will come out about an honors recital
Certificates and medals will be out in a few weeks or so

Altruistic: (Sandra Roberts)
Gave Jack the thank you note with the gift card at the February meeting
Sent thank you to Michael Mastronicola at All Saints Episcopal Church with the check for the recital
Kamila a thank you for the CD she gave all of us
Anita inquired about the health of Myrtle Edwards, Peggy’s mother who used to belong to JMTA, Peggy is her care giver, does anybody have any updates?
Sandra Roberts was inquiring about Mary Lou Krosnick, heard nothing about her
Anita suggested a “thinking of you” card for both Myrtle and Mary Lou Krosnick
Anita suggested a thank you card to Tony Cruz, the director of the church that hosted today’s meeting

Community Service Awards: (Joan Cordell)
Not present

Ethics: (Betty Atkinson)
Nothing to report

Historian: (Paulette Kilts)
Revised the constitution and bylaws, that has been posted
It’ll be on Jaxmta as well (the website)
Posted pictures of the last meeting at Keyboard Connection with Jack and everybody
Lorraine sent the student recital program that is in the archives

Wellness Liaison: (Denise Homsley)
Fuel in food, we all have been in the situation where we had to eat fast because we had no time to eat, so we should be taking at least 20 minutes to eat and actually tasting our food

Old Business:
Nothing to report

New Business:
The Concerto competition is approaching
The MTNA Conference is coming up, March 15-19

State Conference - things are moving along, big word of thanks to Rhonda who is wearing a few hats for the conference
Several people are doing multiple things like Kama
New things: We shuffled some of the committees, Mary and Sonja Foster are in charge for the Student Recital and selecting students for the masterclass, and the Honors Recital
Nancy Shackleford, the State President has joined the committee to select the proposals, three have been received so far

Adjourned: 10:03am (Angie Holt)

Program: Sparked by Nature, Religion and War - Songs & Dances for Two featuring Dr. Mary Watanabe McKee & Dr. Anita Boyle Renfroe

Submitted by Stefanie Batson-Martin, Recording Secretary

TREASURY REPORTS
February
Checking:
Expenses
02/18/25 Check #1045 (SS - social supplies) $12.58
02/27/25 Check #1046 (LR - Feb presentation) $25.00
Deposits
02/15/25 Check #25367 (JMTA membership dues) $30.00
02/28/25 Interest - Business Checking $0.68
 Current Checking $7,945.68
 Warren Fund $827.73
 TOTAL Checking Account $8,773.41
 Business Money Market (Scholarship):
Expenses
Deposits
02/28/25 Interest - Business Money Market $0.53
 TOTAL Business Money Market Account $1,136.87
Business Shares (Festival):
Expenses
Deposits
02/28/25 Interest - Business Shares $0.40
 TOTAL Business Shares Account $5,196.32
18-23 Month Business CD:
Expenses
Deposits
02/28/25 Interest - CD $12.14
 TOTAL Business CD Account $5,366.48
 TOTAL ASSETS as of February 28, 2025 $20,473.08
Submitted by Stef & Damon Martin 04/05/2025

March
Checking:
Expenses
03/11/25 Check #1044 (All Saints - Mar recital) $50.00
03/17/25 Check #1047 (LS - recital supplies) $9.65
03/31/25 Check #1051 (MM - HS scholarship judge) $100.00
Deposits
03/20/25 Check #3047 (RA - JMTA scholarship audition) $25.00
03/31/25 Interest - Business Checking $0.75
  Current Checking $7,811.78
  Warren Fund $827.73
  TOTAL Checking Account $8,639.51
Business Money Market (Scholarship):
Expenses
Deposits
03/31/25 Interest - Business Money Market $0.58
  TOTAL Business Money Market Account $1,137.45
   Business Shares (Festival):
Expenses
Deposits
03/31/25 Interest - Business Shares $0.45
  TOTAL Business Shares Account $5,196.77
18-23 Month Business CD:
Expenses
Deposits
03/31/25 Interest - CD $13.47
  TOTAL Business CD Account $5,379.95
  TOTAL ASSETS as of March 31, 2025 $20,353.68
Submitted by Stef & Damon Martin 04/05/2025
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MONTHLY PROGRAMS

MAY
Normally our meetings / programs are on Thursday mornings, but for May we will be meeting on Wednesday, May 7th, due to schedule conflicts, at the home of Anita Renfroe. After the 9:30am meeting, our program will be our Scholarship and Concerto Competition Winners’ performance, followed by the annual end-of-year luncheon, also at Anita’s home. Here is an invitation from Anita Renfroe with directions to her home:

May 7th Invitation and Directions to meeting, 9:30 am
You are cordially invited to the JMTA May meeting, concerto winners’ program and luncheon at the home of Dr. Anita Renfroe. The cost for lunch is $10 each and is for members only (no concerto winners or families.) My home is very close to lots of places to eat near the intersection of Amelia Concourse and SR200 so the concerto winners and their families will have plenty of options for their lunch.
Address: 95044 Wild Cherry Dr., Fernandina Beach, FL 32034

From 95 north: 9.5 miles to my home
*Take exit for Amelia Island (A1A, SR 200) from 95 north.
*Stay on 200 for about 6 miles. There are several red lights.
*Turn right at the light at Amelia Concourse. There’s a Baptist Health clinic
On your right as you turn.
*Stay on Amelia Concourse for 1 and a half miles. There will be two red
Lights. Turn left into Amelia Golf & Country Club at the second light.
You’ll go through the security gate where the guard is. From the
Security Gate it’s 1.7 miles to my house. Follow the road (Amelia
Parkway til it almost ends and turn left onto Wild Cherry Dr. My
House is the second one on the right. Five cars can park in the
Driveway & five can park across the street in the postal pickup area.
Please do not park on the street.

From 17 north: Turn right onto SR200 and follow the above directions.
It’s about 6 miles to my home from the intersection of 17 and SR200.
If you follow Google or Mapquest be sure that you go in the main entrance to Amelia Golf and Country Club. There is a back construction entrance and it sometimes shows up on maps programs. If you follow my directions above, you will get here just fine.
Please let Angie know if you are planning to come by May 1st so I can give a list to the Gate Guard and know how much to purchase for the luncheon. I will also need the names of the students & their families who will be playing on the program. Carpooling is encouraged! I hope to see all of you in May.
-
Anita Renfroe
For those who cannot attend in person, following is the Zoom link: March Meeting – 3/13/25 Join Zoom Meeting https://unf.zoom.us/j/89004403651?pwd=mJAtWL1VWoT7a3FdX4wSNjgzkh5v8b.1 Meeting ID: 890 0440 3651 Passcode: 935218 ________________________________________________________________________
Photo Gallery
We enjoyed our program in March with Anita Renfroe and Mary McKee presenting a duet program, “Sparked by Nature, Religion and War – Songs & Dances for Two.”

The Proton Therapy Recital took place on March 25th at the UF Proton Therapy Institute, for staff, patients, and guests, with these talented students performing.
These girls, students of Dr. Anita Renfroe, performed in church on April 6th.

The District IV Student Day Honors Recital was held on April 13th at All Saints Episcopal Church. Congratulations to these students who each performed one of their honors pieces.
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JMTA Student Recitals

The Community “Proton Therapy” Recital was held on Tuesday, March 25, at the UF Proton Therapy Institute in downtown Jacksonville, with the following participating teachers:
Stefanie Batson-Martin, Christine Couch, Angie Holt, Anita Renfroe,
Lorraine Sears, Sandra Stewart, and Zhigu Zhang.
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JMTA SCHOLARSHIPS

2025 JMTA HSS Scholarship Competition Results

This was the very first time that this competition was held online with two applicants: Nathan Alcudia, student of Christine Couch, and Vitaliy Fedchenko, student of Dr. Mary McKee

Applicants submitted all the required documentation and links to their recordings of the required three pieces of three different periods of time. We had a panel of three judges:
Dr. Erin Bennett, UNF
Dr. Michael Mastronicola, UNF
Dr. Jeannie Rose, FSCJ
After online discussion, our judges unanimously declared Vitaliy Fedchenko the winner of the 2025 JMTA HSS Scholarship. As a winner of the scholarship Vitaliy Fedchenko will perform his entire program at the JMTA meeting on Wednesday May 7, 2025 at the home of Dr. Anita Renfroe.

Kamila Shahtakhtinski, NCTM JMTA Scholarship Committee Chair
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DISTRICT IV NEWS

Concerto Competition

The District IV Concerto Competition took place at UNF on Saturday, March 22, 2025.
Senior Piano Winner: Vitaly Fedchenko, student of Dr. Mary McKee
Elementary Piano Winner: Emma Shen, student of Stefanie Batson-Martin
Vitaly will be advancing to the state competition in May, and we wish him all the best of luck (the Elementary category is a District level-only competition).
He will also be performing in our May meeting (twice! As concerto and scholarship winner).
- Dr. Erin Bennett, District IV Concerto Competition Chair

Student Day

The District IV Student Day Honors Recital was held on Sunday, April 13, at All Saints Episcopal Church. Honor students who received honors in their audition and at least an achievement in their written and aural theory tests were invited to perform one of their pieces.

The following participating teachers had students perform: Stefanie Batson-Martin, Angie Holt, Denise Homsley, Lorraine Sears, and Emily Stewart.
- Angie Holt, District IV Student Activities Chair
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Over Coffee With . . . Edith Moore-Hubert

We are getting to know another one of our newer members this month. Thank you, Edie, for sharing with us!

Q. Please tell us a little bit about yourself.
A. I was born in Knoxville, Tennessee and was raised in the South. My Dad was a railroad executive and was transferred every few years, so we lived in Atlanta, Chattanooga, Kentucky and Birmingham while I was growing up. His last transfer was to Jacksonville with CSX and that’s how we all ended up living here.

Q. What inspired you to begin music lessons?
A. I think it was just meant to be! When I was 5 years old I had to have surgery. My Mom asked what I’d like for a present when I came home from the hospital. I asked for a piano. No one in my immediate family played an instrument, but I must have heard a piano in church or at someone’s home and loved the sound. My parents bought me a little Schoenhut piano and I remember being disappointed that it sounded different than “a real piano.” But I learned a lot on that little instrument! Mom had taken a few years of lessons as a child and taught me using her old John Williams method book. We moved to Chattanooga soon after and in 3rd grade I started formal lessons with the music teacher at school, Sister Mary Leonine. Mom found a beautiful old Richmond upright piano at a second-hand store. The piece I played on my first year-end recital was one that I’d learned with my Mom: English Country Gardens. Then I studied with the music director at the church, Miss Dean. She played the organ and had a beautiful voice. I loved studying with her.

Q. Did you have a favorite music teacher(s) that made music more enjoyable?
A. I’ve loved all my teachers along the way. When we lived in Kentucky my parents would drive me across the river to the Cincinnati Conservatory for lessons and theory classes. My teacher, Lise Proto, was very demanding but I learned so much from her. After we moved to Birmingham I studied with Vivienne von Herrmann. She had been a student at Juilliard. I studied a lot of great literature with her and gave my first solo recital.

My college teacher, Hugh Thomas, was also the choral director and had been a classmate of Robert Shaw. They both studied with Julius Hereford and Dr. Thomas brought that same musical depth to his piano teaching. Everything was about the integrity of the music, expressing what the composer was trying to say, and not about the ego of the performer. After college I spent a year studying with Herbert Stessin. At the time he was Sascha Gorodnitzki’s assistant at Juilliard. Gorodnitzki had been a student of Rosina Lhevinne, and Mr. Stessin gave me an amazing year of instruction. I learned so much technique from him. After I finished at Manhattan School of Music I moved back to Birmingham and studied with Delores Hodgens Howard for a few years. She had also been a student of Rosina Lhevinne and she continued building on what I’d learned with Mr. Stessin.

Q. Tell us about some things you have been/are involved in musically.
A. I’m so excited to be teaching at FSCJ. We’ve just gotten a brand new Yamaha piano lab and the 9’ Yamaha concert grand from Keyboard Connection. I hope to offer opportunities for young students and visiting artists to play at FSCJ.

Q. What advice would you give to help focus before a performance and curb nerves?
A. The best cure for nerves is to feel confident in your preparation, to know that you’re as prepared as you can be. Mr. Stessin used to say if you want to aim for 100% on stage, you need to be at 150% in the practice room. It also helps to practice performing your pieces in front of others – pull one friend into a practice room, play for family, record yourself on your phone, etc. And try to remind yourself that it’s not about you, it’s about the music. Before college performances Dr. Thomas would stand backstage with me and say, “You KNOW the music, you LOVE the music, now go out there and SHOW them what you love!” and then he’d open the door, put his hand on my shoulder and propel me onto the stage! But it helped to be reminded in those moments that it’s not about me, it’s always about the music.

Q. What is one of the most interesting places you've visited, and why?
A. It’s hard to choose one! I think there is something interesting to be found in most every place – an art supply, antique or used bookstore, a library, going down an internet rabbit hole reading about history or trying to learn French. But I loved visiting Highway 1 near Carmel and Big Sur, St. Thomas Church in Leipzig, the city of Nuremburg, beautiful beaches all around Florida, and the cities of New Orleans and New York. I could spend days in the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Q. What do you find to be a challenge in teaching music and what do you find that helps?
A. I think teaching can be a bit isolating, so it really ​helps to stay connected to other teachers through organizations like JMTA/MTNA. For quick daily doses of conversation or brainstorming I also enjoy being a part of teacher and pianist groups on social media. One good thing to come out of the pandemic is the number of conferences that are held - at least partially - online, so it is possible to stay connected even when travel isn't possible. I'm looking forward to the NCKP online conference in June (and hopefully the in-person portion in July).

Q. Who are some of your favorite music composers?
A. There is so much beautiful music out there, but for playing my quick answer would be the keyboard works of Bach and Scarlatti, songs of Schubert, Schumann and Faure, and for listening, Renaissance choral music, especially Palestrina. ________________________________________________________________________

AREA CONCERTS AND RECITALS

CONCERT OPPORTUNITY
Trinity Parish, St. Augustine, is hosting concert organist Eddie Zheng on Friday, May 2 at 7:00pm. Eddie was recently named "top 20 under 30" organists by The Diapason magazine. It's a wonderful opportunity for students to hear "the king of instruments" live! Admission is free with a $10 suggested donation.
- Michael Giuliani

Community Hospice Performances

If you would be interested in performing a recital at the Hadlow Center at the Community Hospice and Pallative Care on Sunbeam Road, they sponsor a monthly performance titled First Friday Recital Series, with performances starting at 11:30 a.m. If you are interested, please contact Dr. Sandra Stewart at 904-333-9280.

Click on each link for a calendar of upcoming performances:

The Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra Events
Click on link for more information and tickets:
Events | Jacksonville Symphony

University of North Florida Music Events
Click on link for more information and tickets:
https://www.unf.edu/coas/music/events.html

Jacksonville University Music Events
Click on link for more information and tickets:
https://viewer.joomag.com/creative-arts-series-20242025/0546091001658934607?short&

Florida State College at Jacksonville
Click on link for more information and tickets:
fine-arts-calendar.jpg (2550×3300)

Friday Musicale Events Click on link for more information and tickets:
https://fridaymusicale.com/events/

St. Johns Cathedral Music Events
Click on link for more information and tickets: https://www.jaxcathedral.org/events/
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Find A Teacher Section on Jaxmta.org

Teachers, please take a moment to check out your information on our Find A Teacher page on the JMTA website (jaxmta.org). If you would like any changes made, or if you’re not listed yet and would like to be added, please contact Angie Holt at [email protected] with the verbiage you would like put in.

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Did You Know?
Residents of Duval county, if they have a Jacksonville Library card, can use the many electronic resources from the https://jaxpubliclibrary.org/digital-library. Getting a library card is free. All that's needed is your driver's license and sign up in person at any of the 21 branches.
The card allows the use of Kanopy - which has free streaming movies, documentaries, educational resources [older teens/adults]. I saw a documentary "Making the Grade" which profiled Irish students and piano teachers whose students are preparing to take the Irish Royal Academy of Music Examinations. It was funny, moving, informative, and relatable, especially seeing snippets of the teacher's lessons in action and how the students feel about piano and their teachers overall. I highly recommend members watch it (and explore the other resources available from JPL)!
- JohnWillard Utuk
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Need a Sponsor?

Does anyone in the JMTA need a sponsor or need help in any way? If so, John Scott, owner of Jacksonville School of Music & First Coast School of Music, is interested in helping our organization. If interested, contact John at [email protected]. His direction phone number is 904-248-1848.
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Music Exchange
Do you have too much music collected in your studio? Is there some you think you'll never use? Bring your unneeded music to any JMTA meeting. Bring home something new to you! Look for the "Free Music" spot. Music does not have to be brand new.
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Have you found us on Facebook?
Follow JMTA on Facebook for the latest happenings, photos, videos, and more!
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Events Calendar
​
Please view our website for any updates or additions to these events, as well as for more details including application deadlines: www.jaxmta.org.

Thursday, May 8 9:30am – JMTA Meeting, After - Program; JMTA Meeting and Program – HS Scholarship and Concerto Competition Winners, End-of-Year Luncheon Home of Anita Renfroe

Stay tuned for more events to come! High Notes is distributed on the first of the month excluding June-August and December. All submissions are due by the 20th of the month prior to distribution. Submissions may be sent to [email protected].