April 2022 High Notes

JMTA High Notes
April 2022—Vol. 25, no. 7
General Meeting and Program (at Keyboard Connection, also available on Zoom):
April 13, 2022: 9:30am – General meeting
Program afterwards: Rhonda Cassano
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From the President’s Pen:
What a fun and educational program we shared March 9th!  The rhythm games and ideas to use in lessons were contributed by many teachers. Check out the link from Angie for the rhythm resources. Thanks to Lisa Barwell for organizing this event.
 
Guess what?  We will be back at Keyboard Connection for our April & May meetings. Be sure to say “thanks” to Jack Melvin, the owner when you see him. Wearing a mask is optional. There is plenty of room to spread out so we should be able to accommodate everyone’s preferences.
 
If you have gently worn music you no longer use and would like to offer, please bring it a little before 9:30 so teachers can browse before the business session. If your music is not acquired by another teacher, please be prepared to take it home. We will not ask Mr. Melvin to store it for us! Each of us have found a book or sheet music treasure at these exchanges, so let’s enjoy being able to share.
 
On March 7th, a young Ukranian violinist shared a video in which 94 violinists from 29 countries joined together in playing an old Ukranian folk song, Verbovaya Doschechka. Many of the young Ukranian musicians had to put down their instruments to take up guns or throw Molotov cocktails. Many are in bomb shelters. Here is the link to the video if you missed it.
New video: An international violin choir from 29 countries playing in solidarity with Ukrainian violinists.
We have had some difficult times in the past two years with COVID and political decisions that we may not agree with but those pale in comparison to the struggle our musical colleagues are having in Ukraine. We can all pray for peace and if you can help in other ways, please do so. Music unites us all.
 
In Bruce Pulver’s little book, Above the Chatter, our Words Matter, positive sayings abound.  Here is one: Be Yourself
 
Believe you are unique
Embrace your gifts
You are beautiful
Offer your spirit
Use your energy
Respect yourself
See possibilities
Expect the best
Live life as a blessing
Forgive, forget, and forge onward
 
Anita
Dr. Anita Boyle Renfroe, NCTM
JMTA President     [email protected]
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JMTA General Meeting Minutes
Wednesday, March 9, 2021, 9:30am, Zoom
 
Present: Erin Bennett, Lisa Barwell, Stefanie Batson-Martin, Paulette Kilts, Mary McKee, Denise Homsley, Lynn Freeman, Sandra Stewart, Kama Rasmussen-Li, Betty Atkinson, Anita Renfroe, Sandra Roberts, JohnWillard Utuk, Angie Holt, Kamila Shahtakhtinski
 
Call to Order: 9:32 (Anita Renfroe)
 
Parliamentarian: (Lynn Freeman)
•Nothing to report
 
Secretary Minutes: (Stefanie Batson-Martin)
•Read
 
Treasurer’s Report: (Stefanie and Damon Martin)
•Two $40 checks were deposited for scholarship applications
•Checking total: $10, 797.95
•Total: $20,797.95
 
Vice-President/Membership: (JohnWillard Utuk)
•Nothing to report
 
COMMITTEE REPORTS:
 
Altruistic: (Sandra Roberts)
•Sent a thank you card to Grace Scarborough thanking her for her program last month
•We don’t have any more $50 gift cards, used it
 
Communications/Internet Media: (Angie Holt)
•Two more newsletters before summer break, let Angie know if she needs to include any news before summer
 
Community Service: (Joan Cordell)
•Not present
•Students will get community service credit for participating at the Proton Therapy Recital
 
Ethics: (Betty Atkinson)
•Not present
 
Historian: (Lynn Roberts)
•Not present
 
Programs: (Lisa Barwell)
•If anybody is interested in taking over as program chair, please let Angie know
•Today’s programs is on teaching rhythm to students
•April’s program will feature Rhonda Cassano
•May’s program will be the Concerto Competition winners
 
Scholarships: (Kamila Shahtakhtinski)
•Nothing new to report, all information is on the website and High Notes
•High School Senior Scholarship Deadline is March 20, must be a student who will be a music major in college (any instrument)
•Deadline for Summer Music Camp is March 27
•Student doesn’t have to be a pianist for these scholarships, can be any instrument or voice
 
Social: (Angie Holt and Stefanie Batson-Martin)
•Nothing to report
 
Student Recitals: (Sandra Stewart and Gavin Taylor)
•All Saints Episcopal Recital need people to move the piano, preferably dads or high schoolers
•Proton Therapy Recital, April 26 (late intermediate/advanced students) deadline to register is Saturday, April 23
 
Student Day Report: (Angie Holt)
•Saturday, April 30, Mandarin Baptist on San Jose
•Saturday, March 19 is the deadline to register
•Possibly 30-35 participating
 
Wellness Liaison: (Lisa Barwell)
•Nothing to report
 
Old Business:
•Sonata and Sonatina Festival is this Saturday at UNF, 2pm in the Recital Hall
•JohnWillard will be adjudicating
•Concerto Competition is Saturday, March 19 at Keyboard Connection
 
New Business:
•Meeting in person or online next month
•Planning on hybrid meeting, in-person at Keyboard Connection and also on Zoom
•Shout out: Angie does a fantastic job getting concerts and announcements in the newsletter
 
Adjourned: 10:00am (Anita Renfroe)
 
-Submitted by Stefanie Batson-Martin, Recording Secretary
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JMTA Treasury Report

JMTA Treasurer Transaction Monthly Report     February 1 - February 28, 2022

                                                                                              Debits                   Credits
Expenses
 
Deposits
 
2/14/2022   #1135 Scholarship application fee,
                       Margot Porter                                                  40
 
2/14/2022    #1136 Scholarship application fee,
                        Sarah Park                                                       40
 
2/28/2022    Interest                                                                                       $0.78

                        Current Checking                                  $5,561.97
                       Piano Festival Fund (add to Business
                        Shares Acct)                                            $3,337.08 
                        Warren Fund                                            $1,127.73
                        TOTAL Checking Account               $10,026.78

                         Other Accounts:
 
                         Business Money Market
                         (Scholarship)                                         $9,027.83
                        Business Shares (Festival)                $1,848.32
 
                         TOTAL                                                    $10,876.15
 
                         TOTAL ASSETS as of
​                          February 28, 2022
$20,902.93
 
Submitted by Stef & Damon Martin 03/23/2022
 
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JMTA MONTHLY PROGRAMS
April: Wednesday, 4/13 in person at Keyboard Connection after the 9:30 meeting, with Zoom also available (link below)
Rhonda Cassano
Rhonda Cassano is a flutist with the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra and an active recitalist and chamber musician whose teachers include Geoffrey Gilbert, William Bennett, Charles DeLaney, and Jean-Pierre Rampal.
She Attended Florida State University where she received a Bachelor of Music Education and Master of Music in performance degrees.
She is licensed by the Association of Body Mapping Educators, teaching body mapping workshops, individual lessons, and a course in Body Mapping for musicians.
She says, “One of my passions is teaching a subject called Body Mapping, which teaches musicians to move efficiently and easily, thus avoiding pain and tension when they play.”
- Lisa Barwell, Program Coordinator
April 13:  If you choose to attend over Zoom instead, use the link below.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://unf.zoom.us/j/93751702771?pwd=djF6bmxseTBGb09iZ0wzZzZJNHBZUT09
Meeting ID: 937 5170 2771                 Passcode: 779294
           
May: Wednesday, 5/11 in person at Keyboard Connection after the 9:30 meeting, with Zoom also available (link below)
Concerto Competition Winners
May 11: If you choose to attend over Zoom instead, use link below.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://unf.zoom.us/j/96104411000?pwd=ZVA0ckszeElKMk5tekZGQlJhUmNvdz09
Meeting ID: 961 0441 1000           Passcode: 230047
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STUDENT RECITALS
 
                            Student Community Recital
 
On Tuesday, April 26 the Community recital will be held at the UF Health Proton Therapy Institute, 2015 N. Jefferson St., at 6 pm.
 
This recital is for late-intermediate to advanced students only to perform for patients and families at the Proton Therapy Institute. Students who perform receive community service hours. Contact Sandy Stewart, 904-333-9280, by Saturday, April 23 if you have a qualified student who would like to participate. Under current conditions, there will be no reception following the recital.
 
- Dr. Sandra Stewart, Recitals Chair
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DISTRICT IV NEWS
 
2022 District IV Student Day
The 2022 District IV Student Day will be held in person on Saturday, April 30, at Mandarin Baptist Church, 11244 San Jose Blvd., 32223. Applications have been received from eight teachers, with a total of 25 students registered.
 
Participating teachers, please plan your schedule to be available to help; everyone’s assistance is needed to make it a successful Student Day. I will be contacting you soon with available positions.
 
You should receive your students’ schedules by mid-April, as well as an email regarding the day’s schedule and responsibilities. Thank you, in advance, to everyone for their assistance, and please contact me with any questions you may have.
- Angie Holt, Chair ([email protected])
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Over Coffee With . . .
This month we getting to know a newer member of our music teachers association, Eunice Paliy, who is a student/collegiate member. Welcome, Eunice, and thank you for sharing your experiences with us!

EUNICE PALIY
Q. Please tell us a little bit about yourself.
A. I was born and raised in Portland, Oregon. I am the oldest of seven children and have been living in Jacksonville for five years now. Something interesting about me is that I am fluent in Russian! 
 
Q. What made you want to begin piano lessons as a child?
A. I can't recall what made me want to learn piano, but I know my parents were very insistent on my studying piano. They got me into lessons from an early age. Growing up, I looked up to my father a lot who played piano at the time and wanted to be like him. 
 
Q. Who was your favorite music teacher growing up and why?
A. My favorite music teacher growing up was Nina Beloz. She was very strict and at the time I often didn't like going to piano lessons, but now I appreciate her teaching so very much and am thankful I got to study with such a great pedagogue. 
 
Q. What are some things you have been / are involved in musically?
A. For over 10 years now I have been very involved in playing at church, whether this be for a choir or worship setting. I also enjoy playing at retirement homes, but with covid that is a bit hard to do with so many restrictions.
 
Q. Do you have a story of something that happened during one of your performances and how you handled it?
A. I can't recall anything that has happened to me during a performance, but I recall a silly situation where the zipper on my dress ripped after I had performed. I was very fortunate that this didn't happen during the performance. 
 
Q. What advice would you give to help focus before a performance and curb nerves?
A. Advice I would give to help ease the nerves before a performance, is tell yourself that you have worked hard to learn this music and you know it really well, probably better than anyone in the audience. I learn to believe that and comfort myself with those words. I have found that surrounding myself with the correct people right before performing is important as well, although this isn't always possible. 
 
Q. What do you find to be a challenge in teaching piano and how do you suggest meeting that challenge?
A. A challenge I have found in teaching piano is getting students to be consistent in relaxing their wrist when they play. Often, students will come from other teachers where they have developed a tight wrist, which is hard to correct sometimes. This of course depends on the student. Some students are quick at learning this, but others will get it during the lesson and then forget how to relax the wrist in their own practice time at home. For me, the challenge often is having them relax the wrist when they are on their own, without my presence. 
 
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AREA CONCERTS AND RECITALS
 
Community Hospice Performances
 
If you would be interested in performing a recital 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. Sandy Stewart at 904-333-9280.
 
“Mozart’s Groundbreaker: Piano Concerto No. 25”
Florida Classical Blue Series
Courtney Lewis, Music Director
Jonathan Biss, Pianist
Tarik O’Regan, Composer
(on the state-of-the-art Grand Concert Piano)
Dates: Friday, April 8, 7:30pm and Saturday, April 9, 7:30pm
Location: Times Union Center for the Performing Arts – Jacoby Symphony Hall, 300 Water St., Suite 200
Cost: $25 and Up
Click on link for tickets and for details:
https://www.jaxsymphony.org/event/mozart-groundbreaker/
 
 “FSCJ Jazz Concert”
  Mr. John Thomas, Director
  Date: Saturday, April 9, 7:00-9:00pm
  Location: FSCJ Wilson Center for the Arts,
  11901 Beach Blvd.
  Cost: FREE
  Click on link to register and for more information:
  https://www.eventbrite.com/e/fscj-jazz-concert-tickets-261223766317?aff=erelexpmlt
 “Adderbury Ensemble”
  Chamber music performed by musicians from the UK
  Date: Friday, April 22, 7:00-9:00pm
  Location: Friday Musicale, 645 Oak St.
  Cost: FREE
  Click on link for more information:
   https://fridaymusicale.com/event/adderbury-ensemble/
 
“La Bohème”Special Presentation
Courtney Lewis, Music Director
Gregory Keller, Stage Director
Opera Ensemble from the UNF Dept of Music
Students from LaVilla School of the Arts
Jacksonville Symphony Chorus
Dates: Friday, April 29, 7:30pm and Sunday, May 1, 3:00pm
Location: Times Union Center for the Performing Arts – Jacoby Symphony Hall, 300 Water St., Suite 20
Cost: $29 and Up
Click on link for tickets and for details:
https://www.jaxsymphony.org/event/la-boheme/
 
“JSYO Major/Minor”
Michelle Merrill, Conductor
“Join the Jacksonville Symphony Youth Orchestras for a special performance playing alongside members of the Jacksonville Symphony!”
Date: Wednesday, May 4 at 7:00pm
Location: Times Union Center for the Performing Arts – Jacoby Symphony Hall, 300 Water St., Suite 200
Cost: “Purchase your tickets in advance and receive a discount: $3/child, $8/adult (prices for tickets purchased day-of increase to $5/child, $10/adult).”
Click on link for tickets and for details:
https://www.jaxsymphony.org/event/jsyo-major-minor/
The UNF School of Music has many musical events planned for the month of April. Many of them are free. Following is a list of them. To register and for more information, go to the following URL:
https://www.unf.edu/coas/music/Calendar.aspx
 
UNF Percussion Spring Showcase ConcertThursday, April 7, 2022, 6:30 P.M.
 
Clarinet Studio RecitalSaturday, April 9, 2022, 1 p.m.
 
The Cummer Family Foundation Chamber Music Series Presents Karen Vuong, soprano with Denise Wright, pianoTuesday, April 12, 2022, 7:30 P.M.
 
UNF Concert Band presents 'Home Away from Home' with special guests, The Discovery Youth Band of Northeast Florida, Ted Shistle, directorTuesday, April 19, 2022, 7:30 P.M.
 
UNF Wind Symphony presents 'And Whether Pigs Have Wings' with Brittany Fouche, Soprano, and Andrea Venet, percussionWednesday, April 20, 2022, 7:30 P.M.
 
34th Annual Great American Jazz Series presents UNF JE1 Plays the Music of JE1 with special guests, Danny Gottlieb, UNF Faculty and UNF Professor Emeritus, Dr. Bill PrinceThursday, April 21, 2022, 7:30 P.M.
 
Lawson Ensemble in collaboration with the San Marco Chamber Music SocietySaturday, April 23, 2022, 7:30 P.M.

Violin Studio RecitalSaturday, April 23, 2022, 3 p.m.

UNF Choral Ensembles present Voyaging the WorldSunday, April 24, 2022, 4 P.M.
 
UNF Orchestra presents A World Premiere in Celebration of UNF's 50th AnniversaryTuesday, April 26, 2022, 7:30 P.M
 
Jazz Combo NightThursday, April 28, 2022, 7:30 P.M.
 
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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, Vice President of Membership
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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 of the JMTA website (jaxmta.org).  If you would like to edit, add, or delete any information, please email our Internet Media chair Angie Holt at [email protected].
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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 (Will be on again once meetings are in-person)
Do you have too much music collected in your studio?  Is there some you think you'll never use?  Let's have a music exchange!  Bring your unwanted 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.
 
April 13
9:30 - meeting
After: program
JMTA General Meeting followed by program: Rhonda Cassano
Keyboard Connection,  9912 San Jose Blvd., 32257

April 26
6:00pm
Student Community Recital
UF Health Proton Therapy Institute, 2015 N. Jefferson St., 32206  
 
April 30
As Scheduled
District IV Student Day
Mandarin Baptist Church, 11244 San Jose Blvd., 32223
 
May 11
9:30 – meeting
After: program
JMTA General Meeting followed by program:
Concerto Competition Winners
Keyboard Connection,   9912 San Jose Blvd., 32257

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].