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"Driven to Distraction: Ideas for Creating Connection and Focus while Practicing, Performing, and Taking a Lesson" by Anne Montzka Smelser
Join us for this talk by noted Suzuki teacher trainer Ann Montzka Smelser, then stay for the annual membership meeting where the MTSA board and officers will share updates on the state of the MTSA, plans for 2024-2025, and welcome questions and input from members. Come for the talk and stay for the meeting!
Register to receive the Zoom link in the confirmation email. About Ann Montzka Smelser:
Ann Montzka-Smelser grew up as a Suzuki student when the method was relatively new to the United States. Ann was very fortunate to have had the assistance of her music educator parents, Marilyn and Arthur Montzka as well as work with several Suzuki Pioneers such as William Starr, Doris Preucil, John Kendall, Alice Joy Lewis and many more.
In between receiving her Bachelors of Music Education and Masters in Performance and Pedagogy at Northern Illinois University, Ann studied with Dr. Shinichi Suzuki at the Talent Education Institute in Matsumoto, Japan.
Ann loves to share music through teaching and performing. Ann currently performs with Camerata Chicago and Rockford Symphony and is Concertmaster of the Kishwaukee Symphony Orchestra. Ann co teaches a Suzuki Pedagogy course at Northwestern University and is Director of the NIU Suzuki Strings Program at Northern Illinois University. Ann maintains a studio of about 35 violin and viola students through the NIU program. Ann enjoys working with Suzuki families at Festivals in Lima, Peru, Singapore, Mexico City, San Jose, Costa Rica and throughout the United States.
Ann lives with her husband, Linc, in DeKalb, Illinois.. Their Suzuki-raised children, Benjamin and Genevieve are now professional musicians and members of the US Air Force Band of the West and The Cleveland Orchestra respectively. Ann’s greatest joy is being together with family. Her favorite pastimes include traveling, reading and improving her Spanish through Duolingo.
Come play the National Anthem @ the Nashville Sounds Baseball Game
Call Time: 5:10 PM (please have a purchased ticket for each performer regardless of age)
Dress: Red shirts (no writing); black, white or khaki shorts, skirts, pants; comfy shoes for running on and off the field.
Gate: TBD
Teachers/adults: Play in the back row or help lead! Please dress the same and get there about 5:00ish. Distribute the parts as you choose among your studios. Cellos and violas are also included. Bring your own cello chair!
Tickets: Performers and family members still need tickets to participate in the performance. All performers, families, and friends may the following link to purchase discounted tickets:
https://fevo-enterprise.com/suzukiviolins090724
Music: Please register for this event to receive an email with music. MTSA membership is encouraged but not required for this event.
Please contact Toni Ferguson with any questions.
MTSA Concertos Night! The MTSA Concertos Night is a play-down focused on repertoire with orchestral accompaniment. An orchestra of teachers will assemble to perform the orchestral accompaniment while students will play the solo part together in the style of a play-down. This kind of event has a long tradition at summer Suzuki institutes across the country and is a lot of fun. Join us to play your favorite concerts together with area teachers! Repertoire lists will be announced soon for Violin, Viola, Cello, and Trumpet. Shown below: Students play "Hunter's Chorus" at Concertos Night at the 2023 Hartford Suzuki Institute (look closely — there is an orchestra of teachers buried behind them!)
The MTSA Concertos Night is a play-down focused on repertoire with orchestral accompaniment. An orchestra of teachers will assemble to perform the orchestral accompaniment while students will play the solo part together in the style of a play-down.
This kind of event has a long tradition at summer Suzuki institutes across the country and is a lot of fun. Join us to play your favorite concerts together with area teachers!
Repertoire lists will be announced soon for Violin, Viola, Cello, and Trumpet.
Shown below: Students play "Hunter's Chorus" at Concertos Night at the 2023 Hartford Suzuki Institute (look closely — there is an orchestra of teachers buried behind them!)
Shinichi Suzuki was born on October 17, 1898, and this year will mark his 126th birthday!
Mark your calendars for Sunday 10/20 from 5–7pm to join the MTSA for a Violin masterclass and birthday party at the Blair School of Music.
Details on clinician and how to register to perform for the masterclass will be announced in the future. All MTSA members and teachers are welcome to attend and observe.
Auditions for the 4th Annual MTSA Concerto Competition will be held Sunday, November 10, 2024, at the Akiva School, 809 Percy Warner Blvd, Nashville, TN 37205, between 12:30 and 4:30 in the afternoon.
The competition is open to students on all instruments who are active members of the MTSA, and whose teachers are active members of the MTSA. Students may only compete once each year in either a concerto or duo concerto. Past winners of the concerto competition may not compete in the three years following their winning performance (i.e. winners of the 2021 Concerto Competition will be eligible to compete again in 2025).
Students or parents should register between October 1st and November 1st at 11:59pm. Please use the "register" button on the left to submit your registration. Late registrations cannot be accepted.
Audition Requirements: Perform, from memory, a movement of a concerto from their instrument's Suzuki repertoire.** Each performer is responsible for arranging their own pianist for the audition, and rehearsing with them prior to the competition. No time or space for rehearsal will be available on the day of the audition.
Winner(s) will perform their piece on the 2024 MTSA Honors Recital, accompanied by a string orchestra, comprised of MTSA teachers and interested area professional musicians.
The 2024 Honors Recital will be February 4th, 2023, at 2pm in the Theater at the St. Cecilia Academy, 4210 Harding Pike, Nashville, TN 37205.
** Special exception: If an audition piece as arranged in the Suzuki repertoire is an excerpt from the full movement, the student entering has the choice whether to compete with the Suzuki excerpt or the the original form of the piece (for example, the Golterman Rondo for cello).
The annual MTSA Honors Recital features our most committed and diligent students and will be held at St. Cecilia Academy on February 2, 2025. Each MTSA teacher may nominate two students to perform on the recital. Teachers submit their nominations by registering for this event (use the button on the left).
Teachers should nominate committed students who practice consistently and work hard for high achievement: please nominate one less experienced student (beginner/intermediate) and one more experienced student (intermediate/advanced), as appropriate to your studio.
Nominations will be accepted between November 15, 2024 and January 10, 2025.
The MTSA Honors Recital Committee will confirm participants in the Honors Recital with all students and teachers on or before January 15th, 2024.
A reception will follow the recital. Out of respect for all performers, students and parents should stay for the entire recital and enjoy the food and camaraderie afterwards!
MTSA will arrange a pianist, free of charge, for students performing works with piano. Students using the pianist must rehearse at the St. Cecilia Academy on the afternoon/evening of Friday, February 2nd, 2024.
If a student cannot attend the Friday rehearsal, the parent or student must arrange an alternate rehearsal with the MTSA-provided pianist on or before February 3rd, 2024, and pay them for their additional time.
Exceptions may be made on a case-by-case basis for students living some distance from Nashville or who wish to bring their own pianist.
MTSA Winter Play-Down The MTSA will again hold a winter play-down for all our members in January 2025. Keep tuned for more details!
The MTSA will again hold a winter play-down for all our members in January 2025. Keep tuned for more details!
The MTSA's annual Honors Recital is a performance celebrating the most hardworking and dedicated students in the studios of MTSA teachers. All MTSA students are invited to join us for a wonderful afternoon of inspiring music.
The recital will be held at St. Cecilia Academy from 2–4 p.m. A reception will follow the recital in the Theatre Lobby.
We hope you will join us for this afternoon of wonderful music!
The Honors Recital will also feature the winners of the 4th annual MTSA Concerto Competition accompanied by a string orchestra of MTSA teachers and other professional musicians.
Do you play viola? Have you ever wondered about playing Viola? Join the MTSA for VIOLA DAY — a wonderful day of masterclasses and music for violists and the viola-curious!
Mark your calendars and watch for more details to be announced.
2018
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