OMTA - Oregon Music Teachers Association

Grant Event - Engaging Story and Narrative in Performance: Marches, Waltzes, Chorales, and Other "Topics" in Music
2022-04-12 04:00 - 05:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Studio of Carolee Harbour, 1953 NW Lamont Ave, Roseburg, OR, 97470
For more information: please contact Tammy Johnson.
Presenting District: Umpqua Valley-South Coast
Presenter: Dr. Stephen Lewis, NCTM, PhD, DMA Dr. Stephen Lewis, NCTM, PhD, DMA, is a Portland-based composer, pianist, conductor, and teacher whose compositions inhabit the terrain between sound as physical sensation and sound as signifier of culture. Stephen’s opera, Noon at Dusk, was hailed as “delectable,” with a “constantly shifting sonic world [that] proved fascinating and effective.” Recent and upcoming performance engagements include concerts with the Oregon Symphony, the Agnieszka Laska Dancers, the Astoria Music Festival, and Fear No Music’s Young Composers Project as well as a live broadcast on All-Classical Radio. Stephen has also performed throughout the United States and in Italy. Stephen holds a PhD in composition and a DMA in piano from UC-San Diego, and a BMus from the Oberlin Conservatory of Music. Stephen teaches piano, composition, music theory, and conducting privately at his home and from St. Stephen’s Episcopal Parish, where he serves as music director and organist. Stephen enjoys baking bread, reading, wine tasting, and hiking with his wife. See more at his websites: www.stephenlewiscomposer.com (artistic) and www.chopinois.com (teaching).
Program Description: Many of us feel that music is often telling a story, but we cannot agree on what these stories are. Is there a story, or not? In this workshop, I will present current innovative ideas from music theorists about musical “topics,” or references to extra-musical ideas, and how they help us to speak more clearly and accurately about musical stories and narratives. We will look at some of the most common topics found in classical and romantic music and how thinking about topics can help teachers and students reach greater heights in their work together.

District Event: Studies and Etudes to Master and Perform for Intermediate and Advanced Students
2022-04-02 12:30 - 15:30 | Grace Lutheran Church – Ashland, 660 Frances Ln, Ashland, OR, 97520
Linda Barker is well known among OMTA members and has enriched many of us by sharing her expertise at district workshops. She specializes in teaching intermediate to advanced level students. We look forward to learning how to use specific pieces to master specific skills.

Grant Event - Acquiring Aural Skills: Listening Deeply
2022-04-02 05:00 - 06:30 | Virtual/Online
Location: Zoom, for access and more information please contact Rebecca Gooch.
Presenting District: Mid-Columbia
Presenter: Dr. Johnandrew Slominski American pianist Johnandrew Slominski enjoys a distinguished reputation as a performer and pedagogue. He has been hailed as “a remarkable, brilliant, and gifted pianist” (Chautauquan Daily), commended for performing with “a great deal of intellect” (89.9 KBPS Portland), and recognized for his communicative performance: “I was profoundly moved by his performance…He has a musicianship that transcends his youthfulness.” (Eye on Sun Valley). His 2016 San Francisco concert debut, presented by the New Piano Collective, earned praise as “awe-inspiring” and “ear-opening” from Stephen Smoliar of the San Francisco Examiner. Slominski seamlessly navigates the landscape of a varied and thriving career as a soloist, chamber musician, music theorist, author, pedagogue, and speaker. Highlights of his current season include a solo CD released on the Centaur Records label, an all-Schubert disc with soprano Kayleen Sánchez released on the Soundset Recordings label, performances of concerti by Mozart and Schumann, and more than a dozen speaking and teaching engagements in the United States and Asia.
Slominski earned three degrees from the Eastman School of Music by age 21, and was unanimously nominated for the Jerald R. Graue Musicology Fellowship and the Eastman Performer’s Certificate; his first professorship followed at age 23. He has held faculty positions as a pianist and music theorist at the Eastman School of Music, Sunderman Conservatory at Gettysburg College, Virginia Commonwealth University, and Linfield University. He is the founding director of Classical Music on the Spot (an institute for eighteenth-century improvisation), a co-founder of the San Francisco International Piano Festival, and a founding faculty member of the Rebecca Penneys Piano Festival at the University of South Florida. He earned the Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the Eastman School of Music. Slominski is a New Piano Collective artist.
Program Description: The composer and pianist Robert Schumann wrote in 1848 that, “You must get to the point that you can hear music from the page. …A perfect musician should be able to picture a piece, at first hearing…as though he had the score in front of him.” This workshop, facilitated by Dr. Slominski, former theory and aural skills faculty at the Eastman School of Music, opens a conversation about teaching and learning through a nuanced aural curriculum. Skills discussed include sight-singing, solfege and solmization, dictation, playing by ear, improvisation, and more.

Grant Event - Making Syllabus Relevant: Using OMTA Syllabus Skills to Play Music
2022-04-02 03:00 - 05:00 | Virtual/Online
Location: Zoom, for more information and access please contact Sarah Milburn.
Presenting District: Umatilla-Morrow
Presenter: Dianne Davies Dianne Davies received a BA in music from Lewis and Clark College with piano emphasis and K-12 music education certification. Since then, Dianne has taught public and private school music and currently focuses on her private piano studio in Beaverton and performing. In 2010 Dianne created and performed her comedy show Dianne Davies Has Fallen Off Her Bench and in 2016, she created, produced, and performed a new show titled Attachments & Detachments–Tragedy to Triumph combining the music of Cascadia Composers, the Northwest Regions chapter of NACUSA (National Association of Composers USA), with dance, live art, and theatre to tell her own transparent story. In 2016, Dianne also began composing pieces for piano students. Since 2018, her student compositions have been performed each year at PSU in the Cascadia sponsored concert, In Good Hands, that connects living composers with young music students. Most recently, in December 2019 she produced another show with all her own compositions and arrangements for Christmas titled Soli Deo Gloria. Dianne created and performed original piano solo pieces, piano solo arrangements of Chopin Nocturnes fused with traditional carols (Romantic Christmas Suite), as well as a violin & piano duet, violin & cello duet, vocal solos and choral works. Again, she collaborated with live dancers and multi-media visual artist Collin Murphy. Dianne continues to teach during these trying times of the pandemic and chairs the State Composition Celebration Virtual Event. Watch for her monthly column in the OMTA Music News on-line publication and her current performing and composing projects at musiqPOWER.com.
Program Description: Dianne Davies has taken a series of folksongs and Christmas Carols to teach all levels of the OMTA Syllabus chord progressions and put them into music. The right-hand melodies are given in scale degree numbers and the left-hand accompaniment is given in Roman Numerals following each level of syllabus. Students learn to easily transpose the ideas to all keys and understand the concepts.

Grant Event - Music of the Baroque, Classical, Romantic, Contemporary Eras: differences in Tone, Articulation, Pedal, Rubato (focus on Romantic & Contemporary eras)
2022-03-12 11:00 - 13:00 | Virtual/Online
Local Contact: For more information and Zoom access please contact Sarah Milburn.
Presenting District: Umatilla-Morrow
Presenter: Dr. Thomas Otten, NCTM Thomas Otten holds the title of Emeritus Professor, having recently retired as Piano Area Chair from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He now resides in Portland, OR, where he is establishing himself as a master teacher and concert artist. A California native born of German-American parents, Dr. Otten has been hailed by the New York Times as “an extremely original player who puts a formidable technique at the service of his ideas.” He made his debut at age seventeen with the National Symphony Orchestra at the Kennedy Center and has since developed a global profile through performances in New York, Washington, Los Angeles, St. Petersburg, Sydney, Munich, Frankfurt, and Milan, including such venues as Carnegie Hall, Alice Tully Hall, Severance Hall, the German Embassy, and the National Press Club. He has given guest artist recitals and masterclasses at top music schools and conservatories, such as the Rimsky-Korsakov St. Petersburg State Conservatory in Russia, the Munich Hochschule für Musik in Germany, as well as the Eastman School of Music, The Juilliard School, and Oberlin Conservatory in the U.S.
A recipient of numerous national and international awards, Dr. Otten has studied with artist teachers John Perry and Nelita True and worked intensively with biomechanics expert Barbara Lister-Sink. He has been on the faculties of the International Young Artists Project (Italy), Saarburger Serenaden International Music Festival (Germany), the American Institute of Musical Studies (Austria), and the Kent/Blossom Festival (Ohio), as well as concerto soloist at the Chautauqua and Brevard Summer Festivals. He has been a member of competition juries in the U.S. and abroad and was founder of the Kent Piano Seminar in Ohio, as well director of the UNC Liszt Festival, UNC Etude Festival, and the Ginastera Centennial Celebration in North Carolina. His discography includes transcriptions of Franz Liszt and a premiere recording of etudes by African American composer Leslie Adams. He is committed to diverse music of our time, having also premiered works by electronic music expert Frances White and jazz pianist/composer Joe Utterback.
Dr. Otten’s former students include prize-winning concert artist Andrew Tyson, along with other professional musicians who are active throughout the country. His collaborations include the Miami and Vega String Quartets, violinist Richard Luby, as well as baritone Marc Callahan and soprano Louise Toppin. For more information on Dr. Otten, please visit his website at www.otten.studio.
Program Description: What makes for a stylistically appropriate performance? Should we use the same amount of pedal in Mozart as Chopin? How do we choose articulations in Baroque music? These and similar questions will be examined to shed light on the often-confusing musical choices we have when performing and teaching music from many different style periods.

Grant Event - Lions and Tigers and...PARENTS!...Oh My!: Constructive Communication With Parents
2022-03-08 11:00 - 12:30 | Virtual/Online
Information and Zoom access: Please contact Carolee Harbour.
Presenting District: Rogue Valley
Presenter: Rebekah Carter, NCTM Rebekah Carter, NCTM, maintains a piano studio in eastern Oregon, and has recently settled roots in Boise, Idaho. In addition to teaching in her private studio for over 15 years as an independent piano instructor, Ms. Carter teaches and accompanies as an adjunct instructor at Treasure Valley Community College in Ontario, OR. Her college studies took her to Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle, WA where she studied with Dr. Peter Mack. In addition to teaching, Ms. Carter serves OMTA Blue Mountain District as Secretary and chairs festivals at the district and state level. In 2016-2018, she was a Tholen Fellow through Portland Piano International. In 2020, Ms. Carter presented at the OMTA Virtual Conference from Florence, OR. She is a regular presenter and competition adjudicator throughout Oregon and Idaho.
Ms. Carter enjoys maintaining a professional and friendly relationship with the parents in her studio. She also enjoys hiking, trying new foods, attending concerts, and spending time with her husband and two children.
Program Description: Teachers of all instruments can relate to stories of “that” parent…you know…that one. However, parents are a determining factor in a student’s success and a necessary part of our daily work as music teachers. So how can we develop a constructive and positive relationship with them? Research shows that communication is the key. This lecture will use humor and interactive activities as well as practical tools and help, and includes: a handout of useful phrases for common “sticky situations,” interactive role-playing, exploration of your studio’s communication style, other not-so-obvious forms of communication you use every day, helpful apps, and a practical look at the MTNA (Music Teachers National Association) Code of Ethics for professional guidance.

Grant Event - Teaching the Special Learner: Wisdom and Strategies for the Independent Music Teacher
2022-03-04 10:00 - 12:00 | Virtual/Online
Local Contact: For more information please contact Deborah Butler.
Location: Zoom, for access please contact Deborah Butler.
Presenting District: Salem
Presenter: Emily Ross, MA, MT-BC Emily Ross, MA, MT-BC, holds a Bachelor of Music Education from the University of Colorado and a Master’s degree in Counseling Psychology with an emphasis in music therapy from Naropa University. She taught public school music, general music and band, for seven years, and worked in private practice as a music therapist with children with autism and other challenges for 12 years. She was the clinical coordinator of music therapy and an assistant professor at Marylhurst University. She plays French horn in the Portland Wind Symphony and works via her private practice, HoofnHorn Music Therapy Studio, hnhmusictherapy.com.
Program Description: Music therapist, Emily Ross, MA, MT-BC, will review the characteristics of autism, ADHD, intellectual disabilities, and emotional disturbance, and outline both specific strategies and general ideas for approaching students who present with these characteristics. Emily will also clarify the differences between music lessons, adaptive music lessons, and music therapy so that students can be served in the best manner possible. And finally, Emily will lead a discussion on communication with parents regarding these sensitive topics.

District Event: Workshop - Music of the Baroque, Classical, Romantic, and Contemporary Eras
2022-03-04 - 2022-03-05 | Virtual/Online
Presented by Dr. Thomas Otten: Music of the Baroque, Classical, Romantic, and Contemporary Eras
Sponsored by Umatilla-Morrow district.
For Zoom Link and times, contact event organizer.

2022 OMTA Baroque Festival Final Event
2022-02-26 | Corvallis First United Methodist Church, 1165 NW Monroe Ave, Corvallis, OR, 97330, United States
The Baroque Festival final event is a series of non-competitive concerts featuring students from across the state who are winners of their own district Baroque competitions.
Forms: https://oregonmta.org/programs/festivals/baroque-festival/
Registration deadline: February 19, 2022

District Event: West Portland District February Meeting
2022-02-24 10:00 - 12:00 | Christ United Methodist Church, 12755 NW Dogwood St, Portland, OR, 97229, United States

Grant Event - Lions and Tigers and...PARENTS!...Oh My!: Constructive Communication With Parents
2022-02-14 09:30 - 11:30 | Virtual/Online
Location: Zoom, for more information and access please contact Terri Horn.
Presenting District: Rogue Valley
Presenter: Rebekah Carter, NCTM Rebekah Carter, NCTM, maintains a piano studio in eastern Oregon, and has recently settled roots in Boise, Idaho. In addition to teaching in her private studio for over 15 years as an independent piano instructor, Ms. Carter teaches and accompanies as an adjunct instructor at Treasure Valley Community College in Ontario, OR. Her college studies took her to Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle, WA where she studied with Dr. Peter Mack. In addition to teaching, Ms. Carter serves OMTA Blue Mountain District as Secretary and chairs festivals at the district and state level. In 2016-2018, she was a Tholen Fellow through Portland Piano International. In 2020, Ms. Carter presented at the OMTA Virtual Conference from Florence, OR. She is a regular presenter and competition adjudicator throughout Oregon and Idaho.
Ms. Carter enjoys maintaining a professional and friendly relationship with the parents in her studio. She also enjoys hiking, trying new foods, attending concerts, and spending time with her husband and two children.
Program Description: Teachers of all instruments can relate to stories of “that” parent…you know…that one. However, parents are a determining factor in a student’s success and a necessary part of our daily work as music teachers. So how can we develop a constructive and positive relationship with them? Research shows that communication is the key. This lecture will use humor and interactive activities as well as practical tools and help, and includes: a handout of useful phrases for common “sticky situations,” interactive role-playing, exploration of your studio’s communication style, other not-so-obvious forms of communication you use every day, helpful apps, and a practical look at the MTNA (Music Teachers National Association) Code of Ethics for professional guidance.

District Event: Blue Mountain District Baroque Festival
2022-02-12 13:00 - 15:00 | Virtual/Online
OMTA Blue Mountain district offers this adjudicated online recital, which is open to either competitive or non-competitive division studets of Blue Mountain District teachers. Winners in the competitive division with advance to the State level recital.
Registration deadline: January 22, 2022
This event is via Zoom.

Grant Event - Music of the Baroque, Classical, Romantic, Contemporary Era: Differences in Tone, Articulation, Pedal, Rubato (focus on Baroque & Classical eras)
2022-02-12 11:00 - 13:00 | Virtual/Online

Grant Event - Ornamentation & Performance Practice: Domenico Scarlatti's Remarkable Keyboard Sonatas
2022-02-08 10:00 - 11:30 | Virtual/Online
Local Contact: For more information and Zoom access please contact Rosanne Smith.
Presenting District: Linn-Benton
Presenter: Dr. Matt Cooper Dr. Matt Cooper is a Professor Emeritus of Music at Eastern Oregon University, where he was awarded the 2019 Distinguished Teaching Faculty award, retiring after a 31-year-college-teaching career. He served as OMTA President from 2000 to 2002, during which time he traveled to Khabarovsk, Russia as part of the “Music Without Borders” exchange program, leading to two additional invitations to perform in Khabarovsk in 2002 and 2004.
Dr. Cooper earned his Doctor of Musical Arts degree at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. He has done extensive study in the Taubman approach at the Golandsky Institute and Princeton University, and has studied Tango music in Buenos Aires. A former prizewinner in the Thelonious Monk and Great American Jazz Piano competitions, he is the author of “Duke Ellington: A Study in Styles.”
Dr. Cooper has adjudicated many piano festivals and competitions and has performed numerous solo recitals, chamber recitals, and concerto appearances throughout the Northwest. He has recorded four jazz and classical CDs and is in frequent demand throughout the Northwest as a performer, adjudicator, clinician and presenter.
Program Description: Dr. Cooper will present a journey through Scarlatti’s 160 harpsichord sonatas published by G. Schirmer, with an eye toward successful performance at the piano. Includes historical background, live playing of examples of numerous representative and more-accessible sonatas, and discussion of interpretation and performance practice.

District Event: West Portland District January Meeting
2022-01-25 10:00 - 12:00 | Christ United Methodist Church, 12755 NW Dogwood St, Portland, OR, 97229, United States

Grant Event - Composition: Stealing from the Masters
2022-01-10 10:00 - 11:30 | Virtual/Online
Local Contact: For more information and Zoom access please contact Dr. Janet Pollack.
Presenting District: Eugene
Presenter: Dianne Davies Dianne Davies received a BA in music from Lewis and Clark College with piano emphasis and K-12 music education certification. Since then, Dianne has taught public and private school music and currently focuses on her private piano studio in Beaverton and performing. In 2010 Dianne created and performed her comedy show Dianne Davies Has Fallen Off Her Bench and in 2016, she created, produced and performed a brand new show titled Attachments & Detachments Tragedy to Triumph combining the music of Cascadia Composers, the Northwest Regions chapter of NACUSA (National Association of Composer USA), with dance, live art and theatre to tell her own transparent story. In
2016, Dianne also began composing pieces for piano students. Since 2018, her student compositions have been performed each year at PSU in the Cascadia sponsored concert “In Good Hands” that connects living composers with young music students. Most recently, in December 2019 she produced another show with all her own compositions and arrangements for Christmas titled Soli Deo Gloria. Dianne created and performed original piano solo pieces, piano solo arrangements of Chopin Nocturnes fused with traditional carols (Romantic Christmas Suite), as well as a violin & piano duet, violin & cello duet, vocal solos and choral works. Again, she collaborated with live dancers and multi-media visual artist Collin Murphy. Dianne continues to teach during these trying times of the pandemic and chair the State Composition Celebration Virtual Event. Watch for her monthly column in the OMTA Music News on-line publication and her current performing and composing projects at musiqPOWER.com.
Program Description: Dianne has taken pieces from the pianists repertoire and used them as a guide to compose new works. Two of Dianne’s compositions from her Rainforest Animals pieces were inspired by two Debussy Preludes from Book 1. Dianne will discuss how “The Sunken Cathedral” prelude no. 10 inspired “The Amazonian Manatee” and “Minstrels” prelude no. 12 inspired “The Golden Lion Tamarin.” This presentation is to encourage teachers to present repertoire to students as a guide to their own creativity.

Grant Event - Style Forum: Music of the Romantic Era
2021-12-14 10:00 - 12:00 | Virtual/Online
Local Contact: For more information please contact Rosanne Smith.
Location: Zoom, for access please contact Rosanne Smith.
Presenting District: Linn-Benton
Presenter: Dr. Thomas Otten, NCTM Thomas Otten holds the title of Emeritus Professor, having recently retired as Piano Area Chair from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He now resides in Portland, OR, where he is establishing himself as a master teacher and concert artist. A California native born of German-American parents, Dr. Otten has been hailed by the New York Times as “an extremely original player who puts a formidable technique at the service of his ideas.” He made his debut at age 17 with the National Symphony Orchestra at the Kennedy Center, and has since developed a global profile through performances in New York, Washington, Los Angeles, St. Petersburg, Sydney, Munich, Frankfurt, and Milan, including such venues as Carnegie Hall, Alice Tully Hall, Severance Hall, the German Embassy, and the National Press Club. He has given guest artist recitals and masterclasses at top music schools and conservatories, such as the Rimsky-Korsakov St. Petersburg State Conservatory in Russia, the Munich Hochschule für Musik in Germany, as well as the Eastman School of Music, The Juilliard School, and Oberlin Conservatory in the U.S.
A recipient of numerous national and international awards, Dr. Otten has studied with artist teachers John Perry and Nelita True, and worked intensively with biomechanics expert Barbara Lister-Sink. He has been on the faculties of the International Young Artists Project (Italy), Saarburger Serenaden International Music Festival (Germany), the American Institute of Musical Studies (Austria), and the Kent/Blossom Festival (Ohio), as well as concerto soloist at the Chautauqua and Brevard Summer Festivals. He has been a member of competition juries in the U.S. and abroad, and was founder of the Kent Piano Seminar in Ohio, as well director of the UNC Liszt Festival, UNC Etude Festival, and the Ginastera Centennial Celebration in North Carolina. His discography includes transcriptions of Franz Liszt and a premiere recording of etudes by African American composer Leslie Adams. He is committed to diverse music of our time, having also premiered works by electronic music expert Frances White and jazz pianist/composer Joe Utterback.
Dr. Otten’s former students include prize-winning concert artist Andrew Tyson, along with other professional musicians who are active throughout the country. His collaborations include the Miami and Vega String Quartets, violinist Richard Luby, as well as baritone Marc Callahan and soprano Louise Toppin. For more information on Dr. Otten, please visit his website at www.otten.studio.
Program Description: How do we effectively handle the complexities of Romantic music? This session will look at how to approach such elements as tone, rubato, pedal, as well as layers of sound/complex accompanimental figures. Music of Grieg, Chopin, Schubert, Liszt will be examined, with an eye to pieces that are more effective, as well as those to potentially avoid.

Grant Event-How Do I Get My Student to Sound Artistic?
2021-12-04 13:00 - 15:00 | Virtual/Online
Local Contact: For more information please contact Rebecca Gooch.
Location: Zoom, for access please contact Rebecca Gooch.
Presenting District: Mid-Columbia
Presenter: Dr. Thomas Otten, NCTM Thomas Otten holds the title of Emeritus Professor, having recently retired as Piano Area Chair from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He now resides in Portland, OR, where he is establishing himself as a master teacher and concert artist. A California native born of German-American parents, Dr. Otten has been hailed by the New York Times as “an extremely original player who puts a formidable technique at the service of his ideas.” He made his debut at age 17 with the National Symphony Orchestra at the Kennedy Center, and has since developed a global profile through performances in New York, Washington, Los Angeles, St. Petersburg, Sydney, Munich, Frankfurt, and Milan, including such venues as Carnegie Hall, Alice Tully Hall, Severance Hall, the German Embassy, and the National Press Club. He has given guest artist recitals and masterclasses at top music schools and conservatories, such as the Rimsky-Korsakov St. Petersburg State Conservatory in Russia, the Munich Hochschule für Musik in Germany, as well as the Eastman School of Music, The Juilliard School, and Oberlin Conservatory in the U.S.
A recipient of numerous national and international awards, Dr. Otten has studied with artist teachers John Perry and Nelita True, and worked intensively with biomechanics expert Barbara Lister-Sink. He has been on the faculties of the International Young Artists Project (Italy), Saarburger Serenaden International Music Festival (Germany), the American Institute of Musical Studies (Austria), and the Kent/Blossom Festival (Ohio), as well as concerto soloist at the Chautauqua and Brevard Summer Festivals. He has been a member of competition juries in the U.S. and abroad, and was founder of the Kent Piano Seminar in Ohio, as well director of the UNC Liszt Festival, UNC Etude Festival, and the Ginastera Centennial Celebration in North Carolina. His discography includes transcriptions of Franz Liszt and a premiere recording of etudes by African American composer Leslie Adams. He is committed to diverse music of our time, having also premiered works by electronic music expert Frances White and jazz pianist/composer Joe Utterback.
Dr. Otten’s former students include prize-winning concert artist Andrew Tyson, along with other professional musicians who are active throughout the country. His collaborations include the Miami and Vega String Quartets, violinist Richard Luby, as well as baritone Marc Callahan and soprano Louise Toppin. For more information on Dr. Otten, please visit his website at www.otten.studio.
Program Description: What makes for an artistic performance? This session will delve into issues of tone, rubato, rhythm, articulation, pedal, tempo: how to use these elements to create artistry in students.

District Event: Umatilla-Morrow District Ensemble Festival
2021-11-13 | Hermiston Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, 850 SW 11th St, Hermiston, OR, 97838

Grant Event-Style Forum: Music of the Romantic Era
2021-11-09 10:00 - 12:00 | Virtual/Online

Grant Event-The Taubman Approach
2021-11-08 10:00 - 11:30 | Virtual/Online
Local Contact: For more information please contact Janet Pollack.
Location: Zoom, for access please contact Janet Pollack.
Presenting District: Eugene
Presenter: Deborah Cleaver Deborah Ingram Cleaver holds a Master of Music degree in piano performance from Boston University where she studied with the renowned pianist and pedagogue Leonard Shure. After finishing her degree, she worked closely with Shure as his teaching assistant at New England Conservatory.
Ms. Cleaver has also spent many years studying the performance practice of the Baroque and Classic periods with such luminaries as Sandra Rosenblum, Edward Parmentier, and Elisabeth Wright. Her broad interests have resulted in lectures for universities and music teachers’ organizations, ranging from the expressive aspects of Baroque performance practice to the correlation between Romantic literature and music.
Ms. Cleaver teaches at Lewis and Clark College and Reed College as well as in her private studio. She also organizes seminars three times each year for the Portland/Golandsky Institute community, and is the immediate past president of OMTA Portland District. She has been a faculty member of the Golandsky Institute since 2005, and teaches at their summer institute at Princeton University every summer. Previous teaching positions have been at Willamette University, St. Andrews College, and the South Shore Conservatory in Boston.
An avid performer, she has appeared with the Fear No Music Ensemble, the DeRosa Chamber Players, Cascadia Composers, Friends of Rain, and the Makrokosmos Project I and II. She has had performances aired on the classical music programs PLAYED IN OREGON and ALL CLASSICAL PORTLAND. In addition, she has given lectures, workshops, and recitals at Portland State University, Eastern Washington University, and for Oregon and Washington music teachers’ associations, and is a frequent adjudicator throughout the Northwest.
Program Description: This presentation will focus on the practical aspects of the Taubman approach that can be incorporated without a lot of training. Teachers will learn the most advantageous physical relation to the piano keyboard, how to successfully perform leaps, polyrhythms, chords and octaves, and improved tone production.

Grant Event-Lions and Tigers and...PARENTS!...Oh My!
2021-11-08 09:30 - 23:30 | Virtual/Online
Local Contact: For more information please contact Terri Horn.
Location: Zoom, for access please contact Terri Horn.
Presenting District: Rogue Valley
Presenter: Rebekah Carter, NCTM Rebekah Carter, NCTM, maintains a piano studio in eastern Oregon, and has recently settled roots in Boise, Idaho. In addition to teaching in her private studio for over 15 years as an independent piano instructor, Ms. Carter teaches and accompanies as an adjunct instructor at Treasure Valley Community College in Ontario, OR. Her college studies took her to Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle, WA where she studied with Dr. Peter Mack. In addition to teaching, Ms. Carter serves on the OMTA State Board as Certification Chair and OMTA Blue Mountain District as Secretary and chairs festivals at the district and state level. In 2016-2018, she was a Tholen Fellow through Portland Piano International. In 2020, Ms. Carter presented at the OMTA Virtual Conference from Florence, OR. She is a regular presenter and competition adjudicator throughout Oregon and Idaho.
Ms. Carter enjoys maintaining a professional and friendly relationship with the parents in her studio. She also enjoys hiking, trying new foods, attending concerts, and spending time with her husband and two children.
Program Description: Teachers of all instruments can relate to stories of “that” parent…you know…that one. However, parents are a determining factor in a student’s success and a necessary part of our daily work as music teachers. So how can we develop a constructive and positive relationship with them? Research shows that communication is the key. This presentation will use humor and interactive activities as well as practical tools and help, and includes: a handout of useful phrases for common “sticky situations,” interactive role-playing, exploration of your studio’s communication style, other not-so-obvious forms of communication you use every day, helpful apps, and a practical look at the MTNA Code of Ethics for professional guidance.

District Event: Blue Mountain Classical/Romantic Festival
2021-11-06 13:00 - 14:30 | Virtual/Online
OMTA Blue Mountain District is sponsoring a Classical/Romantic festival as its “District Choice” this year. The event is open to students of Blue Mountain District teachers and is non-adjudicated.
Registration deadline: October 23, 2021
This festival will happen via Zoom.

Grant Event-Nuts & Bolts of Writing Music Down: A Guide to Help Your Students' Composition Look and Feel Professional
2021-11-06 10:00 - 12:00 | Virtual/Online
Local Contact: For more information please contact Sarah Milburn.
Location: Zoom, for access please contact Sarah Milburn.
Presenting District: Blue Mountain
Presenter: Dr. Stephen Lewis, PhD, DMA,NCTM Dr. Stephen Lewis, PhD, DMA, NCTM, is a Portland-based composer, pianist, conductor, and teacher whose compositions inhabit the terrain between sound as physical sensation and sound as signifier of culture. Stephen’s opera, Noon at Dusk, was hailed as “delectable,” with a “constantly shifting sonic world [that] proved fascinating and effective.” Recent and upcoming performance engagements include concerts with the Oregon Symphony, the Agnieszka Laska Dancers, the Astoria Music Festival, and Fear No Music’s Young Composers Project as well as a live broadcast on All-Classical Radio. Stephen has also performed throughout the United States and in Italy. Stephen holds a PhD in composition and a DMA in piano from UC-San Diego, and a BMus from the Oberlin Conservatory of Music. Stephen teaches piano, composition, music theory, and conducting privately at his home and from St. Stephen’s Episcopal Parish, where he serves as music director and organist. Stephen enjoys baking bread, reading, wine tasting, and hiking with his wife. See more at his websites: www.stephenlewiscomposer.com (artistic) and www.chopinois.com (teaching).
Program Description: When writing music, young composers need to learn to navigate the difficulties of notation (so other people can read their music), instrumentation (so their music works and sounds its best), and style. In this 2-hour session, we will explore a basic set of rules and principles that will allow you to teach your students how to write clear, creative, and effective music. Have handy: blank staff paper, a pencil, an eraser, a 6-inch ruler, and enthusiasm!

Grant Event-Lions and Tigers and...PARENTS!...Oh My!
2021-11-05 10:00 - 12:00 | Virtual/Online
Local Contact: For more information please contact Mary Morganti.
Location: Zoom, for access please contact Mary Morganti.
Presenting District: Lincoln County
Presenter: Rebekah Carter, NCTM Rebekah Carter, NCTM, maintains a piano studio in eastern Oregon, and has recently settled roots in Boise, Idaho. In addition to teaching in her private studio for over 15 years as an independent piano instructor, Ms. Carter teaches and accompanies as an adjunct instructor at Treasure Valley Community College in Ontario, OR. Her college studies took her to Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle, WA where she studied with Dr. Peter Mack. In addition to teaching, Ms. Carter serves on the OMTA State Board as Certification Chair and OMTA Blue Mountain District as Secretary and chairs festivals at the district and state level. In 2016-2018, she was a Tholen Fellow through Portland Piano International. In 2020, Ms. Carter presented at the OMTA Virtual Conference from Florence, OR. She is a regular presenter and competition adjudicator throughout Oregon and Idaho.
Ms. Carter enjoys maintaining a professional and friendly relationship with the parents in her studio. She also enjoys hiking, trying new foods, attending concerts, and spending time with her husband and two children.
Program Description: Teachers of all instruments can relate to stories of “that” parent…you know…that one. However, parents are a determining factor in a student’s success and a necessary part of our daily work as music teachers. So how can we develop a constructive and positive relationship with them? Research shows that communication is the key. This presentation will use humor and interactive activities as well as practical tools and help, and includes: a handout of useful phrases for common “sticky situations,” interactive role-playing, exploration of your studio’s communication style, other not-so-obvious forms of communication you use every day, helpful apps, and a practical look at the MTNA Code of Ethics for professional guidance.

District Event: West Portland District October Meeting
2021-10-25 10:00 - 12:00 | Christ United Methodist Church, 12755 NW Dogwood St, Portland, OR, 97229, United States

Grant Event (Part 2)-Engaging Story and Narrative in Performance: Marches, Waltzes, Chorales, and Other "Topics" in Music
2021-10-23 13:00 - 15:00 | Virtual/Online
Local Contact: For more information please contact Jan Miller.
Location: Zoom, for access please contact Jan Miller.
Presenting District: Blue Mountain
Presenter: Dr. Stephen Lewis, PhD, DMA,NCTM Dr. Stephen Lewis, PhD, DMA, NCTM, is a Portland-based composer, pianist, conductor, and teacher whose compositions inhabit the terrain between sound as physical sensation and sound as signifier of culture. Stephen’s opera, Noon at Dusk, was hailed as “delectable,” with a “constantly shifting sonic world [that] proved fascinating and effective.” Recent and upcoming performance engagements include concerts with the Oregon Symphony, the Agnieszka Laska Dancers, the Astoria Music Festival, and Fear No Music’s Young Composers Project as well as a live broadcast on All-Classical Radio. Stephen has also performed throughout the United States and in Italy. Stephen holds a PhD in composition and a DMA in piano from UC-San Diego, and a BMus from the Oberlin Conservatory of Music. Stephen teaches piano, composition, music theory, and conducting privately at his home and from St. Stephen’s Episcopal Parish, where he serves as music director and organist. Stephen enjoys baking bread, reading, wine tasting, and hiking with his wife. See more at his websites: www.stephenlewiscomposer.com (artistic) and www.chopinois.com (teaching).
Program Description (Session One 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM): When writing music, young composers need to learn to navigate the difficulties of notation (so other people can read their music), instrumentation (so their music works and sounds its best), and style. In this 2-hour session, we will explore a basic set of rules and principles that will allow you to teach your students how to write clear, creative, and effective music. Have handy: blank staff paper, a pencil, an eraser, a 6-inch ruler, and enthusiasm!
Program Description (Session Two 1:00 to 3:00 PM): Many of us feel that music is often telling a story, but we cannot agree on what these stories are! Is there a story, or not? In this workshop, Dr. Lewis will present current innovative ideas from music theorists about musical “topics,” or references to extra-musical ideas, and how they help us to speak more clearly and accurately about musical stories and narratives. We will look at some of the most common topics found in classical and romantic music and how thinking about topics can help teachers and students reach greater heights in their work together.

Grant Event (Part One)-Nuts & Bolts of Writing Music Down: A Guide to Help Your Students' Composition Look and Feel Professional
2021-10-23 10:00 - 12:00 | Virtual/Online

District Event: Portland District Ensemble Festival
2021-10-16 | Virtual/Online
The Ensemble Festival allows students to play music of all genres in a collaborative setting. Ensembles may include any combination of instruments including duos, trios, quartets, piano duets, and string quartets and trios. Instrumental solos with piano accompaniment and concerti movements are not allowed. This is a unified Portland District event for both East and West Portland.
Deadline for registration: 9/9/2021

Grant Event-Acquiring Aural Skills: Listening Deeply
2021-10-12 11:00 - 12:30 | Virtual/Online
Local Contact: For more information please contact Tammy Johnson.
Location: Zoom, for access please contact Susan Todd.
Presenting District: Umpqua Valley-South Coast
Presenter: Dr. Johnandrew Slominski American pianist Johnandrew Slominski enjoys a distinguished reputation as a performer and pedagogue. He has been hailed as “a remarkable, brilliant, and gifted pianist” (Chautauquan Daily), commended for performing with “a great deal of intellect” (89.9 KBPS Portland), and recognized for his communicative performance: “I was profoundly moved by his performance…He has a musicianship that transcends his youthfulness.” (Eye on Sun Valley). His 2016 San Francisco concert debut, presented by the New Piano Collective, earned praise as “awe-inspiring” and “ear-opening” from Stephen Smoliar of the San Francisco Examiner. Slominski seamlessly navigates the landscape of a varied and thriving career as a soloist, chamber musician, music theorist, author, pedagogue, and speaker. Highlights of his current season include a solo CD released on the Centaur Records label, an all-Schubert disc with soprano Kayleen Sánchez released on the Soundset Recordings label, performances of concerti by Mozart and Schumann, and more than a dozen speaking and teaching engagements in the United States and Asia.
Dr. Slominski earned three degrees from the Eastman School of Music by age 21, and was unanimously nominated for the Jerald R. Graue Musicology Fellowship and the Eastman Performer’s Certificate; his first professorship followed at age 23. He has held faculty positions as a pianist and music theorist at the Eastman School of Music, the Sunderman Conservatory at Gettysburg College, and Virginia Commonwealth University. He is the founding director of Classical Music on the Spot (an institute for eighteenth-century improvisation), a co-founder of the San Francisco International Piano Festival, a founding faculty member of the Rebecca Penneys Piano Festival at the University of South Florida, and an Assistant Professor of Music at Linfield College. He earned the Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the Eastman School of Music. Slominski is a New Piano Collective artist.
Program Description: The composer and pianist Robert Schumann wrote in 1848 that, “You must get to the point that you can hear music from the page.… A perfect musician should be able to picture a piece, at first hearing…as though he had the score in front of him.” This presentation by Dr. Slominski (former theory and aural skills faculty at the Eastman School of Music), opens a conversation about teaching and learning through a nuanced aural curriculum. Skills discussed include sight-singing, solfege and solmization, dictation, playing by ear, improvisation, and more.
