Although it's barely spring, It's not too early to start thinking about student submissions to the MAPTA sponsored Young Composer's Festival.  It's oftentimes useful to assign "two measures a week" for students who struggle with notation and the discipline of submitting compositions to the festival.  So if March has 4 lessons, April and May 4 each, plus summer lessons, students will be successful in writing and notating a 24+ measure composition in time for the festival deadline!
 
Dr. David Dies, Assistant Professor of Composition, Lawrence University (and UW-Madison School of Music graduate), will adjudicate our festival this summer.  The deadline for composition submissions will be Friday, July 30, 2010.  In other words, both the printed and the recorded CD or Digital MP3 versions of compositions must be in the chairperson's hands/possession by the time mail is delivered on July 30 please.  This festival is open to MAPTA and non-MAPTA teachers and their students (an additional fee is imposed for non-MAPTA teachers/students).  This is a "statewide" competition.
 
Solo piano compositions will be judged by level.  Students deemed "First Place" and "Runner Up" in each category, by our guest judge, will be invited to perform in a Sunday September 2010 recital event.  For the sake of leveling competitions, students with duets will be asked to contact Shad at least 2 weeks prior to submission this year.
 
Shad will coordinate an "info session/workshop" for teachers, which will be scheduled for early June.  Pending funding and grant selection, MAPTA may be able to host Dr. Dies for this event.  This session/workshop will also include ways to motivate students who might otherwise be reluctant to learn how to properly notate their original musical ideas.  Interested teachers should contact Shad early to demonstrate level of interest, and help coordinate/facilitate such an offering.
 
More information to come!  Watch next month's Nuances for a submission form and details!