UPCOMING NEPTA EVENTS
Mon, May 19, 2014 Annual Meeting and Awards Recital First Parish of Watertown 9:30 AM 9 AM Music Sale Mon, May 19, 2014
Annual Luncheon THE TALK Restaurant Watertown 12:00 noon Music Sale Immediately Before the May Annual Meeting 9:00-9:30 AM
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MEMBER NEWS, OPPORTUNITY & REQUEST
Looking for a Piano Teacher in Wisconsin
Do you know an experienced piano teacher in Madison, Wisconsin? Victoria Suchodolski's 8-year-old beginner-student is moving there over the summer and needs a new teacher. If you know anyone who may e available, please contact Victoria at vas1770@yahoo.com or 617-501-4850.
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Looking for a Pianist for an Adult Dance Program
July 6 - July 13
Portland, CT
Noyes School of Rhythm is looking to expand their piano staff. This is a unique opportunity to play concert and improvisatory music in the summer for dances in the woods for a community of women. Read More...Please send interested notes to Emily Arwen Mott, Noyes Rhythm Director, Emilyarwenmott@gmail.com.
*** Join a currently active group of NEPTA Dalcroze Eurthyhmics enthusiasts for summer workshops in improvisation and movement games to enhance your piano teaching. No prior experience necessary. We are having fun and would love you to join us! Call or email Nina Grimaldi: 857-753-8994, dalcroze.nina@gmail.com. *** for families with children of all ages 6:30-8:30 p.m.
for teachers, colleagues and adult studentsCMC was founded by Deborah Yardley Beers, Shizue Sano, Jonathan Cohler, Clayton Hoener and Lisa Lederer. CMC offers high quality music instruction to students of all ages and levels. CMC also offers studios and multi-purpose work spaces for daily or hourly rentals. 315 Broadway, Cambridge 2nd floor
located between Central and Inman Squares
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The next newsletter is scheduled to appear in September 2014. Please submit member news for inclusion in the next newsletter by the 20th of August to gelmanpiano@aol.com.
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Visit us at www.facebook.com/NEPTApiano to view a multitude of pianistic news and opportunities in the Boston area. You may post your own up-to-the-minute concert listings and see the latest news
from your NEPTA friends! YouTube videos of your concert performances are especially welcome.
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MAY GREETINGS
Dear NEPTA Members,
Our Annual Meeting/Awards Recital is so quickly approaching on May 19. This first year of my term as president has been so intense and full of new professional experiences, which enriched my life immensely. I am balancing between my teaching, enjoying life with my returned-home-after-college twenty-two-year-old daughter, and all exciting NEPTA events and projects.
I would like to express my sincere appreciation to the Board Members and to the Committee Chairs who have worked so tirelessly to make the 2013-2014 season successful. I am deeply grateful to all NEPTA members for being very helpful and responsive in all projects. Without volunteers our organization would not be able to offer so many important students/teachers events for sixty-three full-of-music years! Thank you, dear friends, from the bottom of my heart!
My special thanks to Robert Finley, Tina Liu, Sue Demb, Colleen Campbell (I would continue this list but the format of the newsletter doesn't let me do it) for always being in touch with their time, expertise and kind hearts!
I wish everyone a productive end of the teaching season and look forward to seeing you on May 19 at the Annual Meeting/Awards Recital and luncheon!
Warm regards,
Irina Y. Gelman
President
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ANNUAL MEETING AND AWARDS RECITAL
The Annual Meeting and Awards Recital featuring performances by NEPTA's competition winners will be held on Monday, May 19, 9:30 AM, at the First Parish in Watertown.
Preceding the concert, Lydia Reed-Guertin, Chair of the Nominating Committee, will formally present the following slate of members to serve on the Board for the 2014-2015 and 2014-2017 terms:
Board Officer to serve 2014-2015:
Recording Secretary: Bert Yocom of Boston
Board Members to serve 2014-2017:
Catherine Hirata of Belmont
Victoria Suchodolski of Somerville
Shann Wood of Weston
Board Member to serve 2014-2015:
Sivan Etedgee of West Newton
I am very excited at the possibility of working with these wonderful teachers. At the same time, Ranko Konishi-Houston and Diana Tetzlaff complete their respective terms on the Board, and I would like to express my sincere gratitude for their input into our organization!
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ANNUAL MAY LUNCHEON
 Immediately following the Awards Recital will be our festive Annual Luncheon. It will take place at The Talk Restaurant, 116 Main Street in Watertown Square. Please join us at this friendly celebration! The restaurant will be reserved entirely for us and the food is delicious and reasonably priced. Please contact Nina Grimaldi if you have any questions. Please also take a minute to remind your friends and colleagues!
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NEPTA DUES & SCHOLARSHIP CONTRIBUTIONS
NEPTA members can renew their dues online for the 2014-2015 season at www.nepta.info through the secure PayPal site or download the registration form and mail with a check to Lindsey Robb, our NEPTA Treasurer. THE DEADLINE TO BE INCLUDED IN THE PRINTED DIRECTORY IS MAY 31, 2014. Please consider donating to the NEPTA Scholarship Fund and support our organization efforts as you renew your dues. It is through this generous spirit that NEPTA has been able to provide aid to many students, either in recognition of their talents or by facilitating the financial commitment that some families are unable to afford.
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SUSAN B. DEMB TEACHER GRANTS
This past September, Nancy O'Neill Breth was the invited Susan B. Demb speaker. In the next program year, 2014-2015, two NEPTA Members will be awarded a Susan B. Demb Teacher Enrichment Grant to further their professional growth and enrichment by enrolling in a continuing education course, workshop, seminar or conference in piano pedagogy. Topics may include: - Teaching Basic Piano
- Using Technology in the Studio
- Theory or Composition
- Eurhythmics
- Student Development Skills including Technique and Repertoire
A NEPTA member since 1969, Sue Demb has made numerous contributions to NEPTA. This fund serves to continue and celebrate her legacy. Please mail all application materials to Lydia Reed-Guertin, Susan B. Demb Enrichment Fund Committee Chair. Please contact Lydia regarding the May 1 deadline as this may have changed. |
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NEPTA PROGRAM BOOKLET ADVERTISING
Do you or anyone you know have a special skill to market to NEPTA members for the 2014-2015 year? We are looking for special advertisers in the 2014-2015 NEPTA Program Booklet! Lawyers, decorators, builders, specialty shop owners, therapists, web designers: we all look for these wonderful services. Why not support our own NEPTA family businesses and in turn bring in advertising revenue for our booklet? For more information, please contact Irina Gelman at gelmanpiano@aol.com for rates and details. Deadline for ad-copy is June 15, 2014.
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2014 MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL COMPETITIONS' WINNERS
Congratulations to the winners of the Mildred Freiberg Middle School competition held on Saturday, March 29 and to the winners of the Ruth Davidson and Alice Hamlet High School Competitions held on Saturday, April 5, at M. Steinert & Sons in Boston. The Mildred Freiberg Middle School competition was adjudicated by Michael Lewin, Tema Blackstone and Eileen Hutchins, and the High School Competitions were adjudicated by Andrew Rangell, Gilles Vonsattel and Gila Goldstein.
 | | Bert Yocom, Irina Gelman, Andrew Rangell, Gilles Vonsattel, Gila Goldstein & Diana Tetzlaff |
Mildred Freiberg (Grade 6-8)
First Prize: Alexander Akopian, student of Natalia Harlap
Second Prize: Kara Chung, student of Nilly Shilo
Third Prize: Ahana Mukhopadhyay, student of Eleanor McLaughlin
Honorable Mention: Dan Elman, student of Tatyana Proschitsky
Ruth Davidson (Grade 9-11)
First Prize: Minji Kwon, student of Natalia Harlap
Second Prize: Michelle Chen, student of Nilly Shilo
Third Prize: Helen Huang, student of Niva Fried
Honorable Mention: Marcos Edgar, student of Naydene Bowder
Honorable Mention: Amir Siraj, student of Helena Vesterman
A. Ramon Rivera Contemporary Music Award: Marcos Edgar
Alice Hamlet (Senior)
First Prize: Kevin Ren, student of Nilly Shilo
Second Prize: Yuji Sato, student of Niva Fried
Third Prize: Daniel Shaar, student of Natalia Harlap
Margaret C. Bachelder Romantic Award: Yuji Sato A. Ramon Rivera Contemporary Music Award: Daniel Shaar Great appreciation to Ranko Konishi-Houston, Chair of the Middle School Competition, Diana Tetzlaff, Chair of the High School Competitions, and Bert Yokom, Assistant, for many hours of dedicated time and effort in planning all of the details and coordinating schedules between students and judges, and keeping everything running smoothly during the event. I am very appreciative of their great commitment and support! Very sincere thanks go also to Diana's husband Jonathan Tetzlaff who provided support and assistance.
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2014 ALICE PROCTOR AND LOUISE HODDER OLSEN AWARDS
The Alice Proctor Award is given for an outstanding original composition for solo or ensemble using one piano. This year, the award goes to Sally Rifkin, student of Elizabeth Ann Reed. Congratulations!
Unfortunately no recipient was chosen for the Louise Hodder Olson Award this year. We hope to see winners next season!
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2014 ADULT RECITAL UPDATE
 On April 7, 2014 the NEPTA Adult Recital took place at the home of Dr. David Rosenthal in Framingham, MA. This is Dr. Rosenthal's third year of hosting and proved again what a wonderful and generous host he is. Not only did he give wonderful remarks about the history of the "Amateur Pianist" and his home, but he prepared a wonderful supper. The students performed works by J.S. Bach, Chopin, Schubert, Ligeti, Beethoven and Gutman. Teachers representing them were Fern Abrams, Niva Fried, Valentina Lass, Eleanor V. McLaughlin, Eleanor Perrone, Luba Pyatkovskaya and Ruth Shyu.
Special thanks to Janice P. Zaganjori, Chair, and Angela Gazza, Assistant, for warmly preparing this wonderful event!
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VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
You don't have to be a member of the Board to contribute value and worth to NEPTA. The success of this organization relies on its base of professionals and amateurs who are willing to give selflessly of their time and effort. At this time, your organization is looking for an Advertising Chair and Junior Recitals Chair. Please step up and help this organization that works to help you. Initial inquiries can be made to Irina Gelman at gelmanpiano@aol.com. Thank you in advance!
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SPEAKER SERIES UPDATE
Notes and the Handout from our last Speaker Series meeting of the year, Joseph Smith's presentation "From Tundra to West Texas: Folksongs in Piano Literature" are now posted on the website and can be downloaded from this newsletter as well. Many thanks to
Linda Vieira for submitting such comprehensive notes.
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APRIL TEACHERS' EXCHANGE
The spring Teachers' Exchange took place April 7, and was centered around "Teaching Adults: Pedgagogy and Opportunities Beyond the Studio". Our own NEPTA presenters were Lisa Caliri, Nancy Morgan and Robert Finley. Notes from the event are submitted by Linda G. Vieira. |
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STUDENT MASTERCLASS
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Pictured: Kevin Sherman with Oxana Yablonskaya
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This year's Student Masterclass was taught by Oxana Yablonskaya. Emily Chen, student of Sivan Etedgee offered the first movement of Beethoven's Sonata Op. 90; Kevin Sherman, student of Valerie Henkin, offered the first movement of Beethoven's Sonata Op. 2, No. 3; and Catherine Song, student of Tanya Schwartzman offered two Etude Tableaux (Op. 33, No. 8 and Op. 9, No. 1) by Sergei Rachmaninoff. Again, many thanks to Janet Ainsworth who expertly chaired the masterclass.
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MUSIC SALE
 The final Music Sale of the year will begin promptly at 9:00 AM on Monday, May 19, prior to the Annual Meeting. As usual, this sale is organized by Ruth Ross, Music Library and Donation Chair. Members are asked to bring any music they are willing to donate that morning. All proceeds go directly to the NEPTA Scholarship Fund. Please direct any questions to Ruth Ross at rrosspiano@aol.com. |
 Remember that you can post your own up-to-the-minute concert listings and other items of interest for the Boston piano community on NEPTA's Facebook page. Visit www.facebook.com/NEPTApiano to see the latest news from your NEPTA friends! YouTube videos of your concert performances are especially welcome.
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PARKING REMINDER
 Please be aware that Watertown has restricted parking on the side streets immediately surrounding the First Parish and thus eliminating any "free parking". The metered spots in the parking lot adjacent to the church can accept coins up to a maximum of 8 hours (blue meters only), thereby removing the need to go feed the meter during our meeting breaks, offering instead an opportunity to socialize with NEPTA friends and colleagues.
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