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Segue Winter Spring 2018 DRAFT.Pages

Segue Winter Spring 2018 DRAFT.Pages

SEGUE Professional Teachers of New

Newsletter Winter — Spring 2018 POST-CONFERENCE EDITION PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE: Jan King, NCTM Welcome to the spring issue of Segue. In it you will find pictures of our Conference last fall and latest information about happenings in our organization. Dates you should remember: National Conference in Orlando, Florida — March 17-21 PMTNM Spring Board Meeting — April 21 10 AM at Sharon Kunitz’ house PMTNM Fall Conference — November 8-10, Santa Fe Other items of importance: Please remember to nominate a “Teacher of the Year” and send information to Jeanne Grealish, our secretary. Details are in the handbook found online, and must be submitted in time for the April board meeting. Melissa Toedtman and I are working hard on the fall conference. We still need more input into what you what like to see and do at this important event. We all need encouragement and the fellow- ship of meeting and interacting with fellow musicians. Don’t forget our hard-working committee on honors requirements. If you have any ideas or sug- gestions for change, please contact Larry Blind, Melissa Toedtman or Tatiana Vetrinskaya with your ideas. Any changes recommended by the committee will be voted on in the spring board meeting. Also, I would encourage you as members if you are not nationally certified, to check out the advan- tages and requirements of becoming certified. Our new chairman is Cheryl Pachek-Brooks and she will answer all your questions. Our new directory will be out soon and Jeanne Grealish has been working hard on it. You will see it in your mailbox soon. And lastly, please be sure and thank Dianne Brehmer Bailey and Douglas Bailey for their hard work on this issue of the Segue, and Jeanne for her efforts on the directory. It takes a lot of folks to make an organization run well. Happy music making, and have a great spring! Jan About this issue - - We have laid Inside this Issue — President’s Message Page 1 out this issue of Segue as a pictor- About this Issue Page 1 ial diary of the Conference Symposium in Pictures Page 2 Weekend’s activities. If you Keynote address Page - 3 missed it, here’s a glimpse of what Student Festival Activities Page 5 happened. If you attended, we Winners Recital in Pictures Page 6 hope you enjoy the memories. Weed and Danfelser Scholarships Page 5 Save the Date Page 7 Thursday afternoon Board Meeting fol- Student Winners’ Recital Page 8 lowed by Annual Membership meeting Dates and Deadlines Page 9 and dinner at Chilie’s provided the pre- Officers and Chairs Page 10 lude for the Symposium Friday and Stu- Amazonsmile Campaign Page 10 dent activities Saturday. Joyce Waker Winners Page 14 News from Northeast II Page 14 Scholarship Committee Report Page 14 PMTNM Newsletter — Winter - Spring 2018 Page 2 SEGUE SEGUE Winter Spring Caption copy PMTNM Conference--#1 Symposium day

Occupational Therapist, Dr. Melanie Tidman, discussed Symposium moderator, Dr. Chuck her work during the first pre- Pribyl, introduces the day’s sentation of the day. program.

Bette engages volunteers to participate in an illus- trative exercise from the Power Yoga program.

Bette Castoria , certified Brain Education Trainer, shared a strategy for teaching and utilizing power yoga—a new program being pilot tested in New York and Santa Fe.

Dr. Gary Ingle, MTNA National Ex- ecutive Director, offered the clos- ing presentation, “Does Music Heal the Mind and Heart?”

Dr. Chuck Pribyl and Hand Therapist Linda Carroll led a special noon-time session on the assess- ment of hand problems for musicians.

Guests enjoy fellowship and camaraderie at the annual Banquet. Music was provided by Dr. Chuck Pribyl’s Blue Grass band, Strawberry Jam. PMTNM Newsletter — Winter - Spring 2018 SEGUE Page 3 Music Teachers Keynote Address: Can Music Heal the Mind and Heart? November 10, 2017 — by Dr. Gary Ingle, MTNA CEO and Executive Director It’s a pleasure for me to be with you today in the great city of Albuquerque. You know, Albuquerque is a curious word. Is there any other word, much less city, with so many “Qs” and so many “Us”…And that pesky “R”…or is there an “R”? Maybe a better pronunciation would be just as it looks: “Alba-kwerkie.” Anyway, I love going to Albuquerque, especially to visit Jeanne and multiple friends here. But my assistant Diana? Well, she just sort of gasps when I tell her. She knows she’s going to have to redo all her research on how to spell the word. I was delighted to accept Jeanne’s invitation to give the closing keynote. However, it has been a challenge, a good challenge, to prepare. For you see, I am not a physician or a music therapist. My doctor- ate is in choral conducting. I wanted to be a concert pianist, but two things stood in my way: my right hand and my left hand. I guess my closest encounter with medicine and therapy was when I was diagnosed with antisocial behavior. I joined a support group. We never meet. It was also a challenge because I was given an hour and fifteen minutes for the address. This is a first for me. Usually, I have strict orders not to exceed ten minutes or at most twenty minutes. I want to as- sure you that I will not take the entire time allotted for the address, despite the fact that Parkinson’s Law may be just as applicable to speeches as it is to work. Parkinson said that “work expands to fill the time al- lotted for its completion.” In the same way, speeches expand to fill the time allotted for their completion. However, there’s another saying that “trumps” (oops, sorry…) Parkinson’s Law. It’s the one that says: “the mind can comprehend only what the seat can endure.” So, I’ll keep it as brief as possible. You know, giving an address on the topic of music and healing, especially with those of you who know more than I on the subject, makes me feel like Zha Zha Gabor’s eight husbands. I know exactly what I am supposed to do. I’m just not sure I can make it interesting. The idea that music has healing powers occurs in almost every culture and goes back to ancient times. Apollo was the god of both music and healing. Hippocrates is said to have played music to help treat his patients. In the Old Testament, King Saul’s fits of depression were alleviated by the music of young David. In addition to the beliefs and actions of these ancient sources, there is much anecdotal evidence that music has healing powers. It goes all the way back to Plato who said: “Music is a means of restoring the soul, as well as confused and discordant bodily afflictions.” Martin Luther, the leader of the Ref- ormation, said: “My heart, which is so full to overflowing, has often been solaced and refreshed by music when sick and weary.” My first exposure to the idea of music and healing was the famous quote from Act I of the drama The Mourning Bride by the English playwright from the Restoration period William Congreve: “Music hath charms to soothe the savage breast…” In today’s popular culture, quotes by musicians on the healing power of music appear everywhere: • Billy Joel: “I think music in itself is healing. It's an explosive expression of humanity. It's something we are all touched by. No matter what culture we're from, everyone loves music.” • Reba McEntire: “For me, sad songs often has a way of healing a situation. It gets the hurt out in the open into the light, out of the darkness.” • Ed Hardy, the critically-acclaimed violinist and composer: “, in particular, is a powerful and unifying force that inspires individuals to action and ini- tiates the process of healing in times of personal tragedy or national crisis.” • Albert Ayler, saxophonist: “Music is the healing force of the universe.” • John Logan, Irish singer: “Music is the medicine of the mind.” Continued page 4 PMTNM Newsletter — Winter - Spring 2018 Page 4 SEGUE • Burning Spear, reggae singer: “I believe music is like medicine. Like a good tonic, it can strengthen and possibly even cure you. Music can work on many levels, and nothing I know of possesses the heal- ing force that exists within music.” My final quote is by Bernie Siegel, the well-known pediatric surgeon and writer of bestseller Love, Medicine and Miracles: “I use music in the operating room to help create a healing environment for patients and staff. There is a reason that certain heart rates are healthy and certain beats of music heal and relax us.” Well, there you have it. The evidence is in. Enough ancient philosophers and popular musicians be- lieve that music is a medicine that heals the mind and heart, so it must be true. The only scintilla of doubt, if there is any, would have been alleviated if I could have found a quote by a Miss America contestant. I found several on world peace, but none on music and healing. Regardless, Billy Joel, Reba, Burning Spear can’t be wrong. They said it, I believe it, that settles it. Music heals the mind and heart! Any questions? Okay, well, maybe it takes more than a few earnest quotes by ancient and popular figures to estab- lish that, indeed, music heals the mind and heart. Don’t get me wrong. These quotes reflect the personal experiences of all of the individuals. Each of them have experienced the life-altering, enriching, and healing power of music in their own lives. Personal experience is a vital aspect of knowing if music can heal the mind and heart. But subjective personal experience is not sufficient. It must be supplemented with objective research and experimentation. Only then can we know for sure that music heals. Much research has confirmed that music has psychological and physiological effects. While scien- tists can now see via medical imaging some of the changes in the brains of people listening to Beethoven or Elvis, music is a very complex stimulus, and the ways it works on us remain largely elusive. I won’t go into a lot of the research specifically, as most of you are already aware of it. I will touch on some broad generalities and some off the beaten path research. Music therapy—the use of music to address physical, psychological, cognitive and/or social prob- lems — now plays an accepted role in modern medicine, for children as well as adults. Some colleges and universities offer degrees in music therapy, several organizations provide certification in the field, and many hospitals offer the therapy to patients. There are different approaches to music therapy, which can be done one-by-one or in a group, can use instrumental or vocal music, and can involve just listening to music, moving to it, or actively making it. Music therapy has been used as an adjunct treatment for everything from strokes and various types of chronic pain to dementia and other neurological disorders. Some of the best evidence concerns the use of calming music for anxiety disorders and depression, as was documented in a 2011 review paper in the Harvard Review of Psychiatry. Two years earlier, a Cochrane analysis of 23 clinical trials concluded that music can have a beneficial effect on blood pressure, heart rate, respiration, anxiety, and pain in people with heart disease. Music is also sometimes used for short-term goals—for instance, to help alleviate anxiety and pain (which can be exacerbated by anxiety) in patients before and after surgery, as well as to help them feel less nervous when undergoing procedures such as an MRI or the dreaded colonoscopy. In part, music may simply distract people from their pain and other symptoms. Up-tempo music can be used to motivate and energize people during physical or occupational therapy—or just during a conventional exercise program. I have my own personal experience with this aspect of music. Years ago, I had to have an MRI of my head in order to determine the cause of tinnitus. An MRI is a very anxiety-producing procedure. You are in a dark room, strapped onto a frame that takes you into a claustrophobic tube, and weird knocking sounds occur as the magnets do their job. Mine was made scarier because I had to wear a leather helmet that held my head rigidly immobile. It made me look like Dr. Hannibal Lecter in The Silence of the Lambs. In order to relax the patients, earphones were provided in order to listen to music during the ordeal. You could choose what kind of music you listened to, so of course I chose Classical. Nothing is more soothing than a Mozart symphony or a Chopin Nocturne. Continued page 11 PMTNM Newsletter — Winter - Spring 2018 SEGUE Page 5 Dr. TsuFeng Liu stepped up to present the Master Class in place of Marina Magazinik, who had suffered a car accident.

Scenes from Ensemble Recital emceed by Melissa Toedtman

Dr. Gary Ingle talks with teachers at the Round Table Discussion. PMTNM Newsletter — PMTNM Newsletter — Winter - Spring 2018 Page 6 SEGUE

President Jan King welcomed audience members to the Winners’ Recital. Later Heather Nasi, chair of the Scholarship Committee announced the winners of the Danfelser and Weed scholarships. See page 14 for names

Scenes from the Winners’ Recital PMTNM Newsletter — Winter - Spring 2018 SEGUE Page 7

More scenes from the Winners’ Recital.

REMEMBER!! PLEASE SUBMIT APPLICATIONS FOR THE WEED AND DAN- FELSER SCHOLARSHIPS BY OCTOBER 5, 2018. Forms are on the PMTNM Website. Note to teachers: the Weed Scholarship is open to all performers, both vocal and instrumental. The application for this scholarship involves three parts: one for the student, one for the music teacher, and one for the school teacher. The Danfelser Scholarship is for pianists only and the ap- plication requires two parts, one each from student and music teachers. If you have questions or need forms, please contact Heather Nasi at 505-863-5039 or [email protected].

SAVE the DATE:

Colorado State Music Teachers Association Conference, May 31 - June 2, 2018 Colorado Music Teachers Association Conference will be in Greeley, CO at University of Northern CO, June 1-3. Information about the conference, including a preliminary schedule and registration form, can be found by going to comusicteachers.net and click on the Conference tab for all the details. PMTNM Newsletter — Winter - Spring 2018 Page 8 SEGUE Professional Music Teachers of New Mexico Affiliated with Music Teachers National Association Student Winners’ Recital November 11, 2017 7:00 PM Albuquerque Academy Recital Hall – Albuquerque, New Mexico Greeting & Welcome Student Honors – Level 3 (continued) Jan King, NCTM, PMTNM President 1st Voice Presentation of the Byrdis W. Danfelser Piano I Attempt from Love’s Sickness to Fly Henry Purcell Scholarship - Heather Nasi, NCTM Chair Allison Lium (J. Zander-Wall) Martha Dalager – Piano 1st Piano Desperate Measures (Paganini Variations), Op. 48 Presentation of the Janet Spangenberg Weed Robert Muczynski Scholarships - Heather Nasi, NCTM Chair Julia Chen (M. Williamson) 2nd Piano: Andy Liu (T. Vetrinskaya) 1st MTNA Senior Composition Rain Onto the Desert Mason Canon Student Honors – Level 1 Mason Canon – Piano (M. Garland) 1st String Student Honors – Level 4 III. Presto from Concerto in A Minor, Op. 3, No. 6 1st Voice Antonio Vivaldi Vado ben spesso cangiando loco Giovanni Bononcini Alicia Peng (J. Yuan) Jack Maikranz (J. Zander-Wall) Larry Blind – Piano Martha Dalager – Piano 1st Voice 1st Piano I’m Learning to Read Betty Roe Nocturne in D-Flat Major, Op. 27, No. 2 Frederic Chopin Oliver Groves (J. Zander-Wall) Alina Vulcan (L. Blind) Martha Dalager – Piano 2nd Piano: Nicholas Mozyrsky (M. Williamson) 1st Piano Student Honors – Level 5 Penguins from Birds Etudes-Tableau Andrew Higgins 1st Voice Todd Miao (T. Bayliyeva) Linden Lea Ralph Vaughn Williams 2nd Piano: Naoki Li (L. King) Erik Clark (J. Zander-Wall) 1st String Martha Dalager – Piano Representative MTNA Elementary Composition 1st Piano Drifting Ages Elsie Miller Barcarolle from Fantasy Pieces, Op. 6 Charles Griffes Elise Miller – Piano (M. Garland) Edwin Lu (L. Blind) Student Honors – Level 2 MTNA Junior Performance 1st String 1st Piano III. Allegretto moderato from Concerto No. 2, in G Major, V. Hesitation Tango from Souvenirs, Op. 28 Samuel Barber Op. 13 Fritz Seitz Wesley Dong (L. Blind) John Bollinger (J. Yuan) 2nd Piano: Jane Wei (T. Bayliyeva) Marcus York – Piano MTNA Senior Performance 1st Voice Representative Voice Path to the Moon Eric Thiman Pippa’s Song from Six Songs for High Voice Ned Rorem Hazel Krinsky (J. Zander-Wall) Dana Portnoy (J. Zander-Wall) Martha Dalager – Piano 1st Piano 1st Piano IV. Finale, Presto non tanto from Sonata #3 in B Minor, Op. 58 Romance, Inquietud from Ten Pieces mignonnes, Op. 77 Frederic Chopin Moritz Moszkowski Ishan Loomba (C. Leone) Akilan Sankaran (L. Blind) 2nd Piano: Andreas Landstedt (F. Steinbach) 2nd Piano: Kayden Kelly (J. Helin) MTNA Young Artist Performance 1st MTNA Junior Composition Representative Piano The Magician Ezra Trager-Tarrant I. Allegro assai from Sonata No. 23 in F Minor, Op. 57 – Ezra Trager-Tarrant (M. Garland) Ludwig von Beethoven Piano – Melyssa Garland Gabriel Landstedt (F. Steinbach) 2nd Isaac Garcia (M. Garland) Student Honors – Level 3 Presentation of the Joyce Walker Awards 1st String Ron Grinage, NCTM for Joyce Walker III. Presto from Concerto in A Minor, Op. 3, No. 6 Antonio Vivaldi Sunaina McKee (E. Kuajara) Rohini McKee – Piano PMTNM Newsletter — Winter - Spring 2018 SEGUE Page 9

*****Dates and Deadlines*****

• Colorado State Music Teachers Associa- tion Conference, May 31 - June 2, 2018 • The PMTNM State Honors Auditions will be posted at a later date on the PNTNM web page http://pmtnm.net

• MTNA NATIONAL CONFERENCE March 17- 21, 2018 in Orlando, FL.

Presentation of the Janet Spangenberg Weed Scholarships - Heather Nasi, NCTM Chair See page 14 for names.

Presentation of the Joyce Walker Awards Ron Grinage, NCTM for Joyce Walker See page 14 for names. PMTNM Newsletter — Winter - Spring 2018 Page 10 SEGUE

Officers and Chairs Professional Music Teachers of New Mexico PRESIDENT - Jan King, NCTM VICE - PRESIDENT - Melissa Toedtman Past President - Sharon Kunitz, NCTM Executive Secretary/Treasure - Jeanne Grealish, NCTM MembershipChair - Melissa Toedtman New Member Mentoring - Melissa Toedtman DISTRICT VICE - PRESIDENTS Central - Tatiana Vetrinskaya Northeast I - Madeline J. Williamson Northeast II - Doris Tankersley Northwest - Alyssa Brown Southeast - Michelle Walton Southwest - Vicki Lynn Martone MTNA Competitions MTNA State Competition General Chair - Jan King, NCTM MTNA Young Artist Performance Competition & Chamber Music, Junior-Senior Auditions ,& Student Composition Competition - Ron Grinage, NCTM Committee Chairpersons Advertising Manager - Sharon Kunitz, NCTM Archives - OPEN State Certification Chair - Cheryl Pachak-Brooks, NCTM College Facility Form & Collegiate Chapters Mailing - Laura Spitzer Composer Commissioning - OPEN Performance Evaluation Program Chair - Janna Warren Scholarships: Danfelser and Weed Chair - Heather Nasi, NCTM Handbook - Ronald F. Grinage, NCTM Independent Music Teacher Form - OPEN Joyce Walker Student Foundation - Joyce Walker MTNA Foundation - Melissa Toedtman Memorial Outreach Fund - Ferrell Roberts NCTM PEP (General Auditions) - Janna Vidisheva Warren Segue News Letter Editor - Dianne Brehmer Bailey, NCTM Student Activities Chair - Terri Reck Student Honors Chair - Lawrence Blind Student Travel Fund Raffle - OPEN Webmaster - Dianne Brehmer Bailey, NCTM

amazonsmile campaign for PMTNM Amazon will donate 0.5% of the price of your eligible AmazonSmile purchases to Professional Music Teachers of New Mexico whenever you shop on AmazonSmile. You can select a different charitable organization after signing in. AmazonSmile is the same Amazon you know. Same products, same prices, same service. PMTNM Newsletter — Winter - Spring 2018 Page 11 SEGUE The doctor tuned the earphones to the Classical station and away I went into the tube. Unfortunate- ly, the Classical station decided to play Pictures at an Exhibition by Mussorgsky. More specifically, the Gates of Kiev finale that features some very dissonant and frightening music. Needless to say, the music had the opposite effect. My anxiety was not stanched, but instead heightened. Of course, taste in music varies, and what enthralls one person may be just noise to another. Some research suggests that classical music is best for stress reduction, heart rate and blood pressure, though this may, in part, relate to the age and tastes of the researchers who did the studies. If you don’t like Bach or Mozart, it won’t help you much as you go into the operating room (though it may help the surgeon). So one prerequisite, of course, is to have people choose music they like. Some individuals don’t care for any music, and for them silence may be the best treatment. All forms of music may have therapeutic effects, although music from one's own culture may be most effective. Perhaps the culture that has the longest track record of research as well as the most devel- oped belief that music heals is the Chinese. Certainly, it is the most intriguing. From what little I know about it, in Chinese medical theory, the five internal organ and meridian systems (heart, liver, spleen, lung, kidney and their corresponding paths of life-energy or “chi”) are believed to have corresponding musical tones, which are used to encourage healing. In fact, the very first Chinese medicine was music, with herbals added at a later stage. The Chinese character for “medicine” is the combination of the words “music” and “herb.” For those of you who are interested, the tones are: heart: C#; liver: A#; Spleen: F#; Lung: G#; Kid- ney: D#. According to Chinese medicine adherents, the human voice is the best instrument and most effec- tive for healing. A French musician-acupuncturist together with a scientist researched the effects of sound on cells in the laboratory. Red blood cells show the biggest reaction to human voice, especially to the note A [440 CYCLES]. The red blood cell radiates at every A note, and it radiates in response to musical instru- ments that sound the A note. Cancer cells are intolerant of musical scale; generally they will explode at the 6th and 7th note on the scale, while normal cells do not. Singing is good sound nourishment, especially if we can find that “fundamental note” that is unique to each of us. Sounding this note helps us to recover and uplift ourselves rapidly. Some illnesses are a result of a deficiency of a certain sound; if we are able to discover that missing note, sounding it will certainly be a good medicine. Unfortunately, all the research news today is not always good news about the healing power of music. On October 16 of this year, less than a month ago, an interesting on-line article caught my attention. It was entitled, “Career in Music is Damaging to Mental Health, New Study Finds.” The article summarized the results of a new study undertaken by University of Westminster researchers Sally-Anne Gross and Dr. George Musgrave, entitled “Can Music Make You Sick?” The insights into the scale of the mental health challenges facing Britain’s music industry was disturbing to say the least. Although the study was focused on British musicians, I am quite sure that the results are transferrable to American musicians. It was the largest known academic study of its kind. This survey of over 2,200 musicians revealed they are up to three times more likely to experience depression compared to the general public. Money worries, due to precarious and unpredictable pay plus the juggling of many different jobs, can exacerbate the issue, with poor working conditions cited as a major issue. Elsewhere, the report found sexual abuse, bullying and discrimination may also be prevalent, with a musician’s working environment prone to being antisocial and unsympathetic. Social challenges were also cited as a contributing factor to declining mental health, as relationships with family, friends and partner of- ten come under pressure. The report was intended to shed light on areas the music industry can focus on to improve conditions for musicians, artists, songwriters, composers and producers. I would add to that list, music teachers, especially independent music teachers in the private sector. Many of them face the same money worries as the musicians cited in the study. The same factors, especially precarious and unpredictable pay, are at work in the lives of music teachers. cont page 12 PMTNM Newsletter — Winter - Spring 2018 Page 12 SEGUE Keynote Address continued from page 11 Private music teachers also face social challenges. We all know that private music teaching, espe- cially out of one’s home, is a very solitary, often lonely career. There are few opportunities for interaction with other colleagues during the day. Music teachers also have incredibly stressful schedules. Not only are the lessons repetitive—one 30-minute or hour-long lesson after another. Music teachers also have to teach when students are not in school. That means teaching very early in the morning, late into the night, and on weekends. Include in the mix the constant frustrations that come with dealing with one child after another, few of whom practice as much as they should (or at all). When you add it all up, it is no surprise that musi- cians are three times more likely to experience depression than the general public. I don’t believe, however, that this specific research negates any of the research that shows positive medical results of music. I think a distinction must be made between “music” and a “music career.” Al- though the title of the research, “Can Music Make You Sick?,” is an attention-getter, especially when juxta- posed with other common phrases like “Can Music Make You Smarter?,” it may be a bit misleading. Maybe a better title for the research would have been, “Can a Music Career Make You Sick?” I don’t think it is mu- sic that is makes musicians sick. It’s probably the one thing that makes the less than ideal life conditions worthwhile. For the past two years, I have spoken at the American Psychoanalytic Association’s annual meeting. At both conferences, I was impressed with the number of psychoanalysts who were not only interested in music as a therapeutic tool, but were also amateur musicians. There were several who shared with me their love for the piano especially. Another told me he plays in a rock band. Yet another a per- cussionist. All manner of instruments was cited. By far, the major benefit of their love of music and playing an instrument was to de-stress. And that is no accident. When it comes to making music, the instrument demands an attention and focus that does not allow interfering thoughts that might be distracting or dis- tressful. In doing so, it relieves the stresses and pressures of the day. That in turn promotes a sense of well-being, which contributes to life quality, which contributes to good health. I recently discovered that the American Psychiatric Conference goes even further. For the past sev- eral years, have had a big presence at its yearly conference. No, Elton John doesn’t perform for them. Instead, the pianos are for the therapists themselves. A number of booths in the exhibit hall are equipped with pianos in order for therapists can take a break and relax—by playing the piano or by listen- ing to piano music. So, even psychiatrists use the piano to de-stress. I’d say that is a ringing endorsement for music’s effectiveness at soothing the troubled spirit. There you have it: yes, I believe that music heals the mind and heart. It is verified by both subjective personal experiences of others as well as by objective scientific and medical research. But I would postulate that the experiences of others coupled with objective research are still not sufficient. I believe that each of us need to have experienced it ourselves. The most conclusive evidence for me is my own personal experience, however subjective it may be. So, in conclusion, I want to share one personal experience of my own related to music and healing. My first full-time professional job in music was as a “Minister of Music” in a church in Alabama where I grew up. It was the late 1970s, before the interest in music and wellness became wide-spread. In my church, there were a number of senior adults who were wanting activities to be involved in. As a young twenty-something, I established a choir for them. To be eligible, one had to be over 55, hence the reason they named themselves “The Speeders.” We met every Wednesday afternoon for an hour, and performed four times per year. The rehearsals were always, interesting. We would always begin with some sort of warmup that included movement with the music. One of their favorites was “Head and Shoulders Knees and Toes.” They would have to touch the appropriate body part when it was sung. continued page 13 PMTNM Newsletter — Winter - Spring 2018 SEGUE Page 13 Keynote Address continued from page 12 One Wednesday after a rehearsal, I went to my office. When I entered the Church Office, the secre- tary looked at me quizzically. I asked her, “What’s wrong?” She asked me, “What are you having the Speeders sing? I heard them singing “There’s a Tavern in the Town!” You probably know that Baptists don’t think very highly of anything related to alcohol, including references to where it is dispensed. There’s a sto- ry about a group of Baptists who went to dinner. The waiter asked them what they would like to drink, a glass of wine or a cocktail. One of the group replied, “I’m sorry. We’re Baptists. We don’t drink…around each other.” Anyway, I assured the secretary that the song was not “There’s a Tavern in the Town” but “Head and Shoulder Knees and Toes.” She breathed a sigh of relief. I also recalled some of the musical wisdom I acquired from the group. As the director, I was con- stantly trying to get them to open their mouths when they sang, so that the voices would project. After using such pedagogical techniques as “Pretend you are biting an apple” or “Be able to place two fingers in your mouth,” a lovely 85 year old matriarch said, “Gary, you know, the reason we don’t open our mouths like you want us to is, our dentures will fall.” Duh, of course! It changed my entire approach with the rehearsals. The “payoff” was not the quality of the performances. Their singing sounded like you would expect a group of 70 and 80 year olds to sound. The real benefit was the health and well-being that the rehearsals and performances brought to their lives. In fact, I can’t tell you how many sons and daughters thanked me for “adding years to their Mom or Dad’s life.” From that point on, I have been a true believer that music heals the mind and heart. Well, I’ve shared my own personal experience with music and healing. I think it would be great to end this keynote with you sharing your own personal experiences with music and healing. Who will be first? In conclusion, what is the bottom line: You don’t need to have a reason to listen to or make music other than the pleasure or catharsis it gives you. But if it also helps you deal with pain and anxiety, lifts you out of depression for a while, helps you with some other physical or psychological problem or motivates you to exercise, more power to it. Unlike new drugs or medical procedures, music needs no government approval or clinical trials—it’s usually free or inexpensive, and can’t hurt even if it, in some cases, fails to help. The Professional Music Teachers of New Mexico Present An Ensemble Recital Albuquerque Academy - Saturday, November11, 2017 2:15p.m. The Piano-Playing Skeleton Kevin Olson Rustic Dance.op.22B, no.6Carl Reinecke Greedy Goblins Elizabeth Greenleaf Two Waltzes, op 39, nos 10 and 11 Johannes Brahms Dallin and Lana Elledge Robin Thompson and Patricia Wood Melissa Toedtman, teacher Patricia Wood, teacher We Gather Together arr. Robert Vandall "Dream with Me” from Peter Pan Leonard Bernstein Danielle and Jessica Webb Catherine Hearn Villescas, Soprano Sharon Kunitz, teacher Zachary McGee, Cello Sharon Kunitz, Piano Gypsy Dance Robert Vanall Jeanne Grealish, teacher Takuya and Naoki Li "In His Eyes" from Jekyl & Hyde - Bricusse and Wildhorn Linda King, teacher Maggie Boone; Emma Sea Modes Sara Glid Maia Sanchez, Lucy Rigaudon for a Jellyfish, Duke of Dolphin, The Earl of Humpback Sharon Kunitz , Piano Tim Ryer and Grandma Marianne Jeanne Grealish. teacher Melissa Toedtman, teacher "If Momma was Married" from Gypsie - Sondheim and Melodious Pieces, op.149, nos.17 and 28 Anton Diabelli Styne Hannah and Mamie Hammer Maia Sanchez, Louise Charlene Cox-Clifton, teacher Maggie Boone, June Broadway lights Robert Vandall Sharon Kunitz, Piano Phillip Ionkov and Janna Warren Jeanne Grealish, teacher Janna Warren, teacher PMTNM Newsletter — Winter - Spring 2018 Page 14 SEGUE 2017 Music Bowl Winners, News from Northeast District II — Level I Leah Crabtree, Student of Astrid Groth Ferrell Roberts was among the panel of adjudicators for the Level II Johnny Yan, Student of Astrid Groth 2018 Grace Hamilton Piano Festival at West Texas A&M University held February 9-10. The Festival opened with a recital by guest Level III Kate Conrad, Student of Terri Reck artists Dr. Chien-Jung Chen, Director of the Preparatory and Continu- ing Studies Department at the University of Houston’s Moore’s School of Music and Dr. Choong-ha Nam, Associate Professor of Pi- ano at West Texas A&M University in Canyon. The Festival conclud- ed with an Honors Recital in WTAMUs Fine Arts Complex Recital Hall. Two of Ferrell’s piano students participated in the Lubbock Music Teachers Associations Sonatina Contest held at Texas Tech University February 17. Except for very beginning piano students all of his students were presented in a Sonatina Recital in March. The students will participate in PEP auditions and a Spring Recital in May. First United Methodist Church in Clovis where Ferrell is on the music staff as organist, pianist and accompanist recently installed a new digital three manual Rodgers Infinity Organ with a floating Solo Division (manual). Four ranks of principal pipes from the previous organ, a digital three manual Rodgers Trillium Organ, were trans- ferred to the new organ and two additional ranks of pipes will be added this spring. In August, 2015 the church acquired a new Kawai GX2 511 grand piano. These fine instruments were acquired through 2017 Joyce Walker Winners generous donations. That bright, bright smile you see coming from Ferrell is one of abundant gratitude! PMTNM Honors Voice: Level 1: Oliver Groves (Zander-Wall) Dr. John Olsen is staying very busy as an accompanist. Cur- Level 2: Hazel Krinsky (Zander-Wall) rently he is working on an upcoming April recital with Dr. Sherwood. Level 3: Allison Lium (Zander-Wall) Doris Tankersley had several students play in the WTAM Mu- Level 4: Jack Maikranz (Zander-Wall) sic Festival in Canyon, Texas, February 10th. Level 5: Erik Clark (Zander-Wall) Piano Guild is scheduled for May and Doris will have several PMTNM Honors Strings: students involved. Level 1: Alicia Peng (Yuan) Two piano recitals are planned for May in Buchannan Hall, Level 2: John Bollinger (Yuan) ENMU. Students of Doris Tankersley will be playing. Level 3: Sunaina McKee (Kuajara) PMTNM Honors Piano: Level 1: Todd Miao (Bayliyeva) SCHOLARSHIP COMMITTEE ANNOUNCEMENT Level 2: Akilan Sankaran (Blind) FOR THE Level 3: Julia Chen (Williamson) 2017 CONFERENCE WINNERS’ RECITAL Level 4: Alina Vulcan (Blind) Six scholarships were presented at the WInners’ Recital. Level 5: Edwin Lu (Blind) Heather Nasi awarded three $500 Danfelser scholarships and three MTNA Elementary Composition: $500.00 Weed scholarships this year. The Danfelser recipients are Elsie Miller (Garland) Presley Gao of Los Alamos, student of Jacquelyn Helin of Santa Fe, MTNA Jr. Composition: and Naoki Orlando Ii and Takuya Oscar Ii of Las Vegas, both are stu- Ezra Trager-Tarrant (Garland) dents of Linda King, NCTM, of Las Vegas. The Weed recipients are MTNA Sr. Composition: Ciarra Gonzales of Albuquerque, student of Jeanne Grealish, NCTM, Mason Canon (Garland) of Albuquerque, Jack Maikranz of Albuquerque, student of Jacqueline MTNA Sr. Voice Representative: Zander-Wall of Albuquerque, and Kayden Kelly of Santa Fe, student Dana Portnoy of Jacquelyn Helin of Santa Fe. MTNA Jr. Piano: Wesley Dong (Blind) MTNA Sr. Piano: Ishan Loomba (Leone) MTNA Young Artist Representative: Gabriel Landstedt (Steinbach)