Conference

2004 State Conference: A Musical
Kaleidoscope

Westminster Choir College of Rider University

November 20-21, 2004

Conference Schedule

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 20

8:30	Registration/Continental Breakfast
9:30-11:00	Collaborative Workshop: Ena Bronstein Barton Phyllis Alpert Lehrer
11:15-12:15	Brahms' Sonata for Clarinet and Piano, Op.120, No.1: Deborah Gers, Patricia Landy
12:30-2:00	Lunch/Exhibits
2:15-4:00	Beginning Your First Beethoven Sonata: Nelita True
4:15	Meet Our Commissioned Composer: Mark Cheng
4:45	NJMTA Young Artist / MTNA Recital
7: 00	NJMTA Banquet: Lahiere's, Princeton

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 21

9:15	Student Activities and Certification: Ruth Pasquariello
10:00-12:00	Piano Master Class: Nelita True
12:15	Lunch/ NJMTA Annual Business Meeting
1:45-3:15	Intermediate Piano Master Class: Ingrid Jacobson Clarfield
3:30-4:15	Are You in the Zone?:Kelly Setler Scheer
4:30	NJMTA Young Artist/ MTNA Recital

MARK YOUR CALENDAR! We are excited about our State Conference to be held on the lovely campus of Westminster Choir College of Rider University, November 20-21 2004. The Conference will encompass a true 'Musical Kaleidoscope' of experiences. Come join us for two full days of informative, creative, and useful workshops, master classes, performances, and discussions.

Saturday's line-up will feature guest artist Nelita True from the Eastman School of Music. Ms. True will present a lecture-recital on Beginning Your First Beethoven Sonata, concentrating on Op. 10 #2, Op. 14 #1 and Op. 79. Ms. True will focus on awareness in the score of ideas to stimulate students' imaginations, with suggestions on how to communicate those ideas to the listeners. Bring your Beethoven Sonatas to this highly informative workshop!

Since Nelita True made her debut at age 17 with the Chicago Symphony in Orchestra Hall and her New York debut with the Julliard Orchestra in Avery Fischer Hall, her career has taken her to major cities around the world.

A Phi Beta Kappa graduate of the University of Michigan with Helen Titus, Ms. True went on to Julliard to study with Sascha Gorodnitziki, and then earned the DMA with Leon Fleisher at the Peabody Conservatory. In Paris, she studied with Nadia Boulanger on a Fulbright grant. Formerly Distinguished Professor at the University of Maryland, Ms. True is currently Professor of Piano at the Eastman School of Music.

Many of her students have won top prizes at national and international competitions, including an unprecedented five First Prizes in national MTNA competitions. She has been the subject of feature articles in Clavier, Piano Today, The European Piano Teachers' Journal, and was the subject of the cover story of Keyboard Companion. Ms. True has been invited to record over 100 works for Advance, Mark, Educo, and Academy Records. We are thrilled to have Nelita True as our 2004 Conference Artist!

Chamber Music will fill the Saturday morning schedule. First, our own renowned Ena Bronstein Barton and Phyllis Alpert Lehrer will conduct a collaborative master class composed of three ensembles: strings/piano, winds/piano and piano duet. The three ensembles will be chosen on November 7, 2004 at Westminster Choir College.

The Barton & Lehrer Duo have been performing regularly throughout the United States since 1984. As solo artists and academic colleagues, Ena Bronstein Barton and Phyllis Alpert Lehrer bring a depth of musical understanding to ensemble repertoire.

Ena Bronstein Barton has had an international career as a soloist and chamber music performer. A graduate of the University of Chile, she was a student of Claudio Arrau and Rafael de Silva. Currently, Ms. Barton is Adjunct Associate Professor of Piano at Westminster Choir College and Head of the Piano Department at Westminster Conservatory.

Phyllis Alpert Lehrer is known internationally as a performer, teacher, clinician, author and adjudicator. Ms. Lehrer is Professor of Piano at Westminster Choir College of Rider University, where she directs the graduate program in piano pedagogy. A graduate of the University of Rochester and Eastman School of Music and The Julliard School of Music, Ms. Lehrer's teachers include Adele Marcus, Adolph Baller, Lily Dumont, and Paula Kessler Hondius.

Hotel Information

Why not make your conference experience complete with a relaxing overnight in the Princeton area?

For your convenience, we have reserved rooms at The Holiday Inn, close by on Route 1. The rate for a single, queen room is $79.00 + tax. After November 5, any rooms not picked up by individual guests will be released.

Come learn what repertoire is suitable for student ensembles. Learn about the teaching possibilities for your studio!

The Chamber Music continues on Saturday as our own NJMTA President, clarinetist Deborah Gers, and our MTNA Competitions Chair, pianist Patricia Landy, perform Brahms' Sonata for Clarinet and Piano, Op. 120 , No. 1 in f minor. This Sonata will serve as a focal point to reveal the key elements of musical and technical choices for performance of Brahms' compositions. Rehearsal and practice tips, collaborative interplay, related repertoire, bibliographies and discographies will be included for all levels of chamber musicians.

Deborah Gers received her M.M. from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music where she was a student of Tom LeGrand, Emil Schmachtenberg and Carmine Campione. An active performed, she has recorded with the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra and Network for New Music. Currently, Ms. Gers maintains a private studio in Flemington, New Jersey.

Patricia Landy received her DMA from USC where she studied with Jean Barr, Brooks Smith, and Gwendolyn Koldovsky. Ms. Landy co-founded the piano/clarinet duo PIANARE, which specializes in bringing the art and history of chamber music to audiences of all ages and socio-economic backgrounds. Currently, Ms. Landy teaches at the Westminster Conservatory of Music and maintains a private studio. Ms. Landy continues to lecture for the Westminster Continuing Education Professional Development Program of Rider University and performs regularly on the Faculty Concert Series.

Saturday's lunchtime will be filled with good food, catered by McCaffrey's, and plenty of time to browse through the multitude of exhibits.

Saturday afternoon continues with our Commissioned Composer, Mark Cheng. Mark Cheng will discuss his thoughts behind his NJMTA commissioned works, 'Family Vacation', 'Variations on Children Tunes' and 'e-mix'. In addition, he will talk about the art of composing.

Mark Cheng studied composition, computer media and economics at Oberlin College and John Hopkins University. Additionally, Mr. Cheng holds a graduate degree from Kean University in finance and accounting. Among his many honors, Mr. Cheng has received the Fontainebleau Grand Prix de Composition, a commission from Baltimore Chamber Music Society, and special commendations from ASCAP and American Academy of Arts and Letters. As co-founder of Columbia University's Orchestra for Asian Music (COAM), Mr. Cheng continues to write reviews of New York based multimedia events for the Columbia East Asian Review, as well as other online journals.

NJMTA gratefully acknowledges MTNA for the partial funding of the 2004 Commissioned Composer Competition.

Saturday's programs conclude with the first of our NJMTA Young Artist /MTNA Recitals. Come hear the excellent performances of the winners of the NJMTA Young Artist Competitions and the MTNA Competitions!

After a full day of workshops and recitals, we will dine at Lahiere's, one of the premiere restaurants in Princeton. Come unwind and enjoy an array of hors d'oeuvres, followed by a choice of 3 appetizers, including a Wild Mushroom Risotto. The entree selection will include Pan-Roasted Chicken Breast, Sauteed Filet of Salmon, Grilled Center-Cut Pork Chop, and an equally delectable Vegetarian option. Desserts will be inviting with Warm Chocolate Molten Cake, Creme Brulee, or Assorted Fresh Berries. The restaurant boasts a leading chef, Gregg Smith, who has been with Lahiere's over 6 years, having worked in Philadelphia and graduated from the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York. Our host, Joe Christen, and the entire Lahiere's staff will welcome us for a truly memorable evening.

Sunday begins with comprehensive presentations on Student Activities and Certification. Ruth Pasquariello and other board members will lead us through everything you always wanted to know about NJMTA. In addition, we will have a multitude of hand outs pertaining to all types of membership benefits.

Sunday morning continues with the always exciting Young Artist Piano Master Class. At lunchtime, we continue the day with the annual NJMTA Business Meeting. All NJMTA members are invited to attend this important board meeting.

Sunday afternoon's programs start off with the popular Intermediate Piano Master Class with Master Teacher Ingrid Clarfield.

Ingrid Clarfield is nationally recognized as a teacher, clinician, author, and adjudicator. Ms. Clarfield has given lecture-recitals, workshops and master classes throughout the United States and Canada. Ms. Clarfield is Professor of Piano and Coordinator of the Piano Department at Westminster Choir College of Rider University. She also maintains an independent studio in Princeton, New Jersey. Ms. Clarfield holds a Bachelor of Music from Oberlin College where she studied with John Perry , and a Master of Musicdegree from the Eastman School of Music. Come hear our own dynamic Ingrid Clarfield share numerous teaching tips on the intermediate level piano repertoire!

Sunday afternoon continues with Deborah Gers and Kelly Setler Scheer's presentation of Are You 'In the Zone'? Whether you are a music educator starting a new studio, a teacher planning a studio move, or an established educator that has been running a home-based studio for several decades, this session will provide all home-based music teachers with 'real-life' overviews of problems that can arise with local laws and zoning ordinances. Come learn about how home properties are zoned and how to apply for permits and licenses.

You are invited to take part in NJMTA's Zoning Task Force. At this Conference session, our Task Force will be taking preliminary steps to assist all independent music teachers in New Jersey by rallying our state's musicians and communities, as well as local and state representatives towards effecting laws that will support and protect every musician's legal rights to teach music from their homes.

Kelly Setler Scheer received a Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance and Pedagogy from Westminster Choir College of Rider University, where she studied with Ingrid Clarfield and Master Degrees from Teachers College, Columbia University. Ms. Scheer has taught elementary and middle school music in Princeton, NJ and 'Music for Dancers' at Alvin Ailey American Dance Academy in NYC. Ms. Scheer is a frequent clinician for the WCC High School Piano Camp and she is Co-Director of the WCC Middle School Piano Camp with Lillian Livingston. In addition, Ms. Scheer maintains a private piano studio in Robbinsville, New Jersey.

Our 2004 Conference will conclude on Sunday afternoon with the final NJMTA Young Artist /MTNA Recital. Come support these fine musicians and hear their amazing artistry.

As you can see, the Conference Committee of Elena Benedict, Ingrid Clarfield, Deborah Gers, Patricia Landy, Marianne Lauffer, Suzanne Lehrer, Chiu-Tze Lin, Lillian Livingston, and Betty Stoloff have been hard at work to make this 'Musical Kaleidoscope' an artistic and educational experience for all of our members. We thank the entire administration and staff at Westminster Choir College of Rider University for supporting the work of NJMTA. We are looking forward to seeing you at this special 2004 NJMTA Conference on November 20-21!