Spring Quarter March 3 - June 1, 2003

Music Arts is 20 Years Old!

1983: Several private scholarships given by instructors 1984: Scholarship Fund established through contributions of local businesses 1987: Start tradition of giving out Music Arts pencils at holiday time 1988: Canvassing of individuals as well as businesses helps Music Arts fund more scholarships 1990: Bonus Lesson plan established, students earn free lessons for referring new students 1991: Music Arts Update, student newsletter, begins 1992: Introduction of 10% Summer Quarter Discount for student bills paid on time (by the 5th) through the year 1993: Community Orchestra founded as a means of gathering more scholarship funds. Music Library started 1994: Composition Contest introduced 1996: Theory Olympics introduced 1997: Summer Quarter Intern Program started 1998: Website established 1999: Electronic billing comes to Music Arts 2000: Music Arts incorporates as non-profit 2001: Over 200 free lessons given to students as awards

In a world where things come and go, it’s nice to know that Music Arts has been a part of the Oak Ridge and East Tennessee community for 20 years!

Back in March 1983, Music Arts started as a means of consolidating students for recital purposes. Nancy England, who is now Executive Director of the nonprofit organization, was teaching cello to two of Marcay Dickens’ sons, and Marcay herself had several French horn students. Why not combine the two for a more substantial and interesting recital?

With violinist Jacinta Howard joining, soon other music teachers in the area were asking to be included. It was suggested that the group write up some guidelines and become a formal organization.

Leasing teaching space in a local church allowed the blossoming school to offer teaching spaces to instructors, and a number of Knoxville musicians joined. Parents who were taking their children to Knoxville for music lessons were overjoyed at not having to make the long trip every week, while the Knoxville people found that by coming to Oak Ridge, they could reach more students.

Help Us Celebrate our Anniversary!

Music Arts is having special contests and programs all during 2003, and we want you to join in the fun.

In a special program in May, we’ll be announcing winners and awarding prizes in three essay contest categories. Read on----

Write Essay, Win $$ or Free Lessons For students up through age 13, and For students age 14 and up (including adult students): two contest categories for essays written about any of the following: Why My Music Arts Instructor is Great What I Like (or Hate?) About Music Arts Recitals First prize, in each age category, will be $50, with second prizes of $30, third prizes $20, and fourth prizes, $10. For parents, essays on any of the following: What Music Arts Means to Me Why We Like Studying with Music Arts How Studying Music is Helping My Child First prize will be one full quarter of free lessons for one student! Second, Third and Fourth prizes will be 6, 4, and 2 free lessons respectively. Entries should be somewhere between 100 and 500 words (that’s approximately – we’re not going to sit here and count every word!). Entries are due no later than May 1, either to the Music Arts office or to your instructor. And as a reward to everyone entering, a Music Arts mini pocket calculator! Naturally, we’ll want to share your letters with the newspapers and perhaps put them on our website or use them in future pamphlets! (With or without your name.)

Trumpet Students Take Honors

Warren Clark, Music Arts trumpet instructor, reports that at the All-State East Senior Band Clinic (held Feb. 6-8 in Gatlinburg), six Music Arts trumpet students were selected out of over 200 trumpet players that auditioned.

Phil Irminger, Milton Stanley, Eric Baldwin, Jessie Smyrl and Sarah Grady from Oak Ridge High School, and Rachel Womack from Clinton High School, spent three days at the Park Vista with the best high school players from all over East Tennessee. Congratulations!

Composition Contest entries due May 1

Who will be the winners of this year’s Composition Contest? How about YOU? If you’re a school-age student of Music Arts, plan on entering your composition!

It can be of any length, and for any instrument or combination of instruments, including voice. Write a piece for orchestra and if you’re the winner in the ensemble category, you may hear it played by the Community Orchestra!

Of course we want your own original work, but you can ask for help from your parents and your instructor if you get stuck writing it down. The judges will accept either handwritten or computer printout.

Enclose a tape of a performance of your piece and give it to your instructor no later than May 1. Judges will be selected from among faculty members who do not have students entering the contest, and the judges won’t know who the composers are, until after the decision is made.

Emily Bogle with instructor Edward Pierce

Last Year’s Composition Contest winners’ list was headed by Emily Bogle with her instructor, Edward Pierce.

Other winners included:

• Erica Bundy and Katie Harvey, also students of Pierce
• Tarik Umar and Lacy Russell, piano students of Rudolph Nemeth
• Jessie Pounds, cello student of Nancy England
• Jake Platfoot, French horn student of Marcay Dickens

New Officers!

Rudolph Nemeth and Lisa Griggs

Rudolph Nemeth, piano instructor, was recently elected President of the Music Arts Board, and vocal instructor Lisa Griggs was elected Treasurer.

They would like to remind students that instead of mailing, payments can be deposited in the Music Arts drop box. It’s located at 861 West Outer Drive (corner of West Outer and Mississippi), at Director Nancy England’s house. You’ll see the box to the right as you approach the house.

In addition to Nemeth and Griggs, piano instructor Edward Pierce was elected Secretary. Included are Advisory Board members Warren Clark, trumpet instructor, and violin instructor Stacy Taylor. Also on the board are Gerald Scott, an adult piano student of Professor Fracalanza, and flute instructor Lois White, who is still (!) on sabbatical.

Three Months of Sheet Music for $5.99

You’ll want to visit Rudolph Nemeth’s website at www.RudolphsMusic.com where, for a limited time, you can get a three month subscription for only $5.99.

When you bring up the site, you can see what music is available and click on it to see the actual music and maybe have your computer play it. Pay your $5.99 online and then you can access whatever piece(s) you want and print them out at your computer.

(For a moment, just think about how far six bucks will get you if you want to buy that music at the store!)

This month the special guest artist is Beethoven, and there are six complete sonatas available, as well as excerpts and the stray piece or two, such as everyone’s recital favorite, Für Elise. You can page through the works and have the computer play them for you. You can even speed it up or slow it down!

If you aren’t a pianist or piano student yourself, think about buying a three month subscription for a friend or relative!