Spring Quarter March 6 - June 4, 2006

Community Orchestra News

Ilia Steinschneider, popular Music Arts instructor and Knoxville Symphony violinist, was the star of the Oak Ridge Community Orchestra’s concert last November.

Flawlessly performing Mozart’s Concerto no. 5 with the orchestra, Steinschneider drew a standing-room-only crowd at the Roane State auditorium.

Also on the program were Music Arts instructors Carmen Bonnell, harpist, and Marcay Dickens, French horn, sharing the spotlight in Faure’s “Sicilienne” and Mendelssohn’s “Nocturne” from Midsummer Night’s Dream. An original composition by Music Arts director Nancy England, “Gigue,” rounded out the orchestra’s performance. After ten years at the helm, the concert marked conductor Stacy Taylor’s final appearance with the orchestra. Taylor has also cut back on her teaching position with Music Arts, and now only teaches in Knoxville.

The orchestra has since hired a new conductor, John Pippen, of Tennessee Tech. Pippen is issuing a special invitation to advanced (four or more years of study) Music Arts students. For more info, call England at the music school, 865-482-5614.

Credit $ and Discount $

It’s time for a reminder about how you can earn credits and discounts on your Music Arts bill.

If you refer a new student (whose family hasn’t studied with us in the past four years) to any of our Music Arts instructors, you’ll earn one free lesson for every full quarter that the new student completes – up to two years! This could translate into 8 free lessons for you. Think of it – refer a dozen students and you’re Home Free for two years, no matter what your instructor’s rates are.

Pay your bill by the actual due date (the 5th of the month or posted by the 3rd) during the year, starting with Fall Quarter, and you’ll be eligible for a 10% discount on continuing Summer Quarter lessons. But remember that any payment received after the 19th (posted after the 17th) will earn you something, too – a late charge!

This information (and more) is in the Music Arts Student Guide. If you would like a hard copy, please ask your instructor for a copy.

While you’re on the website, take a minute to check out our faculty. You’ll find 23 excellent choices of instructors that you can recommend to your friends and neighbors. And start racking up those bonus lessons!

The Bird is Still Eating the House ...

... and you’re invited to visit the Music Arts drop box and paper his nest! It’s a great place to leave your payment or other communication, while avoiding escalating postage costs. The box is located on the side of the garage entrance at Nancy England’s home (also the bookkeeping office) at 861 West Outer Drive, on the corner of Mississippi Avenue.

A Thank-You Fan Letter

Last week we received this “thank you” letter from our former student Daniel Bridges, who was, incidentally, winner or runner-up of our annual Composition Contest for several years in a row. Daniel graduated last year and is now attending MTSU, where he’s in an intensive major in music, having jumped into advanced music courses after testing early in his Freshman year. A few months ago the Music Arts Board of Directors took the unusual action of awarding Daniel a grant of $250, from our General Fund, to help with college expenses.

Dear Music Arts Board,

I’m really not sure how I should write this letter, if I should be formal or informal. I do hope you’ll forgive me if I choose the latter.

Thank you SO MUCH for everything you’ve done. I don’t know if anyone’s expecting a thank you letter just for the grant you’ve (graciously) given me, but I want to thank you for so much more than that.

When I lived in Memphis I took piano from a dreadful woman by the name of “Ms. X.” Her actual name sounds like a character from a children’s book, and probably will be by the time I get through with her! J I was inspired to play guitar when I was three or so, but my parents insisted I start with piano (a very wise choice, indeed!) So, when I turned five, I began taking lessons from Ms. X. She was awful; she smoked incessantly throughout the lessons (in a closed room), and taught me very little. The books I used taught me more than she did, and she would play a song once or an aggravated twice and I had to go from there myself. As my mom would say later, music teachers are lousy teachers if they’re not also musicians. I took lessons from her for two years and then we moved to Oak Ridge when I was seven (a story in itself.)

So for a year I was without a piano instructor, until my mom found Mr. Rudolph Nemeth through Music Arts. It goes without saying just how much better he was! I continued my education with him, and I still can’t believe it’s been ten years.

I mentioned how I always wanted to play guitar. I’m not sure how much I harassed my parents about it, but I guess when you turn thirteen doors open for you. I finally got to study guitar! Thanks again to Music Arts for Mr. Harold Nagge… (well, thanks to my parents, Music Arts, and him, but you get what I mean!) When I began studying guitar under Mr. Nagge it was obvious guitar was “my thing.” Mom and Dad knew it, too, but it went beyond “knowing” for me; it was kind of like an arm or a leg, you know? How did I go without this thing?

And then, after all that, there’s Mrs. Nancy England. She was there for all the music recitals (which were FUN! and not a terribly serious competition like they were in Memphis), behind the scenes for a lot of Music Arts stuff, and then all the theory she taught me as a separate course of study. The table I built with Messrs. Nemeth and Nagge might have fallen apart if Ms. England hadn’t been there to make sure all the screws were properly in place! Music Arts has played such an enormous role in convincing me that I wanted to be a musician for a living. I’m toying with the idea of teaching, myself.

… and finally, after ALL OF THAT, I receive this grant. I’m absolutely astounded. “So cool!” I’m not entirely sure what I’ve done to receive such good fortune, such generosity. One thing I’m probably going to buy is a music composition program called Sibelius Student (shown to me by Mr. Nemeth).

Thank you SO MUCH for EVERYTHING!

Sincerely,

Daniel S. Bridges

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Give us a call at 482-5614 to find out more about lessons. And earn free lessons when you refer new students to any of our Music Arts instructors (see page 8 of your Student Guide, or check the Student Guide info online under ‘Activities’ at www.MusicArtsSchool.org).