Fall Quarter December 5, 2005 - March 5, 2006

Winter Quarter Means Composition Contest Time!

Students! Time to polish your music writing skills! Music Arts’ special wintertime activity is the Composition Contest, and all students are eligible.

Every year, our instructors encourage their students to unleash their creativity by writing their own music. Naturally, the instructors are trying to be sneaky as well, figuring that it’s a good way to help you learn about note values and develop your musical ‘ear,’ or if you’re more advanced, about composition techniques.

All that’s needed is a pencil and a sheet of staff paper (ask your instructor for one if you don’t have your own manuscript pad).  You can write a simple tune for just your instrument, or a duet. And for students interested in composing for ensembles, there’s a special prize - the possibility of hearing your piece played by the Oak Ridge Community Orchestra at one of their rehearsals, if not at a real concert. (It’s happened before!)

It’s OK to ask your instructor (or anyone else) for help if you need it, as long as it’s your own work that’s turned in.

Compositions are due at the beginning of February, and will be judged by a panel of Music Arts Instructors. Get busy and enjoy yourself! Share with the world what you hear in your head.

Missing lessons?  

Prior to the beginning of each quarter, your instructors estimate the number of lessons they’ll give.  If you miss a couple of lessons or have extras during the quarter, don’t panic! We’ll make sure that things come out right at the end of the quarter. We rarely adjust bills in the middle of a quarter - who knows what will happen next week? A makeup lesson, perhaps? If you discover you’ll be missing a number of lessons, contact our office and we can put you on “hold.” But remember - if we don’t know about it and don’t get your payment, you’ll probably get hit with the late fee!

Bridges wins Award!

Music Arts graduate Daniel Bridges, second from left (below), accepts a check from Advisory Board members Cheryl Scappaticci, Marcay Dickens and Doug Farmer as Daniel’s former guitar instructor, Harold Nagge (left), looks on.

The Board awarded Daniel the $250 stipend in recognition of his outstanding work with Music Arts for the past ten years. He’s studied piano with Rudolph Nemeth and guitar with Nagge, and is now majoring in Guitar Performance at Tennessee Tech, with a minor concentration in piano and music theory and composition. 

For many years a winner or runner-up in Music Arts’ Composition Contest, Daniel developed his creativity with both piano and guitar compositions in the annual contest, which helped inspire him to pursue a career in music. He’s the son of Dr. Arnold and Cathy Bridges.

Not bad at all!

This note, from Caramia Milloway, following her 5-year-old violinist daughter’s November 13 recital:

I was so proud of Olivia for being brave. Thanks for all your encouragement and for helping her feel more comfortable. When she had gotten herself together, decided to play that day, and was sitting next to me in the back awaiting her turn she said "Mom, I'm never going to do this again." I said that was fine. Then she played. And later I asked if she thought she might like to do a recital sometime again and she said "Sure, it really wasn't bad at all."

Try it. You’ll like it too! And there’s always the food!

Shannon Hamblen, fiddle instructor, returns!

Shannon Hamblen, our extraordinary fiddler, is back! In the two years since he stopped teaching, due to an overloaded schedule, a lot has happened.  

One thing he and his wife Sharon (a former flute student of ours!) are most proud about is the birth of their son Andrew, who’s now 4 months old. According to Sharon, Andrew is the very image of Shannon.

Shannon hasn’t had much time for public appearances recently – that’s something else he gave up, along with teaching fiddle and mandolin. However, he has been teaching full time at Catholic High School in Knoxville, and is now heading back to UT to get his Master’s degree in Education.

A graduate of Carson-Newman College, Hamblen has performed in a number of bands in the Knoxville/Kingsport area in the past, and has “fiddled” for over 21 years. Originally a music major at Belmont College in Nashville, he played with the Belmont college orchestra, but prefers bluegrass and country to classical. He’s played in bands such as Short Hill Ramblers, Wild Blue Yonder, Walnut Grove and Windy Creek.

Meet - Shane Morton, our new guitar instructor!

Our newest guitar instructor, Shane Morton, specializes in classic rock, funk, pop and blues, joining Harold Nagge and Neil Newton in rounding out the various styles of private guitar instruction available.

Morton, who is a Junior at the University of Tennessee, is majoring in Chemical Engineering, “so I can buy really expensive instruments,” he jokes. In addition to playing acoustic and electric guitar, he also plays bass guitar, mandolin and saxophone. He points out that he’s taken a number of music theory courses at UT, and plans on taking more jazz theory classes in the coming months.

Looking for something different? Grinning, he says “I can teach people how to play behind their backs or behind their heads,” adding with a wink, “Kids, do not try this without supervision from a trained professional.”

Growing up in a small town just outside Memphis, it was natural that he would turn to blues, classic rock, funk and a little bit of jazz.  He says that he was influenced by guitarists such as Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughan. These days, he enjoys modern alternative rock bands such as The Red Hot Chili Peppers and Sublime.

Morton accepts students from age 6 on up. He describes himself as a willing and enthusiastic teacher.  “I’m pretty patient when teaching people to play guitar because it’s something I really love.”

Want to Find Out More?

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. Check your Student Guide (hard copy: page 8) or the Activities section.