Northwest Suburban Music Teachers Association
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Monthly Programs

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NWSMTA meets monthly, September through May.  Meetings are held at various locations. Please check the location for each month.  In December we have our holiday party, and in May we have our spring luncheon.  Our business meeting begins at 9:45, followed by a special program at 10:30.  Come join us!  


Program Listing 2020-20201   

​
Joy Morin
"Effective Virtual Lessons During COVID-19"
Monday, September 21, 2020.
Online Zoom
9:45 A.M. Meeting

​
Rachel Wojcicki - IMT
"Yoga for Musicians: Embodying Techniques for Practice and Performance"
Monday, October 19, 2020
Online Zoom
9:45 A.M. Meeting

Yoga For Musicians is built to truly support all musicians; vocalists, pianists, string players, brass, woodwind, percussion; everyone! This workshop will help you practice and perform from a centered place, assisting you in sounding your best. Because when the mind and body are settled, you can play more like “you”! 

During our workshop I will guide and share examples of breathwork and meditations to calm the mind, yoga postures targeting all areas of the body to build confidence and space within, and visualization techniques to get the most out of your practice time & performances. 

Come as you are! You do not need to be flexible in order to try yoga. Poses will be suitable seated in chairs or standing. 
​

Wear comfortable clothing you can move freely in, a yoga/exercise mat if you have one, a chair if you’d like to be seated for the movements, and an open mind.


Clinton Pratt
"Don't Crack Under Pressure:
Tips to Boost Memory, Security and Confidence"
Monday, November 23, 2020
Online Zoom
9:45 A.M. Meeting

Session Description
Whether playing in studio recitals or preparing for competitions and auditions, students of all ages and abilities often struggle to hold up under pressure. Teachers need ways to boost memory, security, and confidence. With my experience as a student, teacher, audience member, performer, and adjudicator, I’ve seen all sides of the issue. Over the years, I have developed many tactics to help students play with confidence and reliability so they don’t crack under pressure. Demonstrations and audience participation will highlight these effective strategies: Keep the Flow, “Distract-a-thon”, Checkpoints, Interruptions, Slow Play, Self-assessment, and more!

Bio
Clinton Pratt (BM, MM, NCTM) maintains a successful private studio in Cincinnati Ohio, and has over 20 years experience teaching students age 5 through retired adults. He enjoys teaching beginners as well as preparing advanced students for college music programs. He is an active member of the Music Teachers National Association and has served on both local and state boards for the organization. He is currently the President-Elect for his district of the Ohio Music Teachers Association, and in 2016 he received the honor of “Teacher of the Year.”
 
Besides his college degrees and certifications, Clinton has additional training in Dalcroze Eurhythmics. His unique teaching approach includes this music and movement philosophy as well as improvisation, composition, ear training, and rhythmic games. He also established Music Alive!, an innovative multimedia concert that his students present, which fuses music with art, movement, videos, and other visual components. 

Clinton has over 16 years of experience as an adjudicator. He has judged for the American Guild of Music, the MTNA E-Festival, and numerous other festivals and competitions. Clinton joined the College of Examiners for the Royal Conservatory of Music (Toronto) in 2014, where he enjoys adjudicating students from all over the United States and Canada.

Clinton is also an active presenter at local, state, and national teacher conferences, has been published in American Music Teacher, and has served on numerous committees including the Editorial Committee for American Music Teacher. 


Curtis Madigan
"Rhythm Pedagogy Techniques: A Groove Based Approach to Teaching Music"
Monday, January 18, 2021
Online Zoom
9:45 A.M. Meeting

Learn how to efficiently and effectively solve rhythmic timing issues in your students' playing and in your own. Have more fun in your lessons by enhancing your students' musical feel. 

Bio: Curtis Madigan is the Founder and CEO of Sound Formation. He's a music education visionary that has created a groundbreaking theory of rhythm that has garnered support from countless experts in education and among professionals. He's the pioneer of the Sound Formation Method™. He's developed multiple after-school music programs that have run in over 100 schools across 8 states, and he's trained over 100 music teachers nationwide. He's a graduate in guitar performance and composition from Berklee College of Music.


Mike Pavik
"Community Music Outreach:
Music with Purpose Takes On a Life of Its Own"
Monday, February 15, 2021
TBD: Online Zoom or Rolling Meadows Library
9:45 A.M. Meeting

​
Svetlana Belsky
"J.S. Bach's Little Preludes: The Gateway to Baroque Mastery"
Monday, March 22, 2021
TBD: Online Zoom or Rolling Meadows Library
9:45 A.M. Meeting


Stephen Alltop
"All Keyed Up: How Composers Choose Their Keys"
Monday, April 19, 2021
​TBD: Online Zoom or Rolling Meadows Library
9:45 A.M. Meeting

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