Music Educators Association of New Jersey

The Good Times with Ragtime celebration begins at noon with special guided tours of the museum’s Guinness Collection of Automata (music machines). The Ragtime Festival student showcase follows at 3 PM at the museum’s Bickford Theatre. You can view  highlights of The Guinness Collection Here. (Scroll down)

Advance registration for the guided tour is required as there are a limited number of spaces. Advance registration is limited to MEA teachers and their students. A registration fee of $10 for the guided tour includes admission to the concert. 

The Eric Steiner Original Composition Competition Booklet 2017 is now available for all current members to access.  Students who have given permission for their compositions to be viewed on the website are included.  Take a peek at what our talented student composers have written and encourage your students to participate next year. Log onto your Member Homepage and in the right hand column you will find the Compoisition Booklet listed in PDF form which you can then view or download.

From C to Shining C:  Music by American Composers
Click Here to download a copy now!

Take a look at the fabulous program Here. 
It’s the 90^th anniversary of the MEA!  The celebrations begin in October with a spectacular ensemble event. Twelve duet/duo teams, all MEA members, will play some of the outstanding music for the genre. Thanks to the generosity of John Weis and the Steinway Piano Gallery, people can arrive as early as 9:30 to share bagels, juice and coffee.  Members and guests are all welcome to share in this special occasion. 

The duet/duo teams include Beatrice and Christina Long, Michelle and Christopher Kuo, Anita Gordon and Ana Berschadsky, Sophia Agranovich and Yuly Verbitsky, Rebecca Eng and Florence Liu, Diane Battersby and Jacqueline Schiller-Audi, Irma Ferdinand and Beverly Thomson Shea, Yuka Yanagi and Kai Pangune Kim, Anna Katznelson and Ruth Kotik, Charlene Step and Andrea Stark, and the two piano, eight hand team of Barbara Landi Hause, Valerie Martin, Yelena Rybalskaya, and Aziza Khasanova.

Among the pieces scheduled to be performed are:  La Valse  by Ravel,  Danse Macabre by Saint-Saens, Allegro Brilliante by Mendelssohn, Malaguena by Lecuona, Slovanic Dances by Dvorak, Bilder Aus Osten by Schumann,  Chorale,Variations and Finale by Rieti,  Three Disney Waltzes for Two Pianos arranged by Greg Anderson, Fantasy in A Minor by Scriabin, and more.

To finish off the concert, everyone will be invited to join in a “monster” event.  Ten duet teams (that’s ten pianos, forty hands!!) will simultaneously perform some simple duets.  This is a sight reading event, and anyone can participate.  Music will be provided.  

 But don’t leave yet!  There’s more!  Thanks again to the generosity of John Weis, the Steinway Piano Gallery, and the MEA, there will be a luncheon where all can mingle and share the pleasures of being an MEA member.  Don’t miss it!

Be it 3/4 or 6/8 time, fall registration is Oct 1-21.  Teachers may sign up students for one or more tests to be administered at their convenience. Cost is only $5 per test.  A downloadable registration form can be found under Forms/Downloads/Theory. 

To register online, log onto your member Homepage Here.
To learn all about the MEA Theory Program click Here.  
Happy counting!

Just a reminder to mark the following 3 dates relevant to our upcoming 2017 Honors Recital:

Application Deadline - October 14
Auditions - Sunday, November 5
Recitals - Sunday, November 12

Check the September-December issue of The Glissando for details. To learn more about this program click Here.  You can download a registration form from the Forms/Downloads link or register online by logging onto your Member HomePage.  We welcome new and repeat participants and look forward to presenting a wonderful Honors Recital in this, our 90th year!  
Chair: Marlene Lippman 

Read the latest message from our president, Nancy Modell Here.

Victor Rosenbaum, renowned pedagogue and performer, returned to the MEA to conduct the Young Artist Master Class on Thursday, June 15. Read all about this wonderful program in our Member Highlights. A sincere congratulations to the three students who performed, they were amazing:

1. Conor Hampton, student of Sophia Osokov: Haydn Sonata, Hoboken XVI in F Major, 1st and 2nd movements . 

2. Sophia Chen, student of Sophia Agranovich: Schumann Sonata Op. 22 in G minor, 1st movement

3. Yulia Kuzniar, student of Beatrice Long: Prokoviev, Visions Fugitives'  Op.22, No.3, 5, 6, 8, 9

Did you miss any of our great programs last spring? Read all about them here: Highlights. 

APRIL 20, DANIEL EPSTEIN: 
Schubert, Songsmith or Masterbuilder?  
In his April presentation to MEA members, Daniel Epstein, international performer, teacher and recording artist discussed Franz Schubert in a new light.

May 2017, Eduardus Halim: A born Chopinist whose distinctive artistry is matched by his charismatic personality, Eduardus Halim explored the close correlation between technical dexterity and tone production, using the Chopin Etudes as the basis. We were awed by his playing and inspired by his presentation in May. 

The MEA Board of Directors is happy to announce that a total of $4,200 was awarded in scholarships to the following 2017 recipients:

COLLEGE
Elizabeth Amels, student of Diane Battersby 
Bryanne Makus, student of Dr. Lorraine Butterfield 

 CAMP
Student of Linda Petrocchi: Luke Surretsky  
Students of Gloria Chu: Jenna Cooley, Vincent Jiang, Meghan Jin 
Students of Beatrice Long: Rachel Chen, Eric Guo, Yulia Kuzniar 

 Congratulations to these outstanding, deserving young musicians!

The MEA-MJN (Mary Jean Nelson) Scholarship Fund relies solely on the generosity of our donors, matching contributions from employers, and music sales at the monthly MEA general meetings. MEA is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) and all donations are tax-deductible. Making a contribution to the scholarship fund is a wonderful way to support aspiring musicians and perpetuate the beauty inherent in the arts. With your donation, you can also honor a person with congratulations (birthday, anniversary, graduation, etc.), get-well wishes, or in memoriam. Please help us continue our scholarship efforts!

 The MEA Scholarship Committee:  Sondra Tammam and Charlene Step, Co-chairs and Sal Mallimo

 For more information on our wonderful scholarship program click Here.

Be sure to read the replies to the latest topic question in the
September Glissando!

Topic Question:

What are your "chestnuts," the sure-fire teaching pieces? Please tell us your favorites (from beginner to the 12th grade level), and describe their appeal.

To answer a topic question and/or suggest a new question, please contact :
friendlyforum@mea-nj.org. 
Please check back for the January 2018 Topic Question.

If you missed this wonderful concert you can still view it Here.
You can read the highlights from this event  Here.