ASTA eNEWS
November/December 2007
In This Issue
Holiday Sale on Publications
Council Members, Buy Your Web Sponsorship
Early-Bird Registration
Volunteer As a Session Presider
Elizabeth A.H. Green Award
ASTA Member of the Month
Summer Conference Packages
Free Advocacy DVD
Seeking Great "Quotes"
ASTA Member Makes All-USA Teacher Team
National High School Honors Orchestra
ISB Composition Competition ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ASSOCIATION & CHAPTER NEWS ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Holiday Sale On Publications, Save 20 Percent
A 20 percent off holiday publications sale is now on until December 7. Look for ASTA's new and updated publication brochure in your mail with a complete description of all current publications. Buying an ASTA publication or DVD is a great way to begin holiday shopping without the hassle. (A DVD makes a perfect hostess gift.) As always, we encourage you to order via our website for speedier delivery of product. Thanks in advance! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Council Members, Buy Your Web Sponsorship Banner for ASTA's High Traffic Months
Banner sponsorship is currently available to all String Industry Council members at a rate of only $1,500 for three months! The next available slot is January/February/March--- the peak months for hits on our site due to the national conference. Art must be submitted by December 15. As you know, astaweb.com [http://ui.constantcontact.com/visualeditor/enews/novdec07/Local%20Settings/Temporary%20Internet%20Files/OLK94/astaweb.com] is the premier web address for the string industry with nearly 11,000 members. Our site is a powerful draw because of its news, resources, competitions, member directory, and national conference information. Your banner sponsorship, located in the top right portion of the page, will rotate throughout the entire site, including the homepage for three months. When you click on the banner this provides a link to your homepage which brings more potential buyers to your site. Need more information? Contact Mary Jane at maryjane@astaweb.com [http://ui.constantcontact.com/visualeditor/enews/novdec07/enews/novdec07/maryjane@astaweb.com] or call 703/279-2113 ext. 12. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Early-Bird Registration
Deadline Fast Approaching--December 3 Attending the national conference but not yet registered? Please take a moment today to register for the conference before the rates go up. Don't let a few days cost you $35, $50, or more! There are three fast and easy ways to register: securely online at www.astaweb.com [http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001HE7-ul1QiVZcffELwLxcVaj4Occd4UgQMwR_VktiptM6Ayr9hk6smRYVgjm93TJctUmlEI97vN2ev7jTwY3PiRFimJbV4VdIi9Ajs5cnXeZK_kd-_6NTMw==]; print and fax or mail the registration form; or call 703/279-2113 ext. 16, ext. 24 or ext 11. Still need a hotel room in Albuquerque? Due to some renovations at the host hotel, all available rooms under the ASTA room block at the Hyatt Hotel are now filled. ASTA has reserved another preferred-rate room block at the Embassy Suites Hotel. To reserve your room, please call 1/800-EMBASSY (1/800/362-2779) and be sure to identify yourself as an attendee of the ASTA 2008 National Conference to receive the special rate. Rates at the Embassy Suites are $129++/night single or double occupancy, $139++/night triple occupancy and $149++/night quad occupancy. The hotel has shuttle service from Embassy Suites to the Convention Center. A schedule of service will be posted to the website prior to the conference. See you in Albuquerque! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Volunteer As a Session Presider at the ASTA National Conference
ASTA is looking for conference attendees to serve as session presiders at its national conference in Albuquerque, New Mexico. A presider introduces the session and its presenter, troubleshoots problems, signs attendees' professional development document forms, and completes a short evaluation of the session. Presiders confirmed by January 3 will be listed in the official conference program book. For more information or to volunteer as a presider, please contact Deanna Tompkins at Deanna@astaweb.com [http://ui.constantcontact.com/visualeditor/enews/novdec07/enews/oct06/Deanna@astaweb.com] and list you top five choices of sessions/presenters. The schedule is posted to the website. Please view this to determine session preferences ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Elizabeth A.H. Green Award Nominations Continue Until December 15
Nominations are currently being accepted for the ASTA Elizabeth A.H. Green School Educator Award. The award is given annually to a school string teacher with a current and distinguished career in a school orchestral setting. Past recipients include Mary Lou Jones, Jan Garverick, Michael Alexander, Pamela Tellejohn Hayes, and E. Daniel Long along with a host of other distinguished string educators. The postmark deadline for nominations, which should be sent to the ASTA headquarters, is Friday, December 15. Late forms will not be accepted. For more information and to download forms, please click here. [http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001HE7-ul1QiVa9Y80OQhAnaK9pG1EzlSJ-98nyXLfP6SfxILIc2anbiGpydO_WTqL6UAVP7Iw0JU9YabuELbGMV3tY1__avfMxh2kmW5UIFuvFJgHikhIyBtd6KhB1m4WingyJ02GckiQF-PIFkj9eYMdKblT8pcoWwelFBvbh2PPAIm_rUHlpopFv-ocyFQYLwRDR_36HVOROuoO1kngtpfZexYFlr5ew0t4dLZzZgnfMRhxHqtUi-TOBdEZJ9zUfZuAoxidCoTKIgDLB5e34gQ==] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ASTA Names Member of the Month for November
During the past few years, Carol Meiseles has devoted a great deal of time and effort to bring the New Jersey ASTA chapter into the 21st century! Many of the chapter's recent accomplishments would not have been successful without her diligence. These accomplishments include completing the incorporation process, researching and purchasing insurance, and successfully filing for tax-exempt status. Her dedication to preserving the financial and legal stability of the New Jersey chapter goes above and beyond the traditional duties of chapter treasurer. In addition to all of these demanding treasurer duties, Meiseles is one of New Jersey's most highly recognized string educators and conductors. Her involvement with many different ASTA programs sets a wonderful example for string teachers and students alike. She is stepping down from her demanding role as treasurer and is in the process of carefully organizing the chapter's financial paperwork and training the new treasurer. Even though she will not longer serve as treasurer, she has assured us that she plans to remain active in the New Jersey ASTA chapter. We are proud to award Meiseles the title of ASTA's Member of the Month for November. We look forward to her future work on behalf of ASTA and string advocacy! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 2008 Summer Conference Packages Available
If you're planning to hold a summer conference, the application deadline is December 1 for inclusion in the special Summer Conference section of the February issue of American String Teacher. Summer conferences and workshops have proven to be among the most revitalizing and worthwhile projects for string and orchestra teachers. We encourage you and your colleagues to provide this significant service to string and orchestra teachers. Not purchasing a packet? ASTA members can still fill out a form for a free calendar listing that appears in the February AST. Several different summer conference advertising packages are available. For more information and to download application forms, visit this site [http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001HE7-ul1QiVaet3_MFJCYOAE-F7bTldWOWa6CxSldC2fDL6nLsf29AEeg7c79fUXdkOCnD3YMHAgZ9rLOxZwFRN9hQ7o64BP3cPEjxSpuF2AEizwokq7qVKLBXk9g2oGFPs8Un-ICz4L3zIfEUz7iD_pYOPLt1DYXfV3enkOQyRbgACDhBVMkrtsrT6FWvR-ieqAyrjv1aipgbLc83hrAlA==]. Please call Mary Jane at 703/279-2113 ext. 12 if you want to advertise in the February issue of AST but need an extension on the December 1 deadline. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Free Advocacy DVD Available; Special Thanks to Our Sponsors
ASTA recently released Advocating for Strings--a 10-minute DVD that focuses on the benefits associated with playing a string instrument and features artists and students from the 2007 ASTA National Conference held last March. This public service DVD would not have been possible without the sponsorship of dedicated ASTA members. They are CodaBow, D'Addario, Heinrich Gill, Knilling, The National Youth Orchestra Foundation, and Yamaha. Advocating for Strings is available at no charge for individual, institutional, and council members of ASTA. To date, ASTA have processed more than 100 orders. Nonmembers may purchase the DVD for $9.95. Simply go to the ASTA website at astaweb.com [http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001HE7-ul1QiVZcffELwLxcVaj4Occd4UgQMwR_VktiptM6Ayr9hk6smRYVgjm93TJctUmlEI97vN2ev7jTwY3PiRFimJbV4VdIi9Ajs5cnXeZK_kd-_6NTMw==]to order. You can also join ASTA and gain the many membership benefits at the same address. This tool can be used by teachers as well as anyone who is an advocate of string education. Contact Erin at the ASTA National Office at 703/279-2113 ext. 25 for questions relating to the DVD. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Seeking Great "Quotes" on the Value of Music Education
ASTA wants to know... what's your favorite music education quote? Why? Because we would really like to have a stockpile of good quotes for ASTA's many brochures and publications. It would also be helpful in our advocacy efforts. Please send quotes with credits to maryjane@astaweb.com. Thanks in advance. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ NOTES ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ASTA Member Alan MacNair Named One of USAToday's All-USA Teacher Team
Congratulations to ASTA member and orchestra teacher Alan MacNair. He has been named by USA Today as one of the 2007 All-USA Teacher Team. He has been a member of ASTA since 1993. According to USA Today, the 20 teachers demonstrate that great teaching thrives in all sorts of places. Team members teach a variety of grade levels, subjects, and student populations, from Jeffrey Thompson of Evergreen Elementary in Fort Lewis, Washington, a military community where almost all his kindergartners have a parent in Iraq or Afghanistan, to Rebecca Johns and Alan MacNair, winners from Troy High School in Michigan who have guided the biology and orchestra programs in the affluent Detroit suburb to national acclaim. Johns had a minor planet named for her after two Intel Science Talent Search finalists named her their most influential teacher, and MacNair's 65-piece symphonic string orchestra is playing Carnegie Hall in the spring. For more information, click here [http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001HE7-ul1QiVb1rOOvneUzZovWCRxbxs_qfcrtExVMnytp2zXwFvsnvwsdgpMUiIO4LT6qp_DUOtNYz1puhOdGT69PBM-lmHod7_sD0S1CtQESHJSj7Il4xZgK9shQ9eV3rfoNayuEXdFEpcjuC540v-VKBs5xdizGt-ZV3WRr9KDbLEnPt8xuIEjWaHNwWtXrVTZE38VTzY4=]. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ EVENTS & COMPETITIONS ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ January 15 Deadline for Merle J. Isaac Composition Competition
The purpose of the Merle J. Isaac Composition contest is to encourage the composition, publication, and performance of music of quality for the benefit of school orchestra programs. For the second year, ASTA will accept compositions in the junior and senior divisions. The junior division is open to student composers through the age of 18. Students are invited to submit an original, unpublished composition that is suitable for string orchestra at the elementary or middle/junior high school level. The senior division is open to composers age 19 and above. Composers are invited to submit an original, unpublished composition that is suitable for string or full orchestra at the elementary, middle/junior high school, or high school level. The selection process: in the preliminary round, all entries are screened by a panel of three judges. Compositions selected for the final round are rehearsed and performed by a school orchestra for a panel of five judges. ASTA reserves the right to declare that a winner does not exist if the entry requirements and musical standards are not fulfilled. The next postmark deadline for both competitions is January 15, 2008. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ASTA National Conference Sets the Stage for National High School Honors Orchestra
The National High School Honors Orchestra (NHSHO) is a performing group of more than 120 competitively selected high school musicians from orchestras across the country. (Click here [http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001HE7-ul1QiVYWwJ1kmMAb1R2TkMBzIdwrOR1Q4ntqTGDkq9aXiY48ubqr4oL2puhb9r6MzLjawfgWc5-l2ryGdlus45rcsmKpL45Z0ceqC5gYiSIaOZLOdqarLBnuBkDSIC1GYcPuue1_HNdYxwc93vTU2iDcJ9RDj76giCRfHpJ_OoJZ77c3E_FOaAJTAIk7uszM0Mf0oWrjUU4i6dpa_Hj7d-s-_uF5ZnF-Ncsdgy38nubEPuMemV2kQHPh8DbNE4Dw2paTiEA=] for a complete list.)They will assemble in Albuquerque for three days of rehearsals under the direction of an internationally renowned conductor. A showcase performance will be Friday, February 29 at the Kiva Auditorium beginning at 8 p.m. Mark your calendars as you won't want to miss this terrific show under the direction of Jung-Ho Pak! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 2008 International Society of Bassists Composition Competition
The International Society of Bassists (ISB) announces its 2008 composition competition dedicated to the memory of David Walter. There are three divisions of the competition that are open to all composers. Entries should be new, unpublished works in any style, six to 15 minutes long that have not been given a formal world premiere. Questions? Call 972/233-9107 ext. 204 or email info@ISBworldoffice.com [http://ui.constantcontact.com/visualeditor/enews/novdec07/enews/novdec07/info@ISBworldoffice.com]. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ SAVE THE DATE! 2008 ASTA National Conference February 28 - March 1 Albuquerque, New Mexico ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ASTA eNEWS is free service and an official publication of the American String Teachers Association. It is designed to give you quick updates on what's happening within ASTA and in the string music industry. Americian String Teachers Association 4153 Chain Bridge Road Fairfax, VA 22030 phone: 703/279-2113 fax: 703/279-2114