Our convention was a wonderful day of encouragement and inspiration at the beautiful Patio at Archmere Academy for those who attended. The day's workshops included a virtual workshop by Janna Carlson presenting, "Studio Websites Made Easy", followed by Judith Saxton's virtual workshop on, "Alexander Technique: Enhance Excellence." After a lovely luncheon and business meeting, our own Mary Ellen Schauber presented,"So you're a pianist, great! Now, go teach choir!" which was reinforced with a vocal masterclass by Dr. Kaitlyn Tierney. An abbreviated Winner's Recital, wrapped up our convention day.

​2022/23 COMPETITION WINNERS
Pictured left to right: Sophie Lin, piano, Elementary Composition Representative, Student of Le Yu; Maxwell Brown, violin, Junior Performance String Winner, Student of Timothy Schwartz; Joshua Shi, piano, Junior Performance Piano Alternate, Student of Jennifer Chen; Zimo Liu, piano, Senior Performance Piano Winner, Student of Le Yu; MaileGutsche, soprano, Senior Performance Voice Winner, Student of Mary Ellen Schauber; Jessica Li, piano, Junior Performance Honorable Mention, Student of Le Yu; Josephine Carriker, piano, Senior Performance Honorable Mention, Student of Daniel Carunchio; Grace Huang, piano, Junior Performance Piano Winner, Student of Mitzi DeWhitt. 

Unable to appear:
Daniel Qi, Junior Performance String Alternate, Student of Charles Parker.
Scout Lacey, soprano, Senior Performance Voice Alternate, Student of Marian Johnson-Healy.
Grace Chen, piano, Senior Performance Piano Alternate, Student of Jennifer Chen.
Lumina Zhang, piano, Senior Performance Piano Honorable Mention, Student of Loretta Jankowski.

Pictured from left to right: Daniel Qi, Junior Performance Strings Winner, student of Charles Parker;  Lumina Zhang, Junior Performance Piano Representative, student of Loretta Jankowski; Josephine Carriker, Senior Piano Performance Alternate, student of Daniel Carunchio; Isabelle Bruening, Senior Piano Performance Winner, student of Christine Delbeau; Jaden Adkins, Young Artist Performance Brass Representative, student of Frank Garda; Genevieve Hahn, Young Artist Performance Woodwind Representative, student of Eileen Grycky, and also Young Artist Performance Voice Representative, student of Isai Jess Munoz; May Raia, Senior Composition Representative, student of Leslie Carey.

Not pictured: Alicia Chu, Senior High Voice Winner, student of Lily Zhang; Isabelle Asher, Senior High Voice Alternate, student of Mary Ellen Schauber; Maile Gutshe, Senior High Voice Honorable Mention, student of Mary Ellen Schauber; Sydney Reid, Senior High Voice Honorable Mention, student of Marian Healy; Aila McCaskill, Junior Strings Honorable Mention, student of Jennifer Jin.

​On November 20th, DSMTA hosted the 2021 Annual Convention held at The Patio at Archmere Academy, Wilmington, Delaware.


Three distinguished artists shared about the relationship between music and the other arts, including movement, painting and sculpture.    The day started with a presentation by Ms. Jennifer Campbell, an award-winning pianist, composer and gifted educator.  She demonstrated the variety of ways composers communicate movement in their compositions, providing excerpts and playing beautifully executed examples.  Her  YouTube channel, "Music Musings" is a recommended resource for students and teachers alike

Dr. Donna Beech exposed the group to the solo piano compositions of Ann Wyeth McCoy, a member of the Wyeth family of painters.  Each of the piano compositions was inspired by a specific painting.  Dr. Beech provided background information for each piece and presented an image of the painting to view as she played each piece with skill and sensitivity.  

Our third artist, Ms. Mary Ellen Schauber, provided an insightful presentation on the various ways music intersects with other artistic expressions.  One of her students performed an excerpt from the first movement of the Walton Viola Concerto and shared the paintings she had created during her study of the piece.  She shared how integrating other art forms helped her better understand and interpret the piece.
The day concluded with an exciting Awards Recital, emceed by Ms. Schauber.  It was a day filled with inspiration and beautiful music.  A special thanks goes out to Donna Beech, for coordinating the event as well as her daughter Dee, for the live-stream technical support.    

​Welcome 2021!
​
Dear Delaware Music Teachers;
​
I am honored to step into the role of Delaware State Music Teachers’ Association (DSMTA) President, following in the footsteps of Christine Delbeau who has served our organization with distinction over the last two years.  
As we move into a new year, we owe a huge thank you to the 2019-2020 Board of Directors for their dedication, service and leadership, as well as to all of our committee chairs and members for giving your time and talents to make the year a success.  
Year 2020 will forever be known as the year COVID-19 changed everything, including the way we educate.   It has no doubt been a challenge, but I can say with certainty that DSMTA has met the challenge well!  We transformed our thinking, stretched our capabilities and became even more creative with the way we accomplish our mission.  It makes me proud to be part of such a resilient and dedicated group of music educators!
As I look ahead to the upcoming year, I am convinced even more of the critical role music plays in providing continuity in an ever-changing world.  We need an organization to provide support and resources so music educators’ efforts and impact to our community can be maximized.  I’m excited to say that DSMTA is poised and ready to fill this need.  DSMTA is the place where music teachers (and their students) can and do thrive.  
I hope you will take some time to visit the DSMTA website and take advantage of the many offerings!  The first Board Meeting of the new year (Jan. 23) is open to all members and held virtually.   The month of February brings our Vocal Solo Festival as well as a student recital.  The popular Theory Festival will be held March 7th.  On-line registration capabilities for all of these events make participating easier than ever before!  
Thank you for allowing me to serve alongside you this year.  I am thrilled to be working with such a dedicated and talented group of teachers.   I appreciate your support and encourage you to share any feedback and ideas you may have as we work together.
Gratefully,
Joyce C. Harkey
President, DSMTA

​Virtual DSMTA Convention on Saturday, November 7, 2:00 p.m. 
 
Our convention clinician is Dr. Fred Karpoff, Winner of the Frances Clark Keyboard Pedagogy Award presented by Music Teachers National Association. Some of the topics Dr. Karpoff will cover at the DSMTA convention include:

• Professional-Level Arpeggios: Making the Jump from “Intermediate” to “Advanced”
• Effortless Trills and Tremolos
• Practice strategies for playing fast passages
• An introduction to the newly-relaunched online video resource, Entrada Piano Technique

Fred Karpoff presents workshops and master classes throughout North America and abroad, including appearances at the past several MTNA Conferences, the National Conference on Keyboard Pedagogy, and the East-West Asia Conference. He is regularly featured as the conference artist and/or clinician at state and provincial music teachers’ association events, including those of Texas, California, Oregon, Oklahoma, Kansas, Connecticut, New York, Pennsylvania, Utah, Alabama, Alberta, and North and South Carolina.

A former Artistic Ambassador for the United States Information Agency, Karpoff is a prize winner in the San Antonio, Dublin, and Competition Internationale international piano competitions. As guest artist at music festivals in the U.S. and Europe, he has collaborated with many of America’s foremost musicians. 

He has performed as soloist and collaborative pianist on four continents, including venues in Germany, France, Luxembourg, Belgium, Ghana, Zimbabwe, Ireland, Finland, Italy, China, India, and North America. He has been fortunate to study with Leon Fleisher, Ann Schein, Robert Weirich and Yoheved Kaplinsky, and to have had extensive coachings with Karl Ulrich Schnabel and Richard Goode. He holds the Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the Peabody Conservatory and his undergraduate training took place at Northwestern University. 

Fred Karpoff has served as visiting professor at the Eastman School of Music and is an international Steinway Artist. He is Professor of Piano and Ensemble Arts at the Setnor School of Music at Syracuse University.

​He is the artistic producer of Entrada Piano Technique, an online video resource for teachers and students to achieve effortless piano technique at https://entradapiano.com.

Pictured from left to right: Lumina Zhang, Junior High Piano Alternate-Student of Loretta Jankowski; Christina Wang, Junior High Piano Winner-Student of Stella Xu; Ruby Anderson, Senior High Voice Winner-Student of Marian Healy; Savannah Klumpp, Senior High Voice Honorable Mention-Student of Marian Healy; Sydney Kenton,  Senior High Voice Alternate-Student of Marian Healy; Sophia Liston, Senior High Voice Honorable Mention-Student of Mary Ellen Schauber; Joseph Kang, Senior High Piano Winner-Student of David Brown; Victor Li, Senior High Piano Alternate-Student of Holly Roadfeldt; Miyu Mudalamane, Senior High Piano Honorable Mention-Student of Mitzi DeWhitt; Genevieve Hahn, Young Artist Performance Woodwind Representative-Student of Eileen Grycky.