ASTA MD/DC Chapter

Winter 2025 ASTA Certificate Advancement Program (ASTACAP)
2025-02-16
Winter 2025 ASTACAP Exams
Click here to register.

The Winter ASTACAP Exams will be held in person on Sunday, February 16th at Temple Beth Ami in Rockville, MD.
Registration Deadline: February 2, 2025
ASTA Certificate Advancement Program
The ASTA Certificate Advancement Program (ASTACAP) seeks to establish definite goals and awards for students of all levels through non-competitive examinations. Students are judged on technical and musical preparedness at specific levels (foundation – level 10) by an ASTA examiner of musical and pedagogical stature. A certificate of achievement is awarded for each level successfully completed. For more information and to download the ASTACAP Handbook from the National Office click HERE

Choppin' Cellos
2024-05-05 14:00 - 17:30 (America/New_York)
Washington Adventist University and the ASTA MD/DC chapter co-host “Choppin’ Cellos” May 5th from 2:00 to 5:30 PM at the Peter’s Music Center on WAU’s campus in Takoma Park. This workshop is for intermediate to advanced players who want an introduction to the specialized techniques of Folk and Tango and the fundamentals of chart interpretation. Our presenters are Carol Anne Bosco, Devree Lewis, and Susanna Mendlow. Admission is $10 for ASTA members, students, and WAU affiliates. General admission is $15. Bring your cello and join in the fun!

Form/Ticket to Register Here: Choppin’ Cellos

Devree Lewis is a cellist based in the D.C. Metro Area. Her recent appearances include: a concert weekend with Choral Arts Society of Washington, performing Eric Whitacre’s A Sacred Veil for chorus and solo cello; Navy Band International Sax Symposium performing new chamber music by Jerod Tate; and studio recording with alt electronic band April+VISTA.

Devree regularly performs with Cello, World duo and Philadelphia-based Mill Race Collective as well as several regional orchestras. Principal cellist of Pan American Symphony Orchestra from 2009 – 2017, Devree continues to specialize in tango music through education, performance, and arranging. The National Symphony of Cuba premiered Devree’s orchestral arrangement of “Ni Pelota: Milonga” by E. Trifilio in 2017. Devree co-founded, performed with, and arranged music for Trifilio Tango Trio full time from 2015-2018. During her years with TTT, the trio recorded and produced three albums of original tango music. “Milonga de la Ausencia,” featuring Devree on cello, is the soundtrack for the short film “Vuelve con nosotros” and was nominated for best original score at Milan’s 2016 MOFF Film Festival. Devree has written tango curriculum and arrangements for Manhattan Chamber Music, where she has also taught since 2017, and directed her tango arrangements performed by DCYOP.

Drawing influence from all kinds of music, Austin-based cellist Carol Anne Bosco plays with a style that is eclectic and diverse. Her musical training includes performance degrees from Florida State University and the University of Maryland. A detour to New Orleans in between provided a chance to explore other styles of music as well. She has performed with the Arlington Philharmonic, Tysons-McLean Orchestra, Tallahassee Symphony Orchestra, and has taken part in the Fontainebleau, Wintergreen, and Duxbury chamber music festivals. Outside of classical music, the gigging scene grants much opportunity for collaboration and expanded techniques – both in playing and arranging. Through the Tiny Desk series on NPR,Carol Anne has performed with alt-J, Billy Corgan, and Meg Myers. For the latter concert, she arranged parts for string quartet. Other artists Carol Anne has appeared with include Jenny Lewis at the Anthem, and Jump Little Children on the Oblivion tour. She has arranged string parts for the session work she does in studios around Austin and DC, as well as for weddings and events. Carol Anne’s principal teachers have included Kenneth Slowik, Evelyn Elsing, Dennis Parker, Michael Kannen, Greg Sauer, and Diana Ligeti.

Susanna Mendlow, a versatile performer, arranger, and educator, enjoys playing a variety of musical styles. She captivates audiences with original two-cello arrangements of classical, popular, and world music as one half of the semi-improvisational duo Cello, World. She also regularly premieres works in the classical sextet Kassia Music and served as the cellist for QuinTango for several years. As both a soloist and chamber musician, Susanna has performed extensively throughout the United States, Europe, Central and South America, and Central Asia. Recently, she earned performance grants from the District of Columbia Commission for the Arts as well as an Emergent Seed award for her composition “Variations on Avre Este Abajour,” written for Cello, World. Her solo album, which features her arrangement of Mendelssohn’s third violin sonata and works for solo cello by Julia Adolphe and Noam Faingold, has an anticipated release of later this year. Susanna holds degrees from Columbia University, Michigan State University, and SUNY Stony Brook. She currently teaches cello in her private studio and serves on faculty at Washington Adventist University in Takoma Park, MD.

ASTA MD/DC and Young Artists of America Orchestra! Elevate Students' Musical Journey!
2024-04-14 13:00 - 14:00
ASTA MD/DC
Young Artists of America Orchestra
Q & A Virtual Session Sunday April 14th 1:00-2:00 pm
Register Here: Virtual Session
Music Director Kristofer Sanz
Young Artists of America Orchestra! Elevate Students’ Musical Journey!
Performance & Q&A Session with Maestro Kris Sanz
YAAOrchestra, led by conductor Kristofer Sanz is an award-winning program that immerses grades 9-12 musicians in complex musical theater scores, fostering stage presence and collaboration within a supportive community.
JOIN US for a VIRTUAL Big Fish follow-up Q&A session with conductor Kristofer Sanz. Attendance to Big Fish performance not required.
Why YAA Orchestra?

Unique repertoire: Expand your students’ musical knowledge with exciting and challenging arrangements.
Supportive learning environment: Develop their skills with a conductor who sets high expectations and offers guidance.
Fast-paced & rigorous: Provide intense rehearsals that push your students to their full potential.
Community & collaboration: Foster their social bonds and teamwork through interaction with peers and performers.
Professional performance opportunities: Showcase their talent on renowned stages, gaining valuable experience.

What students say about YAAOrchestra:
“YAAOrchestra is a place where you can grow and challenge yourself.”
“It gives you a completely different symphonic experience”
“The repertoire is modern and fast-paced.”

Partner with YAAOrchestra: Visit YAA.org/yaaorchestra or contact us at info@yaa.org to discuss how your students can participate. [link to https://www.youngartistsamerica.org/yaaorchestra in online version]

2024 Jack Weaver Memorial Competition
2024-04-13 00:00
2024 Jack Weaver Memorial Competition
For Violin, Viola and Cello
2024 Winners
Registration Deadline: Sunday, March 3, 2024
Date: Saturday, April 13, 2024
Location: Calvary Lutheran Church, 9545 Georgia Avenue, Silver Spring, Maryland 20910
NOTE: Parking on the grass next to the exit driveway is permitted, if needed.
Registration Fees: $50 for ASTA members, $75 for non-ASTA members
To register:

Make one online payment for all of your students. Click here to use Paypal. Note the confirmation number.
Register each student here. You will need your confirmation number as proof of payment.

Prizes: Each instrument category (violin, viola, and cello) has the following prizes available:
First prize: $500
Second prize: $400
Third prize: $300
New Special Prize for 2024: $300 for the best performance of a work by a woman or BIPOC composer. This prize may be awarded in addition to, or separately from, one of the prizes above. NOTE: Playing a work by a woman or BIPOC composer is optional in this year’s competition; it is NOT required.
Competition Rules and Guidelines
Lists of Works by Women and BIPOC Composers
This competition is underwritten with a generous grant from The Violin House of Weaver in Bethesda, Maryland.

Alexander Technique with Cynthia Mauney
2024-03-10 14:30 - 16:00
Sunday, March 10, 2:30-4:00 at Potter’s Recital Hall
7711 Eastern Ave,
Takoma Park, MD 20912
Free for ASTA members! Register Here: AT Technique Workshop

We thank Potter’s Fine Violins for sponsoring this event!

Winter 2024 ASTA Certificate Advancement Program (ASTACAP)
2024-02-25
Winter 2024 ASTACAP Exams
Click here to register.

The Winter ASTACAP Exams will be held in person on Sunday, February 25th at Temple Beth Ami in Rockville, MD.
Registration Deadline: Feb. 4, 2024
ASTA Certificate Advancement Program
The ASTA Certificate Advancement Program (ASTACAP) seeks to establish definite goals and awards for students of all levels through non-competitive examinations. Students are judged on technical and musical preparedness at specific levels (foundation – level 10) by an ASTA examiner of musical and pedagogical stature. A certificate of achievement is awarded for each level successfully completed. For more information and to download the ASTACAP Handbook from the National Office click HERE

Virtual Mini Conference featuring Katie Glassman, Frank Diaz, Joyu Lee, Ron Mutchnik, Debbie Lyle and Frances and Gloria Makino
2023-06-04
See schedule with descriptions here: Schedule with more info
12-8pm EST June 4
Virtual Mini conference featuring Frank Diaz, Mindfulness Through Music Therapy, Finance for Musicians, and others. Zoom links will be emailed the morning of the conference
Register now for the Mini Con!
Schedule:
12:00-1:00
Katie Glassman

1:00-2:30
France Makino and Gloria Makino
Financial Health for Musicians and Teachers

2:30-4:00
Debbie Lyle: Beginners Can Do More! – An Introduction to the Bornoff Approach

4:00-5:30
Frank Diaz: Practicing and Performance Anxiety

5:30-6:30
Ron Mutchnik: Body Mapping

6:30-8:00
Joyu Lee: Mindfulness Through Music Therapy

Jack Weaver Memorial Competition
2023-06-03
Jack Weaver Memorial Competition
For Violin, Viola, Cello and Bass
The 2023 Competition was held on Saturday, June 3, 2023 at Calvary Lutheran Church in Silver Spring. Mark Pfannschmidt chaired the competition assisted by Carol Havelka.
2023 Competition Results
Violin
1st Prize – $500 – Jing Fan, violin – Student of Rebecca Henry
2nd Prize – $400 – Jacqi Fan, violin – Student of Rebecca Henry
3rd Prize – $300 – David Wang, violin – Student of Christian Tremblay
4th Prize – $200 – Elizabeth Wnek, violin – Student of Rebecca Henry
5th Prize – $100 – Mehr Kaur, cello – Student of Tanya Anisimova
ASTA MD/DC wishes to thank Mr. Jody Gatwood, violinist, and Ms. Lori Barnet, cellist, for judging this year’s competition.
The Weaver Competition is a competition for violin, viola, and cello students throughout the DC Metro Region in memory of Jack Weaver. String students in grades 9-12 participate by performing two compositions of contrasting style representing at least two different periods of literature. One piece must be composed by a BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, or Person of Color) OR woman composer. Students must provide their own pianist.
Resources for Repertoire:
BIPOC-Woman-composer-links.xlsx
This competition is funded by The Violin House of Weaver in Bethesda, Maryland.
Register Here!
Competition Rules and guidelines

CELLOBRATION 2023 with Julian Schwarz!
2023-05-21 | Strathmore Hall, 5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda, MD, 20852, United States
CELLOBRATION 2023
with guest artist
Julian Schwarz!
PLAY IN AN ALL-CELLO ORCHESTRA!
REGISTER HERE!

Sunday, May 21, 1:00-5:00 pm
Cellobration will be held at Levine Music at the Music Center at Strathmore. Our guest artist is Julian Schwarz, Assistant Professor of Cello at Shenandoah Conservatory and on the artist faculty of New York University.
There will be an all-Cello Orchestra reading session for all ages and levels (from advanced beginner with note reading/ensemble experience – professional) welcome! Participants may choose to play as many or as few pieces as they are comfortable playing. Following the reading session, you are invited to observe a Masterclass given by Mr. Schwarz.

Julian Schwarz was born to a multigenerational musical family in 1991. Heralded from a young age as a cellist destined to rank among the greatest of the 21st century, Julian’s powerful tone, effortless virtuosity, and extraordinarily large color palette are hallmarks of his style.
After making his concerto debut at the age of 11 with the Seattle Symphony and his father Gerard Schwarz on the podium, he made his US touring debut with the Moscow Radio Symphony Orchestra in 2010. Since being awarded first prize at the inaugural Schoenfeld International String Competition in 2013, he has led an active career as soloist, performing with the symphony orchestras of Annapolis, Boise, Bozeman, Buffalo, Charlotte, Columbus, Des Moines, Hartford, Jacksonville, Louisville, Memphis, Modesto, Omaha, Puerto Rico, Richmond, Rochester, San Antonio, Sarasota, Seattle, Syracuse, Toledo, Tucson, Virginia, West Virginia, Wichita, and Winston-Salem, among others. Internationally, he made his Australian debut with the Queensland Symphony, his Mexican debuts with the Boca del Rio Philharmonic in Veracruz and the Mexico City Philharmonic with frequent collaborator Jorge Mester, and his Hong Kong debut at the Intimacy of Creativity Festival. He has also appeared at the Salzburg Mozarteum, and the Verbier festival in Switzerland.
As a chamber musician, Mr. Schwarz performs extensively in recital with pianist Marika Bournaki. In 2016 the Schwarz-Bournaki duo was awarded first prize at the inaugural Boulder International String Competition’s “The Art of Duo”, and subsequently embarked on an extensive 10-recital tour of China in March 2017. Mr. Schwarz is a founding member of the New York based Frisson Ensemble (a mixed nonet of winds and strings), and the Mile-End Trio with violinist Jeff Multer and Ms. Bournaki. He performs frequently at Bargemusic in Brooklyn with violinist Mark Peskanov, on the Frankly Music Series in Milwaukee with violinist Frank Almond, as a member of the Palladium Chamber Players in St Petersburg FL, and has appeared at the Cape Cod Chamber Music Festival, Orcas Island Chamber Music Festival, and the Seattle Chamber Music Festival. In addition, he is the co-coordinator of chamber music at Eastern Music Festival, running programming for the Tuesday evening chamber music series.
Julian Schwarz is an ardent supporter of new music, and has premiered concertos by Richard Danielpour and Samuel Jones (recorded with the All Star Orchestra for public television in 2012, subsequently released as a DVD on Naxos). In the 17-18 season, he gave the world premiere of Lowell Liebermann’s first Cello Concerto with a consortium of six orchestras. Other premieres include recital works by Paul Frucht, Scott Ordway, Jonathan Cziner, Gavin Fraser, Alex Weiser, Ofer Ben-Amots, and the US Premiere of Dobrinka Tabakova’s Cello Concerto. On record, he has recorded Bright Sheng’s “Northern Lights” for Naxos, the complete cello/piano works by Ernest Bloch for the Milken Archive of American Jewish Music, and an album of concertos with the Seattle Symphony.
A devoted teacher, Mr. Schwarz serves as Assistant Professor of Cello at Shenandoah Conservatory of Shenandoah University (Winchester, VA) and on the artist faculty of New York University (NYU Steinhardt). He spends his summers teaching and performing at the Eastern Music Festival (Greensboro, NC). Past faculty appointments include artist-in-residence at the Lunenburg Academy of Music Performance (Nova Scotia, Canada), faculty teaching assistant to Joel Krosnick at The Juilliard School, and artist-In-residence at the pianoSonoma Festival.
Born in Seattle, WA, Mr. Schwarz studied at the Academy of Music Northwest and the Lakeside School. He continued to the Colburn School in Los Angeles under Ronald Leonard, and then moved to New York City to study with mentor Joel Krosnick at The Juilliard School (BM 14, MM 16). Other influential teachers include the late David Tonkonogui, the late Toby Saks, Lynn Harrell, Neal Cary, and chamber music mentors Andre Roy, Arnold Steinhardt, Jonathan Feldman, Toby Appel and Paul Coletti. Julian plays a Neapolitan cello made by Gennaro Gagliano in 1743 and multiple American bows made by the late Paul Martin Siefried. He is an active contributor to Strings Magazine’s Artist Blog, edits cello editions for Carl Fischer Publishing, and sits on the music committee of the National Arts Club. A Pirastro artist, he endorses and plays the “Perpetual” medium and edition sets of cello strings. Julian also proudly endorses Melos Rosin.
Brought to you by Gailes Violin Shop

Masterclass with Michelle Kim
2023-04-29 14:00 - 16:00
Free and Open Masterclass with Michelle Kim
Saturday April 29, 2-4pm at the Mondzac Performing Arts Center at Landon School
Assistant Concertmaster of the New York Philharmonic
Map of Landon Campus: https://www.landon.net/about#campusmap
Register:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf_srXk06wIJXLvofzSmD0uW3yObXMonRlPT5Ir9F4DVzTl6w/viewform?usp=sf_link

Melissa Brun Strings Workshop
2023-04-23 16:00 - 17:00
Melissa Brun strings workshop
Strings 101 Workshop with Melissa Brun from D’Addario
This Virtual clinic is free for students and teachers. It delivers a fun and interactive presentation about the string-making process, how to care for strings, why strings make a difference, and how to make thoughtful string choices. The clinic takes place via Zoom and D’Addario will also offer a 50% off discount code to use on future purchases, which can be passed along to students and their families.
Register: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfhlo4dnXZSOYXyYkl9LhaE9UnYi67qlpBxdHNAvyrw_9vtNw/viewform?usp=sf_link

Western Swing Improv: Katie Glassman's 5 Easy Wins!
2022-11-27 13:30 - 15:00
REGISTER HERE!
Delve into Katie Glassman’s “5 Easy Wins to improvising a Western Swing Solo”. Participants will learn to practice each ingredient with creativity and using guided repetition to solidify skills and become a Western Swing improviser in no time.
Details
When: Sunday November 27th 1:30-3:00pm
Location: Stone Ridge School Mater Center, Orchestra Rehearsal Room 215
Parking: Free on-site
Materials: Instrument and recording device
Contact: Elizabeth Cunha Cunhastrings@gmail.com
Workshop Description
This session is for teachers and students (teen-adult) with 5+ years of experience on Violin, Cello, Viola, Mandolin, Guitar, or Bass.
Participants can expect to open doors for moving forward or beginning improvising on a stringed instruments with 90 minutes of hands on learning followed by 30 minutes of Q&A.
Bring a recording device and your instrument!
Preparation
If you’d like to prepare something in advance, here’s a link to a Sugar Moon
Youtube Playlist I made especially for this class: https://youtu.be/NkXaPxYFz8A
REGISTER HERE!

Roberto Diaz teaches a Masterclass
2022-10-29 14:00 - 16:00
Come observe a Viola Masterclass taught by Roberto Diaz!
Saturday, October 29
2pm-4:00 at the Landon School
6101 Wilson Ln, Bethesda, MD 20817
Admission: Free for ASTA Members and students
Sponsored by ASTA MD/DC Chapter and the Downing Family Foundation
Map of Landon School, Class will be in Building 13

A violist of international reputation, Roberto Díaz is president and CEO of the Curtis Institute of Music, following in the footsteps of renowned soloist/directors such as Josef Hofmann, Efrem Zimbalist, and Rudolf Serkin. As a teacher of viola at Curtis and former principal viola of the Philadelphia Orchestra, Diaz has already had a significant impact on American musical life and continues to do so in his dual roles as performer and educator.
REGISTER HERE

Hai-Ye Ni Cello Masterclass
2022-09-17 14:00 - 16:30
Saturday, September 17
Principal Cellist of the Philadelphia Orchestra: Hai-Ye Ni gives a masterclass
2:00-4:00 pm at the Landon School
6101 Wilson Ln, Bethesda, MD 20817
Building 13 on the Landon Campus Map:
https://resources.finalsite.net/images/v1654279667/landon/bbssz7wcmcdhfr87bxfr/LandonSummerCampusMap_fnl.pdf
Landon School Campus Security Gate will open at 1:30. There is some construction on campus so follow the road to the left, past the lower school until you reach the Performing Arts Center. Park on the side of the building and the class is in the auditorium.
Free admission for ASTA members and students to observe the Masterclass
Sponsored by ASTA MD/DC Chapter and the Downing Foundation
Please wear a mask, thank you

Hai-Ye Ni joined The Philadelphia Orchestra as principal cello at the beginning of the 2006–07 season after having served as associate principal cello of the New York Philharmonic since 1999. During the 2010–11 season she was featured on a Philadelphia Orchestra concert as soloist in Tan Dun’s The Map, Concerto for Cello, Video, and Orchestra. She made her solo debut with the Orchestra in January 2010 in Saint-Saens’s Cello Concerto No. 1. She first came into prominence after her critically praised New York debut at Alice Tully Hall in 1991, a result of her winning first prize at the Naumburg International Cello Competition.

Recent performance highlights include the Brahms “Double” Concerto, Beethoven’s “Triple” Concerto, and selections from John Williams’s Memoirs of a Geisha with The Philadelphia Orchestra. Additional performances include a Baroque concertos program with the Philadelphia Chamber Orchestra as soloist and conductor, and Ancient Paths, Modern Voices: A Festival Celebrating Chinese Culture with Lang Lang at Carnegie Hall.
Among the ensembles with which she has appeared as soloist are the Chicago, San Francisco, Vancouver, Shanghai, Singapore, and Finnish Radio symphonies; the Orchestre National de Paris; the Vienna Chamber Orchestra; and the Hong Kong and China philharmonics. Her recital credits include the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the Smithsonian Institute, Weill Hall at Carnegie Hall, and the Wallace Collection in London.
Ms. Ni is a recording artist with Delos Music, Ondine, and Naxos. Her CD Spirit of Chimes (Delos) is a collaboration with violinist Cho-Liang Lin and pianist Helen Huang of chamber music by Zhou Long. Ms. Ni is featured on an Ondine recording with The Philadelphia Orchestra and Christoph Eschenbach of Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 5 and Seven Romances on Poems of Alexander Blok. Her 1998 debut solo CD on the Naxos label was named CD of the week by Classic FM London.
A respected musician, Ms. Ni served on the jury of Finland’s V International Paulo Cello Competition in April 2013 and has given master classes at the Curtis Institute of Music, the Mannes College of Music, the Manhattan School of Music, the Shanghai Conservatory, and the Central Conservatory in Beijing. She is currently on the faculty of Rutgers University’s Mason Gross School of the Arts. Among her honors and awards are first prize in the 1996 International Paulo Cello Competition, second prize of the Rostropovich competition in 1997, and a 2001 Avery Fisher Career Grant.
Born in Shanghai, China, Ms. Ni began cello studies with her mother and later studied at the Shanghai Conservatory. She continued her musical education with Irene Sharp at the San Francisco Conservatory, Joel Krosnick at the Juilliard School, and William Pleeth in London.

ASTA Cellobration: Masterclass with David Finckel
2022-06-05 14:00 - 16:00 | Strathmore Hall, 5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda, MD, 20852, United States
For our 2022 ASTA Cellobration Event,
ASTA MD/DC Chapter is proud to present
Masterclass with David Finckel
2:00-4:00 pm Sunday June 5, 2022
Location: Education Center at Strathmore
Register Now for Early Bird Pricing to observe the Masterclass!
$10 for ASTA Members/Students $25 for Non-Members
Register HERE

Cellist David Finckel’s dynamic musical career has included performances on the world’s most distinguished stages as well as ground-breaking entrepreneurial projects. As cellist of the Emerson String Quartet for thirty-four seasons, his massive chamber music repertoire – both performed and recorded – includes virtually the complete string quartets of Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Schumann, Mendelssohn, Dvorak, Brahms, Bartok and Shostakovich, as well as the additional collaborative masterpieces and discoveries that he performs annually. His solo and duo discography is equally comprehensive, including all the standard literature for cello and piano. Fascinated since student days by recording technology, David created ArtistLed with pianist Wu Han in 1997, the first artist-directed, internet-based classical label. His discography includes commissioned works by George Tsontakis, Gabriela Lena Frank, Bruce Adolphe, Lera Auerbach, Augusta Read Thomas and Pierre Jalbert, and his orchestral recordings include both the Dvorak and Harbison Concertos. David’s enthusiasm for living luthiers is evidenced through his performances, since 1993, on a cello made for him by the Brooklyn maker Samuel Zygmuntowicz, a copy of the “Duport” Stradivari cello of 1711. At age ten, deeply inspired by the Russian cellist Mstislav Rostropovich, David committed himself to life as a cellist, and at age sixteen became Rostropovich’s first American student. After first playing with pianist Wu Han in 1981, David added to his already busy career the responsibilities and opportunities of a professional cello-and- piano duo, both in the recording studio and on the concert stage. As artistic co-director of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center (since 2004) and the Music@Menlo Festival in Silicon Valley (since 2002), David Finckel oversees CMS’s Bowers Program, as well as Menlo’s annual Chamber Music Institute. He teaches cello and chamber music at both the Juilliard School and Stony Brook University.

ASTA Cellobration 2022 is brought to you by Gailes Violin Shop

Body Mapping with Ron Mutchnik
2022-05-01 19:00 - 21:00 | Virtual Event
May 1, May 8 and May 15
7-9pm on Zoom

Register Here
Body Mapping is the method founded by William Conable, and developed by Barbara Conable, to help musicians consciously correct and refine their body maps so they can produce graceful, efficient, and coordinated movement and avoid pain, injury, or limitation in the playing of their instruments.
The body map is your representation of your body in your brain, and as with many maps, it can be inaccurate and missing important details, so developing an accurate and adequate map that allows you to play more musically with ease is essential to enjoying your music-making for a lifetime.
In the sessions being offered, upper string players will learn how to access accurate information about their upper bodies (including the head, neck, arms, and spine) and their lower body (including the hips, knees, ankles, and feet) as well as understanding how we breathe and its importance to upper string players, and apply this knowledge directly and with insight into playing and teaching the violin and viola.
The sessions will be divided into three two-hour online sessions on Zoom.
Introduction to Body Mapping
Balance
Arms
Breathing
Legs
Three 20 minute Body Mapping lessons for participants who wish to have one-on-one experience.
What to have to observe and participate:
You will want to be in a space where you have room to walk around some without obstacles in your way. Also, you will need your instruments to be able to experience the benefits of body mapping first hand and wear comfortable shoes and be able to take them off wearing socks or some other kind of foot covering as you wish when we do certain exercises that involve feeling the feet on the floor. Have a rug, mat or carpet to lie down on for a few of the exercises and have rolled up socks, or a towel (possibly with a band/string around to keep them in their rolled up shape) and have a glass or cup handy.
You’ll also need a few large pieces of paper for drawing (but none of your drawings have to be shown to anyone), and a regular pad or stack of papers and pencil/pen to write any notes you wish to take- especially so you can refer back to them and refresh your memory as the sessions will be a week apart. Recording is not allowed but a recording will be made available to any participant after the course ends who has paid for a session that they were unable to attend.
I encourage everyone to be present for all six sessions as the information and knowledge is cumulative and will give you a much better and comprehensive understanding of Body Mapping and how to apply it in your teaching and playing than if you only attend a session or two.
It is my pleasure to present these sessions to our local chapter and I hope it will spur greater interest and a desire to learn more and more about playing with the greatest ease and freedom and expressivity by using Body Mapping in your playing and teaching.

Violinist Ronald Mutchnik graduated from the University of Maryland Baltimore County summa cum laude, where he studied with Robert Gerle. While there, he won the Baltimore Music Club and Baltimore Musicians’ competitions. He earned his Master’s degree from the New England Conservatory, studying with Joseph Gingold and continued post-graduate studies at Tel Aviv University in Israel with Yair Kless.
He is active as an orchestral violinist, chamber musician, recitalist, and soloist and has served as Concertmaster of the Columbia Pro Cantare for over 30 years and with the Baltimore Chamber Orchestra for 36 years. He has performed as soloist with numerous orchestras in Maryland, including the Columbia Orchestra and the Frederick Symphony and appeared in the film Washington Square, performing his own composition, and in concerts with Smokey Robinson, Dionne Warwick, and was the concertmaster at Pat Sajack’s wedding in Annapolis. As a chamber musician he has appeared on many local series including Music in the Great Hall and An Die Musik.
As a teacher he has taught privately in Howard County for 40 years and taught at Towson University. He was a past president of the American String Teachers Association’s MD/DC Chapter, produced a music education video, “Posture and Balance: The Dynamic Duo” toured Korea coaching and performing chamber music, and is a founder of and performer with the Sundays At Three” Chamber Music Series and the founder and music director of the HCCO, the professional chamber orchestra of Howard County, Maryland. He is the 2009 winner of the MD/DC Chapter of ASTA’s String Teacher of the Year Award and the Outstanding Artist Award, the “Howie” for Howard County, Maryland. His recent performance of the Bach Chaconne at the
Baltimore Bach Concert Series was described by Michael Lawrence, creator and director of the critically acclaimed movie Bach & Friends, as a “nuanced and expressive” interpretation that “holds up with the best performances I have heard.”

Spring 2022 ASTA Certificate Advancement Program (ASTACAP)
2022-04-24
Spring 2022 ASTACAP Exams
Registration Opens March 2022

The Spring ASTACAP Exams will be held in person on Sunday, April 24th at Temple Beth Ami in Rockville, MD.
Final Safety protocols related to the pandemic will be shared by April 1st.
All participants must be symptom-free and should expect to wear masks for the entirety of their time inside the venue.
Registration Deadline April 8
ASTA Certificate Advancement Program
The ASTA Certificate Advancement Program (ASTACAP) seeks to establish definite goals and awards for students of all levels through non-competitive examinations. Students are judged on technical and musical preparedness at specific levels (foundation – level 10) by an ASTA examiner of musical and pedagogical stature. A certificate of achievement is awarded for each level successfully completed. For more information and to download the ASTACAP Handbook from the National Office click HERE

Looping in Classrooms & Studios: Changing Lives With Harmonic Grooves, Andy Reiner and Rob Flax
2022-02-13 19:00 - 20:30 | Virtual Event
Want to level up your playing, and stay relevant for your students????
Throw out your dusty backing tracks and robot bands!
Teach more effectively and HAVE MORE FUN by harnessing the power of a looper pedal!
Teachers! Explore harmonic exploration, ear training, and groove practice.
Students! Explore compositional ideas, improvisation, and get instant feedback.
In this ninety-minute workshop, dynamic duo Ändërs ünd Fläxx will guide participants through the basic functions of a looper pedal and demonstrate how they can be used to take the harmony off the page.

Andy Reiner, an award-winning fiddler, singer, actor and composer, began playing at age five with the Reiner Family Band. He has since developed his own style featuring creative, rhythmic melodies and thoughtful fusing of world styles. Earning a Bachelor of Music degree in Violin Performance from Berklee College of Music in Boston, launched Andy into a flurry of touring and teaching around the globe. This included Heavy Metal with Devil in the Kitchen, Folk/Hip-Hop with FiddleFoxx, Swedish/Appalachian with Blue Moose and the Unbuttoned Zippers, Electronic/Celtic with Firecloud, and Bluegrass with The Earth Stringband, which toured Southeast Asia on the 2011 American Music Abroad tour for the US Department of State.

Rob Flax is an award-winning multi-instrumentalist, composer, and educator from Evanston, IL with a playful heart and an openmind. He has performed nationally and internationally with groups of many different styles, including opening for B.B. King and Tower of Power, playing viola and violin with the Trans Siberian Orchestra and YouTube star Jacob Collier, upright bass in an Argentine tango ensemble, mandolin and fiddle in various bluegrass bands, electric violin in several rock bands, collaborations with modern dancers, and more. As a composer Rob has written music for choreographers, film (including work on the soundtrack of James Franco’s film As I Lay Dying), and several original projects. Rob is a recent graduate of the New England Conservatory (M.M. 2012 – Contemporary Improvisation, Music In Education), and he currently lives in Boston, MA.
Register HERE
Workshop Details
For String teachers, string players and students (intermediate-advanced students ages 12 and up)
Time: 7:00-8:30 pm Sunday February 13, 2022
Location: Virtual via zoom

Free for ASTA Members! $25 for Non-Members and students
**Paypal link http://paypal.me/astamddc for Payments and/or Donations to support ASTA MD/DC events***

Access
Zoom Links will be sent the morning of the session to the email entered on this form.
Non-members will be sent links once payment has been received.

Care & Repairs for String Educators
2022-01-23 12:30 - 14:30
Join us for an afternoon of Care & Repairs for string teachers and stringed instruments.
Yoga for Music Educators with Baxter Bell and Kitchen Table Repairs with Dalton Potter
For classroom and studio teachers of stringed instruments
12:30-2:30 pm Sunday January 23, 2021 (Two sixty minute sessions)
Location: Potter Violins, Takoma Park (And Virtual Option)
Free for ASTA Members $25 for Non-Members
Register HERE

Yoga for Music Educators with Baxter Bell
This session will be an accessible yoga practice designed for the unique challenges faced by today’s music educators. It will include yoga poses, breath exercises and simple meditation practices to get you feeling better in your body and more vibrant in your mind! You will need to be able to get up and down from the floor to participate.

What you need: an open space, a yoga mat (optional), a strap of some sort (a belt could work), a firm blanket or large towel and a firm chair with a back (no wheels!)

Baxter Bell, MD, has been playing violin since age 5 and teaching yoga for over 20 years (Baxter Bell Yoga @ www.baxterbell.com). He combines his love of music, his understanding of health, and his experience with yoga to create powerful experiences for your well-being. Baxter is also co-author of the book Yoga for Healthy Aging.

Kitchen Table Repairs with Dalton Potter
This lecture provides an overview of the history and care of stringed instruments. Included in the discussion is an analysis of how violins, violas, cellos and bases are constructed including the materials used as well as varying styles of construction, history, countries of origin, and how these variables affect the need for regular maintenance. The presentation will cover what common products are most effective for the control of humidity, keeping the tuning pegs working smoothly, and the basics of soundpost adjustments, bridges, and the various different kinds of strings. There will also be a review of bows, bow maintenance, and differing styles and materials involved in bow construction. Finally, there will be a 10 minute question and answer period that is open to audience discussion of repair topics. The presentation also will include insider tips on shopping for instruments and an overview of the effect of the internet on the music business.

Dalton Potter, owner and president of The Potter Violin Company in Bethesda, Maryland, has been building and
repairing stringed instruments for more than 30 years. The Potter Violin Company is the largest purveyor of bows and bowed stringed instruments in the Mid-Atlantic region and among the largest shops of its kind in the country. Dalton has written and spoken extensively on the importance of quality instruments in early string music education and maintains a close relationship with many institutions nationwide, including the American String Teachers Association, the National Association for Music Education, and the Suzuki Association of the Americas. He is the author of Kitchen Table Violin Repairs, an emergency manual for string players and teachers. In addition, he takes great pride in being an active and supportive member of the strings community by sponsoring local orchestras and speaking at workshops, camps, and universities around the country

Education for Happiness Part 2: The Practice Wheel Experience
2022-01-16 16:00 - 17:00 | Virtual Event
Education for Happiness Part 2: The Practice Wheel Experience- Gabe Bolkosky. This session is for string teachers of all levels (Classroom and Studio).
Bring your instruments and experience the Practice Wheel in action during this 60 minute guided practice session with violinist and creator of Education for Happiness, Gabe Bolkosky.
Location: Virtual via Zoom
Free of charge for ASTA Members

Education for Happiness, a Survey of the Practice Process with Gabe Bolkosky
2021-12-19 19:00 - 20:30 | Virtual Event
Free for ASTA Members, $15 for Non-Members. Register HERE. Pay/Donate Here
Via Zoom – Link will be shared with registered participants on the day of the event.
Education For Happiness is a think tank dedicated to making learning smoother for the 99% by pioneering new ways of empowering musicians to delight in their own practice. At the core of the philosophy is Gabe’s Practice Wheel, a diagram for smooth approaches to practice and learning in general. The organization is pioneering new ways of empowering musicians to delight in their own practice through daily guided practice courses, PhoenixPhest Chamber music immersives, and live chamber music workshops for all ages and levels.
This session is for teachers of all instruments in a classroom and/or studio setting, and parents of student musicians who are interested helping their children be more productive in practice. In this ninety minute workshop, participants will:

Learn Gabe’s multi-layered approach to the process for creating a musical performance
Identify basic priorities within that process,
Be guided through how to intentionally apply the Practice Wheel with intention

Gabe Bolkosky, Violinist, is the owner and founder of Education For Happiness, an education think tank dedicated to making learning smoother for the 99%.
Gabe has released seven CDs that show his breadth as a musician. His debut solo album, This and That, features classical and jazz music. Other albums include The Shape of Klez to Come with the klezmer group Into the Freylakh; The Orchestra Is Here to Play, a live recording teaming the Gemini children’s-music group with a full orchestra; The Oblivion Project Live, showcasing the music of Astor Piazzolla; Non Sequitur, contemporary and experimental music, including one of his own compositions; Home from Work, an eclectic mix of jazz, folk and blues in collaboration with San Slomovits, and as sideman on John Lindberg’s recording Two by Five. His most recent CD is Bonne Nuit, which includes the Debussy Sonata and other small works for violin and piano with Michele Cooker, and can be found here.
Gabe currently collaborates with two main ensembles, The Bayberry String Quartet and The Oblivion Project. He was a guest artist at The University of Michigan in Ann Arbor teaching violin and chamber music for six years. He has worked with all ages of young musicians in most of the 50 states and parts of Asia. He maintains a private violin studio with his wife, Steffani Kitayama.

Shifting Our Focus
2021-09-19 19:00 - 21:00
SHIFTING OUR FOCUS
From Well-DOing to Well-BEing as Classical Musicians
Sunday, September 19th at 7:00pm, via Zoom
Free for Members and College Students
$10 for Non-Members

This 75-minute coaching workshop will not be a lecture, or a teaching, nor the giving of advice. A life coach knows that people have their own best answers when given space and time to listen to their own voice. Musicians know that a room full of educators has the potential to create a powerful, collective shift of learning.
Materials: Something to write on, to write with, a quiet location without distractions, and a willingness to consider sharing your thoughts.
Results: will take away new ideas, a sense of being in community with others, and a clearer understanding of ways they might like to make changes in their own lives and in their teaching. What is it, that’s in you – that I can hold the space for – that could empower you to live the way you want to live?

REGISTER HERE
Violinist Eva Cappelletti Chao’s orchestral career has included performances at the most prestigious concert halls throughout the U.S., Europe, Central and South America and the Middle East. When not stopped by a world-wide pandemic, Eva performs regularly with the Baltimore Symphony, the Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra and leads many of the freelance ensembles in the Washington, DC area. Ms. Cappelletti Chao has a thriving private life coaching practice specifically for classical musicians, theMusicofYou.com, which is particularly gratifying during these unprecedented times of change for the performing arts.

Beginner String Technique Made Easy
2021-09-06 19:00 - 21:00 | Virtual Event
Beginner String Technique Made Easy
Do you spend every Fall ever-so-slowly setting up your students to play properly?
Need a step-by-step method that works quickly, consistently and successfully?
Do you worry as your students wait in boredom as you correct and then ……… the bell rings?
There is a better and easier way! Join us for this VIRTUAL and hands-on session!
A VIRTUAL hands-on workshop for teachers of beginning string instruments!
Presenter: Grace Law
Monday September 6th, 7:00pm
Free for Members! $10 for Non-Members
Register HERE
Participants will learn to:
• Teach the bow hold and left hand positioning faster
• Achieve more correct left and right hand positioning results
• Waste less time and fix less incorrect posture
• Establish bowing technique with effective bow hold exercises

Grace Law’s passion is training string teachers for success. Grace’s unique approach offers simple, quick and effective strategies for teaching beginning technique. Teachers can find her blog and learn more about teacher-training courses and workshops at SmartStringsteacher.com. Through Grace’s training, teachers discover how much they can accomplish with students, and can’t wait to get back to the classroom and put easy, new, and effective strategies to work. Grace has a music and a teaching degree from the University of Toronto, 30 years of private and classroom teaching experience and currently teaches high school string orchestra.
