State of AVMTA Address-in 2 minutes or less

I was asked to give a 2 minute "State of the Club" address at the MFMC Convention. All of the local club presidents will be there. Here is the text. I have not attended this convention before. I'm looking forward to making a new music friend or two.

AVMTA Address at All State Meeting, 8/7/13

The APPLE VALLEY Music Teachers Association is MORE than our name implies. A diverse and unique club of over 50 members and 900 students,we have teachers from Burnsville to Bloomington, Shakopee to New Market, both Minneapolis and St. Paul, for a total of 14 cities, including Apple Valley.
New this year to our club will be an additional FOURTH Festival. It will be for piano and voice. This November date will round out our January, February, and March offerings.
We are also working toward a goal of having our students be musically noticed within the south metro community. We have been in contact recently with the Chamber of Commerce for more ways to bring music to the Apple Valley area. They are happy to be working with us and it has led to meetings with Think Bank, Enjoy restaurant, the new banquet facility at the golf course, the public library, and Ecumen Seasons, a retirement complex.
We will have nursing home and joint teacher recital offerings at new locations, plus our current sites. We recently added a Facebook page to increase awareness for students, parents, and other teachers looking for a fun and active club. A small commercial here - Go ahead and “Like” us today.
We are hosting a Festival Read Through event, scheduled for October 12th, a Saturday morning, from 9-12. Details about location will be made available soon, but this special event will read through the new Festival book. At this time, plans include piano, string, and voice rooms, led by our members. This will be open to all teachers; expect a flyer coming soon.
This summer, the new president is personally calling each and every member to answer 3 easy questions. The aim of these questions is to be the kind of group that our membership wants and needs it to be. Play to our strengths. For those that are interested, the 3 questions are:
1. What the most valuable part of your membership?
2. Name an area we could help you grow as a teacher?
3. What is a talent you could share with the group?

The Apple Valley MUSIC Teachers Association IS what our name implies. We are a MUSIC club. We represent teachers from piano to accordion, brass instruments to piccolo, composition to orchestra, digital recording to woodwinds, flute, guitar, voice and a host of others. We are changing as our membership needs are changing, and looking forward to a engaging year, all working together.

My Canoe Tipped Over, On Purpose

When I went to my first summer camp, it was at a northern Minnesota lake. There were hundreds of other new campers. But we all talked about the same thing that first night around the campfire. Canoe lessons.

You see, over one hundred timid city kids in the lake that day swamped their canoes as lesson number one. Yes, we all got wet. Yes, we were mostly a screaming, splashing confused bunch of 11-13 year olds. But it was so smart of the counselors to get that "mistake" out of the way. Because you know it's going to happen eventually. You are going to need to know how to be in control, flip it, right it, and somehow, get back in the canoe.

I haven't taken skiing lessons but I've heard the first thing you learn is how to fall. Because you will. This might be an interesting philosophy with piano.

The transfer student seemed so afraid. There were so much water, i.e., lots of notes, fingerings, dynamics, slurs, phrasing. Where do I even start, she wondered. Start by making some mistakes, and make them big.

In composition, we could teach the same thing. Try a bunch of ridiculous ideas. Mix it up and dump it out, all over. Do more. Do less. Combine styles, focus on one style completely.

The new student comes in and wants to be a good student. They are shy or intimidated by the bigness of the instrument. You can't hold a piano in your hands like a flute or a violin.

I'm not expecting students to know how to play piano before they've been taught how. Jump in. Splash and scream. Get wet. I promise you won't drown. I'm right here. And it's so much fun. Happy Summer all.

My Summer Fun List

It's July already. I teach a limited schedule in the summer to make room for mindlessness. My creative side needs sun and space. This is only a reminder, to myself. Maybe I will get more of these enjoyed in the next two months, and more likely, things I didn't even think of will happen too.

Summer Fun List
By Chris Wolf

A Drive-In Movie
Arboreteum
Bike
Boat Ride
Como Park
Compose
County Fair
Dance to My Favorite Song on the Radio, every time!
Dinosaurs at the Zoo
Eat Corn on the Cob
Farmer’s Market
Garage Sale
Go to a Parade
Grow Something
Have a Campfire
Hear a Loon
Hear Live Music
Hold a Baby
Hold a Sparkler
Hunt for Antiques
Listen
Learn a new Song/Piece of Music
Make Something (recipe, a birdhouse…)
Maya Exhibit at the Science Museum
Mini Golf
Minneapolis Institute of Arts
Museum I’ve Never Seen
Paint
Party with Friends
Pedicure
Play a Family Game
Play piano
Read a Book
Ride in a Convertible
Run in a Sprinkler
See a Movie
See a Sunset
Sleep Overnight Somewhere
Spit Watermelon Seeds off the Deck
Stillwater - Segways
Strawberry Picking
Surprise Someone
Swing
Take a Meal to someone
Take a Road I’ve Never Taken
Visit Someone Who Doesn’t Expect me
Walk a Path with fresh eyes, with a Camera
Watch Clouds

A Practice Parable

Once upon a time there was a lanky, bean of a girl with an above average basketball shooting ability. Placed almost anywhere around a basket, and she could make the shot. She always played with Dad. He would coach, move her arms, check the angles with her. He had a little skill himself and, at first, was glad to show her some basic shots. Soon, she routinely beat the neighbor kids at HORSE, and could even make it from behind the garage, SWOOSH, into the hoop. She wouldn’t practice without Dad outside though. She would ask him at every turn for a little help. So Dad signed her up for summer basketball camp. The first day, a small problem became apparent. She couldn’t run and dribble. This, she found out the hard way, was a key element of the game. And she stunk. Enviable shooting ability, fouled for traveling. Every. Time. She also found out that practicing with her dad on the driveway was a lot kinder than practicing alone, or with the kids at camp. At home, Dad would set her up, and she would shine. Here, courts were long, there was a lot less positive feedback, and the coaches expected her to get better. Worst of all, she discovered that some of basketball was really hard. And boring. And sweaty. And, well, work. She had some natural talent, but just like a lot of people with a lot of talents, she had hoped it would be easy. At a certain point, she is in charge of her own feet.