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April 2020 Newsletter

4/7/2020

We could say, “Desperate times call for desperate measures”, however, I’d rather say, “Necessity is the mother of invention!” Yes, there are a lot of desperate people out there right now frantically hoarding supplies to prepare for this monster virus that is relentlessly oozing like a steady stream of lava into our communities. However, there are far more people coming up with creative solutions to weather this ominous storm surrounding our world! The wonderful teachers in our organization are the perfect example of this as they have worked toward making the best of a bad situation in the past few weeks. As soon as schools closed, many of us decided now was the perfect time to give online lessons a try rather than taking a break from teaching. In addition, the board has been working tirelessly to create an online Achievement Day to salvage at least one of our spring events for the students. With the number of student activities being cancelled, we are so fortunate to be able to keep our students learning and enjoying music. I’ve even added students recently, because there are parents out there who are desperate to find an outlet and diversion for their home-bound youngsters! I’m so happy that music has found its place amid the positive things coming out of this health crisis.

When I chose this year’s theme, “Embrace the Future”, I would have never dreamed that our future would take such a drastic turn! The leap from studio teaching to online teaching became a necessity nearly over night! I’ll have to admit that jumping on board the online lesson bandwagon hasn’t been easy, but so far, it has been totally worth it. I can’t believe how much I am getting to learn about the students’ lives outside of the studio! It is also really stretching my teaching techniques and my students’ listening abilities! The remainder of this month’s newsletter is dedicated to providing some insight into some of our members’ initial experiences in teaching online. If you haven’t tried it yet, maybe the following tips and anecdotes will give you the courage to give it a whirl…. In the meantime, please stay healthy!

Carolyn Rooder
DVMTA President 2018-2020

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Message regarding COVID-19 and upcoming events: updated March 25, 2020

4/1/2020

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Dear DVMTA Members,

Hope you are all well! The following is an update on our events/activities. We have not given up yet!

1) March General Meeting, March 27 – This meeting is cancelled. Our executive board vote will be sent electronically this week using a Google survey form. Please complete by the 27th.

2) Awards in Excellence, Apr. 4 and 11 – Cancelled for this year. All entrance fees will be returned to teachers to disperse to their students.

3) April Brunch, April 24 – Status TBD by venue.

4) Achievement Day, May 9 – Not cancelled yet! We are working on an online version due to the fact that MCC facilities will be closed through May. Information about online participation will be distributed to all members by April 1st. For those students who have already prepared for A in E, this might be a good way to get a little something for their hard work, even though it is not a competition! The registration deadline is extended to April 15th and may be sent electronically or by mail to Buffie Meeker [email protected] Payments will need to be submitted by mail only.

5) Awards Plus, May 11 – Status TBA. Application deadline for this event has been extended to April 15th as well to be in alignment with the deadline for Achievement Day registration. Special note: Students who are depending on credit for Awards in Excellence and/or Achievement Day to fulfill requirements for Devoted Performer or Senior Scholarship for this year or future years will be given due credit if the students’ teachers feel that the students were adequately prepared for the event before cancellation.

6) Other information: Many teachers are now utilizing online teaching. If you have special knowledge, parent letters, student handouts, etc. that you would be willing to share with other members of the organization that may be unfamiliar with this kind of teaching, please send those documents to [email protected] A special folder has been created in the Member Documents entitled “Teaching Tips” to hold any documents that are submitted. These will be password protected for members only. The government mandates and school closures will determine how we proceed day to day and I will send updates as needed.

I hope and pray that you will all stay safe and healthy during these uncertain times!

Carolyn Rooder
DVMTA President 2018-2020

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March 2020 Newsletter

4/1/2020

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Achievement Day – The Event ALL of our Students Should be Participating In!!

In last month’s issue, I stressed the importance of providing many performance opportunities to our students, because it gives them a real reason to practice throughout the week. However, there are many things we teach in our studios that students cannot demonstrate in a performance alone. That is why Achievement Day was created! I LOVE LOVE LOVE Achievement Day! It is an all-inclusive event that is appropriate for ALL of our students. Do you have students who have great difficulty memorizing or simply don’t have time to get multiple pieces memorized? Achievement Day provides two levels of participation so that even your busiest student or special needs student can successfully take part. Does a formal competition make any of your students break out in a cold sweat? The Achievement Day adjudication process is friendly, positive and provides awards for ALL students who have met the preparation requirements. Do your students resist cranking out miles and miles of theory pages to prepare for a lengthy test? The Achievement Day theory and ear-training tests provide simple snapshot evaluations of only 8 – 10 critical objectives which are educationally sound and at the lower levels, have been carefully aligned with popular method books.

The benefits of Achievement Day don’t stop there! For students unable to participate in Cavalcade, the duet option allows students to demonstrate ensemble playing. For students unable to participate in Original Composition, the composition option allows students to perform and receive feedback on their own musical creation – even one that is not yet transcribed! Students have the opportunity to demonstrate musical history knowledge through learning a few simple facts about composers or presenting a written report on a music history topic. Achievement Day truly is a simple, comprehensive, low-stress way to award students for their hard work this year!

If you are not already entering students in Achievement Day, what’s holding you back? If the scope of the event seems overwhelming or intimidating, I highly encourage you to enter just two or three of your lower level students this year so that you can experience how simple and worthwhile participating in this event can actually be! Achievement Day provides affirmation to both students and teachers that students are successfully mastering a well-rounded music curriculum. There is nothing else that you can do for your students that meets so many of your music objectives all at once! Plus, it is fun for the students to spend a couple of hours at the college where the “big kids” study music!!! Check out the article below from our Achievement Day Chairperson for more registration details!

Carolyn Rooder
DVMTA President 2018-2020

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Cavalcade of Rhythm Performance Feb. 22, 2020

4/1/2020

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With much excitement, DVMTA students and teachers gathered at Mesquite High School to perform their polished ensemble duets for friends and families. The "Dance Party" theme was such fun, and the music and entertainment had the audience grooving with the performers. Students were wonderful, and were directed by DVMTA's fabulous teachers. Dancers from Heritage Academy provided energetic and engaging dance numbers in between each ensemble group. Many thanks to all DVMTA teachers who helped and participated, and a very special thank you to the Cavalcade Committee: Linda Carpenter, Jenna Hartley, Charles Newton, Sara Pratt and Hillary Bitter.