Abstract
We can't wait to have you join us in warm and sunny Florida for the 2016 ASTA National Conference, March 2–5, at the Tampa Convention Center in Tampa Bay, Florida! You'll love the easy to navigate layout of the compact convention center, in this exciting downtown location! The host hotel, the beautiful Tampa Marriott Waterside Hotel & Marina, is a quick five-minute stroll down the Riverwalk from the convention center. Come early or stay after the conference to soak up the Florida sun!
ASTA's annual conference is a great place to reunite with old friends and make new connections. The learning opportunities are boundless. Not only will you learn from accomplished string professionals and performers during the many educational sessions, but you'll also network with educators at every career level. Whether attending a session, talking with colleagues, listening to one of the many awe-inspiring performances, or visiting with vendors in the strings-only exhibit hall, you will surely leave Tampa Bay feeling energized, inspired, and … maybe a little tan!
2016 Opening Ceremony Keynote Speaker: Scott Lang
Thursday 8 a.m.
For more than a decade, Scott Lang has been educating and entertaining audiences of all ages. As a nationally known leadership trainer, he annually conducts more than 120 workshops and works with many of our country's best educational groups, including ASTA, for our new recruitment effort, Be Part of the Orchestra. Lang is a well-known author with over 10 publications to his credit including; Seriously?!, Leader of the Band, Leadership Success, Leadership Travel Guide, Leadership Survival Guide and the highly successful Be Part of the Band series, which now includes Be Part of the Orchestra with ASTA and other partners.
Educational Sessions
As you've come to expect from past annual conferences, our 2016 meeting again includes more than 200 interactive educational sessions, covering a wide variety of topics. Some of the offerings for 2016 include advocacy and program development; assessment; ASTACAP; body awareness/injury prevention; chamber music; classroom rehearsal techniques/best practices; composition theory; individual lessons; instrument specific techniques; intonation; master classes; performance/concert considerations; practice techniques; philosophy/pedagogy; recruitment/retention/motivation; teaching creativity-improvisation and composing, teaching plans; teacher preparation; technology; and reading sessions. Check www.astaweb.com in the 2016 conference section to see the full list of sessions, descriptions, and presenters.
Students Wanted for Master Classes
Are you a student looking to participate in a master class, or a teacher with a student who would be perfect as a performer in a master class at the conference? Students may upload a recording of their playing directly to ASTA for review by a listening committee. Visit the ASTA website conference section for technical requirements and the link to upload your audition recording.
Master Classes
Juried Research Poster Session
Research conducted by leading pedagogues will be on display with authors available to discuss their research and answer questions. It's not too late to submit a proposal for a Juried Research Poster Session. Online proposal submissions, available on our website, are due October 15,2015.
Best Practice Poster Session
Saturday, there will be a showcase of best practice posters displayed in the Exhibit Hall from 10 a.m. to noon. Poster authors will be available to exchange ideas and findings with attendees. Don't miss this chance to see and learn what your colleagues have uncovered.
Volunteer to be a Session Presider?
Do you need some extra visibility at our national conference for your school administrator? Volunteer to preside at a few sessions this March. As a presider, you may be asked to introduce a session or the presenter, sign attendees’ professional development forms, and complete a short session evaluation. If you sign up by January 3, 2016, you will be listed in the official conference program book. For additional information or to sign up for specific sessions, email
Conference-at-a-Glance
Conference registration begins Wednesday at 10 a.m., and continues Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. each day, making it convenient to register for the entire conference, or just one day.
Wednesday, March 2
10:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. Registration Open
12:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. Mini-learning Academies
5:30 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. First-time Attendee Welcome Reception
6:00 p.m. - 6:45 p.m. Town Hall/Annual Meeting
6:45 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. Dessert Social
8:00 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. Florida State University Concert
Thursday, March 3
7:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. Registration Open
8:00 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. Opening Ceremony
10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. National Orchestra Festival events
9:45 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Educational Sessions
5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. Grand Opening of Exhibit Hall with Reception
5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. Silent Auction Opens
8:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. National Solo Competition Final
Friday, March 4
7:00 a.m. - 8:00 a.m. Sunrise Sessions
7:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. Registration Open
8:15 a.m - 5:15 a.m. Educational Sessions
8:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. National Orchestra Festival Events
10:00 a.m. - 6:30 p.m. Exhibit Hall and Silent Auction Open
11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Coffee Break with Exhibitors
5:45 p.m. Silent Auction Closes/Winning Bids Announced
5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. Attendee Reception in Exhibit Hall
8:00 p.m - 10:00 p.m. Jeremy Kittel Concert
10:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m. Jam Session
Saturday, March 5
7:00 a.m. - 8:00 a.m. Sunrise Sessions
7:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. Registration Open
8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Educational Sessions
10:00 a.m. - 2:45 p.m. Exhibit Hall Open
10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Best Practice Poster Sessions
10:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Coffee Break with Exhibitors
1:45 p.m. - 2:45 p.m. Dessert Reception in Exhibit Hall
4:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. National Orchestra Festival Winner's Recital and conference closes
Tuesday Mini Learning Academy
MusicScores! Pre-K Literacy/Violin Program
Join us for MusicScores!—an innovative pre-K violin program operating within Head Start centers in Collier County, Florida. This program's philosophy, curriculum and lesson structure will be shared, and participants will visit pre-K Head Start violin classes, meeting the teachers and support groups that have helped establish the program. Learn how MusicScores! is helping close the school readiness gap between children from low income and affluent communities. The program has been in existence in one site for eight years and recently expanded to several other Collier County Head Start centers. In the 2015–16 school year, more than 400 Head Start children will receive violin instruction.
Wednesday Events: Mini Learning Academies—12:00 - 5:00 p.m
Astacap
ASTA's Certificate of Advancement program is growing by leaps and bounds. We are now looking for certified ASTACAP adjudicators! Attend this special pre-conference session designed to prepare state officials to train their own judges with an overview of the General Training Course, and continued certification for ASTA members working toward becoming a Nationally Certified Adjudicator in ASTACAP Exams Class B (Levels 3–5) and Class C (6–7). Come join the ranks of certified ASTACAP adjudicators and see what everyone is so excited about. Some training will be required prior to the pre-con. (Contact
Presenter: ASTACAP Committee, Kelley Johnson, chair
2020 Vision: Strengthening String Teaching, Mentorship, Opportunities, and Culture
The National String Project Consortium (NSPC) is a coalition of String Project sites across the nation dedicated to cultivating new generations of highly-qualified string educators and ensuring a vibrant, secure culture of string-music education opportunities for youth and adults. Whether you are actively engaged in a String Project, interested in starting one, or simply want to learn to be a better string educator and advocate, you're invited to attend! This interactive session centers on the NSPC's new strategic plan, 2020 Vision, and will feature topics relevant to all string educators such as teacher effectiveness and preparation, advocacy, program sustainability administrative tools, and more. While this session will be centered on best practices in String Projects, it is relevant and open to all educators, administrators, college students, and enthusiasts that would like to be motivated, guided, and trained to better ensure a dynamic landscape of string-music education in our nation.
Moderator: Amy Gillingham, Northern Kentucky University
An Integrated Approach to String Teaching
A group of affiliated teachers from Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University, Northwest Strings at Northwestern University, the String Academy of Wyoming, the University of Wyoming, the String Academy of Wisconsin at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and Maryland Talent Education will present an effective, eclectic and evolving approach to string teaching. Drawing from an approach developed by Mimi Zweig, which incorporates the pedagogy of Shinichi Suzuki, Paul Rolland, Tadeusz Wronski, Ivan Galamian and others, presenters will address various topics including developing a personal teaching philosophy; providing a healthy beginning; introducing music reading, shifting and vibrato; supplementing the Suzuki repertoire; developing musicianship through integration of technical and musical skills, providing ensemble and solo performance opportunities; and incorporating the approach into a group setting such as the public school string class.
Presenters: Sherry Sinift; Mimi Zweig; Rebecca Henry; James Przygocki; Stacia Spencer; Darcy Drexler; Phyllis Freeman
Preparing to be an ASTA Mentor
This session will bring together experienced string teachers from across the country to learn about mentoring early career string/orchestra teachers. Topics to be addressed include: the teacher development continuum; mentoring styles; and communication strategies. This hands-on workshop will engage participants in video observation and role-play to facilitate mentor development. Please see article on page 92.
Moderators: Colleen Conway, University of Michigan; Margaret Berg, University of Colorado; Bob Phillips, ASTA past president
Improvisation—It's Not Just for Jazz! Learn to Teach Melody, Harmony and Accompaniment by Listening, Imitating and Improvising (Using Any Style of Music) on String Instruments
(No prior improv experience necessary.) If you teach middle school, high school or college, teach at a private studio or are a student teacher of violin, viola, cello, bass or guitar—this session is for you. Tampa area string students will be our guinea pigs (along with ourselves!) for this exciting afternoon session of hands-on learning. Three renowned string teachers will teach improvisation and composition from a non-jazz perspective. Eclectic electro-acoustic violist/composer Martha Mooke will introduce empowerment and teaching methods using ensemble and peer-to-peer partnering games and exercises. Cellist Mike Block (member of Yo-Yo Ma's Silk Road Ensemble and director of Mike Block String Camp) will explore playing and learning by ear through modern pop songs. Violinist and composer Andy Reiner will teach tune creation, exploring the compositional side of traditional music by dissecting fiddle tunes.
Presenters: Martha Mooke, cellist; Mike Block, Yo-Yo Ma Silk Road Ensemble; Andy Reiner, violinist and composer
Wednesday Evening Events
5:30 p.m. Town Hall/Annual Meeting
You won't want to miss the Town Hall/Annual Meeting! This is your chance to meet Monika Schulz, ASTA's new chief executive officer and learn what ASTA has accomplished throughout the year, as well as plans for ASTAs future.
6:30 p.m. Dessert Reception
Following the Town Hall/Annual Meeting, join us for the always popular dessert reception. Network, mingle, and connect with friends while satisfying your sweet tooth with Florida delectables.
8 p.m. Florida State University Symphony Orchestra
After mingling with friends and enjoying some sweet treats, we invite you to relax with beautiful music by the prestigious Florida State University Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of Alexander Jimenez.
Thursday
8 p.m. Live Finals of the National Solo Competition
Returning to the stage at the national conference is the final round of the National Solo Competition. Join us as up to six Laureate Finalists perform their free choice of the required repertoire for the esteemed adjudicators, competing for the Grand Prize and Audience Favorite award. Audience votes will decide who wins the audience favorite prize! Don't miss this talent-filled evening!
Friday
8 p.m. Jeremy Kittel Concert
Jeremy Kittel and his acoustic group will perform a magnificent concert that you won't forget! Kittel has earned a reputation as one of the most exceptional violinists and fiddlers of his generation. With tremendous musicality; a rare mastery of styles as diverse as jazz, Scottish and Irish fiddle, bluegrass, classical music, and more; a unique compositional voice, and an “exhilarating stage presence” (Strings Magazine), Kittel inspires listeners and fans worldwide through his solo work and collaborations, (jeremykittel.com)
Saturday
4 p.m. National Orchestra Festival Grand Prize Winners’ Concert
Top off three days of educational sessions with a fantastic concert featuring the best of the best! This National Orchestra Festival (NOF) event features both the Grand Prize winner of the Public School and the winner of the Private School/Youth Orchestra division for the closing, grand finale, conference concert. Let's unite as teachers, professionals, and parents to acknowledge hard work and talent by attending this concert performed by some of our country's best youth orchestras!
Exhibit Hall Activities and Confirmed Exhibitors
Exhibit Hall Hours
Do not miss out on perusing the strings-only exhibit hall. Our exhibit hall is unique—it is the only one where you can visit nearly 100 companies that are all devoted to your string needs. Listed below are companies that have registered for a booth. Please check our website often for an updated list.
Confirmed Exhibitors
Alfred Music
American Music System
Carl Fischer Music
Claire Givens Violins
Connolly Music Company
Creative Imperatives
Cremona by Saga Musical Instruments
Eastman Strings
Encore Tours
Foundation for the Advancement String Education
FJH Music Company
G. Edward Lutherie
G. Schirmer
Hal Leonard Corporation
Harmonious Designs
Highland Etling
Henle USA
JW Pepper & Son
Luck's Music Library
National Youth Orchestra of USA
O'Connor Method
Oxford University Press
Potter Violin Company
SHAR Music
Stringo by Pre-Twinkle Violin Lessons
Sujoy Strings
Tempo Press
Yamaha Corporation of America
Silent Auction Keeps Getting Better!
The silent auction continues to be a hit with bigger and better prizes every year. Join us in the exhibit hall to peruse all donated items and to make your bid. All money donated goes to the ASTA National Foundation.
National Orchestra Festival®
The following performing groups have been invited to compete in the 2016 National Orchestra Festival®:
Competition High School Full Orchestra
North Charleston, S.C.
Christopher Selby, director
Competition High School String Orchestra
Bentonville, Ark.
Jesse Collett, director
Overland Park, Kans.
Adam Keda, director
Bothell, Wash.
Philip Dean, director
Bismarck, N.D.
Jeremy Overbeck, director
Denver, Colo.
Enrique Lasansky, director
Guilford, Conn.
Thomas Boates, director
Cupertino, Calif.
John Burn, director
Manhattan, Kans.
Nate McClendon, director
Powder Springs, Ga.
Jennifer Floyd, director
Kennesaw, Ga.
Paula Krupiczewicz, director
Olathe, Kans.
Brigid Mayer, director
Chesapeake, Va.
Deanna Kringel director
Las Vegas, Nev.
Alfonzo Kimbrough, director
Irvine, Calif.
Grace Lee, director
Fairfax, Va.
Kathy Thompson, director
Competition Middle School Orchestra
Denver, Colo.
Enrique Lasansky, director
Marietta, Ga.
Tricia Laux, director
North Wales, Penn.
David Pimentel, director
Competition Youth String Orchestra
Manhattan, Kans.
David Littrell, director
Mason, Ohio
Marva Rasmussen, director
Manhattan, Kans.
Cody Toll, director
Ratings and Comments High School String Orchestra
Summerville, S.C.
Linda Versprille, director
Mechanicsville, Va.
Maureen Hawley, director
Broomfield, Colo.
Aaron Carpenter, director
Ratings and Comments Youth String Orchestra
Pacific Symphony Santiago Strings Santa Ana, Calif.
Irene Kroesen, director
Hotel
The beautiful Tampa Marriott Waterside Hotel & Marina will be our host for 2016, and ASTA again has a secured room block with preferred rates. It's anticipated that the room block will quickly sell out before the cutoff date, so please make your reservations early!
Hotel room rates are subject to applicable state and local taxes (currently 12 percent) in effect at the time of check out. To reserve your room call 1-813-221-4900 or 888-268-1616 (mention that you are with ASTA) or make your reservation online at www.astaweb.com. Reservations must be made by Friday, January 29, 2016.
Register Today!
Register early to get a better rate. Be sure to visit the ASTA homepage for updates, additions, and directions on how to download the ASTA Conference App in the 2016 ASTA Conference section.
Things To Do!
While we know Tampa Bay has much to explore, we are always ready to hand over the keys to adventure! This list of Tampa Bay's top treasures makes it easy to conquer the best the area has to offer. So, come take over a destination full of culture, rich history and worth-while experiences.
