Posted - Schedule of Meetings, Recitals and Competition for 2015-2016

In our pages section you can find the following information.  Please mark in your calendar.

2015-16 CALENDAR:

Meetings:

Sep. 9​  Meet & Greet and Spring Festival Music​ - Frank & Camille’s
Oct 7​    Dalcroze Workshop (Deede Cook)​ ​- Selden Library
​Nov. 4​   Pedagogical Ideas and Strategies​ ​- Music & Arts
​Dec. 2​  Teaching Expression & Technique to Young Children (Marina Obukovsky)​ - ​Faust      Harrison
​Jan. 6​  Healthy Mind and Body Awareness​ - Selden Library

Feb. 3​  The “Gift” of Music​ - Fred B.’s home
​Mar. 2​  Leading Students to the Piano OR Preparing Students’ Ears for Contemporary Music​ - TBA

​Apr. 2​  Baroque Dance Workshop​ ​(Denise Celestin) - TBA

Apr. 6​  Nominations and Questions in a Hat​ - Music & Arts
May 4 ​ Elections and Planning Meeting​ - Selden Lib.
June 1​ Voting for Programs and PotLuck Luncheon​ - Terry B.'s home

Recitals:

Creative Showcase I​              Saturday Nov. 21

Creative Showcase II​             Saturday Jan. 30

Formal Recital                        Saturday ​Feb. 27

Festival Recital​                       Saturday April 16

Honors Recital​                        Thursday June 2 (tentative)

Competition:

Saturday and Sunday             March 19 - 20 (tentative)

Message from our New President

Dear SPTF Colleagues,

Greetings and welcome back to another school year of music making and developing our abilities as teachers! Thank you to Johanna Kosak for her excellent leadership and years of service for SPTF. It is my privilege to succeed her in the office of president.

We have a full slate of interesting meeting topics lined up (see below), including 3 guest presenters and valuable contributions from our own members. We look forward to seeing all of our members this year - YOU are what makes this organization tick!

Start perusing your shelves for Spring Festival music to share at our first meeting - our theme is "Music Around the World: East, West and Back Again". Bring your scores, $35 membership dues and maybe a friend or two!

See you at Frank and Camille's on Wednesday, September 9 at 10:00 A.M.!

Musically yours,

Esther Chung Marks

SPTF President

SPTF Scholarship Recipient for Outstanding Pianist at Stony Brook University

Her name is Ko-Eun Yi.  She played Chopin Scherzo in b minor on the second festival recital.

Congratulations, Ko-Eun!

Snapshots from last months masterclass/meeting

Dear colleagues,

I hope you got to attend April's meeting.  We were treated to some lovely ideas about pieces we too often teach.


Here are some snapshots of the action at Steinway Gallery:

Wen Ling Cheng  is teaching adult student of Esther Chung Marks, Margaret Clarkson, and

Evelyn Ulex is teaching adult student of Johanna Kosak, Patrick Reyes.

Results of this year's competition

Suffolk Piano Teachers Foundation 10th Annual Competition March 28 and March 29, 2015

Official Results

Congratulations to all students, parents, and teachers!  The judges have made their final determinations.

Please note.

• Results are final.  
• All 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners must attend the Awards Ceremony held between the Honors Recitals to receive their awards and prizes. Recipients must arrive by 6:00 p.m.
• Honors Recitals will be held on Thursday June 4, 2015 at 5:00 pm and 7:30 pm at Staller Center Recital Hall, Stony Brook University. First Place winners are expected to perform their winning pieces at one of the Honors Recitals. There is no Honors Recital registration fee for first place winners.

Elementary Division (100s)

First Place #101 – Tom Liu

2nd Grader at The Mills Pond Elementary School in Saint James

Variations on a Russian Theme by I. Berkovich

Second Place  #108 – Mark Griffin

6th Grader at JFK Middle School in Port Jefferson Station

The Wild West by T. Brown

Third Place  # 110 – Maxim Pustovoit

4th Grader at Minnesauke Elementary School in Setauket

Aeolian Harp by W. Gillock

Early Intermediate Division (200s)

First Place #210 – Antonia Pavek

5th Grader at Tecumseh Elementary School in Farmingville

Doll's Dream Op. 202, No. 4 in C by T. Oesten

Second Place #209 – Zoe Marks

4th Grader at Boyle Road Elementary School in Port Jefferson Station

Scherzino Op. 21, No. 6 in A by G. Karganov

Third Place # 213 – Yuan Yuan Long

3rd Grader at Cantiague Elementary School in Jericho

Tokyo Twilight by M. Bober

Late Intermediate Division (300s)

First Place #315 – Dorothy Pierre

8th Grader at Smithtown Christian School in Smithtown

Tarantella by A. Pieczonka

Second Place # 314 – Grace Lim

5th Grader at Northside Elementary School in Levittown

Soliloquy by T. Brown

Third Place #303 – Katerina Reich

6th Grader at Hampton Bays Middle School in Hampton Bays

Sonata Op. 49, No. 1 in Gm, First Mvmt.

Early Advanced Division (400s)

First Place #403 – Karen Xie

7th Grader at R.C. Murphy Junior High School in Stony Brook

The Cat and the Mouse by A. Copland

Second Place # 409 – Gabrielle Lim

6th Grader at W.T. Clarke Middle School in Westbury

Nocturne Op. 9 No. 2, in Eb by F. Chopin

Third Place # 404 – Maya Hasegawa

7th Grader at Longwood Junior High School in Middle Island

Arabesque No. 1 in E by C. Debussy

Late Advanced Division (500s)

First Place - #505 – Kevin Cao

10th Grader at Commack High School in Commack

Ballade Op. 23 in Gm by F. Chopin

Second Place - #511 – Theo Marks

10th Grader at Comsewogue High School in Port Jefferson Station

Tres danzas argentinas Op.2: Danza del gaucho matrero by A. Ginastera

Third Place - #513 – Song Ying Xie

8th Grader at R.C. Murphy Junior High School in Stony Brook

Liebestraum Op. 62, No. 3 in Ab by F. Liszt

Thank you letter from one of the judges of this year's competition

Dear SPTF Teachers,

Thank you for inviting me to adjudicate the competition on March 28th. I was very impressed with your organization and the way that the competition was running.

The students all played their best and with their hearts out front.  In my opinion, this is the most important thing to help them to do - to love what they are playing.  Congratulations to each of you who had a student involved in this day.  

Also, it is impressive that you have formed this group of teachers on a volunteer basis.  It shows your commitment to the profession and the art of teaching.  

Have a wonderful spring season,

Marjean Olson

Upcoming weekend of music making at Smith Haven Mall

By Dan Fogel


There is an extraordinary and unprecedented event happening inside the Smith Haven Mall in Lake Grove this weekend (Tomorrow and Sunday). Steinway Piano Gallery (in Melville, via manager Barry Tognolini) has coordinated having a Steinway D 9­ft Concert Grand Piano in the center port of Smith Haven Mall (where the 2 shopping lanes meet), next to the Easter Bunny! Selections during the weekend will include  classical piano masterpieces, some video game music and popular hits from musicals, standards, etc. I cannot remember in my lifetime ever seeing such a high ­end piano right in the middle of such a public area. Nontraditional to say the least!

Preselected local piano teachers throughout Long Island, their advanced students, and some professional pianists will be performing for passersby at the following days and times:

We invite you all to come a listen to a variety of performers including professional pianists and advanced piano students.  The event will take place on Saturday, March 21 from  1pm - ­4:30pm and on Sunday, Marc 22 from 12:30­ - 4:30pm.  The event is free.
This will be a special treat for all who witness this, and a great honor for the performers.






Weekend Schedule 

Saturday, March 21


1­:00 - 1:30 - Esther Chung Marks (of Port Jefferson Station) and her students 
1:30­ - 3:00  - Dan Fogel (of Centereach) and his students
3:00 - 3:30 -  Tamara Slobodkin's (of Setuaket) Students
3:30 - 4:30 - Guy Slapak, (a doctoral candidate at Stony Brook University) 


Sunday, March 22, 


12:30 - ­2:15 Michael Bulychev­-Okser's students
2:15­ - 3:00 Joe Graziose's (of North Babylon) students
3:00 - ­4:30 Rowena Arrieta's (of Rocky Point) students




Just a sample of some of the music you may hear:


Dan Fogel's students will be playing many selections including:
Clair de lune by Debussy
Waltz in c#m by Chopin
Fantasy in dm by Mozart
The Girl with the Flaxen Hair by Debussy

Fur Elise by Beethoven

Moonlight Sonata 1st mvt by Beethoven 
Fantasie Impromptu by Chopin
Hymne by Poulenc
a Muczynski prelude

Students: Charles, WIlliam, Nicolle, Catherine, Abigail, and Eugene who is visiting from Ithaca)


Dan Fogel will be playing
pieces by Chopin, Debussy, and other classical composers Video Game Pieces from Zelda, Mario, and Final Fantasy some popular hits from musicals, standards, etc.


Esther Chung Marks' students will be performing:
Berkovich Variations on a Russian Folk Song Beethoven Sonata Opus 49 No. 1 in G minor Mozart Sonata K. 331 in A major
Karganov Scherzino in A major Rachmaninoff Valse (trio for 6­hands)

Students: Tom, Gabriel, Zoe. Dan Fogel will join Zoe and Esther on the trio. 
Esther will play a selection or two.


Joseph Graziose's students will play:
Claire de Lune
Moszkowski Etude in Gm,
Pathetique Sonata
Bach Inv.
Gillock Jazz,
Fantasie­Impromptu,
Maple Leaf Rag,
Duet­ All American Hometown Band by Noona

Students: Jarrad, Atom, and Nishant 


Tamara Slobodkin's students will play:
1st arabesque ­ Debussy Scarlatti Sonata in D
Doll's Dream ­ Oesten Temple Dancers ­ Noona 

Students: Maya and Ammella