Special Project Past Recipients

2007

Kentucky Chapter of ASTA: “L.O.V.E. Commissioned Composition”
The students and teachers of Lexington’s Only Viola Ensemble (L.O.V.E.) will commission a multiple viola work by Elizabeth Stuen-Walker—an experienced violist and composer of multiple viola ensemble pieces. This piece will have parts for different skill levels and students at the local schools wills be given the opportunity to perform with the ensemble, thus encouraging viola performance and “state musical camaraderie.”

Ohio Chapter of ASTA: “OSTA String Festival”
This project will provide the opportunity for string teachers and students to perform in a non-competitive atmosphere where they can share their talent and growth. Each orchestra will perform for three certified string teachers and receive verbal and written feedback on their performance. A fourth string teacher will also listen to the performance and spend 25-30 minutes in a clinic setting with the group.

Michigan Chapter of ASTA: “MASTA Camps DVD”

The project will create a DVD to promote MASTA Elementary and Junior High String Camps to get the word out to young string players about summer string music opportunities in Michigan.

Nebraska Chapter of ASTA: “Tri-City Youth Symphony/Tri-City Junior Youth Symphony Retreat”
This project aims to bring together the students in central Nebraska together for a weekend of music-making. Often these students study privately and have no orchestra program available to them. By bringing the students together for an intense weekend of music making led by two conductors with additional assistance from sectional coaches, the state chapter may offer students a unique musical opportunity to play music at the highest level of performance.

New Jersey ASTA: “Tenth Anniversary NJASTA Symposium”
This project will offer New Jersey teachers and string students a smaller scale experience of the ASTA National Conference. The symposium will offer a full day of events, equally promoting both traditional and alternative styles in string performance/education.

North Carolina Chapter of ASTA: “String Pedagogy and Practice for the Classroom and Private Studio”
This project will deliver specific knowledge of pedagogical skills to string music education majors from three Schools of Music in North Carolina and visiting public and private school teachers.

Rhode Island Chapter of ASTA: “Professional Development for Music Educators who Teach Strings in RI”
This project will offer a series of professional development days for all public school music teachers who teach strings as part of their jobs in Rhode Island. The goal of the presentations is to help music teachers acquire a deeper knowledge of how to teach strings.

South Dakota Chapter of ASTA: “Workshops for Strings”
This project will present two string masterclass/workshops in Aberdeen, South Dakota. The presenters will be Jaromir Krovacek and French Chamber Orchestra. The workshop will provide an opportunity for South Dakota string students to work with expert teachers/performers with special insights into Sevcik’s methods and orchestral string playing.

Texas Chapter of ASTA: “Statewide Implementation of Certificate Program for Strings”
TexASTA will host two separate days of Certificate Program for Strings Examiner training, in two different locations in the state.

Virginia Chapter of ASTA: “Senior Regional Prep Days”
The workshop will include masterclasses on each string instrument (violin, viola, cello, and bass) to prepare area high school students for the SRO Audition requirements.

2006

Utah Chapter of ASTA: “2007 Utah Chapter of ASTA Composition Competition”
To encourage works by Utah ASTA composers by providing a financial incentive and potential publicity as well as providing a vehicle for public performance of new compositions to music educators.

Alabama Chapter of ASTA: “Fiddle Fair”
A project to provide high quality in-service education for Alabama Chapter members. Susan Kempter, clinician, will present four sessions designed to instruct and inspire. Participants will bring their instruments and will be encouraged to ask questions throughout. Kempter will lead a sharing session in which each teacher brings a good teaching idea and handout.

New Jersey Chapter of ASTA: “New Jersey String Quartet Festival”
New Jersey String Quartet Festival will consist of a competition, a masterclass, and a lecture/concert all presided over and presented by a world-class ensemble, the Shanghai String Quartet. The project provides an opportunity for students to be educated in the art of string quartet playing by encouraging them to prepare music for performance. In addition, the lecture/performance given by the Shanghai String Quartet in residence at Montclair State University, will enlighten students as well as audience members about what a career in professional string quartet is like including the artistic commitment, the hardships of travel, promotion and management, and maintaining a high standard of performance.

2005

Utah Chapter of ASTA: “2006 Utah Chapter of ASTA Composition Competition”
To encourage works by Utah ASTA composers by providing a financial incentive and potential publicity as well as providing a vehicle for public performance of new compositions to music educators. The winning composition, Chant-Formations by Deborah Baker Monday, is a Grade 3.5 work, approximately 4 minutes in length.

Wisconsin Chapter of ASTA: “Orff Instrumentarium for Elementary Orchestra Camp”
The mission of the camp is to motivate students in grades 4 thru 6 through skill building and skill reinforcing. Elementary camp is designed for 1-2 year public school students, although the camp typically has students each year who are more experienced. The 3-day/2-night camp has classes in string orchestra, small heterogeneous groups, movement and Orff. This is in addition to regular summer camp activities. At the end of the session, each student will play 3-4 string orchestra pieces in a concert for parents. The grant will be used to help purchase instruments for the camp.

Rhode Island Chapter of ASTA: “RISTA String Festival”
The proposed festival will encourage fledgling string classes as well as functioning orchestras to participate in workshops by outstanding ASTA clinicians. Clinics will be created that will meet the needs of the participants at whatever level they are playing.

Nebraska Chapter of ASTA: “ROSIN”
This project is a bold, 3-5 year initiative to develop new string and orchestra programs in Nebraska. Whether the project ignites interest in rural or urban settings, or in community based or existing school systems, it is time to share information and resources in a systematic, user friendly way. The funding from the grant will cover mailing and phone calls, paper and printing for trifolds, cover letters, and packets, publications for a lending library, and advertising.

New Jersey Chapter of ASTA: “ASTA/NJ Chamber Music Institute”
This project will bring to teenagers the fine art of chamber music playing. Students will be coached in small groups by some of the finest coaches in New Jersey. They will hear excellent performances by their coaches as well. By using university professors from New Jersey schools, the chapter will raise the status level of New Jersey college music departments.

2004

Virginia Chapter of ASTA: Future Teachers Today
This program was awarded a Special Project grant for the procurement of teaching materials for each class participant. The Future Teachers Today program was created to guarantee that no one goes without lessons who wants them; low-cost lessons are available to students whose parents are not sure about a student’s level of interest; teaching opportunities are made available fro trained high school students; high school students get a basic course in history of string teaching, playing, and pedagogy before teaching; high school student teachers gain experience in working with younger students thereby making the high school students value even more what their own teachers are teaching them; high school student teachers ‘try on’ the role of teacher so that they give serious consideration to a career in string teaching; and public school teachers have wider private lesson resources for their students.

Alabama Chapter of ASTA: Alabama Honor String Festival
The Alabama Chapter of ASTA hopes to create an annual string orchestra and solo and ensemble festival that will actively increase string activity throughout the state, and that will encourage more teachers and students to become involved in ASTA activities, while promoting string playing and instruction on a statewide level. Our two main goals for the Alabama Chapter of ASTA are to involve more teachers and to present more activities. Through this event, open only to ASTA members and their students, we will encourage more active involvement while fostering the growth of our state chapter.

Illinois Chapter of ASTA: 100 Years of Solo Bass
This project will bring one of the world’s leading double bass soloist, teacher, and composer, Miloslav Gajdos, along with Czech Philharmonic Principal Bassist Jiri Hudec, June 1-11, 2005. While in Chicago, the activities will reach far into the community. For example, a two-day double bass symposium geared toward players and educators of all levels will be held at the MERIT Music Program (or another non-profit music organization or school, if Merit is unavailable). Our Czech guests will obtain contemporary teaching/performance practices through the participation of area teachers and professionals. A “bass day” will be held at Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois. Beginning with a school presentation, activities will continue with a masterclass, lessons, and recital lasting well in to the night. The International Society of Bassists will hold their bi-annual convention in Kalamazoo, MI. The guest artists, along with Greg Sarchet and Michael Hovnanian, will be in attendance and will prepare a special presentation for the occasion. Impromptu performances will be held in area restaurants and private homes through the course of the project. This occasion will serve to coalesce and revitalize the double bass teaching and performing community, and inspire many to achieve things they never imagined possible. The goal of the residency is to provide double bass students and professionals, along with string educators, a deeper appreciation of the tremendous Czech double bass heritage that has profoundly influenced American bass playing.

New York Chapter of ASTA: Teaching to the Future of Classical Music
Expose young students to cutting-edge new music by having them play it. Present the findings from this project in a presentation at the 2005 ASTA National Conference that will include the performance of the work by a student and discussion of the project’s process by composer, teacher, and student. Encourage other string teachers to develop similar projects to further the cause of new music in music education. We will bring together a composer and string educator at the grassroots level to develop and promote new music that enhances the repertoire and encourages awareness of current compositional trends. We will involve parents and audiences in Larchmont, New York, who will see the viola students perform the world premiere of this piece. In preparation for the presentation at the National Conference, the chapter will research other attempts to integrate new music in string education and provide a bibliography of resources for teachers. Finally, our presentation involves multimedia audio/visual elements, and it is intended to embrace the music and media of our time to teach both listening and technical skills as they are related to the study of an instrument.

Florida Chapter of ASTA: ArtSouth String Project
The Florida Chapter of ASTA wishes to initiate and accomplish a sixteen-week String Project tailored to develop and educate the under-served, yet rapidly growing community of Homestead, Florida. This program will not only serve and help build the “Main Street” community of Homestead, Florida, but will also reach out to persons of all ages (from the very young child to the young performing string player, to diverse families, adults, and “at-risk” youth), all who reside in the suburban crawl of South Miami, the agricultural areas of the Redlands and the Everglades, and the nautical communities of the Northern Keys.

The project will take place on the inspiring grounds of ArtSouth in the Sanctuary, ArtSouth’s principal concert venue. The Sanctuary has superb acoustics, ideal for chamber music with strings and is an inspiration form any young performer or any seasoned performer to play in. During the sixteen-week course, professional chamber music concerts will be presented in collaboration with visual artists if ArtSouth in the Sanctuary. These concerts will feature an array of repertoire with world-renowned guests performing with the Ensemble CollaborArte. Masterclasses and open rehearsals will be offered to students involved in the String Project and complimentary tickets will be offered to the students and their families.

The ArtSouth String Project will offer classes for sixteen-weeks. The project will be open to all ages and levels of performers. The participants of the String Project will present two public performances. Additional performances may be offered featuring young professional performers whom will also be offered opportunities to perform on local television and radio stations.

American String Teachers Association
4153 Chain Bridge Road, Fairfax, VA 22030
Phone: (703) 279-2113 · Fax: (703) 279-2114 · asta@astaweb.com