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FROM THE PRESIDENT...
It is hard to believe that we are in the end of August already. Whether you had an opportunity to travel, spend more time with the family or simply enjoyed a lighter teaching schedule, most of us use summer time to recharge for the upcoming school year, plan our studios schedule, and decide what branch and/or other programs we want our students to participate in.
On August 19th Branch Board members and program chairs got together to plan Branch programs for the coming school year. We are always encouraged and happy to see more teachers becoming active in Branch activities. One of the best ways to learn about the programs and help to make them better is to come to meetings as observers first and as active participants later.
We have wonderful and very supportive teachers that welcome everyone’s input and are always ready to share their knowledge and expertise in organizing programs. All of us have busy teaching schedules and family commitments. By working as a team and sharing the load we can make our Branch programs stronger, better organized and offer more opportunities for our students. - Antonina Gershfeld

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BRANCH MEETING - SEPTEMBER 9th
Come one, come all, for a fun and informative “kick-off” meeting on September 9th to charge your batteries, clear out the cobwebs and welcome each other back.

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Julie Johnson will present updates to Certificate of Merit and there will also be prizes - yes that’s right...prizes! - for those who remain for the entire meeting. Anyone participating in CM needs to come to this meeting as there are significant changes. We will also review the RAL rules implemented last year.

There will be last year’s CM Sight Reading/Technique booklets for wind and keyboard for sale for $2.00 per booklet. Funds go into the CM account which pays for the Honors Recital, Junior/Senior Recital, and Senior Scholarships.

Please bring fund raising ideas to this meeting. We want to honor our students in every way possible and the above programs need funding. Come to the meeting prepared to brainstorm so we can continue to encourage our wonderful young musicians.

BRANCH PROGRAMS FOR 2010-2011
We are in the planning stages for 2010-2011 programs. This is tentative and subject to change!
NOVEMBER “A Most Wondrous Babble: New Music’s Languages” A prominent musician from the greater Los Angeles music scene demonstrates and explains what all the noise is about!
JANUARY “Glenn Gould: Personal Reflections from a Friend” A fellow Canadian and friend of Glenn Gould has some fascinating first-person accounts of this enigmatic genius.
MARCH “Going Ethnic!” We had so much fun with our Bulgarian clinician, that it’s time to once again ”pack our bags” and take an excursion into music from another land yet to be decided—any requests?
MAY “Teachers’ Turn” This is your opportunity to present some music to a sympathetic and enthusiastic group-your friends and colleagues in OCN! We encourage you to perform at our closing luncheon, whether solo, duo, or chamber music. Start planning and practicing!

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PIANO SOLO COMPETITION

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Date: Saturday, September 25th
Location: Brea United Methodist Church, 480 N. State College Blvd., Brea
Registration Deadline: September 7th (application MUST be received by this date)
Fee: $ 25.00 per student. Send ONE check from each studio payable to MTAC/Orange County North (no checks from parents).

REQUIREMENTS:
• Only ONE piece may be played from by composer except the works of J.S. Bach. If the piece is a sonata or sonatina, only one movement is to be played. No repeats should be taken. Time limit is five minutes.
• NO ARRANGEMENTS of pop or folk songs and NO METHOD BOOKS PIECES allowed.
• Each teacher will be on the committee and will be assigned by the Chair to help wherever necessary.

CATEGORIES:
Category I: 8 and under
Category II: 10 and under
Category III: 12 and under
Category IV: 14 and under
Category V: 15 and over

All students will receive Certificate of Participation along with judges’ comments. Selected performers will be chosen to receive a trophy.
Please send completed Application form and Adjudication form(s), a self-addressed stamped envelope, and the application fee to:
Iryna Mikulich
282 Laurel Ave.
Brea, CA 92821

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CERTIFICATE OF MERIT 2011 INFORMATION

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Sept. 15th: Database opens for Registration
Nov. 15th at 11:59 p.m.: Database closes. No registration possible after this time.

Please reserve the following dates for Certificate of Merit for your respective discipline(s). Reserve the ENTIRE day. Please cancel students, family events, social events, non-social events, non-events and anything that may conflict with these dates. Teachers entering students in different disciplines may have to provide help for all disciplines.

Saturday, Feb. 19th: Piano performance at Cal State University, Fullerton
Sunday, Feb. 20th: Piano performance at Southwest Conservatory
Saturday, Feb. 26th (tentative): Winds written and performance; Strings written; Piano written at Hope University
Saturday, Mar. 5th: Voice at the studio of Leona Roberts
String Performance is to be announced

Here are the fees for this year. Fees do not include the $11 Branch Fee. Please notice the amount of time each level of your discipline entails:
10 minute Evaluation: $37
15 minute Evaluation: $41
20 minute Evaluation: $47
25 minute Evaluation: $53
30 minutes NON-PANEL Evaluation: $60
25 minute Panel Evaluation: $65
30 minute Panel Evaluation: $71
Path B Evaluation: $18

Certificate of Merit is facing economic difficulties so to continue providing the benefits to the students that CM fees cover (Honors Recital, Junior/Senior Recital, Senior Scholarships), we are “tightening our belts”. For this year lunch will NOT be provided to the teachers or helpers - only to the judges. Everyone working a full day needs to bring lunch.

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PIANO ENSEMBLE FESTIVAL
Date: Saturday, December 4th from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Location: Field’s Pianos - 810 E. Dyer Road, Santa Ana, CA 92705
Registration Deadline: Saturday, November 6th
Registration Fees: $18.00 per applicant
Repertoire Requirements: Repertoire written for piano duet or duo piano
Time Limit: Five minutes
Attire: Dressy clothing is required

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The Ensemble Festival encourages students to have fun playing ensemble music in a recital, in a non-competitive environment, and with a variety of ages available for team partners. Each team must be well prepared as they will be evaluated and every student will receive a rosette ribbon according to the judge’s rating. Each team will be adjudicated with ratings of 1-5 for five areas of their duet performance (1-being the lowest score and 5 being the highest score). The five areas are: Accuracy of notes, Accuracy of rhythm, Technique, Interpretation, and Overall Effect (which includes stage deportment). Each student will be awarded a ribbon with a score of Superior, Excellent, Good, or Honorable Mention according to the numerical rating of the Judge.

There are three Categories: Elementary, Intermediate, and Advanced. Students need not be in the Certificate of Merit program, but you may consider the aforementioned levels as equivalent to Certificate of Merit Levels 1-2 = Elementary: Levels 3-5 = Intermediate: and Level 6 and above = Advanced. The teams may be any age but none may include their teacher. (Teachers may be page-turners if needed.) Registration will be required from all entrants even if one is the parent, an older sibling, or another older student performing with a younger student. The leveling of students is only an aid to help the judge to understand where the student(s) are in their studies. We are really encouraging piano ensemble enjoyment of all sorts with this Festival along with high quality recital-ready performance playing. Pieces need not be memorized and no extra points are given for memorization. There MUST be an original piano manuscript provided for the judge.

Upon receipt of all Forms each teacher will be assigned a teacher number. This will insure confidentiality with the Judge. Adjudication results will be mailed to the teachers after the event. Rosette ribbons will be distributed at the January Branch meeting.

Send completed Application and Adjudication Form, and check payable to MTAC/OCN Branch to:
Carol Hills
1434 S. Hacienda St.
Anaheim, CA 92804

Enclose a self addressed stamped envelope for return of forms.

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BACH FESTIVAL 2011 INFO    

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Complete Works Audition: Sunday, Oct. 3rd 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. at Cal State, Long Beach. Schedule information will be online by September 15th.

Complete Works Awards Recital: Saturday, Oct. 16th 2:30 p.m. at the First Congregational Church of Los Angeles, Main Sanctuary.

Concerto Auditions: Saturday, Sept. 25th at Daniel Recital Hall, Cal. State University, Long Beach.

Master Class with Dr. Mark Sullivan: Monday, January 17th, Salmon Hall, Chapman University, Orange.

Organ, Strings and Winds/Voice Festivals: String All-Branch Regional will be held on Sunday, April 10th at El Camino College. Winds/Voice and Organ Festival dates and places TBD.

Please check scjbf.org “Event Schedule” for updates.