Boston Symphony Orchestra bassist Tom Van Dyck discusses his musical roots

Open positions in symphony orchestras are rare, and a spot in one of the best orchestras in the country is rarer still. At age 32, and after more than a decade honing his craft as a professional double bass player, Settlement alumnus and Boston Symphony Orchestra bassist Thomas Van Dyck stands at the pinnacle of his field.

Thomas with Boston Symphony Orchestra concertmaster
Malcolm Lowe after winning his double bass audition

Thomas says his initial interest in music came from listening to jazz and playing electric bass, but he was
exposed to classical music early on as well: his mother, Central Board of Trustees Chair Barrie Trimingham, frequently played classical recordings at home. He got his start playing classical music in Settlement’s Arco Chamber Orchestra, now known as the Trowbridge Chamber Orchestra, under the direction of Peter Dundon from 1996-98. He also worked as an intern for the Kaleidoscope Arts Enrichment Pre-K Program with Martha Glaze Zook and played a senior recital accompanied by piano faculty and Lillian Kraus Felber Distinguished Faculty Chair Jeffrey Uhlig. After studying at Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music and at Boston University, he embarked on a career in music, playing orchestral and chamber music with ensembles and at festivals across the United States.


Now that he’s settled in Boston, he’s no longer crisscrossing the country for auditions or substitute gigs, but he’s still focusing intensely on his own playing. Even at the height of the profession, there’s always more to learn.

Q: What experience prepared you most for this stage of your career?

Thomas Van Dyck: When you get to a certain level of mastery, then you have to focus on developing that last five or ten percent of your playing. For me, I got that through a combination of studying with Ed Barker at Boston University and being at Yellow Barn, a summer chamber music festival in Vermont. It’s where I found the joy and motivation of being around a community of players, and that really inspired me.

Q: What does it take to be a professional musician today?

TVD: The big thing is tenacity. You have to choose where to audition, how you will travel, and how you will get around—especially if you play something big, like a bass! It can be pretty brutal after a while, and you have to commit to that lifestyle. You also have to truly love the classical repertoire. A lot of the sustaining power in a career in music comes from loving a certain piece of music. When everyone’s on the same page and playing with a ton of commitment, there’s nothing like it. Life as a musician is not always going to be perfect, but more than ever, musicians will seek out situations where everyone plays together and respects each other.

Q: What lessons from your past do you share most frequently when teaching?

TVD: What I like to pass on is excitement and an intense energy in the process of discovery. It happens when you are really in the zone and you have an extreme, selfless excitement about figuring out what you’re playing. You have this feeling of infectious enthusiasm, and you get to the point where you are no longer thinking about yourself while you’re playing.

Q: What specific lessons or memories do you take with you from your time at Settlement?

TVD: When I first joined the Arco Chamber Orchestra at Settlement, I said, “Am I really ready for this?” I thought that everyone was already so good and I had this sense of insecurity, which motivated me to work really hard. I remember thinking while practicing, “this is my own thing.” That’s where I really developed a sense of ownership: from figuring out things on my instrument and discovering it for myself. It became a process of working to get better day to day, month to month, and year to year.

This post is adapted and expanded from Settlement Music School's fall 2013 newsletter. Read more online here.

Getting the band back together: Concert and Symphonic Bands at the Willow Grove Branch

Ask anyone who's played a brass, woodwind or percussion instrument where they got their start: band is the place to be. It might start with scales, or with Sousa, and the next thing you know, you're approaching seventy-six trombones, one hundred and ten cornets, and more.

The band program at Settlement Music School started last year at the Germantown and Willow Grove Branches, drawing a range of wind and percussion players. To continue the program this year, there's a real band evangelist on board, with experience in marching and concert bands. 

JoAnn Wieszczyk is now directing the Concert Band and Symphonic Band at the Willow Grove Branch and leading a band at Hardy Williams Academy, a Mastery Charter School in Southwest Philadelphia, through Settlement's new Music Education Pathways program.

Originally from rural northeastern Pennsylvania, Wieszczyk picked up the flute in middle school after being went on to play in the Pennsylvania Music Education Association All-State Band and All-State Orchestra, as well as the All-Eastern Band.

With experience as a flutist and conductor in concert and marching band settings, she's a leader who knows what it's like to be part of the rank-and-file, too. As a director, she stresses unity, both in the way her students play and the way they treat each other.


"The first thing I tell them when I'm front of them on the podium is that we're a family." She encourages young musicians to treat their peers like brothers and sisters because that's how she found herself and came into her own: "Wherever I didn't fit in, I worked it out through music."

From Wieszczyk's first day on the podium leading a group of any kind, she makes it clear: "If you have a problem, musically we'll solve it together." She also aims to boost not only the most talented musicians in an ensemble, but also the hardest-working and most persistent ones. Doing this helps create multiple leaders within the band: people who can lead sectional rehearsals or who can quiet things down if they get rowdy.


The goal is not just to make students love band, but also to create interest in music in general. Weekly rehearsals aren't just hard-core practice sessions; they're opportunities to explore music and different ways of playing and creating it. Wieszczyk cites her experience in creating song arrangements that spark interest; she can tailor songs to the specific instrumentation of the ensembles and even creates musical mashups: song arrangements that combine classical melodies with familiar pop tunes.

All of it -- developing leaders, creating a feeling of community, adapting music into forms that students will respond to -- comes from the same love of music. "There's nothing I want more than inspire and connect with students," she says.

The band program at the Willow Grove Branch consists of Concert Band for students in grades 4 through 8, and Symphonic Band for students in grades 8 through 12. Rehearsals are Tuesday nights: 5:30 to 6:30 PM for the Concert Band, 6:30 to 7:30 PM for the Symphonic Band. Click here and fill out the online form to receive more information, or contact Branch Coordinator Erin Doolittle at 215.320.2630 or by email.

Announcing New Afterschool Program and New Classes for Infants and Toddlers

14-month old Elijah grabbed the egg shaker from the basket and started to march around the room, even before Ms. Martha started the hopping game. It was a cool day in early summer, when a small group of parents and toddlers gathered for a sneak peek at one of Settlement’s newest class offerings, Children's Music Playshop.

Early Childhood faculty member Martha Glaze Zook
leading a song during Children's Music Playshop

Ms. Martha, also known as Arthur Judson Distinguished Faculty Chair and Early Childhood faculty member Martha Glaze Zook, played along, declaring Elijah the “leader” of the hopping game, before passing the responsibility to the next child. Activities like this, which encourage both cooperation and creativity in a musical setting, are highly beneficial for very young children. Moving, interacting and exploring rhythm through simple games and instruments encourage mental and physical development before the preschool years. Children become oriented toward music, and often remain interested for life.

Children’s Music Playshop, an introduction to music for infants and toddlers, builds upon the curriculum of Children’s Music Workshop, which has been part of Settlement’s core program for more than 20 years. The new course will be structured as a music class for very young children, along with their parents or caregivers. The class is geared toward developing locomotor skills, word recognition and vocal expression through songs, movement games, and rhythmic and speech exercises.

Music Playshop will be offered weekly, with classes split between 6- to 18-month-olds and 19-month-olds to 3-year-olds, at the Mary Louise Curtis, Germantown, Kardon-Northeast, Willow Grove and Wynnefield Branches. Contact the branch nearest you for more information.

Families seeking quality arts-based aftercare in Queen Village and Germantown have a new option: This fall, Settlement will launch Kaleidoscope Plus, an extension of its award-winning preschool program that will serve students from preschool through third grade and their families.

In Kaleidoscope Plus, children will participate in age-appropriate arts activities, including music, theatre, movement and visual arts, and receive snacks and homework assistance. As an added plus, parents may be able to schedule group or individual instrument lessons or dance classes during the aftercare program, saving valuable time. Settlement faculty may also be able to escort children from nearby schools to Settlement as a convenience to parents. The program will run daily from 2:45 to 5:45 PM at the Mary Louise Curtis and Germantown Branches; other scheduling options are available, including four-, three-day and two-day options.

Call 215.320.2672 to sign up for the program at either branch, or click here to submit an online request for program and enrollment details. For families qualifying for CCIS, contact Tarrell Davis at 215.320.2670 or by email.

Adapted and expanded from Settlement's Fall 2013 newsletter. Read more here.

Woodwind Center Renamed in Honor of Founder and Teacher

In order to audition for the Shirley Curtiss Center for Woodwind Studies, many talented young woodwind students will come to Settlement Music School for the first time this week. To help them understand the tradition in which they are following, as well as the hard work and dedication that has gone into shaping Settlement's woodwind program, we've featured Mrs. Curtiss and her legacy of teaching as the cover story for our Fall 2013 newsletter. 

Shirley Curtiss (center), with past members of the
Rosalie Magen Weinstein and Matthew B. Weinstein
Advanced Study Woodwind Ensemble

In the greater Philadelphia region, the name Shirley Curtiss is synonymous with woodwind teaching. In nearly 50 years of teaching at Settlement Music School, Mrs. Curtiss’ achievements have gone beyond guiding and instructing young musicians. She has shaped talented individuals who play flute, oboe, clarinet, French horn, and bassoon into cohesive ensembles. Many of these musicians have reached the top echelon of orchestral and chamber music playing—including the New York Philharmonic, Philadelphia Orchestra, Metropolitan Opera, and more.

Judith LeClair, principal bassoon with the New York Philharmonic, says that even after more than 30 years with one of the world’s great orchestras, her experience playing in an ensemble coached by Mrs. Curtiss were what helped her reach the top. “Shirley coached us to sound like a top professional group,” she says. “I loved every second of it and lived for our hours together, and I knew beyond a doubt that this was going to be my life.” Read more of Judith's tribute to Mrs. Curtiss here.

In recognition of and thanks for Mrs. Curtiss’ impact on the woodwind program that she founded in 1964 and grew to national renown, this program has been named the Shirley Curtiss Center for Woodwind Studies, encompassing every wind ensemble program at all of Settlement’s Branches, from introductory-level groups to students playing in the most advanced chamber ensembles.

Flutist Mimi Stillman will be
lead member of the Shirley Curtiss
Center for Woodwind Studies

Shirley and her husband Sid, another longtime faculty member and chamber music coach, have dedicated more than 80 years of combined service to Settlement, and they have made provisions for the Center to thrive in the future by the establishment of a distinguished faculty position, named the Shirley and Sidney Curtiss Distinguished Faculty Chair. Mimi Stillman, a noted flutist, Yamaha Performing Artist, and founder of the Dolce Suono Ensemble, will be the first faculty member in that position. As coach of many of the Center’s ensembles, Ms. Stillman will maintain and grow the program which Mrs. Curtiss established and which, since its inception, has grown to more than a dozen ensembles. “It is a great honor to become the Shirley and Sidney Curtiss Distinguished Faculty Chair, following in the illustrious tradition of wind chamber ensemble instruction Mrs. Curtiss has built at Settlement,” Ms. Stillman says. “I look forward to working with fellow faculty, staff, and the talented students at Settlement Music School.

Happily, Mrs. Curtiss’ presence at the School will continue this fall, as she will remain as coach of the Rosalie Magen Weinstein and Matthew B. Weinstein Advanced Study Woodwind Quintet in this upcoming school year.

Quintets and more: Announcing the Shirley Curtiss Center for Woodwind Studies

The woodwind program at Settlement Music School dates back to 1964. The woodwind quintet -- the unlikely but popular grouping of flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon and French horn -- has been around for much longer, of course. Ever since then-Executive Director Sol Schoenbach enlisted his student Shirley Curtiss, former bassoonist for the Pennsylvania Ballet and the Pennsylvania Opera Theater and now Josef Roismann Distinguished Faculty Chair, to start a woodwind program, it's been a fixture among the School's offerings, and Mrs. Curtiss has shaped the lives and careers of hundreds of young musicians. Graduates of the woodwind ensemble program are regularly accepted and offered scholarships to the top conservatories, colleges and university music programs across the country, and alumni can be found in major symphonies around the world.

Shirley and Sidney Curtiss,
longtime Settlement
faculty members

In recognition of Mrs. Curtiss' nearly 50 years of dedicated teaching, Settlement is proud to announce the creation of the Shirley Curtiss Center for Woodwind Studies. This dedicated center for woodwind chamber music and ensemble playing within the Joseph and Marie Field Chamber Music Program represents the school's ongoing commitment to chamber music as a vital part of educating young musicians.

Mimi Stillman, the new
Shirley and Sidney Curtiss
Distinguished Faculty Chair.
Photo by Vanessa Briceño.

Mimi Stillman, a noted performer, educator, music historian and entrepreneur in the arts, will be lead faculty for the new Center and will serve as the first Shirley and Sidney Curtiss Distinguished Faculty Chair. Ms. Stillman is one of the most celebrated flutists in the concert world today. She is a Yamaha Performing Artist and Clinician, a frequent guest soloist with orchestras and chamber music festivals across the United States and throughout the world, and founder and Artistic Director of Dolce Suono Ensemble. Through teaching and building ensembles through the Center, Ms. Stillman will build upon the exceptional instruction and care of students that was the hallmark of Mrs. Curtiss' teaching.

Ms. Stillman also maintains a very clever and insightful music blog on her personal website. She has been recording and uploading a video performance of a single piece -- "Syrinx" by Claude Debussy -- every day for nearly a year, trying out many different interpretations and locations for her recording. During a recent visit to Settlement, she made a recording in the chamber music studio where Mrs. Curtiss' woodwind ensembles typically rehearse. Check it out below, as well as on her site.

Auditions for all Center ensembles will be held Thursday, September 19 from 3 to 9 PM at the Mary Louise Curtis Branch and are open to musicians between the ages of 12 and 18 and who play flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon and French horn. More information on the Center and auditions is available at www.smsmusic.org/woodwinds

Over the next two months leading up to auditions, we'll be posting stories and reflections from alumni of the woodwind program. They'll tell us about what they've learned from Shirley, how her teaching has shaped their lives and careers, and what woodwind players who come to study at Settlement can expect. Look for them here, as well as on our Facebook and Twitter pages.


 

Chamber Music Conversations and Make Music Philly: Open to All Adult Musicians This Friday

Lessons and classes for the 2012-13 season may have ended, but music at Settlement continues this week. Join us on Friday, June 21 at the Mary Louise Curtis Branch for Make Music Philly, a free day of music across Philadelphia on the longest day of the year. Our contribution to this day of music is Chamber Music Conversations, spotlighting our Adult Chamber Players program and chamber music faculty, but adult amateur musicians of all kinds and in all genres are welcome.

3:30-5:30 PM: Informal ensemble sessions for chamber music, jazz, folk, rock and Taiko drumming - play or sit in and observe

5:30 PM: Wine and cheese reception for all guests in Field Recital Hall; performance hour featuring soloists and ensembles in PNC Bank*Presser Recital Hall

6:30-8:30 PM: Informal sessions continue

Bring an instrument and take part in ensembles playing all of the following genres, or come be a part of the audience and meet like-minded adults who share your love for music. You do not need to come with an instrument to enjoy the evening with us and to learn about Settlement's programs.

-Chamber music: anything from duos or piano trios to string quartets or wind quintets, depending on instrumentation available. The Adult Chamber Players program, established in 1992, has been a staple of Settlement's adult programming at the Mary Louise Curtis, Wynnefield and Willow Grove Branches. One program member recently reflected on several years spent playing and making friends through Adult Chamber Players.

-Rock and folk music: It's been a big year for guitar at Settlement, with our newly launched Adult Rock Band program at several branches and the continuing popularity of group lessons for beginning adult guitar students. This Friday, classic tunes and modern-day favorites are all welcomed!

-Jazz: Adult Jazz Bands were active this year at the Mary Louise Curtis and Germantown Branches, and there's a new one starting at the Wynnefield Branch in the fall. Winds, brass, guitar, bass, percussion, piano -- the genre known as "America's classical music" embraces all sorts of instruments.

-Taiko drumming: One of Settlement's most popular adult program, our Taiko drummers were featured during our contribution to the 2013 Philadelphia International Festival of the Arts. The drums are big, and the music can be loud and intense, but Taiko can be a vigorous workout as well as a calming, meditative experience. This is one you won't need to bring your own instrument for!


Also, look for a live demonstration by Kyo Daiko, our Taiko ensemble formed through a partnership with Shofuso Japanese House in Fairmount Park, at 30th Street Station at 8 AM on Friday! Catch it on your way or take a detour to check it out. It'll be the kickoff to a day full of music across the city. We can't wait!

Settlement's Open House, Saturday June 8, 10 AM to 1 PM

Settlement's 2012-13 school year comes to an end next week. After the Annual Concert on Sunday, there's one last week of lessons and classes before students and teachers alike head off for summer camps, festivals and well-earned vacations. Before we send everyone off for the summer, we hope to get to know some new people first at the annual Open House, held tomorrow, from 10 AM to 1 PM, at all of Settlement's branches.

Students and faculty will be performing and leading demonstrations, and staff and volunteers will be on hand to answer questions about all of the lessons, classes and ensembles offered both this summer and year-round.

A full schedule of events at each branch is available here, but from all of the events packed into just three hours at each branch, here are a few selected highlights:

-Suzuki play-in at the Mary Louise Curtis Branch. We've talked about the Suzuki teaching method here before, now come see what has made the Suzuki program at Settlement such a popular choice for very young musicians and their parents.

-Cello-bration at the Willow Grove Branch, including a performance by a cello ensemble, coached by Christine Danoff, of Villa-Lobos' Bachianas Brasileiras. It's a sneak preview of Sunday's Annual Concert, too.

-Performances by student jazz and rock bands, coached by Mark Forchic, at the Germantown Branch. It's been a year of tremendous growth for jazz ensembles at Settlement, and Mark's ensembles have been performing far and wide.


-Voice recital featuring students of Susan Rheingans at the Kardon-Northeast Branch

-A demonstration of Percussion Construction, a percussion class where children ages 5-7 play alongside their parents, at the Wynnefield Branch.

-Demonstrations and performances by Children's Music Workshop students at the Camden School of Musical Arts. CMW provides an introduction to music theory, notation and musical development -- a great way for young musicians to learn music fundamentals before starting on an instrument.

Rites of swing: Jazz performances abound this spring

It's been a big year for jazz at Settlement, with jazz ensemble programs thriving at the Wynnefield, Kardon-Northeast and Germantown branches. Plus, the Advanced Study jazz ensemble at the Mary Louise Curtis Branch recently won a Student Music Award from DownBeat magazine; read more about that here!

Guitar faculty Mark Forchic coaching several saxophone students

Spring brought a staggering number of performances throughout the community by ensembles from all of these branches. The list includes:

• regular performances at the City Line Landmark Americana
   
• a Jazz Festival on April 7 at the Mary Louise Curtis Band, in collaboration with professor Chris Farr from the University of the Arts and members of the UArts Jazz Band and with ensembles from all branches taking part

• a jazz-centered performance hour at the Wynnefield Branch

• a patio performance at the Free Library of Philadelphia's Wynnefield Branch, with piano faculty Scott Coulter joining several members of the Wynnefield Jazz Ensemble

• the South Street Spring Festival, sponsored by the South Street Headhouse District, with a crowd of thousands passing by

• the City Avenue Spring Fling. Saxophonist Jack Savone, a member of the Kardon-Northeast Jazz Ensemble, was even asked to sit in with Chico's Vibe, a professional group that performs widely throughout the Philadelphia area

 

Outdoor performance at the Free Library of Philadelphia's Wynnefield Branch

These numerous performances are partly a reflection of the dedication of guitar faculty Mark Forchic, who coaches the ensembles at Wynnefield, Kardon-Northeast and Germantown. Along with the directors at those branches, he sought out new students at many local schools, and he's instilled a serious, performance-oriented mindset in all of his groups this year. "I treat it like we're a working, performing jazz group." Weekly practice sessions are "not like in school; we play like we are going out to play a gig -- which we do."

All these gigs wouldn't have come about with a talented bunch of students. One of Forchic's ensembles at Wynnefield started this year ahead of the rest -- the members are all students at Lower Merion High School and have been playing together for years -- and played the majority of the concerts. Forchic says those students -- Tom Hagen, Dean Hughart, Ellis Kelsey, Jeremy Katz, and John Della Franco -- are a special group. "It's unique from the other groups I have," he says. "I've had them for two or three years now, and they spend so much time playing and just hanging out together."

The ensembles at Kardon-Northeast and Germantown, plus the other two ensembles at Wynnefield, have all worked on catching up with the older, more experienced ensemble, and all have been featured during this busy season of shows. All of Forchic's groups dig deep into classic tunes, drawing from the professional jazz player's standby The Real Book, and work on making up arrangements on the spot -- no writing anything down.

The busy season is coming to a close with a performance at the Seger Park Playground Spring Festival on June 2 and numerous performances school-wide during the Open House on June 8. After a little downtime for students and faculty, jazz at Settlement will pick back up once again with the Summer Jazz Camp from July 29 to August 2. For more information on the jazz ensemble program at Settlement, contact the Branch nearest you or stop by the Open House at any of our branches on June 8 from 10 AM to 1 PM.

Piano faculty member shares keys to success

As the school year draws to a close, two upcoming events—the Open House at all branches on June 8, and the Annual Concert on June 9—really show the best of Settlement: our programs for all ages, our classes and ensembles that help produce both talented musicians and well-rounded individuals, and our remarkable faculty. Over the next several weeks, we'll feature some of our faculty members who will be part of Open House or whose students will be performing at the Annual Concert, starting with piano faculty Dolly Krasnopolsky. She's a fixture at Settlement and an important part of the Russian-speaking community in Philadelphia, especially near the Kardon-Northeast branch, and her students all sing her praises—even ones, like Pulitzer Prize-winning alumna Quiara Hudes, that haven't played for many years.

Dolly Krasnopolsky, longtime piano faculty at Settlement

Piano instruction has been at the center of Settlement since its founding, and for over two decades, Dolly Krasnopolsky has had a profound impact on many young pianists. Now serving as the Ann Stookey and Joseph W. Waz, Jr. Distinguished Faculty Chair, Dolly has taught at four Settlement branches over the course of 24 years since emigrating from the Soviet Union. She now teaches at three branches—Mary Louise Curtis, Kardon-Northeast, and Willow Grove —and spends long days, packed with students, at each. Through recommendations and requests over the years, students of all ages have sought her out; her youngest is 6, the oldest well past retirement age.

Whatever their ages, her students receive a thorough grounding in what Dolly calls the “musical apparatus”: the alignment and coordination of wrists, hands and fingers that control the fundamentals of playing piano. It’s a process from A-to-Z influenced by her education in conservatories in Moldova, though instruction there “was a little more military,” she admits. Her pupils clearly benefit from this approach; they frequently play in performances at Settlement, competitions, and major events throughout the wider community.

Q: Over the years, what have you noticed that your students all have in common?

Dolly Krasnopolsky: At the beginning, everyone starts with music because it is fun, but they don’t realize that it is hard work. In every case, interest, aptitude and musicality all lead toward progress and development. Regardless of talent, I always have students who enjoy doing music as something for their soul. There’s
always variety among students, but as long as they have discipline and can find focus in music, there is always progress.

Q: How can parents best support their children in playing music, regardless of their ability?

DK: Early exposure to music—playing recordings, taking them to concerts—can help steer a child toward music, but it is not important that parents have musical knowledge themselves. What matters is to set aside the time for music and to stick to a schedule. Parents always ask me, “What age is good to start music?” They should know it is possible to jump into music too soon.

Q: What does it mean to you to see your students succeed in their musical careers?

DK: I love to see my students learn to play well enough to represent themselves and to develop skills in stage presentation. They can go from performance hours here to recitals to performances outside the school. This progression is very important, because it reflects well on them as well as on Settlement and our focused structure of teaching. Once you have the technical skills and the presentation skills, you can play anything, and I feel there’s a little more satisfaction in playing a very difficult classical program.

Q: What can you accomplish teaching at a place like Settlement that you couldn’t by visiting students’ homes?

DK: With the environment of the school, everything is possible; that’s what makes it a school of music. Students have so many opportunities to perform at different levels and on different stages. If they show an interest in composing, I can send them across the hall to study with one of my colleagues. They can study theory or composition. They can try out a choir or an orchestra. They can play in small groups and chamber ensembles. Out of those roots, they can branch out.

A version of this interview appeared in the spring 2013 issue of our NOTES newsletter.

Collaborate and listen: Settlement partners with local arts organizations

The next month at Settlement Music School brings exciting partnerships with other arts and educational organizations: one a new venture, the other an annual tradition.

The performance hour and gallery opening at the Germantown Branch, featured on GoMtAiry.com

Student recitals are scattered throughout the year at all six Settlement branches, but the one held on Sunday, February 24 at the Germantown Branch will be more than a showcase of students' skills. Allens Lane Art Center, a fixture of the arts and culture in the Mt. Airy neighborhood of Northwest Philadelphia, is opening a satellite gallery in the Samuel and Elaine Lieberman Auditorium at the Germantown Branch. Following the recital on February 24, there will be a reception with local artist Vincent DeLeo, whose art will be on display in the auditorium through March 24.
 

Cuatro Celli, with cellist Timothy Eddy of the Orion Quartet (center) and cello faculty Christine Danoff (far right)

The end of that same week brings Settlement's annual collaboration with the Jenkintown-based Metropolitan Ballet Company. The program, "Variations/Collaborations," features Settlement students accompanying the 30-member classical dance company in performances of ballet and modern dance. Featured performers from Settlement include Cuatro Celli, a cello quartet coached by cello faculty Christine Danoff; a piano trio coached by piano faculty and Arthur Judson Distinguished Faculty Chair Sandra Carlock; and solo performers, including Kristal Daniels, voice student of Judith Turano, and faculty member and Mr. and Mrs. Donald Kardon Distinguished Faculty Chair Jean Louise Shook. The program, which was previewed on Philadelphiadance.org's danceJournal blog, will be held Saturday, March 2 at 7 p.m.; tickets are $15.00 and can be purchased online at www.metropolitanballetcompany.org

The creative energies from these artistic collaborations will continue throughout the year, including recitals and certification concerts throughout the spring and Settlement's contribution to the Philadelphia Festival of the Arts on April 13 and 18.

Starting out with Suzuki

We asked some of our faculty members to offer some insights into the methods and motivations behind Settlement's offerings in music, dance and ensemble instruction. Today, in honor of the birthday of Shinichi Suzuki, developer of the Suzuki method, we turn the blog over to Daniel Elyar, faculty member since 2003 and instructor at the Camden and Mary Louise Curtis branches, to learn more about Suzuki and working with the very youngest musicians.

The Suzuki method is a set of instructional techniques for young children, including daily listening, constant repetition, parent responsibility, and loving encouragement, among other elements. Shinichi Suzuki’s basis for developing this method stemmed from post-WWII Japan; he desired to create a generation of “noble souls” and help communities build from the ground up, starting with the youngest. He felt violin was one of the best tools to do this, though not to the exclusion of other disciplines like piano, flute or even mathematics!  He felt that as a child desires to learn their native language well and does, this “mother-tongue” instinct can be tapped to create groups of young children who learn many difficult -- but also creative, enlightening, and fun -- skills together.  The idea that violin had to be learned by children in middle school was dismissed; if the children can talk and listen, they can play and make music.  
 

Elyar (on left in background) and his students in a showcase at Settlement's annual Open House

This is how I was trained as a young violinist: I recall playing countless rounds of “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” and “Lightly Row” with groups in venues ranging from concert halls to shopping malls, and each time I played, the community came together to celebrate the talents of the youngest and showing the community that playing together makes them patient, productive, kind to others and creative. After these experiences, it came naturally for me to study the Suzuki method when I went to Conservatory.  As enjoyable as it was as a small child, I learned to appreciate its value as a method of learning by teaching it.  Knowing the method from the child’s perspective and the trained teacher’s has given me a wealth of ideas on how to help the youngest in these communities thrive and blossom.

The ideal of a “three legged stool” is emphasized from the beginning. The legs which support the learning are the pupil, the teacher, and the pupil’s involved parents -- a new concept at the time. Also, the ideal of children thriving when learning together comes through from the very beginning: no young child would excel at a difficult skill if sat in a room with an adult only once a week with no other stimulus. 

The child must be immersed in the sounds of music daily and guided through play and lessons in groups with his or her peers together.  Not only do the children learn from the teacher and the encouragement of the parents but also by witnessing their peers play on a weekly basis in group classes. Then Suzuki created a graded curriculum of music that progresses step by step with pieces that enliven the developing musical mind as well as the fingers -- possibly his most enduring achievement. 

Preparing to face a number of challenges

The prospective Suzuki student faces a number of challenges: the violin is a tricky instrument to start on, and the sounds are possibly the least pleasant of all instruments at the very beginning. The ear, mind and fingers all need to be developed well with each other for students to excel. Fortunately, the Method gives the pupils a set of tools with which to face these challenges: a musical curriculum that is appealing from the very beginning, a structure that encourages participation and development through weekly lessons and group classes, a way for parents to be involved and better understand the skills their children are working on, and, most importantly, especially to Dr. Suzuki himself, gentle encouragement and love. The discipline of violin technique is too tricky to face without it. 

With this method, my young students love what they do and develop a fun working relationship with a group of their peers, and I also have parents who are fully engaged and involved in a music making process. I teach the Suzuki method to help a community grow and commit itself in the best way possible to its future.