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.

A woodwind tribute by a member of the New York Philharmonic

On Thursday, September 19, talented young woodwind students from throughout the Philadelphia area will audition for a spot in the newly renamed Shirley Curtiss Center for Woodwind Studies. News of the Center, the appointment of Mimi Stillman as lead faculty member and Shirley and Sidney Curtiss Distinguished Faculty Chair, and the dedication by longtime faculty members Shirley and Sid Curtiss that it reflects, have resulted in tributes pouring in from many of Mrs. Curtiss' former students. Here's the most in-depth reflection we've received to date; it's also the most touching. It's from Judith LeClair, Principal Bassoon with the New York Philharmonic and a member of the Settlement 100, a group of 100 eclectic individuals honored and recognized during Settlement's Centennial in 2008.

Judith LeClair, principal bassoon
with the New York Philharmonic

I started studying privately with Shirley when I was just 14 years old. At one of my first lessons, I said I wanted to play the Mozart Bassoon Concerto. She told me that you needed to be either 14 or 40 to play it... so started my lifelong endeavor of trying to master this wonderful piece!

Shirley was very particular about working on orchestral excerpts, something that has been extremely beneficial for me. She demanded that I learn to double tongue and, being quite stubborn, I refused. Shirley prevailed after a few months, and now I silently thank her every time I have to play Figaro, Beethoven's Fourth Symphony, or the Haffner symphony! I remember one time I brought in the Berceuse from The Firebird. One slur just wasn't clean, and she turned to me and said, "Don't you like to perfect anything?" Harsh words, but they forever changed how I practiced.


I was fortunate enough to be placed in a dynamite quintet for my three years at Settlement. The highlight of my week was taking the train on Saturdays to Philadelphia -- I lived in Newark, Delaware at the time -- and rehearsing with my new found friends and colleagues. I knew I was sort of the "runt of the litter" and needed to learn loads of repertoire pretty fast. I think playing with my woodwind quintet in Shirley's studio at 4th and Queen are some of the happiest memories of my life.

Our group won an audition to play Mozart's Sinfonia Concertante with the Philadelphia Orchestra the following year. I think Shirley coached us to sound like a top professional group, well beyond our tender age of 15. I loved every second of it and lived for our hours together. I knew beyond a doubt that this was going to be my life.

After playing Principal Bassoon with the New York Philharmonic for 32 years, I still feel that my early chamber music experiences with Shirley were what got me there. We have had over 40 years of friendship and love, of cooking, drinking great wines, and training Airedale Terriers together. I send my love and best wishes for the continued success of Settlement Music School.

Settlement Alumni Offer Tributes to Shirley Curtiss

Last month, we announced that our woodwind program is being renamed in honor of Shirley Curtiss, founder of Settlement's woodwind program and longtime faculty member and chamber coach. The announcement has prompted many of Shirley's former students to write in with stories about what they learned from Shirley, how her teaching has shaped their lives and careers, and what woodwind players who come to study at Settlement can expect. 

This one comes from an oboist who went on to a career as an orchestral musician. She said that coming up with a tribute to Shirley was a daunting prospect, but her memories of Shirley's high standards and down-to-earth words of wisdom certainly ring true. Look for more tributes to Shirley over the next month in our Fall 2013 newsletter and on our Facebook and Twitter pages.


 

Emily (third from right, next to Mrs. Curtiss) as a member of the
Weinstein Advanced Study Woodwind Quintet in 2001

Mrs. Curtiss demanded that I have high expectations of myself and of those around me, even as a scrawny 10 year old oboist. To this day, when I hear myself playing something that wouldn't have been up to her standards, I can hear her voice in my head: "Close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades!” “That crescendo was between you and God, and even HE'S not sure!" 

She taught me to work hard in order to have pride in my performance and to demand excellence at every turn. To this day, the woodwind quintet program at Settlement is still one of the best chamber music experiences I've ever had -- a sentiment that I've heard echoed many times from other Settlement alums through the years.

-- Emily Brebach, English horn and oboe, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. Emily was a member of the woodwind program at Settlement from 1993 to 2001.


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

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.


 

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.

Learning and growing, beat by beat

For a student's perspective on the Settlement community and the impact music has on those who play it and hear it, we turn the blog over to Jessica Solomon, a longtime student of Sue Jones at the Wynnefield Branch.
 
I have been drumming my heart out since I was eight years old. As a percussion student at Settlement’s Wynnefield Branch, I have studied a range of instruments, including timpani and marimba, and each year I have passed a certification exam, advancing to the next level. Through Settlement, I have gained an appreciation for music that I did not have prior to starting drumming classes.

Settlement percussion faculty Sue Jones, with one of her students

Gaining knowledge of what goes into making music -- not just the notes, but also the creativity, dedication, and practice -- has given me a better understanding when listening to music, whether live or through headphones. Playing in the Percussion Ensemble, led by Sue Jones, has given me the opportunity to perform with other musicians and opened me up to new techniques and styles. I have gained a lot of confidence through drumming. It brings out a side of me that makes me feel empowered, knowing that I have the ability to create a beat or a rhythm that is a brand-new piece of music.

One of our most rewarding performances was at an Open House for prospective students. We began the event with a piece that created a mood of excitement; the children joined in with small percussion instruments, thrilled to be making music with us. I saw the faces of little children filled with awe when the rhythm of the tambourine or maraca they were shaking actually fit into what we were playing. That moment of connection filled me with a sense of purpose that I believe every child should experience.

Above all, playing drums at Settlement has taught me two important lessons. The first is that music should never be taken for granted. Playing music is a skill that must be acquired, learned and perfected. Not everyone can sit at a drum set or a piano and play gorgeous music right away. If you want to play well and be known, you have to practice -- sometimes until you have calluses on your hands. Second, music brings joy to everyone and should always be taught. Music is a universal language that links many cultures, and without it, language barriers are harder to break and friendships are often harder to create.

I've found that being a female drummer is always a conversation starter -- there aren't many of us. It's just one way that music connects me to the world, and I continue to find new ways that music connects things in the world around me. That appreciation for music, and the memories I've made, are something I'll always take with me from my time at Settlement.

Jessica, a senior at Jack M. Barrack Hebrew Academy, has served as Communications Department intern during spring 2013. She will continue her studies in music at Goucher College.             

Learning and growing with Settlement

For a parent's insights into the Settlement community and the bonds between student and teacher, we turn the blog over to Andy Trackman, whose daughter studies with Kathleen Scheide at the Germantown branch.

Every Wednesday, I pick up my daughter from school at Germantown Friends School and drive the short trip to Settlement’s Germantown branch. We make our way up the second floor to the music studio. We’ve been doing this for about 6 years now. This is her first year at GFS; the past 5 years of lessons, we have come from Greene Street Friends, only a block shorter.

Between lessons here is a lot like between classes at a school, in terms of activity. You see a mix of students and parents coming in: reluctant toddlers being pushed along by their parents, teenagers arriving on their own with their instruments, excited youngsters hurrying, their parents close behind. Many join me in the hallway, with book or smartphone in hand, waiting for the lesson to finish, while others go into the lesson with their kids. What I like is seeing all these different people coming in and out, it’s more of a community than an individual lesson in your house. You feel like you’re part of something bigger and more interesting.

The view from the hall at the Germantown branch

 Many weeks, it’s just me and all the lessons going on – piano in one room, strings in another, drums down the hall. Just as I can hear lessons through the doors of the practice rooms, I can listen to the teachers play their own music in the gaps between their lessons or if their next student is running late. Just from these short practice sessions, I realize how accomplished they are, and how fortunate I am to have my daughter being taught by one of them.

Now that she’s 15, my daughter more actively appreciates the accomplishments of her teacher. This past summer, we attended a concert by in which her teacher performed. It featured Baroque music on period-accurate instruments. Her performance was wonderful, and afterwards my daughter and I talked about how good she was. Now, did this inspire her to practice more? Did she suddenly feel the need to learn harder pieces, become more focused?

Not exactly. But I do think she is more respectful of her lesson time, now that she knows the relationship with her teacher is more than just the thirty minutes she spends with her each week. She’s also starting to write her own songs and lyrics. She takes what she’s learning in her lessons and applies it to the music she likes to create. She wouldn’t have the vocabulary or the knowledge to do this otherwise. Her mother and I felt she needed music education in her life, not so she would become a concert pianist, but so she could get to know an instrument she could use and enjoy and benefit from for life.

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. 

Behind the scenes at Summer Jam, sponsored by PECO

For a recap of one of Settlement's recent summer camps, we turn the blog over to Mark Forchic, guitarist and Settlement faculty member.

Summer Jam 2012 rocked! I figured that should be the appropriate opening statement for my first SMS blog, since no other words can describe what an amazing job the students of SJ12 did. Summer Jam 2012 marked the sixth year of Summer Jam’s existence and proved it to be a very successful and gratifying experience for all involved.

Members of Mr. Moustachio and faculty member Mark Forchic listen to the playback

A little background: for those who don’t know what Summer Jam is, SJ is the “band experience” for students. It’s an opportunity for students, ages 12-18, to form a band, write, learn, and record their music, then put on a gig at a legitimate venue in the Philly area.

This year’s bands included The Pepper Trees, the Pastafarians, and Mr. Mustachio. For 2 weeks, these three bands hunkered down in the studios in MLC and began the process of becoming true rockers. Through individual lessons on their appropriate instruments and songwriting classes, they put their newly acquired information to use through plenty of rehearsal time throughout each day.

The Pepper Trees (four out of six of them, anyway) recording at Sine Studios

After about a week and a half, the bands approach their first major step to fulfilling their goal: recording their newly conceived original song at a professional recording studio. For the past few years at Summer Jam, Sine Studios has generously lent their facilities to the Summer Jammers, and allowed the students to experience what it is to record their art in a professional studio. And I have to say, the bands rocked it! All three bands stepped up to pressures of a recording experience and did a super job, all on the eve of the camp final experience: the gig.

The Pastafarians on stage at Silk City, cranking out a Led Zeppelin cover

 On the last day of the camp, Silk City Diner & Lounge (thanks, Joe B.!) was the venue of choice to showcase the talents of 3 hard-working bands, and all three took their talents to a higher level. The bands did such a great job, from performing their original songs, to entertaining the crowd with familiar versions of songs from Queen to Led Zeppelin. It left the SJ faculty - Luke Honer, Toshio Mana and me - very proud and happy to be a part of it. At the end of the performance, there were a lot of smiles and even more talk about next year’s Summer Jam!

The Myriad Talents of Settlement Faculty on Display

If you missed the Karin Fuller Capanna Faculty Recital on October 16, then you're in luck, because we've made portions of it available on our YouTube channel.

Among the pieces you can see there are two compositions by Settlement faculty members. Roberto Pace, the Robert Capanna Fundamentals of Music Distinguished Faculty Chair, teaches both piano and theory at Settlement, and composed a piece titled Quartet for Piano and Strings. Originally commissioned for the Benjamin and Carol Auger Contemporary Music Advanced Study Ensemble by the group's namesake, the piece was performed in its entirety for the first time at this concert.

Closing the recital, the School featured a piece by Michael Djupstrom, perhaps not coincidentally also a piano and theory instructor, titled Daydreams and Night Visions.



Keep your eye on our YouTube channel, and mark it as one of your favorites, because we've got plans to add much more content in the coming months. Interested in seeing something specific about our programs? Let us know in comments here or on our Facebook page, where you can also find pictures from the faculty recital.