- Sara Jane Thompson – President, Utah ASTA
Enjoying Today, Looking Back, and Improving the Future
Dear Utah String Teachers,
As we approach the end of another school year, now is a great time to reflect on the wonderful string teaching that happens in Utah. Spring is a busy time of year filled with solo performances, orchestra festivals, chamber music concerts, and studio recitals. The fruits of our la-bors have emerged and are “on stage” so to speak. It is a wonderful time of year! I’ve told my orchestra students more than once, that although I look forward to the summer as much as they do, I sometimes wish we could enjoy playing music together for a few more weeks. Now is the time when all of the “trench labor” of teaching and practicing fundamentals of string playing and musicianship has paid off! We get to enjoy the art of making music and looking back on the remarkable progress that has occurred as our students have grown in their skills and musicianship.
From time to time, people in my community marvel at what string teachers do in our area. They ask questions like “Why do you teach beginning strings? Isn’t it painful to listen to that?” or “Why would you work in a job that requires you to visit seven schools in one week?”
Well, as you are aware, our job descriptions differ somewhat in Utah ASTA. With a membership that is comprised of diverse string pro-fessionals–Private Studio Teachers, Public School Orchestra Teachers, and University String Educators–I believe our job satisfaction stems from the same source. We find satisfaction and fulfillment in the growth and progress of our string students!
This is evidenced in the beginning string class where students know nothing about how to play a stringed instrument in October, yet by April, they are having the “time of their lives” playing the Can-Can at record speed! It is evidenced with the private student who takes on a chal-lenging concerto at the beginning of the year, and works and struggles to master the technical challenges, the memorization, and the artistry of performing that concerto in recitals, festivals, and competitions. It is evidenced when we observe young musicians catching on to the PURE joy of the world of chamber music, and the simultaneous autonomy and teamwork that it requires.
Now is the time to enjoy the fruits of your labors! Congratulations on a successful year! I have been inspired and lifted by the associa-tion I have with so many of you at our Utah ASTA events, festivals, performances and luncheons. Thank you for the wonderful work you do, and for the remarkable people that you are.
I hope that as we enjoy the satisfaction of the end of this year, we are also able to take a few moments and jot down ways in which we can improve our craft and profession in the coming year. Now is the time to set goals and reflect on ways to improve what we do for our students, while it is fresh on our minds! Our Utah ASTA board had an invigorating Board Meeting just a few weeks ago in which we discussed several ways to improve what we do for our Utah ASTA membership. We are excited for the coming year. Wonderful workshops, competitions, and festivals are in the works! Please feel free to contact me or any other Utah ASTA board member if you have suggestions or would like to assist in the work of improving and supporting our string teaching profession in Utah! Please visit www.utahasta.com.
Sara Jane Thompson
Utah ASTA Board- 2011-2012
President: Sara Jane Thompson (Davis County) sjthompson@dsdmail.net
President-elect: Donna Fairbanks (UVU)
Past-President: Andrew Dabczynski (BYU)
Treasurer: Karen Chandler (Millard County)
Secretary: Rachel Wheeler (Duchesne County)
Membership Secretary: Molly Mortensen (Davis County)
At Large Members
Eric Burt (Davis County)
Stephen Fairbanks (Park City)
Roberta Zalkind (Salt Lake)
Brent Smith (Snow College)
Deanne Helquist (Utah County)
Melissa Warr (Utah County)
Website: Andrew Dabczynski adab@byu.edu
Newsletter: Burke Sorenson burkesorenson@gmail.com
Composition Contest Chair: Janice McAllister janicemcall@yahoo.com
JHS/MS Orchestra Festival Chair: Janice McAllister janicemcall@yahoo.com
State Solo Competition Chair: Monte Belknap monte_belknap@byu.edu
Utah Symphony Liaison: Roberta Zalkind
Fall Workshop Liaison: Stephen Fairbanks