Calendar of Events 2025–26
CAMTA Meeting & Program (November 2025) - Hybrid
9:00 a.m. Pre-Meeting Topic
ISMTA CAMTA AIM Program: Theory volunteers and Judges
10:00 a.m. CAMTA BuSINESS MEETING
10:45 a.m. Professional Development Program
Cacie Miller
“Introducing the 2026 Savler Competition Repertoire”
I will share the repertoire selected for the 2026 CAMTA Savler Competition. This years' competition foregrounds compositions by composers from different parts of Asia. I will play through the pieces (or sections of longer works), highlighting musical and technical aspects of each.
BIOGRAPHY
From Cacie’s website: https://caciemiller.com/about/
Cacie Miller has relied on the sounds and repertoire of the piano to help her make sense of the world around her since a young age. She is drawn to compositions packed with colorful storytelling and especially those that seem to push through the edges of reality. She relishes these qualities in the music of time honored composers such as Beethoven, Liszt, Debussy and Bartok, and in contemporary composers such as Lera Auerbach and Reena Esmail. Sometimes Cacie improvises and composes on her instrument.
Cacie is a passionate chamber musician, and enjoys chamber parties, improv, and more formal arrangements. She is a founding member of the Ferrer Miller Duo and the Helia Trio.
Cacie’s musicianship was fostered by several teachers throughout her university studies. She studied piano with William Heiles, Rebecca Penneys, and Robert Glover, theory with Steve Laitz, and harpsichord with Charlotte Mattax Moersch. She holds degrees from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (DMA in Performance and Literature), the Eastman School of Music (MA in theory pedagogy), Houghton University (MM in piano), and the University of Southern Maine (BM in piano). These studies informed Cacie’s playing and her own teaching through work on body/emotion integration at the piano, use of analytical practices to inform interpretive decisions, and practicing intentional listening to prepare communicative performances.
With hope of working toward sustainable cultural practices, Cacie has been actively working on the project Composing Our Climate, which began during her doctoral research. This project focuses on performer-driven commissioned chamber works written to work through emotional reckonings with the climate crisis. In Fall 2023, the first recital took place, with works by Shi-An Costello and Sam Sharp, two Chicago composers. In 2024-5, Cacie worked with Missing Piece to commission and present music by Scott Rubin, Alissa Voth and Ben Zucker.
Cacie enjoys making music in many places, at festivals in Germany, Italy and Puerto Rico, and through the Chicago area, including Constellation, Elastic Arts, Fourth Presbyterian Church, the Nineteenth Century Club, PianoForte Studios, and several area churches, including United Lutheran Church, where she is director of music. Cacie is a member of New Music Chicago, Musicians Club of Women Chicago, and MTNA's CAMTA chapter.
Jazz Festival
The purpose of the Jazz Festival is to instill an appreciation of the jazz genre by exposing students to blues, boogie, ragtime, standards, and other jazz styles using composed pieces, original arrangements, and improvisation. This event provides an exciting opportunity for your student to perform and hear others play in the Jazz style. They will also hear a short program by outstanding professional jazz musicians.
AIM Theory Exams (Levels 3-12)
The Achievement in Music (AIM) examinations is a program of the Illinois State Music Teachers Association (ISMTA) based on a syllabus revised in 2014.
CAMTA Meeting & Program (December 2025) - ZOOM
10:00 a.m. CAMTA BuSINESS MEETING
11:00 a.m. Professional Development Program
Derek Kealii Polischuk, Professor of Piano and Director of Piano Pedagogy, Michigan State University
"The Sound of Understanding: Piano Teaching and Neurodivergent Brilliance"
The Sound of Understanding explores the transformative potential of piano teaching for students with autism, drawing on real-world experiences and research-based strategies. Dr. Derek Polischuk shares insights from his work with neurodivergent pianists, illustrating how musical instruction can become a vehicle for connection, self-expression, and growth. This session offers practical tools for piano teachers seeking to create inclusive, responsive studios where students with autism can thrive. Attendees will leave with a deeper understanding of autism, an appreciation for diverse ways of learning and communicating, and new approaches to teaching that honor the individuality of every pianist.
BIOGRAPHY
Derek Kealii Polischuk is professor of piano and director of piano pedagogy at the Michigan State University College of Music. Originally from San Diego, Polischuk studied with Krzysztof Brzuza before attending the University of Southern California, where he received the Doctor of Music Arts degree in Piano Performance with distinction under the tutelage of Daniel Pollack.
Polischuk’s 2013 solo piano recording “Terra Incognita” for the Blue Griffin label has received international critical acclaim. Colin Clark of Fanfare Magazine wrote, “The Schubert receives an excellent performance from Polischuk. Shadings are perfectly judged, and Schubert’s sense of timelessness is superbly judged, finding the pianist testing the boundaries of what constitutes too much without actually transgressing. The playful F-Minor offers pure joy.” Lawrence Consentino wrote, “Polischuk hits every chord with a sweet weight. Every now and then, a set of notes tumbles down like flecks of snow breezed from a crow’s nest, with no evident human touch. With a warm but not ingratiating touch, he lets the music resound as if it were coming from inside your mind… ‘Terra Incognita’ is a thought-provoking mix of sensual pleasure and deep reflection.” Of Polischuk’s recording “Latin American Music for 2 Pianos” with pianist Sarkis Baltaian, James Harrington of American Record Guide wrote, “I cannot imagine anyone listening to this and not being drawn in.”
An enthusiastic supporter of the education of musicians at every age, ability and background, Polischuk has been a clinician at conferences around the world, including the Music Teachers National Association, the National Group Piano and Pedagogy Conference, the Multidisciplinary Research in Music Pedagogy Conference, the National Conference on Keyboard Pedagogy, the DOCTRID Conference in Ireland, the ABLE Assembly at Berklee College, and at universities and conservatories across China. Polischuk serves on the National Conference on Keyboard Pedagogy’s Committee for Teaching Students with Special Needs, the Advisory Board of the Orange County School of the Arts Pianist Program, the Board of Directors of the San Diego Musical Merit Foundation, and is President of the Michigan Music Teachers Association.
Polischuk is a founder and director of the “Celebrating the Spectrum” Piano Festival for advanced pianists on the Autism Spectrum. Polischuk’s book “Transformational Piano Teaching,” described by Dr. Alice M. Hammel of James Madison University as “a world of piano pedagogy where anyone and everyone is welcome and included in the art and joy of playing the piano” and Stewart Gordon of the University of Southern California as “a landmark in the field of piano pedagogy” is available from Oxford University Press. At Michigan State University, Polischuk has been the recipient of the Curricular Service-Learning and Civic Engagement Award, the MSU College of Music Excellence in Diversity Award, and the Teacher-Scholar Award, given in recognition of exceptional skill in teaching.
CAMTA Meeting & Program (January 2026) - ZOOM
10:00 a.m. CAMTA BuSINESS MEETING
11:00 a.m. Professional Development Program
Tian Tian, Associate Professor of Music
“Technique Development Through Scales and Arpeggios”
Scales and arpeggios are fundamental and essential to a pianist’s technical development. Passageworks can be “categorized” as either scales that contain adjacent movement or arpeggios that require positions changes. This lecture will focus on patterns, explain challenges that they present, and discuss ways to solve them.
BIOGRAPHY
Pianist Tian Tian began her training at the age of four in her native China. Upon arriving in the United States, she quickly began amassing top prizes at national and international competitions. She received degrees from the Juilliard School and Eastman School of Music under the tutelage of renowned pedagogues such as Robert McDonald, Nelita True and Logan Skelton. Tian has presented solo concerts across the US, Canada and China. She has also appeared in music festivals such as Piano Texas, the Gilmore Festival, and Summer Courses with Arie Vardi (Germany). An avid chamber musician, Tian has performed with the Juilliard Quartet, Imani Winds and toured in the US, China, and Korea as a member of the Studzinsky Trio. Tian currently serves on the faculty of Oakland University as Associate Professor of Piano and Area Coordinator. Her in depth analysis of technique and charismatic teaching style have made her a frequent guest speaker at numerous teachers’ groups and earned her the title of Honorary Professor at ten different universities in China.
CAMTA Meeting & Program (February 2026) - ZOOM
9:00 a.m. Pre-Meeting
AIM Performance Volunteers and Judges’ Meeting
10:00 a.m. CAMTA BuSINESS MEETING
11:00 a.m. Professional Development Program
Tina Chong, Associate Professor of Music, San Diego State University
“Inclusive Keyboard Design”
In piano product design, the female body is severely underserved. The key size of the piano was standardized to fit large (male) hands, and as a result, the experience of being a woman pianist centers around avoiding injury. My presentation aims to address this inequity through a look at inclusive keyboard design and a fundamental shift in interpreting the written score.
BIOGRAPHY
Hailed as “… a deity of elegance” by the New Brunswick Beacon, Dr. Tina Chong is an international award-winning pianist and teaching artist. A native of Banff, Canada, Tina has been described as, “…mature and yet fresh, imbued with tradition and yet inhabited by individuality, the marks of an artist” (The Herald Times).
She currently serves as Associate Professor of Music at San Diego State University. Tina’s recital career has brought her to such venues as Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, the National Arts Centre in Ottawa, and Sala Chopin in Mexico City. She has been featured in La Jolla Music Society’s Summerfest, the Portland International Summer Festival, and the WFMT Series of Chicago. Under the management of Jeunesses Musicales of Canada, Tina has gone on extensive concert tours throughout Canada. She is the prizewinner of several international competitions, including the Montreal International Musical Competition and the Jacques Klein Piano Competition in Brazil.
An artist of great versatility, Tina performs regularly in a wide range of genres such as classical, pop, Broadway, and film music with the San Diego Symphony Orchestra. Her chamber music collaborations have included performances with Rachel Barton Pine, Inon Barnaton, Anthony McGill, Stefan Jackiw, and Tyler Duncan. She is an active clinician throughout North America, giving frequent guest lectures, masterclasses, and adjudications. This breadth of creative activity continues to inspire Tina’s engagement and cross-pollination with a wide community of musicians and audiences.
Tina earned her Doctor of Music degree at Indiana University's Jacobs School of Music with a major in piano performance and minors in music education and historical performance practice. Her mentors were Arnaldo Cohen and Elisabeth Wright. Tina is also a graduate of the Oberlin Conservatory of Music where she studied with Angela Cheng. Tina is a Yamaha artist.
AIM Performance Exams (Levels 1-12) & Theory Exams (Levels 1A, 1B, 1C, and 2)
The Achievement in Music (AIM) examinations is a program of the Illinois State Music Teachers Association (ISMTA) based on a syllabus revised in 2014.
CAMTA Meeting & Program (March 2026) - Zoom
10:00 a.m. CAMTA BuSINESS MEETING
11:00 a.m. Professional Development Program
Frank Huang, Associate Professor of Piano, Miami University (Ohio)
“Rediscovering Nikolai Medtner: A Forgotten Master of Russian Romanticism”
Nikolai Medtner was a prolific composer for the piano, writing an astounding nine albums’ worth of music for the instrument. Despite this significant contribution, the Russian Romantic composer remains virtually unknown to the public. In this lecture-recital, I will explore why Medtner’s music has been forgotten, share selections from my recording project of his complete solo piano works, and introduce teaching pieces suitable for students.
BIOGRAPHY
Frank Huang is a Steinway Artist and currently serves as an Associate Professor of Piano at Miami University, Oxford, Ohio. Previously, he was a faculty member at The College of Wooster and The Cleveland Institute of Music.
Described by New York Concert Review as a “thoughtful and accomplished performer” and that his playing was “impressive for its maturity and refinement,” Mr. Huang has gained international recognition for his artistry and technical command. Others have also acknowledged his talents, as the Chopin Foundation of the United States, Northwest Chapter has commented that “Huang plays with authority and panache” while El Comerico of Lima, Peru praised his interpretation of Mozart’s Piano Concerto, K.482 “with the utmost sensitivity.” Mr. Huang’s performances have led him throughout North America, South America, Europe, and Asia. Such notable venues include Weill Hall, Carnegie Hall, Benaroya Hall (Seattle), US Embassy in Warsaw, Zelazowa Wola (Warsaw), Gijon International Piano Festival (Spain), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Holland Music Sessions, Kennedy Center (Washington DC), Dame Myra Recital Series at Chicago’s Cultural Center, Lincoln Center in New York, and St. Martin in the Fields, London, UK. Mr. Huang’s concerts have also been featured on radio and television broadcasts in various cities across the United States and Europe. An avid chamber musician, he has collaborated with eminent artists such as Cho-Liang Lin, Ben Hong--as well as members of the Cleveland Orchestra, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, and the Los Angeles Philharmonic in recitals.
Huang’s creative interests consist of promoting lesser-known works and music of our time. To that end, Huang is currently recording the complete solo piano works of the neglected Russian Romantic composer, Nikolai Medtner. He released the second installment of the nine-disc project in February 2025. His previous Medtner albums were met with positive reviews as Gramophone described that “Huang and Medtner are made for one another” and that “Huang can hold his own next to Marc-André Hamelin.”
Other albums can be found on the Centaur Records, Nimbus Alliance, and Blue Griffin labels that include a chamber music disc featuring living women composers, an all-Brahms solo CD, and works by Jack Gallagher. These discs have received rave reviews as critics have described Huang’s performances as “thrilling” (The Classical Reviewer) and that “Huang deserves kudos for his sparkling and sensitive playing, and that better performances of these works would be well-nigh impossible to come by.” (Fanfare) Huang has also performed and recorded music of Mark Applebaum, Augusta Read Thomas, Lera Auerbach, and Jennifer Higdon. Recently, he has been performing Frederic Rzewski’s monumental work, “The People United Will Never be Defeated!” in recitals.
Equally dedicated as a music educator, Dr. Huang feels privileged to share his knowledge with students who are passionate about music. At Miami University, he teaches piano, chamber music, and various literature courses. He is also committed to continuing education and has contributed guest articles to UK’s popular magazines: Pianist, Gramophone, and International Piano. He has also produced tutorial videos for G. Henle Verlag’s Urtext Score Reader app.
A native of Seattle, WA, Frank Huang studied extensively with Willard Schultz at the Academy of Music Northwest before obtaining Bachelor of Music and Master of Music degrees from The Juilliard School, where he continued his studies with Julian Martin. Following his training at Juilliard, he earned a Doctor of Musical Arts degree at The Cleveland Institute of Music under the direction of Antonio Pompa-Baldi.
Browning Performathon
Students performing will be sharing their talent, dedication and enthusiasm to raise funds for the MTNA Foundation in honor of William Browning, revered Chicago pianist and teacher.
CAMTA Meeting & Program (April 2026) - HYBRID
10:00 a.m. CAMTA BuSINESS MEETING
Slate of Board officer candidates announced
11:00 a.m. Professional Development Program
Michael Fritsch, Pianist/Teacher
“The Impressionistic Piano Works of Charles T. Griffes”
Charles Tomlinson (1884-1920) is recognized as one of the most brilliant composers of the turn of the 19th century. His earlier works were influenced by German Romanticism. His second period was highly influenced by the French Impressionist composers and by Russian composers. His third period style was more severe, as one sees in the magnificent Sonata for piano, written from 1917 to 1919.
This presentation concerns itself with the Three Tone Pictures, Op. 5, Fantasy Pieces, Op. 6, and Roman Sketches, Op. 7, all influenced by Impressionism, but all in Griffes' distinctive voice. Much of the music will be performed. Emphasis will be place on the features that create the composer's individual style. and on approaches to teaching this repertoire.
BIOGRAPHY
Michael Fritsch received degrees in piano performance from Wheaton College, the University of Cincinnati, and from Northwestern University, from which he was awarded the Doctor of Music degree. At Northwestern he was a piano student of Donald Isaak and a pedagogy student of Frances Larimer. At Northwestern he was elected to the music honor society, Pi Kappa Lambda.
In addition to being an independent music teacher, Dr. Fritsch has taught piano and music theory at Wheaton College, and private and class piano at the College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn. He has given presntations on the piano music of Clementi, MacDowell, Mozart, and Griffes for numerous local associations of ISMTA, and is past president of West Suburban Music Teachers' Association He is frequently called upon to be an ajudicator for contests.
A long-time church musician, Dr. Fritsch has been organist, choir director, or pianist at several churches. He is currently organist/pianist at Kingswood United Methodist Church in Buffalo Grove.
Dr. Fritsch and his wife, Janis reside in Wheaton with their very active Border Collie, Andy.
Savler Piano Contest
The Savler Contest is an annual piano contest that attracts students from the greater Chicago area who compete for trophies and a performance opportunity.
Savler Winners Recital
The Savler Contest is an annual piano contest that attracts students from the greater Chicago area who compete for trophies and a performance opportunity.
CAMTA Meeting & Program (May 2026) - HYBRID
10:00 a.m. CAMTA BuSINESS MEETING
New Board officers announced
Election for Member of the Year
11:00 a.m. Professional Development Program
Alexander Wasserman, Associate Professor of Music, Reinhardt University
"I Played it Perfectly at Home... Or did I?" Aligning Expectations with Results in Performance
This presentation equips pianists of all levels with strategies to accurately predict concert-stage performance. Self-assessment techniques will be discussed to align expectations with results, thus mitigating performance anxiety, optimizing practice efficiency, and boosting confidence and artistry.
BIOGRAPHY
Described as a "pianist of real firework" - (Giorgio Koukl, EarRelevant), Dr. Alexander
Wasserman enjoys a distinguished career on both the concert stage and in the teaching studio.
Recent solo recitals include concerts in Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Dallas, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis, Portland, San Diego, San Francisco, and other cultural
centers throughout the United States.
As a concerto soloist, Dr. Wasserman has appeared with the Hollywood Chamber Orchestra,
Thousand Oaks Philharmonic (CA), the New Valley Symphony (CA), the Suburban Symphony
(OH), The Santa Barbara Choral Society and Orchestra (CA), The DeKalb Symphony (GA), The
Rome Symphony (GA), The Reinhardt Symphony (GA), The Atlanta Community Symphony
Orchestra, and the Parma Symphony (OH) in concertos by Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin, Liszt,
Grieg, Rachmaninoff, and Tchaikovsky.
As a chamber musician, he frequently collaborates with members of the Atlanta Symphony
Orchestra, New York Philharmonic, St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, Cleveland Orchestra, and
others. Recent chamber music engagements include performances on the Atlanta Symphony
“Pre-Concert Chamber Music Series” at Atlanta Symphony Hall. He is also a regular performer
at Festival Mozaic, in San Luis Obispo, California. His CD of solo and chamber French music,
in collaboration with Atlanta Symphony principal oboist, Elizabeth Tiscione, and St. Paul
Chamber Orchestra principal bassoonist, Andrew Brady, was released on Centaur Records in
2023. Andrew Desaderio of Fanfare Magazine writes: “Pianist Alexander Wasserman gives a
beautiful performance of the original Sonatine, with keen attention to Ravel’s elegantly veiled
classicism…has remarkable balance and precision that illuminates Ravel’s shimmering
harmonies and textural shadings. Wasserman’s playing sounds effortless and graceful.”
Equally dedicated to the education of emerging talent, Dr. Wasserman is Assistant Professor of
Piano at Reinhardt University (GA). He also served as Professor of Piano at Youngstown State
University (OH) shortly before moving to Atlanta. In addition, he serves as Founder and Artistic
Director of the Reinhardt Piano Festival and Academy – an intensive one-week summer piano
festival held at Reinhardt University. Dr. Wasserman also maintains a private piano studio; his
students have been prize winners in the GMEA All-State Competition, GMTA Romantic and
Impressionistic Competition, GMTA Piano Competition, MTNA Competition, Nashville
International Piano Competition, Rising Stars Competition, Osaka International Competition,
Emory Young Artists Competition, Kennesaw State University Young Artists Competition,
Rome Symphony Concerto Competition, Atlanta Community Symphony Concerto Competition,
and more. He frequently serves as a judge of national and international piano competitions.
Alexander Wasserman, a native of Los Angeles, began formal piano studies with Suzanne Julian.
He went on to receive degrees in Piano Performance from the University of Southern
California’s Thornton School of Music (BM), the Cleveland Institute of Music (MM), and the
Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University (GPD). He completed his Doctor of Musical
Arts program in Piano Performance at the Cleveland Institute of Music in 2011. His primary
teachers include Antonio Pompa-Baldi, Yong-Hi Moon, Daniel Shapiro, and Antoinette Perry.
Additional study with Paul Schenly and Sergei Babayan has also been of tremendous influence.
Dr. Wasserman currently resides in Marietta, GA with his wife, Jessica Oudin, a member of the
Atlanta Symphony viola section, and their son, Bradley.
Alexander Wasserman is a Shigeru Kawai Artist.
Composition Festival - Forum and Recital
This festival is to encourage students to write their own music and enjoy the creative process including the opportunity for a forum and public performance.
CAMTA Meeting & Program (June 2026) - HYBRID
10:00 a.m. CAMTA Business Meeting
AIM Award Recognition
Installation of officers
Member of the Year announced
11:00 a.m. Professional Development Program
Presenter Name, Title
"Presentation Title"
Presentation synopsis
BIOGRAPHY
CAMTA Meeting & Program (October 2025)
10:00 a.m. CAMTA BuSINESS MEETING
11:00 a.m. Professional Development Program
James Giles, Northwestern University
“Technique, But Not For Fingers”
I will discuss ways to introduce arm and wrist motions and the usage of the larger levers and muscle groups in intermediate and early advanced repertoire. It’s information that I wish I had had as a student and I wish I had known as a young teacher.
BIOGRAPHY
Read James Giles’ biography here:
https://www.music.northwestern.edu/faculty/profile/james-giles
CAMTA Meeting & Program (September 2025) - HYBRID
9:00 a.m. Pre-Meeting TopicS
ISMTA CAMTA AIM Program: Introduction to AIM and New Info
Jazz Fest - Terry Tennes
10:00 a.m. CAMTA BuSINESS MEETING
11:00 a.m. Professional Development Program
Mary Siciliano, Piano Instructor
“The First Three Years: Developing Musicianship through Technique”
My goal is to impart tools to each student that will help him/her to successfully find pleasure and a voice of expression through playing the piano. I want them to become tomorrow's audience and supporters of fine music. In order to accomplish this, I will share my core curriculum based on listening, technical strength and freedom, and rhythmic foundations.
BIOGRAPHY
Mary Siciliano has a multi-faceted career. She was on the piano faculty at Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan, where she taught applied piano, piano ensemble, chamber music, and coordinated the piano pedagogy program. She also taught piano pedagogy at Madonna University, Schoolcraft College, and the University of Michigan. She currently has a very active private studio, continues to give pedagogy workshops, and teaches at the Interlochen Summer Arts Camp. Her students have distinguished themselves in many local, state, and national competitions, among them the Music Teachers National Association National Finals, the Piano Arts International Competition, and the Michigan Music Teacher Association events.
Siciliano and violinist Velda Kelly cofounded “Chamber Music with Piano”. This summer workshop at Madonna University explores chamber music with piano and has included students from age 12 through adults. Students experience intense coaching with various musicians from the Michigan Opera Orchestra. This culminates in a final recital that also includes verbal communication with the audience.
Siciliano is very active in piano teacher organizations. She has served on the boards of the Metropolitan Detroit Musicians League, Michigan Music Teachers Association, the East Central Division of MTNA, and the Tuesday Musicale of Detroit.
Mary Siciliano performs throughout the United States, Canada, and France, and has been broadcast on CBC, WRCJ, and several others. She has collaborated on several cd albums that include the first recordings of Richard Stöhr on Toccata Classics, as well as the chamber music of Jacques de la Presle, Pierre de Bréville, Ignatz Waghalter, Fernand de la Tombelle, and Nicolas Bacri on the Centaur label.
CAMTA Meeting & Program (JUNE)
11:00 a.m. Professional Development Program
Regina Harris Baiocchi, Composer, Poet, Author
"Compositions for Piano by Regina Harris Baiocchi"
I will present an annotated bibliography and discography of my piano and organ music: titles, creation dates, performance levels, and recordings. This will end with a Q and A.
BIOGRAPHY
Regina Harris Baiocchi writes music, poetry, fiction, and nonfiction. Regina’s compositions have been performed by members of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic, US Army Band, Chicago Sinfonietta, concert and gospel choirs, jazz and chamber ensembles, and other acclaimed artists.
Her music is recorded on Hammers, Pipes & Strings, Percussing Up A Storm, Kidstuff, Sojourn, The Future Is Female (vol. 3), Where Freedom Rings, unto thee i burn, and other CDs.
Regina’s poetry and fiction appear in Chicago Tribune Magazine, Modern Haiku, Obsidian, Dada Kuku, Black Fire This Time, and elsewhere. Her nonfiction is published by Oxford University, Third World Press, Facts On file, et al.
Regina founded 6Degrees Composers to promote music by womxn, and Haiku Festival Chicago to celebrate children and promote literacy. An alumna of NYU, DePaul University, and Roosevelt University, Regina is a protégé of Dr. Gwendolyn Brooks and Dr. Hale Smith.
NB: Regina's 2025 performances include the following dates:
Sunday, 23 February, the R. Nathaniel Dett Club of NANM will be in concert at 3pm, St. Thomas Episcopal church 3801 South Wabash, include my Sketches for Violin and Piano
Friday, 14 March 2025, 6Degrees Composers in concert at Sherwood Auditorium, 1312 South Michigan 7pm, including my Sketches for Viola and Piano and Tightrope, my piano etude
Tuesday, 1 April 2025, University of Wisconsin, Madison professors, Dr. Jessica Johnson and Dr. Anthony Disanza will present new music for piano and percussion commissioned by Johnson and Disanza
Saturday, 26 April 2025 Haiku Festival celebrates our 21st anniversary during National Poetry Month, featuring award-winning poet, essays, and music by 8- to 14-year-olds
June 2025 Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra will perform my Muse for Orchestra will be performed in Wisconsin in Madison, WI
Friday, 17 October 2025.my opera, No One’s Child (re: Zora Neale Hurston and Langston Hughes) will be performed as part of Ear Taxi Festival in Chicago, 7:00 PM at Kehrein Center for the Arts, 5628 West Washington
October 2025. Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra will record my Muse for orchestra for PARMA Records
www.camta.org/monthlyprograms
Composition Festival
This festival is to encourage students to write their own music and enjoy the creative process including the opportunity for a forum and public performance.
CAMTA Meeting & Program (May)
11:00 a.m. Professional Development Program
Ellena Chen, Music Educator, Financial Coach, FINRA Registered Representative
“Money Talk with Music Teachers”
We are trained to be musicians, we are passionate about teaching, and we are dedicated to our students. Money was probably the last thing on your mind when you chose a teaching career. How do we manage our finances as music teachers and musicians? What are some financial concerns for sole proprietors? What are the roadmaps for retirement, taxes, investment, and insurance? I hope to provide some financial foundation concepts and guidelines.
BIOGRAPHY
As a music educator, Ellena has 30 years of experience teaching private piano lessons, group classes, and college courses. She is Nationally Certified Teacher of Music (NCTM) certified by MTNA since 2009. She is also certified to teach the Suzuki method since 2003. Ellena is an active member of CAMTA and NSMTA.
Ellena started her second career in the financial industry in 2015. As a financial professional, Ellena works with numerous clients in serving their financial needs and finding the best solutions for them. She and her team host financial seminars regularly to provide financial education to the general public. Ellena is especially passionate about helping the next generations in building solid financial foundations with her financial literacy coaching program for kids and teens.
www.camta.org/monthlyprograms
CAMTA Meeting & Program (April)
11:00 a.m. Professional Development Program
Arlene Sharp, Owner and Publisher of Jacksonian Press
“The Life and Music of Betty Jackson King”
Since her aunt’s passing in 1994, Arlene has worked tirelessly to bring global attention to King’s music. Through social media and digital outreach, she has helped facilitate over 150 video performances of her works on YouTube. While much of King’s life was spent outside of Chicago, Arlene has been committed to gathering firsthand accounts from those who knew her personally, enriching the historical narrative surrounding her compositions.
BIOGRAPHY
Arlene Sharp is the niece of renowned composer, pianist, and educator Betty Jackson King. Honoring a promise she made to her aunt, Arlene has dedicated herself to preserving and promoting King’s musical legacy. She is the owner and publisher of her aunt’s works through Jacksonian Press, Inc., ensuring that King’s compositions remain accessible to musicians, educators, and scholars.
Since her aunt’s passing in 1994, Arlene has worked tirelessly to bring global attention to King’s music. Through social media and digital outreach, she has helped facilitate over 150 video performances of her works on YouTube. While much of King’s life was spent outside of Chicago, Arlene has been committed to gathering firsthand accounts from those who knew her personally, enriching the historical narrative surrounding her compositions.
In addition to her work in music publishing, Arlene is a retired Assistant Principal and serves as the Free Meal Coordinator at Saint John Church-Baptist in Chicago, continuing her lifelong commitment to education and community service.
www.camta.org/monthlyprograms
Browning Memorial MTNA Foundation Performathon
Students performing will be sharing their talent, dedication and enthusiasm to raise funds for the MTNA Foundation in honor of William Browning, revered Chicago pianist and teacher.
Savler Piano Contest - Winners Recitals
The Savler Contest is an annual piano contest that attracts students from the greater Chicago area who compete for trophies and a performance opportunity.
CAMTA Meeting & Program (March)
11:00 a.m. Professional Development Program
Karen Szczech, Chicago Center for Music Education: Violin Teaching Artist
Magical Keys: Principal Violinist & Instructor
“Large Room Music”
Large Room Music, also known as Chamber Music, is an essential part in any musician's career path. This presentation will focus on the importance of collaboration with other individuals, other instruments, and new ideas. In addition, there will be a discussion on how we can provide ourselves and other musicians opportunities to expand our own chamber music palette and the audience's that are listening.
BIOGRAPHY
Violinist Karen Szczech is a first-generation Polish-American from Chicago, Illinois. Receiving her Bachelor’s Degree in Violin Performance, a Minor in Psychology, and completing her Suzuki Method training at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, she continued her musical studies completing a Master’s Degree in Violin Performance from University of Wisconsin-Madison. In addition, she has studied closely with Dr. Nicholas Hatt, Dr. Kinga Augustyn, and Dr. Renée-Paule Gauthier. Prior to her university studies, Karen graduated from The Chicago Academy for the Arts studying violin and composition.
As a violinist and composer, Karen has premiered and performed works in festivals nationally and internationally. Such festivals include: Darmstadt New Music Festival in Darmstadt, Germany; Omaha Under the Radar in Omaha, Nebraska; Ear Taxi Festival; Chicago Trio Workshop in Chicago, Illinois; Emerald Coast Chamber Music Festival in Florida; and Chicago Summer Opera. Karen’s pieces have been premiered by the Grammy Award winning ensembles, such as, Eighth BlackBird at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago.
As the Founder and Principal Violinist, throughout the year Karen can be found teaching and performing at Magical Keys Institute of Music, Magical Keys Duo, and Magical Keys which is a nonprofit organization whose goal is to provide the community with free access to live high-quality performances and music education. Furthermore, Karen can be found teaching at the Chicago Center for Music Education (ChiME), and at St. Fabian Church in Bridgeview as the Children’s Music Director. An active chamber and orchestral musician, Karen regularly performs with chamber ensembles and symphony orchestras in the Midwest.
Savler Piano Contest
The Savler Contest is an annual piano contest that attracts students from the greater Chicago area who compete for trophies and a performance opportunity.
Achievement in Music - Performance Exams and Theory Exams (Levels 1A, 1B, 1C and 2)
The Achievement in Music (AIM) examinations is a program of the Illinois State Music Teachers Association (ISMTA) based on a syllabus revised in 2014.
CAMTA Meeting & Program (February)
9:00 a.m. Pre-Program Topic
AIM Performance Volunteers and Judges’ Meeting
11:00 a.m. Professional Development Program
Kasia Szczech-Dlugosz, Pianist, Harpist, Composer, Author@Magical Keys
“Teaching music theory, circle of fifths, notation and composition that engages the student to think creatively.”
For those of you who value music theory and use it in your lessons with your students every day, it is essential they understand WHAT, HOW, and WHERE all of this material comes from and how it’s all intertwined and how you can utilize it all together. Being a composer, and loving music theory, I saw that these kids NEED to know music theory from scratch.
I have developed a game which allows exploration, creativity and imagination to happen in each new scale introduced in the major and minor scales.
BIOGRAPHY
You can find Kasia’s bio here on her website:
https://magicalkeysduo.com/about-us
www.camta.org/monthlyprograms
CAMTA Meeting & Program (January)
11:00 a.m. Professional Development Program
Kristine Konrad and Dr. Heidi Hamernik
“Discovering the Process of Reading Music: How to Teach Piano Students of All Reading Abilities”
The International DYSLEXIA Association estimates that dyslexia or reading disability occurs in 15 – 20 percent of the general population and does not discriminate based on intellect or social-economic status. Reading ability or disability occurs along a continuum and therefore it is highly likely that most piano teachers regularly encounter these students, some with official diagnoses and some unaware of why they struggle to read. A primary study of piano students led to the discovery that the use of intervention teaching techniques based on a multi-sensory approach significantly helped not only the student with dyslexia, but also the typical reader. This presentation will help piano teachers and music instructors gain a better understanding of the basic neuropsychological underpinnings of reading disorders and how, from a neuropsychological standpoint, students of all reading abilities may typically approach the task of learning to read music for the piano. The second part of the presentation will address hands-on, multisensory techniques and interventions to assist piano teachers and music instructors when teaching students with and without dyslexia.
BIOGRAPHIES
Heidi Hamernik, Ph.D is a licensed Clinical-Community Psychologist. She has been in private practice for the past 25 years in the Northern and Western suburbs and specializes in the treatment of children and adolescents. Her practice focuses on the neuropsychological assessment and treatment of Learning Disabilities, Aspergers' Syndrome, Social Learning Disorders, Anxiety Disorders, Mood Disorders, and Behavioral Disorders such as Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. Dr. Hamernik received her Ph.D. in 1995 from the University of South Carolina and completed her Pre- and Post-Doctoral Training at Rush-Presbyterian St. Luke's Medical Center in Chicago, IL. She is a standing member in several nationally accredited associations such as the American Psychological Association, International Neuropsychological Society, and the International Dyslexia Society.
Kristine Konrad has maintained a private piano studio in River Forest for 26 years, teaching with a methodology that focuses on reading music. In December of 2010 Kristine graduated with her Masters of Music in Piano Pedagogy from Concordia University Chicago where she spent over two years researching the dyslexic student and reading music. Her Master’s thesis, Teaching Piano to Students with Dyslexia, argues that when intervention based on a multi-sensory approach is used, students with dyslexia can learn to play the piano by reading music. Kristine also holds a Masters degree from the University of Chicago and a Bachelors degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and has most recently studied with Craig Sale, Kuang Hao Huang and Fionna Bezaire. Kristine is a member of CAMTA, ISMTA and MTNA.
www.camta.org/monthlyprograms
Deadline: Gelinas Ticket Fund
What: Symphony Center Presents Jean-Yves Thibaudet
When: Sunday, January 19, 2025, 3:00 PM
Where: Symphony Center, 220 S. Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL 60604
Fee: Free for 2 students per CAMTA Teacher, $20 per additional ticket
Registration Deadline: Friday, January 5, 2025
CAMTA Meeting & Program (December)
11:00 a.m. Professional Development Program
Aspen Buckingham, CAMTA member & CEO of Overture Games
“Setting Your Studio Apart: New Tools and Technologies”
Aspen will present on a variety of resources and technology that can help us set our studios apart. Rather then dive deep and give a tutorial on how to use each technology, the goal is to introduce a variety of new tools that members can explore further and show off some of the core features of each tool.
Topics will likely include:
1. Unique, cutting edge music technology
2. Lesson scheduling software
3. Games for group classes
4. Helpful online tools
5. Composing and Arranging Software
BIOGRAPHY
Aspen Buckingham, a member of CAMTA, is the CEO of Overture Games, co-founder of Intervallic, and a graduate of the Bienen School of Music at Northwestern University with majors in music and computer science and concentrations in composition and game development. He is currently running a program teaching underserved students at the Chicago Youth Centers in South and West Chicago.
Achievement in Music - Theory Exams
The Achievement in Music (AIM) examinations is a program of the Illinois State Music Teachers Association (ISMTA) based on a syllabus revised in 2014.