Message from Mary Ann

The byword these days is “change.” As a teacher, I know how difficult that can be. Students come to me not as their first teacher but (they hope) one of their last. Building a new foundation for them often, very often, means destroying a faulty one they were using. To change is, then, to be uncomfortable. For example, take your hands and put them together in a clasp or grip. One of your thumbs naturally goes over the other. For me, it is my left thumb over my right. Now reverse the grasp by sliding your fingers over one position. Your thumbs should have changed position as well. This configuration should feel unnatural and uneasy, pressing you with a desire to go back to old ways.

Luckily, none of us needs to learn to write again. As musicians, we should know better than anyone that change is essential, however. It’s what we do when we practice, after all. That is something of the point. We do have a great need to change our ways in other matters. As our chapter grows smaller, it becomes more difficult to get anything and everything done. What can we do? Many of you know past members who have either stopped affiliating or never did. Others may know people who would benefit from the programs and friendship in our chapter; these could be either special election candidates or patrons. Newly graduated members need special invitations to remain active; we have wonderful advocates for this group with Jenny Smith and Sandra McMillen. Although I expect it will be something of a change for us to reach out a little stronger and broader than we have in the past, I believe it must be done.

Other changes also need to be made. Procedural methods need examination. We may want to consider different meeting times once more. Programs may need to include other activities than performances more often. There are many other possibilities. Bring your ideas (and some friends) to the next meetings or contact one of the board members. Be heard. Be busy. You are, as always, our best resource.

Best,

Mary Ann Taylor

Fall Meeting

November – Frances Stuart Tribute

The November meeting was held at the J. Erik Jonsson Central Library on Sunday afternoon, November 9, 2008. The program featured some former students of Frances Stuart performing a memorial recital on the one-year anniversary of her death. After opening remarks by Susan Poelchau and Mary Ann Taylor, the following former students performed: Andy Kueny, Stephannie Johnson, Linda McClaran Mendro, Ann Candamio Peak, Susan Dixon Poelchau, Howard Etheridge and Gaylia Green. In addition, Mu Phi Pat Suitt assisted Susan in playing the Mother Goose Suite duet.                                           Susan Poelchau, 

Members assisted the hostess and co-hostess because of the large crowd in attendance at the punch and cookie reception that followed. Special guests were John Stuart and his daughter Shannon, who were here from California for the event. John Stuart has offered to cover piano tuning expenses for the 2008-2009 concert season, which is greatly appreciated.

Along with a biography of the very accomplished Frances who taught piano over 80 years, the program contained this tribute from Susan: 

Normally, program notes contain information about performers or composers. However, this program takes the form of a traditional Sunday afternoon student piano recital dedicated to the memory of Frances Deaderick Stuart, so we have simply listed by each performer’s name the dates we studied with her. In several cases, unofficial coaching continued up to the time of her final illness. Some of us have continued as active pianists, some are teachers, and some have had to put our piano playing “on hold” for a time; but all of us have carried away some spark of that dedication and love, both of music and of individuals, that marks the true teacher. It is our pleasure today to perform on the Steinway grand piano which Mrs. Stuart and her husband, John, generously donated to the Library many years ago in order that the gift of music might be shared with the citizens of Dallas.

Thanks to Susan for the huge effort she made to put this special program together. It was a great success! 

Our Founder's Day ceremony was conducted by Mary Ann Taylor with assistance from Sylvia Taylor Lerch and Phyllis Wilson.

Since we started a reduced number of meetings this year, there were no meetings in December or January. 

Member News

Karen Schoenrock has withdrawn from the patron list. 

Jack Freiberger, Katie’s husband, died December 27th in Colorado after a long illness. Our condolences to Katie. 

Freiberger, John Jacob 1924 - 2008 After a long, valiant and uncomplaining fight against cancer, John Jacob (Jack) Freiberger of Durango, Colorado and Dallas, Texas died December 27 at his home in Durango at the age of 84. He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Katherine, his daughter Kate Huxel of Durango, sons, Erich of Jacksonville, Florida, and Jake of Chapel Hill, North Carolina, four beloved granddaughters and two cherished grandsons. Born September 21, 1924 in Syracuse, New York to Jacob and Priscilla Freiberger, he was graduated from Wyoming Seminary, a college preparatory school in Kingston, PA. He entered the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the fall of 1941. At age 18 he volunteered for the United States Navy but remained at MIT in the V12 program until he was graduated in 1945 with a degree in mechanical engineering, afterwards attending midshipman's school at Columbia University in New York City where he received a commission as Ensign. He was sent to Japan as the navigator on the troop transport ship, the USS Wharton. The following year the Wharton was refitted as a laboratory ship for Operation Crossroads, the Bikini Atoll Nuclear Tests. Jack's was a voice of the final radio countdown timing the ignition of the blast. After finishing his tour of duty, Jack moved briefly to positions in several locations, including a stint working for his family's company, Prosperity Machinery Co., manufacturers of laundry and dry cleaning equipment in Syracuse. After a short time at Harvard School of Business, he accepted a job in Dallas, Texas managing a struggling laundry and dry cleaning establishment that he eventually built up to include 70 Holiday Cleaning and Laundry outlets in Dallas and the surrounding area. He was also a partner of Pilgrim Cleaners in Houston, and was a founding partner in Pilgrim Mini-warehouses, a business with locations throughout Texas and the United States. He was a firm Christian, an elder and Stephen Minister of the Presbyterian Church. Jack and his wife Katy have supported many civic organizations, including those devoted to improving race relations and supporting the arts. His core beliefs were best characterized in an address he made to the MIT Alumni Association where he paraphrased Mahatma Gandhi, who said that the blunders from which spring man's violence to man are Wealth without work Pleasure without conscience Knowledge without character Commerce without morality Science without humanity Worship without sacrifice Politics without principles Laws without justice. Throughout Jack's life he sought to address those injustices. In his spare time he was an avid sailor, boat enthusiast, woodworker, snow skier, husband and faithful companion to Katy, father and grandfather. A memorial service will be planned for a later date. Those wishing to make contributions in Jack's name may make them to The Stewpot, First Presbyterian Church of Dallas, TX., 408 Park Ave., Dallas, TX, 75201 or The New Conservatory of Dallas., PO Box 743876, Dallas, TX 75374-3876.

Article by Cherie Bell

From Sandra McMillen, 2nd VP Collegiate Advisor:

Dallas Alumni member Cherie Bell has written another wonderful article for the Dallas Morning News titled Tune for our Times - Why don't more kids join the choir? You can find the article at www.dallasnews.com/voices. 

Cherie was a reporter for the Dallas Morning News before finally getting an opportunity to be a music teacher. She was a student at Stephen F. Austin University (Alpha Omega Chapter) and was eligible but was unable, for a variety of reasons, to join MPE as an undergraduate. When she moved to Dallas, as a reporter, she contacted me about membership in Mu Phi Epsilon. She was a special election member for Dallas alumni and was initiated at the SC2 work party that year. 

Cherie has written several articles related to music and education this year. I am looking forward to future articles by this gifted voice instructor/choir director/ journalist. 

Cherie Bell of Dallas: Tunes for our times
12:00 AM CST on Thursday, December 18, 2008

Cherie Bell is the choir director at A.W. Spence Middle Learning Center and TAG Academy in the DISD. She is also a Teacher Voices volunteer columnist. Her e-mail address is cheriebell69@hotmail.com. 

This time of year, I teach my choir students a Kwanzaa folk tale on the principle of self-determination.

"The Talented Toad" thinks he can sing when everyone else tells him he can't. He doesn't pay attention to them, however, and continues to practice for a singing contest. But on the night of the contest, he is heckled off the stage.

As he sobs alone in the woods, the Moon and Stars ask him to sing because they heard him practice every night and liked it. Encouraged, he sings his song. Then all the forest creatures hear him and agree that the toad can sing.

I share this story because, as a new choir director building a program in an inner city junior high school, I've found that singing or being in choir doesn't seem to appeal to a lot of kids today.

I can't blame the kids with all the other extracurricular activities they can join, like band, orchestra, drama and, the most popular, dance.
Like the Talented Toad, I was sitting at home recently feeling sorry for myself, thinking the times have changed. Twenty years ago, I was so proud to have earned a degree in vocal music. I loved singing so much. It is the only subject I wanted to teach.

And now it seems with choir enrollment dropping, the once-esteemed position of choir director is going the way of the keypunch operator.
Each day after rehearsal, I say to my students, "Tell your friends," hoping that word of mouth about having fun in choir will spread and that more students will sign up.

One day a student told me, "My friends think choir is lame." Yet every young person listens to music with singers; they even idolize them: Fergie, Christina, Alicia, Beyoncé.

Pop culture has changed what it means to sing as a soloist and in a group.
For more than a generation, rap music has replaced rock in popularity among young urban dwellers. It's even popular among youth growing up in rural towns. Sometimes rap songs have a singing refrain, but the fast-paced spoken rhymes, hypnotic loop and the occasional dirty word are mesmerizing to young minds.
Then there's the popularity of American Idol. I thought I'd enjoy watching the show in the beginning, but soon was turned off by the vast majority of no-talent contestants. Vocal flaws hurt my ears. Still, as contrived as it may be, the show is entertainment to millions.

Then there's the magic of the recording studio, creating ethereal vocal highs and lusty low tones when none exist, as we discover in live concerts.

These issues might have something to do with junior high kids today who cannot sing "Happy Birthday to You" as an audition for choir. When sung alone, this universal melody takes on a lot of twists and turns. No wonder. With ears connected to iPods, kids often are singing along but unaware they are off-pitch.
They're not listening to themselves. They have not been taught by a choir director.

The times have changed: Inner-city kids don't want to study the art of singing or be in choir like they did 10 and 20 years ago. Perhaps some cultures don't put a lot of stock in singing. Perhaps kids don't want to put in the rehearsal time to perfect a few songs for a concert or contest. Maybe choir songs are "lame."

Choir nowadays has evolved to include not only hot CD soundtracks to back the choir performances but choreography, even riser choreography, for kids to combine dancing with singing – what major music stars do today. 

The job of choir director is to cultivate singers. Granted, not everyone will be able to sing well, but as I teach my students, self-determination and practice go a long way. 

Also, singing in the shower helps.

Cherie Bell is the choir director at A.W. Spence Middle Learning Center and TAG Academy in the DISD. She is also a Teacher Voices volunteer columnist. Her e-mail address is cheriebell69@hotmail.com. Get Other Voices columns from across North Texas and add your own comments. www.dallasnews.com/voices

Upcoming Meetings

Tuesday, February 10 - 7:00 pm 
Joint meeting with MU PHI and SAI
At Steinway Hall Dallas, Central Expwy and McCommas 

CO-HOSTESSES: Mary Ann Taylor, Frances Estes
Mu Phis are hosting this year.

PROGRAM: 
* Mary Ann Taylor, flute and Jerry Taylor, piano (Mu Phi)
* Trio of Frances Estes, oboe, Gretchen Nichols, cello and Pat Suitt, piano (Mu Phi)
* Marla Maxson, Soprano (SAI) and Jane Echols, Piano
* Fredrica Phillips, Piano (Mu Phi)

Tuesday, March 10 - 7:30 pm
Night at the Opera
Home of Judy Dardaganian

CO-HOSTESSES: Cynthia Wadley, Sandra McMillen

PROGRAM: 
* Opera arias - Claudia Jameson, soprano
* Dallas Opera Preview: Speaker from the Dallas Opera

Interview with Wynona Lipsett

Our interview in this newsletter is with past International President, Wynona Lipsett. See it on our Interviews page or Wynona Lipsett page.

March 1 - Lee Lattimore, flute and Elliot Figg, piano

March 8 - Kristin Littrell, soprano, Megan Stoltz, mezzo-soprano and Alan Dyer, piano (CHANGE)

March 15 - Andrew Jonas Wright, piano

March 22 - North Dallas Trombone Choir: Howard Scheib, Rob Eads, Don Sanders, Lorenzo Martinez, George DeFoe. Glenn Todd, Don Heaton, David Morris, Ron Richard, Jim Smith, Greg Barton

March 29 - Wireless Consort Recorder Ensemble: Jennifer Carpenter, Sara Funkhouser, Lee Lattimore, Cornell Kinderknecht, and Susan Richter 

April 19 - Monica Boldt, mezzo-soprano and Eduardo Rojas Rodriguez, piano 

April 26 - Laurie Spohn, soprano and Angela Favazza, piano

All concerts are FREE - on Sundays at 3 PM at the 
J. Erik Jonsson Central Library Auditorium – 1515 Young St, Dallas
Schedule, programs and performer vitas are available as received on www.muphiepsilondallas.org

See the Sunday Concert page

Electronic mail

President/ General Information - Patricia HIll  pattylou915@yahoo.com

Mary Williams: txtravel@flash.net