From President Rebecca Jonas

Thank you everyone who joined us for this year’s CMEA Conference at the Broadmoor! We enjoyed lots of great sessions from our presenters Christian Howes, Robert Gillespie, Alison Mayes, David Saccardi and Daniel Smith, Julie Nelson and Bryan Koerner, Jessica Chen and Codi Ng, and our New Orchestra Music Reading Session brought to us by Golden Music, Brandon Matthews and Metro State Symphony Orchestra students! And there were amazing performances by Coronado High School, Silver Creek High School, Highlands Ranch High School, Bell Middle School, and Lesher Middle School. We were also treated to beautiful performances by the Colorado Christian University Chamber Orchestra, and the UNC Symphony Orchestra. And two of our own illustrious members, Pattie Nelson, and Cameron Law received their 25 Year Awards. Judging by all the beautiful music and great information shared, the state of string education in Colorado is strong!

And our CASTA Membership meeting proved that too. We had fun welcoming new members, recognizing our founding members, and laughing together. And we found time to get together before and after sessions for some important socializing. Thank you so much everyone for coming out, for sharing, and for supporting each other!

CASTA Orchestra Festival Closes THIS FRIDAY

The 2017 CASTA Large Group Festival is scheduled for:

March 8, 2017

(Northern Colorado - Longmont High School)

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March 9, 2017

(Denver - Kunsmiller Creative Arts Academy)

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REGISTRATION IS OPEN THROUGH FRIDAY

PLEASE FOLLOW THIS LINK TO REGISTER.

We’re getting excited about our third annual CASTA Large Group Orchestra Festival, and REGISTRATION IS OPEN THROUGH FRIDAY!! Register now before all of the spots fill up! Please keep checking the Colorado ASTA website to see the complete judging line-up and to access more details about the festival. 

AND WE ARE PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THE FINAL JUDGES FOR THIS YEAR'S CASTA ORCHESTRA FESTIVAL: Jennifer Cowell-DePaolo and Gary DePaolo. They will join Dr. Katherine Jetter and Dr. Juliet White-Smith to round out this year's top-notch judging panel.

CMEA Survey

We want to hear from you! Please fill out the 2017 CMEA Survey to let us know what you liked and didn't like about the 2017 CMEA Clinic/Conference. The Colorado ASTA board wants to serve our membership as best as we possibly can at this conference, and your feedback will help us tremendously as we plan for next year.

CMEA Recap

We enjoyed seeing everyone at the 2017 CMEA Conference. Congratulations to all of our fabulous presenters and performing groups! Please see below for some photo highlights from this year's event. Handouts from ASTA-sponsored sessions will be posted on the Colorado ASTA website as they become available.

CCAP Registration Now Open

The dates for the 2017 Colorado Certificate Advancement Program (CCAP) exams are Saturday, April 22, 2017 at Front Range Community College in Fort Collins, and Saturday, April 29, 2017 at Kunsmiller Creative Arts Academy in Denver. Please see the Colorado ASTA website for details and the national ASTA website to download the handbook. CCAP is a great opportunity for private teachers and students in Colorado. Please contact Margaret Miller (violaco@comcast.net) with any questions.

New Playing Opportunity?

Several discussions took place during CMEA weekend that involved string teachers looking to form a String Teachers Orchestra. It seems there is interest and need for a flexible ensemble that meets monthly(ish), plays traditional standards of the string ensemble repertoire, reads new music (at professional and student levels), and provides opportunities for young conductors and leaders. Look for more information coming in the Spring, but in the meantime, if you’re interested in taking an active role in planning such a group, please email rebajonas@gmail.com.

Colorado ASTA Welcomes New Secretary, Carmen Wiest

Carmen Wiest was elected the new secretary of Colorado ASTA at the general membership meeting at the 2017 CMEA Conference. Carmen teaches orchestra at Gateway High School in Aurora and conducts the String Ensemble for the Denver Young Artists Orchestra (DYAO). Prior to coming to Colorado, Carmen taught orchestra in Texas with much success (her middle school orchestra even won first place at the ASTA National Orchestra Festival!). We are excited to have her on the Colorado ASTA team. As always, please contact Rebecca Jonas (rebajonas@gmail.com) if you are interested in joining the Colorado ASTA board or helping the organization in other ways.

CASTA Summer Conference to Take Place 7/27-7/28 in Denver

Save the date! The 2017 Colorado ASTA Summer Conference will be held Thursday, July 27th and Friday, July 28th at the King Center on the Auraria Campus in Denver. More information, including the conference session proposal form and registration details, will be posted on the Colorado ASTA website as it becomes available. 

Registration Now Open for Camp Con Brio, String Camp of the Rockies

Camp Con Brio is gearing up for another great summer at the Golden Bell Camp and Conference Center in Divide, CO. The middle school camp will take place June 21-24, 2017, and the high school camp will take place June 26-July 1, 2017. Please visit campconbrio.com for more information. 

Early Registration for ASTA National Conference Extended to February 10th

The 2017 National ASTA Conference will take place March 1-4 in Pittsburgh, PA. Register by February 10th to save some money. Please visit the National ASTA website for more information. We hope to see a large number of string teachers from Colorado in attendance. The Cherokee Trail High School orchestra, under the direction of Kyle Rupley, will be performing at the National Orchestra Festival, and Colorado ASTA President Rebecca Jonas will be presenting a session, just to name a few highlights. 

Upcoming Events and Important Dates

February 9-11, 2017: Colorado All State Orchestra

March 1-4, 2017: National ASTA Conference in Pittsburgh

March 8, 2017: Colorado ASTA Large Group Festival (Northern Colorado)

March 9, 2017: Colorado ASTA Large Group Festival (Denver)

March 10-11, 2017: Metropolitan Denver Honors Orchestra

April 22, 2017: CCAP (Northern Colorado)

April 29, 2017: CCAP (Denver)

July 27-28, 2017: Colorado ASTA Summer Conference

Do you have an article, announcement, or other information you'd like to share with the Colorado ASTA membership? If so, we'd love to include it in our monthly newsletter! Please send your newsletter submissions to hsmith26@cherrycreekschools.org by the 20th of each month, and we will be sure to add them the next newsletter, which is published at the beginning of each month. Contact Hannah Smith (hsmith26@cherrycreekschools.org), Colorado ASTA webmaster and newsletter editor, with any questions.