A Message from Loni

Dear Colorado ASTA Members,

During this unprecedented time of uncertainty, my prayer is that this finds you all focusing on any silver-lining you come across. Many of you have reached out to me to express victories in learning to navigate video-chat technology, while maintaining “contact” through lessons, amidst social distancing. To that, I say, “bravo!” and keep it up! Others have marveled at the access we now have to the Berlin Philharmonic concert streams, or the Met Opera productions that have been made available to us. Whatever your silver-lining may be, know that it is essential to our well-being to soak up whatever it is that brings your soul peace.

As we collectively navigate through this, my one piece of advice would be to make yourselves available (within reason) for each other, but especially for your students. I know for me and my colleagues, we have discussed the importance of beginning our remote-teaching by doing a “mental-health” check-in with our kids before broaching any other content-specific topic. We want to make sure that even if we can’t be in the same learning space with our kiddos, that they know we are still there for them with instructional AND emotional support. If possible, I urge you to do the same. Many of us are some of the few strongholds, the beacons, and/or the guides these young people have in their lives.

Moving forward, we as a board, will continue to reach out to our National Office to move forward with things such as CCAP, Scholarship Auditions, and our Summer Conference. Please remain patient with us as we learn to work through this situation together. For those of you that have remained diligent in your communication, we commend you for your efforts in that regard and we thank you for the grace you have extended to us on the board.

I leave you with one of my favorite J.K. Rowling writings in the form of an Albus Dumbledore quote:

“Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light.” -Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

Much Love and All my Best,

~Loni Obluda

Colorado ASTA President

National Recognition - Colorado ASTA Chapter

Congratulations!

Our state received the 2020 ASTA State Chapter Best Website Award and the 2020 Most Improved State Chapter Award at this year's National Conference in March. Past President Alison Mayes and President-Elect Dr. Lindsay Fulcher were in attendance at the ASTA Conference to accept these awards on behalf of our state chapter! 

National ASTA Conference, Orlando, Florida

The 2020 National ASTA Conference was another smash hit!

Highlights were:

*Past-President Alison Mayes received the Elizabeth A.H. Green School Educator Award

* Students from UNC, CU, and CSU were in attendance

*Lots of Colorado teachers attended

*Margaret Berg and Denese Odegaard presented "Bringing Teachers and Students to the Next Level through Effective Assessment"

*Gregory Walker was part of a panel who presented "Music by Black Composers: A Treasure Trove for Expanding Your Repertoire"

Anyone can download the app that was used for conference (search for “American String Teachers Assoc” in your app store) and as you click on session titles, and scroll down, you’ll often see that the presenter attached their handout. Free resources! (FYI, once you’re in the app you’ll probably need to select “past events” to see the 2020 conference.)

Check out Dr. Fulcher's presentation links here and here.

The call for session proposals for National Conference 2021 is open!

All ASTA members are encouraged to submit! Word of warning, the application process is fairly involved so give yourself some time. If you have a topic that you’d like to share, but want some help navigating the submission process, feel free to contact President-Elect Lindsay Fulcher @ Lindsay.fulcher@unco.edu

Hope to see many of you in Louisville, Kentucky, March 3-6, 2021!

SAVE THE DATE - 2020 Summer CASTA Conference

 July 13 and 14, 2020 at Metro State University, King Center

String educators are full of experience and expertise!

Maybe you have pedagogical strategies or games that you have implemented into your program? Maybe you have technique tricks that work well with your students? Maybe you have some ideas on better work/life balance? Maybe you have resources to better support new educators? Maybe you have a topic that you would like to share and discuss within our profession?  

Please share your knowledge with new and veteran educators at the Summer CASTA Conference to encourage and support string education in Colorado! 

CBA Members attend FREE with proof of CBA Summer Conference registration!

Member Spotlight - Dr. Lindsay Fulcher

"A Passion for the Classroom"

An Interview with CO-ASTA President-Elect Lindsay Fulcher

By Philip Ficsor

ASTA Private Studio Rep.

I had the opportunity of interviewing Lindsay Fulcher on a bright and cheery February morning and her positive and upbeat attitude perfectly reflected the spring-like temperature outside (although I sense that even if it was cloudy she would still have been positive). Lindsay was born in Berea, OH but really grew up in North Carolina in the Triangle area. Here I stumbled onto a wonderful duality in her early musical career: she returned to Berea to attend Baldwin-Wallace University-Conservatory (then College-Conservatory) for her undergrad in Music Ed but returned to NC to start her teaching career. In college she even lived across the street from the house she grew up (well, spent the first five years of her life in). But her teaching career formally started when she accepted a position to become the director of the high school program at Williams High School in Burlington, NC. “I was really fortunate to be at one school all day long. It was a really strong program I took over that my predecessor, Carol Shoaf, built and I loved teaching in the classroom.”

Music For All National Festival, March 2020

We are honored to have two Colorado Orchestra programs selected to perform at the MFA Festival in Indianapolis, Indiana!

Congratulations to:
The Fort Collins High School Symphony Orchestra - John Hermanson, Director

The Lesher Middle School Advanced Chamber Orchestra - Loni Obluda, Director

Bravo to these directors and their hard-working students! 

Large Group Orchestra Festival - State Qualifiers

Congratulations to all ensembles and their directors who performed in the Colorado ASTA Large Group Orchestra Festival regionals this month. What a tremendous showing of high-quality string teaching in our Colorado schools!

Here are the Colorado ASTA State Orchestra Festival ensembles who qualified, listed in alphabetical order:

Arvada West High School Chamber Orchestra

Nick Hansberry, Director

Bear Creek High School Chamber Orchestra

Tammy Ahmed, Director

Boltz Middle School Chamber Orchestra

Melissa Claeys, Director

Boulder High School Orchestra 4

Ryan Woodworth, Director

Castle View High School Chamber Orchestra

Jay McGuffin, Director

Cherokee Trail High School Chamber Orchestra

Kyle Rupley, Director

Douglas County High School Chamber Orchestra

Julie Bruchs, Director

Durango High School Demon Strings

Molly Jensen, Director

Fort Collins High School Symphony Orchestra

John Hermanson, Director

Frederick High School Concert Orchestra

Kyle Liss, Director

Grandview High School Chamber Orchestra

Mindi Loewen, Director

Heritage High School String Orchestra

Garren Cuthrell, Director

Kinard Middle School Symphony Orchestra

Leanne Griffey, Director

Legacy High School Symphonic Orchestra

Brian Ebert, Director

Loveland High School Chamber Orchestra

Daniel F. Smith, Director

Monarch High School Chamber Orchestra

Kelsey Hoover, Director

Preston Middle School Symphonic Orchestra

Kris Rangel, Director

Ralston Valley High School Chamber Orchestra

Kelly Watts, Director

Rocky Mountain High School Symphony Orchestra

Courtney Dowling, Director

Silver Creek High School Symphonic Orchestra

Paul Trapkus, Director 

Thomas MacClaren High School Orchestra

Michael Hanson, Director

William J. Palmer High School Chamber Orchestra

Amanda Hessel, Director

Thank you to our esteemed 2020 judges and clinicians:

- J. Cameron Law, Grand Junction High School Orchestra Director (retired)

- Jim Przygocki, University of Wyoming Professor of Viola

- Dr. Deborah Perkins, Southern Methodist University Professor of String Pedagogy (retired)

- Dr. Mark Laycock, Wichita State University Director of Orchestras

HUGE Thanks to:

- John Hermanson, Festival Chair, for all of your coordination and dedication, as well as hosting regionals at your school.

- Robert Stahly, for all of your hard work in hosting regionals at Longmont High School.

- Alison Mayes for organizing and hosting regionals at Parker Performing Arts School.

Thank you to all or the Festival organizers, directors, and musicians! You make Colorado tremendously proud!

*Due to a surge in demand, 2021 will likely expand to four regional sites.*

Please contact John Hermanson at castafestival@gmail.com.

Large Group Festival Canceled 

CU Boulder is no longer available to host, and with most college and university campuses moving to remote learning for the remainder of the semester, we have no choice but to cancel the festival. Regarding refunds of state entrance fees; there are still festival costs that need to be reconciled. We will communicate with you regarding any refunds in the coming weeks. Thank you in advance for your patience.

2020 CASTA Certificate Advancement Program - Postponed

CCAP events and dates have been postponed until further notice.

They are NOT CANCELLED, however at this point, per the National ASTA office's recommendation, which is essentially following the CDC's statements regarding social distancing, we are waiting to move forward with these events. As details are communicated to us, we will let you know.

Please direct any questions to Margaret Miller, CASTA CAP Chair, violaco@comcast.net

Job Openings

If you know of any current string job openings, or any upcoming anticipated openings (retirements, maternity leave), please let us know so we can add it to our website.Send us the information and we'll put it on our website.

Looking to Advertise in the CASTA Newsletter?

Just a friendly reminder: if you would like to advertise with Colorado ASTA (on our website and in our newsletter), your business or organization must be an institutional member of ASTA. The membership rate is only $175 per year!

Looking to highlight success in the CASTA Newsletter?

Please send program, area, school highlights, stories, article ideas, etc. to Webmaster leannarutka@gmail.com for our monthly e-newsletter and website. We would love to show-off you and your students!

Additionally, Dr. Joel Schut from CU Boulder is serving as Editor for The American String Teacher Journal. You can send him your ideas at joel.schut@colorado.edu.

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 leannarutka@gmail.com 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 Leanna Rutka (leannarutka@gmail.com), Colorado ASTA webmaster and newsletter editor, with any questions.