<div dir="ltr"><span id="gmail-docs-internal-guid-8c0e1c53-7fff-9973-2770-7b84d2bf83d6" style="color:rgb(0,0,0)"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Hello ASTA Members!</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><span class="gmail-Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre">  </span></span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">I am reaching out to inform you of a great opportunity for your students. The American String Teachers Association has a solo examination program for students that is available online for all Michigan teachers. An In-person program is currently in the works for Michigan and has existed for over a decade in other states. The online registration occurs multiple times throughout the year and the next opening will be between June 1st and June 30th, 2022. </span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><span class="gmail-Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre">     </span></span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">This program is made for students of private teachers, however, if you are a classroom teacher who has been working with your students on solo repertoire, or know of private teachers who are looking for an alternative to other solo exams/competitions, this is a wonderful option. The teacher that registers the student must be an ASTA member.</span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-indent:36pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">The ASTA Certificate Advancement Program (ASTACAP) seeks to establish definite goals and awards for students of all levels through non-competitive examinations. Students are judged on technical and musical preparedness at specific levels (foundation – level 10) by an ASTA examiner of musical and pedagogical stature. A certificate of achievement is awarded for each level successfully completed.</span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;font-weight:700;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">How do you and your students benefit from ASTACAP?</span></p><ul style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px"><li dir="ltr" style="list-style-type:disc;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Progressive, flexible curriculum of scales, etudes, and repertoire from foundation – level 10</span></p></li><li dir="ltr" style="list-style-type:disc;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Individualized selection of study materials</span></p></li><li dir="ltr" style="list-style-type:disc;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Use in any teaching tradition</span></p></li><li dir="ltr" style="list-style-type:disc;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Non-competitive performance experience</span></p></li><li dir="ltr" style="list-style-type:disc;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Examination by highly experienced, respected instructional specialists</span></p></li><li dir="ltr" style="list-style-type:disc;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Detailed, supportive feedback</span></p></li><li dir="ltr" style="list-style-type:disc;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Exam results provided directly to teachers</span></p></li><li dir="ltr" style="list-style-type:disc;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Collaborate with other students and teachers</span></p></li></ul><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-indent:36pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Program flexibility makes ASTACAP adaptable to a variety of teaching and learning styles. Teachers may use any etudes or solo repertoire for the examination as long as the level of difficulty corresponds to the works listed in the “Instrument Specific Guidelines, Requirements and Repertoire” portion of the Handbook. </span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:center;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;font-weight:700;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Click </span><a href="https://astastrings.org/Web/Resources/ASTACAP/Online_Examinations.aspx" style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;font-weight:700;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;text-decoration:underline;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">HERE</span></a><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;font-weight:700;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> to go to the ASTACAP Online webpage.</span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-indent:36pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Students who participate in ASTACAP online may be selected to participate in a masterclass during future music conferences, however, the details on that are currently being worked out. </span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-indent:36pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions you may have on the matter. ASTACAP is an amazing program and hopefully in the future will be an interwoven component in Michigan string education. </span></p><br><br><br></span><div><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><font face="arial black, sans-serif">Shawn Boucké</font><font face="arial, sans-serif">, M.M., B.M.E.</font><br><div><a href="http://www.xn--shawnbouck-k7a.com" target="_blank">www.ShawnBoucké.com</a></div><div>Studio Chair for ASTA Michigan<br></div><div>Private Studio Teacher</div><div>Wedding/Event Musician</div><div>Orchestra Director at Our Lady Queen of Martyrs</div><br><div><font face="arial black, sans-serif"><img src="https://www.shawnboucke.com/uploads/1/5/0/1/15014224/asta-statechapterlogo-rgb-1_orig.png" width="92" height="96"><br></font><div><span></span><span></span><span></span><span></span><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div></div></div></div></div></div>