[Members] TOY & AOY Ballot

[Dan & Diane Scott]

MASTA Members,

Apologies for recent confusion regarding balloting for TOY/AOY. The electronic balloting has run into multiple snafus, so by this email, we extend the voting deadline to Friday, January 10, 2011.

Dear MASTA Members:

This is your ballot for MASTA's 2011 Teacher-of-the-Year and Administrator-of-the-Year. It's inspiring to read about these folks and a privilege to receive these nominations. Each is already a winner, respected and admired by their constituents for their many achievements! See nomination bios at the conclusion of this email before you vote.

To vote, please copy this email and put into a new email addressed to me (dwinder at emich.edu) Then, mark your selections (one in each category), and return by midnight on Monday, January 10, 2011*. (*Note: This is an extension beyond the date printed in previous MASTA calendars.) Or copy, vote and mail to Diane Winder, 510 Browning St., Ypsilanti, MI 48198 postmarked by Monday, 1/10/11.

Look forward to hearing from all of you. Thanks for giving our fine teachers and administrators such great support!

Best regards, Diane L. Winder, MASTA, President-Elect
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TEACHER-0F-THE-YEAR

___Mark Kotchenruther

___David Reed

___Aaron E. Tenney



ADMINISTRATOR-OF-THE-YEAR

___James H. Hofman

___Blake Prewitt

______________________________________________

TEACHER OF THE YEAR NOMINATIONS/BIOS:

MARK KOTCHENRUTHER, an orchestra teacher for the 24 years, holds the B.M. and Ph.D. in music education from the University of Michigan, and the M.A. from The Ohio State University. Mark previously taught in Kentucky (where he also served as president of the Kentucky chapter of ASTA); Norfolk, VA; and, South Haven, MI.  Since 2000, Mark has taught orchestra in the Forest Hills Public Schools where, in 2009, the FHN Chamber Orchestra performed at the Fourth Annual Michigan Music Conference.

Trained as a tubist through college, Mark was attracted to string teaching as an undergraduate student and got involved as a counselor at the MASTA Elementary String Camp.  From that time forward, Mark’s opportunities and experiences with MASTA have played an important role in his professional life.  Mark recently served as president of MASTA (2008-2010) and currently serves as past-president.  As president and president-elect, Mark was a member of the Michigan Music Conference Executive Board and for two years served as its secretary.  It was during Mark’s term as president that MASTA received the prestigious “Outstanding Chapter Award” at the 2010 National ASTA Conference.  Mark also served MASTA from 1994-2001 as Music Director for the Elementary String Camp, and from 1999-2004 as Conference Coordinator for the Midwest Music Clinic.

As an active member of MSBOA, Mark has been string representative for MSBOA Districts 6 and 10, and from 2001-2008 was a site host for the MSBOA Middle Level String Clinics.  He has served on the conducting staff of Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp since 2001 and the Knollcrest Music Camp at Calvin College since 2006. Mark has also been an adjunct professor of string methods at Albion College and Western Michigan University.  He has directed youth orchestras in several communities, including: Owensboro, KY; Monroe, MI; St. Joseph, MI; and, for the past 10 years for the St. Cecilia Music Center in Grand Rapids.  Mark has also been invited as guest clinician and conductor throughout Michigan.

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DAVID REED has taught in the Bloomfield Hills Schools since 1984.  He has a Bachelor of Music degree in Music Education from Michigan State University and a Master of Music in Violin Performance from the University of Michigan.  He has performed with a number of Detroit area orchestras and continues to perform locally as a soloist and in numerous string quartets. While at the UM, David was chosen to perform as a concerto competition winner in 1983.

Mr. Reed has served the Michigan Chapter of ASTA as Secretary, President and Past President. He serves MSBOA extensively as the current Vice President of Orchestral Activities (and MASTA Liaison) and as the Chair of the New Music Reading Session; he is also on the Music Selection Committee. In addition, he serves as an adjudicator both for solo and ensemble festivals as well as band and orchestra festivals, and as an orchestral and violin clinician throughout the state. David was voted the 2003 MSBOA Teacher of the Year and has been nominated for the Oakland Schools Teacher of the Year, as well as Teacher of the Year by MASTA.  Dave is also a former Vice President for Festival Workers of the MSBOA District 4.

David has presented sessions and performances at the Midwestern Conference on School Vocal and Instrumental Music and the Michigan Music Conference. His orchestras are consistently in demand and have been awarded Division I ratings every year during his tenure at Andover High School.  The Andover Orchestra has performed at concerts and festivals in Edinburgh, Scotland; London, England; Chicago, Orlando and most recently at Carnegie Hall in New York City.  David has conducted at the Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp and the Middle Level String Clinics, has taught at the Michigan State Suzuki Program, the Blue Lake Suzuki Family Camp, the Capital University Suzuki Institute and the Kalamazoo Suzuki and Chamber Music programs. He has also served as a guest lecturer at Oakland University teaching a string methods class and done guest lectures at the University of Michigan and Michigan State University Schools of Music and adjudicated at the University of Illinois Orchestra Symposium.  Mr. Reed’s latest venture has been into the world of arranging music for string orchestra and both Tempo Press and Alfred Music have published his works.

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AARON E. TENNEY, called "Midas Touch Tenney," is in his sixth year as orchestra director for NorthPointe Christian Schools (NPC) teaching fifth grade through high school orchestra. Administrators, staff and parents of NPC note the transformation he has brought to the school system’s music programs as he also teaches kindergarten through sixth grade general music classes, coaches chamber ensembles and worship teams, leads chapel worship, and acts as department head. Mr. Tenney has taken the orchestra program from a small and struggling group frustrated by frequent turnover to a large, thriving program recognized by adjudicators as one of the finest ensembles in the age group they have ever encountered.

Mr. Tenney was recently recruited to take over the band program as well. This program has doubled in size, all the while improving in quality and earning top marks at MOBOA and jazz festivals.

Further, Mr. Tenney maintains has performed as a bassist with the Lansing Symphony, for 11 years.  He maintains a double bass studio, works as adjunct professor of bass for Cornerstone University, and instructor of double bass at Interlochen Arts Camp.  This year Mr. Tenney will lead his high school orchestra in a performance for the 2011 Michigan Music Conference. He acts as a clinician, guest conductor, MSBOA adjudicator, as well as section coach for St. Cecilia Music Ensembles and Grand Rapids Youth Symphony. Prior to teaching NPC, Mr. Tenney taught for Grand Rapids Public Schools and Jackson Public Schools.

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ADMINISTRATOR-OF-THE-YEAR NOMINATIONS/BIOS:

Reasons for nominating JAMES H. HOFMAN begin with his general support of music programs at NorthPointe Christian Schools over the five years of his tenure here as superintendent. He not only attends all of our orchestra concerts but promotes our program to the parents of orchestra students and to the whole school community. It's simply a part of his enthusiasm for excellence in all the disciplines of schooling. He puts his practice where his profession is.

Secondly, Mr. Hofman specifically acts out his support for our orchestra program by seeking venues to feature our orchestra: chapels, donor events, and school assemblies. In the middle of eliminating a large school debt, he still pushed hard, and received, funding for instruments, supplies, and music which have moved the orchestra from a small program to one that has integrity and increased size.

Thirdly, when the orchestra was invited to play at the 2011 Michigan Music Teachers Conference, Mr. Hofman helped make possible the commissioning of a new piece of music, "Vanishing Point" by Richard Meyer. He is also arranging for the entire middle and high school student body to attend the high school orchestra's performance at the conference. In short, Mr. Hofman's strong support for our orchestra program here has contributed greatly to its success.

- - -

The string teachers of the West Bloomfield School District recommend BLAKE PREWITT, Co-Principal of West Bloomfield High School (former Asst. Principal and Fine Arts Coordinator) for MASTA Administrator of the Year. Mr. Prewett has distinguished himself as a true advocate for the Orchestra program. He has been relentless in making certain that the Strings/Orchestra program is given equality in the Fine Arts Department.

Mr. Prewitt attends the orchestra concerts and is always wiling to assist, at the concerts, in any manner. Last school year, he assisted the string teachers in achieving the goal of creating and implementing the first annual All City Orchestra Concert. A few years ago, our district was on the verge of losing the beginning fifth grade instrumental program and Mr. Prewitt began the process to assist the teachers in explaining to the central office administration the need to keep this program. He developed several proposals demonstrating how the district could keep the program.

Though no longer the Fine Arts Coordinator, due to his promotion to Co-Principal, Mr. Prewitt remains a vocal advocate and supporter of West Bloomfield's Orchestra program.



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