Dear Friends and Colleagues,
Welcome to the website of the Pennsylvania-Delaware String Teachers Association. We have an excellent chapter with an active membership, as you’ll see from the events listed below. We’re excited about all that is happening in our chapter and hope that you’ll take advantage of many of the wonderful opportunities we have.
PADESTA String Chamber Festival Applications Available
Building on the success of the first String Chamber Festival was held at Penn State in February 2008, we’re excited to announce that the 2009 String Chamber Festival will take place again at Penn State, January 23–24, 2009. The Ying Quartet (Eastman School of Music) is the featured ensemble for the festival, and we anticipate that their performance and master classes will be outstanding. Applications for the 2009 String Chamber Festival may be found at the link to the left of this column.
Biennial Solo Competition
The next PADESTA Solo Competition will take place in fall 2008. Please check the link on this page for details about the competition and also the application. This is an important event for our state, so please encourage your students to apply. We’ve also had excellent representation at the national level, where a number of our performers have earned high honors.
Now Accepting Nominations for the 2009 PADESTA Annual Awards
It is now time to consider whom we would nominate for our annual awards. Our organization will honor outstanding teachers, directors, and supporters of string and orchestral programs in Pennsylvania and Delaware. The annual PADESTA awards include:
• Outstanding String Teacher
• Outstanding Orchestra Director
• Outstanding New Teacher
• Distinguished Service (Individual)
• Distinguished Service (Business or Organization)
Please take time to read the information about the PADESTA awards found in this newsletter or on the website. Consider nominating a fellow teacher, conductor, administrator, or business associate. Our awards are an excellent way to recognize our colleagues and supporters for a job well-done.
Executive Board Meetings
The PADESTA Executive Board holds regular meetings to communicate, plan future events, and keep our chapter active both locally and nationally. The summer board meeting is taking place on the campus of Penn State University, June 28, 2008. The fall board meeting is scheduled for September 20, 2008.
National ASTA Convention
ASTA’s next national convention will take place March 17–21, 2009, in Atlanta, Georgia. A number of our state members will be presenting at the convention. It’s an excellent opportunity to see clinicians from around the country and have a chance to interact with our ASTA members. See the ASTA website for more information (http://www.astaweb.com).
PMEA Annual In-Service Conference
PADESTA sponsors a number of sessions each year in conjunction with the PMEA annual in-service conference. This year’s event will be held in Valley Forge, PA, April 22–25, 2009. PADESTA will holds its annual luncheon and general membership meeting at the conference. Specific date, time, and location will be announced later. Check the PMEA website for additional details (http://www.pmea.net).
Stephen Benham , President
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