Every year, the PTA Association hosts an arts contest. Students can enter visual arts, photography, musical compositions and more. I like to encourage my students to participate in this event with musical compositions. The theme this year was “I am hopeful. . . .” One of my students, Bailey Huff, wrote this piece and explained its inspiration below. I loved the thought she put into her piece and the symbolism of her music choices. Congratulations to Sloan Frischknecht and Leo Kinney who also participated in this year’s reflections contest.
Student Accomplishments 2019-20
Fall Festival
Underlined and bold means superior from both judges.
Jack McNair, Bradley McMullin, Qing Shuang Downing, Quinn Downing, Adam Baker, Lawrence Madi, Peter Hinckley, Jake Understein, Sam Youkeles, Walker Schmidt, Henry McMullin, Sloane Dorotheo, Ellie Cox
PTA Reflections Composition Contest
2019: Peter Hinckley-1st place in High School, 1st place in Fairfax County
Alma Grayce Miller NVMTA Composition Competition
JO LOMBARD AWARD 2nd PLACE ($75), “Soliloquy”
Peter Hinckley
Theory Mastery Day
Students who achieved over 90% in bold, top four scores**, level in parenthesis
Jake Understein (1B)**, Ellie Cox (1B)**, Myla McNair (2B)** Sam Youkeles (7)**, Lawrence Madi(3A), Walker Schmidt (6), Qing Shuang Downing (4), Sloane Dorotheo (4), Jack McNair (5), Katie Dinkelman (5), Henry McMullin (4), Bradley McMullin (8), Adam Baker (6), Peter Hinckley (6), Liam Carey (6)
Bach/Baroque
Student who achieved superior in bold
Bradley McMullin, Sam Youkeles, Peter Hinckley, Henry McMullin, Jake Understein,
Qing Shuang Downing, Lawrence Madi, Quinn Downing
Solo Recitals
Elizabeth Zuckerman, Lawrence Madi, Dot Chan
Sonata Festival
Students (in bold) were chosen for second round to be considered for Honor’s Recital
Lawrence Madi, Liam Carey, Jake Understein
Sam Youkeles, Henry McMullin, Sloane Dorotheo, Qing Shuang Downing, Quinn Downing, Peter Hinckley, Cameron Ake, Bradley McMullin, Jack McNair
40 Challenge
Henry (100), Elizabeth (91), Bradley (79), Lawrence (55), Peter (52), Jake Understein (40)
Student Accomplishments 2018-2019
2018-2019
Fall Festival
Event sponsored by NVMTA. The requirements include two memorized pieces one of which must demonstrate contemporary compositional techniques.
Underlined and bold means superior from both judges.
Adam Baker, Zaria Bartel, Ellie Cox, Sloane Dorotheo, Qing Shuang Downing, Quinn Downing, Peter Hinckley, Lawrence Madi, Bradley McMullin, Henry McMullin, Jack McNair, Myla McNair, Walker Schmidt, Sam Youkeles
PTA Reflections Composition Contest
Annual event sponsored by the Parent Teacher Association and run through the local schools.
Peter Hinckley-1st place in Middle School, 1st place in District, 1st place in VA State and competed at the National Level with “SuperHero”
Alma Grayce Miller Composition Contest and Honor’s Recital
An NVMTA event. Students enter their original compositions. Prizes include cash, and an opportunity to have their piece performed by the McLean Symphony if chosen.
Peter Hinckley earned Special Recognition for his piece “SuperHero”
Quinn Downing earned Honorable Mention for his piece, “Altered Reflection”.
Theory Mastery Day
Virginia Music Teachers Association event with 16 levels of graded, written tests include aural exams.
Students who achieved over 90% in bold, top three scores **
Ellie Cox (1A), Myla McNair (2A)**, Lawrence Madi (2B), Zaria Bartell (3A),Sloane Dorotheo (3B), Quinn Downing (3B), Qing Shuang Downing (3B), Henry McMullin (3B), Katie Dinkelman (4), Jack McNair (4), Peter Hinckley (5)**, Walker Schmidt (5), Sam Youkeles (6)**, Adam Baker (6), Bradley McMullin (7)
Bach/Baroque
NVMTA event where students perform one piece by J.S. Bach and another by him or a different Baroque Composer. Students can play their pieces on a harpsichord. There are honor’s recitals for this event if chosen.
Student who achieved superior in bold. Called for 2nd Round*
Bradley McMullin*, Adam Baker, Sam Youkeles, Peter Hinckley*, Lawrence Madi,, Henry McMullin, Quinn Downing, Qing Shuang Downing
Piano Concerto Festival
NVMTA event, Very competitive event with 1st, 2nd, 3rd awards.
Henry McMullin, Bradley McMullin
Others who learned concertos this year: Qing Shuang Downing, Sam Youkeles, Terry Burridge
Piano Ensemble Festival
NVMTA event where students prepare duets or duos (2 pianos) and perform for judges either in festival (comments only, requires one piece) or competition (requires two pieces).
Bradley McMullin and Adam Baker
40 Challenge
Studio event. We document all pieces passed off during the year. In 2018-2019, I noticed a trend: a group of students who passed off 20-25 pieces in a year and a group that passed off over 40.
Recommended practice time to meet this goal is 5 days of practice for at least the length of your lesson.
Ellie Cox (81), Henry McMullin (70), Adam Baker (54), Lawrence Madi (48), Terry Burridge (45), Bradley McMullin (41), Peter Hinckley (40)
First Recital
Congratulations!
Elizabeth Zuckerman and Kyla Dorotheo