Newsletter

From the President's Desk
TN ASTA President, Francis Elliott



October 4, 2008


Dear Fellow String Teachers of Tennessee:

I hope all the string teachers this year will take the time and opportunity to attend the National Convention which is in our backyard in Atlanta, Georgia. I trust you all have access to a brochure and have looked it over. There will be more information available between March 18th to 21st than anyone will ever have access to in a semester at any major university, and perhaps more. So please fellow string teachers, do not let this opportunity pass by without attending at least some of it, if for any reason one cannot attend the full four days.

I am hoping that enough teachers can bring back to the state a wealth of information that will benefit all the teachers in our state. I think we must all work together to strengthen all the string programs in the state of Tennessee. We can all share something that will help another program other than your own. This kind of generous gesture pays back dividends a hundred fold when we see the results of our work at the All-State Orchestra. Maybe we can in the future have round table meetings at the state level that will strengthen our programs that will merit national recognition. There is no room in this state for petty "one uppsy" on someone else in a neighboring community or in any district of the state. I personally have had the privilege to have learned and grown because of the many times that I have worked with the groups of string teachers in this state. I have come to realize my own short comings when I discerned how the teachers in this state have taken difficult situations and transformed string programs over time into model programs that are now the pride of our state. So please fellow string teachers, let's have one of the biggest representations of Tennessee on March 18th to 21st at the National ASTA Conference at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis Hotel. I hope to see you all there. This includes private teachers, classroom teachers, and teachers developing the alternative styles in their programs. We all need help from each other.

With Warmest Regards,

Francis E. Elliott


In the Spotlight

This month's "In the Spotlight" features Jenifer van Tol and the Oak Ridge High School Orchestra. Her dedication over the years has greatly impacted the city of Oak Ridge. All of the teachers in the East Tennessee area admire Mrs. van Tol's dedication to her students, community, and school.
Biographical Information

Oak Ridge High School Orchestra

 

 

 

The Oak Ridge High School Orchestra was founded in the early 1970s, by Edgar Meyer, a well-known area bass player and music educator. His son is the famous bass player, Edgar Meyer Jr., who grew up in Oak Ridge, playing in the Orchestra program. Edgar Meyer Sr. founded an orchestra program in Oak Ridge, starting students in 4th grade, and continuing through 12th grade.  After a short illness, he died in 1988. Jenifer van Tol was then hired in 1989 to continue the program in the Oak Ridge Schools.  The High School Orchestra consisted of 18 players, and since then has grown, and presently includes 164 string players in grades 9 - 12.

 

The orchestra has traveled in recent years and successfully competed in string orchestra competitions in New York, Orlando, Florida, Williamsburg, Virginia, and New Orleans. In March 2008, 140 members of the orchestra performed in Avery Fischer Hall in Lincoln Center in New York City to compete for the National Orchestra Cup. Only six orchestras in the country were invited to this prestigious event. In 2000 the Orchestra was chosen to represent Tennessee in a National Festival of States in Washington, DC. As the representative of Tennessee, the ORHS Orchestra presented a concert at 3 venues in Washington.  In the past several years the orchestra has participated in Heritage Music Festivals, and won a superior rating and a Gold Award at each competition. Over the past few years, around one third of the players in the All-East Tennessee Orchestra have been from ORHS Orchestra.   Anywhere from 8 to 13 players have been chosen to participate in the Tennessee All State Orchestra.  City wide, the orchestra program now employs 4 teachers, and includes 550 students in grades 4 - 12.

 

                                                              

 

Jenifer van Tol grew up in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. She began playing violin at the age of ten. She was a member of the Oak Ridge Symphony, the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra, All-East Orchestra, All-State Orchestra, and attended the Sewanee Summer Music Center. She then attended Indiana University where she majored in music and minored in German. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree in 1969.  After spending her senior year in Hamburg, Germany, she completed her studies at Hamburg University and the Hamburg Conservatory of Music.  She graduated from there in 1971 with the First and Second State Exams as a Gymnasium Teacher in Music and English. She was also a certified private violin teacher. She taught music, violin, and English in Hamburg. Mrs. van Tol also performed with a Baroque Music Ensemble and conducted a Youth Orchestra until 1981 when she returned to Oak Ridge, Tennessee.  After returning to Tennessee, she taught privately and played with the Knoxville Symphony and Oak Ridge Symphony. She served as concertmaster of the Oak Ridge Symphony from 1987-1991. When a teaching position in the Oak Ridge School System became available in 1987, she became a part-time teacher where she worked with students in 4th-9th grade.  In 1989 after the death of Edgar Meyer, she became the Director of the Oak Ridge High School Orchestra and a full time teacher in the school system. At that time, the ORHS Orchestra had 18 students. In the ensuing years under her directorship, the orchestra has grown to include 164 students.

 

In addition, Ms. Van Tol served in 2004-2005 as State President of the American String Teacher's Association. She has been awarded several Outstanding Teacher Awards by the Tennessee Governor's School for the Arts and is also listed in "Who's Who in America's Teachers and Educators". In 2007 she was inducted into the National Honor Roll's Outstanding American Teachers.

Collegiate News and Concerts

No news has been submitted at this time.

School Orchestra News and Concerts

BEARDEN HIGH SCHOOL ORCHESTRA TO PERFORM AT TN THEATER

The students in the Bearden High School Orchestra have been invited to perform at the Tennessee Theatre on October 6, 2008 as guests of Dr. Bill Snyder and the Monday Concert Series. This is a big deal! Never has this program been involved with something of this caliber. It is an honor and delight to see young people get a taste of an extraordinary opportunity. Some of the selections that will be performed is Haydn's London Symphony No.104, First Movement, Allegro, and Sleepers, Wake by J.S. Bach. Also on the program will be an exciting piece called Legend that is sure to be a crowd pleaser.

The concert is FREE to the public. It will take place at the TN Theatre in downtown Knoxville on Monday October 6, 2008 at 12:00pm noon. For more information, please contact Allyson Finck at 865-254-0300 or at ilovemusic@charter.net.
-Submitted by Allyson Finck, Bearden High School Orchestra

Student and Teacher Workshops


2009 ASTA National Conference

If you are planning on attending the ASTA National Conference in Atlanta, Georgia between March 19th-21st, 2009, let us know. Your name will be posted on this page so others can see who is attending. Please include you name and position.

Submitting News to the TN ASTA Newsletter

If you would like to submit news or announcements to the TN ASTA newsletter, please email them to David Pope at poped@ci.maryville.tn.us. Updates to the newsletter will be made throughout the year. All members are encouraged to submit news.

Join ASTA or Renew your Membership

To join ASTA or to renew your membership on line, please click the following link: http://www.astaweb.com/membership/Join.htm