Newsletter June 2007

Conservatory

Robert Calva, SCCM guitar faculty, has been conducting a new outreach program at Selma Elementary School in Los Angeles. Toby Caplan-Stonefield, Woodwind Dept. Chair, and Shirley Hsieh, piano faculty, performed at the Teacher Showcase Concert presented by the Conejo Valley MTAC on April 29th. The selection they performed is part of the next CD Toby is in the process of finishing: "The Spiritual Flute" Vol 2, Music by Jewish Composers and others with Spiritual Qualities. This CD also features cellist Jan Kelley. A list of Toby’s other CD’s will be available at the SCCM bulletin board in West Hills.

Linda Rose, String Dept. Chair, will conduct master classes at the Young Musicians Foundation’s Nat’l Orchestra Camp in South Dakota in July. She will also teach the Beverly Hills Int’l Music Festival master classes in August. Michael Sellers, senior piano faculty, performed some fifty concerts all over the U.S. and Europe in the past year. Highlights were the recitals in San Francisco, New York, Paris, Vienna, and Russia. Next season he is invited back to his 24th European tour which will include Russia, and concerts throughout the U.S. More information can be found on his web site: www.michaelsellerspianist.com

Braille Music Division

BMD co-Chair, Richard Taesch, prepared a blind opera singer, Jessica Bachicha, for her Yale Graduate School and other auditions. She enrolled on the Intensive Residence Program, with lodging provided by a SCCM board member. She was accepted by Yale but chose to enter the New England Conservatory.

Through the sponsorship of a board member, a visually-impaired girl came from the Philippines to study at SCCM.

Braille Institute of America formally recognizes SCCM Braille Music Division as a partner. We are invited to conduct music programs on their premises.

The partnership with CSUN (Cal. State University at Northridge) Center on Disabilities kicked off at the beginning of this school year. Chuy Vaca, our VI teaching assistant, is the first to study under this program.

Junior Blind of America recognizes SCCM as a partner in their publications.

MENVI (Music Education Network for The Visually Impaired) now disseminates to nearly 400 members worldwide. MENVI is a free subscription service founded and supported by SCCM. www.menvi.org