Rhona-Mae Arca Named Tech Teacher of the Year

It's official, I've been named Tech Teacher of the Year by Roland Canada, Conservatory Canada and Music for Young Children. Click here for the official press release.

Applicants had to submit a three-minute clip describing how digital technology is used in their music studio, as well as how digital technology impacts their students as well as themselves. Here is my submission:

This announcement comes on the heels of my latest music and technology project. Last week, my students and I prepared, recorded and submitted videos for Eric Whitacre's Virtual Choir 4.0 - Bliss. A record number of over 8,200 videos from nearly 6,000 singers and 100 countries were submitted. Some of my students and I even helped out on  tech support during the final days prior to the submission deadline.

Thank you so much to the sponsors: Roland Canada, Conservatory Canada and Music for Young Children for this opportunity. Hats off to my fellow teachers who also made a submission as they are also leaders in working technology into music education.

See you all in Halifax!

Calgary Youth Sparkle at Calgary Concerto Competition

On Sunday, a friend and I attended the Calgary Civic Symphony's concert, featuring the winners from this year's Calgary Concerto Competition. We were simply amazed at the musical maturity these youngsters displayed. At the tender age of 11, Jan Lisieki demonstrated that he could interpret the tender cantabile melodies in Chopin's Piano Concerto No. 2 with sensitivity and maturity. It is no wonder that he has won the Calgary Music Competition three times.

Thirteen year-old TieDan Yao is always a delight to watch. His face reflects the sheer joy he feels about playing. He sparkled with the Liszt Piano Concerto No. 1. I enjoyed this performance even more than his playing at the CFMTA National Piano Competition this past summer.

Willem Stam provided a wonderful break from the piano with his interpretation of Dvorak's Concerto for Violncello and Orchestra in B minor. The seventeen year-old proved that he can infuse the melodies with sufficient angst and passion.

Fifteen year-old Eric Kim closed the program with Gershwin's Concerto in F for Piano and Orchestra. In her introduction, Maestra Rosemary Thompson, mentioned that Eric plays trombone in his school jazz band. His feel for the jazz idiom was evident in his performance.

It was an inspiring concert, the type that inspires other musicians to try harder. Most of us aren't cut out for the concert stage, but we can always improve.

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