We are on our way
- $20,000 goal surpassed

MusicLink reached yet another goal in our 20th anniversary year. We raised over $20,000 in our 20th Anniversary fund-raiser through the summer – with a total of $28,164 raised by September 15th! We look forward to building on this solid foundation for a record year of donations in 2012. We reached our goal thanks to Bill and Brigid Brakefield, who matched donations up to $10,000 if reached by the September date. Our thanks to these generous donors, who have supported the MusicLink Foundation from the very beginning. Additional thanks to the Weissberg Foundation who contributed $5,500 to our 20th anniversary fund-raising event.

Let's make 2012 a BANNER YEAR with your contribution! Please donate by clicking below or sending a check to MusicLink Foundation, 1043 N. McKinley Rd., Arlington VA 22205.

DONATE NOW

Bill and Brigid Brakefield

Students Enjoy Recitals
and Camp Experiences

MusicLink students enjoyed performance experiences in recitals across the country through their studios and local music teacher organizations. The Northern Virginia Music Teachers Association joins forces with the City of Fairfax Commission on the Arts each year to present a MusicLink recital featuring students in the area. This year marked the seventh year of this joint venture.

NVMTA MusicLink recital in Fairfax VA

The MusicLink Foundation awarded camp scholarships worth a total of $5,252 to 32 MusicLink students representing the states of CO, LA, NH, MN, SD, TX, WI, UT, and VA. Jacob (TX) said he had "an awesome time getting to know other students, learning about the history of music and getting a taste of what college will be like. My passion for piano has grown immensely since camp!" Raquel (WI) enjoyed her violin experience at the Summer Music Clinic:"I learned how to shift and it was such an amazing feeling because I know it will be helpful especially in music like pop and hip hop which I enjoy learning. Thanks for giving me the chance to go to this very fun music camp!" Mariana (TX) wanted to give a big "THANK YOU" for the camp scholarship where she not only enjoyed playing the piano but also composed a composition "In Which My Grandmother and I Go Fly a Plane."

Mariana Pye at Abilene Summer Piano Camp

 

Raquel Tapia at UW Summer Music Clinic

Our Graduating Seniors

Dinorah Rosario	Dinorah Rosario (Springfield MA) enjoyed MusicLink viola lessons with Lani Bortfeld through the STEP program (Suzuki Talent Education Partnership) and continued lessons in high school with Carlos Boltes. She attended the Pioneer Valley Christian School and has been accepted to the Berklee College of Music in Boston.
Dinorah was raised by her grandmother, who states in a news article, "She always has these big dreams and I worry that it's too difficult or too expensive, but somehow she always achieves it."
Whitney Lundy	Whitney Lundy (Hyde Park NY), studied violin with Nettie West for seven years through MusicLink. She graduated from Lourdes High School and concurrently from Dutchess Community College. She has been accepted at Siena College as a junior where she hopes to be in the college orchestra and eventually become a lawyer.
Her teacher describes Whitney as someone who was "always eager to learn, and give time performing for the community college. My heartfelt wishes go with her for success. MusicLink can be proud of Whitney."

Graduating seniors not pictured in this newsletter: Tateyana Hurlburt (NC) and Anna Mills (MN).

MusicLink Provides Grass Roots and
Teacher Reimbursement Grants

The MusicLink Foundation provided Grass Roots grants totaling $2,300 in the 2011-12 school year to the following organizations and studios: DC MusicLink Program, Minnesota MTA, Tarra Guerra Studio (FL), Suzuki Institute of Augusta (GA), Judy Vanesse Studio (VT).

The following teachers received over $1,700 in total teacher reimbursement grants for events, fees and materials for their students: Linda Butler (WA), Julie Slingerland (VA), David Holmes (MN), Melody Payne (VA), Kelley Lyon (VT), Cheri Sykes (MN), Carole Gauthier (MD), Penni Daun Eads (UT), Verna Wagner (WA), Deborah Meier (IL), Rachel Winograd (VA), Karen Becker (MN), Maria Grant (MN), Kathleen Krouse (PA), Pam West-Carrasco (IA), Martha Yasuda (GA) Holly Kukkonen (IA), and Katherine Schelp (OK).

Senior Scholarship Winners

Senior Award of Excellence: The MusicLink Foundation provides a $1000 Senior Award of Excellence to a MusicLink student who has shown ongoing commitment to lessons, has made significant progress in lessons, and demonstrates outstanding achievement in music. The award is made possible through the Russell and Arline Bridge Endowment Fund. This year's award recipient is Joshua Millings, a pianist who has taken lessons with Tamara Slobodkin of Setauket NY for the past 11 years. Joshua is an exceptional pianist who has won many piano competitions and was part of the Links, Inc. Signature Arts Program for three years. His senior recital featured Ravels' Jeux d'eau, Liszt's Valle D'Obermann and major works by Bach, Haydn, and Muczynski. He is multiply talented in music, playing first chair violin in regional orchestra and viola in another. He has earned a 4.0 grade point average, was Commander of his local Civil Air Patrol Color Guard and plans to major in mechanical engineering at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He states that music "is this unending exploration which has permanently engaged me to the study of musical masterpieces."

Joshua Millings

The foundation chose to award several Honors Awards of $500 each to seniors who showed excellence in their musical training, again sponsored by the Bridge Endowment. Laura Tobey is a piano and voice student of Sherry Frush of Abilene Texas, where she serves as a teaching assistant. Laura will be attending Baylor University as a music major. Sarah Grace Barham is a piano student of Rosita Kerr Mang and also enjoys writing, developing a novel as a junior in high school. She will be continuing her musical studies at the University of Maryland.

Ruth Stenson MusicLink Award: The Minnesota MusicLink Program provides a $1000 award in honor of Ruth Stenson, who was a caring Minnesota MusicLink teacher. The award is presented to a MusicLink student who has shown commitment and outstanding achievement through years of lessons. The 2012 award was presented by Sue Wege, MusicLink Director of Coordinators, to Cassie Schwartz, a student of Beth Winterfeldt of St Peter Minnesota. Cassie has studied piano for five years and has been active in the MMTA piano exams and contests, including ensemble events. She is a pianist in her church's praise band as well. Cassie plans to double major in music and elementary education, attending Concordia College in Moorhead MN.

Sue Wege, Cassie Schwartz, and Beth Winterfeldt

Harry D. Kirkpatrick Scholarship: The Harry D. Kirkpatrick scholarship of $1000 is awarded to an outstanding MusicLink senior from the state of Virginia in memory of the brother of Martha Smith, a MusicLink teacher and board member. This year's scholarship recipient is Purev Arslanbaatar of Alexandria VA, a voice student of Angela Winter and piano student of Leeanna Xanthos-McQueen. Through years of training, Purev also studied with Mika Inouye and Martha Smith. He was chosen to study at the Westminster Choir last summer with assistance of a MusicLink camp scholarship and represented MusicLink at the Colorado State Convention in June of 2012 with travel sponsored by the MusicLink Foundation. Purev was also chosen to be in the Washington Chorus, a professional chorus performing at the Kennedy Center and Strathmore Center. Purev will be a music major at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia.

Martha Smith, Joanne Haroutounian, and Purev Arslanbaatar

New MusicLink Teachers

We are pleased to add 49 new and returning teachers to the MusicLink roster bringing our current teacher total to 336 teachers and our overall total to 1,939:

CA: Celine Gietzen; CT: Elizabeth Maerz, Rebecca Squire; GA: Linda Dorsey; IL: Aubrey Faith-Slaker, Christy Nielsen; KS: Ryan A. Elliott; KY: Cheri Simpson; MA: Mary Tamplin; ME: Diana Foster, MN: Monica K. Allen, Jeff Brueske, Anna Coyne, Sara Diedrich, Anna Jeanne Flesner, Charlotte Grantier, Deanna Holst, John Krebsbach, Gael Larsen, Susan Munson, Kris Olson, Jacqueline Okoh, Carolyn Reisinger, Rebecca Smith, Faith Swenson, Kathie Younker, Judy Zylstra; MO: Robin Anderson, David Holmes, NH: Joe Mitchell, Cindy Truman; NM: Sharon Jensen; NY:Amethyst Stark; OR: Jill Foster, Jan Miller, Davina Perret; PA: Kathleen Herber, Gilya Hodos, Laura Williamson; SC: Carol Rhodes; TN: Shirley O'Connor; TX :Jeff Wille; VT: Peter Miller, Nora Zablow; WA: Genevieve Allen, Jennifer Morgan, Julia Swiety; WV: Scott Beard; .Ontario, Canada: Mary Cumming.

Thanks to our Business Partners

We could not provide discounts and opportunities for our MusicLink students and teachers without the help of our business partners throughout the country. Eastman Strings and Winds has been a long-time business partner and recently sent two new violins to MusicLink students. One recipient said, "Thank you for the beautiful violin. I am very grateful to play such a quality instrument. I recently had the opportunity to play with the Greater Twin Cities Youth Symphony. I learned a lot from the experience."

The MusicLink Foundation is pleased to welcome new business partners, thanks to the efforts of Judy Vanesse, our Northeastern MusicLink coordinator. Welcome to Nick Noiseux of Mid-Town Music (Biddeford ME), Eric Brinkerhoff of Melody Hill Farm (Danville VT), David Ellis of Ellis Music Co. (Bethel VT), Paul Simone, Vienna Piano Co. (Hackettstown NJ), Guitar Center (Cherry Hill NJ), Rich Cruz of Olympic Piano Movers (North Haven CT), Norm's Piano Service (Manchester CT), Robert's Musical Instruments (W. Warwick RI), Guitar Center (Portland ME), Blue Mountain Guitar Center (W. Lebanon NH), Andy Verdi of Earcraft Music (Dover NH), and Neil & Sally Laurent of Bear Hollow Vintage Guitars (Lebanon NH).

We also welcome Ultimate Music Theory and Glory St. Germain, stemming from our growing Canadian program.