January meeting of Gonzales Music Club

The Gonzales Music Study Club, part of the Texas and National Federation of Music dents Clubs, met Tuesday, January 11 at the Laurel and Joe Ince home with Kathleen Janik co-hosting. Pres. Shirley Spoon opened the meeting, calling upon Vida Burnett leading “Together We Sing” with Carol DuBose at the piano. Vida related the story of the Stephen Foster favorite, “Beautiful Dreamer”, written in 1864, which all joined to sing, followed by singing the Federation Hymn.

Pres. Spoon announced the February meeting will be held at the Irene Cerny home with the program a preview of the local piano students of Vida Burnett and Laurel Ince who will perform their Music Festival selections. The TFMC District VI Music Festival is scheduled for March 6 at Texas State University in San Marcos. The Gonzales Music Study Club will host the District VI Summer Bd. meeting announced by email from TFMC District VI President Lois Armor of Etude Club in San Antonio. The Texas Federation of Music Clubs will hold Convention March 31 through April 2, in Waco.

Vice Pres. Sandra Moore then asked Laurel Ince to introduce the evening’s program. Mrs. Ince briefly described the NFMC Ouida Keck Award which was given in 2009 to Mary Wittrup a piano teacher in New Braunfels, Texas who then studied the famous Suzuki Method of piano teaching. Mrs. Wittrup told of the teaching method which could actually be described as a philosophy of life. Dr. Suzuki studied how very young children learn their native language and used those clues to teach music with any instrument; he began with violin. The teaching involves the parents who learn along with the little ones who imitate what they see and hear from the adults. Included is a system of respectful regard for adults who help the child to learn. The children learn polite, dignified demeanor, calmness and correct hands position for performing. There are seven teacher courses available of which Mrs. Wittrup has taken three and Master Classes are available. The students and parents studying in the Suzuki method are encouraged by praise consistently and gain confidence, learning quickly.

 The second part of the program was a brief description of another method of music teaching related by Laurel Ince who uses the I-net technology of Skype to teach a woman in Denmark who is also a teacher and coach in the field of psychiatry. The two women reciprocally benefit each other by sharing their life skills and art skills. Mrs. Ince then played her favorite piano composition by Franz Liszt, “Un Sospiro”. The music in minor key was ‘dark’ and moody with rich harmonies of constant spiraling sounds; we were completely caught up in it.

The meeting ended with speaking the NFMC Collect which is a prayer and all enjoyed the refreshments and fellowship as the Inces and Kathleen Janik served an array of party sandwiches, a pickle tray, toasted nuts, a cream filled poppy seed cake, various teas and coffee. Members are reminded of the February 8th meeting to be at the Irene and Gene Cerny home.