9:30-10:00 Pre-Meeting
Four-Hand Piano Recital performed by NSMTA Members, Lam Wong and Nathan Canfield
PROGRAM
Maurice Ravel: Ma mère l'Oye
I. Pavane de la Belle au bois dormant: Lent
II. Petit Poucet: Très modéré
III. Laideronnette, impératrice des pagodes: Mouvt de marche
IV. Les entretiens de la belle et de la bête: Mouvt de valse très modéré
V. Le jardin féerique: Lent et grave
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky: The Sleeping Beauty Suite, op. 66a (arr. Sergei Rachmaninoff)
I. Introduction. La Fée des Lilas
V. Valse
Greg Anderson: Papageno! (a concert fantasy for piano four-hands)
Nathan Canfield, Biography
Nathan Canfield serves as a staff pianist at Northwestern University’s Bienen School of Music. An eager collaborator, he cherishes performing with musicians from his native Illinois and beyond, including members of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Ravinia’s Steans Music Institute. He is also a passionate arranger and transcriber for his instrument. In 2024, he plans to release a debut album featuring his own arrangements of Sergei Rachmaninov’s lesser-known works. He is an alumnus of Northwestern University, where he completed a Master of Music degree under of the guidance of James Giles.
In addition to performing, Nathan maintains a private piano studio in the North Shore suburbs of Chicago. His special teaching interests include creating original and arranged pedagogical works tailored to each student, as well as organizing joint recitals with other local piano instructors. He has been a member of NSMTA since 2021.
Lam Wong, Biography
Known for “great imagination and extraordinary musicality” (Shantou Daily), classical pianist Lam Wong debuted with Liszt’s 12 Études d’exécution transcendante at the age of fourteen. He has since appeared in numerous concert venues across Asia and North America and prestigious music festivals, including Ravinia Festival, Aspen Music Festival, Sarasota Music Festival, and Norfolk Chamber Music Festival. He is also the winner of the Thaviu-Isaak Piano Competition, Lillian Fuchs Competition, and Dover Competition.
Wong currently serves as the Coordinator of Piano Pedagogy Courses, teaching undergraduate and graduate piano pedagogy courses at Northwestern University Bienen School of Music. He also gives frequent masterclasses, presentations, workshops, and conference lectures. Wong holds a bachelor’s and a master’s degree from the Manhattan School of Music and Yale School of Music, respectively. He is a candidate for the Doctor of Musical Arts degree at Northwestern University, studying piano performance with James Giles and piano pedagogy with Marcia Bosits.
10:00-11:00 Business Meeting
Meeting will be led by NSMTA President, George Radosavljevic followed by refreshments.
11:00-12:00 Program
Presenter: Janna Williamson
Program: Demystifying Memorization: Stop “hoping for the best” and discover what really works
Short Description: Faced with an upcoming memorized performance, students tend to play through repeatedly, and then, in performance, “hope for the best.” Help your students build their memorization muscles, overcome challenges, and gain new strategies from this presentation.
Abstract: When faced with an upcoming memorized performance, most students will practice their piece by playing through over and over, and then, in the moment of performance, “hope for the best.” In this presentation, Janna Williamson will discuss the physiological and psychological realities of the memorization process, including phases of memory (short-term, intermediate-term, and long-term) and types of memory (visual, aural, kinesthetic, and cognitive). The presentation will include over 35 practice techniques for students of any level to strengthen all four types of memory and help students break the play-through habit and instead engage in critical thinking. Janna will empower teachers to help students improve their memorization skills, overcome typical memorization problems, and rebound from memory slips. Specific repertoire examples from the intermediate levels will be used.
BIOGRAPHY
Pianist Janna Williamson, NCTM, maintains an independent studio in West Chicago, Illinois. She previously taught at the Wheaton Yamaha Music School from 2001-2020 where she also served as Supervisor of Private Lessons. A teacher of teachers, Janna is a Content Creator for TopMusicPro and coaches piano teachers around the world through her online Teacher Consultation service. Her YouTube channel features free pedagogical content, with a particular focus on how to teach intermediate historical repertoire. Janna holds master’s and bachelor's degrees in piano performance from the Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University and the Wheaton College Conservatory of Music, and she currently serves as President of the West Suburban Music Teachers Association. Janna and her husband stay active caring for their four children and their 1903 American Foursquare home.