MA-ASTA Moving to
Internet Communications


The MA-ASTA board has voted to change the way that we communicate with our membership. In an effort to make our information more timely and convenient we are going to stop publishing our yearly paper newsletter
The Bay State Bridge in favor of an updated web site and email bulletins which communicate upcoming events and board news.
-Ken Culver, MA-ASTA Editor

From the President

Paula Zeitlin taught us Jazz Improv skills in such a simple and comfortable way, that the following day, we had a ball playing with a professional Jazz Trio. Louis Bergonzi lit up our inspiration and energy to raise up our rehearsal techniques and communication with our players. Pamela Tellejohn Hayes shared basic teaching techniques to solve common technique problems with our young string players.

Congratulations to our ASTA award recipients Christopher Memoli and Andrew Marks.

At our annual meeting, we voted in Ken Culver as next year's President and Margot Reavey as the President-Elect.  Three points were announced that we all should be reminded about:  
1.  Encourage the studio teachers that you know to join ASTA.  (It qualifies them not only for workshops for teachers and students, but makes them eligible for awards)
2.  Ideas for workshops and student enrichment activities are always welcome. Just contact someone on the board.  Our state chapter is also willing to fund master classes, guest conductors or relevant string activities at your school.

Thank you to Johnson Strings for providing wonderful string instruments for us to play at our sessions, and for providing the food and refreshments at our annual meeting. FInally, thank you to Chris Memoli, for putting together wonderful sessions for us.

Jane E. Ezbicki

Flesch Symposium At Longy

Clayton Hoener has written up his Reflections on the Carl Flesch Symposium at Longy featuring Eric Rosenblith, Roman Totenberg and renowned violinist Ida Haendel.

-Ken Culver, MA-ASTA Editor

Energize your Strings! An Evening With Barrage

I received an email from the director of Barrage last Spring, saying that they would be in Massachusetts in November and inquiring if we would like to host a concert at Wayland High School.  The name "Barrage" was somewhat familiar to me, but I knew my colleague, Chris Memoli of Weston, knew much more about them, having enthusiastically talking about the group many times after having seen them at a conference. I called Chris to ask him if he would like to participate in a joint Wayland-Weston Concert with Barrage, and he burst into joyous expressions of agreement.
On November 14, the our High School string players joined this incredible performance group in the Wayland High School Fieldhouse, performing for nearly one thousand community members.
This group from Canada,  that consists of about 6 violinists and a back-up band, has brought their alternative string playing and their unique and high energy performances to many local, regional, national and international venues, including music education conferences and schools.  
Dean Marshall, one of the directors and the ensemble's composer, was an amazing person to work with. We did a joint performance with Barrage on the pieces "Calypso Jam" and Old Joe Clark."  The performance day also included a afternoon workshop with the group.  They have a way of inspiring not only the audience, but the student player into jaw-dropping tempos and choreography.  Their repertoire ranges from traditional fiddle to jazz to ethnic.  
For more information about "Barrage", check out their website
www.barrage.org
-Jane Ezbicki, Wayland High School


Strings@Smith

An exciting time for youth string studies! Strings@Smith offers four levels of instruction for students ages 10 to 18. Students under 10 years of age may attend the program, if accompanied by an adult.