MASTERY OF STRINGS: A WORKSHOP WITH WILLIAM DICK

In 1994 the American String Teachers' Association named William Dick its national "Music Educator of the Year." That same year he was honored by the Texas Orchestra Director's Association as "Director of the Year." Mr. Dick is a charter member of the Fine Arts Educators Training Cadre for the Texas Education Agency; has served as chair of the violin committee for the Texas University Interscholastic League; and served as viola coordinator for the 2002 International Suzuki Teacher's Conference.  Mr. Dick has been presented teaching awards from the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, the Sony Corporation, the National Coalition for Music Education, and the National Endowment for the Arts.  Mr. Dick retired from the Austin Independent School District in the spring of 2001 after twenty-seven years at O. Henry Middle School and Austin, Bowie, and Crockett High Schools, and as coordinator of the four Austin Youth Orchestras.  In the fall of 2002 he joined the faculty of Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas, as visiting instructor of violin/viola and music education. Recently the Suzuki Association of the Americas sanctioned Mr. Dick as its teacher trainer for Suzuki in the Schools, and he was named to the editorial board for the American String Teacher.  He is co-author with Laurie Scott of the textbook:  Mastery for Strings.

PHYLLIS YOUNG WORKSHOP
Dr. Susan Wallace

Professor Greg Hurley organized and presented a wonderful workshop June 15-17, 2005 at East Carolina University with guest clinician Phyllis Young. The attendees actively participated in the classes that were held. The famous pedagogue Dr. Phyllis Young of the University of Texas used all sorts of inventive and whimsical contraptions to demonstrate teaching and playing techniques, and master classes were held for aspiring performers and teachers. To give an idea of the playful curriculum Dr. Young taught the classes titled “General Learning from Everyday life applied to String Playing and Teaching,” “Bows Can Sing, Dance, Talk, and Whisper,” and “Turning Notes into Music”. She also discussed starting young cellists and she delighted all with her particularly playful techniques for developing vibrato. Phyllis Young has the ability to turn simple actions into great techniques and is able to teach how to turn techniques and notes into a wonderful musical experience.