2008 ILLINOIS ASTA FALL TEACHER ENRICHMENT WORKSHOP
October 25, 2008
York Community High School, Elmhurst, Illinois

Spend a Day with the Biggest Names in the Profession!

Steve Eggleston – Conductor and founder of the Illinois Wesleyan Civic Orchestra and the IWU Wind Ensemble at Illinois Wesleyan University, Bloomington, Illinois
Brian Cole – Director of elementary and middle school orchestras, Moorhead, Minnesota, and presenting clinician at the Midwest Clinic, the American String Workshop, and many state clinics.
Dr. James Kjelland – Professor of Music Education at Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, is string pedagogue, clinician, and author of Orchestral Bowing: Style and Function and co-author of Strictly Strings: A Comprehensive Method and Teaching Music Through Performance in Orchestra, Vol. 1-3.
Ed Kreitman – Founder and Director of the Western Springs School of Talent Education and author of Teaching From the Balance Point, he is well known throughout the United States and Canada as a Suzuki pedagogue and clinician.
Dr. Allan Dennis – Director of Midwest Young Artists Concert Orchestra and Symphony Orchestras and chamber music coach.  Over the past 14 years, MYA’s chamber groups have won 12 medals at the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition.
Gilda Barston - Cello teacher and Director of the Suzuki Program at the Music Institute of Chicago.
Michael Becker – stringed instrument dealer with Michael Becker Fine Violins, Ltd, Park Ridge, Illinois.
David Eccles – Director of Orchestras, VanderCook College of Music
Ray Ostwald – Orchestra Director, York Community High School, Elmhurst, Illinois

A  Dozen Reasons to Attend Our Illinois ASTA Teacher Enrichment Workshop

The Mark O'Connor Workshop
With Featured Guest, Cori Smith
A Workshop For All Fiddle Style Enthusiasts in Illinois
(Including Middle and High School Orchestra Students, Teachers, and Adults!!)
Sponsored by Illinois ASTA and the Evanston Symphony Orchestra
Friday, February 6, 2009
(See Full Schedule Below)

Midwest Young Artists Campus
878 Lyster Road, Highwood, IL 60040

Mark O'Connor Biography

Violinist and composer Mark O'Connor is widely recognized as one of the most gifted contemporary composers and artists in America. A product of America's rich aural folk tradition, as well as being a Classical and Flamenco music student in his formative years, Mr. O'Connor's creative journey began with the folk fiddler and innovator who created the modern era of American fiddling in the 1940s, Benny Thomasson, and a French jazz violinist who was considered one of the greatest improvisors in the history of the violin, Stephane Grappelli. Now, at age 47 he has melded and shaped these influences into a new American Classical music, and is perpetuating his vision of an American School of string playing. Mr. O'Connor has composed a number of notable pieces including: "Fiddle Concerto," one of the most performed modern violin concertos today; "Fanfare for the Volunteer," which has been recorded with the London Symphony; and "Appalachia Waltz," all of which will be performed as part of the program with the Evanston Symphony Orchestra.

As word of his compositions has spread, they are being embraced by a variety of performers apart from his own concert performances. Artists such as Yo-Yo Ma, Renee Fleming, Sharon Isbin, and various dance troops have all incorporated Mr. O'Connor's music into their performances. He is currently commissioned for a "triple" concerto for the Sony/BMG artists, the Ahn Trio to be premiered in 2009. Mr. O'Connor currently resides in New York City.

Cori Smith Biography

Cori Smith is a teacher, performer, and student of many styles of string music. Cori was lucky to be introduced to "alternative style" playing under the leadership of Bob Phillips and at the age of eighteen she was hired as the only American in Barrage. After touring with Barrage for nearly two years, Cori returned to Michigan to receive a degree in music education with the hope of teaching alternative style string music.

At the age of twenty-four, Cori already has extensive teaching experience. She is the founder and artisitic director of Fidders Restrung in Saline, Michigan. Under her direction the group has recorded two albums and has taken domestic and international performance tours. As a clinician, Cori has presented fiddle workshops at many middle schools and high schools throughout the country. She also works as a freelance artist and recently appeared in a music video with country artist Austin Scott.

Cori feels very fortunate to be able to spend so much time playing music and learning from her heroes, and she enjoys spending summers at as many fiddle camps and festivals as her time and income will allow. She currently resides in Lansing, Michigan.

Tentative Schedule
Friday, February 6, 2009
Midwest Young Artists Campus
878 Lyster Road, Highwood, IL 60040

Group 1
9:00 a.m. Arrival
9:30-10:15 a.m.Discussion and Performance of Blue Grass Music by Mark O'Connor
10:15-11:00 a.m. Master Class conducted by Mark O'Connor; performance by groups selected through audition
11:00-11:45 a.m. Boxed lunch provided
11:45 a.m.-1:15 p.m Hands-on clinic with Cori Smith
1:15-2:00 p.m. Jam Session

Group 2
9:00 a.m. Arrival
9:30-11:00 a.m. Hands-on clinic by Cori Smith
11:00-11:45 a.m. Boxed lunch provided
11:45 a.m.-12:30 p.m Discussion and Performance of Blue Grass Music by Mark O'Connor
12:30 p.m.-1:15 p.m. Master Class conducted by Mark O'Connor; performance by groups selected through audition
1:15-2:00 p.m. Jam Session

Saturday, February 7, 2009
(Optional)
Pick-Staiger Concert Hall, Northwestern University
50 Arts Circle Drive, Evanston, IL 60208

12:30 p.m.-3:30 p.m. Evanston Symphony Orchestra Open Dress Rehearsal featuring Mark O'Connor (Mr. O' Connor will be participating in a portion of this rehearsal)

Sunday, February 8, 2009
(Optional)
Pick-Staiger Concert Hall, Northwestern University
50 Arts Circle Drive, Evanston, IL 60208

2:30 p.m. Evanston Symphony Orchestra Concert featuring Mark O'Connor

Open to Middle and High School Orchestra Students, Teachers, and Adults!

Application Date: November 3 - November 14, 2008 (tentative). Applications will be mailed and available online soon! Limited spots so register early. First come, first serve.

Details: Open to middle school and high school students, teachers, and adults. Groups interested in performing during the Master Class, please submit an audition recording with an alternative piece of choice no later than November 14, 2008. Groups will be selected proportionate to total submissions (e.g. if 50% of submissions come from middle schools, 50% of the selected participants will be middle school groups.) Please submit recordings to Fran Fatta, 145 Lakeview Parkway, Vernon Hills, IL 60061.

Cost: $20 per participant for Friday's event.
Saturday's Open Rehearsal is Free
Tickets for Sunday's concert are $5 with student I.D. and $25 for adults.

**Please note, attendance on Saturday and/or Sunday is not required to participate on Friday,