MS Honor Orchestra Information

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TPSMEA :: Texas Private School Music Education Association

TPSMEA MS Orchestra Information

TPSMEA Middle School Honor Orchestra

2009-2010

CLINIC AND CONCERT

Clinician Craig Needham, Head Director, Berkner High School, Richardson, Texas and Vice President/Treasurer,Texas Orchestra Directors Association

Site The Hockaday School, 11600 Welch Road, Dallas, TX 75229

Date February 19 & 20, 2010

Host Yung-Fang Hu Ludford

214-365-6620 (W); yfludford@mail.hockaday.org

WHO MAY AUDITION

Any private Middle School orchestra member (5th, 6th, 7th, & 8th graders) or any string player in a private Middle School (if there is no orchestra program within the school) is eligible to audition in the judgment of the orchestra director (or sponsor) that the student is capable of performing the repertoire and is socially mature enough to work with other students. The director or sponsor MUST be a member of TPSMEA.

DEADLINE FOR ON-LINE REGISTRATION, ENTRY FEE, & CD

January 12, 2010

Fees---$14.00 each student $20.00 per school

CDs are to be mailed to Nick Paraskevas at Greenhill School

CD JUDGING DATE & SITE

Tuesday, January 19, 2010, 5 pm

Greenhill School, 4141 Spring Valley Road, Addison, TX 75001

Nick Paraskevas, Orchestra Director

972-628-5603 (W); paraskevasn@greenhill.org

All directors submitting entries MUST serve as a judge or send a qualified proxy. Entries/recordings from schools without a representative will be disqualified.

AUDITION RECORDING PROCEDURES

*Best possible recording is allowed

*The CD should be LABELED with the student’s NAME/INSTRUMENT/SCHOOL

*CD recordings should be tracked as follows:

I Excerpt 1

II Excerpt 2

III Excerpt 3

IV Verbal Introduction--- the director must VERBALLY announce the student’s NAME/INSTRUMENT/SCHOOL

CLINIC & CONCERT SCHEDULE

Friday, February 19, 2010

5:30-5:50 p.m. Check-in/Pizza

6:00-8:30 p.m. Clinic I

Saturday, February 20, 2010

8:30-8:50 a.m. Donuts/Check-in

9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Clinic II

12:00-12:50 p.m. Lunch

1:00 – 3:00 p.m. Clinic III

3:00 – 3:30 p.m. Change to concert attire

3:30 p.m. Tuning & Stand by

4:00 p.m. Concert

CONCERT ATTIRE

Ladies:

White dress blouses, black skirt (knee length or longer) or dressy black pants (especially for cellists), dress shoes and dark hose

Gentlemen:

White dress shirts, black slacks, black dress shoes and black socks

2009-2010 TPSMEA MS Honor Orchestra Conductor/Clinician

Picture of Craig Needham

Craig Needham
1912 Campbell Trl
Richardson TX 75082
214/562-5331

Craig Needham has been involved with orchestral music since he held his first cello at the age of nine. A two-time All-State orchestra member and graduate of Caprock HS in Amarillo, Mr. Needham went on to graduate with honors from the University of North Texas with a Bachelors in Music Education.

After student teaching with Sharon Veazey in Denton, Mr. Needham went on to teach at Westwood JH in Richardson, Clark HS in Plano, Amarillo HS, and currently as the Head Orchestra Director at Berkner HS. An avid performer, he has performed with 9 different professional symphony orchestras, most recently as a member of the Amarillo Symphony Orchestra. As a chamber musician, he has been associated with the Vienna Conspiracy String Quartet for 15 years. In the summer Craig teaches at the Texas Tech Band and Orchestra camp.

While in the Dallas area, Mr. Needham has served as the assistant conductor for the New Conservatory of Dallas. His groups have consistently won top honors at UIL contest, the Myerson Orchestra Festival, Sandy Lake Orchestra Festival, Greater Southwest Music Festival, and at numerous other festivals. The AHS “Sandie Orchestra” was recognized as the Grand Champion orchestra at Musicfest Orlando and in 2004, they toured Hawaii. The Berkner HS Symphony Orchestra was recently named the TMEA High School String Honor Orchestra for 2006-2007.

In 2003 Mr. Needham was awarded the Marjorie Keller Young Teacher Award, given to him by the Texas chapter of the American String Teachers Association. He has served in leadership capacities as TMEA Region Chair, UIL Sight Reading committee, president of the Amarillo Youth Symphony board, TMEA Honor Orchestra Committee, and the UIL Music Advisory Committee. Craig is a member of TMEA, TODA, and TMAA. When he is not teaching, he enjoys playing golf, traveling, and spending time with his wife, Susan, and his two daughters, Kayla and Sydney.