JOC Showcases Talented Young Composers
Nine gifted young composers from the U.S., Canada, and Japan - ranging in age from 8 to 15 - brought down the house at the Mitby Theater in Madison, WI last September. The inspiring 1998 Yamaha Junior Original Concert (JOC) - entitled "For Kids' Sake" - was presented by Yamaha Music Education System (YMES) and co-sponsored by Ward-Brodt Music Company. By the time the last jubilant "Bravo!" was shouted for these talented musicians and their original compositions, $3,000 had been raised for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Dane County. The organization, which pairs over 550 children of single parents with caring responsible adults each year, earmarked the funds for music education programs and products for students, particularly keyboard purchases and music lessons.
Nancy Kanter, director of education
at Ward-Brodt, a family-based Wisconsin business since 1927 and the authorized
Yamaha dealer for Madison, WI, says, "As long-standing members of this community,
we were happy to join with Yamaha to help Big Brothers Big Sisters. It was delightful
to bring those talented young composers to Madison."
About a million children in 40 countries are enrolled in Yamaha Music Schools, and the outstanding works performed at this JOC were selected from thousands of entries submitted to Yamaha Music Foundation in Japan. All of the selected compositions exemplified the musical joy, spontaneity and creativity that the YMES encourages. The performers included: Erin Kanter, 14, of Jefferson, WI; Allison Shinnick, 8, of Appleton, WI; Keiko Osaki, 15, of Yokosuka City, Japan; Jeremy Siskind, 11, of Irvine, CA; Sara Sumitani, 15, of Rancho Palos Verdes, CA; Kathryn Lucas, 12, of Ontario, Canada; Alexis Kusy, 13, of Franklin Lakes, NJ; Elizabeth Moore, 11, of Irvine, CA; and Calvin Chang, 13, of Walnut, CA.
Some of these impressive young musicians demonstrated their talents on the Yamaha Clavinova CVP98 digital piano, utilizing a variety of its features, much to the delight of the audience.
"Early musical studies and opportunities to perform in a live setting are increasingly important in today's world," says Cheryl Landru, Yamaha Music Education national administration manager. Recent studies by renowned researcher Dr. Frances Rauscher and her colleagues add to the growing body of evidence linking music and enhanced brain function.
"Adults who love music have a crucial role to play in encouraging the development
of talented young composers," Landru points out. The YMES program is designed
to encourage family participation earlier on. Many children are enrolled when
they are only four to five years old and attend with a parent, creating a lifetime
of sharing the musical experience.
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