We have completed another year of MusicLink teaching, persevering through a pandemic that has challenged teachers and students alike. True to MusicLink's philosophy, the strength of the teacher-student link has guided us through this past year with online lessons, assistance from our MusicLink business partners for materials and instruments, and recognition of achievement by our graduating seniors, applauded in this issue of the LINK.

Congratulations to All the
MusicLink Graduating Seniors

AB: Ryrie Spencer plays the piano, organ, trumpet, and sings in a community choir in the city of Sherwood Park, Alberta, Canada. He has taken all of his piano lessons from his grandmother, Denise Williams, who lives in Provo, Utah. He started when he was five years old, and is now eighteen. Over the years, the lessons were given via webcam, Skype, and now Facetime. He has enjoyed playing the piano and organ for church meetings. He reached Grade 8 in the Royal Conservatory method, participating in some exams and music festivals over his years of study, and for the last three years has enjoyed teaching young children and teenagers piano lessons as a part-time job. He has enjoyed being an active member of band and jazz band at his junior high and high school, and recently had the honor of playing the Last Post for the Remembrance Day assembly on November 11th. He also enjoyed playing in the pit orchestra for a community musical titled "The Candy Bomber" in March of 2019. His choir sang in Provincials last year in Edmonton, Alberta, and placed second overall. He hopes to continue using his musical talents and enjoying more opportunities throughout his life.

AB: William Spencer plays the piano, guitar, organ, and he sings in a community choir in the city of Sherwood Park, Alberta, Canada. He has taken all of his piano lessons from his grandmother, Denise Williams, who lives in Provo, Utah. He started when he was five years old, and is now eighteen. Over the years, the lessons were given via webcam, Skype, and now Facetime. He has enjoyed playing the piano and organ for church meetings. He reached Grade 8 in the Royal Conservatory method, participating in some exams and music festivals over his years of study, and for the last four years has enjoyed teaching young children and teenagers piano lessons as a part-time job. His choir sang in Provincials last year in Edmonton, Alberta, placing second overall, and he also used his singing abilities to play the role of an airman in a community musical titled "The Candy Bomber" in March of 2019. He hopes to continue to enjoy musical opportunities throughout his life.

Curt Spykstra, Jenesis Rodriguez and Ben Raznick

CO: Jenesis Rodriguez of Denver, began working with Ben Raznick in 2018, after spending years teaching himself how to play the piano. Raznik, a former Denver Kids Educational Counselor is shown with a colleague and Jenesis before watching Jenesis perform Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata for his school rally. Raznik said he "couldn't believe this incredible young man had taught himself composers like Chopin, Debussy, and Satie. The performance was terrific and I loved how the entire school sat around the piano making music the center focus of their morning rally." Jenesis recently won a trophy at the Boulder chapter of the National Federation of Music Clubs Festival which went viral due to COVID-19.

FL: Mary Katherine Brooks of Jacksonville, was a MusicLink piano student studying with Lisa Barwell. She has been interested in music since she was a toddler playing the piano at her grandmother's house. She began piano lessons in 3rd grade and grew in her skills over the years by leaps and bounds. She has been a dedicated and hardworking piano student who has a bright future ahead of her. She plans to use the skills learned in her 10 years of lessons to compose and arrange piano pieces, several of which she performed at her livestreamed senior recital in May. She also intends to continue working at her church's academy in the fall.

FL: Dubraska Robles of Pompano Beach, graduated high school through the Broward College side-by-side program, earning a full ride to the University of Florida in Gainesville to study Marine Biology. Her violin teacher, Tarra Guerra, said, "she still plays her violin, maintains an active Busker's License, and found time to be part of this year's all-consuming Virtual Violin Group Concert as well as working on her own personal graduation concert and holding down a full-time job in the social-distanced food industry. A remarkable young woman, Dubraska has been part of the MusicLink program since 2009, receiving free books and lessons during many financially difficult years for her family. We are all so very proud of her!"

IA: Sadie Fillmore of Muscatine, has been a violin student of Linda Judiesch since 2007.

MI: Sahil Patel of Canton, a student of Margarete Thomsen since 2012, will be attending Wayne State University in Detroit.

MN: Ngorli Paintsil of Maple Grove, graduated from Hopkins High School in Minnesota. He has studied piano with Sylvia Lange for 5 years. Although he started with Sylvia as a teen, he showed an early interest in achieving at a high level. Sylvia said, "as he completed each goal, he was always ready to move on to a new level and eager to improve his skills. In his junior year he decided to reach for two musical goals: play in 9 recitals for the MMTF (our local music group) and to earn enough points from the MMTA to earn a Challenge Award trophy. In his senior year he played in two Ensemble Festivals, took a sight-reading proficiency exam for level 5, participated in the State Contest (both prelims and finals), and prepared solos from 5 eras of music history for the Music Bridges event." As the pandemic changed performance options, Ngorli submitted videos for judging and playing in Zoom performances to complete the requirements for Music Bridges. Sylvia said, "Ngorli has always enjoyed music performance -- playing two instruments in school band in addition to his piano." He has accepted a full scholarship to Stanford University where he will study engineering.

NY: Julia Gimenez of East Hampton, was a student of Tamara Slobodkin. Before coming to MusicLink, she studied in a neighborhood music school that catered to the underserved community. When she decided that she wanted to go into Music Therapy as a career she felt that she had to further develop her skills and decided to study with Tamara although it would mean an hour traveling each way. MusicLink made it possible to keep the same fee structure as before. Tamara said, "In the two years that we have worked together Julia has learned to play pain free, to develop her memory skills and to play repertoire that she could only aspire to before. Not only was Julia accepted into a school with a strong Music Therapy reputation, but at her audition she was told that she could have an even larger scholarship if she would also be a performance minor as well! She accepted! This ebullient, bright, intelligent young woman is the perfect MusicLink success story."

NY: Andrew Glennon of West Babylon, has been a student of Tamara Slobodkin for only two and a half years. Tamara said, "he showed enormous promise and MusicLink was essential to his studies. He only decided to take himself seriously as a possible pianist in junior high, but he read and read and worked very hard. He was referred to me to prepare him for music school auditions. but he had never studied a Bach Fugue or a Beethoven Sonata. He prepared a National Guild Senior High School Diploma with repertoire including Rachmaninoff, the Chopin first Ballade, the required Bach Prelude and Fugue, a four movement Beethoven Sonata and the Khatchaturian Toccata plus scales, chords, cadences, arpeggios, and transpositions in all keys! He was accepted into almost every major music school and in the end chose Stetson College in Florida where he received a full scholarship. Andrew is a big talent, a charming young man and MusicLink made it happen."

OR: Isaac Heredia of Corvallis, was a student of Mary Ann Guenther. His teacher said, "he is a truly outstanding student who plans to minor in piano performance at Oregon State University, during the coming academic year. He has been awarded a scholarship from the OSU Department of Piano to do so."

TX: Macy McClure of Eastland was homeschooled and studied dual courses, so will graduate from junior college in 2022. She studied piano with Sherry Frush for 12 years and was also a student instructor at the Frush Music Studio for 2 years. In 2020, she received an Outstanding rating in the Texas Music Teachers Association (TMTA) Publication Contest and won honorable mention in the TMTA-SA Original composition contest. She also served as a state page in 2019 and was on the 2019 and 2020 AMTA Piano ensemble that performed at the state TMTA convention. She earned gold cups in the NFMC Junior Festivals and superior ratings in Piano Guild and TMTA and AMTA festivals. She also received 3rd place for the Abilene Music Teachers Association (AMTA) Senior Participation Award.

TX: Hansen Penya of Abilene, graduated third in his class of over 500 at Abilene High School, in Abilene, Texas. He was a member of the varsity choir and show choir, National Honor Society and a leader in the student body. He was in musicals and other programs, as well as a student and student instructor in Frush Music Studio. He studied piano for 12 years and during that time, won multiple awards locally and at state in theory, composition and performance. In 2020, he earned honorable mention for the Texas Music Teachers Association (TMTA) Senior participation award, and won 1st place for the local Abilene Music Teachers Association (AMTA) Senior Participation Award. Both awards were earned by participation in various events, theory tests, festivals, local and state student page, and competitions during music study. He performed 10 years in the multi-piano ensembles at the state TMTA convention. He began composing in 2018 and his song ‘Our Creed' made the Top 30 in The Young Songwriter 2019 competition International Category. In 2019, he won honorable mention in the TMTA-SA Original composition contest.

VA: Brandon Tokhoi of Alexandria, has been in the MusicLink program for about ten years, studying with LeeAnna Xanthos McQueen. During her tutelage, he performed at the annual McQueen studio recital and also participated in the spring festival for nine consecutive years, achieving the forty-five point trophy for maintaining a superior rating each year. Brandon has been involved with the Edison High School chapter of Tri-M music honor society since freshman year and served as president from fall 2018 - spring 2020 during his junior and senior years. Under his leadership and with the support of his choir teacher, several performances at school were organized to showcase Tri-M members' talents. Outside of his piano studies, he has been learning how to play the Morin Khuur, a traditional Mongolian string instrument, in order to connect more with his parents' culture and now performs at every Tsagaan Sar (Mongolian Lunar New year). Brandon is enrolling at George Mason University in the fall to pursue a Bachelor of Science degree in Cyber Security, with the intent to remain connected to music department events and ensembles.

WA: Sarah Crosby of Burlington, was a MusicLink piano student of Rebecca Hedman since 2014. Sarah has been involved in competitive speech and debate for all four years of high school. She placed sixteenth in the nation in Lincoln Douglas debate, and tenth in the nation in Team Policy debate. Sarah works as a private debate coach for both Lincoln Douglas and Team Policy. She has played violin for ten years, piano for nine years, recently started cello, and enjoys archery in her spare time. A graduate of Crosby Academy in Burlington, Sarah will attend Patrick Henry College this coming fall and plans to major in strategic intelligence

WA: Amalie Pancoast of Kettle Falls, graduated from both her high school and the community college Associate of Arts dual enrollment program in June. She just completed her 11th year of piano studies with Brandy Pancoast, culminating in her Senior Piano Recital and is looking forward to her future. She has been accepted at Whitworth University to complete her Elementary Education degree. She hopes to be a reading specialist for young students, possibly specializing in those who are hard of hearing or deaf since she herself has a cochlear implant and knows the challenges to be overcome.

Seeking Student Nominations

Did you know that we have over 1,000 teachers who have volunteered to teach a MusicLink student, but have never been linked with one? 1,000 more students could be in lessons if we had the nominations. We, unfortunately, don't have the manpower to seek out students for all these teachers, so we need your help! We know that you support our work or you wouldn't be reading this newsletter. Help us in our mission to "create musicians one student at a time".

• If you are a volunteer teacher and would be willing to seek out a student, we have a School Packet available which helps you do that. Click HERE to download one.
• If you are a parent and you have some good ideas on how best we can reach deserving students, click HERE and let us know them.
• If you would like to become a MusicLink Ambassador and bring information about MusicLink to schools, youth groups, community organizations, etc, click HERE to volunteer.
• If you would like to serve as a local or state MusicLink coordinator, training is provided. click HERE to get more information.
• If you are aware of a student who shows musical potential, but whose family could never afford full-fee lessons, click HERE to nominate the student.

7500 GOAL Reached!

One positive celebration for MusicLink this year is the goal of reaching our 7500th student-teacher link! Catia Etner joined the Music for Life Musikgarten Studio of Lynelle Vogel located in Winona Lake, Indiana. Catia's family includes 7 children who have all been attending Music for Life Musikgarten Studio since 2009 (early childhood through piano). Catia just completed her first year of Group Musikgarten Piano. Lynelle & Catia each received a MusicLink tote bag with some music books written by Joanne Haroutounian, MusicLink's founder and Executive Director.

MusicLink Senior Award Winners

The MusicLink Foundation established the Senior Award of Excellence to recognize a graduating senior who has shown ongoing commitment in lessons and has made significant progress in musical studies, performing at an outstanding level. The $1,000 award is made possible through the Arline and Russell Bridge Endowment Fund. This year the MusicLink Foundation also presented a MusicLink Achievement Honors award of $500 for outstanding achievement in lessons, also made possible through the Arline and Russell Bridge Endowment Fund.

Andrew J. Kim – MusicLink Senior
Achievement Award Winner

Ruth Sadilek and Andrew J. Kim

Andrew J. Kim of Tigard, Oregon, has been a piano student of Ruth Sadilek for the past 12 years, adding violin to his studies under her tutelage for the past 8 years. His mother was a strong positive influence during his early years of training. When she passed away on Andrew's eleventh birthday, a week after his sister was born, he chose to play a piano version of the Pachelbel Canon at her funeral. He learned to express his emotions about his mother by composing his first piece two years later, titled "Again." He explains that, "it was the only thing I thought I could do that had enough ‘distance' from me so that I could show weakness without explicitly showing vulnerability. Hidden behind my composition and the ones that came after it, I started to tell people more about myself through my compositions."

In ninth grade, Andrew attended the Young Musician and Artists Camp where he excelled in piano performance. He also spent three years in Fear No Music's Young Composers Project for young musicians in the Pacific Northwest who excelled at composing. Through YCP, he was commissioned to compose for a youth orchestra. He completed the Oregon Music Teachers Association Level 10 Piano Syllabus "With Distinction". He earned the Grand Cup in the National Federation of Music Clubs' Festival in Piano Solo. He flourished as a piano accompanist, began teaching piano, and excelled academically at the International School of Beaverton, a full International Baccalaureate school.

Andrew explains, "I was going to give this gift that is music to others just like my mother had done for me. I keep my mother close to me when I play pieces or when I write music and thank her in my thoughts for just forcing me to keep going back then. Music has become such an emotional outlet for me, that I have no idea who I'd be without it. I mentioned that I was looking for someone to acknowledge me but now I realize that no one needs to. Playing the piano and making music is enough for me and now I take full enjoyment in just playing because I want to.

"I realize I have many things to say and I should start saying them because time is limited. I'll make those people that have no appreciation for classical music at least acknowledge the power that classical music has. It saved me and I know it can do the same for others. And after I do all that I need to do, Mom, I'll be seeing you Again."

Andrew will be attending Oregon State University with plans to major in biochemistry and minor in music.

Ethan Hemmings - MusicLink
Achievement Honors Award Winner

Ethan Hemmings

Ethan Hemmings of Arlington, Virginia, was encouraged to seek out lessons through MusicLink by his school music teacher, Estelle Roth. He was a violin student of Claire Allen starting the fall of 2013. Allen describes Ethan as an incredibly passionate and motivated student who brings energy and a deep desire to learn to every lesson." Ethan has played in various MusicLink performances, school and studio concerts and enjoyed master classes with Dr. Cora Cooper, June Huang, and Akemi Takayama. Ethan has served as concertmaster of his school orchestra as well as being part of the Senior District and Regional Orchestras. He regularly participated in summer string programs including Ovations Summer Strings Academy at George Mason University.

Ethan has an intense interest in the repertoire of Black classical composers, fusing his love of the violin with his passion for African American culture. Ethan explains, "Being a Black violinist, finding other people that look like me takes effort and it should not be this way. Continuing to pursue classical music and other genres is to prove that representation matters in spaces where people are not usually seen. Music production is the newest facet of my musical journey. In contrast to the world of classical music, there are a lot of people who look like me and have similar interests in how to collaborate and create with others within the modern musical environment. I hope to be a leading person within music production that can reestablish how orchestral instruments can cater to the ideas of myself and others in getting the message out from the music we create."

Ethan was accepted to every college he auditioned for, and ultimately has decided to attend Shenandoah Conservatory, where he is going to study violin performance in the studio of Akemi Takayama, and also explore his interest in music production. Due to his fabulous academics (he finished his senior year with straight A's), he's also the recipient of a substantial scholarship to help fund his education.

Abigail Bremseth - Ruth Stenson
MusicLink Award Winner

Abigail Bremseth

The Ruth Stenson MusicLink Award recognizes a graduating high school senior from Minnesota who has shown outstanding achievement in musical training through the MusicLink program. The $1000 award is made possible by the Minnesota MusicLink program honoring the memory of Ruth Stenson, a dedicated MusicLink teacher.

Abigail Bremseth of Plymouth, Minnesota, has been a MusicLink piano student of Kathleen Van Doeren for five and half years. During that time she progressed from mid-intermediate level to advanced concert level repertoire. She has been a consistent winner in MMTA contests and has received a Senior Plus rating every year in National Guild Auditions. She always applies a keen sense of musicianship in her musical practice resulting in a polished, technically accurate musical performance. Her teacher describes her as "a joy to be around, bringing her talent, discipline, cheerful personality, sense of humor and her ability to communicate to lessons, performance classes, rehearsals and performances."

Abigail explains, "Piano has become one of the most steadfast pillars in my life. Music has given me an outlet to express myself when words fall short. Not only has piano affected me emotionally, but it has also taught me many valuable life skills. It has taught me discipline, persistence, creativity and focus. It has trained me to pay attention to detail, manage my time well, and exercise my memory. In a performance, I do not play notes but attempt to express meaning and convey a message to the audience. I know that music will always play a huge role in my life. I have learned so much these past fourteen years, but I know there is infinitely more to study and understand."

Abigail plans to attend Saint Louis University pursuing engineering and will continue musical study in some capacity.

Piano Donation to a
Grateful MusicLink Family

Schleusener Family Members With Their Piano

In addition to helping students secure low-cost music lessons, the MusicLink Foundation does its best to see that they have a decent instrument to practice on. This is often done as the result of a generous donation from the public. On May 23rd a beautiful Stegler baby grand piano was delivered to a MusicLink family in Arden Hills, MN, thanks to the generosity of donor Mary Thompson. Here's a quote from Marilyn Henry, MusicLink teacher for the two happy students described:

"There couldn't be a family more thankful to receive this beautiful piano than the Schleuseners. We had discussed the possibility of upgrading their piano for some time, and when this opportunity became available to them, they immediately acted. Malia and Josiah fell in love with it right away. Due to some last minute cross-communications, it appeared that perhaps the piano would go to someone else. The initial disappointment only intensified the pleasure and excitement when they were assured that the piano was indeed going to them. What made it all the more special was that Malia's birthday was the week the piano was delivered. She considers it the best birthday gift ever!"

Camp Scholarships
– Trinity Online Camp

Camp Scholarship Article

Each year students who have taken at least 6 months of lessons through MusicLink can apply for a music camp scholarship of up to $250 to a camp of their choice. This summer there was only one studio (Jenniffer Campbell) that requested scholarships for a Summer Virtual Music and Arts Camp hosted by Trinity United Methodist Church in Thomasville, NC. These scholarships totaled $1,500. The photos above are taken from a newspaper article in 2019 showing students enjoying music together. This year they will enjoy music in a different way, online!

Teacher Reimbursement Program

The MusicLink Foundation provides reimbursement to teachers for any event fees or music they personally purchased for their MusicLink students. Applications are available on the website for all active MusicLink teachers. This year we extended the deadline to accommodate pandemic needs. Reimbursements are distributed in January and in June. This year's teacher reimbursements totaled $1,109.59 to 16 teachers representing CA, CT, CO, DE, FL, GA, IL, IA, MN, NC, NE, NY, OK, and TX.

New Teachers

We welcome 3 new teachers who joined MusicLink in the past two months. Total active MusicLink teachers = 301. Total overall MusicLink teachers = 3,724.

GA: Jessica Hoffman; TX: Daina Volodka;
WA: Rose Hashimoto

Background Check Updates Needed

We are proud of the fact that the MusicLink Foundation abides by careful oversight of student financial eligibility as well as teacher legitimacy through background checks. MusicLink teachers and coordinators are required to have a basic criminal background check upon initial sign up. These background checks must be updated every five years, so our Assistant Director, Andrea Shore, will be reaching out to those of you who need a new background check. She will need a current physical address (not a PO Box), your date of birth and your social security number. Once the background check has been completed, we do not keep any of this information on file. Your timely cooperation with this important requirement is extremely helpful.

In Memoriam - Joseph Paul Pollock

The family and friends of Joseph Paul Pollock have chosen the MusicLink Foundation as a worthwhile charity for his remembrance. On Thursday, May 28, 2020, Joseph Paul Pollock, loving family member and friend, passed away at the age of 69. Joe was born on August 18, 1950 in Shirleysburg, PA to the late Paul and Ruth Love Pollock.

He graduated from Northwestern High School in Hyattsville, MD, in 1968. He went on to study at Prince George's Community College before beginning his career as a Computer Operations Supervisor at Western Union Telegraph Company. Joe retired from AT&T in 1999 and moved to Nashville where he pursued his passion for music by working for The Nashville Tennessean. Subsequently, he moved back to his home of 50 years, Winchester, VA. Aside from his enthusiasm for music, Joe loved his family, nurtured his friendships and upheld his beliefs. He was always a common denominator in his relationships. "The song is ended, but the melody lingers on." — Irving Berlin