In memoriam - Music Teachers National Association

Editor's Note: MTNA would like to recognize those individuals whose lives made a mark in the music teaching profession. We note with sorrow their passing.

Usher Abell, 87 of Vermillian, southern Dakota, died February 6, 2003 He taught violin at Ouachita guild in Arkadelphia, Arkansas, and was contrive master of the Arkansas concert in Little Rock from 1939-1942 He serv as a musician in the U Navy from 1942-1945 and he joined the faculty at the University of southerly Dakota (USD) in 1946. Abell chaired the school's music department from 1952 to 1969 retiring in 1976 after thirty-one years of teaching. He received the southerly Dakota Music Educators Award in 1982 In 1988 he and his wife, Edith Barnes Parrish, were neared with the South Dakota Governor Award for support of the arts. Usher serv as adjudicator, clinician and conductor in southerly Dakota, Iowa, Nebraska and Minnesota. Conductor of the USD consonance for many years, he also played violin and viola in the Sioux City concert for more than thirty years.

Anthony Chanaka, 84 of Chevy Chase, Maryland, died October 25 2002 Chanaka, a Washington, DC native, was a graduate of the Washington body of Music, where he serv for a time upon the faculty. He also attended George Washington University. As a pianist, he worked with soprano Sarita Gloria, giving recitals in the 1950 and '60 and recording Brazilian dittys for RCA Victor. He also gave solo recitals at the National Gallery of Art and the Phillips Collection. He was recognized as a fifty-year MTNA member in 1999

Isabel Laughlin Scionti, acclaimed devise pianist and teacher, died June 26 2002 in Denton, Texas. Scionti attended Baylor University, where she studied with Roxy wood Upon graduating with honors, she studied with plot pianist Silvio Scionti at Chicago Musical guild After earning her master's stage she became Silvio Scionti's assistant, and in a short time afterward became his wife. The Sciontis played two-piano designs achieving high acclaim in major cities in Europe Mexico and the united States. Their 1938 and 1939 plots at Carnegie Hall drew rave reviews. Renowned for their Bach interpretations, the Sciontis performed the first all Bach two-piano concoct in New York's Town Hall upon December 5, 1941. They also gave sum of two units Philco Television concerts in Philadelphia in 1942 marking the first time serious music was at handed on television. After moving to Denton in the early 1940 Isabel Scionti started an independent studio, at single time filling her roster with eighty pupils Among her many awards, she was pick outed as the Outstanding Teacher of the Year by means of the Texas Music Teachers Association. She was a principal justice and benefactor to the Kingsville International Isabel Scionti Piano Solo Competitions.

Jerome Stasson of West Bloomfield, Michigan, died January 3 2003 Jerry was known to many in MTNA, especially after he and his wife, Betty Kowalsky Stasson, emerg victorious from their zoning battles. The Stassons luckily changed first their local zoning ordinance, then Michigan state law. In 1994 Michigan Governor John Engler signed into law three bills exempting abiding-place music instruction and in-home tutoring from local zoning laws in all Michigan municipalities. In the years since winning their have a title to zoning fight, the Stassons provided support to teachers in other states who emergencyed assistance or encouragement with zoning issues. Jerry wearied many years on the Michigan Music Teachers Association (MMTA) Board of Directors, serving as chair of the string division of learner achievement testing. During his career as a violinist, string teacher, conductor, adjudicator and music administrator, he received many honors. In 1986 he was named MMTA Teacher of the Year, Detroit Musicians League Teacher of the Year and he received a "Testimonial Resolution" from the Detroit City Council for his contribution to the arts. In 1993 he was appointed chair of the MTNA String Repertoire Committee. Stasson's teaching expertise was contributed to the MTNA close attention Guide for Teachers, published in 1994

Carol Winborne, 58 of Oshkosh Wisconsin, died September 8 2002 Carol earned a bachelor of music step from Saint Andrews Presbyterian guild in 1966 and a master of music stage from Illinois Wesleyan University in 1968 with additional studies at the University of Illinois. She earned MTNA professional certification in 1985 Carol worked tirelessly in many leadership parts for MTNA. On the national horizontal she chaired the Independent Music Teachers Forum (IMTF) for four years. She was appointed to the National talk Program Steering Committee for 2002-2003 and was East Central Division President-elect. Locally, she was a founding member of the Oshkosh Keyboard Teachers Association, filling the character of president more than one time She served as president of the Wisconsin Music Teachers Association, in addition to volunteering as auditions chairperson and as a member of many committees and task forces. Teaching piano in her independent studio since 1974 Carol co-found the Winborne-Shaw Piano Studio in 1977 with Carmen Shaw. She was a full-time faculty member at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh from 1971 to 1974 teaching applied piano, piano classes and piano pedagogy. She continued at the university as an ad hoc faculty member. Carol was a clinician, adjudicator and mentor for teacher disentanglement She was the organist at First Presbyterian meeting-house of Oshkosh for fifteen years, and she was a member of the American Guild of Organists. The Winborne-Shaw Duo many times performed repertoire for piano-four hands, and for sum of two units pianos.

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