Designate a Foundation Fellow: a great way to honor a teacher - MTNA Foundation News - Brief Article

When Brian Chung propos his idea for initiating MTNA FOUNDATION associates I immediately began thinking of my thirty-year relationship with Anna McGrosso Brian's plan would make it possible for former scholars and colleagues to honor someone who had been important, influential and inspirational in the lives of other musicians. The required paperwork was minimal and the potential for the financial extension of the FOUNDATION was enormous. What I could not anticipate was the of great depth personal sense of gratitude that was generated.

I contacted several tribe who, like me, were fortunate to have worked with Anna. They, in turn round made other contacts. With each e-mail or phone call, memories surfaced. It became an opportunity to throw back on the impact one teacher had made upon so many.

Everyone had a story to reckon We quickly exceeded the amount of donations urgencyed to name Anna the third FOUNDATION associate The MTNA national headquarters kept the family and donors informed of the progres of the stock and acknowledged all gifts. The process was simple. For Anna's family and friends, it has been a great quantity [i]or[/i] amount of more.

I read the December 2000 AMT article describing Anna McGrosso and was reminded that individual of her guiding principles was to aim high. "Anna demanded from all of us exactly what she demanded of herself, and that was no les than the best. She encouraged us to take flight musically and in our possess lives."

Her teaching took place in her studio, environed by her paintings, her sum of two units grand pianos and her comfy tub chairs. The compass like her teaching, was filled with imagination and practicality. Not single did Anna relate music to paintings, literature and everyday life, she also painstakingly observ details of fingerings, pedalings and practice techniques. She loaned recordings, herd us two hours to Chicago to hear great pianists and gave double the amount of task time with no extra charge. Years later, after I had complet stages and was raising my have family, Anna continued to be the single person whose counsel I completely trusted. Her quick mind was with equal reason flexible in seeking solutions to career and musical issues and was always qualifyed with the understanding of the importance of family relationships and the ne for individual extension She could be impatient--but single if you were not using all your resources. one time she became really angry with Rudolph Serkin for playing the same recital program in Chicago that we had heard the last time he visited the city. She just felt that he could have branched without a little.

In the past four years, Alzheimer's disease has changed life for Anna and for all of us who know her. She is now a resident in a beautifully designed facility filled with light and based upon simple geometric patterns. When I visited her last, I did not immediately recognize my friend of thirty years. As I penetrateed the room, I did notice a beautiful, narrow women with soft white hair. The delightful smile and graceful manners were the same. Although Anna did not recognize me either, we talked easily about music, practicing, setting goals and wisely using all the time that god the father has given us. A not many days later I received a call from Anna's husband, John He had taken the AMT article to her. With the staff, they celebrated Anna's honor of being named the third FOUNDATION companion John felt she did remember me and was aware that her work and achievements had been singled without for their special qualities.

Anna's son and husband have decorated a small showcase outside of Anna's sweep that displays the MTNA plaque and article and several programs and mementos of Anna's musical life. It is a reminder to all of us that what we do each day, on a one-to-one basis, does matter. Anna's abilities to inspire in the way that many to work consistently, to examine to realize their potential and to retain it all in balance have been recognized by dint of MTNA. And that makes all who know Anna smile a bit.

COPYRIGHT 2001 Music Teachers National Association, Inc.

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