Remembering Our Roots

by Paul Williams, June 2011

This is my last letter as President of AMSF, and I thought it prudent to take a little trip down Memory Lane and dig into the past. AMSF has grown beyond belief and I think it's important that now and again we remember how we started.

One thing that is really important for our group to remember is that we are here to help members grow, not to intimidate new or potential members. This is not to say that this is actually occurring, but my mind is going back to a recent Encore recital when I struck up a conversation with a woman in the audience who had heard about us from our web site and was considering joining our group. She had come to the Encore to get an idea of what to expect. I encouraged her to stay behind for the reception following the recital, but she was nowhere to be seen. It occurred to me that possibly the level of playing she heard was way above what she had expected, that she didn't think she was up to that standard, and so wouldn't fit in.

If someone who is planning to join AMSF attends an Encore recital and hears the high quality of music which has now become the "norm", they might well make a run for the door with much shaking of heads and muttering "I could NEVER play like that!" ... not realizing that those performing in the Encore recitals have grown to that level of playing over the years they've been involved with the organization.

We are as good as the Prelude series. This series is where our progress starts, and from where it grows, with "fertilizers" such as the Intermezzo and Cadenza recitals along the way. In a rather long-winded and roundabout way, I'm trying to encourage our less experienced members (you know who you are) to sign up for the master class which will be held by our founder, Matthew Harre, on November 6. (No excuses; November 6 is a long way off yet!) I don't think Matt had any expectation, when he had the great idea of founding the Adult Music Student Forum some 23 years ago, that we would be in existence today, and at such a level. Matt had been aware that there were many performance opportunities for child musicians, but that wasn't the case for adults. Hence the idea of forming a group of adult amateurs was born, and the rest is history. AMSF is for ALL levels of adult music students, whether they are new to learning to play an instrument, or want to be part of a group where they can meet others with a similar interest and share their experiences.

In conclusion, I would like to express my sincere thanks and gratitude for all the help I have received, from Board members and non-Board members alike, during my tenure as President. It has been a pleasure. I know you will be as kind and generous to my successor, Dale Dean.

May you all practice long and well. Best wishes to all.