Winners and alternates of the IMTA (Iowa Music Teacher Association) Ames district piano audition have the opportunity to showcase one piece at the Honors Recital. Devon was the winner for the F Level competition this year and he will be moving on competing at the State Level on March 11, 2023. At the Honors Recital, Devon performed Chopin’s Etude in E minor Op.25 No.5.
Category: Music
OPUS 2022 Music Competition
Congratulations to Devon for receiving 3rd prize in the Piano Category IV in Iowa of the OPUS 2022 Music Competition. The OPUS Music Competition is an online competition open to school-aged children at State and National Levels for Piano and Strings. Students have to submit 1 to 3 compositions performed within a time limit of the categories.
2022 All State Music Festival
This is Devon’s third year participating in the All State Music Festival. He made 10th chair in the cello section of the orchestra this year. There was no chamber orchestra last year due to social distancing precautions, hence this is the first year he gets to be part of it. The top 10 musicians in the orchestra of each section get to participate in the chamber orchestra, performing with the choir.
2022 All State Music Festival Audition
Congratulations to Devon for making it into the All State Music Festival 2022!
Con Brio Piano Certification
Congratulations to Connor for getting a high distinction with his Grade 6 piano performance with the Con Brio Examinations.
2021 All State Music Festival
Even though Devon made it to All State last year, the rehearsals and concert were cancelled due to the pandemic, so technically this is his first year playing at the All State! He made an impressive 7th chair among 30 cellists. This is the 75th annual celebration and participants receive a special medal.
2021 All State Music Festival Audition
In his sophomore year, Devon earned a spot in the cello section of the 2021 All State Music Festival for the second year in a row. Due to the pandemic this was his first in-person audition.
Saying farewell to Mrs. Kanevski
Meet Mrs. Kanevski. She has been Devon’s piano teacher since 2017. Devon expressed to give piano competitions a try and we found Mrs. Kanevski. Many people who do not know her might think that she is very strict, since she is known in the area for having several students championing in the IMTA (Iowa Music Teachers’ Association) piano auditions. Not Mrs. Kanevski. She is the kindest, most patient and caring teacher I have known. She is quite the opposite of what you would expect. She prioritizes on her students, but never puts any pressure on them. Perhaps it is one of the reasons her students perform so well.
Unfortunately, Mrs. Kanevski was diagnosed with leukemia in 2020. She underwent chemotherapy and seemed to have some success with it. However, she had decided to leave Iowa to be closer to her family in Wisconsin. This was the last picture taken with Mrs Kanevski at her house in Ames, Iowa, before she left. As chemotherapy had stripped her immunity (she said that none of the previous vaccinations were effective after treatment), she and everyone around her always take precautions not to get her sick.
Even though she has given us a choice to switch to a different teacher (as she will not be teaching in person anymore), I cannot imagine going to anyone else. There are many piano teachers in the area, but there is only one Mrs. Kanevski. While she has the amazing ability of turning her students into great musicians, it is her positive and relentless attitude that make her unique. She is a role model for our children and us. We are very fortunate to have her as our son’s teacher.
Our Homeschool String Ensemble
Perhaps this is the picture in your mind when you hear “homeschool band”.
Well, I am all about shifting paradigms. This is us (picture above) on the first day of our homeschool string ensemble. In a typical year, the kids will be participating in the Des Moines Symphony Academy youth symphonies, but due to the pandemic, this has been cancelled, though the academy does offer an alternative online program. We decided to start our very own string ensemble. We will be practicing every day and meeting every Saturday. The kids have always enjoyed performing familiar movie soundtracks and music, and it is refreshing to get to pick the pieces you play. They also get an opportunity to be featured soloists, which would demand them to be better players. I am excited for the new school year.
Online Cello Lesson
We have decided to switch to virtual music lessons during the pandemic. It was a great time to explore different options. We came across a service called “Virtu Academy”. The teachers on that site were graduates from top music schools. We had set Devon up with Mr Andrew Briggs. He is a performing artist currently residing in Paris who had attended Julliard. We enjoy having him as Devon’s teacher. He has a great personality and seems to connect with Devon.