Beacham named Music Educator of the Year
FARMINGTON – Karen Beacham was recently named “Music Educator of the Year” by the Maine Music Educators Association, according to a MMEA press release.
The MMEA board voted unanimously to present Beacham with the MMEA Music Educator of the Year award for 2014
The award was presented by Nancy Curran, MMEA president, at the Maine All-State Conference on recently in Orono. Beacham was nominated for this award in February by Carol Shumway, Mt. Blue Regional School District Music Department Chairperson.
Numerous colleagues, parents and students wrote letters in support of her nomination. They cited her “ability to instruct, manage and motivate” her band students at Mt. Blue High School, her work with the Mt. Blue High School Jazz Band, the formation of a jazz band at the middle school, her commitment to all her students, and her ability to continually maintain her high level of performance as a clarinetist.
In his letter of recommendation, one of her high school students wrote about a decision Beacham made recently regarding her commitment to the MBHS Jazz Band. She had been called to substitute at the last minute for a performance (on E-flat Clarinet) with the Boston Symphony Orchestra. The BSO performed the complete “Daphnis and Chloé” by Maurice Ravel with Bernard Haitink conducting in Symphony Hall. She performed brilliantly, garnering a mention in a review for The Boston Musical Intelligencer. The BSO then asked Beacham to perform with them again when the orchestra took the concert to Carnegie Hall 12 days later.
The only problem was that the Carnegie Hall date coincided with a district competition for the jazz band that would qualify them for the state jazz competition. Beacham respectfully turned down the BSO’s offer in order to accompany the jazz band to the competition.
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