Music to My Ears: Music Lessons for All Ages

Student & Staff Accomplishments

MTME Student Tayla Nebesky featured in The Press Democrat

Tayla Nebesky isn’t always comfortable putting her feelings into words. But she can masterfully express emotions and convey great meaning to diverse audiences when she speaks through music.

Tayla has been playing the trumpet for the last five of her 15 years, after once trying her hand at the bugle. She has moved up through the orchestras to the Youth Orchestra. Her professionalism is such that she played with the Santa Rosa Symphony last month – one of the youngest substitute players in the orchestra’s history.

“I was really excited and I was surprised to be asked. I know the principal, Doug Morton, so that’s how I got my name in. I was kind of nervous, but (the other musicians) were really nice. My teacher was also playing trumpet next to me,” she says, noting that the unique honor was fun, and something she’d love to do again.

Tayla is home-schooled and takes courses at Santa Rosa Junior College, including jazz combo classes. While studying at the Santa Rosa Symphony’s Summer Music Academy several years ago, Tayla was introduced to composing.

She began with a composition for voice and piano. More complex forays soon followed. While maintaining her commitment to academics and to piano practice in the morning and trumpet practice in the afternoon, Tayla made more time for composing.

“Right now I’m writing a piece for eight instruments: string quartets and woodwinds,” she says. “I compose at the piano, so if I get an idea while I’m practicing, I’ll write it down.”

— from The Press Democrat, March 30, 2008

 

MTME Teacher Robert Wayne Padgett wins composition competition

Robert Wayne Padgett of Pacific Grove has won the 2008 Max Bragado-Darman Fanfare Competition with his submission "Fanfare for the Eagles." Mr. Padgett is an eighth-generation Californian whose heritage can be traced to the Casa Boronda — the first and oldest Adobe built outside the old Spanish Presidio in Monterey by his forefather, Don Manual de Boronda. The Monterey Symphony will premiere his work on May 17, 18, and 19, 2008. "Ever since I first began attending concerts at age five to watch my mother (violinist Rosemarie Dunsford) perform with the orchestra," said Mr. Padgett. "I Dreamed that one day I would hear on of my own works being performed by the orchestra. Now that dream is coming true!" Max Bragado selected the work (with no knowledge of Mr. Padgett's parentage) from a group of very impressive submissions.

— from the Monterey Symphony "Symphony News"

 

MTME Student Tayla Nebesky wins 4th place in Concerto Competition

The Santa Rosa Symphony Youth Orchestra’s “Celebrate the Future” concert will showcase the winners of its third annual Concerto Competition and its first Composing Competition... Tayla Nebesky from Freestone, a sophomore at Orchard View Charter School, was fourth. The young people auditioned before a 3-judge panel of professional musicians in October. The contest was open to all 50 Youth Orchestra members, eight of which auditioned...

— Press Release, The Santa Rosa Symphony, January 15, 2008