State Awards

Congratulations to our State Award winners

The awards were presented at CMEA, during the General ASTA Membership meeting in Colorado Hall.

COLORADO ASTA 2019 OUTSTANDING STRING TEACHER

Anne Paulu

Anne Paulu is a dedicated and passionate orchestra teacher with the Boulder Valley School District as well as a freelance violinist in the Denver Metro area. She attended the University of Colorado, Boulder with an Honors Scholarship and received her Bachelors of Music Education. Ms. Paulu continued her training at CU where she worked as a Graduate Assistant and completed her Masters Degree in Music Performance and Pedagogy.

She began her career with Lakewood Talent Education, teaching Suzuki Violin to 50 young children. She started her public school teaching career working part time with the Cherry Creek School District. Ms. Paulu accepted her current position in the Boulder Valley School District in 1997, teaching 5th grade through high school. She currently teaches at Centennial Middle School, 6th through 8th grade. In 2012, 2015 and 2018 Centennial Middle School was awarded the great honor of performing at the CMEA conference in Colorado Springs.

Ms. Paulu also performs in the Denver Metro area. In addition to being a member of the Colorado Ballet Orchestra since 1991, she has had the privilege of performing at the Temple Buell Theatre with such Broadway show productions as Phantom of the Opera, Miss Saigon, White Christmas, and South Pacific as well as many others.

Ms. Paulu believes that the quality of our culture, both present and future, is strongly linked to the quality of “The Arts” in our nation – how they are taught, valued, and preserved. Education needs to be about developing the WHOLE child, valuing the areas of every discipline, and understanding how they cohesively build intelligence, discipline, compassion, and humanity.

COLORADO ASTA 2019 LIFETIME SERVICE AWARD

Cameron Law

J. Cameron Law is an award winning educator, cellist, conductor, and composer. He recently retired after a 29 year career as Director of Orchestras at Grand Junction High School and West Middle School.

Mr. Law is in his 29th season as the Co-Principal Cellist of the Grand Junction Symphony. He was the cellist with Trio de las Americas, formerly the Mesa State College Faculty Piano Trio, performed for six seasons with the Crested Butte Summer Music Festival, and was cello instructor at Colorado Mesa University. His private cello students have completed music degrees at such prestigious institutions as the Hart School of Music, Indiana University, and the Berklee College of Music.

Mr. Law has conducted the Grand Junction Symphony, the Colorado All-State Orchestra, the New Mexico All-State Orchestra, the University of Wyoming’s Festival of Strings, the Fort Lewis College Honors Orchestra, the Mesa State College Orchestra, the High Desert Light Opera Orchestra, the Colorado State University Rocky Mountain Summer Music Camp Orchestra, and the University of Colorado Summer Musicworks Orchestra. His orchestras at Grand Junction High School performed six times at the Colorado Music Educators’ Association Annual Clinic and Conference, and they performed in 2009 at Alice Tully Hall in New York’s Lincoln Center.

Additionally, Mr. Law served for 20 years as the Camp Director for the CASTA Middle School String Camp and is a Past President of the Colorado Chapter of the American String Teacher’s Association. In 1999 he was presented with the Grand Junction Chamber of Commerce Outstanding Educator Award, and in 2002 he was named the ASTA Colorado String Teacher of the Year and received the Sylvan Excellence in Education Award. He has worked as a clinician and adjudicator throughout Colorado, as well as in Utah, New Mexico, Wyoming, New York, Hawaii, and North Dakota. Mr. Law has served on the Colorado All-State Orchestra Advisory Board and the Colorado High School Activities Association State Music Advisory Board, and he was the founding advisor for the Grand Junction High School Tri-M Chapter.

Mr. Law is currently the String Editor for Grand Mesa Music Company. His compositions and arrangements appear on several state lists, as Editor’s Choices in the Pepper Music Catalog, and have been performed at the Midwest Conference in Chicago. His work Sinapu was premiered by the Grandview High School Orchestra at the 2015 National ASTA Conference in Salt Lake City.

Mr. Law spends his summers as the Program Director for the Road Scholar Program at the Aspen Music Festival. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Cello Performance with University Honors and Academic Distinction from Colorado State University, and a Master’s Degree in Cello Performance and Teacher Certification from the University of Michigan, where he studied with Jeffrey Solow and Robert Culver. He has two grown children (Lindsye and Eric), and a grandchild ( Marky D the Mini Maestro). He and his wife Kathy and their dogs Cooper and Patsy Cline enjoy all of the outdoor activities Western Colorado has to offer.

Colorado ASTA, Inc. Lifetime Service Award Criteria (nomination required)

Required

All nominees must be a registered Colorado ASTA member during the time of consideration.
Minimum of 20 years of teaching experience.
Has served as a mentor to new teachers in the profession.
Has demonstrated leadership in the music profession.
Has demonstrated advocacy for music and string education.

Recommended

Has been a presenter, clinician or host at a music conference.
Has served or is presently serving on the Colorado ASTA board or on a Colorado ASTA committee.

Colorado ASTA, Inc. Teacher of the Year Award Criteria (nomination required)

Required

All nominees must be a registered Colorado ASTA member during the time consideration.
Exemplifies teaching excellence in string education either in the classroom or in the private studio.
Has mentored a new teacher or prospective teacher during the past 12 months
Serves on district, state, or national music committees.

Recommended

Presenter at a CMEA, Colorado ASTA or other professional music education conference.
Has served or is serving on the Colorado ASTA board or on a Colorado ASTA committee.

Colorado ASTA, Inc. - Lifetime Service Award
2020 Michelle Ewer
2019 Cameron Law
2018 Ellen Ravnan
2017 Vern Ashcraft
2016 Susan Day
2015 Judy Elgethun
2014 Barb Risner
2013 Richard Fuchs
2012 Andrea L. Meyers
2011 Stephanie Wallace
2010 James Mosby Bratton*
2009 Dr. Katharine “Kip” Mason
2008 Gerhard and Joann Wolter, Michael J. Schaefer
2007 Carol Tarr
2006 Jim McNeal
2005 Larry Lashley
2004 Larry Overton*
2003 Leonard Diggs*
2002 Will Schwartz*
2001 Tom & Barbara Humphrey
2000 Dan Giullian
1999 Vanda Skadden
1998 Francis L. Feese*
1997 Steven McNeal
1996 Virgil Rosenberger*
Deceased ƒCMEA Hall of Fame +CMEA Past-President

Colorado ASTA, Inc. - Outstanding String Teacher
2020 Daniel Smith
2019 Anne Paulu ƒ
2018 Amber Campbell
2017 Loni Obluda
2016 John Hermanson
2015 Alison Mayes
2014 Not Awarded
2013 Not Awarded
2012 Nancy Marble
2011 Dr. James Fittz
2010 Margaret Miller
2009 Wes Kenney
2008 Campbell Harrison
2007 Pattie Nelson
2006 Andrea L. Meyers
2005 Nancy Allwein
2004 Becky Anderson ƒ
2003 Barbara Rino
2002 Cameron Law
2001 Judy Elgethun
2000 Susan Day ƒ
1999 James McNeal
1998 Brett Wallace
1997 Vanda Skadden
1996 Scott Betts
Deceased ƒCMEA Hall of Fame +CMEA Past-President

Colorado ASTA, Inc. - Past Presidents
2020 Loni Obluda
2018 Alison Mayes
2016 Rebecca Jonas
2014 Nancy Allwein
2012 Linda Johnson
2010 Kim Watkins*
2008 Don Emmons
2006 Andrea Meyers ƒ
2004 Dr. Margaret Berg
2002 Michelle Ewer ƒ+
1999 Dr. Katherine "Kip" Mason ƒ
1998 Dr. Greg Hurley
1996 Cameron Law ƒ
1994 Scott Betts
1991 Vanda Skadden
1988 Michelle Ewer ƒ
1986 Richard Fuchs
1984 Barbara Risner
1979 Larry Overton*
1977 Mike Pearce
1976 Gerald Karre
1974 Howard Mickens*
1960 Steve McNeal ƒ
*Deceased ƒCMEA Hall of Fame +CMEA Past-President

Colorado ASTA (CASTA) Special Projects and Initiatives
YEAR EVENT/PROJECT WHO

2021 Studio Teachers Retreat Phil Ficsor, Lindsay Genadek, Nancy Marble, Katherine Mason, Andrea Meyers, Carol Tarr

2014 Large Group Festival Steve Martin, Chair Enrique Lasansky, Katharine Mason, Kyle Pupley,
David Saccardi, Katarina Schmitt, Beth Wells, Ryan Woodworth

2007 Colorado Certificate Program Dr. Katharine Mason

(Later changed to CCAP)

1994 CASTA Middle School String J. Cameron Law

Camp (Cedar Ridge, CO)

1988 First Summer ASTA Convention Michelle Ewer

(With CBA)

National ASTA/Colorado Connections

YEAR EVENT/PROJECT WHO

2019-2021 American String Teacher Magazine Dr. Joel Schut

Editor in Chief

Year? Denver School of the Arts Middle School Enrique Lasansky

National Orchestra Festival Winner

2006-2012 National Membership Chair Andrea Meyers

2009-2001 National Board, Member-at-Large Andrea Meyers

2004-2006 National Board, Member-at-Large Dr. Katharine Mason

2001 TWO National Solo Competition Finalists

One wins the Junior Division

1999 ASTA Special Projects Grant: Carol Tarr
Marvin Rabin Conducting Workshop

Dillon, CO

1997 ASTA Special Projects Grant: Juliet White-Smith

Alexander Technique Workshop

1991 ASTA Special Projects Grant: Vanda Skadden

CASTA Banner

1970? University of Colorado Dr. Eugene Hilligoss *ƒ

University of Wyoming

Created the first students ASTA Chapter

in the United States

1968 ASTA National Membership Chair Dr. Eugene Hilligoss *ƒ

1954 First Colorado presence on the National Dr. Eugene Hilligoss *ƒ

ASTA Board:

Corresponding and Recording Secretary