Issue link: http://saihq.uberflip.com/i/116207
Music Notes SAI Children's Music CD Garners 2 Awards K ansas City Alumnae Chapter member and Sword of Honor recipient Jane Christison became a two-time award winner in 2012. Her CD of childrens' songs, Come Sing Along with Janie Next Door, received a Tillywig Toy & Media Sterling Fun Award and a Mom's Choice Award (MCA) in the previous year. Each year, the Tillywig Toy Awards Program (tillywig.com) delivers to consumers, retailers, and the media the best new toys, games, and other products available in the United States. In addition to the evaluation of products, the Tillywig program also awards a small number of retail stores each year for their ongoing contributions to promoting high quality, innovative new products. Product awards are given on the basis of group play tests, the primary purpose of which is evaluating the entertainment and/or educational value of the products submitted. "While many of the songs evolve around simple childhood activities and events," Tillywig said of Christison's CD, "there's a visceral and visual quality to the lyrics and melodies that plays much like the soundtrack to an exciting motion picture. It is this quality — experiencing the spectacular in the ordinary — that sets the songs apart." The Mom's Choice Awards (MomsChoiceAwards.com) is an international awards program that recognizes authors, inventors, companies, parents and others for their efforts in creating quality family-friendly media, products and services. The Mom's Choice Awards named Christison's CD among the best in familyfriendly media, products, and services. Judges include: Dr. Twila C. Liggett, tentime Emmy-winner, professor and founder of PBS's Reading Rainbow; Julie Aigner-Clark, Creator of Baby Einstein and The Safe Side Project; Jodee Blanco, New York Times bestselling author Priscilla Dunstan, creator of the Dunstan Baby Language; Patricia Rossi, host of NBC's Manners Minute; Dr. Letitia S. 6 Wright, D.C., host of the Wright Place ™ TV Show, and Catherine Witcher, M.Ed., special needs expert and founder of Precision Education, Inc. An initiate of Tau-Sigma at the University of Missouri, Kansas City (UMKC) and current Kansas City Alumnae Chapter member, Christison is an accomplished accordionist and entertainer, playing and singing many styles of music. She performs upbeat and engaging 45-minute programs for seniors groups, retirement communities, and nursing homes. Her personality and enthusiasm for playing the accordion are in demand as well for conventions, theme parties and other celebrations. As a member of USO Shows, she toured the Far East, playing at military bases in Korea, Japan, Okinawa, Taiwan, the Philippines and Guam. A second USO tour took her to the Azores and Germany. As a member of the UMKC Accordion Orchestra, Jane has performed in Germany, Switzerland, Austria, England, Scotland, Sweden, Russia, Estonia, Denmark, Australia, New Zealand, Hungary, the Czech Republic and Italy. Jane studied serious accordion literature with Joan Cochran Sommers and graduated UMKC with a Bachelor of Music degree in accordion performance. She has been featured as a guest artist at accordion festivals throughout the US, performing and presenting workshops. Video versions of two of her workshops, "Playing the Accordion for Fun and Fame!" and "Squeezing Money Out of Your Accordion" are available through her company, Music With A Smile Productions, L.L.C. CLICK FOR MORE To learn more about Jane Christison, visit janienextdoor.com PAN PIPES WINTER 2013 sai-national.org winter 13 PP.indd 6 2/12/2013 2:14:50 PM