Carole Flatau
Carole Flatau was a composer, publisher, editor, educator and proponent of American Folk Music.
As an editor, she served in an executive position of keyboard instruction for Columbia Pictures Publications (CPP/Belwin) and Warner Brothers Publications. Later, was an editor for Alfred Music Publishing. Her contributions with the National Federation of Music Clubs included serving on the National Board of Directors, lecturer, contributor as composer, editor and publisher of works with her own company Noteworthy Publications, now published through Nouvelle Music Publishing, whose works continue to be a part of the NFMC Bulletins.
Carrie Kraft
Carrie Kraft won her first composition contest when she was in seventh grade, the year that North Dakota Music Teachers Association held its first composition contest. Her winning entry for junior high category was "Carry ON!" for two pianos, eight hands. She taught the piece with her own students through the years.
Carrie Kraft of Jamestown, North Dakota is nationally recognized for her compositions and arrangements, especially for keyboard ensemble. Besides numerous listings in the Federation Bulletin, her solos and ensembles appeared on many different state lists. "Whistlestop Junction", a 1993 work for one piano, four hands and two whistles, has been the highlight of multi-piano concerts all over the country.
Carrie grew up in Valley City, North Dakota, the daughter of Carole and Don Flatau. A piano performance graduate of University of North Dakota in 1985, she lived in Jamestown, ND until 2017 when she moved to Iowa. Active in almost every kind of music, Carrie directed a choir at one church, played organ for several others, accompanied the Choralaires (men's community chorus) for 25 years, co-wrote a mass (Trinity Mass), served on the board of directors for Rotary, was an officer in Jamestown Music Teachers Association, as well as music director for a local children's theater. She served several terms as state treasurer of North Dakota Music Teachers Association. She held professional certification. Her students were active on the local music scene and many won state honors including composition and Baldwin competitions.
Carrie currently lives in Knoxville, Iowa where she still enjoys playing the piano.
William Allen Myers
Dr. Allen Myers educational background includes a Bachelor of Music degree in Piano Performance and Music Education from Baldwin-Wallace University, formerly Baldwin-Wallace College, Conservatory of Music, Master in Music degree in Jazz Studies from Indiana University School of Music and a Doctoral of Musical Arts in Composition from University of Missouri at Kansas City.
As a composer, he was named Composer of the Year 2000-2001 from the Music Teachers National Association/Missouri Music Teachers Association. His commissioned work for the MMTA convention Trio of Time for flute, piano and cello went on to win the 2003 Chamber Music Composition Contest at the University of Missouri at Kansas City. In that same year his doctoral dissertation Kaleidoscope for solo alto saxophone and chamber orchestra took first place in the 2003 Orchestral Music Composition Contest at the University of Missouri at Kansas City. In 2008 he was invited to participate in the International Jazz Composers’ Symposium Poster Session in Tampa, Florida. His music has been featured at Society of Composers Incorporated regional conference as well as at the Indiana Music Educators Conference.
Allen has studied composition with the great Manny Albam, David Baker, Dominic Spera, Mike Parkinson, Chen Yi, Zhou Long, James Mobberly, Paul Rudy, John Eaton and Loris Chobanian. His works and recordings can be found in numerous music production libraries and a regular contributor of original recordings to Studio 51 Music which is known for its seven year relationship as exclusive music provider for the Oprah Winfrey Show. Allen’s music has aired on ABC, Animal Planet, CBS, CNBC, E TV, Investigation Discovery, MTV, NBC, Showtime, Weather Channel, and Amazon streaming.
As an educator and performer, Allen has taught as an adjunct faculty member teaching Business of Music, Orchestration, and a variety of jazz courses at William Jewell College. On occasion he leads and performs with the Allen Myers Jazz Orchestra.
Allen currently is president of Nouvelle Music Publishing, LLC.