Journal Sharing the Light | February 2024
Winter Warmth Some say that January is the bleakest and saddest month of the whole year. Some wonder if winter will ever end as January draws to a close and February begins. If only spring would hurry up and come, some say forlornly. Yet, to wish away a day or even a minute of this precious life would be to wish away opportunities for wonder and joy and inner warmth! Consider this quote from a favorite movie: “When Chekhov saw the long winter, he saw a winter bleak and dark and bereft of hope. Yet we know that winter is just another step in the cycle of life. But standing here among the(se) people…and basking in the warmth of their hearths and hearts, I couldn’t imagine a better fate than a long and lustrous winter” (Groundhog Day). Generating that kind of reflective and permeating warmth inside ourselves can, in turn, give warmth to those around us. This is something that we all have the potential to do. Such warmth can be created through freely sharing talents, love, light and joy. As we contemplate where we are and what we can do this winter season to bring warmth into our own lives and the lives of others, think of Jesus Christ who brings all light and joy. Then, freely share what we have been given with an abundance of love!
Best regards,
Mark Ammons
Contents Upcoming in February......................................................... 2 Dr. Jon Skidmore’s Take on Creating a Peak Performance........................................................................ 7 How Composer Chance Thomas Approaches Challenges........................................................................... 12 Two Music Ed Students Learn as They Teach in Elementary Classrooms ......................................................................... 16 Alumni Accomplishments.................................................... 20
Edited, written, and designed by Sarah Griffin Anderson and Zoey Diede
Upcoming in February February 3 BYU Blast!
Photo © BYU Creative Services
The BYU School of Music is delighted to announce a new concert experience entitled “BYU Blast!” From the BYU Jazz Ensemble to the Cello Choir to the Tangents Percussion Ensemble, nineteen performing groups and a host of student and faculty soloists will fill this collage concert with short, exciting works in quick succession. See here for a full list of performing ensembles. Buy tickets for this event or stream it live!
February 7 Barlow Endowment 40th Anniversary Concert
Photo © BYU Creative Services
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To celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the Barlow Endowment for Music Composition, guest artist Lara Downes (piano) will join faculty performers Diane Reich (voice), Scott Holden (piano), Benjamin Nichols (saxophone), and several BYU ensembles in a diverse, celebratory concert. The performance will feature Barlow-commissioned works and the world premiere of a new piece by BYU Faculty composer Kevin Anthony. See here for more information on this concert’s program. Admission to this event is free.
February 8 BYU Singers + Concert Choir
Photo by Nate Edwards © BYU Photo 2023
To commemorate the 100th anniversary of Gabriel Fauré’s death, the BYU Singers and Concert Choir will perform the French composer’s Requiem—his most celebrated work for chorus, soloists, and orchestra. Buy tickets for this event or stream it live!
February 8 Mivos Quartet
Photo © BYU Photo
The Mivos Quartet is one of America’s most daring and ferocious contemporary ensembles. Since the quartet’s founding in 2008, the group has devoted itself to performing works of contemporary composers and presenting diverse new music to international audiences. They have performed and closely collaborated with an ever-expanding group of international composers representing a wide aesthetic range of contemporary compositions. In this Barlow-celebratory concert, Mivos will present a Barlow-commissioned piece “Suspend Alight” by BYU alumnus Benjamin Sabey and a recently composed quartet by BYU faculty composer Neil Thornock.
February 9 Eighth Blackbird Eighth Blackbird, a chamber ensemble at the cutting edge of modern classical music, presents a concert of new music 3
Photo © BYU Creative Services
as part of the 40th anniversary celebration of BYU’s Barlow Endowment for Music Composition. Since the sextet’s founding in 1996, Eighth Blackbird has won four Grammy Awards and commissioned and premiered hundreds of works. This concert will feature the 2020 Barlow Prize–winner Bekah Simms’s commissioned piece, “metamold,” and Barlow Endowment Commission recipient Viet Cuong’s concerto “Vital Sines” with BYU’s Wind Symphony. Admission to this event is free.
February 13 Jazz Ensemble and Jazz Voices: L.O.V.E.
Photo by Rebekah Baker © BYU Photo 2019
To celebrate Valentine’s Day, Jazz Ensemble and Jazz Voices will treat audiences to a night of big sounds and tight harmonies. Buy tickets for this event or stream it live!
February 14 BYU Philharmonic: A Night Of Romance
Photo by Nate Edwards © BYU Photo 2019
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Celebrate Valentine’s Day with a night at the symphony! This stirring concert will feature Tchaikovsky’s beloved symphonic poem Romeo and Juliet, among other romantic favorites. Buy tickets for this event or stream it live!
February 15 BYU Symphonic Band: Love Is In The Air!
Photo © BYU Creative Services
Join the Symphonic Band as they pay homage to all those who love and are loved in this special Valentine’s Day concert. Buy tickets for this event or stream it live!
February 23 Jazz Legacy Band
Photo by Nate Edwards © BYU Photo 2018
Nothing conjures up the vision of 1920s America more than the swinging music of the Southern-styled Jazz Legacy Band. When the band starts playing, you can expect to tap your toes and dance in your seat. Attend this event for free or stream it live!
February 24 Family Concert Series: Mozart, Mix-Ups, And Fun!
Photo © BYU Creative Services
Make fun family memories by attending the BYU Family Concert Series, created to introduce the joy of music to children of all ages. The Beverley Taylor Sorenson Foundation sponsors this series. Bring the entire family to enjoy a fun-filled musical farce involving mistaken identities, mix-ups, and the exquisite music of Mozart. Please note that this performance will be held in the West Campus Mainstage Theatre. Seating is limited. Admission to this event is free. 5
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Dr. Jon Skidmore’s Take on Creating a Peak Performance By Zoey Diede
For years, Dr. Jon Skidmore has heard musicians say things like “Performing is the cruelest form of torture,” and “Every time I perform, I die.” But Dr. Skidmore knows that there are a lot of ways to deal with performance anxiety that aren’t helpful. Before Dr. Skidmore became a clinical psychologist, he sang with the BYU Singers while he earned a master’s degree in counseling at BYU. Because of this experience, the intersection of music and psychology was at the forefront of his mind while he got his doctoral degree at the Chicago School of Professional Psychology and wrote his doctoral dissertation on musicians’ experience of peak performance. Years later, he and the BYU music department created MUSIC 259: Psychology of Performance—a course he has now been teaching for 32 years. Dr. Skidmore’s goal in teaching Psychology of Performance is to help musicians develop the psychological skills of performing to support the development and expression of their musical skills. He says, “[The class is] really about how to find freedom and joy and self-expression on stage.” According to Dr. Skidmore, it is easier to love performing when you have the skills to step out of fear and into joy.
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Dr. Skidmore says that performance anxiety has three origins: a culture of performance anxiety in the arts, a lack of performance skills training for musicians, and the brain’s natural fight-or-flight response. He has many proven research-based techniques (from several studies with Dr. Paul Broomhead) that he teaches in MUSIC 259 to help musicians manage performance anxiety. In a recent interview, Dr. Skidmore breaks the “peak performance” process down into two of the many techniques he teaches. These two suggestions are part of a five-stage curriculum he uses.
Tips and Tricks 1. Design a mindset. How a musician prepares for the performance can determine how the performance will go. Musicians know the importance of practice, but what about mental preparation? Dr. Skidmore says, “The mindset is like the foundation [a musician is] building the performance on.” To begin designing the ideal mindset, musicians may consider these questions: What is your goal for the performance? Why are you performing? What kind of mindset do you want to bring to this performance? After formulating responses to these questions, musicians can use their responses to create the foundation for their performance mindset. Then, musicians must diligently practice staying in the mindset as they prepare to perform. “That’s the challenge,” says Dr. Skidmore, “because we can shift out of [our mindset] so quickly. It doesn’t take much.” He suggests prioritizing creativity and expression over perfectionism. 8
2. View stage fright differently. Performance anxiety has the potential to disrupt a musician’s performance and tear them down, creating a vicious cycle. But Dr. Skidmore claims, “Stage fright is not the enemy. It’s just the activation of your sympathetic nervous system.” This happens when the amygdala (an emotional processing region of the brain) creates a distress response to performing—it’s the same response that is created in physical danger (fight-or-flight). Dr. Skidmore uses the term “activation” to describe any symptoms of performance anxiety (stress, panic, worry, nervousness, and feelings of the like). Calling stress responses “activation” can help musicians keep calm as they manage expectations and associations. One way to manage “activation” is through mindfulness exercises. One of the assignments in MUSIC 259 requires students to do 60 meditation sessions throughout the semester. Dr. Skidmore says, “I want them to practice managing the physiological response of activation.” When musicians recognize activation, they can then take the proper steps—like meditation—to cope with activation.
The Impact of the Toolbox Performing is a process and an experience. Dr. Skidmore states that the moment you declare you will perform is when the performance actually starts. Managing language, activation, and expectations of the experience is an important aspect of performing confidently. No one is exempt from experiencing performance anxiety. Dr. Skidmore himself struggles with anxiety at times, but he has built up a personal “toolbox” that allows him to work through his performance anxiety. He recounts, “A few years ago, I had 9
a performance opportunity in the community, and I found myself pre-performance highly ‘activated.’ Now, I was fortunate because I had a performance skills toolbox. I was using all of my tools to get me through that performance, and . . . I was very happy with my performance.” Performing can be a risky situation. Musicians grapple with knowing there is a possibility of failure when they perform, but Dr. Skidmore knows that there is much more to performing than the risk of failure: “The goal [of performing] is really to be able to step up, take that risk, and flow to step into that peak performance where you really are sharing your gift.” To learn more, please sign up for MUSIC 259 or reach out to Dr. Jon Skidmore for coaching (jon@jonskidmore.com). Visit his website here. Photos courtesy of Dr. Jon Skidmore. Photo illustrations are licensed by Pixabay.
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How Composer Chance Thomas Approaches Challenges By Zoey Diede
Chance Thomas, a School of Music alumnus, has composed many wildly successful video game scores, including works for the Lord of the Rings, Avatar, Dungeons & Dragons, Marvel, Warhammer, DOTA, Might & Magic, and Jumanji franchises. His music has underscored an Oscar, an Emmy, and an Emmy nomination, and yet Chance has still had to overcome something that many musicians experience: performance anxiety. The highs and lows of Chance’s music composition career are narrated in Making it HUGE in Video Games, a book that Chance recently released. One such story recounts the background of “The Theme for Rohan,” from Chance’s Lord of the Rings Online soundtrack. Chance is a true fan of Howard Shore’s “The Riders of Rohan” from Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, so when he was given the sizable task of creating a new theme for Rohan, he immersed himself in Tolkien’s literature to figure out something new. After hours of research, Chance incorporated historical symbolism with specific musical elements—like the time signature, modality, and instruments—into the new theme. After the song was released, Chance was invited to conduct the 12
piece with the Utah Symphony. Although he didn’t have much conducting experience, Chance accepted the invitation. While rehearsing the orchestra, Chance found himself getting lost in the score and missing downbeats in the varying time signatures. Chance felt embarrassed and defeated. His wife encouraged him to go back and try again, and a friend suggested conducting with quarter notes instead of eighth notes. Chance was determined to get it right—he practiced and reviewed the score with the advised conducting style. He tried again and was met with a flawless run of the song! Chance explained that “by changing the focus from failure to a solvable problem, [his] motivation returned.” The performance ensued, and Chance conducted with glorious confidence and power. The crowd went wild with thunderous applause for Chance and the symphony. In his book, Chance says, “If I can recover from a humiliation like this, so can you.”
Watch “Theme for Rohan” from the Lord of the Rings Online soundtrack on YouTube.
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Experiencing pressure while trying to meet expectations can be challenging for many, especially for musicians who tend to hold themselves to a high standard. Chance says, “My mother taught me early in life not to get hung up on always having to be the best. ‘Rather,’ she said, ‘Strive to be among the best.’” This principle helps Chance manage anxiety and stress in his career. Chance believes that the way to conquer performance anxiety and setbacks is through preparation and practice. “Deficiencies can be overcome through intelligent effort,” he says. Chance lives by the truth that hard work and preparation ease fears and restore confidence, just as it’s taught in Doctrine and Covenants 38:30: “If ye are prepared, ye shall not fear.” To learn more about Chance’s scores, visit his website. Photos courtesy of Chance Thomas.
Chance Thomas has fun while rehearsing with symphony members.
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Two Music Ed Students Learn as They Teach in Elementary Classrooms By Sarah Griffin Anderson
Ily Olsen and Olivia Hiatt—two students in the music education program—teach after-school ukulele lessons each week to fourth- through sixth-grade students. Though Ily and Olivia were hired to teach separately at two different elementary schools, this opportunity has allowed both Ily and Olivia to take the training they receive as music education students and apply it in real-world classrooms as teachers. In January 2023, Ily Olsen heard about the opportunity to teach the ukulele class and knew she wanted to do it, saying, “My philosophy is that when there is an opportunity, you take it.” Even if it had been an after-school art class, Ily would have been eager to teach. “I am really passionate about teaching, [and] the fact that it was [a music class] and something with instruments made me excited,” Ily says. When she started teaching the class, Ily wasn’t very far into the music education program. But the more she taught, the more she was able to manage the classroom, set expectations, and help students learn. 16
Olivia Hiatt was also excited to learn about the teaching opportunity and eagerly accepted the job at the beginning of 2023. But at the start, “Lesson planning never really went the way I thought it would,” Olivia recalls. Then during the fall semester of 2023, Olivia took an eleOlivia Hiatt mentary practicum class with Dr. Erin Bailey where Olivia learned more about preparing lessons for young children. “Going through that class while [I was] teaching elementary-aged kids was really, really helpful,” Olivia recalls. With additional skills under her belt, Olivia was able to make the transition between simply teaching the lessons to helping students learn while recognizing their individual needs and encouraging them. “Now I get excited every single week to see the kids,” Olivia says. “[They] really love coming to class.” In the music education program, students have the chance to demonstrate teaching skills during class time, and eventually, they gain more experience during practicum and student teaching. Ily has valued her time teaching ukulele lessons because it’s given her additional time to practice the principles she learns in her classes. Ily says, “Everything that I’m being taught right now, I have my own personal [classroom] to try it all out, which is amazing.” With time and space to practice, Ily has moved from relying on explanations to utilizing demonstrations to teach skills. Ily says, “I’ll teach a concept, then I’ll have the students show their peers, and then [they’ll] do evaluations. . . . [The students] get more into it, more excited, and they actually learn.”
Ily Olsen
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Gaining this in-class teaching experience has prepared both Olivia and Ily for their future careers in music education. Ideally, Olivia hopes to teach high school band, but after working with elementary-aged kids, Olivia discovered a love for elementary education. Working with younger-aged children has also helped Olivia learn how to work with first-time music students. Olivia says, “[This experience has] helped me . . . recognize at what point [students] make the switch from being frustrated that they can’t figure it out to the point that they’re like, ‘Oh my gosh, I got it!’” Even though Ily doesn’t plan to teach elementary students, she has also valued the chance to work with young musicians. Ily says, “A lot of the things that I’m [learning] in the elementary school classroom can be brought into my future classroom, even though they’re going to be older students.” Ily’s teaching experience has prepared her for student teaching in the coming semesters. “Of course, I’m still going to have a lot to improve upon [during student teaching],” Ily says, “but I feel like [this experience] is really helping me in my [teaching] practice.” Through their efforts to teach, lift, and empower young students, Ily and Olivia are sharing their light and love for music. Headshots courtesy of Olivia Hiatt and Ily Olsen. Other photos licensed by Adobe Stock for editorial use. 18
S E AS ON TIC KE T S Enjoy inspiring BYU music, dance, and theatre productions and get access to the best pricing and seating options. Season ticket options:
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Visit BYUArts.com for more details!
Alumni Accomplishments Hyrum Kohler (BM, 2023) recently completed his master’s degree in viola performance at Indiana University-Bloomington. Photo courtesy of Hyrum Kohler
Photo courtesy of John Spilker
Wenhao Mu conducts on stage. Photo courtesy of Wenhao Mu
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John Spilker (BA, 2004) is an associate professor of music at Nebraska Wesleyan University. He recently co-edited a book titled Sound Pedagogy: Radical Care in Music. The book focuses on advancing musicology as a creative pedagogical act capable of transforming and strengthening musical communities. In 2023, the book was awarded publication grants from the American Musicological Society and the Howard D. and Marjorie L. Brooks Fund for Progressive Thought. John says, “My education at BYU helped me develop habits, practice, discipline, and focus. . . . Study of the arts and humanities provided me with foundations to see and understand people and cultures. I developed communication skills to embrace and work with differences. I offer a special debt of gratitude to Steven Johnson, Christian Asplund, Michael Hicks, and Anna Mooy.” Dr. Wenhao Mu (MM, 2019) was appointed principal conductor of the Shenzhen Opera and Dance Theatre in 2023. Located close to Hong Kong, the Shenzhen Opera and Dance Theatre boasts the only full-time professional chorus in southern China. In January
Wenhao Mu and family with Dr. Stephen Jones, BYU Faculty, in October 2023. Photo courtesy of Wenhao Mu
Photo courtesy of Courtney Lawson
2024, the group participated in a joint production of Carmen with the Staatskapelle Hamburg and toured to Spain and Malta. In 2023, after Dr. Mu’s appointment, they undertook a series of choral concerts and orchestral-choral projects, including a short international tour to Laos and Thailand. Dr. Mu introduced the group to repertoire they had never before put on stage in Shenzhen: a Bach cantata, a movement from Requiem by Herbert Howells, and several motets and madrigals from the Renaissance period. Wenhao says, “All of the mentors I met at BYU have [been] tremendously supportive and inspiring to me. . . . BYU has taught me the true meaning of doing music together in an ensemble—it’s always related to belief, spirit, and consciousness.” Courtney Lawson (BA, 2022) was hired as the Producing Administrator for Spoleto Festival USA in Charleston, South Carolina. The Spoleto Festival USA is one of the United States’s major performing arts festivals for professional vocalists. She works year-round for the festival, arranging housing and travel for all seasonal staff and artists brought into town during the festival. While she attended BYU, Courtney gained important experience working with the BRAVO! Series and as the choir president for BYU Singers during domestic and international tours. Courtney says, “My colleagues have expressed that were it not for those two 21
positions, I would not have been hired for the role I’m in now. In both of those roles, I was able to be mentored by faculty and staff that not only cared about my education but about my career goals after graduation. I wouldn’t be where I am without the mentorship afforded to me by BYU!”
Photo courtesy of petermurraymusic.net
Peter Murray and J Scott Rakozy, two commercial music alumni, were nominated to receive a Grammy Award for Best Score Soundtrack for Video Games for their work on the “Hogwarts Legacy” video game soundtrack. The 66th Annual Grammy Awards ceremony will be televised on CBS on February 4, 2024.
Photo courtesy of jscottrakozy.com
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You’re an
outstanding musician. We’re a
premier music program. Let’s make beautiful music together. Come and feel the joy of making great music and great friends. BYU offers three programs for talented musicians ages 14–18: BYU Musicians’ Institute followed by BYU Musicians’ SummerFestival.
summerfestival.byu.edu
Registration now open
CHORAL AND VOCAL INSTITUTE
MUSICIANS’ INSTITUTE
MUSICIANS’ SUMMERFESTIVAL
visit summerfestival.byu.edu for more information June 11–22 June 11–15 June 16–22
The BYU School of Music seeks truth in great music. We strive to lead in the composition, performance, teaching, and understanding of music and to serve the university, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and the world through this divine gift.