Colorado State University / THE UNIVERSITY CENTER FOR THE ARTS / VOLUME 3 / ISSUE 23 / DECEMBER 2017
FINISHING 2017 STRONG WITH THE CSU MARCHING BAND
WELCOME TO
THE GREEN ROOM
Dan Goble
Director of the School of Music, Theatre, and Dance
Jennifer Clary Jacobs Marketing Director
Mike Solo
Creative Director
Brandon Adams
Publicity and Marketing Assistant
How did it get so late so soon? It’s night before it’s afternoon. December is here before it’s June. My goodness how the time has flewn. How did it get so late so soon? – Dr. Seuss On Friday afternoon, I packed my camera gear backpack – fondly referred to as “the turtle” due to its shape on my back – and boarded bus #2 in the fleet of six taking the CSU Marching Band to downtown Denver for the annual 9New Parade of Lights. This simple act was deja vu-like in its familiarity after so many times! For me, these annual events have become major indicators of the passage of time, and it’s shocking how quickly they come around each year. Never mind the holidays! Although the precious faces change, the annual dance capstone concert, the annual Holiday Spectacular, the annual art student sale, the annual Freshman Theatre Project, the annual parade, and an annual bowl game trip, are our end-of-another-year-markers. We hope you relish attending these events as much as we enjoy creating them for you. As we approach the close of 2017, thank you for spending June, December, and all of the other months, with us this year at the University Center for the Arts. We’ll see you back in The Green Room in February.
Sincerely, Jennifer Clary Jacobs, Director of Marketing, University Center for the Arts
cover photo: Tony Villalobos-May, CSU Marching Band Photography Assistant
TABLE OF TICKETS Online Sales: CSUArtsTickets.com Ticket Office: Griffin Lobby, University Center for the Arts (UCA) Ticket Office Hours: M–F, 3:30–5:30 p.m., and 60 minutes prior to performances Information: (970) 491-ARTS (2787) / Email: CSUArts@colostate.edu Group rate: 15% off on ten or more tickets, applied at the time of purchase Tickets may be purchased, both online and at the UCA Ticket Office until 30 minutes after curtain. Print-at-home tickets are available online. All tickets are subject to a $1 ticket fee for both online and at-the-door purchases. At-the-door and phone purchases will incur a $3 processing fee per order. Advance ticket purchase is highly recommended to avoid lines and the at-the-door fee. Purchase Policy: All sales are final. No refunds or exchanges. Seating after the start of any performance is at the discretion of the house manager. Photography and recording of performances are strictly prohibited. Food and beverages prohibited in all theatres. Parents with disruptive children may be asked to excuse themselves if the performance is disturbed without refund.
CONTENTS Faculty Notes....................................................... 04 Holiday Harmony................................................ 13 Wind Symphony: Find Your State.................... 19 The Value of Music Education.......................... 22 Places Between.................................................. 27 In Progress: TH301............................................. 34 OneBeat Music Festival..................................... 40 Non-Auditioned Ensembles.............................. 47
Social Media and the Symphonic Arts ........... 61 Gregory Allicar Accreditation........................... 65
EXECUTIVE EDITOR: JENNIFER CLARY JACOBS CREATIVE DIRECTOR: MIKE SOLO PUBLICITY AND MARKETING ASST. BRANDON ADAMS
SOCIAL MEDIA This is your UCA! Stay connected with the University Center for the Arts by connecting with us on social media. Facebook: facebook.com/CSU.UCA Instagram: ColoradoStateUniversity_UCA Twitter: @CSUUCA Youtube: YouTube.com/ColoradoStateUniv Flickr: flickr.com/photos/csulibarts
STAFF WRITERS: BRANDON ADAMS JENNIFER CLARY JACOBS NICOLE TOWNE ERIN PIHL TYLER STUP FOR ADVERTISING PLEASE CONTACT: JENNIFER CLARY JACOBS, DIRECTOR OF MARKETING jennifer.clary@colostate.edu / 970.491.3603
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Joint Stock........................................................... 56
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FACULTY NOTES
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In early Oct., several Colorado State University faculty participated in the Denver Young Artist Orchestra symposium, Women in Music, including Director of Bands Rebecca Phillips, Viola Professor Margaret Miller, Violin Professor Leslie Stewart, who conducts CSU’s Concert Orchestra, and Director of Orchestras Wes Kenney, who serves as the DYAO music director. The ground-breaking symposium sought to understand the past and future of women in the industry and celebrated their accomplishments while addressing ongoing challenges.
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According to a DYAO press release, the premier youth orchestra of the Colorado Front Range is a talented group that also asks tough questions. When confronted with the underrepresented role of women in the classical music industry, they decided to face the issue head on during a two-day event held at the University of Denver. "We were humbled by the questions from our students and wanted to put together an event worthy of the issues,” says Kelly Waltrip, executive director of the Denver Young Artists Orchestra. Professionals, educators, students, composers, and performers gathered for master classes, panels, lectures, and performances. As presenters at the symposium, Dr. Phillips participated in a panel discussion entitled "Women Who Work in Under-Represented Areas of our Profession as Conductors, Percussionists and Brass Players,” and Professor Miller gave a session on performing arts philanthropist Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge. Additionally, the CSU Concert Orchestra, conducted by Leslie Stewart performed during the symposium. “I cannot tell you how much it meant for the musicians in Concert Orchestra to perform for this symposium, especially in the presence of the two composers whose works we played,” said Stewart about the orchestra’s performance of "Toward Dusk" by Hilary Tann and "Suilean a Chloinne (Children's Eyes) by Jennifer Barker. Both Celtic composers (Tann from Wales and Barker from Scotland) now live and work in the U.S. The Barker piece was originally commissioned by Stewart when she was music director of the Bay Youth Orchestras of Virginia for that orchestra's appearance at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2006. “The orchestra learned a great deal in both the rehearsal and performance process and feel very respected… both composers made a point of telling me how much they appreciated our performance,” commented Stewart.
“I cannot tell you how much it meant for the musicians in Concert Orchestra to perform for this symposium, especially in the presence of the two composers whose works we played" — LESLIE STEWART
The symposium culminated with a performance by the DYAO when the ensemble played Tann’s well-known piece “The Open Field,” conducted by Kenney. In preparing for the symposium, Kenney recalled how he realized in college that classical music was a male-dominated industry. “While there have been strides made in composition, members of major orchestras, and even their music directors, a closer look reveals there’s still a long way to go. It’s a process of education and it’s wonderful the Young Artist Orchestra can contribute.” "It is incredibly exciting to see the community coming together, rallying around this idea and celebrating the amazing accomplishments of women in our field," Waltrip was quoted in the press release.
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CSU Concert Orchestra at Women in Music Symposium
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FACULTY NOTES
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(FROM LEFT TO RIGHT) Andrew Jacobson, John McGuire, Michelle Stanley, Wesley Ferreira, and Gary Moody
••• Assistant Professor of Music History K. Dawn Grapes was recently invited to share her research on early modern English funeral songs at Northwestern University. In Oct., Dr. Grapes presented her research on a joint Musicology and English Early Modern Studies Colloquium session, where she addressed faculty, doctoral students, and other researchers. Her paper, entitled "Death, Love, Scandal, and Redress: John Coprario’s Funeral Teares of 1606,” contextualizes an elegiac musical anthology commemorating a fallen seventeenthcentury English Earl. Dr. Grapes notes, “Scholars from NYU, University of Chicago, Harvard, Indiana, and Cornell make up the list of recent speakers invited to participate in the series over the last year. I am honored to be able to add Colorado State University to the list.” Oct. also saw publication of Dr. Grapes’ peer-reviewed article on “William Byrd” in A-R Editions’ Online Music Anthology. In Nov., she presents a paper titled, "“For Death of Her: An Early English Remembrance through Song,” at the national
Деревянный духовой квинтет штата колорадо - A poster outside of the Grand Hall of the Moscow Conservatory promoting Thursday's concert by the "Woodwind Quintet from the State of Colorado!"
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In Oct., the CSU Woodwind Quintet, including Horn Professor John McGuire, Flute Professor Michelle Stanley, Oboe Professor Andrew Jacobson, Clarinet Professor Wesley Ferreira, and Bassoon Professor Gary Moody travelled to Russia for two weeks, giving performances and master classes in St. Petersburg and Moscow. Dr. McGuire, who organized the tour, having traveled to Russia three previous times as a member of Fortress Brass, thinks of Russia a musical second home. “To be able to return with my world-class colleagues from CSU is a dream come true,” he said. “I got to share these wonderful performers with Russia, and I got to share Russia, and all of its rich musical history, with them." Keeping American composers at the core of their repertoire, the quintet’s program included David Maslanka’s Quintet for Winds No. 2, Leonard Bernstein’s Overture to Candide, as well as Astor Piazzola’s Libertango, selected because performances of Latin music in Russia are not prevalent. “When I first picked up the clarinet I never imagined that it would one day take me across the world,” mused Dr. Ferreira about the trip.
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NEW COURSE OFFERING / SPRING 2018
conference of the American Musicological Society in Rochester, New York. The presentation is an adaptation of a chapter from her monograph on early modern English funeral songs, scheduled for publication by Boydell Press in 2018. •••
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MU110 MW 1-1:50 [3 CREDITS]
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NEW AUCC COURSE FOR ALL MAJORS
HYBRID COURSE DESIGN WHERE STUDENTS WILL LEARN ABOUT:
· CREATING ELECTRONIC MUSIC · RECORDING INSTRUMENTS AND VOICES · LIVE SOUND REINFORCEMENT (PA) · HISTORY AND CULTURE OF MUSIC TECHNOLOGY LEARN ABOUT THE ROLE OF TECHNOLOGY IN THE MUSIC OF: · THE BEATLES · LED ZEPPELIN · DAFT PUNK · FRANK ZAPPA · RADIOHEAD · MUSE · APHEX TWIN · DEADMAU5 · AND MANY OTHERS MUST REGISTER FOR LECTURE AND LABORATORY. (MON. OR WED., 2-3:40 PM) V I S I T M U S I C . C O LO S TAT E . E D U F O R M O R E D E TA I L S
At the end of Nov., CSU Director of Bands Rebecca Phillips was the guest conductor for the Buncombe County High School Honor Band in North Carolina; the county encompasses the city of Asheville. "It has been another great couple of days with incredibly talented young musicians from North Carolina" said Phillips. In thanking her hosts, Dr. Phillips said, “My sincerest thanks to Robert Waller [Buncombe County Curriculum Specialist for Cultural Arts/Academically or Intellectually Gifted] for your invitation and kind hospitality. Thank you, Sean Smith [Band Director, A C Reynolds High School in Ashville], for opening up your school and to Jim Kirkpatrick [Band Director, T.C. Roberson High School, Ashville], the best host and coordinator one could ask for. Finally, thank you to Kevin Young [Band Director, Ashville Middle School] for stepping in and coordinating the percussion. Go Band!” Earlier in the month, Dr. Phillips was the guest conductor at the SUNY Buffalo State College High School Honor Band. The eleventh annual event is an opportunity for area high school musicians to come together for a weekend of intensive study, culminating with a concert. “What a fantastic weekend,” exclaimed Phillips. “The kids were enthusiastic, energetic, and they did a great job. Thank you to a friend and colleague who has inspired me since I first heard his Boone High School band in Florida, director of bands at Buffalo State, Dr. Rick Fleming."
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(TOP) K Dawn Grapes at Northwestern University (BOTTOM) Rebecca Phillips at the SUNY Buffalo State College High School Honor Band
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Ron teaching master class at Conservatorio de las Rosas
CSU’s Director of Strings Ron Francois and Silvana Santinelli have released their first CD, which is now available on iTunes or Amazon. The Duo Francois CD, Mexico City Blues was released on the Itinerant Classics label in Nov., and features compositions for violin and piano written by Juno award winning Canadian composer Andrew Paul MacDonald, ASCAP award winning American Composer and CSU Composition Professor Jim David, and Pulitzer nominated Mexican composer, Juan Trigos. The Duo, which combines the charisma, musical command, synchronicity, and virtuosity of two internationally acclaimed soloists and chamber musicians and was recently awarded the prestigious Mexican FONCA grant. The couple recently returned from a tour of Mexico including stops in Xalapa, Mexico City with a live streamed concert in Morelia. The Duo also taught masterclasses at the Conservatorio de las Rosas, The Escuela Superior de Musica, and the University of Veracruz school of music. Francois and Santinelli will return next year as soloists and as a duo. “The conservatorio are also looking into ways of sending students for the Borromeo festival taking place March 22 to 25, 2018,” explained Francois. “Things are looking good!” More information about the Duo Francois is available at duofrancois.com.
MEXICO CITY BLUES now available on iTunes or Amazon
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PARADE OF LIGHTS, CSU MARCHING BAND: HOLIDAY HARMONY
TONY PFIFER, CSU EXTERNAL RELATIONS / PHOTOS BY JENNIFER CLARY JACOBS
Carol-Anne Lucero and Peter Gaetz had one wish for their final 9News Parade of Lights: Warmth. Lucero and Gaetz are two of the nearly 265 members of CSU’s Marching Band. On Friday, Dec. 1, they continued a Rams tradition, leading off the Parade of Lights, which is witnessed by tens of thousands of holiday revelers in downtown Denver and a TV audience via 9News.
“We’re the very first group in a parade that gives us our widest audience – well over 100,000 people at the parade, plus TV,” said Gaetz, a senior drum major. “We get to lead off the biggest Christmas celebration in Colorado – so it’s pretty cool.” Added Lucero, a senior piccolo player: “We get to share our holiday cheer in a very unique and special way. Christmas is definitely my favorite holiday, and I really enjoy playing for all the people – especially the kids. It’s a lot of fun.” 2013: Brrrr! Of course, some years are more fun than others. Take 2013 as an example. It was minus-5 degrees in Denver when the parade started. And freezing toes was just one of the concerns. Most band instruments, you see, don’t like cold. Actually, they loathe it – and stop functioning. Trumpet valves freeze, trombone slides stick, piccolos ice over.
The night the music stopped Gaetz, a senior from Parker, Colo., majoring in mechanical engineering, recalled that the instruments simply stopped working after 15 minutes – just long enough for the band to perform in front of the grandstand at the state capitol. “Lots of groups pulled out of the parade that year but we made it to the end,” he said. “That’s one of the coldest experiences of my life, but it’s fun to look back on.” The good news is that the weather is usually good – the past three years’ temperatures have been chilly but not cold enough to affect instrument performance. Getting into the holiday spirit Among the many unique aspects of the band’s performance is the opportunity to “decorate.” Band members string batterypowered lights on their uniforms and hang other seasonal doo-dads on their hats. Gaetz and the other drum majors trade traditional batons for oversized candy canes. “Everyone in the flute section has a candy cane hanging off their instrument,” said Lucero, a biology education major from Fort Collins. “You could hear the little kids talking about it. Every section tries to do something a little bit unique.” And with the mild weather on Friday night, Gaetz and Lucero had their wish, as did the large crowds that were more than ten-deep throughout the two mile route in downtown Denver.
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Lucero and Gaetz said the Parade of Lights is one of their favorite events on a busy calendar that includes home football games, the annual Rocky Mountain Showdown in Denver, and a bowl game trip.
“I remember seeing one of those temperature gauges on a building in Denver, and all I saw was the ‘minus’ in front of a number,” Lucero said. “I didn’t even want to know the actual temperature. That was a cold as I’ve ever been – but it was still fun.”
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CSU Wind Symphony Highlights Innovative Music Moments to Help “Find Your State”! BY TYLER STUP, UCA PUBLICITY INTERN
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After reading the first paragraph, you can already probably hear it. The themes from the original Star Wars movies, as composed by John Williams, first appeared in 1977. Nearly 40 years later, the music still holds up as one of the most instantly recognizable movie scores in cinematic history. Maestro Philips says, “I remember when I first saw the movies. The music didn’t get tired and got better with each of the original movies.” The other piece of radically innovative music to be played during the evening will be Concert for Wind Ensemble, composed by Steven Bryant. According to Dr. Phillips, the piece “takes every single student in the band. Every player has a solo part, and a technically challenging solo part.” At the university level, what can be considered difficult? In this case, difficult means a lot of extended technique. “A saxophone is able to play fast notes,” says Phillips, “but are they able to play fast notes that are so rhythmically challenging at a tempo that is beyond what might be normal? And is the audience able to listen to that and recog-
nize how difficult and clean it is? Furthermore, can a tuba play the same passage at that fast tempo?” In Concerto for Wind Ensemble every player is put to the test. “If every student doesn’t step up to the plate, the piece doesn’t work.” Phillips adds, “These musicians are playing in a way people could not play on an instrument 100 years ago.” Pushing the boundaries of what was possible a century ago is part of why Phillips categorizes this music as innovative. “It takes the tradition of the instrument and takes it in a new direction. It takes all we’ve come to expect when we walk into a formal concert and it turns it on its ear.” But groundbreaking music isn’t the only noteworthy aspect of this concert. Below the surface, Phillips has programmed this concert with the next generation of CSU Rams in mind. “This is still about finding your state and your place,” she concludes. Behind the doors of the Griffin Concert Hall, audience members will find a state of talented musicians, exciting compositions, and an artistic community that is abundant at Colorado State University. Find Your State: Spirit of Innovation will be a one-night-only event on Dec. 8th at 7:30 p.m. in the Griffin Concert Hall. Don’t miss out on an evening of innovative masterpieces that push what it means to inspire, awe, and be a part of the symphonic arts in the 21st century. Tickets are available at csuartstickets.com. We hope that you will join us and “Find Your State!”
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hether you’re seeing it spoofed, as a gif, or you’re even in theaters, it’s impossible to see Star Wars yellow text crawl without imagining the powerful beginning chords. Come Dec. 8 at 7:30 p.m., Dr. Rebecca Philips will conduct CSU’s Wind Symphony on pioneering pieces of music, like the Star Wars Overture, for the ensemble’s Find Your State: Spirit of Innovation concert.
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Featuring the music of Bryant and Williams
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DECEMBER 8, 7:30 P.M. / GRIFFIN CONCERT HALL
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THE VALUE OF MUSIC EDUCATION
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BY KATI E KNUTSO N C S U MUS IC EDUCAT ION MA JOR
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This piece was originally written as an assignment for my Writing Arguments (CO 300) class. For the assignment, I had to choose an issue related to my field of study and argue for a stakeholder group to take action on; it was presented in the form of a magazine article. I chose the issue of declining funding for music education programs and am trying to convince parents of students in the school system that action must be taken against the local school boards in order to allocate appropriate funding to keep music in schools.
Music. A form of expression through sounds created across a span of time that provoke varying emotions from the listener. In other terms, a universal language where emotions are conveyed to others without the need for spoken words. It exists in every culture across the world and is prevalent in the day to day lives of most. Many people would even say their music preferences define who they are and choose music as a way to escape from the stress of life. Some people even choose to take their love for music a step further with learning an instrument or participating in a choir. For children, this outlet often appears through school music programs which allows students to foster their passion for music through creating it. Contrary to other school subjects, students choose to be in these music classes and tend to enjoy what they do. For a school program that seems to have a very positive student outlook, funding for it seems to be much less enthusiastic. According to a report from the Department of Education referenced in a blog post by the Association of American Educators, music programs are still declining for urban, low-income schools across the nation. The “No Child Left Behind” Act sparked this decline over the last few years, as school funding became dependent on test scores with low-performing, lower-class urban schools taking the hit the most. Since music classes are seen as less of a priority compared to math, science, language arts, and social students, it is usually the first program to be cut in a school with a tight budget. With that being said, school budgets need to be modified to keep music programs in schools by pressing school boards to provide more support. There is no doubt that maintaining a music program can be a little costly. Since there is so much more that goes into a music program such as school instrument budgets and travel expenses for performing outside of school, the cost of maintaining a such a program is not necessarily favorable. However, researcher Marci Major--who ran a case study on how a lower economic class school district in Detroit, Michigan kept their music program despite hard economic times--says that the reason why the school district was able to keep their music program was due to intense budgeting efforts that didn’t necessarily cut other programs. The school district did things such as cutting and adding sections of classes where needed to save money. This shows that even if the cost of keeping a music program is unfavorable, it can absolutely be done if school officials budget correctly. Since this is a broader issue of not enough funding on the federal and state side of things, schools must make do with the money that they have. This means that steps must be taken to shift around the budget to ensure that music programs remain. Music programs already take steps to limit the costs as much as possible which includes fundraising and implementing parent volunteers to help keep
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THE VALUE OF MUSIC EDUCATION
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expenses down by having them do tasks such as repair uniforms and chaperone/help provide transportation to events. Even the music director takes steps to limit what they spend, including repairing instruments themselves and maintaining owned music copies to avoid purchasing new repertoire for the students. Music programs are already doing their part to keep the cost low, it is time for the school districts to step in for the rest of the cost.
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Why is a well-rounded education worth it in a world that places so much emphasis on academic achievement?
foster self-confidence and high self-esteem. According to Nasram Shayan of Allzahra University on their study of music and confidence, simply playing an instrument in a musical setting is enough to create that sense of high self-esteem and recommends music in schools for this reason. Upon completion of this tier, this leaves us with room to fulfill the last tier of Maslow’s pyramid—self-actualization. This can best be defined simply as our self-growth and potential which is crucial to transcend into being the best human beings possible. The hidden meaning behind music education is that it is about teaching your children to be better people and to enjoy music for the sake of music, not solely for academic guidance. “The teacher can help their students to experience self-actualization through recreative music acts of understanding leading to creative acts of music understanding”, says Dr. Erik Johnson, Associate Professor of Instrumental Music Education at Colorado State University. “Through exposing students to what other artists have said about their own lived experience...the teacher can lead students to a place where they too have the tools and understanding to express their own views”. Music education is a liberation to the confines of typical academic structure that your child experiences on a day to day basis in school. Allowing a program that fosters nothing but positive self-growth and creativity to perish at the hands of school officials due to lack of funding would be doing your child a disservice to their school opportunities. With that being said, students who are in music classes choose to be there because they enjoy it--which can’t often be said about other subject areas.
This question could best be answered through Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. According to Maslow, there are 5 different tiers to the pyramid of needs ranging from physiological needs at the bottom, then safety, belongingness and love, self-esteem, and self-actualization in ascending order to the top. Maslow theorized that the needs at the bottom of the pyramid must be satisfied first before achieving the goal of self-actualization at the top. While music education cannot provide for the physiological, safety, or love and belongingness of humans, it can help us fulfill the last two tiers of the pyramid which are self-esteem needs and self-actualization. In the adolescent years, self-esteem is often in a fragile state as teenagers and pre-teens struggle to find out who they really are. Naturally during this time, they will gravitate towards activities and environments that
In addition to being an enjoyable activity that fosters positive self-esteem and personal achievement, music for many is used as an outlet for creative expression. For some, music classes in their school are one of the few chances they may get to work both independently and with their peers to make music. Many popular musicians arose from having the opportunity in public schools growing up to be involved in music classes. Popular artists such as Kurt Cobain from Nirvana, Steven Tyler from Aerosmith, Kesha, and Gwen Stefani were all involved in their high school bands, according to Sarahanne Yeo from the publication “The Odyssey.” Just imagine if these musicians didn’t have the opportunity to participate in music programs in their schools because they got cut. They may not have even been inspired to pursue a music career to become the famous people they are
There is certainly a good argument for other school programs such as robotics and math/science resources to stake a stronger claim for the limited school funding due to the pressure to develop higher core subject knowledge for college. While these other programs are important, it is also important to look at how music classes benefit students in other areas that are not as explicitly academic. For example, James S. Catterall of the Tavis Smiley Reports on PBS mentions that involvement in music classes increases overall motivation, teamwork, and self-confidence. While these characteristics may not be favorable with academic skills, they are certainly concurrent with aspects of a healthy mental state and good social skills which are essential for life. In today’s world of depression and anxiety, anything that fosters good mental health is always welcome. Music classes-according to Marci Major-are fundamental in contributing to a well-rounded student.
today. Every music program that is cut from schools could very well deprive the next Kurt Cobains of the world a chance to find their passion in music and share it with the world. It is crucial that we take a stand on making sure that school board officials allocate appropriate funding to keep these programs going.
WHEN YOU CHAMPION A STUDENT IN THE VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS, YOU CHAMPION THAT STUDENT’S DREAMS AND ASPIRATIONS OF A CAREER IN THE VAST AND GROWING FIELD KNOWN AS THE CREATIVE INDUSTRIES. The Champion an Artist Scholarship program provides meaningful tuition support throughout a student's arts education. This powerful gift recruits the best and brightest talent to Colorado State University. Your support allows gifted students to pursue artistic and academic excellence.
Champion an artist today by visiting smtd.colostate.edu/giving or call (970) 491-3558
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How do you go about influencing these school board officials to make this change, you may ask? Simply reaching out about it to them can go a long way. Petitions and action creates change. Some of you may even have children of your own who are in music programs and come home smiling every day because that is their favorite class. Some of you may live near a high school and hear the marching band hard at work for their rehearsal playing their show. Imagine waking up one day and never hearing them again. Their field is empty after school and there are no more smiling and laughing faces all because the school had to cut the music program which brought joy to many. These are the consequences of not taking action. Our voices must be heard.
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JULIANNA WILLIAMS
EMILY KAISER
SHANNON GER
BY NICOLE TOWNE, UCA PUBLICITY INTERN Colorado State University students Shannon Gerney, Emily Kaiser, and Julianna Williams prepare to bookend their time training with the dance department. Before they empty out their lockers for good, they will first take their combined 50 years of dance experience and construct a show from the ground up. The work of Gerney, Kaiser, and Williams will be presented December eighth and ninth in the 2017 Fall Capstone Concert. Each dancer is required to choreograph and perform a four to seven-minute solo, choreograph an eight to twelve-minute group piece, and perform in each other’s group pieces. Additionally, they are required to select costumes, music, and a theme for the show. The show titled “Places Between,” explores the concept of being in a time of transition and change. It is about ending one phase and preparing to start another. “As a graduating senior, I’m very much in an in between place,” Gerney said. “I’m still a student, but at the same time I need to look towards the future and what’s next.” Gerney’s solo is about choosing to take life as it comes to you. It’s rooted in the phrase “go with the flow” and utilizes water symbolism. “It’s me being able to move on and accept that life is taking me in a different direction than I thought it was going to,” Gerney said. “I’m really excited and happy about that now. I went through a phase where I had to process and deal with that.” Her group piece centers around the idea of feeling stuck in an unhealthy relationship. It’s not something she has experienced, but it’s been a situation she has been contemplating. “You’re kind of stuck in that place between knowing you should leave, but not being able to yet,” Gerney said. For Gerney, performing on stage is indescribable and unlike any other experience.
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PLACES BETWEEN EXPLORES NEXT STEPS FOR GRADUATING DANCERS
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“I love being on stage and being able to share my art with other people,” Gerney said. “There’s no word I ever found that can quite describe the feeling I get when I’m on stage. It’s just such a rush. It’s wonderful.” When Kaiser’s group piece takes the stage, the dancers will be dressed in navy leotards and skater skirts. The piece is less about portraying a specific idea, or theme, and more about establishing what she refers to as music visualization. Kaiser said she likes to bring out accents in the music with her choreography. “I want the audience to interpret what they want to feel from seeing my choreography and hearing the music,” Kaiser said.
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In terms of choreography, Kaiser’s group piece embodies perpetual motion, taking her 10 dancers swiftly from one movement to the next
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For Kaiser, it is important to bring out the colors she hears in the music by incorporating it into costumes. Her group piece draws heavily on the color blue. In her solo, Kaiser will be wearing an olive green dress. “I didn’t want anything too dramatic or complicated (for costumes),” Kaiser said. “I like to keep it simple and play with matching the colors to the sounds.” Capstone senior Julianna Williams describes her choreography as flowy and with the music. Her choreography for the show also utilizes common gestures to depict various emotions. Williams said she takes a lot of inspiration from her choreography from music. In particular, she likes utilizing violin and piano music. Williams choose Woodkid’s “Land of All” for her solo, which incorporates both orchestra and vocals. Her solo flows directly into the group piece, creating a 15-minute piece. Both the solo and the group piece utilize dancing with a large piece of fabric. “It signifies a weight you have in your life,” Williams said. “At the end of my solo I release this weight. The group piece comes on and they take this huge piece of fabric and dance with it. “ Williams goal for performance is to have all her dancers leave it all on the stage. “I think a goal would be to just have all of my cast dance as full out as they can and not to hold anything back in any of the shows” Williams said.
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SHANNON GERNEY Gurney is a dance major with a combined passion for the science and dance. She grew up in North Carolina outside of Raleigh and started dance before her third birthday. At age 13 she performed as Clara in the Nutcracker. After graduation she hopes to continue onto grad school and become a physical therapist. Ideally, she would like to work with dancers and help them to have long and healthy careers.
Kaiser is a Journalism and Media Communications and dance double major from Thornton Colorado. She started dance at age three and began competing at age eight with the Premier School of Dance in Thornton. She performed with the dance company LA Magic. Kaiser has a passion for choreography and hopes to have a career in public relations or marketing and also perform in a company, teach, or be a guest choreographer.
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EMILY KAISER
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JULIANNA WILLIAMS Williams is double majoring in dance and Human Development and Family Studies. She is interested in working with children with special needs and developing a dance therapy program. Williams is from Parker, Colorado and started dance at age four. She has performed solos in the Nutcracker as the Sugarplum Fairy. She has trained, performed, and competed competitively with the Parker Dance Academy before coming to CSU.
THERE’S A CHOIR, BAND, AND ORCHESTRA FOR YOU AT CSU
CSU Music Ensembles are open to all majors!
No auditions are required – just register and show up! If you don’t have an instrument with you on campus, don’t worry! Many instruments are available for rental. TO RENT AN INSTRUMENT, CONTACT: Copper.Ferreira@colostate.edu University Center for the Arts 1400 Remington St. music.colostate.edu
• UNIVERSITY CHORUS (MU202) T/TH, 5:30-7 p.m. Contact: James.Kim@colostate.edu • CONCERT ORCHESTRA (MU206) M/W, 1-2:30 p.m. Contact: Leslie2.Stewart@colostate.edu • CONCERT BAND (MU205/ SPRING ONLY W/F, 4:15-5:45 p.m. Contact: E.Johnson@colostate.edu AUDITION FOR A TOP ENSEMBLE: Ensemble auditions take place at the University Center for the Arts at the beginning of each semester. Information about audition times and suggested repertoire at music.colostate.edu/auditions • CSU MARCHING BAND Auditions: June 9, 2018 bands.colostate.edu
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Join a choir, band, or orchestra, regardless of your major! Students in these ensembles come from biological sciences, business, engineering, computer sciences, English, political science, zoology, music, and more.
NON-AUDITIONED ENSEMBLES:
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For this edition of In Progress, Heidi Larson (Scenic Charge Artist, instructor of Scenic 301: Painting and Stagecraft) takes us through TH ing Special Topics, Introduction to Scene Paint
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n the beginning, we work on basecoat techniques, color theory/mixing, and learning to work vertically i.e. helping students to work on extension poles to not only help them see the proverbial “big picture”, but also to help keep strain off their backs and knees. This in turn, leads to many discussions about how each person’s body mechanics influence “their hand” (style) when painting, and how they can hone and develop their skills with various tools based on their own body. This came full circle in their most recent project. Students were asked to paint a 4’ x 8’ portion of an overall mural which spanned 16’ wide by 24’ high, and was a cropped version of Tamara de Lempicka’s “Young Girl in a Green Dress”. The first step was to mix all of their colors. This was important for them to do as a group so that they could ensure a more fluid final project. They worked as a team to breakdown the image into ‘paintby-number’ of sorts, and then assigned a portion of the mixing to each class member. This made sure that all of the parts were accounted for, while maintaining fairness of labor in the group. While they each began by painting their own portion, once it was all laid down together, they were then tasked to work as a team and make adjustments to the full painting so that it felt cohesive. This enabled them to determine and rely on one another’s strengths (much like teams of professional scenic artists do daily). It also opened up a discussion about how each student approached their panel, what tools and techniques they used, etc. which gave them the ability to teach one another, and take turns leading the group.
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Abby Jordan
For them to get to this ability level, they worked on many techniques throughout the semester. Scene painting is inherently about layering and understanding which textures build best upon others, when to blend paints together and when to rely on watered down highlights and shadows to give an image depth and ‘pop’, and how to simplify the forms into something that reads onstage from 30’ feet away, vs. 3' away in a gallery. So, we started with base techniques: Scumble, wetblend, schlepitchka (just to name a few silly words), and used some simple shapes (cube, cylinder, sphere, etc.) to start understanding how highlights and shadow worked. Our next project was using those techniques with simple applications. So, they used a scumble to create a groutlike texture, learned how to make stencils, and applied texture to faux bricks. They then added highlight and shadow to give it depth. They also applied a fake stucco treatment
Sawyer Kaimbach
to the upper portion of their project to learn about layering glazes. We have two advanced students in the class (Shay Dite & Heather Salyer) who added an old faded sign to their panel to practice lettering and distressing. The third project took those techniques and amped it up a bit. They used the same premise as they had with brick to create stone, but had to rely on their own painting skills to create organic shapes (vs. using a stencil). Additionally, this project required students to do a little research and observation. Because the upper portion of their panel included trees and foliage, after choosing their tree (they each got to pick their own), they had to research what types of stone and other foliage are native to the same region where that tree is found, in order to create a cohesive panel. The advanced students also had to paint extra structure to practice adding highlight and shadow to more complex shapes.
The other thing that was fascinating about the tree project was the discussion of light onstage vs. real life. When trying to create faux depth onstage, you have to take audience perspective and what they ‘expect’ to see vs. what is realistic. This forced students to think not only about a fixed lightsource for stage, but also how chlorophyll and proximity to the sun effects trees. (i.e. trees have leaves which are lightest at the top where they get more sun. Branches are more in shadow the lower they are on the tree because they are nestled in the canopy, but also more in shadow when they are further away from you. Also, since branches are curved, you have to consider all the dips and bends to create something which seems to have depth onstage).
Vincent Gunn
Finally, before they reached their group mural, the students tackled some of the more difficult scenic techniques of wood and marble. They had to use several different tools to create their woodgrain, in order to understand when each tool was most appropriate, and for the marble, they had to learn how to paint much more “organically” than in previous projects. All which led them to their group projects. Since they were much more versed in all the techniques and had multiple projects to practice each one, this project was very student-driven. With very little input/instruction from the professor, they were able to determine the best tools and techniques to achieve their finished goal, and really worked together and taught each other in order to do so.
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Megan Ross
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(TOP) Michelle Schrader and Heather Salyer (BOTTOM) Shay Dite and Abby Jordan (RIGHT) TH301 Class: Heather Salyer, Michelle Schrader, Sawyer Kalmbach, David Van Name, Abby Jordan, Shay Dite, Erin Welch, Adam O'Connell, Jorrey Calvo, Chandler Oppenheimer, Tara Tolar-Payne, Megan Ross
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COMMUNITY PARTNERS
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OneBeat Music Festival Encourages Fort Collins to Listen Globally
By Tyler Stup, UCA Publicity Intern / Photos by Jennifer Clary Jacobs As the lights dim on the Lincoln Center’s Magnolia Stage, four people remain lit. They are musicians and activists prompted by two questions. “What do you feel is the role of music in sustaining and reimagining cultural identity and traditions? And why is that important for you on a personal level?”
After they answer the question, they perform. The first performance is comprised of Sudrajat and Cary Morin playing a song combining blues guitar and sitar. And after they’re done, a sold-out room of around 200 people greets them with raucous applause.
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Mehdi Nassouli of Morocco, tells the story of gnawa music and its role as a form of therapy. A fellow from Taiwan says music encompasses his cultural heritage, conveying the teachings of past generations and the beauty of aboriginal Taiwanese culture. Rayhan Sudrajat, an ethnomusicologist from Indonesia, uses music as a way to connect some dots between the 17,508 populated islands that make up the country. It’s a diverse grouping of answers and people. But for OneBeat, that’s the point. The Brooklyn-based nonprofit seeks to employ original and global music as a potent new form of cultural diplomacy.
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As they leave the stage, they’re laughing and hugging each other. In fact, every performance ends with a hug.
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As they leave the stage, they’re laughing and hugging each other. In fact, every performance ends with a hug. By this point, the OneBeat fellows have known each other since traveling through Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming, and Colorado. And if the smiles and hugging doesn’t make it obvious that they’re close, the music does. Not only do they play well together, they create together. Throughout the evening, we heard stories and accounts of activism (and music’s role within), but we also hear that “this song was just made in 24 hours.” Or, “This is a song they’ve been working on for the last couple weeks or so.” Due to the nature of OneBeat’s fellows, those 24 hours – or a week – results in unique blends of music between the Crow Tribe and Indonesia; Kyrgyzstan and Colorado; Jordan and Egypt; and more. By the time the presentation finishes, I’ve enjoyed music uniting musical styles and instruments I’ve never had the chance to hear played in person. All of the OneBeat fellows are extremely talented individuals who come from all over the globe. They are musicians who have traveled internationally, and work to preserve culture and fight social injustices. Listening to their collaborative music gives an interesting peek into cultures and lives far away. At the beginning of the evening, the Music District host summarized the organization’s mission. OneBeat endeavors to be the nexus of a new way of thinking about how music can help us collectively build healthy communities, prosperous societies, and a more peaceful world. This leads to a belief that original music can be a vehicle for crossing cultural and political divides. Each year, OneBeat selects 25 fellows to perform on a short tour to help them with that mission.
And with as much sentiment as that carries, I’m pleased to actually believe that OneBeat is acting on it. During their residency, the fellows have travelled through the western United States teaching workshops, but also meeting with minds involved in activism and social movements. Towards the end of the night, one fellow jokingly adds that she told her mom that this month has been equivalent to knowledge gained by her master’s degree. As the fellows ended their four-week residency in Fort Collins, the musicians brought their knowledge and musical expertise to a plethora of events around town. The group put on a variety of workshops and rare opportunities that occur when talented musicians are given trust and the artistic freedom to work on things they truly care about. With help from the Music District, the University Center of the Arts, Colorado State University, and 13 other sponsors, OneBeat engaged people on a communitywide scope. Those interested in film were treated to Godfrey Reggio’s Koyaanisqatsi with a completely new live score composed by the 2017 class. Hip hop enthusiasts, book worms, aspiring songwriters, music appreciators, and more were able to draw upon the knowledge and life experiences of 25 artists from 18 countries with radically different backgrounds. Next year’s fellows will not be the same people, but the OneBeat mission will remain the same: striving to bring people together under the umbrella of music, empathy, and the once-in-a-lifetime conversation that happens when good musicians, activists, and audiences get together.
OneBEat masterclass featuring OneBeat fellows, SMTD Students, and dance instructor Judy Bejerano
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DECEMBER 7, 7:30 P.M. / GRIFFIN CONCERT HALL
CONDUCTED BY
F E AT U R I N G
TIFFANY BLAKE, SOPRANO
NON-MUSIC MAJORS THRIVE IN CSU’S NON-AUDITIONED ENSEMBLES
How did you find out about the Concert Band? I was interested in joining a band at CSU, but only as a hobby on top of my regular studies. I emailed Dr. Frey [associate director of bands], and he directed me towards Dr. Johnson and the Concert Band. Explain your decision-making process for joining the band? What was important to you about being in the band or playing your instrument in college? I joined the Concert Band because I absolutely loved playing music in an ensemble, but I didn't want to major in music or audition for a band, I simply wanted to play for fun. It was important to me that we still played challenging and fun music, but I also didn't want band to interfere with my regular studies. The Concert Band was incredibly simple and a fun, beautiful experience for me, so it was perfect.
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At CSU, the School of Music, Theatre, and Dance welcomes students from across campus to join a band, choir, or orchestra, and continue making music after high school. Engaging all students through quality education is at the heart of CSU as a land grant institution, and the benefit of that mission is being realized by hundreds of non-music majors participating in CSU’s non-auditioned instrumental and choral music ensembles on campus. We asked junior social work major Jenna Frisch about her experience playing tuba in the Concert Band.
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"Joining the Concert Band is one of the best decisions I've made at CSU... We always play fun, lovely music, and Dr. Johnson makes sure everyone feels involved."
Talk about your experience in the band. Did it meet your expectations and what were some of the highlights? When joining the band, I expected to meet a lot of very interesting, kind friends from all majors, learn more about music, and be able to make beautiful memories. These expectations were definitely met! I've made many good friends from band, and it's amazing how we are all connected by the music. Dr. Johnson is an incredible director, and seems to connect with every single person he speaks to. It is obvious that he genuinely cares about his students. In the past two years, I've played some of the most amazing music, and had a fantastic time doing it. I always look forward to rehearsals; both rehearsals and performances fill up my heart like nothing else. It's always a fun, fulfilling experience. Do you have a situation where music, or friends in band, played an important role in your life at CSU?
Is there anything else you’d like to add? Joining the Concert Band is one of the best decisions I've made at CSU. It is simple to join, and it's easy to be in the band while also studying other things. All semesters I've been here, I've been taking 15-18 credits, working 25-30 hours, and band didn't ever interfere with any of that. Dr. Johnson is one of the most brilliant people and directors I've ever known, and anyone is lucky to interact with him. We always play fun, lovely music, and Dr. Johnson makes sure everyone feels involved. It's amazing to feel so connected with everybody in the group, and to feel more connected with yourself and the music you play. I would encourage everyone who is even a little bit interested to join- you don't need to be an incredible musician, you don't need to be free all the time, you just need to interested and ready for a phenomenal experience.
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Band has played a huge role in my life at CSU. I didn't know very many people my Freshman year, and I'd met next to no one that was interested in music or art, and this was very discouraging for me. When I joined band, I was surrounded by people who were interested in the same thing(s) as me, and I made so many close friends. Further, playing in the band helped me through a lot of things in college. I was under a lot of stress during my sophomore year, and it felt like everything was going wrong. Band felt like an escape for me; I was much more stable while playing music. I could come to rehearsal and be surrounded by people who supported and cared about me, and I could spend an hour and a half doing something I loved and get away from reality. Everyone involved in the music program is incredibly kind and supportive; I always know that if I need anything at all, I could count on my friends in the band, Dr. Johnson, or any of the music faculty.
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Stop by and see us in the Lory Student Center, next to the RamCard Office, to open a First National Free Checking Account and get your CSU Visa Debit Card on the spot. Learn more at 1stnationalbank.com/CSU
Member FDIC
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artmuseum.colostate.edu/visualize
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Little Shop of Horrors by Howard Ashman and Alan Menken / Photo by John Eisele
MAKE YOUR GIFT ONLINE TODAY AT
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Your gift provides crucial scholarship support, enables the evolution of our programs and performances, and gives our students the opportunity to obtain their education in one of the region’s most distinctive facilities for arts students.
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CSU THEATRE
exploring the human experience with the freshman theatre project
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By Erin Pihl, UCA Publicity Intern
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There are very few experiences that can match the fear and uncertainty of becoming a college freshman. It’s a time of potentially crippling vulnerability when you’ve exposed yourself to a whole new world, awaiting certain judgment. In other words, it’s a lot like acting. This year’s Freshman Theatre Project is very much a reflection of that experience. Professor Walt Jones leads the students in a production of interview theatre, a concept inspired by Caryl Churchill and the Joint Stock theatre method. This technique involves sending a group of actors and designer out into a given community to interview people on a particular topic. The project is an undertaking done by the two sections of Jones’ Freshman Seminar class. Students have conducted interviews at locations like Walmart, Taco Bell, the Wild Boar Café – and will soon visit a local senior center – in order to gain insight on the depths of the human psyche. This method of experimental theatre can most famously be seen in the tragic production of “The Laramie Project,” a piece based on the aftermath of the murder of the University of Wyoming’s gay student Matthew Shepard in 1998. While CSU’s theatre adaptation won’t be quite as provocative, the group has aimed to explore topics that invoke a similar kind of emotion in their subjects. For Alana Corrigan, the experience has been invaluable. “It’s one of the best ways you can get the truest and most honest human experience on stage,” Corrigan says, continuing, “I think it’s really great that my final project this semester will be bringing that human experience to life in a different more theatrical way.” Corrigan originally came to Colorado State University with her eyes set on a degree in English, but as part of a family of artists, it wasn’t long until her roots caught up to her. After taking several theatre
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joint stock
courses as a supplement to her English studies, she decided to make the switch to theatre program as a sophomore. “I’ve always loved acting and performing since I was a little girl,” Corrigan says. “My parents made it very clear that the arts and theatre were very important to our family.”
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Hannah Honegger faced a similar situation in grappling with her educational path. Honegger is an upperclassman transfer student in the theatre department. Much of her youth was spent participating in her local church’s theatre productions. Despite pressure to take a more “practical” route, she chose to pursue an associates of art degree from Front Range before coming to CSU for her bachelors. Speaking of theatre Honegger says, “It has really helped me to grow my confidence and with growing up and forming friendships.”
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“I was kind of apprehensive at first, I wasn’t sure what to expect. It’s been interesting to see the difference a matter of years can make, I appreciate the enthusiasm of my fellow students, but there are definitely times when I’m like ‘Ok guys, let’s stay focused.’” — Hannah Honegger
Though she is technically a senior, Honegger has traveled back in time becoming an honorary freshman in this semester’s seminar. “I was kind of apprehensive at first, I wasn’t sure what to expect. It’s been interesting to see the difference a matter of years can make,” Honegger reflects, continuing, “I appreciate the enthusiasm of my fellow students, but there are definitely times when I’m like ‘Ok guys, let’s stay focused.’” Many of the students are experiencing their first few months out of the nest, desperately trying to learn to fly. College can be scary enough without the added pressure of the stage. Regardless of their focus, whether it might be directing, technical production, costume design or otherwise – all the students are required to perform. Something Jones refers to as a “rite of passage.” “What’s really rewarding about this is that it’s a freshman seminar, these are young kids, people who are crossing this dangerous bridge from high school to college,” Jones says. “You just look out at a bunch of deer in the headlights, they’re scared to death.” Although an ambitious undertaking, the students seem to have overcome any shyness or insecurity to gather the best possible material for their own adaptations, a feat that can largely attributed to Jones’ direction. With such an accomplished career, it’s hard to believe there was ever a time when Jones wasn’t a bonafide theatre buff. But like his students, Jones spent his early undergraduate years uncertain of his future. Like Corrigan, Jones started as an English major at the University of Southern Florida. Eventually Jones would transition to the speech department, where he participated in performances of novel and poetry adaptations. Ultimately, it was a backstage interaction with a theatre professor that changed his fate. Following a rendition of Smiles of a Summer Night, Jones recalls a particularly memorable moment. “I was in the dressing room and I was looking at a reflection of
THE SCHOOL OF MUSIC, THEATRE, AND DANCE PRESENTS A NEW AMERICAN PLAY BY
BRANDEN JACOBS-JENKINS GARRETT AYERS DIRECTED BY
the door behind me, and the door opened and a professor from theatre, who I didn’t know, leaned in and said in the reflection, ‘Yale School of Drama,’” Jones says. On a whim, Jones applied and auditioned for the program, not expecting much in return. “A month later I got a call from a woman who said she was the registrar at the Yale School of Drama and she said I’d been admitted – I thought it was a joke,” Jones recalls, “I was flabbergasted.” With very little practical acting experience under his belt, Jones headed off to drama school. “Talk about fear. Meryl Streep was in my class of 15. I was in worse shape than I had been if I had joined the theatre department at USF,” he says. Clearly, Jones found his way with a natural aptitude for the theatre world. After graduating from Yale, he went on
to become a successful freelance director in New York City and internationally. Eventually finding his way back to academics teaching workshops and classes at NYU, Yale, and the UCSD. Jones transitioned to CSU with the intention of settling down after years of constant work and travelling. “I didn’t like going out of town all the time and living in a hotel, and I missed all the firsts with my kids,” Jones says, before recalling a particularly jarring memory. “I had been in New York directing and when I finally flew back to San Diego, I would not have recognized my little girl had she not been playing in my front yard.” Jones has been a professor at CSU since 2006, enjoying the smaller classes that allow him to focus on at least one production each year. With the Freshman Theatre Proj-
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OPENING FEBRUARY 16 / CSUARTSTICKETS.COM
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ect, Jones has a particular goal. “I’m trying to empower these young people, and make them feel important. Like they’ve brought somebody else’s message to a group of strangers,” Jones says, “If each actor only gets one moment of the satisfaction, I feel like I’ve done my job.” For students, Corrigan and Honegger, that message has clearly been imprinted. “I think one of the best things you can learn as a performer is to learn by watching,” Corrigan says, “Someone just can’t tell you what to do, you have to get inside their mindset to become them. I think it’s fascinating meeting the person you’re portraying.” Honegger echoes this sentiment, saying “There’s so much to be learned from how a person acts physically or how their voice and face is as well as what they’re actually saying.”
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So far, the student interviews have been broad, focusing on the future and personal introspection. Corrigan puts all the questions under the general umbrella of, “what is your life and what makes your life yours.”
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When asked about their impression of Jones, the students show nothing but admiration for their leader. “I really respect the man and I feel so honored to work under him,” Corrigan says, continuing, “He never makes you feel less than him. He treats you like a professional because he anticipates that you will be someday.” Corrigan is particularly inspired by his similar history as a writer, “One of the things that helped my transition from an English to a theatre major was that I was fascinated by writing,” she says, “I anticipate being a director or playwright someday.” Still, there are times when Jones’ background is intimidating. “There will be times when we’re having a discussion and he’ll share an anecdote or something and it just seems like a whole other world with all the experiences he’s had and here is now with us students,” Honegger says. As much as he may be admired, Jones says he has a much to gain from the students as they do from him. “I feel like I learn from them all the time. They’re such a black slate.”
The fifth annual Freshman Theatre Project takes place on Saturday, Dec. 9 at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. in the Studio Theatre at the Universit Center for the Arts. The production is free and all are welcome!
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Social Media and the Symphonic Arts: How Online Platforms Push Music to Be More 3-Dimensional
By Tyler Stup, UCA Publicity Intern
In his book about how social media has shaped politics and science, British journalist David Amerland said, “social media is addictive precisely because it gives us something which the real-world lacks: it gives us immediacy, direction, and value as an individual.” And for the non-business side of these platforms, the perception of value is built into the way users interact with the sites – likes, favorites, views, etc. But in an age of immediate connection, how do performing artists feel about the platform? The answer? Expectedly, it varies. For the guest artists playing at CSU whom I interviewed, social media is mostly a means of marketing. Which, to be honest, isn’t a big surprise. However, in a medium where posts with photos and videos are given priority, the classical artist’s journey to fit this medium requires a push to be more visual.
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When Twitter, Facebook, and the rest of social media emerged in the early 2000’s, the world stopped. And for the first time in a very long time, it stared, trying to make sense of a truly new way of connecting with other people. For freshman in high school, your grandma, or even your in-laws, how you fit into a larger infrastructure of interconnectivity became second nature. The concept of friends and followers is easy to understand because it is a distinctly personal and human one.
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Social Media and the Symphonic Arts
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PUBLIQuartet founding member Amanda Gookin may have said it best. “I think social media holds. It has incredible power. That’s undeniable. It can be a gift to artists to spread their message rapidly and wildly. But because we live in such a visual age, it’s forcing artists to become three dimensional.”
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In the push to do that, musicians and composers have to be mindful of how people use social media. According to an article by Digiday, an organization that tracks trends in media, 85% of Facebook users don’t even use social media with the sound on, which, as a musician, could be frustrating. This statistic necessitates the need for a diversity in online content. For Gookin, three-dimensional means adding emphasis on visual media, message, and the objective behind postings. “What’s the purpose of this video? We have to focus on honing in on the mission artists have.” With the perceived intimacy of social media, everything posted online should be intentional as it feeds into a larger narrative of who that artist is. Online, artists can push their image intentionally to be activists, rising stars, award winners, or even unintentionally boring. CSU’s Clarinet Professor Wesley Ferreira has embraced visual communication on social media to reach thousands of musicians and clarinet enthusiasts. His online presence is filled with Tip Tuesdays, performance videos, lesson
live streams, and a general sense of authentic community. All of which rely heavily on visual media. And talking with Marketing Assistant Brandon Adams, this social media presence still has all the planning that goes into any other large social media presence, including a purposeful inclusion of pictures, video, and use of the Facebook live feature. Ferreira’s presence online is much more than textual wisdom, but a true photographic insight into how he is as a performer and educator.
According to an article by Digiday, an organization that tracks trends in media, 85% of Facebook users don’t even use social media with the sound on, which, as a musician, could be frustrating. This statistic necessitates the need for a diversity in online content.
Whether they like it or not, with a social media account, every musician is now a personal brand. That isn’t inherently good or bad. The communities that can find each other via a performer’s online identity can be incredibly supportive and genuinely helpful. Alternatively, some musicians have opted out of an online presence altogether. When skyped in from Germany, the Morgenstern Trio said that their approach to concerts was not social media
heavy. “To have a good social community doesn’t get you concerts. It can help. But you never know what really helps.” They also concede that most of their target audience does not use platforms like Facebook. “What we like to do is go deep inside something. To really live for something. To really commit to something. It’s not that superficial. Social media is the opposite of what we do.” Further adding that, “This maybe can help get some people to concerts. But it can’t describe what happens on stage… there is a disconnect between what you see on your screen and what occurs in person. It can’t replace going. We’re talking about an evening that’s one and a half two hours. And if you rip 30 seconds from it you won’t get it.” I don’t think there is one certain space the performing arts habituate online. I don’t think its role in social media can be reduced to binaries like, effective, ineffective, good, bad, or detrimental. But to do it well, musicians live in an age where they must be personalities and engaging. And regardless if it’s done well, the three-dimensional emphasis online highlights what music has always strived to do, be intentional and present.
NEW COURSE OFFERING / SPRING 2018
MWF 9-9:50 [3 CREDITS] What do different communities sound like? How might contrasting “soundscapes” of different areas inform our understanding of culture in our community? We will study musical communities and soundscapes from around the world as we explore how music and sound inform human life all over. This course invites student to explore everything from their own playlists to distant lands. It includes a playlist assignment, listening tests, and surveys of musical styles.
ABILITY TO READ MUSIC NOT REQUIRED. V I S I T M U S I C . C O LO S TAT E . E D U F O R M O R E D E TA I L S
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WITH DR. JOHN PIPPEN
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The School of Music, Theatre, and Dance has a lot to be thankful for this holiday season. Reflecting back on 2017, our students, programs, and research have thrived thanks to the immense impact made by our audience members, donors, and community members. At the time of this publication, more than 400 donors have given over $1,850,000 to the School of Music, Theatre, and Dance in 2017. Every single one of these gifts makes a difference!
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As we continue to grow our programs, offering new opportunities for students to learn and participate in the arts, philanthropic support is vital to ensuring our success. Looking ahead to 2018, our performance venue, the state-of-the-art University Center for the Arts marks its 10th anniversary. Keep an eye out for exciting opportunities to celebrate with us!
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Gregory Allicar Museum of Art at Colorado State University Receives Highest National Recognition Awarded Accreditation from the American Alliance of Museums
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Of the nation’s estimated 33,000 museums, just over 1070 are currently accredited. The Gregory Allicar Museum of Art at Colorado State University is one of only 24 museums accredited in Colorado, just one of three that is Core Documents Verified and participated in the Museum Assessment Program, and the only one with accreditation in Fort Collins. Since 1906, the American Alliance of Museums (AAM) has existed to develop standards and best practices, gather and share knowledge, and provide advocacy on issues of concern to the entire museum community. In its letter notifying the Museum of its accreditation, the AAM Accreditation Committee stated that: “The museum is an excellent example of how a departmental gallery can grow into vibrant museum thanks to a clear vision, a strategic plan that marries the accreditation goal with its new location, strong financial and administrative support from the University and the community, and a dedicated professional staff." Alliance Accreditation brings national recognition to a museum for its commitment to excellence, accountabili-
ty, high professional standards and continued institutional improvement. Developed and sustained by museum professionals for over 45 years, the Alliance’s museum accreditation program is the field’s primary vehicle for quality assurance, self-regulation, and public accountability. It strengthens the museum profession by promoting practices that enable leaders to make informed decisions, allocate resources wisely, and remain financially and ethically accountable in order to provide the best possible service to the public. “This is a tremendous milestone for the Gregory Allicar Museum of Art and clearly demonstrates the trajectory of excellence established by our founding director, Linny Frickman, to whom we are enormously and endlessly thankful.” — Lynn Boland, Gregory Allicar Museum of Art director and Chief Curator Accreditation is a very rigorous but highly rewarding process that examines all aspects of a museum’s operations. To earn accreditation a museum first must conduct a year of self-study, and then undergo a site visit by a team of peer reviewers. The Alliance’s Accreditation Commission, an independent and autonomous body of museum professionals, considers the self-study and visiting committee report to determine whether a museum should receive accreditation. “Accredited museums are a community of institutions that have chosen to hold themselves publicly accountable to excellence,” said Laura L. Lott, Alliance president
I S S UE 2 3, DEC EM B ER 2 0 17 / T H E GRE E N ROOM T HE U NIVERS IT Y CEN T ER FO R T HE ARTS
he Gregory Allicar Museum of Art has achieved accreditation by the American Alliance of Museums, the highest national recognition afforded the nation’s museums. Accreditation conveys the museum’s excellence to its community, including governments, funders, outside agencies, and the museum-going public.
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and CEO. “Accreditation is clearly a significant achievement, of which both the institutions and the communities they serve can be extremely proud.” GREGORY ALLICAR MUSEUM OF ART invites individuals to engage with art and each other to inspire fresh perspectives and wonder. The museum is a catalyst for visual literacy and critical thinking that instills a passion for learning. With a growing and diverse art collection, expanded facilities, and dynamic on-and off-site programming, the museum is a cornerstone of Colorado State University’s arts initiatives and a link to alumni, Fort Collins, and our region. Always free and open to all, the museum invites visitors to revel in direct engagement with outstanding examples of visual art. The museum is dedicated to educational vitality, encouraging teaching and learning through interaction with art; welcoming engagement, embracing all audiences; and
to honoring a diversity of art making across time periods, geographies, and cultures. We welcome visitors to enjoy a robust program of permanent and changing exhibitions and related programs, including workshops, lectures, and guided tours. ABOUT THE AMERICAN ALLIANCE OF MUSEUMS The American Alliance of Museums has been bringing museums together since 1906, helping to develop standards and best practices, gathering and sharing knowledge, and providing advocacy on issues of concern to the entire museum community. Representing more than 35,000 individual museum professionals and volunteers, institutions, and corporate partners serving the museum field, the Alliance stands for the broad scope of the museum community. For more information, visit www.aam-us.org.
Gregory Allicar Museum of Art | University Center for the Arts 1400 Remington Street, Fort Collins, CO 80523 (970) 491-1989 | allicarmuseum@colostate.edu | artmuseum@colostate.edu Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. | Thursday open until 7:30 p.m. Closed University Holidays, Fall, Winter and Spring breaks, Home Football Games.
Gregory Allicar Museum of Art Awarded Accreditation from the American Alliance of Museums A Note From Our Director The Gregory Allicar Museum of Art has achieved accreditation by the American Alliance of Museums, the highest national recognition afforded the nation's museums. Accreditation signifies excellence to the museum community, governments, funders, outside agencies, and the museum-going public. Those not in the museum profession sometimes ask me, "What's so important about accreditation?" "Does it help with loans? With grants?" The answers are "Yes and yes"; but that's not the most important thing about accreditation.
It's not an easy process, to put it mildly. Developing and articulating procedures and policies takes a great deal of time and thought. My predecessor, the indomitable Linny Frickman, began the process with the inception of the museum ten years ago, well before we were even the Allicar, in fact. With our AAM accreditation, we join an elite group of fewer than five percent of U.S. museums. We are one of only two such museums in the Northern Colorado region, and one of only three museums in the state to complete the full array of AAM's Continuum of Excellence, which also includes verification of core documents and the Museum Assessment Program. In short, it's a big deal; even more so for the report from the accreditation review commission and our visiting site reviewers, who recognized the innovative practices and procedures developed by Linny and our extraordinary corps of associate curators, which are a model for what an academic museum can be. We'll be tweeting excerpts from the report over the coming weeks and celebrating the accreditation at our annual fundraiser, Visualize, on Jan. 20, 2018. I hope you'll join us and raise a glass to this major milestone.
Lynn Boland Gregory Allicar Museum of Art, Director Colorado State University
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At the heart of accreditation by the American Alliance of Museums (AAM) is excellence. It signals a museum that excels at its role as a steward of cultural history and one that achieves excellence in service to its community. Accreditation marks a museum that is meeting the standards of our field and striving to develop best practices. It means a museum is doing things right and is on the right track for the future.
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CO-PRESENTED BY THE LINCOLN CENTER AND COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY
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Hailed as the “Kings of Brass,” this quintet has performed in virtually every major concert hall in the world. “These are the men who put brass music on the map with their unbeatable blend of virtuosity, spontaneity and humor.” —The Washington Post
JANUARY 19, 7:30 P.M. L I N C O L N C E N T E R
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