February 2019 Newsletter

Immaculata University Music Department Newsletter February 2019 Editor: Taylor Stroup

Table of Contents Music Education Club Update‌2 Music Therapy Club Update‌2 Meet the Adjunct Professor .... 2 Review of The Curtis Symphony Concert ...................................... 3 Review of Recital Etiquette ..... 5 Review of Practice Room Etiquette ................................................... 5 Concert Corner ......................... 6

On Saturday, January 26th, 2019, The Curtis Symphony from The Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia traveled to Immaculata University to perform in our theater.

They put on a tremendous concert for community members and students that evening. Continue to page 4 to read more!

Picture by Mr. Joseph Gehring

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Music Therapy Club Music therapy club will again be meeting every other week this semester. This semester, we are preparing to send members to the Mid-Atlantic Region Conference, which is March 8-10 in Reston, Virginia. The goal is to send as many music therapy students to the conference as possible. Please join us at meetings this semester to learn about funding options and participate in fundraisers to help with the cost of conference.

Keep an eye on the Immaculata App for events sponsored and hosted by the club. As always, keep an eye on our Instagram: @iu_music_therapy_club and our snapchat: IU Music Therapy Club for updates on our meetings and upcoming events!

Taylor Stroup, Class of 2019

Meet our Adjunct: Dr. Paula Nelson

Dr. Paula Nelson is the adjunct flute professor and director of The Heavenly High Notes Flute Choir here at Immaculata. Dr. Nelson is also a faculty member at Elizabethtown College and the Music School of Delaware. She received her bachelor’s degree in music from the University of Maryland, and then proceeded to attend the University of North Texas for her masters and doctorate degrees in flute performance. She has performed with many orchestras, including the Allentown and Pottstown Symphony Orchestras and

Irving Symphony Orchestra in Texas. She recently performed a solo piece with none other than the Immaculata Symphony. Dr. Nelson is very knowledgeable about technique and is always referencing new articles from flute magazines during lessons to help her students improve to the best of their ability.

Thank you, Dr. Nelson, for all your hard work with the flute majors!

Music Education Club Alexis Reavill, Class of 2019 Looking to February, the Music Ed Club will be meeting Monday February 4th and 25th at 3:30. Our first meeting will be an opportunity for all Music Education majors to take a practice music praxis. The music praxis is the certification test for music teachers. In the meeting, we will be looking at what areas of music the test covers and what resources are available for studying. We will be meeting in the music hall.

Our second meeting will be bucket drumming!! You will have the opportunity to play a bucket drum and learn how to play We Will Rock You and Rolling in the Deep. We will be looking how to incorporate it into your classroom and how to write lesson plans for it.

Although the meeting will have a music education spin, I would like to invite all music majors who would like to come and jam.

The location of this meeting is TBD. Please check the Facebook page “Immaculata University’s Music Education Club/PCMEA Chapter” for updates.

Taylor Stroup, Class of 2019 Information from fineartmusiccompany.com

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Review of The Curtis Symphony “Low brass players are always fun to work with…They bring an infectious joy to everything they play…”

On January 26, 2019, at 8:00pm in Alumnae Hall, the Immaculata community was once again presented with the exuberant musicality and sophistication of the Curtis Symphony Orchestra from Philadelphia. This concert was the second of three concerts to be performed on our campus for this 2018-2019 academic year. Guests, students, and Immaculata faculty/ staff were filling our Alumnae Hall Theatre, with excitement, awaiting what would be an outstanding and memorable concert. This concert was called American Images in which the symphony performed pieces that were written by American composers or pieces that were made famous in the United States of America. The Curtis Symphony performed the following compositions: Aaron Copland's Suite from Appalachian Spring (1945), Jennifer Higdon's Tuba Concerto, Charles Ives' The Unanswered Question, and Antonín Dvořák's Symphony No. 7 in D minor, Op.70. This article will review the Curtis Symphony concert American Images, from a student's perspective, describing

the details of this beautiful night of music.

The first piece the symphony performed was the Suite from Appalachian Spring composed by: Aaron Copland (1900-90).

This piece was inspired by dance music of the 20th century.

Copland was inspired by Martha Graham who was considered a pioneer in the classical ballet scene. In this suite, concertgoers were delighted with the artistry that depicted nature-like scenery and one of the most recognizable melodies, "The Gift to be Simple." This melody came from a 19th century Shaker hymn that was surprisingly unknown until Copland used it in his score. I was impressed by the moments of intensity in this piece and was mesmerized by the skillful legato phrasing that made me envision the water coming from the mountains.

The next piece that followed the Suite from Appalachian Spring was Jennifer Higdon's (b. 1962) Tuba Concerto. Dr. Higdon, a Curtis Institute of Music alumna who joined the faculty in 1994, is known for her expertise in all of

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the instruments in the orchestra, and her attention to detail which made for award-winning concertos for orchestra. Dr. Higdon is a 2010 Pulitzer Prize winner for her Violin Concerto and a two-time Grammy Award winner in which her Viola Concerto received this honor. The soloist for this Tuba Concerto was Craig Knox who also serves on the faculty for the Curtis Institute of Music. Knox premiered this composition, as a soloist, with the Pittsburgh Symphony on March 16, 2018. The audience, at Immaculata, was absolutely captivated by the virtuosity of Knox playing fast-moving melodic ideas that were heard over the orchestra. I also liked that the melodic ideas, in the tuba solo, were passed to other instrument sections as well. Dr. Higdon once said that "Low brass players are always fun to work with... They bring an infectious joy to everything they play, which in itself is inspiring."

After intermission, the audience was treated to a special performance of Charles Ives' (1874-1954) The Unanswered Question. The stage set-up, for this piece, was very interesting. The string players, few woodwind players, and brass players were in the wings of the stage performing their respective parts, while four flute players were positioned on stage performing the melody. Ives was known to be a witty composer.

The strings represented the tradition and almost "white noise" with the flute quartet interjecting which represented chaos. I liked the dissonant melodic ideas that were being performed simultaneously. This piece was definitely unique and memorable for the audience in attendance that night.

The final piece of this concert was Antonín Dvořåk's (1841-1904) Symphony No. 7 in D minor, Op.70. This piece was composed in April 1885 following the success of his Sixth Symphony in London during 1884.

This piece was known for its "loaded thematic material" which created suspenseful moments in each movement of this work. I liked the playful melodic ideas and the strength from the different sections within the orchestra. Without this energy, it would not be known, as it is today, for its ability to keep the listeners' ears on edge.

Overall, this concert was a success and the students at Immaculata were astounded to have been in attendance to see the magic of the Curtis Symphony Orchestra. I am looking forward to what would be a final close to this year's concert series on April 13, 2019! The Curtis Symphony Orchestra will be presenting music from the Impressionist and Romantic eras.

Alyssa Wiltbank, Class of 2019

Pictures provided by Mr. Joseph Gehring

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Understanding Recital Etiquette Now that the spring semester is upon us, it is time to look back at the fall semester and see where the music department can make improvements. One major area that needs to be discussed is recital etiquette, regarding proper dress and stage actions. When preparing for a performance, it is important to remember that the audience is there to hear you play, so their focus should not be on your clothing. Please be aware of your choice of attire when dressing for a solo or concert performance. Pieces of clothing that are not appropriate include: sweatpants and/or sweatshirts, jeans, shorts, sneakers, and short skirts and/or dresses.

Remember the rule in high school where your shorts had to be longer than your middle

finger when your hand was at your side? If you are questioning whether your performance attire is appropriate, apply that rule, and then maybe add a few inches past it, just to be safe. You know how much time you have spent preparing for this time on stage, and your clothing choice should not take away from that.

Also, it is important to discuss a performers actions, not only on stage, but also before and after a performance. Prior to a performance, whether a solo or ensemble concert, keep your focus. Review a section of music or listen to your piece in your head. Once on stage, there is no need to wave at mom or make a face at your friend.

Those were things done in elementary school band, but you are expected to be performing

and acting at a college level now. Following a solo performance, always acknowledge the audience with a bow and if you performed with an accompanist, turn to them and acknowledge their work as well during the piece.

Then gracefully walk off stage and return to your seat. There is no need to jump off the stage or run to your seat once you have finished. It is these little tips that will turn your performance from that of a high schooler to that of a college music major!

Taylor Stroup, Class of 2019

Review of Practice Room Etiquette As it is the beginning of the semester, it is important to review a few tips regarding practice room etiquette. First and foremost, please turn the light off and leave the door open when you have finished in a practice room. There is nothing worse than walking into music hall and not being able to practice because it looks the rooms are taken. Also, please keep excessive food and drink out of the practice rooms. No one wants to walk into a room and find a half-eaten cookie on top of a piano (trust me, it’s happened). Finally, the practice room is a place to practice before anything else. There is space to sit and talk to

friends or to study with a group, but please be respectful of those trying to practice. If for some reason there is something wrong with a practice room, a light out or a piano issue, please tell Mauri or a music work study student. It will not get fixed if no one is aware of the problem. If everyone can follow these few tips, it will be a successful semester in music hall!

Taylor Stroup, Class of 2019

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Concert Corner: Upcoming Concerts for the Spring Semester Well, it’s that time again! Everyone is back on campus and as usual, spring semester has snuck up and attacked us from behind. It is always amazing how quickly things move in the spring semester, and then it is over before we know it. With that being said, below is the entire spring concert schedule according to the music department handbook.

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Sunday, February 10th: Immaculata Symphony Youth Concert, 3pm, Alumnae Hall Saturday, April 6th: Immaculata Symphony Spring Concert, 7:30pm, Alumnae Hall Tuesday, April 9th: Evening Student Recital, 7:30pm, Memorial Hall Thursday, April 11th: Evening Student Recital, 7:30pm, Memorial Hall Saturday, April 13th: The Curtis Symphony at Immaculata, 3pm, Alumnae Hall* Tuesday, April 16th: Small Ensembles Concert, 7:30pm, Memorial Hall Thursday, April 25th: Jazz Ensemble Concert, 7:30pm, Memorial Hall Friday, April 26th: Chorale Concert, 7:30pm, Great Hall?

Sunday, April 28th: Concert Band, 3pm, Back Campus Saturday, May 4th: Immaculata Symphony Concerto Concert, 7:30pm, Great Hall

*Tickets for the Curtis Symphony can be purchased at the door for $5 Please be aware that there are many seniors who will be having senior recitals this semester. Their recitals dates are not completely finalized yet, but they will be sent out as soon as soon as possible so all can attend. The music department looks forward to seeing students at as many concerts as possible this semester!

Taylor Stroup, Class of 2019

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