Music Department Newsletter: Fall 2020

FALL 2020

BI-ANNUAL MUSIC DEPARTMENT NEWSLETTER

WELCOME BACK, MACS! Written by Erin Gouak Hello and welcome to the Fall 2020 edition of the Music

Department Newsletter, written by the 2020-2021 Music Council.

Within these pages you will find a reminder of our COVID-19 Safety

Protocols to follow in the Music Department. We welcome you to read

about and remember our beloved Sister Regina Foy, IHM. After that,

Table of Contents 2..............Reminder of Protocols 3.............Sister Regina Foy, IHM 4............Adrian Smith Interview

we conducted an interview with one of our newest faculty members,

6....................Student Highlights

Our Student Highlights include senior John Antosh and his

7......................Cathy Sucgang

Adrian Smith as we welcome her to campus!

performance at the Music Convocation/Pi Kappa Lambda Induction Ceremony. Our other highlight includes senior Cathy Sucgang. Cathy

wrote and recorded an Extended Play (EP) at the beginning of the pandemic and released it on her 21st birthday this past September.

Congratulations to both of these wonderful performers!

On page 8 and 9, you can learn a bit about our new Music Council

members who put this newsletter together for you! Next, we have our

Music Scholarship recipients. Our other Student Highlights include the newly elected Executive Boards for Music Education Club and Music Therapy Club. On page 11, you will also find the Pi Kappa Lambda Inductees and Certificate Recipients.

Don't forget to follow our new Instagram page (@iumusicdept)!

Good Luck with the rest of the semester and your juries!

6.........................John Antosh

8......Music Council Members

10.........Music Scholarships 11.......E-Board Members & Pi Kappa Lambda

FALL 2020

A few reminders of protocols this year to keep you and others safe!

REMINDERS OF SAFETY PROTOCOLS Written by Caitlin Clayton Use only practice rooms #3-15 Only 1 person per practice room for social distancing Keep the fallboard closed, unless using the piano Wipe everything you used before leaving the practice room Turn the lights off and leave the door open so others know the room is free Be quiet and respectful to those practicing Leave the room as you found it and take everything with which you came Wear your mask at all times when on campus Stay socially distant Wipe down all surfaces after classes Do self health checks daily Wash your hands for at least 20 seconds Only residents in the resident halls Follow room occupancy limits

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FALL 2020

IN MEMORIAM: SISTER REGINA FOY, IHM Written by Erin Gouak

Our beloved Sister Regina Foy, IHM, formerly Sister Mary Aloysius, died in Camilla Hall of natural causes on Thursday, October

15th,

2020.

She

was

born

and

raised

in

Philadelphia. She was raised in St. Martin of Tours Parish and attended their elementary school. Sister Regina also attended Ascension Elementary school and then later graduated from Little Flower High School in 1956. While in the community, she earned degrees from Immaculata University, West Chester State, and Notre Dame University.

Sister Regina entered the Congregation on September 8th, 1956. She received her habit and her religious name, Sister Mary Aloysius, on March 9th 1957. Sister Mary Aloysius pronounced First Vows on August 19th, 1958.

Beginning August 1958 through August 1969, Sister taught children in grades 3, 5, 7 along with Music in Immaculate Conception School in Somerville, NJ and in Epiphany School in Miami, FL. In 1969 through 1981, Sister taught

music

to

high

school

students

in

Shanahan,

Immaculata High School in Somerville, and Central Catholic in Allentown. For the next thirty six years, Sister Regina

Eternal rest grant unto her, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon her. May her soul and all the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, Rest In Peace.

Amen.

taught music to students at Immaculata University.

In August 2017, Sister Regina entered the Community of Camilla Hall where she was a part of the Apostolate of Prayer until her death on October 25th, 2020.

Due to Covid-19 regulations, the Funeral Mass was a semi-private event on Thursday, October 22nd, 2020 and private interment. A limited number of family members were invited to attend the Funeral Mass. Reverend Dennis Gill was the

Celebrant

and

Homilist;

concelebrants

included

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be sent to: Camilla Hall Nursing Home IHM Mission Advancement Office 230 IHM Drive Malvern, PA 19355

Reverend John J. Sibel, Reverend Brandon Artmman, and Reverend William Trader.

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FALL 2020

INTRODUCING NEW FACULTY: ADRIAN SMITH Written by Sarah Abbott Sarah Abbott: What brought you to Immaculata University?

Adrian Smith: What first brought me to IU was my degree. I initially came here to study music therapy and then I switched to music education and never looked back. I worked

Please join us in welcoming our new faculty member: Adrian Smith.

Mrs. Smith is one of the many new faculty members in the Music Department!

with Mr. Joe Gehring for many years at Renaissance Academy and was also in the West Chester Band, so I kept coming back to Immaculata to do performances, and group performances with the wind ensemble here. I've always felt like this was a second home. I’ve always been here and participated and been part of the school. When the position became available, I was really hoping that this could be my career.

S: What is your favorite class to teach?

A: I very much enjoy teaching sight singing and aural skills.

My Kodaly background has really led me to appreciate the skill level and the mastery needed to do dictation, harmonic analysis and sight singing. I enjoyed making that a part of my classroom and I’m thrilled that I am able to teach it as a class!

Q: How does music influence peoples' lives to you?

A: It’s different for every person and how involved they are. I think it touches ensembles in a different way than it touches an audience, versus how it touches people who are in the car after a rough day to decompress. Ultimately, it has an ability to unite people together, build up community, and to foster a really beautiful culture. I think it affects people depending on the situation in a very positive way.

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FALL 2020

"I've always felt like this was a second home."

S: What’s the best part about teaching music?

A: I think it’s just teaching in general! I love to see the growth and development of students’ skills over time, starting at one level and ending at a more complicated level; that progression of learning is a really beautiful thing. It’s a great feeling for me and it’s a great accomplishment for students!

S: During these trying times, it is crucial to be able to adapt to the online environment. How have you adapted your lessons to this?

A: It’s been developing (and still is developing) but finding ways to share web pages, Auralia, lecture notes, and powerpoint presentations. It’s been interesting because I've been changing my lesson format to be more lecture-heavy that, once I got back into the classroom, I was like, “Oh, I can do some things that I would typically do that are more interactive with the students!” It definitely has affected my teaching and I am still continuing to find ways to better adapt to the situation, especially since we have half and half with online learning and in person-learning.

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FALL 2020

STUDENT HIGHLIGHTS

Pictured: John Antosh (right) and Jennifer Campbell (Left)

JOHN ANTOSH PERFORMANCE REVIEW Written by James Dunwoody On November 16th, John Antosh performed Gerald Finzi’s 5 Bagatelles, Opus 23 accompanied by Jennifer Campbell during the Pi Kappa Lambda 40th Induction Ceremony (in which John would be one of the honored inductees). In this performance, only the first, fourth, and fifth movements would be played of the total five. The movements played would be the Prelude (I), the Forlana (IV), and Fughetta (V). John demonstrated great flexibility with his work on this piece as these bagatelles all are each characteristically different to one another. The Prelude is delicate, brisk, and subtle as Finzi plays to the sheer depth of color the Clarinet offers. John demonstrated this diversity incredibly well, in depth, warmth of sound, and overall style. John kept his cool, maintained a very steady tempo and rhythmic feel, and allowed himself to pull the colors and tones out of the variations of the theme in the Prelude.

The Fourth Movement, the Forlana would be a completely different experience to the Prelude. This movement features smoother phrasing, less aggressive articulation and tempo. Despite this, Finzi still manages to fill it with surprising colors and shifts outside of his established key. John did exceptionally well with this movement, carefully pulling and stretching these phrases and emphasizing these new tones, and keeping the intended emotion of the movement. Of absolute note, the turns and grace note work demonstrated here by John would be an absolute textbook example of each as they appeared almost easy as they seamlessly flowed forth naturally. Truly an incredible performance!

The final movement, the Fughetta (V) reintroduces the theme of the Prelude and expands upon it slightly. Finzi tweaks the tempo, articulation, and adds an extension onto the main theme when it returns, creating quite a long phrase indeed! Despite this, John once again demonstrated incredible control and focus to his breathing that would permit him to turn a long phrase into a resounding success. A jubilant fanfare and an incredible ending for a phenomenal performance!

Congrats Mr. John Antosh on your Induction to Pi Kappa Lambda and a great performance of Five Bagatelles! Happy practicing and Happy Thanksgiving!

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FALL 2020

CREATING MUSIC DURING THE PANDEMIC IU Senior Cathy Sucgang takes her time in quarantine to create new EP Written by Emily Cox Cathy Sucgang has been an integral member of the music department since the start of her journey as a music therapy major. It has been clear from the moment Cathy stepped foot on campus that she is a performer as well as a future music therapist. Throughout the past four years, I have had the unique opportunity to get to know Cathy on a musical and personal level and have watched her grow in immeasurable ways. In the beginning of October, Cathy released an EP on Spotify and Apple Music entitled Take Your Time. The EP, or extended play, is a collection of seven songs all written, performed, and recorded by Cathy over the months following the beginning of the pandemic.

The lyrics of the EP showcase the experience of the pandemic, both Cathy’s personal reflections and the universal feelings shared by many about the state of the world. Some fan favorites are “Prayers and Patience” and “The Optimist”. “Prayers and Patience” includes some familiar Catholic prayers and captivates the hopeless feeling of being helpless during the pandemic. “The Optimist” can only be described as a musical hug. While everyone is feeling lethargic and restless, Cathy offers almost eight minutes of musical escape. Another song that stands out is “One Day in the Sky”. At the beginning of the pandemic, Cathy lost her grandfather to COVID-19. “One Day in the Sky” is her eulogy for her grandfather, and it captures the feelings of grief associated with losing a loved one, as well as celebrating the man her grandfather was and how he impacted the lives of many.

As we all continue to deal with the emotional turmoil of living through a destructive global pandemic, Take Your Time validates every feeling you may have had over the past few months. This EP offers spiritual and emotional comfort to all who listen. The entire music department and IU community is immensely proud of Cathy Sucgang for this successful first release, and I know I speak for many when I say that I cannot wait to see what the future holds for this lyrical genius and vocal powerhouse. If you have not yet, do yourself a favor and listen to Take Your Time by our very own Cathy Sucgang on Spotify or Apple Music!

"Sunshine and then the fall of rain Work in tandem to sustain The life that grows among these plains You cannot have peace if you don't take the pain So just grow" -Mustard Seed

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FALL 2020

STUDENT HIGHLIGHTS MUSIC COUNCIL: 2020-2021

Written by Avery Valenta

Freshman Class

Sophomore Class

Name: Avery Valenta Class: 2024 Major: Music Therapy Major Instrument: Voice Hometown: New Albany, OH

Name: Sam Loeser Class: 2023 Major: Music Therapy Major Instrument: Voice Hometown: Nazareth, PA

Junior Class Name: Erin Gouak Class: 2022 Major: Music Education Major Instrument: Bass Hometown: Ft. Washington, PA

Music Education Name: Haley Zambito Class: 2023 Major: Music Education Major Instrument: Voice Hometown: Reading, PA

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Senior Class Name: Tarynn Bridges Class: 2021 Major: Music Therapy Major Instrument: Voice Hometown: Pine Hill, NJ

Music Therapy Name: Ryan Leon Class: 2023 Major: Music Therapy Major Instrument: Voice Hometown: Oviedo, FL

FALL 2020

STUDENT HIGHLIGHTS MUSIC COUNCIL (CONT.): 2020-2021

Written by Avery Valenta

B.A. in Music

Applied Music

Name: David Graham Class: 2022 Major: Music Performance Major Instrument: Alto Saxophone Hometown: Deptford, NJ

Name: Alexa Dobrzynski Class: 2022 Major: Music Education Major Instrument: Voice Hometown: Mont Clare, PA

Chorale

Concert Band

Name: Sarah Abbott Class: 2023 Major: Music Therapy Major Instrument: Voice Hometown: Bridgewater, NJ

Name: Caitlyn Clayton Class: 2024 Major: Music Therapy Major Instrument: Flute Hometown: Brick, NJ

Symphony

Small Ensembles

Name: James Dunwoody Class: 2021 Major: Music Performance Major Instrument: French Horn Hometown: Spring City, PA

Name: Emily Cox Class: 2021 Major: Music Therapy Major Instrument: Voice Hometown: NE Philadelphia, PA

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FALL 2020

STUDENT HIGHLIGHTS SCHOLARSHIPS: 2020-2021 Written by Sam Loeser All music students are invited to apply for these scholarships in the Spring. Applications are then reviewed and chosen by the Music Faculty. Winners are contacted soon after and recognized at Music Convocation Class.

Rocco N. and Sara. J. Borrelli Award was awarded to Madison McGrogan. This endowed scholarship honors a junior or senior music student who has given evidence of musical talent development, particularly through performance during his/her collegiate study. In addition, the student’s talent must be evident in his/her musical studies and activities. The music faculty has the responsibility of selecting the recipient, who is then recognized at the Fall Honors Convocation.

The Almira Doutt Memorial Award was awarded to Julia Gillies and James Dunwoody.

This award is made in the form of an endowed scholarship to a sophomore, junior, or senior music major who has financial need and who has proven him/herself to be an accomplished musician and a good student. The award is renewable, and the recipient is selected by the music faculty.

The Cheryl Thatcher Award was awarded to Anna Freeman and Emily Cox. This endowed scholarship is given to an undergraduate traditional music student or CLL student in Music Therapy who demonstrates outstanding musical accomplishment. This award is renewable, and the recipient is selected by the music faculty.

Trieste Musa Rao Music Scholarship was awarded to Catherine Carey, Rachel Barnes, Daisy Frias, and Erin Gouak. This award is an endowed scholarship awarded to full-time music majors who demonstrate exceptional musical talent and potential and who have financial need. This award is non-renewable.

The Reverend William Campbell Music Medal was awarded to Rachel Yongwoo Kwon.

The Reverend William E. Campbell Medal for Music is generally awarded at Commencement to the graduating music major in the College of Undergraduate Studies with the highest music GPA. However, the department faculty have the prerogative of awarding the medal at times to a music major who, in addition to high achievement in music courses, has attained extraordinary levels of excellence in performance.

The Presser Scholar Award was awarded to John Antosh. This annual music award is given by the Presser Foundation and is awarded as a music scholarship to an outstanding student musician and scholar at the end of his/her junior year. Any qualified junior (rising senior) who has at least one full year left in their degree program may apply for this award.

It is a nationally recognized and prestigious award which is presented officially at Immaculata’s Fall Honors Convocation. The Music Department faculty have the responsibility of selecting the student recipient, who will be known as the Presser Scholar.

This music award is based on overall outstanding musical and academic accomplishment.

The Joanna Cahill McLaughlin Scholarship was awarded to Catrianne Sucgang.

The Eugene Buglio Memorial Symphony Scholarship was awarded to James Dunwoody, John Antosh, and Lynn Krieger.

Please join us in congratulating all of these wonderful students on all their achievements!

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FALL 2020

EXECUTIVE BOARDS: 2020-2021 Music Education Club President: Erin Gouak ‘22 Vice President: Catherine Carey ‘22 Secretary: Laura McMonagle ‘24 Treasurer: Haley Zambito ‘23

Music Therapy Club President: Tarynn Bridges ‘21 Vice President: Emily Cox ‘21 Co-Secretaries: Julie Gillian ‘24 and Jessica Migrala ‘21 Public Relations Officer: Caitlin Clayton ‘24 Treasurer: Alex Polidoro ‘24

Follow us on the NEW student-run Music Department Instagram! @iumusicdept

Editors: Erin Gouak '22 & Ryan Leon '23

Pi Kappa Lambda

Delta Psi Chapter

New Inductees Charity Jones M.A. in Music Therapy, 2020 Marilyn Benvenuto B. Mus. in Music Therapy, 2020 Emily Cox B. Mus. in Music Therapy, 2021 John Antosh B.A. in Music with Performance Emphasis, 2021

Sophomore Certificate Recipients 2019-2020

Anna Freeman B. Mus. in Music Therapy Julia Gillies B.Mus. in Music Therapy Erin Gouak B.Mus. in Music Education David Graham B.A. in Music with Performance Emphasis

Freshmen Certificate Recipients 2019-2020

Sarah Abbott B.Mus. in Music Therapy Daisy Frias B.Mus. in Music Therapy Breanna Kratz B.Mus. in Music Therapy Samantha Loeser B.Mus. in Music Therapy Maxwell Maccaroni B.A. in Music with Performance Emphasis 11