Welcome
The 2015 President’s Concert was held at the Kimmel Center in Philadelphia, PA, and featured the Symphonic Wind Ensemble, Concert Choir, and Philharmonic Orchestra.
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Published by the Penn State School of Music Sue Haug, director ~ seh22@psu.edu Lynn Drafall, assistant director for outreach Russell Bloom, designer Photos: Alexandra Bush, Stephanie Swindle, Cody Goddard, Russell Bloom, Annemarie Mountz, faculty, alumni, and friends
If you have been keeping track, this newsletter is long overdue (the last edition was in fall 2014). Thus, there are many stories to tell and many things to celebrate. The President’s Concert series is one of my favorites, showcasing our wonderful students and connecting with you - our loyal alumni and friends across the region. We will return to Washington, D.C, to the National Presbyterian Church (NPC), on March 16, 2017, for the 11th performance in this series. Supported under three University presidents and through a partnership with the Penn State Alumni Association, these concerts give students the opportunity to perform in the greatest venues on the east coast. Please join us in Washington, D.C. to cheer us on and to sing the alma mater again, accompanied by NPC and National Symphony organist and Penn State Alumni Fellow William Neil. If everything goes according to plan, this will be my last newsletter greeting as director of the Penn State School of Music, because I will be stepping down as director on July 1, 2017. A search is underway for a new director. I will stay on the faculty through the completion of our new recital hall, a very exciting project that I am thrilled to share in this publication. Plan to return to campus in fall 2018 for grand opening celebrations - we expect the results to be spectacular. It has been a great joy to lead the School of Music during the past 12 years, and I think you will agree that there is much to celebrate. Thank you for your interest, your participation, your gifts, and your loyalty. Like you, I will always cheer for the blue and white. Sincerely Sue Haug, director School of Music
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On the Cover Groundbreaking for New Recital Hall Expected in Summer 2017 Yes, it is true. We are nearing the end of the design development phase of planning for a new recital hall in the Walters Courtyard, to connect to Music I with a new lobby. The current Esber will be remodeled to include a large ensemble rehearsal room, new lobby, and many much-needed front- and back-of-house spaces. In August 2011, the University approved the College of Arts and Architecture Master Plan for facilities (becoming part of the overall University master plan). An improved recital hall was the top priority, and by building a new hall with excellent acoustics, the vacated space (in the Esber Recital Hall footprint) could be turned into a large ensemble rehearsal room. HVAC in Music I was also at the end of life, so it made sense to combine this necessary upgrade with other needed improvements. We were thrilled when 40 design teams from all over the county expressed interest in our project, including many prominent architectural firms with experience building performance arts facilities. On October 30, 2015, the state selected a design team. The University appointed a Core Team to work with the designers, and we have been working steadily to come up with the ideas we are so excited to share with you. “Our Core Team feels very fortunate to be working with a great design team that helped us focus on key priorities to get the biggest bang for the buck,” said Sue Haug, director of the School of Music at Penn State. “Our architects are wonderful [Bostwick’s partner William Rawn Associates also built Seiji Ozawa Hall at Tanglewood], and the partnership among all the consultants is just amazing. Our recital hall design is spectacularly beautiful—I think you will say ‘wow’ when you walk into the new hall. But the focus from the beginning has been an acoustically ideal hall that will serve us well for generations, and we believe we will realize this dream.” “The large ensemble rehearsal space is where the magic really happens!” said Dennis Glocke, director of concert bands at Penn State. “Our new room promises to be transformative. Acoustical excellence has been a goal for this space as well, with adjustable acoustics to provide clarity and vibrancy. The large instrument storage space will also be a welcome addition.” The loss of Walters Courtyard is not being taken lightly. The landscape design has been a critical part of the building design to maintain a beautiful gathering space for the College of Arts and Architecture. The use of glass in the lobby and recital hall provides a high degree of transparency, making a visual connection between the interior and exterior and realizing the goal to project the energy and activity taking place within to the campus community. If all goes according to schedule, bidding will take place in early spring 2017, with the final plans going to the Board of Trustees for approval in spring 2017 and groundbreaking that summer. Construction will take 14 months, so we hope to move into the new spaces in fall semester 2018. We’ll keep you posted on our website and hope to release more detailed plans soon. It truly takes a village. The design and core teams (see adjacent panel) have played the largest role to date, but many others from the Penn State Office of the Physical Plant and the various firms have supported us along the way. As Haug wrote, “It has been exciting to represent the School of Music on this team and to watch the development of something fantastic that will transform the school. We are absolutely thrilled.” Penn State School of Music • 4
Introducing our Design Team • Bostwick Design Partnership, Erie, PA and Cleveland, OH – Robert Bostwick (principal), Rami Berner (architect and building information modeling specialist), Carter Edman (project manager) • William Rawn Associates, Boston, MA – Douglas Johnston (principal), Kevin Bergeron (lead architect for the recital hall) • Sound Thinking, Chicago, IL – Rick Talaske (acoustician and AV consultant) • NextStage Design, New Haven, CT – Gene Leitermann (theatre consultant) • Barton Associates, York, PA – Mike Rader (mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and technology) • LeMessurier, Boston, MA (structural engineers) • Stahl Sheaffer, State College, PA (civil engineers) • Venue, St. Petersburg, FL (cost estimating) • P.J. Dick, Pittsburgh, PA – Andrew Schrenk (senior project manager, construction management team) • Penn State Core Team – Sue Haug and Dennis Glocke (School of Music), Rachel Prinkey (project manager), David Zehngut (University architect), Steve Watson (director of university planning), Derek Kalp (landscape architect), Katie Rountree (College of Arts and Architecture facilities coordinator)
News of Note
Penn State School of Music 2015-2016
The 2015–16 school year in the School of Music was themed “Music and Dance: Exploring Connections Between Two Art Forms.” The idea of a unifying theme for the year resulted from in-depth faculty discussions concerning how to “enhance visibility, communication, and collaboration,” according to Sue Haug. Multiple classes throughout 2015– 16 were envisioned with this theme in mind. Music theorists Maureen Carr and Eric McKee offered special topics courses titled “Stravinsky’s Russian Ballets” and “Dance and the Music of Mozart and Beethoven.” Music education professors Ann Clements and Sarah Watts planned multiple dance encounters in their general music classes, and provided general music education courses offered training in “Dalcroze Eurhythmics.” Dance music written by composers ranging from the 17th to the 21st
centuries was performed on numerous faculty recitals, faculty Spotlight Concerts, and large ensemble programs. Three activities in April culminated the year-long focus. Celebrating 19th-century Viennese dance and music, the School of Music was joined by the Institute for the Arts and Humanities and the Penn State Ballroom Dance Club to offer two lecture/demonstrations leading to a gala “Viennese Ball” supported by a grant from Pi Kappa Lambda. “19th-Century Dancing in Vienna: From Scandal to Enduring International Sensation” was presented by guest lecturer and dancer Dan Calloway, a dual fellow in the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing. His lecture was followed up in Common Hour the next day with theory professor Eric McKee presenting
©Chris Carter
Celebrating Music and Dance
music.psu.edu
MUSIC & DANCE
Exploring connections between two art forms
“Prelude to a Ball: Viennese Music and Dance.” The climax of the yearlong study of music and dance was “A Viennese Ball,” held at the HUBRobeson Center. A chamber orchestra of Penn State music students, conducted by Benjamin Firer (’16g) provided the dance music, consisting principally of 19th-century Viennese waltzes and polkas.
C U B A
Together with Michael Davison from the University of Richmond, Mark Lusk performs with a jazz band in Santiago, Cuba. Lusk, Dan Yoder, and students from the School of Music traveled to Cuba in 2014, 2015, and 2016.
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Freshmen...
Creating Community with “The Freshman Experience” It is sometimes difficult being a freshman music major in a huge university like Penn State. New expectations and experiences assail incoming students at every turn, and the sense of isolation from hometown friends and former teachers can be overwhelming. One can also become intimidated by new classmates and more accomplished upperclass performers and scholars. Acknowledging the difficulties that freshmen face, the School of Music created “The Freshman Experience” in fall 2014 to help its youngest students acclimate more easily to collegiate life and life as a music major. Part of the school’s official strategic plan, this partial replacement for Common Hour in the freshman year was designed to “build excitement for music study and expose students to a broader range of music repertory, while also developing community across the school.” The loose curriculum for the Freshman Experience was designed by lead teacher Christopher Kiver and other faculty members including Anthony J. Costa, Naomi Seidman, and Dennis Glocke. Kiver said, “The main goal of the experience is to excite students about being music majors, and to open them up to what being a fulltime musician entails. The Freshman Experience helps not only to broaden students’ knowledge of music but also allows them to get to know the faculty and each other.” During their freshman year, the students are separated from the rest of the Common Hour attendees for approximately half a semester and treated to experiences designed to help them acclimate to life as a music major, including “what I wish I knew then” panel discussions by members of the sophomore class, interactive “meet the faculty” presentations, and performance/talk-back sessions by upperclass students in all performance areas. They also participate in clinics on how to listen to all types of music (pop, bluegrass, blues etc. as well as classical), and a “Messiah” sing-along the Friday afternoon before Thanksgiving Break. Perhaps the most popular activity of the Freshman Experience is the “Aha Moment” class in which faculty members from all areas of the school share the experiences/ repertoire that made them decide to pursue a career in music. Based on reports from both students and faculty, the Freshman Experience has made a positive difference in the Penn State freshman collegiate transition. Marica Tacconi, who teaches the final semester of the undergraduate music history sequence, has noted Penn State School of Music • 6
20 20 a marked difference in the classroom atmosphere as an outcome of the new freshman course. She reports that the students are much more open to contribute in class discussions and that they exude a heightened sense of community. “The students in the class seemed more open to share, ask questions, and exchange viewpoints,” said Tacconi. “I sensed a wonderful sense of camaraderie and a genuine desire to engage with each other.”
Looking back at the success of the freshman initiative, Kiver remarked, “There are a couple of significant threads in the experience: to become more assured performers; to observe faculty perform and see how they speak to an audience. But, the main thread is to help them learn how to listen to classical music as well as other diverse musics, and to be able to articulate their thoughts on music in a concise, articulate, and engaging manner.”
Calling All Arts Entrepreneurs – A New Minor Students across
the University are taking advantage of an exciting new intercollege minor called Entrepreneurship and Innovation (ENTI). And, thanks to Jonathan Gangi, the College of Arts and Architecture’s professor in arts entrepreneurship, students may now pursue the ENTI minor within a specialty labeled Arts Entrepreneurship. “Entrepreneurs and innovators exist in all industries and in all types of companies. The key to entrepreneurial achievement is working with the tools and knowledge that position one for success,” explained Gangi. “The ENTI minor teaches foundational skills, such as innovative thinking and leadership skills, while providing resources in planning and management.” Three courses (9 credits) offered by the College of Engineering and the Smeal College of Business form the core of the minor’s curriculum. The topics provide a background in self-efficacy, leadership, resourcefulness, and business acumen. From this core, ENTI minors then continue into one of eight specialty curricula, called clusters, including Arts Entrepreneurship, Social Entrepreneurship, Hospitality Management, and Digital Entrepreneurship and Innovation, among others. While Gangi teaches and administrates the arts entrepreneurship courses, the program actively engages arts entrepreneurs and alumni as guest speakers, who serve as student role models and mentors. In addition, students have the opportunity to enter the Arts Business Idea Competition, where they are given the opportunity to pitch their arts business concepts to a panel of successful arts entrepreneurs who act as judges. School of Music graduate student Angela D’Alotto said, “Learning about the business side of the arts is crucial to being successful in the arts. From creating our own potential businesses to meeting renowned arts entrepreneurs from around the world, we cover it all in this program.” Whether Penn State’s young arts entrepreneurs go on to create art, support its production, or draw audiences to art and artists by developing new services, their future looks bright. They are empowered with the entrepreneurial knowledge and skills to help them actually make a living as artists.
New Option Offered Within Bachelor of Arts Degree As the need for more tech-savvy musicians continues to rise, the School of Music has instituted a new music technology degree option within the Bachelor of Arts degree. The option will require students to complete courses including recording studio techniques, electronic music, and sound synthesis, as well as general education courses in the science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields. “With the new degree option, it’s the same bachelor of arts degree, just with a technology focus,” said Mark Ballora. “Musicians can’t avoid technology any longer—music is recorded, edited, and distributed digitally, and many students want to specialize in that.” Ballora pointed out that although the new degree option will have a strong focus on technology, it is still a music degree. Students interested in pursuing the music technology option are required to audition for acceptance to the school on an instrument or as a vocalist, and they take all of the core music classes. “Students can continue pursuing their instrument of choice, or they can go into a field like music production and recording. If you know recording, that’s one more valuable tool in your belt,” said Ballora. “But arts students can go on to do so many things. That’s the great thing about an arts degree—it teaches you the critical thinking skills to be flexible.” Elliot Kermit-Canfield, a 2013 Penn State alum and Ballora’s former student assistant, said he believes the new option will be popular among incoming students. “Penn State has strong programs in music, engineering, and computer science, and I know several students—myself included—who struggled with the decision of whether to major in music or science,” he said. “I hope this new program will allow students to find a place in the middle.”
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Spotlights
SPOTLIGHT: New Concert Series in 2015
In 2015–16, the School of Music introduced the Spotlight Concert Series, a succession of performances held during the school year that featured faculty performers collaborating in varied and intriguing combinations of instruments and repertoires, performing music ranging from the renaissance to newly composed works written specifically for the school’s faculty musicians. The idea for the concert series derived from a year-long faculty discussion in preparation for writing the school’s latest strategic plan. “This series is one of many new ideas we implemented to enhance and support faculty collaborative work,
which is an important strategic goal,” said Sue Haug, director of the School of Music. The Spotlight Concerts also yield benefits for the School of Music far beyond the walls of the concert hall. Haug continued, “this concert series is also part of our recruitment efforts. Through our successful livestreaming initiative, more prospective students and their teachers have the opportunity to hear our incredible faculty performers. In addition, recordings of these performances are aired on our ‘In Performance at Penn State’ radio shows produced by WPSU.”
Christopher Guzman, piano faculty member and Spotlight Concert Series coordinator, echoed Haug’s excitement. “The faculty are eager to share these performances with our audiences, who have enthusiastically supported the Penn’s Woods summer series. We are thrilled to have this opportunity to continue performing together with our colleagues throughout the year.” The faculty Spotlight Concert Series has continued during the 2016–17 school year, with Sunday afternoon concerts during the spring semester on January 29, and February 26 in Esber Recital Hall.
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Cellist Kim Cook and conductor Gerardo Edelstein traveled to Russia in May 2016 to record Strauss’s “Don Quixote” with the St. Petersburg State Symphony.
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Pennsylvania Quintet Celebrates 30th Anniversary The Pennsylvania Quintet, the faculty woodwind ensemble of the School of Music, celebrated its 30th anniversary during the 2014–15 school year. The anniversary celebration was capped off by a gala concert in April 2015 that showcased a multimovement work commissioned by the quintet for the occasion, with funding from a College of Arts and Architecture Faculty Research Grant. Compass Kaleidoscope, commissioned from Philadelphia-based composer Andrea Clearfield is based on five quilt patterns chosen by individual members of the quintet, which were projected during the performance: Compass Kaleidoscope, Old Maid’s Ramble, Mexican Rose, Bleeding Hearts, and Windblown Squares. Lois Durran, wife of bassoonist Daryl Durran, created a realization of the quilt that was displayed. The week prior to the concert, Clearfield visited the School of Music for a residency that included coaching student chamber ensembles and a concert featuring her compositions. Current Pennsylvania Quintet members are faculty members Naomi Seidman, flute; Tim Hurtz, oboe; Anthony J. Costa, clarinet; Lisa Bontrager, horn; and Daryl Durran, bassoon. Former members of long standing include Eleanor Duncan Armstrong, flute; Smith Toulson, clarinet; and Barry Kroeker, oboe. Read more at music.psu.edu/about/paquintet.html. Andrea Clearfield (b. 1960) is an award-winning composer of music for orchestra, chorus, chamber ensemble, dance, and multimedia collaborations. She has been praised by the New York Times for her “graceful tracery and lively, rhythmically vital writing,” the Philadelphia Inquirer for her “compositional wizardry” and “mastery with large choral and instrumental forces,” the Los Angeles Times for her “fluid and glistening orchestration,” and Opera News for her “vivid and galvanizing” music of “timeless beauty.” Her works are performed widely in the United States and abroad. Read more at andreaclearfield.com. The Pennsylvania Quintet performed the West Coast premiere of Compass Kaleidoscope at the National Flute Association’s convention in San Diego in August 2016.
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Lisa Rogali: A Shining Star Lisa’s illustrious career at Penn State came to a triumphant close when she was chosen as the speaker for the 2016 College of Arts and Architecture commencement ceremony, the first student ever to be selected.
“The most significant thing I learned through this experience is to not be afraid to try new things.” Thus said Lisa Rogali (’16 B.M.E. voice) during the summer between her freshman
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and sophomore years, when she was selected as a featured soprano soloist in Eric Whitacre’s virtual choir project, Fly to Paradise. Lisa was chosen from 8,409 video submissions representing 101 countries, and the virtual choir project was just the beginning of the “new things” that she would experience in her stellar career as a Penn Stater. Lisa arrived on campus in fall 2012 as one of many freshman music education majors. Although initially hesitant to “put herself out there,” she auditioned and won the Margot Bos Vocal Award and an Eleanor Beene Scholarship, received undergraduate jury honors, and placed first in her division of the student auditions sponsored by the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) in her freshman year.
With her newfound confidence, Lisa tried another “new thing”: theatre. In spring 2013, she was cast in a starring role in Leonard Bernstein’s Mass, a collaborative production celebrating the 50th anniversary of the College of Arts and Architecture. She also became involved in Penn State Opera Theatre, where her credits would eventually include the roles of Dorabella in Cosi!, Blanche de la Force in Dialogues of the Carmelites, Musetta in La bohème, and Elle in Francis Poulenc’s one-woman opera, La voix humaine. She was also cast in Stephen Sondheim’s Marry Me a Little in the School of Theatre. Lisa continued throughout the years to excel in NATS competitions and was recognized with many scholarships and awards. Emphasizing the teaching of general music in her music education program, Lisa’s musicianship and her love of children combined to make her a star in this realm as well. During her senior year, Lisa was awarded the Marjorie Jane Brewster Memorial Music Scholarship, the La bohème was presented in spring 2015 in Eisenhower Auditorium, a co-production of the School of Music and the Center for the Performing Arts.
most prestigious scholarship awarded by the School of Music, which supports one year of graduate study at any accredited institution of higher learning or conservatory of the student’s choice. In addition, she participated in the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions and received the organization’s Encouragement Award. Lisa’s illustrious career at Penn State came to a triumphant close when she was chosen as the speaker for the 2016 College of Arts and Architecture commencement ceremony, the first student ever to be selected. According to Scott Wing, the college’s associate dean for academic affairs and outreach, the commencement committee interviewed five graduating students from across the college who had been nominated by faculty, but Lisa’s interview stood above the rest. “Lisa Rogali elegantly communicated her personal transformation by her education at Penn State and impressed us with a story worth telling to a much larger audience,” he said. “In discussing the primary ideas she wanted to express, she presented a clear strategy of tying the curative power of singing she has experienced individually with a larger mission of art: to help us, as artists, heal others.” It is doubtful that Lisa Rogali could have possibly imagined what her world would become when she said as a rising sophomore, “the most significant thing I learned through this experience is to not be afraid to try new things.” Lisa is now in the first year of study in the master’s program in voice and opera performance at the University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music.
Music can change the world and enrich our community and society.
Private philanthropy makes all the difference in the strength of Penn State’s programs, the support we can offer to both faculty and students, and the quality of our facilities. SCHOLARSHIPS
Contribute to a scholarship fund to help gifted young musicians achieve their dreams.
FACILITIES
Partner with us to create a world-class recital hall for our world class faculty and students.
FACULTY
Fund a faculty chair and support leadership, innovation, and excellence.
PROGRAMS
Make a gift to support performances, travel, guest artists, and equipment.
music.psu.edu/giving We invite you to be part of this vision for the School of Music and to begin the conversation about how you can be involved through your own philanthropic support.
Sophomore music education major Gage Kroljic instructs a beginning State College Area School District student.
To learn more, please contact: Dr. Sue Haug Director School of Music seh22@psu.edu 814 863 4421 or Don Lenze Director of Development Arts and Architecture DonLenze@psu.edu 814 863 1824 Concert Choir on tour in Sydney , Austrailia.
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Philanthrophy Glee Club Alumni Rise to the Challenge When conductor Christopher Kiver revealed his dreams for the Penn State Glee Club during its 125th anniversary celebration in 2014, he never thought those dreams would become a reality. But former Glee Clubber Mike Helms (’68 B.S., ’74 M.S. Business) was listening. Within a few months, Helms and his wife, Martha, made the decision to offer a dollar-for-dollar match of any gift made to the Glee Club Endowment up to $50,000 between January 1 and April 30, 2015, or until the total had been met.
“I was overwhelmed and humbled. It’s a testament to the incredible experiences the Glee Club offers Penn State students,” said Kiver. “For many, these experiences provide life-long, cherished memories, which all generations of Glee Clubbers can relate to. Clearly Mike’s experiences as a Glee Club member inspired him to make this wonderful offer so that present and future Glee Clubbers will benefit from these rich musical and fraternal experiences.” Kiver’s dreams for the Glee Club include funding support in five areas: uniforms, tours, music compositions, retreats, and the Glee Club’s Men of Song Festival. “The excitement throughout the Glee Club was palpable after Dr. Kiver announced the Dream Matching Challenge,” said Michael DePodwin, current Glee Club member and the ensemble’s webmaster. “In general, Glee Clubbers exude a natural passion for our group since we are aware of our rich history and our mutual love of making great music together. This fundraising campaign has increased that passion to a higher level.” In April 2015, with two weeks left in the challenge, Mike Helms offered further incentive to fans and other former members of the much-loved ensemble: he and Martha doubled their commitment and pledged to match donations 2-1 until the club reached its $100,000 goal. It was with great pleasure that Kiver announced at 2015’s annual Blue and White Concert that the challenge had not only been met, but was exceeded. All totaled, more than $107,000 was committed to advance the future dreams of the Glee Club by growing the endowment, as well as, meet current needs through gifts designated for immediate spending. “Words do not seem adequate to express our thanks. The alumni have already given us so much by singing while they were here at Penn State, and now their gifts will allow more men to participate fully in the Glee Club experience. The monies raised have already helped students with the costs of touring Iceland in 2016 (pictured above), as well as helping our officers upgrade the website (www.pennstategleeclub.com),” said Kiver. Penn State School of Music • 12
Blue Band Scholarship Expanded When Dick Bundy joined family, friends, and current and former Blue Band members at the Blue Band Building on the morning of October 11, 2015, he thought they were celebrating the official renaming of the facility in his honor. And that would have been enough. But there was another surprise in store. When Dick’s son, Rich Bundy (’93, ’96g), took over the podium, he announced that the Dr. O. Richard Bundy, Jr. Blue Band Scholarship, established by Bundy’s children in 2011 and funded with annual gifts, was now the Dr. O. Richard Bundy, Jr. Endowed Scholarship, thanks to friends, family, current Blue Band members, and alumni who contributed or pledged over $84,000 in 2015 to create an endowed award. “My family established this scholarship because it seemed like the perfect way to celebrate Dad’s commitment to higher education and to support his lifelong love for the Blue Band. All of us are incredibly grateful to the many Blue Band friends whose gifts have helped to expand this scholarship in his honor,” said Rich Bundy.
New Endowments and Awards Announced The School of Music gratefully acknowledges the following new endowments, awards, and annual funds, which were established in fiscal years 2014-2015 and 2015-2016. We are grateful to all who have made financial commitments to support our students and programs. Thank you. Terry and Sue Cooper Family Scholarship in the School of Music Endowment For music majors who have achieved superior academic records and who have a demonstrated financial need. Peter Costanza Ph.D. in Music Education Outstanding Dissertation Award To recognize the professional relevance, scholarly excellence, uniqueness, and significance of a recently completed Ph.D. dissertation in music education. Norman Davids “Love of Piano” Program Fund To enhance the educational experiences of students participating in a piano program.
Burt L. Fenner Scholarship in Music Composition To provide recognition and financial assistance to outstanding students who are majoring in a program with a concentration in composition.
Penn State Bands Discretionary Endownment To support the operation, activites, and members of the Penn State Bands Program (athletic and concerts).
George E. Groninger Award for Music Education To recognize music education students who have demonstrated exemplary achievement in student teaching.
Christine M. Portland Mori Endowed Scholarship for the Feature Twirler To provide recognition and financial assistance to the feature twirler of the Marching Blue Band.
Eugene and Lois (Sheaffer) Harsh Trustee Scholarship To provide financial assistance to students who have a demonstrated financial need, with first preference given to music education majors. Christine Miller Junker and Philip Junker Music Scholarship To provide recognition and financial assistance to outstanding music majors, with first preference given to clarinet (or woodwind) students. In addition, statements of intent have been created by Stephen and Elisa Hopkins to establish a future endowment supporting music scholarships and by Julie Lechner Florin to establish a future endowment supporting collaborative piano.
Marching Blue Band
Margaret ‘Granny’ Muth Endowed Scholarship for the Drum Major To provide recognition and financial assistance to the student holding the drum major position in the Marching Blue Band. W. Dean Zewan Trustee Scholarship (open to students university-wide) To provide financial assistance to students who have a demonstrated financial need, with first preference given to members of the Marching Blue Band. In addition, statements of intent have been created to establish future endowments benefitting the Marching Blue Band by the David and Linda Henrich and Erika Lieberknecht. Penn State School of Music • 13
THE NEW RECITAL HALL • 400-seat recital hall with excellent (adjustable) acoustics in a vineyard style with numerous seats actually surrounding the stage. • New glass lobby overlooking the Walters Courtyard • Gorgeous landscaping in the new (and now much smaller) courtyard with much-improved outdoor seating and access from the recital hall • New bathrooms (to accommodate more patrons) • Green room that can be used for small ensemble rehearsals during the day • New and improved box office • Catering room and staff lounge • Large ensemble rehearsal hall, with adjustable acoustics and lots of storage • Expanded entrance to Music I, with a larger student lounge area • Improved AV, acoustics, and theatrical lighting; onebutton technology; and new HVAC throughout Music I
Ovations Donors to the School of Music from July 1, 2015, to June 30, 2016
Ellis M. and Lynn Castle Abramson Joanne E. Aller American Endowment Foundation Ames United Methodist Church, Bel Air, MD Dan C. and Eleanor D. Armstrong Peter H. and Amber J. Axeman Mark Ballora Bank Street Memorial Baptist Church, Norfolk, VA Daniel R. and Amy Bankovic Keith E. Barry Jeffrey E. Barudin Edna Beach J. Frederick Beamer Melissa Beattie-Moss Mary Lou Bennett Shirley Berlind Leonid and Diana Berlyand R. Thomas and Paulette L. Berner Dennis L. and Jean K. Bloom Russell L. Bloom Susan D. Boardman Howard E. and Judith R. Bond Gary A. Bontrager Robert J. and Eileen H. Booz Francesco A. Bova Nathan A. Bramstedt Joyce Buck Rodney R. and Terisa Andrews Bucks John G. and Jane T. Buzzell Scott N. and Virginia Akers Cairns Carl D. and Jill K. Campbell Robert Campbell Jeffrey P. and Judith T. Carpenter Maureen A. Carr Dan H. Carter and Ruby Allen Central PA Convention & Visitors Bureau Andrew S. and Patricia Christina John C. Collins and Mary A. Brown Community Fdn. of Frederick County, MD, Inc. R. Terry and Susannah Stumpf Cooper Shirley J. Coploff Mimi Coppersmith Theodore W. and Dorothy S. Cowles David and Debra Cree Joshua I. Crooke Mary A. Cropper Robert A. and Marybeth Cutietta Paul H. and Irene Lipschitz Cutler “Friends and family of Norman Davids” Anthony J. and Sandra M. DeMarinis Mark A. Denlinger Harry and Elizabeth M. Dinlocker David J. and Carolyn A. Dolbin Daryl and Lois Durran East Liberty Presbyterian Church, Pittsburgh, PA William E. and N. Marie Edgeworth Marian Stetler Emery David M. and Shannon M. Engle Essence 2
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Jeffrey A. and Sally Falkner Eugene W. Feldman Joanne Z. Feldman William C. and Margaret M. Fenner Emily H. Filling Barry W. and Patti Fisher Heather F. Fleck Gregory and Julie Anne Florin Thomas W. Foley Estelle Frankl Ronald H. Frear Joe French Richard L. Frerichs Richard and Trina C. Gallup Edward R. Galus Nancy Saylor Gamble Steve Garban and Mary Ann Lucas Lindsay B. Gaspar Doris J. Gazda Jay L. and Maryellen Giese John P. Gillenwater John and Allis D. Gillmor John R. and Mary F. Glueck Earl K. and Susan S. Graham Kathryn L. Graham Roy J. Greenfield Catherine Park Greenham Anthony L. and Carol M. Grillo Joachim and Lisa Stuckey Grimm George E. Groninger Donald L. and Barbara Kulp Gross John B. and Victoria Ann Haberlen Nathaniel S. Hafer and Michelle Mondoux David P. Halstead Gordon A. and Falene E. Hamilton Steven P. and Daisha A. Hankle Eugene S. Harsh George S. and Martha Albert Hartman Kevin R. and Deborah J. Harwell Sue Haug Fred R. and Margaret Hauptman Bradley W. Heiser Michael L. and Martha U. Helms Gary B. and Jane E. Herbert Lorena Stouffer Hiscott “Friends and family of Judy Frankel” Hollidaysburg Area Music Parents Association Donald E. and Mildred B. Hopkins Stephen and Elisa Hopkins *Julie Horney Richard A. and Eleanor K. Horst Robert and Jacqueline Hunt Kent S. Huntzinger Timothy and Leigh Hurtz Austin J. and Lynn L. Jaffe Bill A. and Honey F. Jaffe David A. and Caroline Oszustowicz Jarrett David M. and Loretta M. Jeffreys Joanne L. Juhl Philip E. and Christine A. Junker
Jovonna Kegley *James J. and Judith P. Kelly Richard R. and Janice K. Kennedy Todd and Liz King Christopher A. and Nicola M. Kiver James A. and Bonnie J. Knapp Sally T. F. Knapp Lawrence G. and Helen Snowdon Koenig James R. and Barbara O. Korner Mark E. and Denise P. Kozminsky John P. and Rita Saltzer Kubert James D. and Bonnie Kustanbauter Paul and Joy E. Laird Edwin E. and Jo E. Lash Lori G. Lassinger James E. and Cheryl L. Latten Anthony T. Leach Eileen W. Leibowitz Frank T. and Rose Robison Lemmon David L. and Lisa Firing Lenze Elinor C. Lewis Jane M. Linsky Herbert H. and Trudy E. Lipowsky Thomas A. and Mary Ellen Litzinger Sean A. Lorson Helen B. Love Andy Lykens Sally Shank Lyons Madrid-Waddington CSD, Madrid, NY Helen A. Manfull Ernestine S. Martin James S. and Cynthia Palladino Maund Sheryl J. May John W. McCarthy Lyle C. Merriman Priscilla I. Meserole Edward L. and Anna Snyder Meyers D. Douglas and Grace A. Miller P. June Miller Robert W. and Helen L. Moore Morning Star Missionary Baptist Church, Durham, NC Mount Nittany Health Edward Murray Raymond D. Nargi Mark and Sylvia Neely Matthew J. Neff Jon P. and Naomi Nelson Vincent J. and Janet Pello Nelson Jennifer Novikov OCC Academic League, Hilliard, OH *Dorothy B. O’Connor Harold C. and Nancy M. O’Connor Hiroshi and Yasuko Koya Ohmoto R. Lee and Grace Ormston Wayne Osgood Pieter W. and Lida Ouwehand Barbara R. Palmer Robert and Ruth Palmer Beverly Patton Marlin L. Barnes and Jane E. Peatling Corinne Bustard Pepperell Gary H. and Marcia H. Perdew Stanley Person P. Blair and Elisabeth King Pfahl *Lawrence C. and Myron Street Pharo Stephen R. Phelps Presser Foundation William Rabinowitz Sharon J. Raffensperger
Stephen F. Reeves John W. Reitmeyer and Carol J. Fogg Ronald R. and Coleen G. Renshaw Richard R. and Wendy A. Rhodes David N. and Mary S. Richards Paul H. and Dorothy Sall Rigby Karen A. Rineard Barbara A. Roberts Rolling Meadows High School, Rolling Meadows, IL Shirley J. Rose Richard T. Roush and Robyn Krause-Hale Suzanne Roy Ethan M. Ruble Shirley Sacks Daniel and Ludmila Sahakian Henry D. and Seda Sahakian Madineh Sarvestani Edwin and Mary M. Schatkowski Gary F. and Christina Schell Edward G. and Bev A. Schmitt Theron A. and Andrea N. Schnure Kenneth E. Schoener Mary Kuhns Schrader Stephen Seidman Marjorie D. Seward Michael C. and Janice Krauss Shapiro Jack W. and Shirley D. Sharer Tobin L. and Pamela F. Short Marlynn S. Sidehamer Lt. Peter A. and Mary Peel Silkowski Josephine Smith Steven H. and Theresa Vincent Smith Stanley and Phylis Sobieski Linda E. Sorber Norman Spivey and Joyce Robinson Eugene W. Sprague Paul and Barbara Spring John H. and Carol Wood Stansfield Pamela Vancko Sten David P. Stone Lee Stowe and Margaret Kennedy-Stowe John T. Struck and Thomas A. Whitley Edward F. Sundra John D. and Judith Vicary Swisher Alfred H. and Elizabeth T. Taylor Deborah W. Taylor The American Matthay Association The Frederick Children’s Chorus Trinity Lutheran Church, Reading, PA Jennifer L. Trost George and Debra K. Trudeau Jim and Sue Tumlinson Paul C. and Laurie Stoner Varley James A. and Katherine Harris Villani Lewis T. and Elizabeth Wagman Ray S. Walker Theresa A. Walsh Helen Billett Warren Jerry R. and Jane Clarke Wettstone Kerry A. Whitelock Robert C. and Jean C. Wirth Brent S. and Ruth Wissick George V. and Nina Woskob Charles and Laura Zellers Mary Ann Zook *deceased
New Publications and Recordings An essay titled “Thoroughbass as Pedagogy in the Teaching of Improvisation in Undergraduate Music Theory Courses” by Vincent P. Benitez (theory) was published in Improvisation and Music Education: Beyond the Classroom (Routledge). The book is edited by Ajay Heble and Mark Laver. Lisa Bontrager (horn) and collaborator Michelle Stebleton (Florida State University) released a CD on the MSR Classics label titled On Safari: MirrorImage Goes Wild. The recording features a collection of new works written for two horns and piano. The horn duo is assisted by pianist Tomoko Kanamaru and Penn State alumnus percussionist Jaren Angud. The CD features new music written by Paul Basler, Michael Daugherty, Laurence Lowe, and others. Kim Cook (cello) is the featured performer on a MSR Classics CD recording featuring concertos by Camille Saint-Saëns and Édouard Lalo, and Elegy by Gabriel Fauré with the Philharmonica Bulgarica. James Forrest, critic from Fanfare, deemed the recording to be “world class,” while critic Phil Muse from Audio Society of Atlanta said, “she cultivates one of the most beautiful singing tones I have ever heard coaxed from a cello.” Music and Diplomacy from the Early Modern Era to the Present, edited by Mark Ferraguto (musicology) and others, was published in December 2014 by Palgrave Macmillan. The text explores how music shapes the exercise of diplomacy, the pursuit of power, and the conduct of international relations. Timothy Shafer (piano) has contributed a chapter titled “The Musical Imagination of Dmitri Kabalevsky” to the book The Pianist’s Craft 2: Mastering the Works of More Great Composers. Edited by Richard Anderson, the book was published by Scarecrow Press in 2015. David Stambler (saxophone) released a CD on Blue Griffin Records with the acclaimed saxophone ensemble, the Capitol Quartet. Titled Balance, the CD features new music and commissions by the quartet of works composed by Stacy Garrop, Carter Pann, and J. A. Lennon. Carter Pann’s composition titled The Mechanics: Six from the Shop Floor was named one of the three finalists for the 2016 Pulitzer Prize in Music. An essay by Marica Tacconi (musicology) regarding the illuminated choirbooks of Florence Cathedral (Il Duomo) was published in the book Make a Joyful Noise: Renaissance Art and Music at Florence Cathedral (Gary M. Radke, ed.; Yale University Press). Tacconi also worked closely with an international team to create the book’s related art and music exhibition displayed at the High Museum of Art in Atlanta and at the Detroit Institute of Arts. Max Zorin (violin) and collaborator Vincent Balse released Mack the Knife in August 2016. Available on CD Baby, the downloadable CD includes five tracks from Kurt Weill’s Three Penny Opera, arranged by Zorin and Balse, as well as music by Prokofiev and Gershwin. Zorin’s video of Mack the Knife was released in 2015, a project sponsored by a grant from the Penn State Institute for the Arts and Humanities (IAH) and the College of Arts and Architecture. The video is available on YouTube.
Penn State School of Music • 17
On Campus
Linda Thornton and Robert D. Gardner (music education) were named joint recipients of Penn State’s Community Engagement and Scholarship Award in 2015. The award recognizes outstanding engaged scholarship between the University and community. Thornton and Gardner received the award for the development of “Partners in Music,” a collaborative program that creates the opportunity for fifthgrade instrumentalists from the State College area to work with senior music education majors in rehearsals and performances. The program was also the recipient of the 2016 Robby D. Gunstream Education in Music Award from the College Music Society. This award recognizes established and
on going, imaginative, and effective programs of engagement by higher education music faculty members that further education in music with local or area organizations. The award was used to support a special tenth anniversary “Partners in Music” concert in Eisenhower Auditorium.
Penn’s Woods Music Festival Alumni Mary Scripko (’14g), viola; Kevin Huhn (’14g), double bass; and Laura Clapper (’12, ’14g), flute, perform Schulhoff’s Concertino for Flute, Viola, and Double Bass at the Music at Penn’s Woods Festival. This summer we will celebrate the tenth anniversary of the return of the festival.
Save the dates for our tenth anniversary summer: June 7, 14, 17, 21, and 24.
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Penn State Opera Theatre presented Rossini’s The Barber of Seville in March 2016.
The Philharmonic Orchestra performed Copland’s Lincoln Portrait on the steps of Old Main in April 2015 to commemorate the 150th anniversary of Lincoln’s assassination.
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Faculty News - Leading National Organizations
Sue Haug (director) became the president of the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM) in November 2015. The organization serves 648 institutional members with diverse missions and of widely varying sizes. In addition to its work in accreditation, NASM offers professional development for music executives and provides a national forum for the discussion of issues related to music in American life. “NASM has provided some of my most important opportunities for professional leadership and growth,” said Haug. “Being elected to the presidency is an incredible honor, and I hope to use this opportunity to engage the membership more fully to advance the field, to develop the next generation of academic leaders, and to support the work of the national office as we serve our members and their students.” Haug previously completed two terms as a member of the NASM Commission on Accreditation (2001–06), followed by terms as associate chair (2007–10) and chair (2010–12) of the commission before being elected as vice president of NASM in 2012. She is past-president of the Board of Regents for Pi Kappa Lambda, past-president of the Iowa Music Teachers Association, and a recipient of that organization’s Distinguished Service Award. She received the 2010 Achieving Woman Award in Administration from the Penn State Commission for Women. Norman Spivey (voice) completed his two-year term as president of the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) in July 2016. Founded in 1944, NATS is the largest professional association of teachers of singing in the world with more than 7,000 members in the United States, Canada, and nearly 30 other countries. Spivey implemented important changes during his presidential term, including standardizing the procedures for the Student Auditions—one of the organization’s most widely recognized activities. “It is our hope that this new format will help make the process simpler and more effective for everyone participating in student auditions. After all, the bottom line is that we all want the best for our students and their experience,” said Spivey, noting student audition procedures varied greatly among the 80 separate NATS chapters. He also oversaw negotiations with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regarding NATS’ Code of Ethics, and guided a much-needed update of the organization’s bylaws. “Revising bylaws is seldom a glamorous activity, but our recent updates represent how much we have been blossoming as an association,” he noted. As president, he also traveled extensively throughout the United States and Canada, visiting 13 of the 14 NATS regions. In 2016, Linda Thornton (music education) was elected chair-elect for the Society for Music Teacher Education (SMTE), a society within the National Association for Music Education (NAfME). After her two-year term as chairelect is completed, she will become chair of the organization in 2018. SMTE aspires to improve the quality of teaching and research in music teacher education, provide leadership in the establishment of standards for certification of music teachers, and influence developments in music teacher education and Penn State School of Music • 20
certification. The society offers webinars and biennial symposia for music teacher educators and is, in addition, a major contributor to NAfME’s Music Research and Teacher Education national conferences. “SMTE has emerged as significant voice in music education due to its focus on mentoring emerging scholars and teachers, supporting music teacher educators and researchers, and promoting teacher education. I am thrilled to support the people who do such great work for the profession,” s a i d Thornton. Thornton’s research interests include pedagogy for beginning instrumentalists, composition and improvisation for instrumental students, music teacher recruitment and socialization, and reflective practice. She has published articles and chapters on these topics in several journals and books, including The Bulletin for the Council for Research in Music Education, Journal of Music Teacher Education, and Musicianship:Composing in Band and Orchestra (GIA). In addition to her work with SMTE, she serves as research coordinator for the eastern division conference of the National Association for Music Education (NAfME), North American review editor for Research in Music Education, and as a reviewer for the Journal of Teacher Education and Educators.
Vincent P. Benitez (theory) received a grant from the Society for Music Theory (SMT) to support his research on Messiaen’s birdsong notebooks at the Département de la Musique, Bibliothèque Nationale de France. The research will be included in his upcoming book, The Music of Olivier Messiaen. Maureen Carr (theory) received the 2016 Women of Achievement Award from her undergraduate institution, the College of New Rochelle. The award honors her distinguished career as a scholar, teacher, researcher, and author
Ann Clements (music education) was named the winner of the University’s first annual Open Innovation Challenge in 2015. Clements’ innovation was the creation of a 3D Virtual Reality Teaching Lab to assist emerging and experienced teachers by providing them with detailed feedback. As the winner of the Challenge, she received the opportunity to work with a team of educational technology experts to explore and develop her project. Since 2015, she has presented her work across the United States as well as the United Kingdom.
for his numerous contributions to historic performance practice, as well as for his international performing and teaching career. Naomi Seidman (flute) received the 2015 College of Arts and Architecture Award for Excellence in Advising and Mentoring.
Kim Cook with President Barron
Kim Cook (cello) received a 2016 Penn State Faculty Scholar Medal for Outstanding Achievement. The medals are given to honor individuals across the University who have made distinguished contributions in their fields. Anthony J. Costa (clarinet) was named the recipient of the 2016 College of Arts and Architecture Faculty Award for Outstanding Teaching. Timothy Deighton (viola) was named the 2016 recipient of the American Viola Society’s Maurice W. Riley Award. The award recognizes distinguished contributions to the viola in teaching, scholarship, composition, philanthropy, and service. Deighton was nominated by his peers, as well as former students.
Marica Tacconi
Marica S. Tacconi (musicology) was awarded Penn State’s 2016 President’s Award for Excellence in Academic Integration. The award is given to a faculty member who has exhibited extraordinary achievement in the integration of teaching, research or creative accomplishment, and service. Jennifer Trost (voice) received the 2016 College of Arts and Architecture Award for Excellence in Advising and Mentoring.
James Lyon (violin) received the 2016 Outstanding String Teacher Award from the Pennsylvania/ Delaware String Teachers Association. The award was presented at the organization’s general meeting held in conjunction with the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association annual conference. Robert Nairn (double bass) received a 2015 Penn State Faculty Scholar Medal for Outstanding Achievement. Nairn was recognized Penn State School of Music • 21
Faculty News - Honors and Awards
O. Richard Bundy (music education, bands, emeritus) was the commencement speaker for the College of Arts and Architecture’s commencement ceremony in 2015. He was also named the 2015 recipient of the College of Arts and Architecture’s Faculty Award for Outstanding Teaching.
Transitions
The School of Music is pleased to welcome six new faculty members to our ranks, Gregory Drane, Steven Hankle, Eric Bush, Corey Pompey, Sarah Watts, and Marko Marcinko.
Gregory Drane was named director of athletic bands in 2015, following ten years serving as assistant director to O. Richard Bundy (and three years before that as a graduate assistant). Drane directs the Penn State Marching Blue Band and oversees the Athletic Bands program, including the Fall Athletic Band (volleyball), the Pride of the Lions basketball pep bands, and the Power Players hockey pep band. In addition to his duties with the Athletic Bands program, he conducts a concert band and teaches general education courses in music. A native of Miami, Florida, Drane earned bachelor’s degrees in music education and music performance (saxophone) at Bethune-Cookman University in Daytona Beach. He holds a master’s degree in music education from Penn State, and is on his way toward completion of a Ph.D. in music education, also at Penn State. His research interests include African American contributions to American music education, leadership in the music classroom, and historical music ensembles. He is a member of Phi Mu Alpha and the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association. Steven Hankle joined the faculty in 2015 as an assistant professor of choral music and music education. He teaches choral music education classes and conducts the Penn State University Choir. A native of Chicago, Hankle received both undergraduate and master’s degrees in music education and conducting from San Francisco State University, and his Ph.D. in music education/choral conducting from Florida State University. Prior to his appointment at Penn State, Hankle successfully developed a new choral program at Mission High School in San Francisco. An active member of the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) and the National Association of Music Educators (NAfME), Hankle has served as the Florida State University ACDA chapter president, and presented his research at the Florida Music Education Association (FMEA) conference. His primary area of interest is developing choral music education in urban secondary public schools. Penn State School of Music • 22
Eric Bush joined the Penn State faculty in 2015 as assistant director of athletic bands and jazz studies. He is actively involved with all operations of the Marching Blue Band, as well as all other athletic bands. He is a member of the conducting, jazz, and graduate faculties, coaches jazz combos, and directs the Inner Dimensions jazz ensemble. From 2012 to 2015, Bush served as a graduate teaching assistant at the University of Iowa, where he was a staff member of the Hawkeye Marching Band and played lead trumpet in Iowa’s premiere jazz big band, Johnson County Landmark. Prior to his appointment at the University of Iowa, Bush served as director of bands and assistant professor at Suffolk County Community College in Long Island, N.Y. (2008–12). Originally from Michigan, Bush earned his bachelor’s degree at Central Michigan University and his master’s degree at the University of Montana. He is a member of the Big Ten Band Directors Association (BTBDA) and serves as faculty advisor to the Penn State collegiate chapter of the National Band Association (NBA) and the national music fraternity Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia. Marko Marcinko is the new director of jazz studies, beginning fall 2016. During his years in the music industry, Marcinko has worked as a freelance musician playing drum set, percussion, piano/keyboards, bass guitar, and trombone. He has also served as a studio session player, arranger, musical director, and producer for numerous commercial jingles, indie films and off-Broadway, club, and theater engagements. For the past 17 years he has instructed Penn State music students and has been a guest artist for multiple Penn State Jazz Festivals. Marcinko toured and recorded with jazz legend Maynard Ferguson in the mid1990s and with NEA Jazz Master Dave Liebman in the Dave Liebman Group from 2000 to 2014. He currently works with the Dave Liebman Big Band and the Organik Vibe Trio. Originally from Pennsylvania, he is founder and artistic director of the PA Jazz Alliance and the Scranton Jazz Festival.
Corey Pompey joined the faculty in fall 2016 as assistant director of athletic bands. He assists with the Marching Blue Band and athletic bands, teaches undergraduate conducting, conducts a concert band, and supervises student teachers. Pompey previously served as an assistant instructor with University Bands at the University of Texas at Austin. He taught in the public schools of Alabama for seven years prior to moving to Texas. He holds undergraduate and master’s degrees in music education from the University of Alabama, and a doctor of musical arts degree in wind conducting from the University of Texas. Sarah Watts joined the faculty in 2015 as an assistant professor of music education. She is a specialist in early childhood and elementary music education, with a particular interest in Orff Schulwerk pedagogy, and holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in music education from Penn State and a doctorate from the
University of Washington. Watts held previous collegiate appointments at Bucknell University, Cleveland State University, and Kent State University. Her scholarly interests include musical oral history, children’s musical play, and the transgenerational transmission of children’s musical play repertoires. Teaching interests include elementary music methods and materials for preservice music educators, foundations of music education, and music for classroom teachers. She is additionally interested in world music and is particularly involved with musics of the Pacific Islands region, specifically the music and movement traditions of Hawai’i.
In Memoriam: Raymond Page Raymond Page, violinist/violist and former faculty member at Penn State, passed away on January 4, 2016, at the age of 82. He was committed to practicing his violin every day of his life, whether preparing for a performance, or simply perfecting his technique. He continued to practice until the very last days of his life. Page began studying the violin at the age of 4 and became a pupil of Ivan Galamian at Meadowmount at age 13. He also studied with Joseph Gingold. He continued working with Galamian while a student at the Juilliard School, receiving his bachelor’s degree in 1955. During 1957–58, he studied at the Akademie fur Musik in Vienna and at the Mozarteum in Salzburg as a Fulbright Scholar. In 1960, he received a master’s degree in music theory from the Ohio State University.
Page joined the Alard String Quartet as violinist in 1958, becoming the violist in 1960. The quartet was in residence at Wilmington College until 1962, when they moved to Penn State. As a member of the faculties in both schools, Raymond played concerts with the quartet and taught violin/viola and coached chamber music groups. The quartet toured extensively around the Northeast, and did a U.S. Information Service month-long tour of Mexico, playing concerts in large cities and small towns. In 1963, the quartet was invited to the University of Canterbury in Christchurch, New Zealand, for a residency. They spent portions of 1963, 1964, 1981, and 1982 in New Zealand, playing for enthusiastic audiences throughout the country. In 1967, the Alard Quartet performed at Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall. The New York Times reviewer said the concert featured “four admirably balanced instrumentalists, who brought vitality, cohesion, and solid musicianship to their readings.” To honor and commemorate his life and contributions to the music community of State College, friends and family planned a special recital in his memory on April 23, 2016. Portions of this article were extrapolated from the obituary that appeared in the Centre Daily Times on January 10, 2016.
Retirements Joanne Rutkowski retired in 2015 after serving undergraduate and graduate music education students for 31 years. She is continuing her professional activity by guiding dissertation research for her remaining Ph.D. students while working on her own research projects in early childhood music. O. Richard Bundy, director of the Marching Blue Band and a music education faculty member, retired in 2015 after a Penn State career spanning 32 years. The building housing the marching band was named the O. Richard Bundy Blue Band Building in a ceremony in October 2015. Dan Yoder retired in 2016 after more than 30 years leading the jazz program and serving as director of Centre Dimensions Jazz Ensemble. Alumni returned from around the country to honor Yoder at his final recital held on April 10 after the annual Penn State Jazz Festival. Penn State School of Music • 23
Alumni 2010s William Broaddus (’16 B.M.E voice) was named the winner of the American Choral Directors Association–PA Chapter’s 2015 Undergraduate Choral Conducting Competition. The competition was held in conjunction with the organization’s annual fall conference on October 30, 2015, at Susquehanna University. Will was a conducting student of Christopher Kiver and a voice student of Richard Kennedy. Marissa Guarriello (’16 B.M.E violin) received a Rodney A. Erickson Discovery Grant to pursue her Schreyer Honors College thesis research in Europe in summer 2015. Her thesis, “The Music of Hans Gall,” was partially realized in a recital performance of Gall’s music in March 2015. During the summer, she interviewed Gall’s family members and scholars of his work in addition to studying artifacts and music from his life. Marissa’s thesis was advised by Charles Youmans. She was a violin student of James Lyon.
Emily Karosas
Emily Karosas (’15 M.M. violin) won first place in the Strings Division of the Music Teachers National Association Penn State School of Music • 24
(MTNA) Young Artist Competition in 2015. Emily competed with collegiate string students from all parts of the United States for this coveted award. She was a violin student of James Lyon. Daniel Shevock (’15 Ph.D. music education) has been elected as the national chair-elect for the National Association for Music Education’s Creativity Special Research Interest Group (SRIG). He will serve as SRIG chair-elect for two years and then chair for two years. Dan is an instructor in music at Penn State Altoona. Santiago Osorio (’15 M.M. orchestral conducting) is one of four Penn State alumni chosen to participate in the Fulbright Program, funded by the U.S. Department of State, for the 2016–17 academic year. Santiago plans to study orchestral conducting in Germany. John Carpenter (’14 B.A. piano) performed in the 2016 world premiere of South Pole, an opera by Miroslav Srnka commissioned by the Bayerische Staatsoper of Munich, Germany. A baritone member of the Bayerische Staatsoper’s Opera Studio since 2014, John signed a contract with the Deutsche Oper Berlin for the 2016–17 season.
Elizabeth M. Guerriero (’11 Ph.D. music education) serves as director of education for the Harmony Program in New York City, a nonprofit El Sistema-inspired music program that serves the city’s boroughs. As director of education, she partners with city-based professional music organizations, including the New York Philharmonic and Jazz at Lincoln Center.
2000s Amy Martin Balsbaugh (’05 B.S. music education) received the School of Music’s 2015 Outstanding Music Educator Award. She is the principal of East High Street Elementary School in Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania.
Louima Lilite
Julia Wolcott (’13 B.M. voice) was named a finalist in the National Opera Association’s Caroline and Dominick Argento Vocal Competition. She was one of nine finalists participating in the Scholarship Division from more than 200 applicants.
Louima Lilite (’02 M.M. voice performance and pedagogy) received the 2016 Distinguished Teaching Award from Oklahoma Baptist University, the highest honor awarded to faculty members. Louima was the recipient of the university’s 2010 Promising Teacher Award.
Scott Sheehan (’12 M.M.E.) has been named the 2016 recipient of the School of Music’s Outstanding Music Educator Award. Scott is director of bands at Hollidaysburg Area High School (PA) and the president of the National Association for Music Education’s Eastern Division.
Bryan Proksch (’02 M.A. musicology) has published a book titled Reviving Haydn: New Appreciations in the Twentieth Century with University of Rochester Press. He is an assistant professor of music history at Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas.
1990s
1980s
Dennis Malfatti (’98 M.M. choral conducting) conducted the New England Symphonic Ensemble and massed choir made up of selected choirs from Virginia, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Indiana at Carnegie Hall in June 2016. Director of choral activities at the University of Evansville, he also serves as president-elect of the American Choral Directors Association Indiana state chapter.
Fouad Fakhouri
Fouad Fakhouri (’97 M.M. composition/theory, ’01 M.M. orchestral conducting) was honored with the establishment of the Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra’s $1.1 million Fouad K. Fakhouri Endowment for Artistic Excellence, announced at his final concert with the orchestra. He is the new music director of the Saginaw Bay Symphony Orchestra (MI). Kevin Tutt (’93 B.S. music education, ’99 M.M. band/wind ensemble conducting, ’02 Ph.D. music education) has been named associate dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Grand Valley State University (MI). He is responsible for the administration of the college curriculum, educational policy, and promotions, and oversees the Academic Advising Center.
Norm Sands (’85 B.S. music education) was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award – Elementary at the annual H-E-B Excellence in Education Awards Ceremony. The award includes a cash prize and a matching grant for his school, Tabasco Elementary School in La Joya, Texas. Joseph Skillen
Joseph Skillen (’93 M.M. tuba/ euphonium) was the 2016 recipient of the Louisiana State University Distinguished Faculty Award. The award recognizes faculty campuswide who show sustained records of accomplishment in research, teaching, and service. Joe was awarded the university’s Alumni Association Faculty Excellence Award in 2004.
James Villani (’84 B.S. music education, ’84 B.M. clarinet) was honored as the conductor of the Manassas Symphony Orchestra, which won the 2015 American Prize in Orchestral Performance by a Community Orchestra. The award recognized the orchestra for its live performance of Howard Hanson’s “Symphony No. 1.”
Kelly A. Detwiler (’90 B.S. music education) received the School of Music’s 2014 Outstanding Music Educator Alumni Award. She is the director of orchestras at Altoona Area High School and Altoona Area Junior High School (PA).
Matthew Sheppard (’10 B.M.E., B.M, ’13 M.M. orchestral conducting) and Maria Arrua Sheppard (’13 M.M. violin) performed the Tchaikovsky violin concerto with the National Symphonic Orchestra of Paraguay in summer 2016.
Penn State School of Music • 25
Oriana Singers celebrated their 20th anniversary with a concert inviting alumni and emerita director Dr. Lynn Drafall back to campus in April 2016.
Alumni Spotlight
Anthony Leach received the 2016 College of Arts and Architecture Alumni Award. Leach also received the June Herr Educator of the Year Award from his undergraduate alma mater, Lebanon Valley College. When Anthony Leach (’82 M.Music, ’96 Ph.D. Music Education), professor of music and music education at Penn State, came to the University as a graduate student, he was hungry— for experiences.“I was really hungry for things in academia that would inform my perspective as a teacher and as a musician,” he said. “Music has always been a big deal for me.” As a child, he repeatedly asked his Penn State School of Music • 26
mother for piano lessons, until she finally decided he was old enough at age 7. By the time he was 12, Leach was already conducting his first choirs. He went on to teach for nearly fourteen years in public schools in Maryland, Pennsylvania, and New York City— four before his master’s degree, and another ten before returning to Penn State to complete the Ph.D. in music education. Teaching and choral conducting have given Leach the opportunity to make positive connections with others. “When I came for the master’s degree,” he said, “it was a breakthrough moment. I began as a piano performance major, but it didn’t take long to realize that it was just me and the piano, and after teaching for four years, I missed the kids!” While he was still a graduate student, Leach was approached by Penn State’s Forum on Black Affairs about providing music for the Martin Luther King Jr. Banquet. Although he did not have a choir of his own, he
was able to assemble twenty-three students from Penn State choirs to perform, and they became the first edition of Essence of Joy. Essence of Joy is now one of the School of Music’s ten choirs, performing sacred and secular music from African and African-American choral traditions. Leach went on to found a community choir, Essence 2, as well as the Essence of Joy Alumni Singers. “I’m glad I accepted that invitation, because the rest of my career has been shaped around events with Essence of Joy. The choir has become my calling card to the choral profession,” he said. As he neared the end of the Ph.D. program, the School of Music offered Leach a faculty position. “Penn State made room for my gifts, and it’s been wonderful allowing all of that to come together in an embrace of myself as a person while I helped others find their passion and voice.”
Staying Connected Your APG
The School of Music’s Affiliate Program Group (APG) is chartered as a sub-group of the Arts and Architecture Alumni Society, and all alumni of the Penn State School of Music are automatically members of the APG at no cost. The APG’s goals are: To provide a forum in which Penn State School of Music alumni can grow professionally and personally; a means by which Penn State School of Music alumni can stay connected to each other and to the school; and a means to remain informed of the activities of the school and college; To assist the School of Music in the recruitment of musically talented students and with the provision of financial support to students studying music at Penn State; and to encourage and support educational and career opportunities for students in the field of music; To foster a sense of pride in, and commitment to, the University while enhancing its reputation and prestige. The APG’s Board of Directors provides leadership for the APG, and is elected from the membership-at-large for a term of three years.
Board Members Adam Arango (’09 B.M.) is assistant director of advancement for the Manhattan School of Music, where he raises money for student scholarships, facility upgrades, and special projects. Susannah S. Cooper (’74 B.S.) has extensive music teaching experience in three states. Currently retired, she is an active member of Penn State’s Alumni Student Teacher Network and volunteers for several Penn State booster groups. Michael Ketner (’93 B.S) serves as the director of performance for the music department at the University of Pennsylvania. In addition to his administrative duties, Mike teaches a course in arts entrepreneurship and is the president of Departure Consulting, a firm dedicated to helping organizations and individuals
in the arts hone their skills in entrepreneurship and innovation. Carol Nelson Poblete (’08 B.S.) is president of the School of Music APG. She currently teaches elementary general music in the Montgomery County Public Schools (MD). An active flautist, she performs with the Maryland Band Directors Band and teaches privately in the Washington, D.C. area. Additionally, she volunteers with the Alumni Blue Band Association, and with Penn State Admissions.
Alumni Connections Calendar As part of the Affiliate Program Group’s mission “to provide a means by which Penn State School of Music alumni can stay connected to each other and to the school,” the APG Board of Directors encourages alumni to submit information about upcoming performances and presentations for inclusion in the School of Music Alumni Connections Calendar. Alumni events are listed on a page prominently linked to the School of Music alumni page. Go to music.psu. edu/alumni-connections-calendar to get started! You can also keep up-todate by joining our Facebook School of Music Alumni pages. Thanks for keeping in touch! For complete alumni news and details, please visit music. psu.edu/all-alumni-spotlights.
Stay Connected music.psu.edu/ alumni
Molly Weaver (’80 B.S.) is a professor at West Virginia University and serves as coordinator of the music education area. She joined the WVU faculty in 1993 following a successful career as a music educator and arts administrator in the Beachwood (OH) schools. Penn State School of Music • 27
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Alumni Spotlight
Christian Baldini (’05 M.M. orchestral conducting) serves as the cover conductor for Michael Tilson Thomas with the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra. He made his debut with the symphony in December 2014. Baldini has been a faculty member at the University of CaliforniaDavis since 2009, where he serves as music director of the UC-Davis Symphony Orchestra. Since 2012, he has also served as music director of the 52-year-old Camellia Symphony Orchestra in Sacramento, California.
Baldini regularly conducts several international orchestras including the Munich Radio Orchestra, Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Buenos Aires Philharmonic, BBC Symphony Orchestra, the National Symphony Orchestra (of Argentina and the United States), the Orquestra Sinfónica do Porto (Portugal), and the San Francisco Contemporary Music Players. He has conducted opera at the Aldeburgh Festival (United Kingdom), Mondavi Center, and the Teatro Colón (Buenos Aires). He made his conducting debut in Salzburg at the Award Weekend when an international jury distinguished him out of ninety-one submissions worldwide. Baldini was described by the international press as a conductor who “has a keen ear for detail” (The Scotsman, on his Scottish Chamber Orchestra debut) and who “left sighs all over the hall and the rows of the orchestra” (Folha de Sao Paulo, Brazil). When he made his conducting debut
in South Africa, Moira de Swardt stated that “passion and dedication intersect for a fabulous orchestral concert.” Equally at home in the core symphonic and operatic repertoire as in the most daring corners of contemporary music, he has presented world premieres of more than seventy works. Baldini has been a featured composer at the Acanthes Festival in France and the Ginastera Festival in London. His compositions have been performed by orchestras and ensembles including the Orchestre National de Lorraine (France), Southbank Sinfonia (London), Munich Radio Orchestra (Germany), New York New Music Ensemble, Memphis Symphony Orchestra, Daegu Chamber Orchestra (South Korea), Chronophonie Ensemble (Freiburg), and the Ensemble Modern (Frankfurt). His music can be heard on the Pretal Label, and he has also recorded contemporary Italian music for the RAI Trade and Tactus labels. His compositions are published by Babel Scores in Paris.