Wednesday, July 31, 2019

PROVIDED

Wednesday, July 31, 2019

Quality-Driven From professor to administrator: Learn how Jeffrey Loeffert uses his past experiences to light the future of the School of Music in his new role.

S c h ool of M usic

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OSU’s new director of the School of Music uses his past to pave way for the future J et Turner, E di tor- in- ch i ef @j b o y_315

Jeffrey Loeffert stood by a desk in the music office of the Seretean Center for the Performing Arts, folders in hand, busily discussing ways to improve the music degree curriculum at Oklahoma State University.

He was only nine days into his career as the director of the Michael and Anne Greenwood School of Music.

To those who know him, it comes as no surprise to know Loeffert is already instilling change into the music school he has been a part of for almost 10 years, even completing projects before the “official” beginning of his position on July 1.

But this is not where his journey begins.

Beginnings Loeffert began his musical journey where most students do: in public schools, in the sixth grade. Growing up and going to school in Cypress, Texas, Loeffert quickly “fell in love with the art” of music and his saxophone. By his junior year of high school, it would be his lifelong career.

“With instrumental music there are no WEDNESDAY, JULY 31, 2019

shortcuts to doing it,” Loeffert said. “You take information and you apply it over a period of time and you absolutely get out of it what you put into it.

“There is something very honest about that that I’ve always really enjoyed.”

Loeffert learned from an early age to use his experience gained in music to push him to new heights.

“What you learn is that if you work hard and learn to be qualitydriven with the music you are studying you can apply those traits to everything else that you do, Loeffert said.

“Music has allowed me, and at least helped me become successful in other endeavors.”

High School is where Loeffert got his first teaching experience, giving private lessons to younger saxophonists. By the time he was 18-years old he was teaching other high schoolers at different schools.

“I remember I had to grow facial hair so I could look just a little bit older,” Loeffert said.

“I was constantly getting stopped, even when I was out of high school, in the hallways by teachers asking for my hall pass. No one would believe I was an instructor.

PROVIDED

Jeffrey Loeffert with his wife, Kimberly, and the rest of their H2 saxophone quartet. The group are currently working on their ninth studio album.

“That actually kind of feels like my entire career, to be honest with you. Always one step ahead of what I’ve had to do.”

Teaching lessons helped Loeffert become not only a better teacher, but a better musician.

“Your students depend on you to give them great instruction, so they can’t be deficient based on your inadequacies,” Loeffert said.

“I always worked really hard to make sure I was one step ahead.

That’s what I remember

early on is having to figure stuff out so I could teach it, if I didn’t learn it well myself then I couldn’t relay the information. It was especially important when the age difference was little.”

College experience Loeffert completed his undergraduate degree at Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill., working hard to complete his studies with worldrenowned saxophonist Fredrick Hempke.

“I had pretty average

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talent and pretty average natural intelligence,” Loeffert said. “But I was always constantly inspired by the people I worked with and they helped me get better.

“Every year felt I like if I worked and tried to keep up with these very smart and talented people I could sort of get into their group. I loved every minute of it and it’s something I still miss, and I knew that I would. I didn’t take it for granted. I really tried to take advantage of every opportunity that I had.”

After the completion of his undergraduate degree, Loeffert won a grant and fellowship, allowing him to enter two graduate degree programs concurrently: one at Michigan State University, the other in Paris, France. This meant, for at least one year, Loeffert was at one time studying at three different schools: Michigan State University, in its master’s program; and two French conservatories working towards a superior cycle and a perfect cycle degree.

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C OV ER S TO RY “That was a tough thing,” Loeffert said. “One reason I was able to make that work was the French schooling starts so much later. So, at Michigan State, the schooling started in mid-August, but over (in France) it started in October.

So I had this sort of two weeks there, two weeks in the U.S., and I would fly back and forth.

“I felt like I was living a double life. I slept on the dorm room floor because I couldn’t afford my own room, but I made it work. I’m actually really proud of what I was able to do at that time because it was a challenge, that’s for sure.”

The most “impactful” thing Loeffert gained from his French experience was being in a position where he was vulnerable for an extended period of time.

Day-to-day language barriers and being on French Government Assistance gave him a degree of empathy for those in the U.S. who are dealing with what he went through in France.

“It was extremely important to be vulnerable,” Loeffert said.

“In the United States we have very few real opportunities to experience vulnerability because we live a very privileged life here.

“The professor at one conservatory in another country had never seen a baritone saxophone in real life, yet any public school band program (in the U.S.) would have one. Things like that we take for granted.”

Loeffert completed his master’s degree in music performance and music theory, and his doctorate in performance at Michigan State. He has six degrees in total.

Career at OSU Loeffert completed his five-year music program at Michigan State in four years, WEDNESDAY, JULY 31, 2019

opening up the door for him to go straight from his doctorate to his professorship at OSU in 2010, teaching music theory and saxophone.

“There’s a pretty strenuous application because OSU is a renowned school,” Loeffert said. “So it was competitive.

I was really fortunate that the job description so narrowly defined my two research areas, saxophone and theory, a pretty weird combination (at the time). Less weird now, though.”

Loeffert said he loved the opportunity to teach both saxophone and music theory at OSU because it gave him the opportunity to work with different facets of the music program. When he started, he worked with every single freshman student who came through the OSU music program in music theory, and helped develop the saxophone studio at the same time. OSU never had a full-time saxophone professor before Loeffert.

Being quality-driven is what Loeffert tried to instill in his students through his individual saxophone lessons at OSU. “You’re really trying to teach the person, not the subject,” Loeffert said. “Through teaching the person you learn how to teach the subject matter. What I mean by that is you’re teaching how to be quality-driven. It extends beyond just understanding techniques.”

Being quality-driven has helped Loeffert reach his latest destination.

Director of the Michael and Anne Greenwood School of Music Stepping into his new role on July 1, Loeffert has huge plans for the Michael and Anne Greenwood School of Music at OSU. Being quality-driven re-

PROVIDED

Jeffrey Loeffert was already making changes in the School of Music before he officially began as director on July1, painting the practice rooms in the basement of the Seretean Center for the Performing Arts with the help of some students.

mains the driving force behind his goals and aspirations for the school of music.

“Little-by-little every year we get a little bit better,” Loeffert said. “I’m really excited about some of the initiatives we plan to unveil over these next 2 years.

“From my perspective we should have a 100 percent graduation rate. That’s not unrealistic to me. And if we don’t I want to understand why, which is where my head is right now.”

Loeffert’s interest in administration began on the College

of Arts and Science faculty council, working his way up from secretary to vice-chair to chair of the council in what he described as a “natural progression,” ending with him into this role as the director of the school of music.

“It’s a privilege to do the job,” Loeffert said. “We’ve got our challenges ahead, but I can’t think of a better opportunity to be a part of this faculty with the impending opening of the McKnight Center and the Greenwood (School of Music) building. We have great faculty and students and are poised

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to come together under great administration … the stars have aligned and we are poised to make the kinds of steps we want.”

Loeffert’s goal is to make sure students graduate with an “appreciating degree,” meaning an OSU degree means something more 10 years from now than it does now. To do this, growing the program and fostering relationships with OSU graduates, letting them know they can still come back to us to depend on their network are priorities for Loeffert.

Yet in the midst of all of this

change, Loeffert remains grateful for the position he is in.

“What I get to do right now is the perfect combination of being able to teach and foster a love for the arts,” Loeffert said.

“And at the same time be able to perform actively and engage in other creative endeavors. So it’s an excellent combination.

“I feel like the luckiest person in the world.”

Jet Turner is a multimedia journalism from Van Buren, Arkansas.

He can be reached at editorinchief@ocolly.com.

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Cowboy Football

S P OR T S

OSU Football Scouting Ahead: WR’s and QB’s Edition Pat r ick L in eha n, St aff R epor te r @ o co lly

This summer, the O’Colly will be taking a position-byposition breakdown look at what the OSU football team will look like for the 2019 season. This is the final installment of our series “Scouting Ahead.”

Wide Recievers Tylan Wallace is back.

And there’s more. Much more.

Oklahoma State returns three wide receivers from a prolific offense last year, led by Wallace, a Biletnikoff Award finalist from a year ago. Dillon Stoner and Landon Wolf also return, providing consistency and veteran leadership at the position.

Wallace looks to have a big 2019 after posting a 1,491-yard receiving season a year ago. Wallace has become that home run threat for the Cowboy offense, in the mold of James Washington, Justin Blackmon and Dez Bryant. He had his best games on the biggest stages against Texas, Oklahoma and West Virginia.

Against Texas Wallace showed that he can compete against the best and had a career-high 10 catches for 220 yards to go with two touchdowns. Wallace has shown that he is not only a deep threat but he can go over the middle and get you enough yards for the first WEDNESDAY, JULY 31, 2019

down. And he’s a devastating blocker.

Defenses will key on Wallace, which will open things up for other receivers like Stoner, Wolf, C.J. Moore and Patrick McKaufman.

Stoner is looking to continue his momentum after a solid season of 600 receiving yards. He should see his targets and numbers increase as he will become a top-three option for whoever emerges as the quarterback, Spencer Sanders or Dru Brown.

Wolf broke out on the road at Kansas where he had six catches for 116 yards and a touchdown. Wolf and Stoner figure to control the inside receiver spots.

The Cowboys have plenty of depth due to coach Kasey Dunn’s success recruiting.

Two players who could stand out on the outside are Patrick McKaufman and CJ Moore.

Mckaufman is coming off of an ACL injury that caused him to miss all of last season.

At 6-foot-6, McKaufman can line up on the opposite side of Tylan Wallace and provide a tall target.

Moore, a redshirt freshman, is coming off a year where he got bigger and stronger since coming in.

Moore, also 6-6, is fighting for playing time but should see significant playing time at wide receiver on the outside as he could become a jumpball red zone threat. The Cowboys also have graduate transfer Jordan McCray from South Alabama, among others, making for a crowded depth chart.

Quarterbacks

At the start of fall camp, Oklahoma State still finds itself in a quarterback battle.

Redshirt senior Dru Brown and redshirt freshman Spencer Sanders will continue to battle to start at quarterback in the season opener. And there’s no timetable for a decision.

“This is an even race,” new OSU offensive coordinator Sean Gleeson said Monday.

Brown owns an experience edge, having played three seasons at Hawaii. In three years starting, Brown showed he can run when necessary, but also make most of the throws that he needs to make in the Cowboy offense.

Sanders was the Gatorade Player of the Year his senior Logan Biggins/O’Colly season at Denton Ryan High Quarterback Spencer Sanders during the last Oklahoma State Football spring practice, in Boone Pickens Stadium, April 20, 2019.

School in Texas and was highly recruited. During his prep career, Sanders showed he can improvise and make plays. And he may have an edge in arm strength over Brown. After redshirting last season, Sanders now has a year under his belt and looks to win the quarterback battle.

In the end, it will likely come down to who will make the fewest mistakes, including avoiding turnovers. The quarterback who does that will start for the Cowboys.

“Whoever ends up leading us this year,” said Gleeson, “I think we’ll be in great shape.”

Patrick Linehan is a sports media senior from Omaha, Nebraska. He can be reached at patrick. linehan@okstate.edu.

T.C. Brewster/O’Colly

Wide receiver Tylan Wallace cuts up field as part of a drill during the Oklahoma State Football spring practice in Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater on Saturday April 20,2019.

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Cowb oy Fo o t b al l

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OSU Football Scouting R yan Novozinsk y, St aff R epor te r @ o co lly

For Jim Knowles the 2019 season is all about a new mindset.

Knowles, Oklahoma State’s second-year defensive coordinator, watched his defense finish next-to-last in the Big 12 last year in total defense and scoring defense. While it was his debut as a Big 12 coordinator, in a league far different than the others where he had coached – more wide open and featuring fast-paced offenses – the 31-year coaching veteran still thinks those stats are unacceptable.

“I think the players know what to expect from me,” Knowles said on Monday.

“More so than last year and I’ve certainly had to make those adjustments to our scheme and what we do to defend what happens in the Big 12.”

One of the main reasons the Cowboys struggled defensively last season was due to lack of discipline. Mike Gundy

said earlier this month at Big 12 Media Days in Arlington, Texas, that discipline became a problem across the board for his team.

“The players at times became undisciplined,” Gundy said. “As coaches, we became undisciplined, so we were an undisciplined organization, and that’s why we played the way we did at times last year.”

Knowles is focused on not letting this happen in 2019.

“We need to do a better job of knowing exactly what to do,” he said. “There were mistakes made that I need to own, certainly, and that we need to get better at. We need to do a better job of pushing our players to play our games more disciplined.”

Knowles said he believes that once the discipline issues are sorted out, then the Cowboys will feature an improved defense.

“I think there’s been a learning curve,” Knowles said in his exclusive interview with the O’Colly. “These guys are coachable, they want to do well and they’ve spent a lot of

Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Lewis

time in this system.”

Specifically, Knowles pointed to the secondary as an expected major area of improvement this fall. At cornerback, veterans A.J. Green and Rodarius Williams return as starters and leaders for a group that often learned on the job a year ago.

“We took some lumps last year with younger guys, but we have a veteran group, a group with a lot of experience,” Knowles said. “With AJ and Rodarius at the corners, I expect them to be as good as anybody and I expect them to be able to lock down the best receivers in the country.”

The O’Colly’s interview with Jim Knowles can be found here (Starts at the 18:59 mark): https://soundcloud. com/user-438177413/in-thenovo-ep-7 Ryan Novozinsky is a sports media sophomore from Allentown, New Jersey.

He can be reached at ryan. novozinsky@okstate.edu.

Adam Luther/O’Colly

OSU defensive coordinator Jim Knowles coaches his unit during the AutoZone Liberty Bowl at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium in Memphis, Tennessee on Dec. 31, 2018.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 31, 2019

FOR RELEASE JULY 31, 2019

ACROSS 1 Gulf of California peninsula 5 SLR setting 10 Exchange words?

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41 __ Beat: old fan mag 42 Alternative energy choice 43 “Golly!”

49 You can skip it 50 Grieves 51 Chemist’s tube 53 Some govt. bonds 54 Hilarious folks 56 Curse 57 DJs’ devices ... and a hint to this puzzle’s circles 62 Algerian setting of Camus’ “The Plague” 63 Maxim 64 Hawkeye State 65 Saucy 66 Bay Area NFLer 67 Do as directed DOWN 1 Air rifle ammo 2 Swiss peak 3 Charlie Brown hero __ Shlabotnik 4 Maven 5 In the distance 6 Rude observer 7 Sound heard around the clock

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7/31/19

By Zachary David Levy

8 Tips for a street performer 9 Each 10 Texas border city 11 Unwilling to hear, as criticism 12 Arched foot part 13 Volga region natives 18 MADD focus 21 Hay bundlers 22 Artist Chagall 23 “__ lived– Brooklyn, of ample hills, was mine”: Whitman 24 Campus official 25 For fear that 26 Sicilian hot spot 29 Depleted atmospheric layer 30 One may be displayed on a boathouse wall 32 View from Yellowstone 35 Scrip orders 36 Signature piece?

37 Bygone period 38 Tons 39 Eagerly attentive 40 Image in the Timberland logo

Tuesday’s Puzzle Solved

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43 1997 Hanson #1 song 44 1983 Lionel Richie title words before “the sun” and “the rain” 45 One of the Nelson brothers of ’90s rock 46 “Murder on the __ Express” 47 Dishwashing aid

7/31/19

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59 Soft toss 60 Lamb’s mom 61 “By the way ... ” PAGE 6

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Daily Horoscope

By Nancy Black Tribune Content Agency

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7/31/19

Solution to Tuesday’s puzzle

Complete the grid so each row, column and 3-by-3 box (in bold borders) contains every digit, 1 to 9.

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Today’s Birthday (07/31/19). Family, fun and romance highlight your year. Steady practice builds health, fitness and strength. Resolving a physical breakdown this summer leads to a winter energy boost, before a restful phase to consider what’s next. New love surprises you next summer. Savor sweet moments together.

To get the advantage, check the day’s rating: 10 is the easiest day, 0 the most challenging.

Aries (March 21-April 19) -- Today is a 9 -- Fall in love all over again. Enjoy blissful moments with someone sweet.

Make a delightful discovery, and count your blessings. Express your gratitude freely.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) -- Today is an 8 -- Fill your home with love and creature comforts. Beautify your space and garden. Share something delicious with the ones you love.

Gemini (May 21-June 20) -- Today is a 9 -- Make lists of what you want. It’s easier to create with a clear vision. Review considerations, and choose. Sign on the dotted line.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) -- Today is a 9 -- Stash away something of value. Cash flow velocity increases, both in and out. Monitor results for a positive balance. You’re especially persuasive.

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) -- Today is a 9 -- You’re getting stronger and more confident. Do what you love. Share your talents with people who appreciate them. Smile for the camera.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) -- Today is a 7 -- Consider where you’ve been and what’s ahead. Listen to others, and make your own choices. Face the truth squarely. All’s well that ends well.

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) -- Today is an 8 -- Develop and refine your team strategy. Give and receive support. Tap into your community, and participate for the common good for love and satisfaction.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) -- Today is a 9 -- New professional doors beckon. The prizes behind them tantalize, but there’s a test. Practice and hone your skills. Accolades and a rise in status are possible.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) -- Today is an 8 -- Education broadens your horizons. Visit somewhere new, in person or through another’s experience. Evolve your ideas through exploration. Discovery rare beauty.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) -- Today is an 8 -- Make sure the numbers balance before purchasing. You can work out a financial issue. Collaborate for common gain. Your ideas could get lucrative.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) -- Today is an 8 -- You and a partner can take things to a new level. Collaboration flowers with creative ideas and possibilities. Romance is a distinct possibility.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) -- Today is an 8 -- You’re especially energized. Make a beautiful transformation. Physical actions get satisfying results. Practice your favorite moves. Savor time outside in nature.

PAGE 7

I tz y

E n t e r t ainment

Review: Itzy further defines themselves with new EP “IT’z ICY” M e g an Hays, St aff R epor te r @ o co lly

A group’s first comeback can be exciting and nerve racking for fans. With a record breaking debut, Itzy had high expectations to meet. For the most part, they matched the hype. The 2019 Rookies of the Year came back with the extended play “IT’z ICY” building on their signature sound while also exploring new styles of music.

Itzy’s title track “ICY” isn’t as in-your-face as their debut song, but it only serves to make the song unique from its predecessor, taking the listener on a totally different experi-

ence. The opening hypes up the audience up and Chaeryeong’s softer, sweeter voice gives a small break before Ryujin gives a charismatic rap, bringing the song’s intensity back up. Lia and Yeji’s high notes hit throughout the pre-chorus, keeping the mood up and building up into the chorus. The chorus is short, quickly going into Lia and Yuna’s second verse. Their melodic voices transition to Ryujin’s deeper toned rap before going back to a midrange of Yeji’s voice. The vibrate beat with quick changes in intensity and tone make for a playful rollercoaster of a song.

For new groups like Itzy, fans are still figuring out what

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 31, 2019

to expect from their b-side tracks. With “CHERRY,” the girls show a different side of their style. The low synthetic beat coupled with a popping sound lay the foundation for a different vibe. Ryujin’s voice still oozes confidence but the slow and low tone of her voice are unexpected, yet create a laid back feel of the song.

Chaeryeong and Yeji bring the excitement back up with a higher tone and faster delivery of the lyrics. Lia slows things down with her softer voice on the pre-chorus. The first chorus is Yuna’s time to shine, her usually sweet voice takes a darker feel with a lower tone, adding to the songs intense but chill vibe. Even with break-

downs that cause the song to reach for an electric dance gene, the girls voices keep the song grounded.

With exploring different sounds comes with the risk that sometimes it doesn’t work. That’s the case with “IT’z SUMMER.” The glass clinking accent paired with a deep slow clap beat doesn’t match the girls’ upbeat voices.

Unlike in “CHERRY,” where it was the groups’ vocals as the focus point, the heavy beat almost drowns out Chaeryeong and Lia’s voices, causing a clash between the two. Lia’s high note in the pre-chorus is lost in a revving beat that transitions to a disappointing anticlimax of the chorus going

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back to the original beat and the group chanting the lyrics.

The group’s shouting chant as the song goes to the last chorus just doesn’t sound pleasing and seems out of place in the song after the more delicate vocals.

The last two songs on the album are remixes from the group’s first EP. Remixes can make the song better or ruin an already good song. For “Dalla Dalla (Dallask remix)” the remix doesn’t do anything for the song. The beat is sped up and different effects are added to create a more bass and beat heavy rhythm. It causes the girls’ voices to be lost in the noise, causing the lyrics to lose the impact they originally had, especially in Yeji’s iconic line

in the second verse. The Imad Royal remix for “WANT IT?” is an improvement. The blasting brass at the opening and softer whimsical beat in the first verse lets the girls’ voices come through better.

Like any second release, especially after the massive success of their debut, Itzy had a lot to prove. “IT’z ICY” helps define the groups’ color as well as showing fans a different side that should be explored in the future.

Ryan Novozinsky is a sports media sophomore from Omaha, Nebraska.

He can be reached at ryan. novozinsky@okstate.edu.

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