CLA: School of Music News

U of M School of Music will present composer and U of M professor James Dillon's Book of Elements, a five-volume piano solo, performed by pianist Noriko Kawai on Wednesday, May 15 at 7:30 p.m. at Ted Mann Concert Hall (2128 4th St. S., Minneapolis, MN 55455). This event is free and open to the public.

Kawai performed The Book of Elements, which has been described by BBC Music Magazine as "rich" and "utterly riveting," at the UK Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival, the Royal College of Music in London, and the Alicante Summer Festival in Spain. In 2003, she recorded a CD of Elements.

"To play all volumes in one go is a quite a tour de force," says Kawai, who premiered volume 2 in Germany. "It's about 90 minutes without any intermission."

But daunting as it is, Kawai savors the challenge; once she starts, she says, time ceases to exist and the music takes over. "What I like about Dillon's piano music is, despite his vast knowledge of the keyboard literature, his language remains unique, outrageous, elegant, exasperating, funny, and helplessly beautiful," she says.

When asked what he wanted people to leave with after attending the May 15 concert, Dillon, who started composing at about the age of seven or eight, replied: "The only thing one can hope for is that an audience has an open and curious mind, nothing else. And actually, what they'd leave with, I don't want to have any control over whatsoever. The concert contains all the things that one demands of a concert, which is essentially a kind of musical magic."

"The Book of Elements a five-part essay in continuity versus discontinuity and concentrated substance for solo piano that amounts, I think, to be the most significant contribution to the pianist's repertoire since György Ligeti's Etudes."
--Tom Service, The Guardian

Read The Guardian's Guide to James Dillon's music: http://bit.ly/16xXjZS

Posted by marsh396 at 4:10 PM | Permalink

The U of M School of Music Choral Tour was a great success! Take a moment and listen to this Classical Minnesota Public Radio feature on the tour - including comments about the choral program at the U of M, the unique aspects of this tour, and a few great experiences along the road. The interview features School of Music choral faculty Kathy Saltzman Romey and Matthew Mehaffey.

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We are saddened to share that Paul Haack, our treasured colleague and nationally recognized figure in the field of music education, has passed away. His enormous contributions to music education and administration, and his reputation as a rigorous scholar and caring and gentle teacher will assure his continuing presence in our hearts and minds. Funeral arrangements have been made for Thursday, May 2 at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in New Brighton, MN. Visitation is at 10 a.m. and mass will take place at 11 a.m.

In 1988, Haack joined the faculty at the the University of Minnesota School of Music, where he served as head of the Music Education/Music Therapy Division for 15 years. His teaching fields included instrumental, general music, and related arts methods and the psychology, sociology, and aesthetics of music. He retired in 2007.

In 2002, Haack was inaugurated into the Minnesota Music Educators Association Hall of Fame for his contributions to the organization and the field of music education.

In addition to serving on a variety of national commissions, committees, and editorial boards, Professor Haack was coauthor of Principles and Processes of Music Education and published several textbook chapters and over 150 articles in professional journals. He served on the steering committee of the International Foundation for Music Research (IFMR).

"For Paul, his work life has been about service to his students, his colleagues, his universities, and his profession. Each of these constituencies has benefited from his gentle and wise guidance. He was a gentleman and a gentle-man, treating each person with grace and dignity. While many would argue that Paul Haack's greatest contributions to music education have come through his many books, chapters, and articles, he would argue that his most important work was with students. In each class that he taught or seminar he gave, he created learning moments with musical examples, dry wit and extensive knowledge of music and music learning. In his work with students he displayed a never-ending supply of patience, a focus on student strengths, and eye on writing detail and a breadth of knowledge that brought out the best in each advisee." -Keitha Hamann, Associate Professor of Music Education.

Posted by marsh396 at 11:26 AM | Permalink

University Singers - a cohort of 55 University of Minnesota School of Music students, graduate student conductors led by director of choral activities Kathy Saltzman Romey and associate director of choral activities Matthew Mehaffey - will embark on the school's first choral tour throughout the state of Minnesota, April 25-27.

The tour will involve engagement opportunities, including clinics, group and private voice instruction, and rehearsals with greater Minn. high schools and public performances performed by the University Singers and high school students.

Public performances are free and open to the public.

The University Singers repertoire will include music by Johannes Brahms, Benjamin Britten, Morten Lauridsen, Carol Barnett and Moses Hogan.

School of Music choral professor Matthew Mehaffey shares, "This choral tour is an amazing opportunity for School of Music students and faculty to share our knowledge and love of singing through clinics and voice instruction with talented high school choirs throughout greater Minnesota. We look forward to bringing communities together through song."

The first stop on the tour is Osseo High School, where students from Osseo, Maple Grove and St. Michael High Schools will participate. The Osseo public performance will take place on Thursday, April 25 at 7:30 p.m. in the Osseo High School Auditorium (317 2nd Ave NW, Osseo).

On Friday, April 26, the tour continues to Brainerd High School. Students from Brainerd, Alexandria, Crosby-Ironton, and Staples-Motley High Schools will participate in musical activities during the school day. The University Singers will present a solo performance at 7:30 p.m. on Friday April 26 at Lord of Life Lutheran Church (6190 Fairview Rd, Baxter, lolbaxter.org).

On Saturday, April 27, the singers will travel for a clinic at Cambridge-Isanti High School in Cambridge. Following an afternoon of engagement activities with the Cambridge-Isanti High School Choir, there will be a public performance in the High School auditorium (430 NW 8th Ave, Cambridge) at 7:30 p.m.

Posted by marsh396 at 4:42 PM | Permalink

University of Minnesota voice professor emerita Glenda Maurice passed away on April 16, 2013. A memorial service celebrating her life will be held on Saturday, May 18 at 11 a.m. at Unity Church-Unitarian (732 Holly Avenue, N Grotto St, St Paul, MN 55104).

After recording "Cry Me a River" at the age of sixteen, Glenda Maurice secured a spot on Pat Boone's television show. She later attended Texas Wesleyan University where she encountered classical vocal music. In 1988, Maurice joined the faculty of University of Minnesota School of Music. Her vocal students have gone on to win the national Metropolitan Opera auditions, sing on the roster of the New York Metropolitan Opera, and win first place in the National Association of Teachers of Singing Artist Auditions.

Her book Finding Vocal Artistry will be published by Xlibris books and will be available through their bookstore, on Amazon, Barnes and Noble and other websites.

Posted by marsh396 at 2:45 PM | Permalink

Laura Hynes (D.M.A candidate, voice, student of Adriana Zabala) will be on Classical Minnesota Public Radio on Monday, April 22 at noon with host Alison Young to discuss the upcoming recital performance Raise Your Voice: A Social Justice Recital Exploring Violence Against Women Through the Ages, which will take place on April 24. Raise Your Voice is sponsored by a Community Engagement grant through the U of M School of Music and by the Aurora Center for Advocacy and Education. Photo by Brooks Peterson.

Posted by marsh396 at 4:03 PM | Permalink

David France's (M.M., 2003, violin, student of Sally O'Reilly) youth orchestra program Revolution of Hope, based in Roxbury, MA, will be featured in a national special on NBC Nightly News this upcoming weekend (April 27-28). France and his students were interviewed by Chelsea Clinton. Revolution of Hope was inspired by the Venezuelan musical youth development program/orchestra El Sistema. Watch this video to discover more about Revolution of Hope.

Posted by marsh396 at 3:54 PM | Permalink

Maria Schneider (B.M., 1983, composition) is the subject of The New York Times article "Prairie Jazz Companion." Read the article and listen to "Walking by Flashlight," from the album Winter Morning Walks, composed by Maria Schneider, poem by Ted Kooser, with Dawn Upshaw, Jay Anderson, Frank Kimbrough, Scott Robinson, and the Australian Chamber Orchestra. Schneider was in residence at the U of M School of Music this past fall and was awarded an honorary degree from the U of M at the School of Music's 2012 Convocation. Read about her School of Music visit in Tutti, the School of Music magazine.

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Listen to U of M School of Music flute professor Immanuel Davis discuss his latest CD "On A Clear Morning" on Classical Minnesota Public radio with host Alison Young.

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Listen to U of M School of Music professor/mezzo-soprano Adriana Zabala and composer/pianist Gregg Kallor talk with Classical MPR host Steve Staruch about the music for their free recital tonight, March 28, at Ted Mann Concert Hall. Listen now.

Posted by Jennifer Schmitt at 8:29 AM | Permalink

U of M School of Music professor/mezzo-soprano Adriana Zabala and composer/pianist Gregg Kallor present Kallor's acclaimed settings of poems by Emily Dickinson and William Butler Yeats at on Thursday, March 28 at 7:30 p.m. at Ted Mann Concert Hall (2128 4th St. S., Minneapolis, MN 55455). This event is free and open to the public.

Kallor and Zabala premiered these cycles at Carnegie Hall's Weill Recital Hall in 2007 and recorded them the following year. This program also features many selections from Wolf's Italienisches Liederbuch, Debussy settings of Paul Bourget, and a few Spanish surprises. Read more.

Posted by marsh396 at 2:18 PM | Permalink

The University Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of Mark Russell Smith, received positive reviews for their performance with the Joffrey Ballet. Read Caroline Palmer's (Star Tribune) "Joffrey Ballet shows innovation at the Orpheum," and Rob Hubbard's (Pioneer Press) "Joffrey Ballet thrills with lessons on Modern Dance 101."

The U of M Percussion studio had a tremendous presence during the Percussion Showcase at MacPhail Center for Music (Feb 23). SOM faculty Fernando Meza (percussion) performed Bob Becker's Mudra. The U of M Percussion Ensemble (Jake Arndt, Emily Curran, Mark Engelmann, Drew Morrisette, Erik Schee, and Kathryn Yuill) performed Nebojsa Zivkovic's Trio per Uno and Bill Douglas/Michael Udow's Rock Etude No. 7. The Struck Percussion Ensemble - SOM alumni Bojan Hoover, David Birrow (MacPhail faculty), and Adam Rappel - performed Josh Clausen's I'm Sorry, I've Already Forgotten Your Name. Alumni Jennifer Klukken and Krissy Bergmark performed as the Bergmark/Klukken Duo. Joe Churchich and Bojan Hoover, who head percussion programs at Roseville and Rosemount high schools respectively, also performed. Branden Steinmetz (M.A. candidate) performed in the Rappel/Steinmetz duo with Adam Rappel. Alumnus Scotty Horey also performed on drum set.

Jordan Werre (B.A., academic emphasis, student of Sumanth Gopinath) and Marching Band member Jason Gades were commissioned by the Marcy-Holmes Neighborhood Association to compose short works for an innovative music festival in Southeast Minneapolis. The festival, underwritten by a grant from the University's Good Neighbor Fund, revitalizes the traditional role that bells have played in calling communities together, and will take place at 1 p.m. on May 4 at the First Congregational UCC.

Posted by Jennifer Schmitt at 1:24 PM | Permalink

Tom Ashworth (trombone) has submitted four successful grant proposals in the past year, and was most recently awarded a $6,500 CLA Imagine Grant for Special Events for the 2014 U of M Brass Symposium: Building Musical Bridges. The symposium will feature area professional brass ensembles, U of M student ensembles, and eight high school and college ensembles at Lloyd Ultan Recital Hall and Ted Mann Concert Hall. In addition, the ensembles will perform at local schools, nursing homes, hospitals, and churches. The April 2014 symposium will feature faculty members in several panel discussions on public engagement and entrepreneurship. If your college or high school brass ensemble (quintet or larger) would like to participate in the symposium, contact Tom Ashworth.

James Dillon (composition) received a glowing review from The Guardian in the article "A Guide to James Dillon's music." Reviewer Tom Service writes, "...Dillon has created some of the most inventive and thrillingly expressive contemporary music around" and "Dillon's music is fearlessly, relentlessly explorative. To hear it is to confront a volcanic imagination that makes listening an act of thrilling, vertiginous unpredictability." Read the review.

Posted by Jennifer Schmitt at 1:20 PM | Permalink

Anabel Wirt (recruitment and engagement coordinator) has joined the Board of Directors of Keane Sense of Rhythm, a non-profit dance company whose mission is to preserve, present, create, and expand the boundaries of American Tap Dance through education, performance, and creation of new works, and community partnerships that invest in talented youth. Wirt will lead recruitment and marketing efforts for Keane Sense of Rhythm which thrives under the leadership of artistic director Ellen Keane, adjunct faculty of the University of Minnesota Department of Theater and Dance.

Posted by Jennifer Schmitt at 1:15 PM | Permalink

VocalEssence and the University of Minnesota School of Music are ready to welcome spring with its English Garden concert featuring the VocalEssence Chorus & Ensemble Singers and the University of Minnesota Wind Ensemble performing works by legendary band and choral composer Percy Grainger. Led by VocalEssence artistic director and conductor Philip Brunelle, and University of Minnesota professor of conducting and director of university bands Craig Kirchhoff, the concert will be held on Saturday, March 9, 2013 at 8 p.m. at Ted Mann Concert Hall in Minneapolis. Tickets for English Garden are $13.50-$33.50 (Service charges apply. Student tickets are half-price and group discounts are available.) For tickets and information, call 612-371-5656 or visit www.vocalessence.org. Read more.

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