Press Releases

Category: Press Releases

Meghan Murphy awarded critical language scholarship to study in Taiwan

Don’t blame Meghan Murphy if she isn’t 100 percent focused during the upcoming Spring Term final exams.

Meghan-Murphy_headshot_newsblog
Meghan Murphy ’18

The Lawrence University sophomore will have good reason for a little mind wandering. She needs to be in Tainan, Taiwan by June 8 — the final day of exams — as a recipient of a U.S. Department of State Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) to study Chinese.

Murphy, a double degree candidate pursuing majors in religious studies and violin performance, will spend eight weeks living with a host family in Tianan, a city of nearly two million on the the island’s southwest coast during the program.

The CLS program includes four hours a day of personalized, intensive language study as well as various activities and excursions designed to expand students’ understanding of the history, politics, culture and daily life of their host country. The scholarship covers all the program’s expenses and includes a $960 stipend.

Selected from more than 5,700 applications nationally, Murphy was among 560 U.S. undergraduate and graduate students awarded one of the state department’s critical language scholarships.

Murphy has been to mainland China three times previously, but this will be her first trip to Taiwan. She went to China with her family when she was 11 years old and spent a year in Beijing during a gap year before coming to Lawrence.

“Studying abroad gives you a lot of different perspectives and helps you mature,” said Murphy, a home-school graduate who lives in Milwaukee. “I had already taken four years of Chinese at UW-Milwaukee during high school so China was the logical place to go for a gap year before coming to Lawrence.”

“I’m excited about this trip particularly because Taiwan is a place I haven’t been before,” added Murphy, who took her first Chinese language lessons when she was 10. “Because of all the conflict between China and Taiwan and my experience becoming familiar with the Chinese perspective while living in China, I’m very interested in learning the Taiwanese side of the story.”

Meghan-Murphy_newsblog_1
Meghan Murphy spent 18 days in China last December as part of Lawrence’s “Sustainable China” initiative.

Murphy’s most recent trip to China was last December as part of Lawrence’s 18-day multi-disciplinary initiative “Sustainable China: Integrating Culture, Conservation and Commerce.” She was one of 12 students to participate in that program.

“I hope to continue applying what I learned on the Sustainable China trip particularly in relation to the intersection of religion beliefs and environmental awareness,” said Murphy.

Jason Brozek, Stephen Edward Scarff Professor of International Affairs and associate professor of government at Lawrence, who led the December “Sustainable China” trip, called Meghan “a terrific student with exactly the kind of broad, diverse interests we encourage Lawrentians to develop.”

“I had the pleasure of working with her over the course of several months as part of the Sustainable China traveling classroom and the critical language scholarship will be an excellent springboard for her future success,” said Brozek.

While her critical language scholarship may complicate the final weeks of Murphy’s Spring term, it’s a trade-off she’s more than willing to make.

“I’m always looking to experience new perspectives, so going somewhere new, having a host family to live with, and taking language classes is a spectacular opportunity.”

The CLS, a program of the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, was launched in 2006 to increase opportunities for American students to study critical-need languages overseas and expand the number of Americans studying and mastering critical-need languages, including Arabic, Chinese, Indonesian Japanese, Korean, Persian, Russian, Indic (Bangla/Bengali, Hindi, Punjabi and Urdu) and Turkic (Turkish and Azerbaijani).

About Lawrence University
Founded in 1847, Lawrence University uniquely integrates a college of liberal arts and sciences with a nationally recognized conservatory of music, both devoted exclusively to undergraduate education. It was selected for inclusion in the book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College” and Fiske’s Guide to Colleges 2016. Engaged learning, the development of multiple interests and community outreach are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,500 students from nearly every state and more than 50 countries.

Cultural ambassadors: Hayley Cardinal, Kirstin Edwards heading to Germany as Fulbright grant recipients

A pair of Lawrence University seniors will spend the majority of their first post-graduation year as English language teaching assistants and cultural ambassadors, courtesy of the United States Department of State and the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board.

Edwards-and-Cardinal_newsblog
Seniors Kirstin Edwards (l.) and Hayley Cardinal will spend 10 months in Germany on a Fulbright grant beginning in September.

Hayley Cardinal, a German and linguistics major from Lombard, Ill., and Kirstin Edwards, a German and physics major from Whitefish Bay, have been awarded 2016-2017 Fulbright U.S. Student grants to Germany. The Fulbright Program is the flagship international educational exchange program of the United States.

Both will travel to Germany in September, where they will spend 10 months working in a school as a teacher’s aide. Cardinal knows she will be in the capital city of Berlin, while Edwards’ final destination is still to be determined, although she knows it will be somewhere in the central state of Hessen.

It will be a return trip for Cardinal, who spent a semester in Berlin a year ago on a study-abroad program.

“Berlin was my first choice, which I was not expecting to get,” said Cardinal, who spent a month in Germany as a high school junior on a student-exchange program. “I’m super excited to go back.”

Cardinal applied for a Fulbright grant after realizing it was a perfect combination of several of her passions.

“I love German and linguistics and working with students,” said Cardinal, who first started studying German as a high school freshman. “Helping students learn English will be ideal as far as potential career fields I’ve been considering. I’m interested in speech therapy, working with high school or younger students, helping with speech problems they struggle with or possibly going into English as a Second Language.”

Hayley Cardinal '16
Hayley Cardinal ’16

Ruth Lunt, associate professor of German and Cardinal’s advisor, called her a “perfect choice” for the Fulbright program.

“Her linguistics training and knowledge of both English and German give her an advantage when it comes to explaining aspects of English to German speakers,” said Lunt. “She also has shown a deep understanding of German culture. Hayley is one of the most intellectually curious, highly motivated and intelligent students I have had the pleasure of working with. She is creative, energetic and has taken the time to explore and think about what she really wants to do.”

Perhaps being part prescient, Cardinal studied Arabic this year, knowing Germany has accepted a large number of Syrian refugees.

“I really hope to work with a volunteer program where I can help teach English to refugees, which would go hand-in-hand with what I’m doing with my Fulbright,” said Cardinal, a three-time conference champion on the Lawrence women’s swimming team and a hurdler on the women’s track team. “I think it’s an important part of current German culture and helping these refugees to succeed is really important. It’s not easy to integrate thousands of these people into the country, so I’d like to help in any way I can.”

Edwards also participated in a student exchange program in high school, during which she spent time on a farm in the state of Hessen, has gotten a taste of what it’s like to teach a language as a German tutor at Lawrence.

She spent last summer in the Netherlands working with Lawrence graduate Jennifer Herek in her optics laboratory at Twente University. Her time there inspired her to apply for the Fulbright.

“I worked in the Netherlands and really enjoyed working with an international group,” said Edwards, who often took the train across the border to venture about in Germany. “I saw a lot of value in that sort of international exchange and felt I would benefit from a more immersive experience in Germany.”

Alison Guenther-Pal, assistant professor of German, was nearly as happy for her advisee as Edwards was for herself.

“I’m thrilled that Kirstin earned the Fulbright, not only because she is such a deserving candidate, but also because she was not able to spend a lengthy period of time in Germany as an undergraduate,” said Guenther-Pal. “As a diligent, thoughtful and multi-interested person, Kirstin will be a wonderful representative of Lawrence abroad.”

Kirstin Edwards '16
Kirstin Edwards ’16

While improving her German is important, Edwards is excited about the opportunities the Fulbright grant will present.

“Teaching will be a very valuable experience, especially with students who are interested in learning about the United States,” said Edwards, a three-year starter on Lawrence’s women’s soccer team. “I’m looking forward to learning from them about their own culture, too.  Spending 10 months in a single place that is foreign to me will be exciting. Maybe not always in positive ways, but I’m sure that there will be plenty of new experiences every day.”

Edwards hopes to pursue a graduate degree in geophysics, possibly at a German university, after her Fulbright program.

Cardinal and Edwards are the 24th and 25th Lawrence students since 2008 to be awarded Fulbright grants. Nine of those were student fellowships to Germany.

The Fulbright Program is designed to build relations between the people of the United States and the people of other countries that are needed to solve global challenges. Celebrating the 70th anniversary of its establishment in 1946, the program operates in more than 160 countries worldwide. Fulbright recipients are among more than 50,000 individuals participating in U.S. Department of State exchange programs each year.

About Lawrence University
Founded in 1847, Lawrence University uniquely integrates a college of liberal arts and sciences with a nationally recognized conservatory of music, both devoted exclusively to undergraduate education. It was selected for inclusion in the book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College” and Fiske’s Guide to Colleges 2016. Engaged learning, the development of multiple interests and community outreach are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,500 students from nearly every state and more than 50 countries.

 

 

 

Environmental law professor discusses renewable energy strategies, challenges in presentation

Integrating cleaner energy into the existing infrastructure and strategies for new facilities to incorporate renewable energy will be explored in a Lawrence University science hall/economics colloquium.

Elizabeth Wilson
Elizabeth Wilson

Elizabeth Wilson, professor of energy and environmental policy and law at the University of Minnesota, presents “Remaking Energy: Creating Sustainable Electricity Systems” Monday, May 16 at 4:30 p.m. in the Wriston Art Center auditorium. The talk is free and open to the public.

Wilson’s research focuses on the implementation of energy and environmental policies and laws. She studies how institutions support and thwart energy system transitions, focusing on the interplay between technology innovation, policy creation and institutional decision making.

Her most recent research has examined how energy policy stakeholders view the opportunities and challenges of decision-making within Regional Transmission Organizations and creating smart grids. RTOs currently manage the transmission planning, electricity markets and grid operations for more than 70 percent of North America.

Wilson was awarded a 2015 an Andrew Carnegie Fellowship that will support research in Denmark, Germany and Spain of their energy systems, which include high levels of renewable resources as well as nuclear policies and electric grid architectures different than the United States.

She is the co-author of the 2015 book “Smart Grid (R)Evolution: Electric Power Struggles” and the 2014 book “Energy Law and Policy.”

A former employee of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Wilson spent a year as a visiting scholar in China at Beijing’s Tsinghua University and also has worked in Belgium, Burundi and Tanzania. She earned a Ph.D. from Carnegie Mellon University in engineering and public policy.

About Lawrence University
Founded in 1847, Lawrence University uniquely integrates a college of liberal arts and sciences with a nationally recognized conservatory of music, both devoted exclusively to undergraduate education. It was selected for inclusion in the book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College” and Fiske’s Guide to Colleges 2016. Engaged learning, the development of multiple interests and community outreach are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,500 students from nearly every state and more than 50 countries.

Annual Harrison Symposium highlights student research in the humanities, social sciences

Twenty-eight presentations on topics ranging from the performance of Indonesian shadow puppetry to the role of churches in the lives of North Korean refugees will be addressed Saturday, May 14 during Lawrence University’s 19th annual Richard A. Harrison Symposium.Harrison Symposium 2016_newsblog

The symposium highlights exceptional student research in the humanities and social sciences, beginning at 9:15 a.m. in various locations throughout Main Hall. A complete schedule of presentations, times and locations can be found here.

The symposium features series of 20-minute presentations arranged by topic or field. Each series is moderated by a Lawrence faculty member and includes a 10-minute question-and-answer session following the presentations. Symposium participants present their work in the format used for professional meetings of humanities and social sciences scholars.

First conducted in 1996, the symposium honors former Lawrence Dean of the Faculty Richard Harrison, who died unexpectedly the following year. The symposium was renamed in his honor to recognize his vision of highlighting excellent student scholarship.

About Lawrence University
Founded in 1847, Lawrence University uniquely integrates a college of liberal arts and sciences with a nationally recognized conservatory of music, both devoted exclusively to undergraduate education. It was selected for inclusion in the book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College” and Fiske’s Guide to Colleges 2016. Engaged learning, the development of multiple interests and community outreach are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,500 students from nearly every state and more than 50 countries.

Lawrence Theatre Arts department presents David Ives’ “The Liar”

The consequences of the lies we tell are unraveled in Lawrence University Theatre Arts department’s production of David Ives’ comedy “The Liar.”

The-Liar_newsblog#2
Junior Maddie Scanlan (left) plays Clarice, the already-married love interest of a young lawyer, while Junior Isabel Hemley (left) portrays Lucrece, her best friend, in four performances of “The Liar.” PHOTO: Ken Cobb

Four performances of “The Liar” will be staged in Stansbury Theater May 12-14 with an 8 p.m. show each night and an additional 3 p.m. matinee on Saturday, May 14. Tickets, at $15 for adults, $8 for students/seniors, are available through the Lawrence Box Office, 920-832-6749.

Popular French Renaissance playwright Pierre Corneille wrote this comedy in 1643 in the midst of a more tragic series of plays. Described as “a series of breathtakingly intricate lies,” the story centers around Dorante, a young lawyer who comes to the big city in search of romance. He meets Clarice and immediately falls for her, unaware that she is already secretly engaged to his friend Alcippe. In his efforts to woo her, he invents a tale of his amazing military feats, unleashing a web of falsehood that ensnares all of the characters, sparking mishaps, mistaken identities and lie upon lie.

The production is based on Ives’ “translaptation” from 17th-century French to English of Corneille’s original play. Ives considered “The Liar” “one of the world’s great comedies.”

“I felt as if some lost Shakespeare festival comedy on the order of ‘Twelfth Night’ or ‘Much Ado About Nothing’ had been found,” Ives has said.

As a social satire, Ives liked the way the play’s lies are woven into the fabric of things, revealing how lies can feed love and actually create happiness.

He preserved the rhyming in the play’s original verse, but introduced changes that intersect with current audiences in the same way audiences identified with the original.

“We’ve taken that a step further and are using haute couture and installation art to look at ways that history is reflected in today’s visual aesthetics,” said director Kathy Privatt, James G. and Ethel M. Barber Professor of Theatre and Drama and associate professor of theatre arts. “There will be some ‘visual lies’ to go with the lies in the story, such as a wig that isn’t made of hair.”

Kathy-Privatt_newsblog_5-16
Kathy Privatt directs “The Liar.”

Somewhat serendipitously, the timing of the production, according to Privatt, turned out perfectly.

“After choosing the play, I opened the local newspaper to a story about an organization that gives an award for best lie of the year,” said Privatt. “Then the political debate season rolled around and the various fact-checking websites lit up. Suddenly, a piece that lets us examine ways we lie to each other and ourselves seems very appropriate.”

Freshman Marco Mazzetta from Wheeling, Ill. plays Dorante, while Maddie Scanlan, a junior from St. Paul, Minn., portrays Clarice. Senior Matt Johnson from Elmhurst, Ill., plays Geronte, Dorante’s father and Zoey Lin, a junior from Nanjing, China, portrays Cliton, Dorante’s servant.

Junior Isabel Hemley from Grafton and Madison junior Tony Harth portray Clarice’s friend Lucrece and her fiancé Alcippe, respectively. Junior Lauren Abdulm from New York City, plays Isabelle and Sabine, maids to Clarice and Lucrece. Sophomore Rory Coleman from St. Paul, Minn., plays Philiste, Alcippe’s best friend.

About Lawrence University
Founded in 1847, Lawrence University uniquely integrates a college of liberal arts and sciences with a nationally recognized conservatory of music, both devoted exclusively to undergraduate education. It was selected for inclusion in the book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College” and Fiske’s Guide to Colleges 2016. Engaged learning, the development of multiple interests and community outreach are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,500 students from nearly every state and more than 50 countries.

Lawrence Jazz Series welcomes guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel

Trailblazing guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel and his New Quartet band close out Lawrence University’s 2015-16 Jazz Series Friday, May 13 at 8 p.m. in the Lawrence Memorial Chapel.

Tickets, at $25/$30 for adults, $20/$25 for seniors and $18/$20 for students are available through the Lawrence Box Office, 920-832-6749.

Kurt-Rosenwinkel_newsblog_2
Kurt Rosenwinkel

During his 25-year career, Rosenwinkel, who lives in Berlin, Germany, has evolved the language of jazz in a way few other guitarists have since his arrival on the scene. He won the 1995 Composer’s Award from the National Endowment for the Arts and since has released 10 studio albums.

He also has been featured on more than 75 other albums, including hip-hop veteran Q-Tip’s “Renaissance” project. His extensive list of collaborations includes such dynamic peers as Brad Mehldau, Brian Blade, Joshua Redman and Chris Potter as well as jazz elders Joe Henderson, Paul Motian and Gary Burton.

“Kurt is both unique and very steeped in bebop tradition,” said Steve Peplin, who teaches jazz guitar at Lawrence. “His earlier work really shows how deeply rooted he is in the language of jazz. His compositions, on the other hand, are very modern, often informed by the new augmented-scale thing happening around the globe, but much more deep than just another harmonic concept Kurt reminds me of Lennie Tristano in the way he synthesizes the old and the new.

“His emphasis on tone and a light touch, combined with singing his lines in unison with his guitar creates a ghostly sonority not often heard in modern jazz guitar,” Peplin added.

Rosenwinkel says his music is about “the relationship that we each have with the universe at large and how we use our intuition to hear what it is telling us.”

His most recent album, 2012’s “Star of Jupiter,” which he says came to him in a dream, underscores that concept, transporting “listeners on a journey toward discovery, truth and ultimately peace.”

It features his New Quartet band — pianist Aaron Parks, bassist Eric Revis and drummer Justin Faulkner — a fiery group of rising stars and veterans-in-the-making.

About Lawrence University
Founded in 1847, Lawrence University uniquely integrates a college of liberal arts and sciences with a nationally recognized conservatory of music, both devoted exclusively to undergraduate education. It was selected for inclusion in the book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College” and Fiske’s Guide to Colleges 2016. Engaged learning, the development of multiple interests and community outreach are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,500 students from nearly every state and more than 50 countries.

Spoerl Lecture explores relationship between African-Americans and environmentalism

Carolyn-Finney_newsblog
Carolyn Finney

Carolyn Finney explores the complex relationship of African Americans to nature and environmentalism in the Lawrence University Spoerl Lecture Series address “Radical Presence: Black Faces, White Spaces & Other Stories of Possibility.” The presentation, Thursday, May 12 at 7 p.m. in Thomas Steitz Hall of Science 102, is free and open to the public.

The talk is based on Finney’s 2014 book “Black Faces, White Spaces: Reimagining the Relationship of African Americans to the Great Outdoors,” in which she held “green” conversations with black people from around the country. Using film, literature and popular culture, as well as historical moments, including the establishment of the Wilderness Act in 1964 and the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Finney exposes the perceived and real ways nature and the environment are racialized in America.

Finney, assistant professor of geography at the University of Kentucky, is a member of the U.S. National Parks Advisory Board, working to assist the park service engage in relations with diverse communities.

About Lawrence University
Founded in 1847, Lawrence University uniquely integrates a college of liberal arts and sciences with a nationally recognized conservatory of music, both devoted exclusively to undergraduate education. It was selected for inclusion in the book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College” and Fiske’s Guide to Colleges 2016. Engaged learning, the development of multiple interests and community outreach are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,500 students from nearly every state and more than 50 countries.

Lawrence welcomes former IRC, Columbia president as Visiting Scarff Professor

The former president of the International Rescue Committee will spend 10 days at Lawrence University beginning May 8 as the college’s Visiting Scarff Professor of International Affairs for 2015-16.

George Rupp spent 11 years (2002-2013) as president of the IRC, a NewGeorge-Rupp_newsblog York City-based non-profit organization that responds to humanitarian crises around the world. As president, he oversaw the agency’s relief and rehabilitation operations in 25 countries as well as refugee resettlement and assistance programs throughout the United States.

During his Scarff appointment, Rupp will guest lecture in several government department classes. He also will deliver a free, public address, “Passionate Conviction and Inclusive Community,” Tuesday, May 10 at 8 p.m. in the Wriston Art Center auditorium.

The author of six books, Rupp’s public lecture will be based in part on his most recent book, 2015’s “Beyond Individualism: The Challenge of Inclusive Communities,” in which he Rupp pushes modern individualism to recognize the role of communal practice in the world. He advocates for new solutions to global challenges ranging from conflicts in the developing world and income inequality to climate change and mass migration.

An ordained Presbyterian minister with bachelor’s degrees from Princeton University and Yale University and a Ph.D. in religion from Harvard University, Rupp led two of the country’s premier institutions. Prior to heading the IRC, he served as president of Columbia University for nine years (1993-2002) after serving as Rice University’s president from 1985-1993.

Rupp, a native of New Jersey, began his academic career at the University of Redlands in California before returning to Harvard as a theology professor in the divinity school. He later spent two years in the late 1970s at UW-Green Bay as professor of humanistic studies and dean of academic affairs before returning again to Harvard as dean of the divinity school.

Since leaving the IRC, Rupp has served as senior fellow at the Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs and was elected chair of the International Baccalaureate Organization in 2015.

Besides “Beyond Individualism: The Challenge of Inclusive Communities,” Rupp is the author of “Christologies and Cultures: Toward a Typology of Worldviews,” “Beyond Existentialism and Zen: Religion in a Pluralistic World,” “’Culture Protestantism’: German Liberal Theology at the Turn of the 20th Century,” “Commitment and Community,” and “Globalization Challenged: Conviction, Conflict, Community.”

Rupp joins a long list of distinguished scholars and notable public servants who have previously held the Scarff professorship, among them William Sloane Coffin, Jr., former chaplain at Yale University, noted civil rights advocate and peace activist, Takakazu Kuriyama, former Japanese ambassador to the U.S., Russ Feingold, former U.S. Senator from Wisconsin and Alexander Wilde, senior scholar at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars and former director of the Washington Office of Latin America (WOLA).

The Scarff Memorial Visiting Professorship was established in 1989 by Edward and Nancy Scarff in memory of their son, Stephen, a member of the Lawrence class of 1975, who died in an automobile accident in 1984. It is designed to bring civic leaders and scholars to Lawrence to provide broad perspectives on the central issues of the day.

About Lawrence University
Founded in 1847, Lawrence University uniquely integrates a college of liberal arts and sciences with a nationally recognized conservatory of music, both devoted exclusively to undergraduate education. It was selected for inclusion in the book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College” and Fiske’s Guide to Colleges 2016. Engaged learning, the development of multiple interests and community outreach are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,500 students from nearly every state and more than 50 countries.

Mnozil Brass, Children of the Light Trio highlight Lawrence’s 2016-17 Performing Arts Series

World-renowned Mnozil Brass and the impeccable Children of the Light Trio headline a diversely talented array of artists Lawrence University’s 2016-17 Performing Arts Series.

Mnozil-Brass_newsblog_2
Mnozil Brass performs March 29, 2017.

Subscriptions for both the Artist and Jazz series are on sale now. Subscribers may choose from either series or a “Favorite 4” package, with discounts available to senior citizens and students. Single-concert tickets go on sale Sept. 16. For more information, contact the Lawrence Box Office, 920-832-6749 or boxoffice@lawrence.edu.

All concerts are held in the Lawrence Memorial Chapel.

Mnozil Brass visits Lawrence March 29, 2017. Since it’s founding in 1992, the Austrian brass septet has established itself as one of the world’s premiere brass ensembles, captivating audiences with its blend of virtuosity and theatrical wit. With more than 130 performances a year, they have sold out concert halls around the world.

“I know this is an incredibly overused phrase, but the Mnozil Brass concert is an absolute ‘must-see’ event,” said Marty Erickson, an instructor of tuba and euphonium in the Lawrence conservatory. “They play everything from Bach to Zappa, from the classics to new movie music and it is all surrounded with choreographed theater and dance moves and a massive dose of humor.

Children-of-Light_newsblog
Children of the Light — Brian Blade, Danilo Perez and John Patitucci — will be the second concert of the Fred Sturm Jazz Celebration Weekend Nov. 5.

“Not only are they considered the finest brass ensemble of its kind in the world, they do it all seemingly effortlessly with great fun,” Erickson added. “Imagine hearing Debussy and then Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” or an opera excerpt followed by Stevie Wonder’s “Superstition.” While most of the members have classical-based backgrounds, they also are versatile in jazz, pop and more. They are a hoot!”

The members first met at the Vienna Conservatory as young brass musicians. In the ensuring years, they have embraced repertoire from classical and folk to jazz and pop, all executed with the same fearlessness and immense technical skill.

“Not only are they considered the finest brass ensemble of its kind in the world, they do it all seemingly effortlessly with great fun.”
— Marty Erickson on Mnozil Brass

Children of the Light, featuring three members of the Wayne Shorter Quartet, performs Nov. 5 as part of the Fred Sturm Jazz Celebration Weekend.

The three multiple Grammy Award winners — keyboardist Danilo Perez, cellist John Patitucci and percussionist Brian Blade — celebrate Shorter’s old and new compositions. Their three-way conversations produce a collective improvisation, unfolding and constructing music like a rhythmic and smoldering chamber recital. As they apply their considerable individual talents to the trio, each member maintains his own distinct personality.

Kavafian-S-S-Trio_newsblog
Clarinetest David Shifrin, violinist Ani Kavafian and pianist Andre-Michel Schub open the Artist Series Oct. 7.

“When these three virtuosos come together, they bring layers of intricate melodies, rhythm and textures, which is explosive,” said José Encarnación, director of Lawrence’s jazz studies program. “Just as light naturally stimulates sights and makes things visible, so does this trio. They bring enlightenment and illumination to all their audiences.”

While Children of the Light is partially defined by the absence of Shorter, they add new influences, particularly of Latin and jazz, that are uniquely their own.

The Kavafian–Schub–Shifrin Trio opens the Artist Series Oct. 7. Friends for 25 years, violinist Ani Kavafian, pianist Andre-Michel Schub and clarinetist David Shifrin form a trio with palpable chemistry. Each is a member of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center.

Kavafian is one of the most sought after chamber musicians in the country as well as a frequent soloist. Shifrin has appeared in critically acclaimed recitals across the country and is a frequent major orchestra soloist. As a piano recitalist, orchestra soloist and chamber musician, Schub has earned critic and audience acclaim since launching his career more than 30 years ago.

The trio’s programs include themes of dance, folk and French connections, highlighting a diverse range of 19th- and 20th-century works.

“Just as light naturally stimulates sights and makes things visible, so does this trio. They bring enlightenment and illumination to all their audiences.”
— José Encarnación on Children of Light Trio

Elias-String-Quartet_newsblog
The internationally acclaimed Elias String Quartet graces the Lawrence Memorial Chapel stage Feb. 3.

The Elias String Quartet, internationally acclaimed as one of the leading ensembles of its generation, performs Feb. 3, 2017. Known for its intense and vibrant performances, the quartet has traveled the globe collaborating with some of the finest musicians and playing in the world’s great venues.

In 2015, the quartet completed their ground-breaking Beethoven Project, performing and recording the complete string quartets of Beethoven. The project was broadcast by BBC Radio 3 and performed in 11 major venues in the UK.

The quartet has been recognized with the 2010 BBC Music Magazine’s Newcomer of the Year Award and a 2013 Mentoring Scholarship from the Beethoven-Haus in Bonn.

Closing out the Artist Series, Roomful of Teeth makes a return visit April 7, 2017. The ensemble performed at Lawrence in 2014 as part of the college’s New Music Series.

Classically trained vocalists, RoT performs an eclectic repertoire commissioned specifically for the group, branching into everything from Tuvan throat singing, yodeling, Korean P’ansori and Hindustani music.

Roomful-of-Teeth_newsblog
The eclectic Roomful of Teeth makes its second appearance at Lawrence on April 7.

The New York Times has described their distinct style as “voices and percussion meshed to a colorful effect, the story propelled by a high-energy blend of stylistic influences including reggae, hip hop and rock.”

In March 2015, RoT performed the world premiere of “Drone Mass” by Icelandic composer Johann Johannsson, whose score for the film “The Theory of Everything” was nominated for an Academy Award.

Luciana-Souza_newblog
Singer Luciana Souza, with her bandmates Romero Lubambo and Cyro Baptista, open 2016’s Fred Sturm Jazz Celebration Weekend Nov. 4.

The Luciana Souza Trio opens the Jazz Series Nov. 4, kicking of the Fred Sturm Jazz Celebration weekend.

Grammy Award-winner Luciana Souza is one of jazz’s leading singers and interpreters. A native of São Paulo, Brazil, Souza’s work transcends traditional boundaries with a musical style rooted in jazz, winding through world music and incorporating an enlightened approach to new music.

Souza has been releasing acclaimed recordings since 2002, including six discs that earned Grammy nomination. She has performed and recorded with such high-profile artists as Herbie Hancock, Paul Simon, James Taylor and Bobby McFerrin as well as the New York Philharmonic and the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra.

Joining Souza will be Brazilian jazz guitarist Romero Lubambo and Brazilian percussionist Cyro Baptista.

Gerald Clayton, one of the foremost pianists of his generation, performs Feb. 24, 2017. Schooled in hard-swinging, melodic jazz by his father, John Clayton, uncle Jeff Clayton and mentors Billy Childs and Kenny Barron, he also has collaborated with contemporary jazz innovators Ambrose Akinmusire and Kendrick Scott. In his long-standing trio with drummer Justin Brown and bassist Joe Sanders, Clayton blends those styles into a musical language all his own.

Gerald-Clayton_newsblog
Pianist Gerald Clayton, along with bassist Joe Sanders and drummer Justin Brown, performs Feb. 24.

A 2006 runner-up in the prestigious Thelonius Monk Institute of Jazz Piano Competition, Clayton garnered Grammy nominations in 2010, 2011 and 2012.

Delfeayo Marsalis, one of the top trombonists, composers and producers in jazz today, comes to campus May 13, 2017. In January 2011, Delfeayo and the Marsalis family — father Ellis and brothers Branford, Wynton and Jason — received the National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Masters Award, the nation’s highest jazz honor.

Delfeayo-Marsailis_newsblog
Trombonist extraordinaire closes the Jazz Series May 13, 2017.

Marsalis has toured internationally with Art Blakey, Slide Hampton and Max Roach as well as leading his own groups. In 2005 Marsalis released “Minions Dominion,” a tribute to legendary jazz drummer Elvin Jones followed by a reorchestrated verson of the classic Ellington suite “Sweet Thunder.”

Marsalis’ most recent album, “The Last Southern Gentlemen,” displays his technical expertise and frequent touches of humor, such as his playful rendition of “Can you tell me how to get to Sesame Street?”

About Lawrence University
Founded in 1847, Lawrence University uniquely integrates a college of liberal arts and sciences with a nationally recognized conservatory of music, both devoted exclusively to undergraduate education. It was selected for inclusion in the book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College” and Fiske’s Guide to Colleges 2016. Engaged learning, the development of multiple interests and community outreach are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,500 students from nearly every state and more than 50 countries.

Lawrence music education professor Matthew Arau helps launch historic band conference in Cyprus

As reunions go, this one has historic overtones.

Two Lawrence University graduates, Matthew Arau, the chair of Lawrence’s music education program and the associate director of bands, and Yiannis Miralis, an associate professor of music at European University Cyprus, soon will renew their friendship at a three-day band conference May 6-8 in Nicosia, Cyprus.

Matt-Arau-classroom_newsblog copy
Matthew Arau ’97 is chair of Lawrence’s music education department.

The conference, “Wind Bands in Greece and Cyrpus — Realities and Prospects,” will be the first of its kind for the entire eastern Mediterranean region and the Middle East.

Miralis, a 1993 Lawrence graduate, is helping organize the conference, made his former saxophone studio colleague at Lawrence in the early 1990s an offer he couldn’t refuse: come to Cyprus to help launch this conference in style by delivering the conference’s keynote address and work with our attendees.

“What an incredible opportunity,” said Arau, who returned to his alma mater as a faculty member in 2014 after graduating in 1997 with a bachelor of arts degree in government and a bachelor of music degree in instrumental music education and music performance (classical and jazz studies).  “This is a ‘ground floor’ conference and I’m thrilled to be a part of the first one. It will be an honor to work with band directors from throughout the region and help them get their programs closer to United States’ levels.”

The inaugural conference is expected to attract more than 50 band conductors, instrumental teachers and community leaders from Cyprus, Greece, eastern Mediterranean and Middle East countries.

Arau will deliver the address “Leading from the Podium.” Beyond his keynote address, he will guest conduct the European University Cyprus symphonic band, play a saxophone concerto, give a talk on the history of the wind band, conduct an open rehearsal and participate in a round-table discussion on music education as part of the conference.

Yiannis Miralis '93
Yiannis Miralis ’93

“In America, we are fortunate to have music ensembles as an integral part of the public education system,” said Arau. “Lawrence University is a leader in the field of music education and innovation. I look forward to sharing cutting-edge music education methods, concepts and points of view regarding leadership and conducting with the attendees at the international wind band conference.”

Arau and Miralis first met in 1991 as the only two freshmen students in Professor Steve Jordheim’s freshman saxophone techniques class. Yiannis attended Lawrence on a Fulbright Scholarship from Cyprus and graduated with a bachelor’s of music degree in music education.

Following the conference, Arau plans to stay with Miralis for a few extra days, catching up with his former classmate and working with some of Miralis’ university music students.

“This event marks the most hats I have ever worn at a music conference – speaker, teacher, conductor and performer.  I guess this is a true testament to my liberal arts education at Lawrence,” Arau said with a smile, looking forward to seeing his old friend and the beautiful Mediterranean Sea.

About Lawrence University
Founded in 1847, Lawrence University uniquely integrates a college of liberal arts and sciences with a nationally recognized conservatory of music, both devoted exclusively to undergraduate education. It was selected for inclusion in the book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College” and Fiske’s Guide to Colleges 2016. Engaged learning, the development of multiple interests and community outreach are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,500 students from nearly every state and more than 50 countries.