Press Releases

Category: Press Releases

Funding Help: Lawrence joins Foundation Center’s National Network to provide resources for area grantseekers

Lawrence University has become a Funding Information Network partner with the Foundation Center of New York and that’s good news for northeast Wisconsin nonprofit organizations and other agencies seeking funding sources.

Through a collaboration with the Community Foundation for the Fox Valley Region, United Way Fox Cities and Oshkosh Area United Way, Lawrence will serve as host to a Funding Information Network location, providing free public access to a valuable collection of funding resources for a wide range of area grantseekers in the college’s Seeley G. Mudd Library.

“This is the type of funding information resource that small nonprofits can really benefit from, but can rarely afford,” said Jenna Stone, who leads Lawrence’s grants office as the executive director of corporate, foundation and sponsored research support. “The searchable databases of grants and funders put incredibly detailed information at the fingertips of nonprofit staff, volunteers, schools, teachers and other grantseekers.”

As one of only seven Funding Information Network partners in Wisconsin, Lawrence will provide under-resourced and underserved populations that need vital information and training with tools to become successful grantseekers.

Located nationally and internationally, Funding Information Network partners offer free access to the Foundation Center’s extensive information on grantmakers as well guidance on how to apply for grants. The Center’s core collection of resources includes “Foundation Directory Online,” which profiles more than 110,000 U.S. grantmakers, “Foundation Grants to Individuals Online,” “Philanthropy In/Sight,” print directories and proposal writing guides.

“This is the type of funding information resource that small nonprofits can really benefit from, but can rarely afford.”
— Jenna Stone

These databases and electronic and print resources are available to the general public any time Lawrence’s Seeley G. Mudd Library is open.

“The Community Foundation is committed to strengthening nonprofits in our area, so we are happy to be a part of a partnership that gives them access to such a valuable resource,” said Curt Detjen, Community Foundation president and CEO.

To launch the Funding Information Network site, Lawrence will hold an informal open house and a series of three free training sessions to assist area grantseekers on how to effectively use the Foundation Center resources and identify potential funders.

A community open house at Lawrence’s Mudd Library will be held Monday, May 11 from 4-7 p.m. It will include tours of the library, information on library resources available to the public and an introduction to the Funding Information Network resources.

Mudd-LIbrary_newsblog — Lawrence’s Seeley G. Mudd will be home to an extensive amount of free resource information on grantmakers as well guidance on how to apply for grants. The library also will host a series of training workshops for grantseekers in May (19, 28) and June (6).

On Tuesday, May 19 from 6:30-8 p.m., Lawrence will conduct the first of three “Introduction to Finding Grants” workshops in the Mudd Library. These hands-on workshops, led by members of Lawrence’s own grant-writing staff, will provide an overview of the grants landscape, basic strategies for identifying potential funding sources as well as a demonstration of “Foundation Directory Online.”

The workshop will be repeated Thursday, May 28 from 6:30-8 p.m. and again Saturday, June 6 from 10-11:30 a.m. Space is limited at each session and an RSVP is required to reserve a spot.

Additional information about the Funding Information Network at Lawrence, library hours, directions, upcoming events and RSVP instructions is available here.

Established in 1956, the Foundation Center is the nation’s leading authority on organized philanthropy, serving grantseekers, grantmakers, researchers, policymakers, the media and the general public. Thousands of people visit the Center’s web site each day and are served in its five regional learning centers and its international partnerships with hundreds of Funding Information Network locations.

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 Fiske Guide to Colleges 2015 and the book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College.” 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.

Senior Amanda Jaskolski named Midwest Conference Softball Player of the Year

Lawrence University softball star Amanda Jaskolski has been named the Midwest Conference Player of the Year for the second consecutive season.

Amanda-throwing_newsblog — Lawrence senior shortstop Amanda Jaskolski was named the Midwest Conference Softball Player of the Year for the second consecutive season.

Jaskolski (Shawano, Wis./Shawano), a senior shortstop, earned the honor after leading the conference in several offensive categories and helping Lawrence to the North Division title.

Sophomore catcher Sam Belletini (Gurnee, Ill./Warren Township) also was named to the first team, and senior pitcher Liz Barthels (Sheboygan Falls, Wis./Sheboygan Falls) was chosen for the second team.

Jaskolski, who was the North Division Player of the Year in 2014, hit .462 on the season with 37 runs scored, 13 home runs and 46 runs batted in. She led the league in on-base percentage at .573 and was first in RBIs, homers and walks (31) and finished second in hits, slugging percentage and runs scored.

Jaskolski decimated the Lawrence season records in 2015 by tying or setting six marks.

Her 13 homers eclipsed the record of 12 set by Carli Gurholt in 2009 and her 46 RBIs topped Gurholt’s 2009 mark of 45. Jaskolski obliterated the total bases record with 104. The mark was 79, set by Jenny Burris in 2001 and Gurholt in 2009.

Jaskolski’s 54 hits broke the record of 51 set by Burris in 2001, and she tied Burris’ record of 37 runs scored in 2001. Jaskolski also smashed the season walks record as teams consistently pitched around her. Jaskolski drew 31 walks, topping the mark of 22 set by Stephanie Ash in 1992.

amanda-batting_newsblog — Senior Amanda Jaskolski battered the Lawrence record book this spring, tying or breaking six season marks.

In conference play, Jaskolski hit .439 with three doubles, three homers and 12 RBIs. Jaskolski also was walked 15 times, which helped her score a team-best 16 runs in league play.

Belletini had a tremendous season behind the plate for the Vikings and was named to the all-conference team for the first time. Batting in the clean-up spot, she hit .367 with 13 doubles, four homers and 24 RBIs. Belletini, who was named the conference Player of the Week twice in 2015, tied the season doubles record set by Alex Goodson in 2009. Belletini also was very good defensively and threw out eight of 18 runners attempting to steal.

In Lawrence’s 14 conference games, Belletini hit .551 with seven doubles, four homers and 13 RBIs. He had a .600 on-base percentage and a staggering .939 slugging percentage.

Barthels also was honored on the all-conference team for the first time. She went 13-6 with a 1.97 earned run average, the ninth-best season ERA in school history. In a team-high 117 innings pitched, Barthels struck out 44 and walked just 10, an average of 0.6 per seven innings.

Named the conference Pitcher of the Week once during 2015, Barthels tossed a pair of shutouts and picked up two saves. Barthels tossed a three-hit shutout in a 7-0 win over Knox College and allowed just five hits in an 8-0 shutout of Ripon College.

In conference action, Barthels posted a 5-2 record with a 2.13 ERA. In 42.2 innings, she struck out 20 and walked just four.

Lawrence won the North Division title for the first time since 2005 and finished second in the Midwest Conference Tournament. The Vikings finished with a 28-12 record to post the most wins by the team since setting the school record with 31 victories back in 1999.

Lawrence Honoring Deerfield, Milwaukee Teachers as ‟Outstanding Educators”

Ryan Petersen, music teacher at Deerfield High School, returns to his alma mater as one of two recipients of Lawrence University’s 2015 Outstanding Teaching in Wisconsin Award.

Tim Grandy, an English teacher at Milwaukee’s Divine Savior Holy Angels High School, also will be honored as an outstanding educator.

Ryan-Petersen_newsblog — Ryan Petersen ’98

Petersen and Grandy each will receive a certificate, a citation and a monetary award Sunday, May 3 from Lawrence President Mark Burstein in ceremonies at the president’s house. Their respective schools also will receive $250 from Lawrence for library acquisitions.

Recipients are nominated by Lawrence seniors and selected on their abilities to communicate effectively, create a sense of excitement in the classroom, motivate their students to pursue academic excellence while showing a genuine concern for them in and outside the classroom.

Since launching the award program in 1985, Lawrence has recognized 64 teachers.

Petersen, a 1998 Lawrence double degree graduate (B.A. and B.S.) with majors in music education and anthropology, joined the Deerfield School District that same year as band director for grades 6-12. He directs the high school jazz, pep and marching bands, the concert and jazz bands in middle school as well as 6th grade band.

In addition to music theory and music technology courses, he teaches junior- and senior-level high school classes in anthropology and archaeology. For the past 15 years, Petersen has taken his archaeology class on field trips to Bjorklunden, Lawrence’s northern campus in Door County, for site excavation exercises.

Petersen also teaches music appreciation and archaeology classes online through the Jefferson Eastern Dane Interactive (JEDI) Distance Learning/Charter School/Online School program.

Lawrence senior Savannah Vogel, who nominated Petersen for the award, was a student of his from 6th grade through graduation.

“He always had high expectations of me which allowed me to set high goals for myself as a musician and as a student,” said Vogel. “His passion for his students is apparent in the amount of time he spends working toward their success.”

Vogel said Petersen’s degree in anthropology from Lawrence helped him introduce the discipline at her school.

“Most students at Deerfield High School had never heard of anthropology and probably wouldn’t have before college if it wasn’t for Mr. Petersen,” said Vogel. “He drew a large variety of students into these classes which resulted in anthro becoming a very popular class, despite the fact that it was one of the hardest classes offered at our school.”

“His passion for his students is apparent in the amount of time he spends working toward their success.”
— Savannah Vogel ’15

He was recognized with the Wisconsin Music Educator’s Association Outstanding Young Music Educator Award in 2004. He is also a five-time winner (2002, 2004, 2008, 2009, 2015) of Deerfield High School’s Significant Educator Award, an honor chosen by the valedictorian and salutatorian of the senior class.

A native of Silver Spring, Md., Petersen is a member of the Madison Wind Ensemble and McFarland Community Band, which he also co-directs. He has served as co-president of the Deerfield Education Association since 2007.

After graduating from Lawrence, Petersen earned a master’s degree in music education from Boston University.

Grandy joined the English department at DSHA in 1980. He teaches junior-and senior-level classes on major British writers, modern American women writers, major themes in literature, Shakespeare, a college composition course and advanced placement English literature.

Lawrence senior Marie Jeruc credited Grandy with inspiring her to pursue a major in English in college.

“I have never had a teacher who is so genuinely excited about the course materials,” Jeruc said of Grandy in her nomination. “He is engaging and exciting, but always genuinely passionate about English literature and extremely intelligent about the subject. Despite his reputation as a demanding teacher, he is also a wonderful man, full of enthusiasm, encouragement for his students and has the energy of three men combined.

“Mr. Grandy’s intensity definitely applied to his expectations for his students,” Jeruc added. “Most high school students dread writing analytical essays on literature, but writing for Mr. Grandy comes with even greater challenges. For as strict of a teacher he is, he does everything in his power to make sure his students learn as much as possible about literature and writing. He demands insightful commentary and eloquent writing, but also encourages creative thoughts and unique analyses.

“Despite his reputation as a demanding teacher, he is also a wonderful man, full of enthusiasm,
encouragement for his students and has the energy of three men combined.”
— Marie Jeruc

Born and raised in Milwaukee, Grandy also has served as DSHA’s yearbook advisor for much of his career. He was the recipient of a $1,000 Kohl Foundation Fellowship in 2005 and was recognized by the University of Chicago with its Outstanding Teacher Award — also through a nomination by a former student — in 2002.

He earned a bachelor’s degree in English education from UW-Milwaukee and a master’s degree in English and American literature from Marquette University.

Mozart Music: LU Students get rare opportunity to study composer’s hand-written score

Thanks to the thoughtfulness of a Lawrence University alumnus, music history and music composition students recently had the rare privilege of viewing an autograph leaf — a hand-written page — of a Wolfgang Mozart score.

Mozart-score_newsblog — A 1773 two-sided autograph leaf from the fourth movement of Mozart’s “Serenata,” K. 185 offered students a rare glimpse into the hallmarks of his writing style.

Over the course of four days, more than 60 students visited the Seeley G. Mudd Library to see the autograph and hear presentations by Assistant Professor Jill Thomas, director of technical services and Associate Professor Antoinette Powell, music librarian.

Loaned to the college by a 2010 Lawrence graduate who wished to remain anonymous, the autograph provided intriguing insights both into the historical context of the piece and Mozart’s composing style.

The single, two-sided autograph leaf is from the fourth movement of Mozart’s “Serenata,” K. 185 and includes the final 10 measures of the Menuetto on one side and the first 16 measures of the Trio on the other. It was written in Austria in 1773, when Mozart was just 17, to mark the college graduation of a family friend.

“With the Mozart autograph we were able to briefly become a contemporary of Mozart,” said Assistant Professor of Music Asha Srinivasan, who took students from her Techniques of the Contemporary Composer class to one of the presentations. “We are all composers, so we put ourselves in that time period and thought about how and where Mozart composed that work. It was enlightening and awe-inspiring.”

According to Powell, at the time the piece was written, “Americans were wearing hats made out of raccoons and dumping tea into Boston Harbor, while in Salzburg, people were wearing elegant clothes and listening to Mozart in a refined setting.”

Comparing the autograph to a published edition, students were able to see that the hallmarks of Mozart’s writing style – working quickly, composing pieces in his head before committing them to paper – were already present, even at such a young age.

Mozart presentation_newsblog — Music librarian Antoinette Powell conducted a series of presentations for students on a hand-written 1773 score by Mozart that was on loan to Lawrence.

“It was so exciting to see Mozart’s original serenade and minuet,” said Annie Mercado, a freshman from Des Plaines, Ill., who participated in a presentation as part of Instructor Ann Boeckman’s music theory class. “It’s not every day that even conservatory students get to be in the presence of musical history that changed the way we look at music today.”

Cosette Bardawil, a freshman from Brookline, Mass., also a member of Boeckman’s class, found the informative background presentation helped bring the centuries-old autograph to life.

“I especially enjoyed the forensics section about the different types of paper, the way that each paper was made and how that helped to identify the era of Mozart’s compositions,” said Bardawil.

Since students in Lawrence’s composition department are required to write music by hand, Srinivasan said the autograph presented “a wonderful opportunity to trace the practice of composition by seeing a renowned composer’s actual handwriting from that era.

“Seeing the quality and nature of the strokes of musical notation brought to life the human hand and mind behind this work in a way that published printed music simply cannot do,” said Srinivasan. “Many of my students really appreciated seeing the back of the autograph, the more ‘messy’ side that the librarians revealed by taking it out of the original casing. As composers, a lot of our work might be initially messy, too, so that was just very visceral for us all.”

The autograph’s owner first approached Brian Pertl, dean of the conservatory of music, about displaying it in the conservatory, but security concerns nixed that idea. As an alternative, it was decided library staff would invite classes at appointed times for presentations in the Mudd’s Milwaukee-Downer Room so students could compare the autograph to a modern published score.

Pianist Robert Glasper brings his brand of acoustic jazz roots to Lawrence Memorial Chapel

Versatile pianist and composer Robert Glasper and his band, the Robert Glasper Trio, showcases his forthcoming album “Covered” Friday, May 1 at 8 p.m. in the final concert of the 2014-15 Lawrence University Jazz Series.

Robert-Glasper_newsblog — Robert Glasper previews his forthcoming album “Covered” May 1 in the final 2014-15 Jazz Series concert.

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

In “Covered,” Glasper returns to his acoustic jazz roots while continuing to explore the hip-hop and R&B sound that earned him two Grammy Awards for his albums “Black Radio” and “Black Radio 2.”

The album, which is scheduled for official release June 16, was recorded live in front of an intimate gathering of invited guests in Capitol Records’ historic Studio A. The first single from the album, “Reckoner,” a cover of the Radiohead song, was made available to all streaming services and digital retailers on April 22.

“Robert Glasper is unmistakable for his gospel-infused sound,” said Lawrence associate professor of music Mark Urness, bassist with the Lawrence Faculty Jazz Quartet. “He has amazingly collaborated with the top artists in jazz and R&B and is one of the busiest pianists and composers today.

“His two Grammy Awards are testament to the universal appeal of his lyrical, soulful style,” Urness added. “Whether it is complex original jazz compositions, or covers of Radiohead, the Glasper Trio always delivers lyrical melodies, compelling harmonies and a joyous groove.”

The New York Times locates Glasper’s signature eclectic, referential style at the “junction of coolheaded logic and digressive caprice.” The new album features songs by hip-hop and R&B stars like Kendrick Lamar, Musiq Soulchild, John Legend and Bilal alongside jazz standards like “Stella by Starlight” and works by Radiohead and Joni Mitchell.

Joining Glasper onstage will be bassist Vicente Archer and drummer Damion Reid, with whom Glasper recorded his first two Blue Notes releases, “Canvas” (2005) and “In My Element” (2007). He cites Archer and Reid as two of his favorite musicians and the perfect collaborators for an album blending old and new sounds. NPR lauded the trio as “a shape-shifting, communicative unit” able to showcase Glasper’s “supple, flowing lines…sostenuto melodies…moody harmonies.”

In addition to working on “Covered,” Glasper composed and recorded the score for “Miles Ahead,” Don Cheadle’s upcoming film about Miles Davis. He also has been combing through Davis’ Columbia Records vaults and will create a remix album based on the legendary trumpeter’s recordings, rehearsals and outtakes.

He was recently named a Steinway Artist, joining the roster of world-class musicians who perform exclusively on Steinway pianos.

Glasper’s concert is a rescheduled appearance from an originally schedule performance for January 30 that had to be cancelled due to a film project conflict.

Stepping Up: Professor Skran delivers student-raised funds to Sierra Leone Ebola victims

After delivering an invited talk at Oxford University on the causes and consequences of the 2014-15 Ebola epidemic on April 20, Lawrence University political scientist Claudena Skran took a trip to ground zero of the disease — Sierra Leone.

Skran’s visit to the West African nation that has suffered nearly 3,900 deaths since the outbreak began last spring, was as much as goodwill ambassador as it was as scholar on refugees and humanitarian aid.

At the top of Skran’s itinerary was presenting a donation for more than $5,000 to the Calaba Town Community Aid Organization to assist children orphaned as a result of Ebola. The money was raised earlier this year through the collective efforts of numerous Lawrence student organizations on behalf of KidsGive, an organization founded by Skran to educate U.S. students about African life and cultures. It promotes informed giving effort while providing Sierra Leone children with opportunities to learn and become the country’s next generation of leaders.

In total, students raised more than $6,000, some of which was donated to other schools and programs in Sierra Leone.

“I’m so proud of the way Lawrence students responded to the Eblola outbreak,” said Skran, professor of government and Edwin & Ruth West Professor of Economics and Social Science. “While others just stepped away, our students stepped up and reached out to those in need.

Claudena-Skran_newsblog — Professor of Government Claudena Skran

“What really makes this effort special in my view is the way in which it was accomplished,” Skran added. “We have a campus that is known for individual achievement and for distinction by smaller groups, especially in music and athletics, but we had more than 30 different student organizations working together, showing true collaboration on this effort. This is a such a wonderful example of what can be accomplished when groups of students unite in action for a common cause.”

In February, student members of the KidsGive on-campus board — Liz Barthels, Anna Bolgrien, Kobe Lewin, Kara Vance and Wesley Varughese — organized a “Help Ebola Orphans” campaign. Reaching out to campus organization with which they were connected, the board members asked each group to set a goal of raising $100, a sum that would enable a student in Sierra Leone to attend school, have food and water and be able to participate in any scholarship opportunities while in school. Organizers also reached out to faculty members and the athletic department in the hope of getting some of Lawrence’s varsity teams involved.

The response, according to Varughese, KidsGive president, far exceeded expectations.

Wesley-Varughese_newsblog — KidsGive President Wesley Varughese

“Most board members thought we would only get one or two thousand dollars and we would have to push just to get that amount,” said Varughese, a junior from La Villa, Ill., who was elected president of LUCC in January. “In the first week alone, we collected more than $3,000.”

The student organizations groups raised funds through a variety of methods. Members of the Wriston Art Collective created art pieces and sold them through an art bazaar. Some of the bartenders in the Viking Room donated all of their tips to the cause. A sorority held a bake sale in the library. One board member reached out back home, resulting in a $400 donation from the Greendale Community Church. Several of the coaches in the athletic department promised to match whatever their teams raised, helping the swim team, fencing team and track team finish as the top three groups, respectively, that raised the most money.

“I’m so proud of the way Lawrence students responded to the Eblola outbreak. While others just stepped away, our students stepped up and reached out to those in need.”
— Professor Claudena Skran

“We’ve been talking at LUCC about what can we do to provide for collaborative efforts and I think it just took one student organization to take the initiative and show that cooperation is really possible with just a few people,” said Varughese.

As other students saw how passionate the KidsGive members were in reaching out to all facets of the Lawrence community, Varughese said that inspired them to come together.

“I got the feeling the student organizations were like, ‘If they took their time to reach out and do all this, why don’t we do it together,’” said Varughese. “In the end it became a really good collaborative effort.”

Claudena-Skran-at-Oxford_Ebola — Government Professor Claudena Skran delivered the address “Setting the Stage for Ebola: War, Peace and Refugee Policy” at Oxford University’s Rhodes House on April 20.

Skran’s latest trip to Sierra Leone — she has visited the country nearly 20 times since joining the faculty in 1990 — came just two days after delivering the address “Setting the Stage for Ebola: War, Peace and Refugee Policy” at Oxford University’s Rhodes House.

In her address, Skran, a 1983 Rhodes Scholar herself, discussed why Ebola in West Africa spread so far, so fast and why more attention needs to be given to health care before epidemics break out, especially in post-conflict countries such as Sierra Leone. Both the country’s 10-year civil war (1991-2001) and the post-conflict peace-building contributed to the creation of a weak and vulnerable health system in the country.

Skran first visit to Sierra Leone after the civil war was in 2005 as a U.S. Fulbright Scholar. She has taken dozens of students with her over the years to Sierra Leone to assist with her on-going refugee research and provide students with their own hands-on research projects.

She serves as a consultant for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, wrote an op-ed for the Washington Post last December about the impact of Ebola on the medical profession in Sierra Leone and is in the process of writing a book about the Ebola epidemic.

Students Earn Top Honors in State Music Competitions

Cameron-Pieper-formal-head_newsblog — Cameron Pieper ’15

Lawrence University student musicians captured top honors in a pair of recent state music competitions.

Pianists Cameron Pieper and Elizabeth Vaughan earned first- and second-place honors, respectively, in the Wisconsin National Federation of Music Club competition, which is conducted via submitted audio recording.

Pieper, a senior from Fond du Lac, received a first-place prize of $1,000. His winning recording included Bach’s “Prelude and Fugue in G major Book 1,” Beethoven’s “Piano Sonata op. 110 in A-flat Major I, Moderato cantabile molto espressivo” Chopin’s “Scherzo no. 1 in B minor op. 20,” Rzewski’s “Piano Piece no. 4,” and Franz Liszt’s “Transcendental Etude no. 10 in F minor.”

As the state champion, he will represent Wisconsin in the National Federation of Music Club national competition later this spring. It was the second-winning performance this year for Pieper, who was awarded first place honors last month in the Schubert Club’s Carlson Student Scholarship Competition in St. Paul, Minn.

Vaughan, a senior from Highland Park, Ill., received $750 for her runner-up recording.

The competition is part of the Wisconsin Federation of Music Clubs’ mission to promote music and dance through arts advocacy, student festivals, competitions and scholarships.

Pieper and Vaughan both study in the piano studio of Professor Catherine Kautsky.

Erec-Van-Seegern_newsblog — Erec VonSeggern ’17

Erec VonSeggern, a sophomore from Idyllwild, Calif., won the Wisconsin State Flute Festival held in Madison. He was awarded a first-place prize of $350. It was the third straight year a Lawrence student has won the state flute festival competition.

For his 15-minute finals performance, VonSeggern played Georges Hüe’s “Fantaisie Pour Flûte et Piano, ” “Night Music for Solo Flute, 1. Night Music I” by Vanraj Bhatia and Otar Gordeli’s “Concerto for Flute and Orchestra, Op. 8.”

Senior Heather Jost, a senior from Pewaukee, also qualified for the finals and earned third-place honors.

The Wisconsin Flute Festival is a one-day educational event for flute players and flute enthusiasts of all ages and abilities.

VonSeggern and Jost are students in the flute studio of Assistant Professor Erin Lesser.

Rising stars, musical legends fill Lawrence’s 2015-16 Artist and Jazz Series

Lawrence-Brownlee_newsblog — Lawrence Brownlee Photo by Derek Blanks

Internationally acclaimed tenor Lawrence Brownlee and trumpeter extraordinaire Ambrose Akinmusire headline an exceptional eight-concert line-up on Lawrence University’s 2015-16 Artist and Jazz Series.

Subscriptions for both the Artist and Jazz series are now on sale. 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.

Boasting a voice as powerful as it is agile, Brownlee has established himself as one of the most sought-after tenors in the world performing the bel canto repertoire. He closes the four-concert Artist Series with an April 16 performance in the Lawrence Memorial Chapel.

Since making his professional stage debut in 2002 as Almaviva in Rossini’s “The Barber of Seville,” Brownlee has gone on to star regularly opposite many of contemporary opera’s leading ladies, Renee Fleming among them.

With a voice that has been described as “honey,” Brownlee enjoys a relationship with many prominent conductors and symphony orchestras and has been featured in nearly every major theater in the world, including New York’s Metropolitan Opera, Milan’s La Scala, Madrid’s Teatro Real and the Vienna State Opera.

Brownlee will sing the title role in the world premiere of Daniel Schnyder’s “Charlie Parker’s Yardbird,” for Opera Philadelphia in June.

The Ambrose Akinmusire Quartet plays the Memorial Chapel Friday, Feb. 19, the third of four Jazz Series concerts.

One of jazz’s most exciting new artists, Akinmusire began his professional career while still in high school. Inspired by legendary saxophonists Joe Henderson and Steve Coleman, he studied at the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz Performance, touring India and Vietnam in 2005 with jazz legends Herbie Hancock and Wayne Shorter.

Ambrose Akinmuisire_newsblog — Trumpter Ambrose Akinmuisire

He won the prestigious Thelonious Monk International Jazz Trumpet Competition in 2007 and released his debut CD, “Prelude…to Cora,” the following year.

Named best trumpet player in the 2012 and 2014 DownBeat International Critics Poll, Akinmusire has released two albums on the Blue Note label, “When the Heart Emerges Glistening” in 2011, which earned Akinmusire France’s Grand Prix l’Academie du Jazz, and 2014’s “the imagined savior is far easier to paint.”

Joining Lawrence on the Artist Series will be Eighth Blackbird, Oct. 2, violinist Rachel Barton Pine, Feb. 6, 2016 and pianist Jeremy Denk, April 8, 2016.

Eighth Blackbird, the Chicago-based, Grammy Award-winning sextet combines the finesse of a string quartet, the energy of a rock band and the audacity of a storefront theater company. Through provocative and mind-changing performances of master classical composers, Eighth Blackbird debunks the myth that contemporary music is only for a cerebral few.

Eighth-Blackbird_newsblog — Chicago’s Eighth Blackbird

The groups discography includes six critically acclaimed recordings with Cedille Records, three of which earned Grammy Awards: “strange imaginary animals” in 2008 for best chamber music performance; “Lonely Motel: Music from Slide” in 2011 for best small ensemble performance; and “Meanwhile” in 2012 for best small ensemble performance and contemporary classical composition.

Pine, who will be accompanied by pianist Matthew Hagle, has been hailed for her dazzling technique, lustrous tone and the infectious joy she brings to her performances. She has played as guest soloist with many of the world’s leading ensembles, including the Chicago Symphony, the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Royal Philharmonic and the Netherlands Radio Kamer Filharmonie and has performed with musicians as diverse as Placido Domingo and Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page.

Known for her interpretations of great classical works, Pine became the youngest person — age 17 — and first American to win a gold medal at the prestigious J.S. Bach International Competition in Leipzig, Germany. She has recorded 25 albums and her most recent CD, 2013’s “Violin Lullabies,” debuted at number one on the Billboard classical chart.

Denk, a 2013 recipient of a MacArthur “Genius” Fellowship, has forged a reputation as an unusual and compelling artist thanks to his broad and thought-provoking repertoire. He received critical acclaim for his 2013 recording of Bach’s iconic “Goldberg Variations,” which Denk himself described as “maniacal, in the best way” and as “the biggest jazz riff ever written.”

A frequent recitalist at concert halls in New York, Washington, Boston and throughout the United States, Denk also performs regularly with many of the nation’s major orchestras, including the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Philadelphia Orchestra and the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra. His virtuosity has been recognized with the 2014 Avery Fisher Prize and Musical America’s 2014 Instrumentalist of the Year Award.

Joining Akinmusire on the Jazz Series will be singer Cyrille Aimée, Nov. 6; Rufus Reid’s Quartet with the Lawrence Jazz Ensemble Nov. 7 and the Kurt Rosenwinkel New Quartet May 13.

Aimée will open the Fred Sturm Jazz Celebration Weekend, newly renamed in honor and memory of its founder and Lawrence’s Kimberly-Clark Professor of Music and Director of Jazz Studies and Improvisational Music, who passed away in August, 2014.

Raised in the French village of Samois sur Seine, Aimée’s culturally rich background has provided her with the driving force of Dominican rhythm and the incredible swing of the French Gypsies.

Inspired by the musical legacy of renowned guitarist Django Reinhardt, Aimée has established herself as one of the most promising jazz singers of her generation as the winner of both the 2007 Montreux Jazz Festival’s Vocal Competition and the 2012 Sarah Vaughan International Vocal Competition. Her 2014 major label debut, “It’s a Good Day,” showcases Aimée’s incredible range of musical styles, eras, continents and moods.

Reid, a Grammy Award-nominated bass player whose performances span five decades, closes Fred Sturm Jazz Weekend with a Saturday night concert, featuring Lawrence’s own jazz ensemble under the direction of Jose Encarnacion.

The author of “The Evolving Bassist,” the definitive bible for every jazz bassist and the industry standard since 1974, Reid has lent this signature sound to the music of a veritable “Who’s Who” of jazz icons, including Thad Jones, Stan Getz, Benny Golson, Jack DeJohnette and Nancy Wilson, among others.

Kurt_Winkelman_newsblog — Kurt Rosenwinkel

As a leader or co-leader, Reid has recorded more than 20 albums, including 2014’s “Quiet Pride – The Elizabeth Catlett Project,” which was inspired by the legendary sculptor and civil rights activist. He’ll be joined on stage by tenor saxophonist Tia Fuller, pianist Steve Allee and drummer Duduka Da Fonseca.

Guitartist Kurt Rosenwinkel closes the jazz series with his New Quartet, featuring pianist Aaron Parks, bassist Eric Revis and drummer Allan Mednard.

Rosenwinkel dropped out of Boston’s Berklee College of Music in 1990 to pursue a professional music career. He soon established himself as one of the East Coast’s most respected jazz guitarists. His floating lyricism, luminous tone and an ultramodern harmonic language has helped him redefine the instrument, leading AllAbout Jazz to call him “perhaps his generation’s most influential guitarist, spawning almost as many imitators as Pat Metheny.”

Since his debut album in 1996, “East Coast Love Affair,” Rosenwinkel has released a dozen more discs, including 2014’s “With Ojm: Our Secret World,” a collaboration with Portugal’s big band Orquestra Jazz de Matosinhos.

Former U.S. Ambassador David Mulford ’59 Discusses Challenges, Promises of a Global Economy

David-Mulford_newsblog — David Mulford ’59

Former U.S. Ambassador to India and Lawrence University graduate David Mulford returns to his alma mater to share his insights on the global economy and offer a first-hand reflection on the United States’ role in international finance.

Mulford presents “Packing for India: A Life of Action in Global Finance and Diplomacy,” an address based on his 2014 book of the same name, Wednesday, April 22 at 7 p.m. in the Warch Campus Center cinema. The event is free and open to the public. Copies of his book will be available for purchase.

From a perspective that includes New York boardrooms, the Treasury Department and the emergence of India as a world economic power, Mulford will discuss the underpinnings, vulnerabilities and promise of a global economy as well as reflect on some of the key world events that occurred during his lengthy tenure in public service.

Mulford spent five years (2004-2009) as U.S Ambassador to India, a period in which U.S.-India relations underwent a dramatic shift and the two countries began working more closely together on a wide range of issues.

Prior to his ambassadorship appointment, Mulford was chairman international and a member of the executive board of London-based Credit Suisse. He rejoined Credit Suisse as vice chairman international after returning from India. From 1984-1992, Mulford served as U.S. Under Secretary and Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Treasury for International Affairs. He was the Treasury Department’s senior international economic policy official under Secretaries Donald Regan, James Baker and Nicholas Brady.

After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in economics from Lawrence in 1959, Mulford earned a master’s degree in political science from Boston University and a Ph.D. from Oxford University.

Lawrence recognized Mulford with an honorary Doctor of Laws degree in 1984. A football and track standout as an undergraduate, Mulford also was inducted into Lawrence’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 2000.

Lawrence Welcomes Participants in the 2015 Fox Cities Book Festival

Lawrence University will host an artist, a poet, two photographers and an alumna author in conjunction with the 8th annual Fox Cities Book Festival April 20-26. All events are free and open to the public.

Crystal-Chan_newsblog — Crystal Chan ’02

Crystal Chan, a 2002 Lawrence graduate, is one of this year’s festival’s featured authors. On the heels of her critically acclaimed 2014 debut novel “Bird,” Chan presents “Beyond Being ‘Unique’: a Mixed-Race Author in a Monoracial World” Thursday, April 23 at 6 p.m. in the Appleton Public Library.

Lawrence, one of the sponsors of the book festival, will host a meet-and-greet with Chan Friday, April 24 from noon to 1:30 p.m. in the Milwaukee-Downer room of the Seeley G. Mudd Library.

Amazon-God_newsblog — Martin Brief’s “Amazon God.”

Beth Zinsli, director and curator of Lawrence’s Wriston Art Center Galleries, will lead a tour of Martin Brief’s art exhibition “Amazon God,” Wednesday, April 22 at 1 p.m. in the Wriston Art Center. The exhibit explores the difficulty of describing God using language. Brief, known for his focus on language, almost to the point of obsessiveness, creates artworks that dig deep into the meaning of words until he has reached the very limits of expression.

Brief was the recipient of a 2013 Howard Fellowship and a 2014 MacDowell Colony Fellowship. The “Amazon God” exhibition runs until May 3.

Cynthia-Marie-Hoffman_newsblog — Cynthia Marie Hoffman

Madison-based poet Cynthia Marie Hoffman reads selections from her 2014 book “Paper Doll Fetus,” Thursday, April 23 at 4:30 p.m. in the Wriston Art Center. The work, which explores pregnancy and childbirth, was praised by the Library Journal as “sometimes dark, sometimes tender, always surprisingly imaginative.”

Hoffman also is the author of “Sightseer,” which won the Lexi Rudnitsky First Book Prize in Poetry, and the chapbook “Her Human Costume.”

Photographers Travis Dewitz and Kevin Miyazaki discuss their recent projects in a talk on art photography Friday, April 24 at 5 p.m. in the Warch Campus Center Cinema.

Dewitz’s book “Blaze Orange: Whitetail Deer Hunting in Wisconsin” explores Wisconsin heritage through the sport of deer hunting. Jeff Davis, editor of Whitetails Unlimited Magazine, says Dewitz “presents the deer hunt in a way that is unvarnished and yet poetic, graceful and subtle.” Describing his work as “conceptual, emotive and expressive,” Dewitz has provided photography for publications ranging from National Geographic and Trains Magazine to Vogue Italia and Child Model Magazine.

Kevin-Miyazaka_newsblog — Kevin Miyazaka

Miyazaki’s 2014 book, “Perimeter: a Contemporary Portrait of Lake Michigan,” reflects on the importance of freshwater in the communities surrounding it. The work came from Miyazaki’s 1,800-mile drive around Lake Michigan. It was commissioned by Marquette University’s Haggerty Museum of Art.

His photography has appeared in Martha Stewart Living, Midwest Living and The New York Times Magazine, among others.

Chan’s “Bird” tells the story of 12-year-old Jewel and her family’s struggle with loss, secrets, silence and racial identity. Chan drew on her own experience growing up mixed-race in Wisconsin, which she describes as both rich and daunting. “Bird” has been published in nine countries and was recently announced as a finalist in the Society of Midland Authors’ 2014 best books by Midwest authors, children’s fiction competition.

Monica Rico, associate professor of history at Lawrence, presents “British Aristocrats & the American Frontier” Monday, April 20 at 7 p.m. at Menasha’s Elisha D. Smith Public Library as part of the book festival.

Rico is the author of 2013’s “Nature’s Noblemen: Transatlantic Masculinities and the Nineteenth-century American West,” which examines how the 19th century American West was mythologized as the place for men to assert their masculinity. Rico explores how this mythology played out in a transatlantic context.

Also as part of the book festival, the Lawrence University Students Poets Invitational will be held Monday, April 20 at 7 p.m. at the Copper Rock Coffee Company. As part of the Wisconsin Fellowship Poets Series, the event will conclude with an open mic and the public is invited to participate.

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Funding Help: Lawrence joins Foundation Center’s National Network to provide resources for area grantseekers

“This is the type of funding information resource that small nonprofits can really benefit from, but can rarely afford.”
— Jenna Stone

Senior Amanda Jaskolski named Midwest Conference Softball Player of the Year

Lawrence Honoring Deerfield, Milwaukee Teachers as ‟Outstanding Educators”

“His passion for his students is apparent in the amount of time he spends working toward their success.”
— Savannah Vogel ’15

“Despite his reputation as a demanding teacher, he is also a wonderful man, full of enthusiasm,
encouragement for his students and has the energy of three men combined.”
— Marie Jeruc

Mozart Music: LU Students get rare opportunity to study composer’s hand-written score

Pianist Robert Glasper brings his brand of acoustic jazz roots to Lawrence Memorial Chapel

Stepping Up: Professor Skran delivers student-raised funds to Sierra Leone Ebola victims

“I’m so proud of the way Lawrence students responded to the Eblola outbreak. While others just stepped away, our students stepped up and reached out to those in need.”
— Professor Claudena Skran

Students Earn Top Honors in State Music Competitions

Rising stars, musical legends fill Lawrence’s 2015-16 Artist and Jazz Series

Former U.S. Ambassador David Mulford ’59 Discusses Challenges, Promises of a Global Economy

Lawrence Welcomes Participants in the 2015 Fox Cities Book Festival

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“This is the type of funding information resource that small nonprofits can really benefit from, but can rarely afford.” — Jenna Stone

“His passion for his students is apparent in the amount of time he spends working toward their success.” — Savannah Vogel ’15

“Despite his reputation as a demanding teacher, he is also a wonderful man, full of enthusiasm, encouragement for his students and has the energy of three men combined.” — Marie Jeruc

“I’m so proud of the way Lawrence students responded to the Eblola outbreak. While others just stepped away, our students stepped up and reached out to those in need.” — Professor Claudena Skran

Search

Archives

Recent Posts

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“This is the type of funding information resource that small nonprofits can really benefit from, but can rarely afford.”
— Jenna Stone

“His passion for his students is apparent in the amount of time he spends working toward their success.”
— Savannah Vogel ’15

“Despite his reputation as a demanding teacher, he is also a wonderful man, full of enthusiasm,
encouragement for his students and has the energy of three men combined.”
— Marie Jeruc

“I’m so proud of the way Lawrence students responded to the Eblola outbreak. While others just stepped away, our students stepped up and reached out to those in need.”
— Professor Claudena Skran