Conservatory

Category: Conservatory

Percussion Power: Eight Concerts Highlight Zeltsman Marimba Festival June 29-July 12

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Michael Tilson Thomas’ “Island Music,” featuring four marimbists and two percussionists, will be performed Saturday, July 5 in Stansbury Theatre as one of the festival’s eight concerts. (Photo by Michael Ptacin.)

For two weeks, Lawrence University will be the center of all things marimba.

Lawrence welcomes nearly 60 musicians — world-class, international performers as well as dedicated up-and-coming artists — to campus June 29-July 12 for the 12th annual Zeltsman Marimba Festival, an educational forum and concert series celebrating percussion. This will be the sixth time in the festival’s history Lawrence has served as host.

One of the largest gatherings of marimba students and professionals in the world, the festival features a series of eight public concerts by an impressive slate of performers from around the world. With a diverse array of styles, the concerts offer an unparalleled opportunity to experience the marimba’s versatility.

Percussionist Dane Richeson, professor of music at Lawrence, is one of the festival’s faculty members and guest performers. He says the festival provides an uncommon treat for music lovers.

“It is an honor to have the Zeltsman Marimba Festival back at Lawrence. This is an exciting event that provides the Fox Cities the chance to experience music they have never heard before on an instrument with an ancient history,” said Richeson. “Audiences will have the rare opportunity to see some of the greatest marimba artists, many of whom rarely come to the Midwest, perform solo and chamber music works. Since many of these works have not been released on CD, this will likely be the only chance to hear this music.”

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Jack Van Geem (left) and Nancy Zeltsman will be among the performers at this year’s mirimba festival June 29-July 12 on the Lawrence campus. (Photo by Claudia Hansen.)

In addition to Richeson, Lawrence faculty members Mark Urness (bass) and Anthony Padilla (piano) and 2007 Lawrence graduate Michael Truesdell, also will be among the performers.

The concert series schedule:

• Sunday, June 29 — Dane Richeson / Mike Truesdell, percussion virtuosi; 7:30 p.m., Harper Hall.

• Wednesday, July 2 — Jack Van Geem, “The Dance / Jonathan Singer, marimba explorations of dance music, ragtime and more; 7:30 p.m. Lawrence Memorial Chapel. Free pre-concert talk: “Introduction to the Marimba,” 6:30 – 7 p.m.

• Thursday, July 3 — Nanae Mimura (Japan) / Alejandro Ruiz (Colombia), cross-cultural marimba virtuosi; 7:30 p.m., Lawrence Memorial Chapel. Free pre-concert fun: Xylopholks, 6:30 – 7 p.m.

• Saturday, July 5 — Stars of Zeltsman Marimba Festival, “Island Music,” a rare performance of Michael Tilson Thomas’ sensational work for four marimbists and two percussionists, and other extravagant adventures with mallets; 7:30 p.m., Stansbury Theatre.

• Monday, July 7 — Nancy Zeltsman, sotto voce / various artists, multi-media marimba and more; 7:30 p.m., Harper Hall.

• Wednesday, July 9 — Jean Geoffroy (France) / Joint Venture Percussion Duo (China/Luxembourg), great artists from abroad; 7:30 p.m., Lawrence Memorial Chapel.

• Friday, July 11 — Anders Åstrand (Sweden) / Mark Urness, bass / Dane Richeson, drums, an evening of jazz and more; 7:30 p.m., Harper Hall.

• Saturday, July 12 — Participants Marathon Concert; Noon – 5 p.m., Lawrence Memorial Chapel.

Tickets for the concert are available at the door at $15 for adults, $10 for students/seniors (cash only). Tickets can also be ordered in advance with a credit card at ZMFconcerts.evenbrite.com.

Five free concerts also will be conducted:

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The plaza outside the Warch Campus Center will be the site for two, free, lunch-time concerts on July 2 and July 9 during the Zeltsman Mirimba Festival.

• Wednesday, July 2 — 11:30 a.m – 1:30 p.m., Griff’s Grill, Boldt Plaza (outside Warch Campus Center).

• Wednesday, July 2 — Pre-concert talk: “Introduction to the Marimba,” 6:30 -7 p.m. Lawrence Memorial Chapel.

• Thursday, July 3 — Pre-concert fun: Xylopholks, 6:30 -7 p.m., Lawrence Memorial Chapel.

• Friday, July 4 — “Island Music” open rehearsal; 11:30 a.m. — 1:30 p.m., Cloak Theatre, Music-Drama Center.

• Wednesday, July 9 — Lunchtime Marimba Concert, 11:30 a.m -1:30 p.m., Griff’s Grill, Boldt Plaza.

Zeltsman, who teaches marimba at Berklee College of Music and the Boston Conservatory, where she is chair of the percussion department, launched the festival in 2001 to bring people together “to share unforgettable, stimulating musical experiences in an atmosphere of support and camaraderie.”

“I’m thrilled that ZMF will bring together so many acclaimed artists and talented young musicians to share their music and collaborate with each other,” says Zeltsman. “Marimbists aren’t ‘household names,’ but we hope people will take a leap of faith and experience some remarkable performances and exciting, thought-provoking, moving music.”

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 2014 and the book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College.” Individualized learning, the development of multiple interests and community engagement are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,500 students from nearly every state and more than 50 countries.

 

Book by Voice Professor Kenneth Bozeman Provides Vocal Acoustic Principles for Teachers, Singers

For more than 30 years, Lawrence University Professor of Music Kenneth Bozeman has studied the relationship between singing and vocal acoustics.

acoustics.inddThe long-time voice teacher in Lawrence’s conservatory of music has turned that research into the 16-chapter book “Practical Vocal Acoustics: Pedagogic Applications for Teachers and Singers” (Pendragon Press), a methodical approach designed to help voice teachers better apply the principles of vocal acoustics to their instruction. The book is available through Pendragon Press and Amazon.com.

“There are many important facets to a comprehensive pedagogy and the acoustic piece is but one,” said Bozeman, who holds the Frank C. Shattuck Professorship in Music. “However, due to our increasing knowledge of the effects of vocal tract resonances on vocal fold function, and of how awareness and anticipation of those effects can make our teaching more effective, there is a rapidly growing interest among voice teachers in mastering the basic acoustic principles involved.”

In his book, Bozeman provides a general understanding of acoustics, explains how harmonics and formants interact to create resonance and offers specific science-based exercises. He also provides perspective on two software programs — Madde voice synthesizer and VoceVista — outlining the strengths and limitations of each.

Christian Herbst, contributing author to the “Oxford Handbook of Singing” and a member of the editorial boards of the Journal of Voice, Logopedics and Phoniatrics and Vocology, hailed Bozeman for succeeding “in condensing state of the art voice science into a well-digestible and concise tutorial.”

“With its solid scientific background, ‘Practical Vocal Acoustics’ helps to establish a modern approach in teaching how to sing: less myth and more facts,” said Herbst.

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Voice Professor Kenneth Bozeman

Bozeman will teach a seminar at Bjorklunden, Lawrence’s northern campus, next summer (July 19-24, 2015) based on the principles in his book.

A member of the Lawrence faculty since 1977, Bozeman is chair of the voice department, teaching voice, voice science and pedagogy. He also serves as chair of the editorial board of the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) Journal of Singing. He has been recognized with both of Lawrence’s teaching awards — the Young Teacher Award in 1980 and the Excellence in Teaching Award in 1996 — and his students have sung with the Metropolitan Opera, Houston Grand Opera, Boston Lyric Opera, Deutsche Oper Berlin and San Francisco Opera, among others.

Last summer, Bozeman was honored as one of only four master teachers selected for the (NATS) Intern Program, a national mentoring program in which master teachers spend two weeks working with select younger teachers in vocal pedagogy.

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 2014 and the book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College.” Individualized learning, the development of multiple interests and community engagement are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,500 students from nearly every state and more than 50 countries.

Student Pianist Jon Hanrahan Wins State Music Competition

For the third straight year, a Lawrence University pianist has earned first-place honors at the Wisconsin Music Teachers Association’s Wisconsin Badger Collegiate Performance Competition.

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Jon Hanrahan ’16

Jon Hanrahan, a sophomore piano performance major from Johnsburg, Ill., received $200 for his winning performance in the competition held May 17 at UW-Stevens Point. Senior Daniel Kuzuhara earned honorable mention honors in the competition. Lawrence was well-represented with three other student pianists also competing: Emily Blandon Kovar, Mingfei Li and Evan Newman.

Lawrentians Julian Delfino and Thomas Lee won the 2013 and 2012 Badger Collegiate Performance Competitions, respectively.

A student in the piano studio of Michael Mirzahi, Hanrahan performed the first movement of Haydn’s Piano Sonata, Missy Mazzoli’s “Heartbreaker” and Chopin’s Nocturne in B Major for the competition.

The WMTA Badger Collegiate Piano Competition is open to college students under the age of 28. Participants must perform from memory a solo recital program of 20-30 minutes in length with works representing contrasting styles from three of five historical periods: Baroque, Classical, Romantic, Impressionistic, Contemporary.

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 2014 and the book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College.” Individualized learning, the development of multiple interests and community engagement are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,500 students from nearly every state and more than 50 countries.

Junior Nicolas Bizub Wins Pair of Composition Competitions

Nicolas Bizub clearly has a way with…notes. Musical notes, that is.

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Nicolas Bizub ’15

The Lawrence University junior recently was named grand prize winner of a pair of composition competitions.

A composition and viola performance major from Mukwonago, Bizub earned $500 for winning the 2014 Wisconsin Cello Society Composition Competition. His meditation piece “Dark Waves” will be featured at an upcoming Wisconsin Cello Society event.

Bizub also captured top honors in the 2014 Sewanee Summer Music Festival’s King Beetle Composition Competition, earning a $300 grand prize for his winning composition “The Legend of King Beetle.”  All participating composers had to submit a work based around the story of a famous, if not mythical, beetle on the Tennessee campus of Sewanee — The University of the South.

Written for flute, harp and bassoon, Bizub’s “The Legend of King Beetle” will be performed during Sewanee’s annual summer music festival June 21-July 20. Patricia George, mother of Lawrence violin professor Samantha George and a member of the Sewanee summer music festival faculty chamber group, will play the piece’s flute part.

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 2014 and the book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College.” Individualized learning, the development of multiple interests and community engagement are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,500 students from nearly every state and more than 50 countries.

 

Kronos Quartet, Percussionists Terri Lyne Carrington, Peter Erskine, Headline Lawrence University’s 2014-15 Performing Arts Series

Kronos Quartet flashes its revolutionary approach to string repertoire while a pair of drummers share their Grammy Award-winning rhythms as headliners on Lawrence University’s 2014-15 Performing Arts Series.

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The acclaimed Kronos Quartet — John Sherba, Sunny Yang, Hank Dutt and David Harrington — closes the Artist Series May 15, 2015.

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. 17, 2014. For more information, contact the Lawrence Box Office, 920-832-6749 or boxoffice@lawrence.edu. All concerts are held in the Lawrence Memorial Chapel.

“I couldn’t be more excited about next year’s Artist and Jazz Series,” said Brian Pertl, dean of the Lawrence Conservatory of Music. “Once again the very best in the world of classical and jazz musicians will be gracing the Memorial Chapel stage.  I invite everyone to come hear what promise to be thrilling performances.”

Founded in 1973 by violinist David Harrington, Kronos Quartet closes the four-concert Artist Series on a high note Friday, May 15, 2015, performing new works by some of the country’s most celebrated contemporary composers.

“Kronos has led and continues to lead what surely must be the longest unending revolution by any ensemble ever in music history.”  — The Los Angeles Times

During a celebrated career spanning four decades, the Kronos Quartet—Harrington, John Sherba (violin), Hank Dutt (viola) and Sunny Yang (cello) — firmly has established itself as one the most influential groups of this generation.

With a discography totaling more than 50 recordings and 2.5 million in recording sales, Kronos has combined fearless exploration with an unwavering commitment to expand the range and context of the string quartet. Among the San Francisco-based quartet’s many honors are a 2004 Grammy for Best Chamber Music Performance and 2003 Musicians of the Year honors from Musical America.

The chamber music trio of cellist David Finckel, pianist Wu Han and violinist Phillip Setzer opens the Artist Series Friday, Oct. 17. Individually, each has enjoyed stellar musical careers. Finckel and Han, Musical America’s 2012 Musicians of the Year, have served as artistic directors of The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center since 2004. Setzer, founding and current member of the acclaimed Emerson String Quartet, has appeared with leading symphony orchestras around the country, including the National Symphony, the Cleveland Orchestra and the Aspen Chamber Symphony, among others.

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Soprano Heidi Stober ’00 performs on the Artist Series March 13, 2015.

Soprano Heidi Stober returns to her alma mater for a Friday, March 13, 2015 Artist Series performance with the Lawrence Symphony Orchestra. A 2000 Lawrence graduate, Stober is currently principal artist at the Deutsche Oper Berlin after making her house debut in 2008 as Pamina in “The Magic Flute.”

“The one bright spot to this production was the luminous Oscar of Heidi Stober. Vocally scintillating, brilliant but rich in color, Stober was simply magnificent.”
— Opera News

She also has sung Pamina for the Metropolitan Opera, Nannetta in “Falstaff” for the San Francisco Opera, Ada in the world premiere of Theodore Morrison’s “Oscar” for the Santa Fe Opera and Musetta in a new production of Puccini’s “La bohème” at the Houston Grand Opera.

Melding the energy of rock music with the precision and nuance of classical chamber works, Third Coast Percussion visits the Memorial Chapel on Saturday, April 11, 2015. Employing an impressive array of instruments, Third Coast Percussion explores and expands the extraordinary sonic possibilities of the percussion repertoire, delivering a unique audience experience. Founded in 2005, the quartet champions the music of John Cage, Steve Reich, George Crumb and others.

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Terri Lyne Carrington opens Jazz Celebration Weekend Nov. 7 with a tribute to her Grammy-winning album “The Mosaic Project.”

A pair of Grammy Award-winning drummers — Terri Lyne Carrington and Peter Erskine — kick off the Jazz Series, sharing the spotlight Nov. 7-8, respectively, for Lawrence’s 34th annual Jazz Celebration Weekend.

Carrington opens Jazz Celebration Weekend with a big-band tribute to her 2011 Grammy-Award winning album “The Mosaic Project.” She’ll be joined on stage by pianist Geri Allen, singer Lizz Wright and trumpeter Ingrid Jenson, who previously performed at Jazz Celebration Weekend in 2008.

Carrington honed her jazz chops during 20-plus years of touring with jazz greats Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Al Jarreau, Stan Getz, David Sanborn, Clark Terry, among others.

Erskine, who began playing drums at the age of four, has been at the forefront of world-class jazz ensembles for more than 40 years, starting with Stan Kenton’s band in 1972. He’s also played and recorded with Maynard Ferguson, Weather Report, the Brecker Brothers, the Yellowjackets, Chick Corea and a host of others.

His recording credits include an astonishing 500 albums with artists ranging from Diana Krall and Pat Metheny to Steely Dan and Joe Henderson as well as 10 solo albums. He’s been recognized 10 times in the jazz drummer category by Modern Drummer magazine’s annual Readers’ Poll.

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Robert Glasper performs on the Jazz Series Jan. 30, 2015.

Pianist Robert Glasper shares his unique brand of jazz/hip-hop/R&B in a Jazz Series concert Friday, January 30, 2015.

A native of Houston, his accessible melodies, tumultuous beats and bright lyricism has been compared to jazz icons Herbie Hancock and Chick Corea. He will be joined by his electric band — Chris Dave (drums), Derrick Hodge (electric bass) and Casey Benjamin (saxophone, vocoder).

Glasper’s 2012 disc, “Black Radio,” which blurred the lines of jazz, hip-hop, R&B and rock & roll, entered the Billboard jazz charts at number one.

Accomplished keyboardist/composer/arranger Jon Cowherd closes the Jazz Series Thursday, April 17, 2015 with a presentation of his “Mercy Project,” which he describes as “a personal milestone.”

While Cowherd’s instrumental work has been featured on albums spanning artists as diverse as Iggy Pop, Rosanne Cash, Marc Cohn and Victoria Williams, 2012’s “Mercy” is his first album under his name. “Mercy” is compelling evidence of Cowherd’s remarkable sensitivity, inventiveness and versatility as both composer and musician.

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 2014 and the book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College.” Individualized learning, the development of multiple interests and community engagement are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,500 students from nearly every state and more than 50 countries.

Kenny Garrett Quintet Closes Lawrence University 2013-14 Jazz Series

Grammy Award-winning alto saxophonist Kenny Garrett returns to the Lawrence University stage with his jazz quintet for an encore performance — 14 years after his Appleton debut — Friday May 2 at 8 p.m. in the Lawrence Memorial Chapel in the final concert of the 2013-14 Lawrence Jazz Series.

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Kenny Garrett closes Lawrence’s Jazz Series May 2, 14 years after first appearing on the Memorial Chapel stage.

Tickets, at $22-24 for adults, $20-22 for seniors and $17-19 for students, are available at the Lawrence Box Office, 920-832-6749 or boxoffice@lawrence.edu.

Garrett, who got his start as a member of the Duke Ellington Orchestra in 1978, has emerged as the preeminent alto saxophonist of his generation.  Renowned for his talents as a soloist as well as his compositions as a bandleader, Garrett visits Lawrence in the midst of an international tour and in the wake of another Grammy nomination for his recent album “Pushing the World Away.”

Lawrence faculty saxophonist Jose Encarnacion says Garrett ranks along side jazz giants Charlie Parker and Julian “Cannonball” Adderely as “one of the most important alto saxophone voices in jazz music.”

“Kenny Garrett is one of my heroes and biggest inspiration,” said Encarnacion. “He is one of the most important alto saxophone players in the history of jazz. His solos are in perfect harmony with the universe.”

Praised by AllMusic.com for writing jazz compositions with “that mercurial something,” Garrett is known for his distinctive sound, simultaneously vigorous and melodic. He has worked with a laundry list of jazz legends such as Miles Davis, Freddie Hubbard, Art Blakey and Woody Shaw.

Garrett will be joined on the Chapel stage by his accomplished bandmates: bassist Corcoran Holt; drummer McClenty Hunter; pianist Vernell Brown and percussionist Rudy Bird.

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 2014 and the book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College.” Individualized learning, the development of multiple interests and community engagement are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,500 students from nearly every state and more than 50 countries.

 

Multimedia “Bird Lady” Performance Examines Relationship Between Art and Artist

Inspired by the life and photographs of Chicago nanny Vivian Maier, who used her off-duty time to wander the streets taking snapshots of unsuspecting strangers, the Rebecca Salzer Dance Theatre presents the world premiere of “Bird Lady” April 3 and 4 at 8 p.m. in Lawrence University’s Warch Campus Center. Both performances are free and open to the public.

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Rebecca Salzer pays tribute to amateur photographer Vivian Maier in the multimedia performance “Bird Lady” April 3-4 in the Warch Campus Center.

Maier’s immense collection of photos, hidden in storage lockers and first discovered after her death in 2009, has brought Maier posthumous fame. Through dance, theatre, music and video, Salzer’s “Bird Lady” explores questions Maier’s work has raised about the private self in an increasingly public world. Can one’s art be as private as one’s self? Can something be called “art” that is created for one’s own satisfaction and not meant to be shared?

“Each of the performers chose the portrait of a woman who is looking back and acknowledging Maier,” said Salzer, visiting professor of dance at Lawrence. “We wrote and choreographed in the voices we imagined the subjects to have. We crafted material based on our own lives as contemporary women artists and because we felt a personal affinity with the women in the portraits, our own stories and the imagined stories of the portrait subjects began to blend. The characters, movement, sound and text in ‘Bird Lady’ are our multilayered personal responses to Maier’s images.”

Joining Salzer on “Bird Lady” are dance artists Liz Burritt and Kristina Fluty, opera director Kristine McIntyre, composer AlexTemple, videographer Anna Ryndova and designers Alina Bokovikova and Aaron Sherkow.

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 2014 and the book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College.” Individualized learning, the development of multiple interests and community engagement are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,500 students from nearly every state and more than 50 countries.

Lawrence Concert Choir, Cantala, Showcase Their Talents at Regional Choral Conference

More than 90 Lawrence University students will showcase their voices when the Lawrence Concert Choir and Cantala women’s choir perform at the 2014 American Choral Directors Association North Central Regional Conference March 19-20 in Des Moines, Iowa.  This is the second time since 2006 Concert Choir and Cantala both were selected to perform at the ACDA’s regional conference.

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Lawrence University Concert Choir with accompanist Tony Capparelli.

Each choir will be in the spotlight Thursday, March 20 at St. Ambrose Church, with the 45-member Cantala singing at 10:30 a.m. and the 48-member Concert Choir performing at 2 p.m. Both choirs sing under the direction of co-choir directors Phillip Swan and Stephen Sieck.

Choirs are invited to perform at ACDA regional and national conferences through a rigorous, blind-auditioned, peer-reviewed process based on submitted concert recordings from the last three years.

“It is unusual for two choirs from the same institution to be invited to perform at the same conference,” said Swan, who directed Cantala at the 2006 ACDA regional conference in Omaha, Neb., and the 2011 national conference in Chicago. “It’s gratifying to know that consistent quality continues to be evident in our choral program and is recognized by our peers. It’s especially exciting to know that although we have undertaken major changes in our program (a new conducting team and a new co-directing model), our vibrant, retooled choral program continues to be recognized for its quality and creativity.”

For Sieck, who joined the conservatory of music faculty in 2010, his first invitation to perform at this level was especially gratifying.

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Lawrence University Cantala women’s choir

“This shows that Lawrence has not just one outstanding choir, but an outstanding choral program,” said Sieck. “Having both advanced ensembles featured is a real celebration that our students sing at the highest level. I’m also excited because this shows that Lawrence’s co-directing model is not just innovative, but also effective. Phillip and I have each worked with each of these choirs over the past three years, so having them both selected is a great honor to the team-teaching approach we bring.”

The program for both choirs celebrates the spirit of worship in the Hindu, Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox and Protestant traditions, covering five centuries of music from 11 countries in nine languages. The performances will feature genres ranging from opera to children’s play-songs, from dance to prayer.

“Many schools have an outstanding mixed choir, which is usually considered the flagship ensemble in the choral department,” said Swan, who has worked with the Lawrence choral program since 2002. “But, to also have a nationally recognized women’s choir, with completely different personnel, that performs at the same musical level as the top mixed-voice ensemble, demonstrates depth of quality in our choral program. I feel extremely blessed to work with such talented students and am also thankful to work with colleagues who have a shared vision for teaching and inspiring these young adults to achieve their highest musical potential.”

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 2014 and the book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College.” Individualized learning, the development of multiple interests and community engagement are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,500 students from nearly every state and more than 50 countries.

Lawrence Student Musicians Earn Top Honors at State Flute Competition

Lawrence University student musicians captured the top two places at the recent (3/8) 2014 Wisconsin Flute Festival Collegiate Competition hosted by UW-Oshkosh.

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Caitlynn Winkler ’15

Juniors Caitlynn Winkler, a flute performance and music education major from Sheboygan, and Sam Rolfe, a flute performance major from Boscobel, earned first- and second-place honors, respectively. They were among three finalists selected from an initial pool of nine entries. The competition is open to undergraduates enrolled in a Wisconsin college or university.

Each presented a 15-minute program in the finals. Winkler performed “Among Fireflies” by Elainie Lillios, “Image” by Eugene Bozza, and Movement III from Eldin Burton’s “Sonatina.”

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Sam Rolfe ’15

Rolfe performed “Cinq Incantacions pour Flute Seule” by Andre Jolivet, “Sonata for Flute and Piano in E Major” by Johann Sebastian Bach and the world premiere of “Clockwork Koan” a piece written by Lawrence senior Chris Harrity as part of the flute and composition studio flutist/composer collaboration project.

Winkler received $250 for her winning performance while Rolfe was awarded $100. Both study in the flute studio of Assistant Professor of Music Erin Lesser.

As part of the festival, senior Schuyler Thornton was selected to play a masterclass with guest artist Stephanie Mortimer. The Lawrence Flute Ensemble was one of three groups selected to open the day-long festival as part of a flute ensemble showcase, performing three works, including a new work by Lawrence Associate Professor of Music Joanne Metcalf.

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 2014 and the book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College.” Individualized learning, the development of multiple interests and community engagement are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,500 students from nearly every state and more than 50 countries.

Conservatory, Theatre Arts Dept. Presents Kurt Weill’s American Opera “Street Scene”

Just weeks after a staging of Elmer Rice’s play version of “Street Scene,” a day-long snapshot of life in a “mean” quarter of New York City, the Lawrence University Conservatory presents the opera of the same story with music by Kurt Weill and lyrics by poet Langston Hughes.

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Seniors Jon Stombres (left) portrays Sam Kaplan, a poetic Jewish neighbor of the Maurrants, Lauren Koeritzer (center) plays Jennie Hildebrand, a teenage daughter of a single mother, Michael Uselmann (red shirt) plays Daniel Buchanan, a nervous neighbor waiting for his pregnant wife to go into labor, and Daniel Vinitsky (seated right) portrays Harry Easter, Rose Maurrant’s sleazy boss, in Kurt Weill’s opera “Street Scene.”

Performances in Stansbury Theatre of the Music-Drama Center will be at 7:30 p.m. March 6-7-8 and with a 3 p.m. matinee performance Sunday, March 9. Tickets, at $10 for adults and $5 for seniors/students, are available through the Lawrence Box Office, 920-832-6749.

Assistant Professor of Music History Erica Scheinberg will provide a brief introduction to Weill and “Street Scene” beginning at 6:45 p.m. prior to each performance.

SEE A REVIEW OF THE OPERA

Premiering in 1947, the opera was Weill’s embrace of the American musical style, combining opera, popular song, Broadway and jazz.

“Having fled Nazi Germany, his goal was to create a new kind of opera that reflected the diversity of his adopted country,” said Bonnie Koestner, vocal coach of the production.

The opera’s diversity is also reflected in the double-cast production that features 60 actors onstage, accompanied by the Lawrence Symphony Orchestra under the direction of conductor Octavio Más-Arocas.

“Our audience will be astonished by the depth of talent in both casts and will immediately connect with Weill’s rich and tuneful score,” Koestner added.

Like the play, the opera, follows the Maurrant family — Anna, unhappily married to the brutish stagehand Frank, and their two children, Rose and Willie — and their neighbors through an exceptionally hot 24-hour period in the summer of 1929. Anna, who is having an affair with Sankey, the neighborhood milkman, is the subject of much gossip among the others living in the brownstone where the entire production is set, while Rose navigates a romance with her Jewish neighbor Sam Kaplan.

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Senior Graycie Gardner portrays Rose Maurrant, a young woman navigating a romance with her Jewish neighbor, in Lawrence’s production of the opera “Street Scene.”

Professor Timothy X. Troy, who is directing the opera, noted the uniqueness of presenting back-to-back productions based on the same story.

“Producing both works allows us and our audiences to explore the whole process of adaptation,” he said. “Rice, Langston Hughes and Weill joined their efforts to reimagine the play as an opera. They chose core themes, explored relationships, and developed the context of the play’s action supported with orchestra and song. We hope our audience’s will take advantage of this truly unique opportunity. Anyone who attended the play first, now seeing the opera will provide the unusual experience of thinking like the composer and librettist.”

The performance is funded in part by the Kurt Weill Foundation for Music, Inc., New York, N.Y.

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 2014 and the book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College.” Individualized learning, the development of multiple interests and community engagement are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,500 students from nearly every state and more than 50 countries.