Event Calendar & News: Faculty News

Suren Bagratuni, associate professor and artist teacher of violoncello, performed as soloist at the Niagara Festival in Canada; the Zermatt Festival Inaugural Concert in Switzerland; Alice Tully Hall (NYC); the International Festival in Brazil; in the celebration of the 1700th Anniversary of Christianity in Armenia; with the Nobilis Trio in Steinway Hall (NY); and at the International Festivals in France and Italy. He performed in chamber music recitals in Illinois, Cleveland, Ohio, and at the Children and Music Benefit concert in Chicago.

Wesley Broadnax, assistant professor of music and assistant director of bands, served as an adjudicator for several Michigan School Band and Orchestra Association concert festivals, and at the Lasrence Central High School Band and Orchestra Festival in Indianapolis, (IN). He served as a drum major instructor for the Indiana State University Drum Major Camp. He presented the premiere Mrs. Dalloway's Party for mezzo-soprano and piano, and Three Notions for saxophone quartet, both by Jere Hutcheson, with the new music ensemble "Musique 21." He presented the MSU premiere performance Seventy Thousand Assyrians by Paul Barsom, professor of theory and composition at Penn State University, with the MSU Wind Symphony. Broadnax won the Boston University Tanglewood Institute Fellowship in Wind Conducting, where he worked closely with distinguished conductor and educator Frank L. Battisti in planning rehearsals and conducting concerts with the Young Artist Wind Ensemble.

Jack Budrow, associate professor of double bass and chair of the string area, performed as principal bass in the St. Stephens Chamber Orchestra and with the North Carolina Symphony. Budrow was forum editor for the "Different Strokes" article published in the International Society of Bassists journal. He gave master classes at Indiana University and the Cleveland Institute of Music.

Bruce Campbell, associate professor of theory, premiered an original composition entitled Heroic Fanfare for the 75th anniversary season of the MSU orchestra program.

Dave Catron, professor of music and associate director of the School of Music, received the Paula Crider Award, given to outstanding university band directors who have distinguished themselves in the field of university bands.

Anna Celenza, assistant professor of musicology, received the Teacher-Scholar Award and was honored at the MSU President's State of the University Address and Awards Convocation in February 2002. She delivered a paper entitled "The Power of the Printed Word in Nineteenth- Century Music Criticism" at the Legacies: 500 Years of Printed Music Conference at the University of North Texas. She contributed a chapter, "Death Transfigured: The Origins and Evolution of Franz Liszt's Totentanz," to an anthology entitled "Nineteenth-Century Music Studies." She published two books: "The Early Works of Niels W. Gade: In Search of the Poetic" and "Niels W. Gade: St. Hans's Evening Play Overture."

Robert Dan, professor of viola, performed a recital at the Woodcliff Lake Chamber Music Society, and with the Theater Chamber Players in Washington, D.C.

Conrad Donakowski, professor of musicology, performed Terror at the Opera House: Claibourne, the Ursulines, and Les Visitandines at the Consortium on Revolutionary Europe at Louisiana State University. He accompanied and commented on musical theater during the French Revolutionary decade to assist Professor Susan Nicassio of the University of Louisiana, who presented a paper that included her singing arias and scenes from some of the violent and risqué operas of the day staged in the French colonial city of New Orleans.

Jan Eberle, associate professor of oboe, performed as principal oboist with the Flint, Ann Arbor, Greater Lansing, Jackson, and Toledo Symphonies, and with the Fort Wayne Philharmonic. She performed with the Columbus Symphony in a special performance of Bach's B Minor Mass, conducted by renowned Bach authority Helmut Rilling. She performed with the Fort Worth Symphony on a PBS special broadcast of the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition. Eberle was a guest performer and clinician at Edinboro College (PA), and received an Honorary Membership Award from the Michigan Schools Band and Orchestra Association.

Frank Ell, professor of clarinet, was director and clarinetist of the Swannanoa Chamber Music Festival (NC), a position he has held for more than 25 years.

Janine Gaboury-Sly, associate professor of horn, performed numerous times with the Michigan Opera Theatre. She performed with the David Gillingham Trio at the International Horn Society Conference with Philip Sinder and Deborah Moriarty; performed and did a presentation at the Midwest Horn Workshop; and was a guest artist and presenter at the Northeast Horn Workshop at the Boston Conservatory.

Edwin Gordon, professor of music education, published "Preparatory Audiation, Audiation, and Music Learning," a handbook of a comprehensive music learning sequence. He also published a paper entitled "Developmental and Stabilized Music Aptitudes: Further Evidence of Duality."

Wycliffe Gordon, artist-in-residence (trombone), performed throughout the U.S. and in Austria. His composition, Blues De Typewriter, was premiered at the Palm Beach Jazz Festival. He completed several compositions and arrangements, including What You Dealin' With, Smokestack Lightening, Blue-N-Boogie, and New Orleans Louisiana Blues, to name a few.

Patricia Green, assistant professor of voice (mezzo-soprano), gave an acclaimed performance in two world premieres of oratorios in Haifa, Israel with the Northern Israel Philharmonic for a live international audience of 5,000. The concert was broadcast on TV to 60 countries, and on radio to 30. She sang with the Westchester Mastersingers (Haydn) in New York, and the Winston-Salem Choral Society (Handel) in North Carolina. Her performance of Sing, Arie by A. Goehr at the CBC Centre in Toronto with New Music Concerts was broadcast nationally on CBC Radio in Canada. She gave a performance of the rarely presented Pierrot Lunaire by Schoenberg at MSU. With Philharmonia Virtuosi, she sang Ravel's Chansons Madécasses and Poulenc's La Bestiare at SUNY-Purchase (NY). On the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum's Chamber Music Series, she sang Hindemith's Die Junge Magd, as well as two songs for string trio and voice by V. Ullmann. She was also featured on three recordings.

Leon Gregorian, professor of music and director of orchestras, guest conducted the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the Chorus Pro Musica, and four soloists at Boston's Symphony Hall for the world premiere of Armenian Divine Liturgy for Soloists, Chorus, and Orchestra by Rouben Gregorian. He received a recognition award for exemplary service from the Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. He also received two MSU library citations for his recordings with Joseph Lulloff on Arizona University Records. The Boston Pops Orchestra performed his arrangement of the Armenian National Anthem, with Keith Lockhart conducting. The Gardens, Birth of a Symphony, which he conducted in 2000 with the MSU Symphony Orchestra, was broadcast nationally on PBS throughout the United States. Gregorian also conducted world premiere fanfares before each MSU Symphony Orchestra concert during the 2001-02 academic year in celebration of its 75th season. The fanfares were composed by James Niblock, Jeffery Brody, Ron Newman, Jere Hutcheson, Charles Ruggiero, and Bruce Campbell.

Melanie Helton, assistant professor of voice (soprano), sang the role of the Foreign Princess in Seattle Opera's Rusalka by Dvorak. Helton presented master classes at the University of Houston, the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, the Caramoor International Festival, the Lake George Opera Festival, and Seagle Colony. She directed the MSU Opera Theatre productions of Cimarosa's The Secret Marriage, for which she wrote a new singing translation, and Offenbach's Orpheus in the Underworld. In addition, she sang numerous operatic arias and ensembles for the Community Music School's course Opera: The Eloquence of Laughter and Tears.

Jere Hutcheson, professor of composition, composed Quirky Études for Midori Koga; Concerto for Solo Percussion and Winds for Alison Shaw and the MSU Wind Symphony; and Divertimento for Flute, Wind, and Percussion for Richard Sherman and the MSU Wind Symphony. He lectured at the Undergraduate Composers' Forum on the subject of the compositional processes in his composition Caricatures. The Norwegian Wind Band Nittedal og Hakadal janitsjar performed Hutcheson's Caricatures at the Norwegian Wind Band Championship. The White Noise Quartet performed Three Notions for Saxophone Quartet at the North American Saxophone Conference. Hutcheson's Spartan Spirit, Fanfare for Brass, Percussion, and String Basses, written to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the orchestra program, was premiered by the MSU Symphony Orchestra. Hutcheson was commissioned to compose Mrs. Dalloway's Party for MSU Alumna voice major Suzanne Stevens Aaron, which premiered at an MSU "Musique 21" performance.

Richard Illman, associate professor of trumpet, performed as a soloist and toured with the MSU Alumni Band in Budapest, Hungary; Vienna, Austria; and Prague, Czech Republic. He was a featured soloist with the Brass Band of Battle Creek at the North American Brass Band Association's Final Competition concert in Ohio. He performed at the Great American Brass Band Festival (KY) with both the New Columbia Brass Band and the Millennium Brass, and at the Kalavrita International Brass Festival in Greece with the Millennium Band. He performed as a soloist with a British concert band and gave a presentation on "Yoga for Trumpet Players" at the International Trumpet Guild Conference at the Royal Northern College of Music in England. He presented master classes at the University of Evansville and Indiana University.

Harlan Jennings, associate professor of voice (baritone), performed a solo recital at Shippensburg University (PA). His article, "The Early Days of Grand Opera in Kansas City, 1860-1879," was published in the Missouri Historical Review.

Raphael Jimenez, assistant professor of conducting, was appointed associate conductor of orchestras on the MSU School of Music faculty. He conducted performances at the Teatro Teresa Carreño in Caracas, Venezuela, and at the Kravis Center (FL). He was a guest clinician at the Southeastern Michigan Chamber Orchestra Festival at Dondero High School.

Isaac Kalumbu, assistant professor of ethnomusicology, served as chair for a panel on "Music, History, and Identity" at the annual Society for Ethnomusicology conference in Detroit, and was interviewed on the Voice of America International Radio Network about the role of soul music in the Civil Rights Movement.

Natalia Khoma, assistant professor and director of chamber music, performed recitals at the Krannert Center with the Shanghai Quartet (IL); Mackinac Island; the McKenna Theater (NY); the Grazhda Musical Center (NJ); the Cape Cod Historic Society (NY); and the Shandalee Music Festival with Yong-Hi Moon. Khoma performed in a benefit recital for the Children and Music Foundation (NH), and performed/taught at the International School for the Musical Arts in Niagara Falls.

Midori Koga, assistant professor of piano pedagogy, published her articles "Method Review: Music Discoveries," and "Music Making and Wellness Project: The Effect of Music Making on the Health and Well-being of Americans in their Golden Years," in the American Music Teacher Journal. The latter article, published in Fall 2001, was selected as the 2001 American Music Teacher Article of the Year.

John Kratus, professor and chair of the music education area, composed and premiered Earth Prayers. His article, "Effect of available tonality and pitch options on children's compositional processes and products" was accepted as the lead article in the Winter 2001 issue of Journal of Research in Music Education. He presented a workshop to area educators in western Michigan on teaching compositions and improvisation, and was a featured presenter at an on-campus Saturday Seminar for area music teachers, speaking on the topic of "Teaching Composition in Elementary and Middle School."

Albert LeBlanc, professor of music education, has been appointed research and development chair of the Michigan Music Educators Association. He organized a music advocacy event for one of his music education classes called "Defending Music in the Schools," featuring two teams of music education seniors defending their make-believe school music program before a panel of former board members at a mock school board meeting. He presented a clinic entitled "Pursuing the Elusive Content Standards 8 and 9" at the Midwestern Music Conference, and a lecture entitled "Building and Maintaining: A Research Career in Music Education" at Penn State University. LeBlanc's paper entitled "Effect of Strength of Rhythmic Beat on Preferences of Young Listeners in Brazil, Greece, Japan, Portugal, and the United States" was one of 30 papers selected worldwide for presentation at the 19th Research Seminar of the International Society of Music Education. He also presented this paper at a research poster session of the ISME World Congress in Norway.

Dai Uk Lee, associate professor of piano, performed at the International School for Musical Arts in Canada; conducted the performance of Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 by the Michigan Chamber Symphony Orchestra in Detroit Orchestra Hall; and conducted Messiah at the Korean Presbyterian Church in Detroit.

Joseph Lulloff, professor of saxophone, performed with the Brevard Music Center Orchestra (NC), The University of North Texas Wind Ensemble, and as a guest soloist with the University of Arizona Wind Ensemble during its 2001 European Concert Tour. He also presented premieres of new saxophone compositions by Michael Colgrass, Donald Freund, David Maslanka and Charles Ruggiero. Lulloff was nominated for the 2001 Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Soloist Performance with an Orchestra. As part of the Great Lakes Saxophone Quartet, he performed Charles Ruggiero's Three Blues for Saxophone Quartet on the CD "Tribute to Adolphe Sax Series, Vol. 5," which was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Classical Album. Lulloff recently joined the (saxophone) Capitol Quartet, which has been featured with conductors such as Marvin Hamlisch, Jeff Tyzik and Daniel Hege, and many orchestras including the Rochester Philharmonic and Williamsport, Bay-Atlantic, and Baltimore Symphony Orchestras.

John Madden, associate director of bands, associate professor of music, and director of the Spartan Marching Band, composed Birdland and Land of Make Believe for the Spartan Marching Band 2001 season. He served as an adjudicator for the Bands of America High School Marching Band Contest in Morgantown (W.Va.); and as clinician for the DeWitt High School Marching Band (MI), and at the Michigan Schools Band and Orchestra Association (MSBOA) Conducting Symposium (MI). He served as an adjudicator and clinician at the Worlds of Fun Festival of Band and Orchestra at the University of Missouri, and host and facilitator for the Marching Band Adjudicators Workshop for the MSBOA.

Ray McLellan, University Carillonneur, performed recitals on the Netherlands Carillon at Arlington National Cemetery (VA), and as part of the annual congress of the Guild of Carillonneurs in North America. He also participated in the biennial conference of the World Carillon Federation in Ireland, and played recitals in France and Germany.

Deborah Moriarty, professor of piano and chair of the piano area, performed at the Grand Teton Music Festival, and with Janine Gaboury-Sly and Philip Sinder at the International Horn Society Conference. She also served as adjudicator at the Music Teachers National Association Yamaha Competition.

Ronald Newman, professor of music theory, performed with his wife, vocalist Sunny Wilkinson, at numerous jazz clubs. He was guest artist and clinician at the Yellowstone Jazz Camp (WY). His composition Fanfare for Orchestral Brass and Percussion was premiered by the MSU Symphony Orchestra. He composed Billy and Ming Do The Be- Bop Thing, for children's choir and jazz trio. He presented a jazz concert featuring 13 MSU faculty, and guest artists.

Curtis Olson, professor of trombone, composed Michigan Legends, a compilation of five intermediate trombone solos, published by the International Trombone Association (ITA). His composition, Incursion for Trombone and Synthesizer, was performed by Doug Farwell, professor of trombone and chair of the brass area at Valdosta State University, as part of a seminar on how technology has changed music for trombone and electro-acoustic music. The ITA awarded Olson with the Neill Humfeld Award for Excellence in Trombone Teaching. He also received a Distinguished Alumni Award from his alma mater, Bemidji State University (MN). See Article: Many honors in a year of transition for Olson.

Judith Palac, associate professor of music education, contributed two teacher resource guides to "Teaching Musicianship Through Performance in the Orchestra," analyzing Sibelius' Andante Festivo and Bloch's Concerto Grosso #1 for Strings with Piano Obbligato. She served as a clinician with Janine Gaboury-Sly at the International Horn Society Conference at Western Michigan University, speaking on the topic of performance injuries. She presented a talk on performance injuries to the Saline Fiddlers Philharmonic Orchestra, (MI), and was featured as an expert in the field of performing arts medicine in the Teaching Music Journal. She was a clinician in String-Teacher Education at the American String Teachers Association (ASTA) String Methods Conference (SC); at the American Music Educators Association State Conference (AZ); and served as site chair for the National ASTA Solo Competition and Studio Teachers Forum at MSU.

Jonathan Reed, associate professor of music, and associate director of choral activities, was named repertoire and standards chair for male chorus of the National Board of Directors by the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA). He conducted the 2002 State Men's Honors Choir at the Midwestern Music Conference, and the Colorado Men's All-State Choir. He delivered a paper entitled "Developing Choral Tone through Repertoire" at the Alma Summer Conference of the ACDA, the Michigan Schools Vocal Music Association, and the Michigan Music Educators Association. He was the keynote speaker for the Massachusetts Summer Conference of the ACDA.

Charles Ruggiero, professor of composition and music theory, was a recipient of 2001-02 American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers ASCAPlu$ Standard Awards. Ruggiero composed a new trio arrangement of his Concerto for Soprano Sax and Orchestra. He composed Sizzle Sax II, premiered by Joseph Lulloff and Jon Weber; and Collage-1912, premiered by the Verdehr Trio. His composition Fanfare for Brass and Percussion, written to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the orchestra program, was premiered by brass and percussion sections of the MSU Symphony Orchestra. Several compact discs containing Ruggiero's music have recently been released, two of which received first-round Grammy nominations in 2002.

Richard Sherman, professor of flute and chair of the woodwind area, was a featured soloist with the Fort Collins Symphony Orchestra (CO). He gave a solo recital and master class at Louisiana State University, and was artist-in-residence at the Anchorage Festival of Music. He was the featured master class presenter and recitalist at Ithaca College and Southwestern Missouri State University. Sherman and Ralph Votapek also performed/interviewed on National Public Radio (NPR).

Philip Sinder, professor of tuba and euphonium and chair of the brass/percussion area, performed with Janine Gaboury-Sly and Deborah Moriarty at the International Horn Society Conference. He performed a solo concert and chamber music concert at the Bayview Music Festival (MI), and served as adjudicator and clinician and gave master classes at the Falcone Festival semi-finals and finals.

Gordon Sly, assistant professor and chair of the music theory area, published an article entitled "Conflicting Analyses as Pedagogical Strategy and Hugo Wolf's Das verlassene Maegdlein" in the Journal of Music Theory Pedagogy, and "Schubert's Innovations in Sonata Form: Compositional Logic and Structural Interpretation" in the Journal of Music Theory.

Charles K. Smith, professor of music and director of choral activities, received the 2002 Maynard Klein Award for lifetime achievement and dedication to the choral arts, awarded by the Michigan chapter of the American Choral Directors Association.

Mark Sullivan, associate professor of music, received his second $40,000 grant to continue a program called "The Creative Process: Using Artist Residencies and Web Technology to Integrate the Study of the Arts into the Curriculum," through 2002. He started the program in 2000. The program brings Hispanic artists to Lansing-area schools to share their talents with teachers and students to integrate the arts into the curriculum.

Cynthia Taggart, associate professor of music education, coauthored the second grade components of "Jump Right In: The Music Curriculum," an elementary general music basal series. She delivered a paper entitled "Music Learning Theory and Audiation: Implications and Applications in Music Therapy Clinical Practices" at the American Music Therapy Association Conference. She led in service instruction with Robert Franz, professional musician and educator, working with Pittsburgh Symphony musicians and early childhood teachers to implement an early childhood outreach program. She presented a session entitled "First Music" at the Midwestern Conference for School Vocal and Instrumental Music. She co-presented two sessions, "Engaging the Young Learner in Music" and "Making Connections between Elementary General and Beginning Instrumental Music" at the Music Educators National Conference Biennial Convention. Taggart presented two sessions entitled "Practical Assessment in Elementary General Music" and "Developing Tonal Rhythm Skills Through Play" at the Pennsylvania State Music Educators Conference. She also taught a two-day workshop on early childhood music outreach for the National Repertory Orchestra (CO).

Frederick Tims, professor and chair of the music therapy area and associate director of graduate studies, was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award for outstanding professional contributions. His article, co-written with Midori Koga, entitled "The Music Making and Wellness Project" was published in the American Music Teacher Journal. He delivered the following papers at the Continuing Education Course in Pasadena, (CA): "Multicultural and Ethical Issues: Implications for Music Therapy Training and Practice," "Going Beyond Stereotypical Boundaries: Providing Culturally-Sensitive and Ethnically Sound Music Therapy," and "Experiencing Two Models of Music Therapy to Promote Wellness: Multi-Cultural Drumming and Group Keyboard Lessons." He was the keynote speaker at the Chancellor's Distinguished Lecture Series at the University of Arkansas.

Elsa Ludewig-Verdehr, professor of clarinet, and Walter Verdehr, professor of violin, as principal members of the Verdehr Trio, performed nationally in Massachusetts, Washington D.C., New Mexico, Tennessee, Ohio, Michigan, Louisiana, and Virginia. The Verdehr Trio performed internationally in Japan, Australia, Slovakia, and Sweden. As part of a double concerto, they performed with the Knoxville Symphony (TN); the La Cruses Symphony (NM); the Contra Costa Orchestra (CA); and the Bratislava Radio Orchestra in Slovakia. The Verdehr Trio premiered new works by American composers Stephen Beck, Vazgen Muradian, C. Curtis-Smith, David Liptak, Brooke Joyce, and Charles Ruggiero. They also premiered works by Milan Slavicky, Czech Republic; Shuhua Zhu, China; and Stephen Chatman, Canada. They gave master classes in Australia, TN, CA and LA. Walter commissioned Argintinian composer Alicia Terzian, Israeli composer Yinam Leef, Spanish composer Cristobal Halffter, and American composers Michael Daugherty, Jennifer Higdon, Charles Ruggiero, and Charles Rochester Young to write new works.

Ralph Votapek, professor of piano, performed as a soloist with the Southern Great Lakes Symphony and the Wichita Symphony. He gave solo recitals at the Wisconsin Lutheran College and in Buenos Aires for the Kinor Foundation; and presented a master class at Alverno College in Milwaukee (WI).

Rodney Whitaker, director of jazz studies and associate professor of double bass, performed with the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra and with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra. He implemented and organized the Detroit Area Outreach Program, which conducts six outreach activities per semester. He served as judge at the Jazz Festival Competition at Notre Dame University, and as clinician at the Jazz Educational Activities at the Lincoln Center. He composed the original film score China, which premiered on PBS in Spring 2002.

John Whitwell, professor of music, director of bands, and chair of the conducting area, guest conducted the United States Air Force Heartland of America Band in Wichita, (KA), and the Symphonic Band at the Interlochen Arts Camp. He gave a conducting clinic, "To Beat or Not To Beat, That is the Question" at the Midwest International Band and Orchestra Clinic. His article, "The Music of Frank Ticheli" was published by the World Association of Symphonic Bands and Ensembles Journal. He presented a paper entitled "Responsibility Sharing - Keeping the Band and Orchestra on Task" at the Bands of America Conference, and "Congratulations, You Have Arrived. Now Where Are You Going?" at the Michigan Music Educators Association Early Career Conference.