EASTMAN NOTES A BIANNUAL PUBLICATION FOR ALUMNI OF THE EASTMAN SCHOOL OF MUSIC FALL/WINTER 2002 17005-Eastman 1 12/26/02, 9:51:23 AM NOTES FROM THE EDITOR t’s good to be back! And what kind of alumni magazine I started as Eastman’s director of does an alumnus want to produce? Sim- publications on July 15, 2002, and ply reporting the year’s events at a school the welcome I have received from the that offers so much to its students, to the faculty and staff has been hearten- community, and to the musical world, is a I ing and exciting. I am an Eastman alum complicated but fascinating task. I like to myself – an MA in musicology – but my think of Eastman Notes as a news maga- association with this wonderful school zine about the School and its people, with began long before my graduation in the a balance of news about Eastman in the Class of 1987. past, Eastman in the present, and most My fi fth-grade class spent most of important, Eastman in the future. a year (1966–67) watching and hear- Eastman has a remarkable 80-year ing a series of TV concerts, each with history, so it’s easy and fun to research music from a different country, in which events from the School’s past; the prob- Eastman musicians (and the gravelly lem is choosing only one per issue. In this voice of the narrator and sometime con- issue, we recall the Philharmonia’s 1962 ductor, the recently retired Eastman tour of Europe, the Middle East, and Rus- Director Howard Hanson) were featured. sia – an event many Eastman alumni In seventh grade, I was a member of remember vividly, and a remarkable the Eastman Children’s Chorus, and musical and diplomatic achievement at took part in the fi rst performances of the height of the Cold War. Alec Wilder’s Children’s Plea for Peace, Eastman in the present is actually most directed by Milford Fargo. (I know I was of the magazine, with features on many introduced to the composer, but I’m afraid different events of the past year, short all I remember is a gray-haired man in profi les of new faculty members, and the tweeds with a pipe.) customary alumni and faculty news. My own interest in music started at Eastman’s future is also addressed in around the same time, and I listened to this issue with a new regular column on many of the Mercury LPs of American the exciting plans of the still-new Insti- music by Hanson and the Eastman- tute for Music Leadership, and in James KURT BROWNELL Rochester Orchestra, and by Frederick Undercofl er’s 2002 Convocation Address, Fennell and the Eastman Wind Ensem- on the problem of “curriculum infl ation.” ble. Most of them, happily, are now on This is an introduction, to me, and an CDs; I listen to them on headphones in invitation, to you. You have been great my offi ce instead of stretched out in front about sending Notes updates on your of the living room stereo. lives and careers, but I invite all Eastman Then, after several years of writing alumni and faculty to send us story ideas, about music, I became, after two very busy letters in response to stories and reminis- years (1985–87), an actual Eastman alum- cences. We’d like anything that enhances nus. I continued newspaper writing about the value of the Eastman experience: music for many years. And now, here I am, a complicated, fascinating experience, one of the people offi cially entrusted with which, in my experience, reverberates spreading the word about Eastman. through the years. ❧ David Raymond, editor 17005-Eastman 2 12/26/02, 9:51:29 AM EASTMAN NOTES INSIDE VOL. 21/NO. 26 FALL/WINTER 2002 Published twice a year by the Offi ce of Communications, Eastman School of Music, 26 Gibbs Street, Rochester, NY 14604 (585) 274-1040 E-mail: [email protected] FEATURES DEPARTMENT NEWS 2 ‘The miracle of immersion’ 21 Music Education Director and Dean James Undercofl er MENC wins for education projects addresses a growing concern at David Raymond Eastman – with advice from an 23 Keyboard/Organ Editor illustrious predecessor 25 Keyboard/Piano Christina Zikos 3 “… and he kept the box” 26 Theory Contributing writer Jazz bassist and Eastman alum Ron Carter receives the Hutchison Medal 28 Humanities Sara Shumway 5 Britten, bel canto, & Broadway 29 Strings/Viola Widya Widjaja Opera is changing, and Eastman Student interns 30 Jazz Studies & Contemporary Media students are ready for the transformation 31 Community Education Division Kurt Brownell Jay Capers 8 “Drip-dry diplomats” 32 Institute for Music Leadership Gelfand-Piper Photography In 1962, the Eastman Philharmonia Elizabeth Lamark temporarily warmed up the Cold War Amy Vetter 11 Alumni Weekend 2002 IN TRIBUTE Contributing photographers Eastman grads tour the past and 33 William Warfi eld: A great American visit the future Amy Vetter baritone leaves legacy to Eastman Photography editor In memoriam Steve Boerner SCHOOL NEWS 34 Merritt Torrey, Jr.: “Junior” put Graphic design Eastman on stage for 40 years 14 Eastman welcomes new faculty Susan Robertson Gamelan delights the senses through Associate Director for Communications music, dance, and word NOTES 15 Cooke, Wolf named to Eastman Board 35 Alumni notes of Managers 37 Lost and found: A Chambers The fall 2002 entering class cornet work 16 Young Artists Piano Competition 39 Teacher’s aid fl ourishes 40 Virtual virtuosity 17 Summer Session highlighted by a visit from the Canadian Brass 43 Faculty notes On the cover Alarm still sounding: Eastman grads Killmer and crew celebrate 20 years explore new music together at Eastman Last year, Eastman’s opera students took the stage in everything from a Broadway 18 Eastman Horn Choir travels to Finland 44 Student notes musical to La Bohème (pictured). 19 New instrument strikes a golden Clarifi cations & additions Story, page 5. (harpsi)chord PHOTO BY GELFAND-PIPER PHOTOGRAPHY 20 A month of Marian (McPartland) F ALL/WINTER 2002 1 17005-Eastman 1 12/26/02, 9:51:32 AM FEATURES her gifts to a purpose, within his or her larger and local communities – artistry, scholarship, leadership. Finding and establishing a balance ‘The miracle among these three domains is central to our work. We’re out of balance now. Not only do our students not have enough time to practice, we faculty and administration have little of immersion’ time to think, practice, and perform. The development of artistry requires the creation and maintenance of an Director and Dean James Undercofl er environment that permits and encour- ages immersion. Artistry requires space addresses a growing concern at Eastman – and time in which to grow. It requires an immersion in artistic activities and with advice from an illustrious predecessor thought. I believe it is this lack of time for immersion that drives our discomfort with the current curriculum. Hanson shed some light on this in 1954. BY JAMES UNDERCOFLER He reasoned that curriculum infl ation was hat can we do about curriculum infl ation? caused by the rapidly increasing body of knowledge in music. Remember that this Consistent themes regarding a shadow, or was 1954. Imagine how this situation has unstated, curriculum and the problem of our stu- been compounded since then. Interest- ingly, he also cited Americans’ belief that dents not having enough time to practice have education can solve all of society’s needs dominated our concerns as faculty, administra- and ills. He was specifi cally referring to a number of new courses that were added tion, and students over the past several years. We are experiencing and required in the aftermath of the wars W the results of curriculum infl ation – the process of continuously (Second World War and the Korean Con- fl ict). Certainly, from my past in public adding more content, more skills development, and more experien- education, curriculum infl ation created by tial learning to our degree programs and to our everyday lives. the addition of courses to address society’s perceived needs was commonplace. We Our problem is real, but not new. How- will need to examine our own curriculum ard Hanson, Eastman School of Music CONVOCATION 2002 to see where we have reacted in a simi- director from 1924–1964, spoke eloquently lar manner. Hanson becomes brilliant, about curriculum infl ation in 1954 at a questions. Is not the freedom to choose at however, in describing the need for the conference of school vocal and instru- the very core of the practice of the arts? artist to become fully immersed in artis- mental teachers. I will refer to Hanson’s The problems associated with curriculum tic endeavors and scholarly pursuit. He thoughts in depth, later in this talk. infl ation have expanded as a result of the declares curriculum infl ation the enemy of Today I hope to shine some additional choices we have made about how the curric- immersion and artistic enrichment. critical light on the problem of curriculum ulum is organized and taught. In fact, little As we tackle the problem of curriculum infl ation and suggest some vantage points thought has been given to instructional infl ation, I ask that we keep the educa- from which to analyze and understand it. organization. Once content is decided, how tion of the young artist central in our I will also suggest some strategies on how it is scheduled within the day and week is minds, that we embrace the need for the to tackle it. given relatively little attention. young artist to become truly immersed The sheer volume of what we all believe Our diffi cult challenge is to work in many aspects of his or her art form.