Fall 2017 (PDF)

DEPARTMENT Fall 2017 Vol. 1 MUSIC MAGAZINEof From the Chair It’s no exaggeration for me to say that it has been an exciting year for the Department of Music. Performances by musical and cultural icons, teaching and student awards, and events that engage with our community are just a few of the oppor- tunities that our students experienced in the course of this academic year. Among the many accomplishments and activities you will discover in the following pages, I’m pleased to share news that the Depart- ment of Music received word of its re-accreditation with the National Association of Schools of Music in July. UE is among only 20 percent of institutions accepted by NASM’s highly selective accreditation process. Our membership represents an endorse- ment of the quality of programs and degrees available in our department. Our accreditation is the culmination of a multi-year process and the work of numerous members of our faculty and staff. Many thanks for their efforts! One outgrowth of our accreditation process has been departmental strategic planning, about which you can find more details on the following page. Needless to say, the engagement of our friends, students, alumni, faculty, and administrators in this process has been both an energizing experience, and a source of great ideas that will guide many of our efforts in the coming years. Wylie Wins Teaching Award Another result has been the decision to make the historic Victory Mary Ellen Wylie, professor of music therapy, was named Theatre the home for many of our large ensemble concerts. Its the 2017 Outstanding Teacher at the University during exceptional facilities will offer a unique opportunity for our students UE’s 159th Commencement exercises. to experience performance in a professional venue, and for our The Alumni Association sponsors this award honoring patrons to attend concerts within the Victory’s beautiful walls. distinguished service in teaching. As downtown Evansville grows with the addition of the medical school facility and convention hotel, we are excited to be a part Wylie came to UE in 1991. She is an experienced music of the energy and activity coming to our city. therapist having worked with children with severe devel- opmental delays and multiple handicaps, adults with mental Finally, as you have likely noted, we have adopted a new magazine handicaps, the elderly and terminally ill, and patients format to replace the biannual newsletter. While you can now with cancer. expect to receive the magazine just once a year, we hope to provide a better picture of the scope of department activities. You can Wylie is past president of the American Music Therapy still find news throughout the year by following our Department Association and has served a number of years on the board of Music Facebook page, our website (music.evansville.edu), or of directors and executive committee of that organization. by signing up for our weekly e-mail updates (if you are not on In March 2010 she was awarded the Honorary Life Member our list yet, just send us an e-mail at [email protected]). award from the region for distinguished contributions made over the years. Hope to see you often during the coming year! As director of UE’s music therapy program, Wylie teaches courses in music therapy, supervises music therapy practica, and coordinates internships. A record number of nominations for this year’s award were submitted for Wylie, not only from students, but also from alumni and fellow faculty members. 1 812-488-2754 DEPARTMENT OF MUSIC Wind and Jazz Ensemble Concert and Tour The University of Evansville Wind Ensemble and Jazz Ensemble presented a Tour Kick-Off Concert in November at Old National Bank in downtown Evansville. The ensembles also engaged in a three- day concert tour to Atlanta, Georgia, and Chat- tanooga, Tennessee. Special thanks to FUEM for their support of the tour and concert. NASM Renews Department’s Accreditation The Department of Music at the University of Evansville was recently granted renewed accreditation by the National Associa- tion of Schools of Music (NASM). UE’s music department has been accredited since 1948. Department Strategic Founded in 1924, NASM is an organization of schools, conserva- Planning Underway tories, colleges, and universities with approximately 650 accredited institutional members. It establishes national standards for Drawing upon the input and expertise of friends, alumni, students, undergraduate and graduate degrees and other credentials for music faculty, administrators, and community members, the department and music-related disciplines. It provides assistance to institutions engaged in a series of meetings to develop a strategic plan. The plan and individuals engaged in artistic, scholarly, educational, and is intended to help guide and focus department initiatives during other music-related endeavors. the coming three to five years. Accreditation by NASM is the result of a comprehensive review Six broad goals were identified: 1) Strategically enhance enrollment; process. The institution must meet specific standards in a variety 2) Provide a premier musical environment for study and perfor- of areas, including degree programs offered, general operations, mance; 3) Increase awareness of the department to internal and and facilities. An intense self-study by UE’s music department was external constituents; 4) Cultivate relationships with the development submitted to NASM in January 2015. UE then hosted a site visit office, Friends of UE Music, and prospective donors; 5) Provide first- with NASM in March of that year. class equipment and instrument inventory; and 6) Raise awareness, effectiveness, and efficiency through vision articulation, restructuring, “Accreditation by NASM is a significant achievement for our depart- and designation. ment,” said Thomas Josenhans, UE music department chair. “It is a testament to the excellence of the programs and level of professional Committees have been meeting to create and implement initiatives experiences and development that we provide for our students.” in each area, and several steps were taken during the spring. Among the efforts were developing plans for improvements to the Krannert Josenhans noted that UE has five degrees that are accredited by building and landscaping (including handicapped accessibility), NASM - Bachelor of Science in Music, Bachelor of Science in Music establishing stronger ties with the Arts Council of Southwestern with an emphasis in Music Management, Bachelor of Music in Music Indiana, and establishing a capital budget and plans to update and Therapy, Bachelor of Music in Music Education, and Bachelor of improve the instrument and equipment inventory. We have also Music in Performance. identified goals in other areas of our plan. “NASM’s renewal of the University’s membership is an external We will continue to share news of our efforts as plans move forward validation of the quality of the faculty, students, and programs and evolve. We hope you will feel free to share your input with provided by our Department of Music,” UE president Thomas A. the department. Kazee said. “It shows their continuing success in creating life-trans- forming experiences for our students.” music.evansville.edu 2 DEPARTMENT OF MUSIC IMEA Symposium For a second year, the University of Evansville jointly hosted the Southern Indiana Music Education Symposium with the Indiana Music Education Association. The Organ Repairs event brought K-12 music teachers from across the southern part of the state to UE for a day long professional development conference with guest clinicians and UE Wheeler Concert Hall’s Holtkamp pipe music faculty. A major feature of this event was “Bring Your Men,” a choral/vocal organ, originally installed in 1963, under- workshop with nearly 200 middle and high school male choral singers taking part. went repairs during the Fall semester. Master The guest clinician for that workshop was Matthew Oltman, music director emeritus organ-builder Mike Rathke and a team of of the Grammy award winning and internationally renowned male vocal ensemble technicians rebuilt the Swell portion of the Chanticleer. Join us for this year’s workshop on August 31. organ and related components. 3 812-488-2754 music.evansville.edu DEPARTMENT OF MUSIC Lessons from a Legend: Tonight Show Icon Doc Severinsen Works and Performs with Students Donning a bright pink suit true to his signature style, Doc Severinsen, the former leader of The Tonight Show Band, took the stage with students in the University of Evansville Jazz Ensemble I to play to a packed Victory Theatre. The event was part of UE’s Patricia H. Snyder Concert and Lecture Series, which brings renowned acts or speakers to Evansville at no cost to the public. Selections included Max Anderson’s September Song, Hoagy Carmi- chael’s Georgia, a big-band arrangement of Soundgarden’s Black Hole Sun, and a Tonight Show Band’s rendition of a Count Basie favorite, 12 O’clock Jump. UE Jazz Program Hosts After a difficult arrangement of A Night in Tunisia, Severinsen Second Annual Invitational motioned toward the ensemble and asked for applause for the “brilliant The Department of Music hosted the second annual Jazz Invita- work from all the folks in the back.” tional in April. The event features performances by jazz ensembles Over the past several years, the Ensemble has performed with other from around the region, and also included a clinic with Jamey jazz artists including Diane Schuur and Max Weinberg, and has been Aebersold. recognized at the Elmhurst Jazz Festival. In addition to the UE Jazz Ensembles, performers included the “Playing with Doc was an absolute dream come true,” said Griffin Signature School Jazz Band, F.J. Reitz High School Jazz Ensemble, Honeycutt, a saxophone player and music education major. “I’m still Castle High Tuesday Jazz Ensemble, Castle 12 O’Clock Jazz in shock that I got to play and even solo with a living legend in the Ensemble, Castle Bones, EVSC Honors Jazz Band, Owen Valley jazz world.

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