The Perfect Pitch 2010
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10 2009–2010 John Adler, Trumpet Aaron P. Dworkin, Lecturer Eric Olson, Violin Douglas Akey, Clinician/Conductor Enso String Quartet Shannon Orme, Clarinet & Bass Clarinet Ben Allison, Double Bass/Jazz Victoria Evtodieva, Soprano Pacifica Quartet The Ben Allison Band Debra Fayroian, Cello David Palmer, Piano Karim Al-Zand, Composer Adam Frey, Euphonium Ken Peplowski, Clarinet and Tenor Saxophone/Jazz Jeffery Ames, Conductor Keir GoGwilt, Violin Nicholas Schwartz, Double Bass Susan B. Anthony, Soprano Monica Griffin, Soprano Julie Sengupta, Adjudicator Meredith Arwady, Contralto Jamey Haddad, Percussion/Jazz Robert Sheldon, Guest Composer/Conductor David Asbury, Guitar Billy Hart, Drums Christopher Smith, Trumpet Ivano Ascari, Trumpet Fred Hersch, Pianist and Composer Esperanza Spalding, Double Bass/Jazz Suren Bagratuni, Cello Joshua Hopkins, Tenor Storioni Piano Trio Ron Barron, Trombone Keith Horn, Composer Ben Street, Double Bass/Jazz Shelly Berg, Piano/Jazz Stephanie Hovnanian, Clarinet Triton Brass Quintet Annie Chalex Boyle, Violin Wesley Jacobs, Tuba & Euphonium USAF Falconaires Jeffrey Butler, Cello Brandon Jones, Euphonium Chris VanHof, Trombone Bruce Cain, Baritone John Knific, Pianist and Entrepreneur Virtuoso Horn Duo Dmitry Chasovitin, Piano Rhonda Larson and Ventus Jiggs Whigham, Trombone/Jazz Tracy Cowden, Piano Donny McCaslin, Saxophone/Jazz Jobey Wilson, Tuba John Duykers, Tenor m-pact (male a cappella sextet) James Wood, Trumpet Northstar Jazz Sextet 10 1913–2013 Dear Friends, In 2013, the School of Music will celebrate its 100th anniversary. The faculty is beginning to plan how we will celebrate this important milestone. We will mark the occasion in meaningful ways that reflect on our past and imagine our future. Music schools are very good at guarding the past; we tend to teach musical subjects the way we learned them as students. This helps perpetuate the many fine traditions that define the art of music. But in this rapidly changing world, with its accelerating use of technology and rapidly expanding population, we are challenged to re-imagine the future roles of music careers in American life. We don’t know what this vortex of change will mean for music students today. What will they do to make a living in the musical arts in 2040? What skills will be important for them to learn today in order to have a creative life over the next four decades? While these are difficult questions, they are not necessarily specific to music—it is always hard to predict the future—even five years, let alone 20 or 30 years. It is our responsibility as educators to forecast the musical cosmology and the accompanying skills needed for future teachers, artists, and therapists. A vital component to the musical arts is creative ability, and this may be the single most important aspect today in any young person’s education. Because of this, we are quite confident that WMU music students will have a competitive edge in this brave new world. Table of ConTenTs Creativity has been a mystery for hundreds of years, and our modern culture and educational system have Letter from the Director. 3 done all they can to stamp creativity out of people. We may not be able to predict our future or even train students for exactly what they’ll need in 40 years, but as educators we can create opportunities for our What’s New?. 4 students to exercise inventiveness and resourcefulness as a product of their creative imaginations. School of Music Abroad . 8 When you read this latest edition of The Perfect Pitch, you will notice the rich panoply of musical activities. Scholarships: Investing in our Students’ Potential & Excellence. 14 We embrace the traditions that are on loan to us from previous generations of faculty, staff, and students, Student Ensemble Appearances & Performances. 16 and we willingly risk failure for the sake of making new discoveries. Both are important features to a WMU School of Music education, and we are proud to share these with you. Carl Doubleday Retires . 20 Stay tuned for the future. During our 100th anniversary and beyond, we look forward to celebrating our Publications & Recordings . 22 many forms of creativity. Student Achievements . 24 All-Steinway Project Update. 27 Sincerely, Alumni News. 28 Faculty Achievements. 33 Spotlight on Music Education. 37 Bullock Performance Institute. 38 David Colson, Director 2 3 Design by Newhall Klein, Inc. 2013 What’s New? Kennedy assassination and funeral,” says Janevicius. The Sarabande continues to be a staple of his listening The Ron nelson ComposiTion AwARd for resTful MusiC repertoire, and in fact, is on his play-list for music he listens to while working in the operating room. In september 2009, Ray and Lori Janevicius contacted school of Music Director David So on June 14, 2003, in the lobby of the Biltmore Hotel in Phoenix, Arizona, Janevicius met Nelson. “It was like meeting God! (I stole that line from him, as that’s how he said he felt when he met Ralph Vaughn Colson with the idea of establishing a student composition award in honor of their Williams in the 1950s, and it’s exactly how I felt meeting Ron that day.) After all, how often are you able to meet good friend Ron Nelson. Ray Janevicius is a surgeon in Elmhurst, Ill., a Chicago suburb and talk with a composer of a beloved work? It was quite the experience, and we spent a delightful where his practice focuses on reconstructive surgery with an emphasis in hand surgery time together. I felt I had come full circle from first experiencing his work as a high school student in 1971, to finally meeting the composer of this wonderful work.” (trauma, reconstruction). his fascination with hand anatomy, function, and surgery is In December, the School of Music along with Ray and Lori Janevicius, created a result of his immersion in piano over the years. Music continues to play a significant “The Ron Nelson Composition Award For Restful Music” which was given to role in his life as well as that of his wife and two children. Nelson on his 80th birthday. This award will be presented annually to a composition student at Western Nelson has gained wide recognition as a composer As a senior in high school, Janevicius made Michigan University for the creation of a new work that fosters restfulness in and conductor of choral, band, and orchestral All-State Chorus, and in January of 1971, the the listener. The composer chosen for this honor must be a currently enrolled works. In 1993, his Passacaglia (Homage on All-State Chorus, the All-State Band, and the All- music student studying composition at WMU at the time of application. B-A-C-H) made history by winning the “triple State Orchestra met, rehearsed, and performed The award will be a $1,000 commission for the creation of a new crown” of major wind band composition prizes. In during a long weekend. It was there that he first work for large ensemble (rotating annually between symphonic band, all, more than 90 works are published primarily by heard Nelson’s Sarabande: For Katharine in April. chorus, and orchestra). The composition should be of pastoral quality Boosey & Hawkes, Carl Fischer, and Ludwig Music. Janevicius was immediately mesmerized with the and should epitomize the quiet and tranquil in music. The premiere sublime work. Nelson has had a long-standing, special relationship performance will be given by the corresponding university ensemble with the School of Music, having composed Fanfare Years later, Janevicius wrote Nelson an e-mail, on one of its regular concert programs. for a Celebration for the opening of the Dalton explaining his fascination with the Sarabande and The Janeviciuses are thrilled to honor Nelson and his contributions to Center in 1982 and being the guest composer with his music. Nelson was not only kind enough music. Nelson’s excitement for this award is as follows: “This is very for the 50th annual Southwestern Michigan Vocal to respond, but also answered some of Janevicius’ important to me personally. I’m sure that’s quite evident, but it’s also Festival in 1988. He was questions. very important professionally and historically. I’m so pleased that the also the guest composer “Wow! When can you ever have a conversation faculty at WMU will be instrumental in effecting this project.” and conductor for the about a musical work with the composer? 10th Spring Conference I learned about him winning the Eastman School on Wind and Percussion of Music Benjamin Award for the piece. I learned Music in 1978. His the origin of the title of the work. I learned who wife, Michele Miller, is ‘Katharine’ was. I learned his favorite recording of no stranger to WMU. it was by Leonard Slatkin. I learned that it was used She is an alumna of the as background music during the coverage of the music program, was a clarinetist in the Ron Nelson All-Star Band in 1978, and was a member of the student RoN & MIChELE NELsoN staff for SEMINAR 83 RON’S 80TH birthday celebration and 84, the School of December 2009 Music’s summer music camp. 5 Jazz Masters at Miller Fontana Chamber arts Initiates Fellowship Program With WMU school of Music Miller Auditorium and the School of Music will continue to build on their many partnerships by co-producing a new event. On Thursday, Nov. 11, 2010 at 8 p.m., Miller Auditorium The Fontana Chamber Arts, Southwest Michigan’s premier chamber music presenter, will pilot an ensemble will present “Jazz Masters at Miller” featuring guest artist and Grammy Award winning jazz in-residence fellowship with the WMU School of Music’s student new music ensemble, Birds on a Wire. Ensemble members will heighten their performance skills on the stage as well as in outreach activities in the community.