FALL 2019 InterludeA NEWSLETTER FOR STUDENTS, ALUMNI AND FRIENDS OF THE WAYNE STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT OF MUSIC www.music.wayne.edu MUSIC NOTES FROM THE CHAIR Students Nearly 300 music majors ACCREDITED institutional Norah Duncan IV member of the National Association of Schools of Music his has been a at musicological conferences, and of Note festive year for lectured frequently to general audiences Anthony Berardi II, a senior the Department on a variety of musical topics. 7 Undergraduate T nd Instrumental Music Education major, of Music. The 52 Mary has been a valued colleague and Graduate Concentrations was elected President of NAfME State 5 75 Kawai pianos, Salute concert during her tenure at Wayne State, and Chapter. Anthony is an accomplished distributed by Evola Music featured alumna has worked tirelessly to uphold the trombonist, an active freelance Jacqueline Echols, standards of our accreditation and musician, and a member of the WSU Over 100 yearly lectures and soprano in a the standards expected of a Research Low Brass Ensemble. performance of Poulenc’s “Gloria.” Jazz 1 institution. By so doing, she has performances open to the public Big Band I + Strings performed a tribute labored to provide the very best for our Recent Instrumental Music Education concert in celebration of the legacy students. Alumna, Francesca Florence (Winter of Matt Michaels, cofounder of the Music historians usually have the last Located WITHIN the College of ‘19) was recently appointed as the Jazz Studies Program at Wayne State. work, and this is the case with Mary Fine, Performing and Communication Arts new director of the harp program for Professor Robert Conway performed Wischusen. Her last assignment was to More than 10,000 the Ector County Independent School in the heart of compositions for piano in a solo concert. write a history of the last 25 years of audience members yearly DETROIT District in Odessa, Texas. Our decades-long partnership with the the Department of Music. It is available Detroit Symphony Orchestra was never to you free of charge on our website at Ana Jaquim, a junior Music Business more evident than this year with the music.wayne.edu. Thanks, AGAIN, Dr. major and violinist, received a paid performances of the Symphonic Chorus Wischusen! The CENTENNIAL Campaign marketing internship this past June with with this world class orchestra. the Chamber Music Society of Detroit. The Centennial Campaign, a goal to raise $100,000, is an effort to step boldly into the future of the Department Our chorus was featured in a of Music at Wayne State—a true cornerstone of music and higher education in Detroit and beyond. Your performance of the Christmas David Simmons, a senior Vocal Music contribution will enable the department to maintain and enhance the quality of our programs and build on its holiday favorite, “Home Alone” Education major, won the regional reputation as a premier training ground for future musicians, scholars, composers and music educators. and in the concert version of level of the National Association of “Porgy and Bess,” under the the Negro and Professional Business direction of Leonard Slatkin in Women’s Club Vocal Arts Competition. MAKE AN IMPACT BY SUPPORTING February 2019. Wayne State was downstage center at the 41st Seniors Amanda Beaune, violin; Annual Classical Roots concert, Catherine Butler, flute; and which featured alumnus Robert Raymond Li, violin were all chosen as A. Harris’ “Gloria,” with alumna 2019 Concerto Competition winners Jacqueline Echols as soprano VINCENT CHANDLER, MAURICE DRAUGHN, RUSSELL and performed with the University soloist. MILLER, MARY WISCHUSEN, CHRIS COLLINS, JEANNINE Symphony Orchestra this past February. As we move into our 101st MILLER, LEAH CELEBI AND KIMWANA DONER-CHANDLER STUDENT SCHOLARSHIPS CAA ORGAN RESEARCH AND year, we say “Goodbye” to TRAVEL FUND DEVELOPMENT The Low-Brass Ensemble and Mary Wischusen, who recently Percussion Ensemble had the retired after teaching both Each contribution to the Centennial Campaign is recognized with a membership in Friends of Music —a benefit that includes opportunity to participate in on- undergraduate and graduate a membership card that provides free admission for you and a guest(s) to all Department of Music on-campus concerts campus masterclasses with members Music History for 30+ years. and half-off Mondays at the Max performances at the Max M. & Marjorie S. Fisher Music Center for one academic year. of the United States Air Force Academy Mary Wischusen was born Band ensemble, The Stellar Brass, in New Jersey and received CENTENNIAL CLUB BENEFACTOR this past October. The Stellar Brass a Bachelor of Arts in Music Gifts of $1000 and above Gifts of $100 to $999 ensemble is led by Staff Sergeant from Chestnut Hill College in • 2 free Box Level tickets to the Centennial • 2 free General Admission tickets to the Quincy Brown (‘10), a WSU alumnus Philadelphia. She received both Closing Celebration on October 20 Centennial Closing Celebration on October 20 and percussionist. a Master of Arts and a PhD • Lifetime Membership in Friends of Music • Friends of Music Membership Card at the in Music History and Music • Friends of Music Membership Card at the Family Level Phillip Sylvester (‘18), violinist, Theory from Rutgers University Family Level composer and Instrumental Music in New Jersey. Dr. Wischusen Education alumnus, was recently taught at several colleges in the MARY WISCHUSEN AND NORAH DUNCAN IV PATRON FAMILY FRIENDS OF MUSIC appointed as the Director of Orchestras Gifts of $51 to $99 Gifts of $50 Gifts of $25-$49 New York City area. at Chelsea High School. • 1 free General Admission tickets to • Friends of Music Membership Card • Friends of Music Membership Card Mary joined the WSU music faculty in I hope to see you either in the the Centennial Closing Celebration good for free admission to on-campus good for free admission to on-campus 1986 as Lecturer in Music History. After chorus or audience at the department’s Jonathon Tockstein (‘19), who on October 20 department performances and 50% off department performances and 50% off a national search in 1987, she became a centennial concluding concert on recently graduated with his degree • Friends of Music Membership Card MATM events for up to 4 guests MATM events for you and a guest tenue track Assistant Professor. She was October 20 and at other events through in Instrumental Music Education, at the Family Level promoted to Associate Professor in 1993 the coming year. Wayne State University recently accepted a position as the and received continuing tenure in 1995. Department of Music: yesterday, today Band Director for Carsonville-Port Dr. Wischusen, was coordinator of and into the future! JOIN FRIENDS OF MUSIC Sanilac Community Schools. the Music History area, oversaw the Donations above $25 are tax deductible and will be receipted by the WSU Office of Development. Additionally, any Bachelor of Arts in music program, and donation over $1,000 will include an engraved name-plate to be placed on the arm of a chair in Schaver Music Recital Hall. On the cover: Recent Tuba Performance served as departmental graduate officer. To join Friends of Music and to contribute to the Centennial Campaign, go to giving.wayne.edu/donate/cfpca and alumnus, Anthony Flores (‘19) As a scholar she presented many papers Norah Duncan IV designate Friends of Music in the drop down menu. Additionally, a Friends of Music pdf. registration form can be found at music.wayne.edu. We thank you in advance for your generous gift and continued support of the Department of Music. 2 3 DEPARTMENT UPDATES: NEW FACES Doug Bianchi, Associate Professor Maurice Draughn, Academic Advisor and Director of Bands, while on III for the Department of Music, will be sabbatical Winter 2019, made returning to the classroom as director several distinctive appearances of the choral program at Cass Technical Jacek Blaszkiewicz (Music History) works by several composers and has had MODO. She has also been seen as Juno across the globe as a Conductor High School in Detroit. Mr. Draughn holds a Ph.D. in musicology from the numerous recent featured performances in Semele and Paula Deen (one of her and Music Director. These musical received his Bachelor of Harp Performance Eastman School of at venues including the Eastman School favorite roles!) in Opera MODO’s Krispy engagements included the with teacher certification from Wayne Music (2018). He of Music, Manhattan School of Music, Kremes and Butter Queens as a part of International Symphony Orchestra, the National Opera and State University and went on to receive is a musicologist and at the Contagious Sounds and Bon Operatit! and featured in the Diego Ballet Orchestra “Oleg Danovski” and a radio broadcast a Master of Church Music from Southern Seminary. During specializing in Permutations series in New York City. Rivera Courtyard at the Detroit Institute performance with the National Symphony Orchestra his tenure at WSU, Maurice also served the department as an nineteenth-century Dr. Fusik is a founding member of the of Arts, bringing hilarity to Detroit “Teleradio Moldova” in Constanta, Romania. adjunct instructor directing Men’s Glee Club and teaching French music, Color Field Ensemble, who produced through opera! ear training and piano skills courses. criticism, and yearly festivals of new music in Madison, Danielle has a private voice and Vincent Chandler, Jazz aesthetics. Dr. WI from 2011-2013. Fusik is renowned dramatic coaching studio in Detroit, Department Faculty and director of Music department faculty Blaszkiewicz’s has for his innovative recital programming and loves working with incredible WSU Jazz Big Band II, was recently Kypros Markou, violin, presented his work at major conferences and his dedication to expanding the undergraduate performers in the Motor appointed as the Music Director of and Stephanie Shapiro, including at meetings of the American offerings of contemporary music.