NEWSLETTER fou ALUMNI b FRIENDS September, 2000 Vol. XII, No. 2 DG N is the official newsletter of the Anne Dhz~McLucns, Dean University of Oregon School of Music and Department of Dance, s I begin my eighth year as dean of and is published t~vicea year for A the School of Music, I am gratified alumni, faculty, and friends of the by the progress we've made over the school. Your letters, photos, and past txvo generations of students (count- contributions are always welcome. ing each "generation" as the four under- A beautiJd campus environ- graduate years). We have increased our Address all correspondence to: overall student enrollment, which has had positive repercussions on the bud- oyporiunities, one ofihe most LEDGER LINES School of Music get, the quality of our ensembles, and complete music & dame 1225 University of Oregon the general level of our studios. We have curriculn in the western Eugene OR 97433-1225 hired some stellar nen7faculty (read or call (541) 346-3761 about our latest additions on p.ll), who have enhanced the aualitv of the school United States, an I, and of music in the state overall. With DEAN: Anne Dhu McLucas ASSOCIATE DEANS: " nificant funds for such projects as instru- kets of New York City and abroad. Ann Tedards-Graduate Studies ment purchase and maintenance, faculty Far from being a profession that is Robert Hurwitz-Undergraduate Studies development, the refurbishing of Beall on the wane, as some in the media would have us believe, music and dance DEVELOPMENT STAFF: Concert Hall, new scholarships in nearly all areas, and three endowed chairs, two are becoming more fundamental to the Joan Gardner-School of Music economy of this new century than ever Peggy Renkert-Oregon Bach Festival of which have just been appointed (see p. 2). We have started a community before. The newly-blossoming "creative EDITOR: Scott Barkhurst music program, the Community Music F.A., B.S. in Music or Dance Institute, that has touched the lives of services industry," the broad new term B.Mus. in Performance ASSISTANT: Pamela Cressall hundreds of area youngsters. for the many small and large companies B.Mus. in Composition As we launch a new academic year that design, produce, and deliver cre- us. in Music Education CONTRIBUTORS: in a new century, though, it is really to ative content in various forms, is one of F.Mus. in Music Theory George Evano, Joan Gardner, Robert our students and former students-our the fastest growing in the nation. It in- B.Mus. in Jazz Studies Kyr, Gary Martin, Anne Dhu McLucas alumni-that I want to pay tribute. As I cludes companies and freelancers in B.S., option in Music Technology have met and talked with more and design, advertising, public relations, COVER PHOTO by Juretta Nidever film and video, multimedia, and soft- M.A., MS., M.F.A. in Dance more alumni over the vears.J I have been M.A., M.Mus. in Music History Forvest Moyer provides youngstevs an up- impressed with their loyalty to the ware. And the basic requirement for M.A., M.Mus. in Music Theory close demoustrntion ofthe stving bass duving School of Music, their memories of their workers in this industry is a mastery of M.Mus. in Composition the Oregon Bach Festival. years here, and their significant achieve- one of the art forms plus technical lit- M.Mus. in Music Education ments, whether in music or in other eracy in computers and other modern M.Mus. in Performance fields. Just this summer I met with an technology. We already have current and M.Mus. in Conducting former students working within this M.Mus. in Piano Pedagogy alumnus who is the CEO of a large and successful ski area (and still pursues his industry-some of our composers, for M.Mus. in Jazz Studies February 2 & 3,2001 music in the evenings), a professional example, earn money composing for Eugene, Oregon D.M.A., Ph.D. in Music Ed singer who has sung all over the ~7orld, video, film, and computer games. Clearly this is a Rrowth opportunity- D.M.A., Ph.D. in Composition Scholarships and graduate a group of foreign students who have D.M.A. in Performance become successful teachers in both their for the prdfession and one which the Ph.D, in Music History teaching fellowships are School of Music, with its up-to-date available, based on own countries and here, and several Ph.D. in Music Theory alumni who return to Oregon to play in computer labs, its technically sophisti- application and audition. cated dance program, and its electronic The University of Oregon is an equnl our summer festival orchestras-the music program, is poised to take advan- ovaortunit~i,affirmative action institution Oregon Bach Festival and the Oreron" For information, contact: Application Deadline for 8 8 0 4 FesCval of American Music One of our ' tage of as we move into this new era. School of Music Admissions cholarship Consi commtted to ~dti~id dwel sity alumni, Sue Keene, now serves as a 1225 University of Oregon February 1,2001 and complzance ~~11ththe Eugene OR 97403-1225 Americans with Dlsabllltles Act University of Oregon Foundation or call: (541) 346-1164 (Music) usicIDance web site: 7111s publicatioiz will be made aeadable zn Trustee, countless others are doing the 346-3386 (Dance) http:/ /musicl.uoregon.edu accessibleforinats upon request 1 heroic work of teaching muslc m schools RANT RECORDS WEB SITE WINS AWARD anet Towner received this year's dation upon his death in 1975. During elec r Recording artist Tom Grant sur- The UO School of Music's web site Distinguished Alumnus Award at those years she also performed in the prised UO alumni at an awards cer- has been named one of the top sites of omm men cement ceremonies for the dance companies of Mimi Garrard, Jan emony last fall by performing his own its kind in the country, according to an School of Music and Department of Wodynski, and Gale Ormiston, and arrangement of the UO Fight Song organization that specializes in web site Dance, in recognition of "significant studied with many prominent modern ("Mighty Oregon"). The piece was for analysis. achievement in the preservation and dance artists, as ~7ellas at the Dalcroze Percussion studies program gets boost solo piano, in his own sophisticated jazz Each quarter, Links2Go samples continuation of America's dance legacy." School of Music. rendition. millions of web pages to determine Towner is the first dance alum to receive Towner's activities for the Weidman harles Dowd, indefatigable provides the wherewithal to bring to Grant graciously made a recording, which pages are most heavily cited by the award since it was instituted in 1993. Foundation took her to many universi- professor of percussion at the fruition some of the plans Charles has which was released in July. The School web pages authors. The most popular A native Oregonian, Towner at- ties as well as dance companies-teach- School of Music for 30 years, has been had for a long time that we've never had of Music, in conjunction with a gift from pages are downloaded and automati- tended the Unive&ity of Oregon initially ing, coaching, and directing dances from awarded a Knight Professorship. Dean the funding to do: tours by the Oregon the law firm Schwabe, Williamson & cally categorized by topic. At most 50 of as an English major, but Anne Dhu McLucas made the an- Percussion Ensemble; help in hosting the Wyatt, produced the single CD, and now the pages related to a topic are selected continued to dance in nouncement spring term after a lengthy Northwest Percussion Festival next year; Duck fans, friends, and donors may as "Key Resources." Out of 50 pages the developing program faculty discussion and review process. scholarships for recruiting students; and obtain copies by contributing to the selected as Key Resources for the founded by Dr. Frances The Knight Professorship is an funding an extra GTF to assist with all School of Music's Jazz Studies Depart- Schools of Music topic, the University of Dougherty. Towner endowed fund given to the University these programs." It will also garner ment. To do this, contact Director of Oregon page ranked second (behind spent a year of study at by Phil Knight some badly Development Joan Gardner at Peabody). the Vienna Academy of as a match to needed new (541) 346-5687 or E-mail her at The Links2Go Key Resource award Music and Dance, and endowed chair percussion <[email protected]>. differs from other awards in two impor- in 1969 moved to New money raised equipment, A master instrumentalist, singer, tant ways. First, it is objective. Most York City, beginning a by departments. McLucas and entertainer, Grant walks the line awards rely on hand selection by one or seven-year association The Knight noted. between traditional jazz and modern more "experts," and selection for these with dance pioneer professorship is "Charles pop. One of the Northwest's most cel- awards often means that one person, Charles Weidman as a five-year has used a lot ebrated musical artists, Grant signed somewhere, noticed a particular page a student, teaching rotating endow- of his own with the world-renowned Windham Hill and liked it enough to select it. assistant, and principal ment that gives equipment for Records label in 1998 after previously The Key Resource award, on the dancer in his company. both salary and years, and we recording more than fifteen albums. other hand, is based on an analysis of In 1974 she was the program sup- were way be- A UO graduate, Grant was named millions of web pages.