Leadership

College of Music joins worldwide celebration of Finnish birthday

Anonymous — Tue, 26 Sep 2017 12:57:08 +0000

College of Music joins worldwide celebration of Finnish birthday Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 09/26/2017 - 06:57

Jessie Bauters

Student composer Conor Brown walks a snowy trail near Rovaniemi, Finland, during a trip there last year.

Finland is one of those far-off places that you may not often think about. When you hear the name, you might picture a scene out of “Frozen”—darkness, snow, ice. After all, it’s one of only eight countries on the planet that is partially located north of the Arctic Circle.

But the unique musical and folk traditions of the Nordic country are coming to life this fall at the College of Music, starting with a Faculty Tuesday performance featuring Finnish music and its influence on the work of one composition student.

“Time feels different there than it does here—more visceral. For one thing there’s a built-in rhythm to the language, which through its lengthened phonemes, has a musical weightiness to it. Also, because it’s so far north and daylight is so scarce in the winter, there is a patience and even a joy that is learned from darkness.”

Conor Brown is a second-year master’s student and the first recipient of the College of Music’s Finnish Jubilee Composition Scholarship. Spearheaded by Composition Chair Daniel Kellogg and donors Don and Maria Johnson—he a local architect and she a dancer, both with ties to Finland—the scholarship began as a commission for a student to write a piece to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the country’s independence, happening this year.

Then, it started to evolve. “I met with the Johnsons, and after talking about the project, it became clear that in order to do the piece justice, I needed to go to Finland.”

Brown spent 10 days in the capital city of Helsinki and in Rovaniemi, a town on the Arctic Circle, learning from experience and shaping his work with the help of Finnish accordionist Hannu Rahikainen. The on-the-ground learning led to his piece, which Professor of Clarinet Daniel Silver, graduate quartet in residence the Ajax Quartet and vocalist-accordionist Alicia Baker will premiere on Oct. 24 at Faculty Tuesdays.

“The text comes from two poems from two different rural regions of Finland,” Brown explains. “But the music isn’t meant to imitate Finnish music. Part of my background is in Bulgarian, Macedonian and klezmer music as a clarinetist, so that influence is felt in all my compositions. I decided not to write that out of the piece, but rather to include the Finnish influence primarily through text.”

This won’t be the only performance of the piece: It travels down U.S. 36, where the same group will perform on the CU Denver campus, and east to Washington, D.C., where the College of Music has been invited to perform at the Finnish Embassy.

Dean Robert Shay says in addition to celebrating Finland’s culture, the hope is that this fall’s events will help nurture a partnership between the college and Finland’s Sibelius Academy.

Accordionist Hannu Rahikainen

“Dean Emeritus Dan Sher first started building a relationship with former Sibelius Academy Dean Tuomas Auvinen when he was president of the National Association of Schools of Music, and I had a chance to talk with current Dean Kaarlo Hildén earlier this month at a meeting with the Sibelius Academy’s other partner schools in New York,” Shay explains. “Part of the vision of the ‘College of Music Advantage’ is to create impactful partnerships with a handful of leading international schools, to provide our students and faculty with opportunities to make connections and gain insights into other approaches to musical study.”

In what the college hopes is the first of many exchanges with the academy, Daniel Kellogg joins Shay and Director of Orchestras Gary Lewis on a trip next week to Helsinki. He says the chance to observe composers, conductors and educators at one of the most highly regarded musical institutions in the world doesn’t come up every day.

“We’re from different parts of the world, so it broadens our view to observe different philosophies and exchange ideas about teaching methods and music.”

Kellogg and the composition department welcome a Sibelius Academy faculty composer to the college later this month for a seminar with students, yet another element of the month-long celebration set in motion by Don and Maria Johnson’s creativity and generosity.

“Maria is from Finland, and the Johnsons have been forging a relationship between Finland and CU Denver’s College of Architecture and Planning for years,” Kellogg says. “It’s really exciting to have donors with such a passion for creating these amazing opportunities, beyond the classroom, for our students.” Check out this Q&A with the Johnsons about why they support the College of Music.

Brown, a Boulder native who began composing music when he was just 10 years old, says the cultural exchange between CU and Sibelius could take musical study at both institutions to a new level.

“I think the culture at the academy is very different from CU Boulder. Seeing those two different styles in action can be helpful in training composers here and in Finland.”

Faculty Tuesday: Finnish Celebration is Tuesday, Oct. 24, at 7:30 p.m. in Grusin Music Hall. In addition to Conor Brown’s “Ladun hiihin lau lajille,” the program includes works by Finnish composer Jean Sibelius and others.

Boulder. Denver. Washington, D.C. Helsinki. The College of Music is hitting the road in October to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Finnish independence, starting with a Faculty Tuesday premiere of a student-written ode to Finnish folk tradition.

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Cleveland Orchestra members return for third residency

Anonymous — Wed, 23 Aug 2017 20:34:16 +0000

Cleveland Orchestra members return for third residency Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 08/23/2017 - 14:34

Jessie Bauters

Principal Trumpet Michael Sachs (left) works with members of the CU Boulder trumpet section during the 2015 residency of members of the Cleveland Orchestra.

That old familiar fall buzz is back at CU Boulder. Students are starting new classes, meeting new roommates, finding new routes through the ever-improving campus grounds.

At the College of Music, the excitement of a new year means more than just fresh repertoire and seating auditions. This year, for the third time since 2013, members of the Cleveland Orchestra are planning a visit to the college from Sept. 11-13. The principal and associate principal players from each section of the renowned orchestra will work side by side with CU students and faculty during what has become one of the most anticipated biennial events on the college’s calendar.

“The opportunity to be coached by members of one of the greatest orchestras in the world and to sit with them, playing repertoire we’re preparing to perform, is invaluable,” says Gary Lewis, director of orchestras and Bob and Judy Charles endowed chair in music. He will lead the CU Symphony Orchestra in a side-by-side rehearsal with the musicians from Cleveland.

“It’s one thing to attend a master class or play excerpts, but to have input based on your performance in an orchestra is really second to none.”

The rehearsal is the culmination of three days of sectional and small-group work. It’s a unique experience that both the students and the professional performers relish.

“The side-by-side rehearsal is the best part,” says clarinet DMA student Jacob Eichhorn, who was here for both of the previous residencies. “Last time they were here, I was playing principal on Rachmaninoff’s Symphonic Dances. To my right was [now-retired principal clarinet] Frank Cohen, in front of me was [flutist] Marisela Sager and to my left was [principal bassoonist] Barrick Stees. They taught us so much about how the woodwind section could coalesce and become one unit.”

Cleveland Orchestra Principal Trumpet Michael Sachs, who makes his third trip to the college next month, says the students’ enthusiasm is contagious. “I do a lot of master classes throughout the year, and I love going back to places where the students are charged up and willing to try new things and evolve what they’re doing.

“That curiosity is really strong at CU.”

New on this year’s full slate of events is a special Faculty Tuesday recital featuring members of the College of Music faculty and the visiting musicians. Associate Professor of Clarinet Daniel Silver is one of the performers. A Cleveland native himself, even this seasoned performer says he’s a bit starstruck at the thought of working with clarinetist Dan McKelway.

“By any standard, the Cleveland Orchestra has for decades been considered one of the greatest in the world. It happens to be my hometown orchestra, so I grew up in the town with one of the greatest orchestras of all time,” Silver says.

“Faculty Tuesday will be a treat because when you combine these internationally known performers with our fine faculty, there will be a friendly rising to the occasion.”

Faculty performers aren’t the only members of the college community rising to the occasion. Senior violist Allyson Stibbards distinctly remembers the extra preparation she did for 2015’s residency. “I was definitely a little bit nervous. I got to play in the master class for strings, and I wanted to be really ready for that. But situations like that make you a better player.”

And teaching situations make you a better orchestral performer, says Marisela Sager, assistant principal flute for the Cleveland Orchestra. “Education is definitely a priority for us. Performing shouldn’t exist in a bubble of its own.

“It’s also a two-way street,” she adds. “When we teach young musicians, we’re there to share our knowledge, but we also get to soak up all of the energy from the students and professors. The energy exchange is really great.”

For Sachs, the atmosphere at the College of Music adds to the learning experience for the members of the orchestra. “I’m always inspired when I go to Boulder, and I’m always learning. The fact that we were invited in the first place, under these unique circumstances, sets a welcoming tone that you want to come back to.”

“It’s a terrific joy to be a part of this partnership,” Silver says. “It creates a ripple effect throughout the college and in the broader community. I think most of the faculty feel a real sense of gratitude to be in a place that can pull something like this together.”

The residency was made possible by a $150,000 pledge from The Clinton Family Fund. Bruce Clinton is a longtime philanthropist and supporter of orchestras nationwide. The Clinton Family Fund’s commitment supports this year’s residency and two more in the future at a higher level as part of the Daniel P. Sher Master Class Program.

Faculty Tuesday with guests from the Cleveland Orchestra is Tuesday, Sept. 12 at 7:30 p.m. in Grusin Music Hall. The recital is free and open to the public. For more information, visit cupresents.org.

For the third time since 2013, members of the Cleveland Orchestra will visit the College of Music for a residency in September.

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Conducting alum spreads a love of music in Chicago

Anonymous — Wed, 26 Jul 2017 15:03:05 +0000

Conducting alum spreads a love of music in Chicago Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 07/26/2017 - 09:03

Jessie Bauters

Alejandro Gómez Guillén

Sometimes, you just don’t know where life is going to take you.

Alejandro Gómez Guillén first came to CU Boulder as a violin master’s student in 2006. This spring—more than 10 years later—he was hooded a doctor of music in orchestral conducting.

“I was greatly inspired by Gary Lewis. When I was getting my master’s in violin, he saw me conducting something for the violin studio and encouraged me to apply for the conducting doctoral program.”

Guillén, who finished up the last months of his doctoral studies from afar, doesn’t see conducting as that much of a departure from his days as a violinist. Instead, he sees this new vocation as an extension of the old.

“I didn’t realize at first that I loved conducting. I guess deep down I wanted to be a conductor, but I didn’t consciously say it or organize my dreams around it. But I see it as another expression of being a musician.”

Guillén grew up in Bogotá, Colombia, the son of two conductor parents and grandson of the founder of the Bogotá Philharmonic Orchestra. He’s been playing violin since he was 5 years old, and considers music to be a vital part of his upbringing.

“I could sing before I could talk,” Guillén says. “My parents say that they took me to symphony concerts as a child and I would point to the violin section and tell them that I wanted to do that.”

Having always known the importance of music, Guillén has spent the last year working with Project Inclusion with the Chicago Sinfonietta. The program promotes diversity among musicians, conductors and administrators through professional development. Guillén splits his time as a professional conductor between Chicago and Bloomington, Indiana, where he is artistic director of the Bloomington Symphony.

“Project Inclusion is all under the umbrella of diversity and inclusion,” he explains. “How do we give more people access to music, how is classical music a tool for change in the community? I’m passionate about building community in my own work so it’s been a perfect fit.”

In addition to the service Project Inclusion offers to underserved communities, Guillén says it has provided him with invaluable experience as a conductor.

“The program truly deals with all aspects that a conductor needs to know in order to be successful. Not just musical experience, but professional experiences. We meet to discuss marketing, fundraising and relationship development, and then we are put in real-world situations with the Sinfonietta.

“It also led to my appointment as associate conductor for the Fort Worth Symphony, a position I will begin in the fall,” he adds. “Helping the fellows secure a professional appointment like this is one of the main goals of the program, and I plan to remain involved with the Sinfonietta as a mentor for the next year.”

Guillén says his time in the Chicago community parallels one of his most formative projects during his time at the College of Music, when he and fellow doctoral students Joshua Horsch and Joel Schut helped grow the campus orchestra.

“That was one of my most treasured memories. Gary brought the campus orchestra back, along with [graduate students] Michael Boone and Chris Walls before us, but he really let the graduate students take it on. It was kind of our baby. It was a great thing to be able to help build that.”

Though he’s a full-time conductor with a full plate of outreach activities and performances, Guillén says he still finds time to practice his violin—because of something he learned in Boulder.

“I can’t emphasize enough how important it is to be your best as an instrumentalist when you’re a conductor. You also have to learn as much as you can about the history and context of the music you’re conducting. We’re always so eager to wield the baton, but you have to get the big picture and focus on the music first.

"Only then will you be able to impart anything through your actions.”

Alejandro Gómez Guillén is a fellow with Project Inclusion, the Chicago Sinfonietta's outreach program that promotes diversity among musicians, conductors and administrators through professional development.

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CU students to give Colorado premiere of Pann’s Pulitzer-finalist piece

Anonymous — Mon, 27 Feb 2017 14:36:25 +0000

CU students to give Colorado premiere of Pann’s Pulitzer-finalist piece Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 02/27/2017 - 07:36

Jessie Bauters

Carter Pann and Tom Myer listen as the Black Diamond Quartet rehearses "The Mechanics."

It’s been a whirlwind year for composer Carter Pann. Since being named a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in Music for his saxophone quartet “The Mechanics: Six from the Shop Floor,” Pann has been working on new chamber music, large ensemble pieces—even an homage to Ravel’s “Boléro.”

And of course, plenty of saxophone commissions.

“The sax world is kind of gluttonous for contemporary music. They clamor for it,” says the composition professor.

And this weekend, after about 20 other performances around the country, “The Mechanics” comes to Colorado for the first time. The premiere performance is this Saturday at the Dairy Arts Center. Tackling the piece is the CU Boulder graduate saxophone quartet, the Black Diamond Quartet.

“It’s really cool,” Pann says. “It’s a CU professor, a CU quartet and the Colorado premiere here in Boulder.”

The concert is part of the “One Night Only” series and is sponsored by former Smithsonian curator and Boulder resident Arthur Lieb. It’s the second “Mechanics” performance in a week for the quartet: They played the piece Sunday at the North American Saxophone Alliance Regional Conference in New Mexico. Add to that an upcoming in-studio performance on a new Colorado Public Radio contemporary music series, and you could say it’s been a whirlwind year for the four students as well.

“It’s one of the hardest pieces we’ve played yet as a group. The majority of our rehearsal time is spent on this piece,” soprano saxophonist Ryan Van Scoyk says.

The Black Diamond Quartet—comprised of Van Scoyk, Chris Ruiz, Sean Edwards and Robert Ward—first began rehearsing the piece together at the behest of saxophone professor Tom Myer in August. Since then, Van Scoyk says they’ve worked on it at least a couple of hours every week.

“The piece is driven by the energy of a car engine and a mechanic’s shop, so that means it has to go fast,” he says. “But it’s also extremely complicated. Most of the work we’ve done on it has been pulling it apart, finding all the different underlying melodies woven together. It’s really fun to play.”

Along the way, Pann has been lending a composer’s perspective, helping with interpretation and making sure the piece moves.

“It’s been great to rehearse with them. This is not an easy piece and they’re giving it a good stab. It’s going to be a great performance,” Pann says.

Van Scoyk, who was at the world premiere of “The Mechanics” in 2014, says though Pann isn’t a saxophonist himself, he writes adeptly for the instrument. “A lot of music we play was written by a pianist or some other instrumentalist, and it doesn’t feel quite right for sax,” he explains. “But Carter understands all the idiosyncrasies of the instrument and this piece works really well on the saxophone.”

The CU group isn’t the first student ensemble to take up “The Mechanics”: Pann says it’s becoming part of the collegiate saxophone repertoire.

“It’s finding itself on a lot of conference schedules,” he says. “A lot of sax teachers are giving it to their students to perform.”

“The Mechanics” isn’t Pann’s first saxophone piece, and it definitely won’t be the last. He says it’s spawned more commissions, including a technically “brutal” follow-up for the Capitol Quartet—the group that made the Pulitzer-nominated recording—fittingly titled “Capitol Punishment.”

“I also just finished a saxophone sonata for the alto player of the Capitol Quartet,” Pann adds.

Van Scoyk says the more closely he and his colleagues work with composers, the more deliberate their playing becomes.

“Carter is very specific in his writing. He notates every dynamic, every articulation. So we’re trying to play what’s on the page as much as we can.

“It’s such a cool opportunity to have composers like Carter Pann and Dan Kellogg right down the hall,” the Denver-area native says. “It’s really amazing that we’re at the center of a thriving arts scene in Colorado.”

The Colorado premiere of “The Mechanics: Six from the Shop Floor” is this Saturday, March 4, at 7:30 p.m. at the Gordon Gamm Theater at the Dairy Arts Center. For ticket information, visit the One Night Only website. Listen for the piece and the Black Diamond Quartet on CPR this spring.

Nearly a year after he found out his saxophone quartet "The Mechanics" was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in Music, CU composer Carter Pann is helping the College of Music's graduate quartet prepare the piece for its Colorado premiere.

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Piano professor set to give music's first Distinguished Research Lecture

Anonymous — Mon, 20 Feb 2017 17:15:10 +0000

Piano professor set to give music's first Distinguished Research Lecture Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 02/20/2017 - 10:15

Jessie Bauters

Professor of Piano David Korevaar presents his Distinguished Research Lecture on the music of Chopin, Perrachio and Liebermann on Friday, Feb. 24.

Start with the score.

That’s David Korevaar’s method as he sits down to a new piano piece. It’s also the advice he gives all his students.

“A lot of musicians get to know a piece by listening to a recording. And that’s something I almost always discourage. You have to start with notes on a page. That’s the primary source.”

Korevaar, Helen and Peter Weil Professor of Piano at the College of Music, talks about the score as the root of context for any musical work this Friday as he presents “The score is alive … with the sound of music.” The lecture-performance is part of the CU Boulder Research and Innovation Office’s Distinguished Research Lecture series.

Korevaar is the first music faculty member to be awarded the lectureship, which is awarded annually to faculty based on peer nominations and the nominee’s body of academic or creative achievement and prominence, as well as contributions to the university’s educational and service missions.

“My primary focus is not on what’s conventionally considered research, which makes this even more exciting,” he says. “The research component of my career tends to be very performance directed.”

The event will focus on three very different works by three very different composers—and the three very different processes Korevaar goes through to prepare the pieces for performance. He’ll run the musical gamut, from Frédéric Chopin to early 20th-century Italian composer Luigi Perrachio to living composer and friend Lowell Liebermann.

Each piece, the Juilliard-educated pianist explains, presents its own unique challenges to the performer.

“They’re all at different parts of the process. Chopin is a completed project for me; Liebermann is still alive, so I can get feedback from him whenever I want; and Perrachio is a composer that [Professor of Musicology] Laurie Sampsel and I discovered while we reassembled the Ricardo Viñes collection at the music library here.”

Unlike Chopin, whose work has a rich history and a long tradition of performances and recordings, Perrachio is a relatively unknown composer. His scores are rarely seen; recordings are even more rare.

“[Perrachio was] much less intimidating than Chopin,” Korevaar explains. “You don’t have the anxiety of influence. You feel irresponsible if you can’t hear all the recordings that are out there before you play a piece by Chopin.”

But, he says, there are other pressures associated with being one of the first people to perform a piece—even if it is 100 years old.

“Now you’re the beginning of the performance tradition. You have to look at the notes on the page and begin to interpret them—to figure out what the composer was trying to say—with only the score as your initial point of reference. From there you begin to grasp, through an understanding of the time period and the place the composer was active, a world of sound that is preserved in the page.”

And then, in this case, Korevaar will have to talk about how he arrived at those conclusions.

“As a pianist, you spend a lot of time alone. You don’t often have to put your thoughts into words. But when you’re teaching or demonstrating, you have to decide what’s important and translate emotions into coherent verbiage.”

For Korevaar, who has taught at the College of Music since 2000, the process of teaching—whether it’s students or a crowd of scholars—is also a process of learning.

“There are plenty of pieces that my students play that I’ve never heard, and I learn through them. And when I present this lecture, it’ll be aimed at an audience of people who are perhaps much more adept than I am in some of the fields I’ll be dabbling in, such as language or philosophy or history.

“But that’s what makes it so exciting to be here in Boulder. We’re surrounded by people who are extraordinary in their fields, and we get to collaborate with them. And back in my studio, the better my students get, the better I get.”

David Korevaar’s Distinguished Research Lecture is this Friday, Feb. 24, at 4 p.m. in Grusin Music Hall. For more information, visit the Events page.

David Korevaar talks about the score as the root of context for any musical work this Friday as he presents “The score is alive … with the sound of music.”

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CU Guitar Festival brings international musicians to Boulder

Anonymous — Tue, 31 Jan 2017 13:59:59 +0000

CU Guitar Festival brings international musicians to Boulder Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 01/31/2017 - 06:59

Jessie Bauters

CU artist in residence Matteo Mela works with a participant in the International Guitar Festival.

For three days this February, the classical guitar will once again take center stage at the College of Music. The third CU International Guitar Festival and Competition is Feb. 10-12 at Imig Music Building and Macky Auditorium.

Nicolò Spera, director of the Ritter Family Classical Guitar Program, organized the festival in 2013 as a tribute to the lyrical and ancient instrument for which so many have an affinity.

“The festival was born because we don’t often have people from all over the world come to Boulder. This is bringing together a community of people who play the guitar and people who love the guitar.”

The festival’s finale is the competition, which takes place all day on Sunday, Feb. 12 in Grusin Music Hall. Around 40 guitarists from far-flung places like China, Italy, Mexico and all over the United States will compete, with Lynn McGrath, artists in residence SoloDuo and other accomplished guitarists serving as judges.

Spera, who himself hails from Milan, says the competition is always a unique opportunity for the multicultural audience and the contestants to share in a common bond.

“They will get to meet people from other cultures who speak different languages—to find a different way to play guitar and view music and even the world,” he says. “We’ve tapped into that the last two competitions, and it’s happening again this year.”

Spera says his students will also expand his students’ musical understanding, especially those who may not be able to spend time abroad. “Paradoxically, to be a music student can be isolating. We spend so much time in the practice room that we forget there’s a whole world out there.

“It’s important for my students who can’t travel that we bring that world to them.”

Participants in the 2015 International Guitar Competition.

In addition to the competition, guest recitals are planned. On Friday night, Matteo Mela and Lorenzo Micheli, who together make up the Italian guitar pair SoloDuo, will perform a free concert in Grusin Music Hall. And on Saturday, two CU alumni take the stage.

“[Cellist Kimberly Patterson and guitarist Patrick Sutton] have a great story,” Spera says. “They met here, began playing together here and now they have a wonderful career together as a duo. And soon, they’ll be married. We’re so excited to be hosting them this year.”

Spera says the power of music to bring people together is indescribable—yet unquestionable.

“These three days in Boulder, when people come together to share their love for music, can strengthen our determination and our bond. The fact that so many young people are coming is a sign of hope. In fighting anger and ignorance, there is hope in civil discourse and in education, and there is hope in music: The message rooted in our guitar festival has never been this inspiring, and this important.”

For more information on the CU International Guitar Festival and Competition, visit the event website.

Schedule of Events

All events are free and open to the public

Guest artist recital: SoloDuo

Friday, Feb. 10, 7:30 p.m.
Grusin Music Hall

Guest artist recital: Patterson/Sutton Duo

Saturday, Feb. 11, 8 p.m.
Grusin Music Hall

International Guitar Competition: Semi-Final Round

Sunday, Feb. 12, 9:30 a.m.
Grusin Music Hall

International Guitar Competition: Final Round

Sunday, Feb. 12, 6:30 p.m.
Grusin Music Hall

For three days this February, the classical guitar will once again take center stage at the College of Music at the third CU International Guitar Festival and Competition.

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Taking the lead

Anonymous — Thu, 17 Nov 2016 13:30:57 +0000

Taking the lead Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 11/17/2016 - 06:30

Jessie Bauters

James Austin (right) leads the JMTE editorial team with help from editorial assistant and College of Music PhD student Bryan Koerner.

The trajectory of research surrounding music teacher education lies, in part, in the hands of a longtime College of Music faculty member.

As of July 1, Associate Dean for Undergraduate Studies James Austin is the latest editor of the Journal of Music Teacher Education.

“I consider it a huge responsibility,” Austin says. “We’re trying to advance the understanding and practice with regard to preparing people to become teachers.”

Published by the National Association for Music Education (NAfME), the Journal of Music Teacher Education is the definitive source for philosophical, historical and methodological articles related to music teacher education. The audience is vast: the online publication has an annual readership of approximately 67,000 NAfME members and 7,000 organizational subscribers. Indeed, there were 18,000 full-text downloads of JMTE articles in 2015 alone.

So it’s no easy task to be the gatekeeper who determines which research makes its way to readers.

“It’s not just filling out the issue or the volume. We need to make sure the research we feature is done at a level that provides meaningful understanding of the process.”

Austin got the nod because of his years of teaching and his history of service on editorial committees: he was a reviewer for four different journals over the course of about 12 years before taking a three-year hiatus to focus on his own work. This summer he was elected to a six-year term heading up the 10-person editorial committee for JMTE.

Because of the sheer volume of papers he’s charged with reviewing—Austin says previous editors have received around 50 manuscripts a year—Austin has help from PhD student Bryan Koerner, who’s serving as editorial assistant as he finishes up his dissertation.

“It’s allowed me to have an insider’s perspective on what the hot topics are,” explains Koerner. “By digging into some of these manuscripts, I’m entering that conversation. Reflecting about these topics inspires me in my own writing.”

Those topics can range from alternative licensure to professional development—anything relevant, Austin says, to music teacher training.

“Things like teacher-musician identity, undergraduate curriculum and recruiting high school students—which is very challenging right now given some of the negative high-level rhetoric surrounding schools.”

With such crucial challenges to face—and the very future of music in schools at stake—Austin says he’ll use his time as editor to expand the scope and accessibility of JMTE.

“I’d like to see us get into the macro issues affecting the field. We don’t have to always publish original research articles ... there can be ‘big think’ pieces as well,” Austin says.

And Koerner says getting readers to pay attention to complex problems impacting the profession can be challenging given the array of media and information already at their fingertips.

“People don’t necessarily have time to dig into a 20-page paper. We need to think about different ways to make the content accessible to people who are busy in their lives and careers.”

“One of the things I’ve challenged the editorial group to do is engage with me in how to grow the journal’s scope, influence and impact. How do you distill ideas in a meaningful way for teachers?” Austin adds.

“We have to use this powerful opportunity to help education evolve the way other professions have.”

Closer to home, Austin hopes his appointment will add even more prestige to the already highly regarded music education program at the college.

“The other thing that came to mind for me as I accepted this position was that it would give us a chance to elevate the status of our graduate program,” he says. “That we will have this editorial assistant role available for many years will be a good recruiting opportunity.”

For more information about the Journal of Music Teacher Education, visit the National Association for Music Education website.

As of July 1, Associate Dean for Undergraduate Studies James Austin is the latest editor of the Journal of Music Teacher Education.

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College of Music hosts up-and-coming singers at Schmidt Competition

Anonymous — Tue, 15 Nov 2016 12:42:24 +0000

College of Music hosts up-and-coming singers at Schmidt Competition Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 11/15/2016 - 05:42

Jessie Bauters

The Schmidt Youth Vocal Competition comes to the College of Music on Saturday, Dec. 10. Photo courtesy Schmidt Foundation.

The College of Music is opening Grusin Music Hall to the top high school vocalists in the region.

On Saturday, Dec. 10, the voice department hosts the Schmidt Youth Vocal Competition, one of the nation’s largest singing contests for high school students.

Organized by the William E. Schmidt Foundation and named for longtime Indiana arts supporter Bill Schmidt, the competition is held in 15 different locales around the country and offers more than $200,000 in prize money to young singers every year.

“It’s a big deal to host it because it gives us a chance to meet these talented singers and showcase the strengths of our voice department,” says tenor and Assistant Professor of Voice Matthew Chellis, who helped bring the event to Boulder this year.

In past years, the competition has been held at places like the New England Conservatory and Seattle Opera. The winning singer receives $2,500 in prize money. Ben Smolder, director of the Schmidt Foundation and the director of the opera program at Miami University of Ohio, says the decision to bring the event to Colorado for the first time had a lot to do with geography—and the standing of the vocal program at CU.

“I knew about the great reputation of the school, and we also were interested in coming to an area that would capture some of the students we haven’t worked with before,” Smolder explains. “The goal of the competition is to encourage and nurture young people in the arts, and it was important to get into this region.”

At a time when competitiveness with peer institutions is steep, Chellis says he and his colleagues are thrilled to be able to interact closely with the brightest talent in the West.

“We’ve tried to let every high school in the area know we were hosting. The pool of people pursuing voice degrees keeps getting smaller and at this level, we’re competing for the same young freshmen.”

One perk of hosting the day-long event is the brief presentation the voice department will give to contestants while the judges are tallying their votes.

“We’ll be speaking about some of the unique opportunities our students have—full opera productions, CU NOW and the close mentorship they get with faculty professionals who are known around the world,” says Chellis. “We’ll also have some of our undergrads come on stage and present some of the scenes they’re working on.”

Chellis will serve as adjudicator, along with William Florescu from the Florentine Opera Company. Dana Brown from Roosevelt University will play piano.

In addition to the competition, which is open to high school sophomores, juniors and seniors, the Schmidt Foundation will host a master class with the judges and offer the winner a chance to participate in the organization’s summer music program.

“The foundation runs a summer institute for almost free tuition. It’s a wonderful pre-college experience that includes instruction from Juilliard professors, renowned composers and other professionals,” Smolder explains.

And perhaps the biggest incentive for CU Boulder to play host: the Schmidt Foundation offers a $2,000 matching scholarship for one of the contestants to attend school whichever music program hosts the event.

“That’s why we try to come to institutions that will benefit from the undergraduate recruiting opportunity,” Smolder says.

“It’s important for us to bring prospective students to our facilities and show them what we offer that maybe they haven’t seen elsewhere, whether it’s performance opportunities or the collaborative teaching atmosphere,” Chellis adds.

More than 5,000 young singers have participated in the competition over the past 30 years, including many who have gone on to do big things—such as the Metropolitan Opera’s National Council Auditions. The Schmidt Foundation partners with the Kennedy Center, the National Opera Center, Cincinnati Opera and others.

Students interested in entering the competition must submit an application by Nov. 28. Only 35 singers will be accepted into the Boulder event; for more information on rules and to apply, visit the competition website.

On Dec. 10, the voice department hosts the Schmidt Youth Vocal Competition, one of the nation’s largest singing competitions for high school students.

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Learning from the masters: The Takács Quartet

Anonymous — Tue, 08 Nov 2016 12:44:58 +0000

Learning from the masters: The Takács Quartet Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 11/08/2016 - 05:44

Jessie Bauters

[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ih5BCEh9qaE]

Since 1983, a force and a legendary name in chamber music has called Boulder home. And for more than 30 years, students, faculty, staff and the community at large have benefited from that presence.

The Takács Quartet and its original members—Gabor Takács-Nagy, Károly Schranz, Gabor Ormai and András Fejér—came to the College of Music as artists in residence eight years into their career together. Today, they’re known to the world as one of the great ensembles of our time.

But in Boulder, Schranz, Fejér and newer members Edward Dusinberre and Geraldine Walther are also known as patient and knowledgeable educators.

“They’re considered titans in the world of classical music, and we’ve looked up to them for a long time,” says Zachary Reaves, cellist of the Altius Quartet. Reaves and his colleagues—Joshua Ulrich, Andrew Giordano and Andrew Krimm—are the latest participants in the college’s Graduate String Quartet-In-Residence Program, which is coached primarily by the Takács.

He says the deep background the group brings to the college is inspiring. “They know the ins and outs of what we’re doing, both logistically and artistically.”

Geraldine Walther of the Takács Quartet works with members of the Altius Quartet at a master class.

Takács violist Geraldine Walther, a member of the quartet since 2005, says the relationship is mutually beneficial.

“We’re lifelong students,” she says. “When you teach, you gain a perspective on what you’re doing as a performer. I find it helps me be more objective about what I’m trying to do as a player.”

Along with Associate Professor of Viola Erika Eckert, the Takács has been instrumental in making the Quartet Program possible. The program hosts a graduate string quartet, providing performance and mentorship opportunities for a group that’s already nurturing a professional career.

“We take our roles as mentors very seriously,” says Edward Dusinberre, Takács Quartet violinist since 1993. “We remember being students, the ups and downs, and we want to show them that it’s all part of the process if something doesn’t go well. It’s all helping you build and grow as a musician.”

Altius violinist Andrew Giordano says the Takács has brought a balance of support and constructive criticism, which will make all the difference as he and his colleagues continue their journey in the professional chamber music world.

“It’s so competitive. It’s been so helpful to have mentors like the Takács Quartet, who really help us become the best musicians and the best quartet we can possibly be.”

Dusinberre says the quartet’s hope is not only to train the musician but also to train the overall person.

“In this age, when you look at the current political situation especially, there’s such a lack of compassion and cooperation between people with different views,” he explains. “In a string quartet, you can’t survive like that. You have to work out your differences. You learn how to take criticism, how to give criticism.”

As for the future of the Quartet Program, Dusinberre says interest is growing. “We’ve been very happy with how the program’s been evolving. An obvious goal at this point would be to grow and perhaps host more than one quartet at a time.”

Walther says the professionalism of the Altius Quartet will contribute to that bright future.

“They’re very mature. And we are really enjoying that quality that they bring to the program.”

“They’ve contributed to the community here,” Dusinberre adds. “The Altius members play newer works, coach student groups and act as role models for the other students at the college.”

Reaves says the welcoming atmosphere at the College of Music has made that sort of immersion easy. “We have a lot of support from our colleagues, from the professors. We’re treated very much as equals, and that’s a wonderful feeling to have.”

That collaborative spirit is also part of what’s made the Takács’ career in Boulder so rewarding. “It’s really supportive and nurturing. There are so many great people here,” says Walther.

“We’re lucky to be here,” Dusinberre adds. “I think music can be a rather self-absorbed pursuit and we like the atmosphere of collaboration at the College of Music very much.”

In 2015, the Takács Quartet was nominated for its fifth Grammy for a CD of Shostakovich chamber music. It also premiered a piece by Timo Andres, which was co-commissioned by Carnegie Hall and Baltimore’s Shriver Hall.

The Takács Quartet is known to the world as one of the great ensembles of our time. But in Boulder, the legendary artists are also known as patient and knowledgeable educators.

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East Coast outreach

Anonymous — Mon, 31 Oct 2016 17:06:51 +0000

East Coast outreach Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 10/31/2016 - 11:06

Jessie Bauters

Members of the CU Horn Quartet will take part in a number of outreach opportunities in the New York area.

When students from the College of Music head east next week to the Big Apple and the bright lights of Carnegie Hall, the Weill Recital Hall stage won’t be the only one they take.

The four members of the CU Boulder Horn Quartet have a packed schedule of side-by-side youth orchestra rehearsals and master classes ahead of them—in addition to their concert-opening performance of Kerry Turner’s “Fanfare for Barcs.”

“We’re taking the show on the road early—performance is an acquired skill, and the more opportunities we create, the better the final product,” says Associate Professor of Horn Michael Thornton, who is traveling with the quartet and helping organize a series of outreach opportunities in New York. “The Carnegie performance is the culmination of a long process of ensuring that the quartet is as strong as possible and they get the most out of this experience.”

The quartet—undergraduates Jason Friedman, Maggie Rickard and Cort Roberts and grad student Jordan Miller—arrives on the East Coast this weekend. Their itinerary before Monday night’s Weill Hall showcase concert includes a master class with the principal horn for the Metropolitan Opera orchestra, a recital and master class at the Manhattan School of Music and a side-by-side rehearsal with the eight horns in the Long Island Youth Orchestra.

“We’re so grateful for this opportunity,” says Jordan Miller. “We just started playing together this semester, so it’s been intensive to get ready for the concert. All the extra performances are going to help us feel more comfortable and really make the trip worthwhile.”

The students will also observe Thornton rehearsing Richard Strauss’ Horn Concerto No. 1 with the Long Island Youth Orchestra ahead of a Nov. 13 concert at the Tilles Center for the Performing Arts in New York.

Thornton, who is the Colorado Symphony’s principal horn and will also perform the Strauss concerto with the Cape Town Philharmonic in South Africa in December, says it’s crucial for him and his colleagues at the College of Music to continue working as professional musicians.

“The music world is fluid in its style and interpretation,” Thornton says. “We’re teaching our students in a manner that will prepare them to be successful on the national and international level because we give them the most current information.”

Miller herself teaches every week with El Sistema Colorado. She says the side-by-side rehearsal with the youth orchestra will give the group a chance to bring what they learned at last year’s Cleveland Orchestra residency full circle.

“When you’re teaching, you have to think about what you’re doing yourself when you play. Sometimes I catch myself telling a student to do something that I myself am not doing. So it challenges me to be better as a musician.”

As the reality of a Carnegie Hall appearance sinks in for the students and faculty involved, there’s a sense of excitement building for the future of music at the University of Colorado Boulder.

“This is one of the first chances for the college to showcase our most outstanding products outside of Colorado,” says Thornton. “And the fact that this group was all born and raised in Colorado makes us feel such a high level of investment.”

“There is such a large pool of musicians who could have performed at this concert,” Miller adds. “We’re excited to represent the high level of talent at the college.”

Performing with the CU Horn Quartet on Nov. 7 are Joshua Ulrich, Andrew Giordano, Andrew Krimm and Zachary Reaves of the Altius Quartet; Michael Hoffman, tenor; Emily Alley, piano; Benjamin Anderson, horn; Kellan Toohey, clarinet; Cecilia Lo-Chien Kao, piano; and Grace Burns, piano. Find more information on the Weill Hall Showcase Concert page.

You can get backstage access to all the Carnegie festivities next week by following @cubackstage on Instagram.

When students from the College of Music head east next week to the Big Apple and the bright lights of Carnegie Hall, the Weill Recital Hall stage won’t be the only one they take.

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