Nietzsche once said, "Without music, life would be a mistake."
Eastern Michigan University's Music and Dance Department
will make it almost impossible for you to make such a mistake
this fall with its variety of 36 scheduled events. The
majority of events are free and right on campus in Pease
Auditorium and the newly renovated Alexander Recital Hall.
Marsha Rinke, music events coordinator and an adjunct
lecturer, is very excited about the fall schedule and mentioned
that the music and dance department will bring in a lot
of fine outside musical talent this fall. The music department
also is creating more programs for high school students
so that the community will recognize EMU as a valuable
resource.
"EMU has a good reputation as an education school. We
are proud of what we have to offer," said Rinke.
Some featured events include:
The 2007-08 concert season commences Friday, Sept. 14,
8 p.m., Pease Auditorium. Faculty artist Joel Schoenhals
performs his annual piano solo recital featuring
the "Moment
Musicaux" of Schubert and Rachmaninoff.
Distinguished EMU organ alumni Brian Bartusch and James
Wagner, in collaboration with Carter Eggers, trumpet, perform
an Alumni Organ Recital Monday, Sept.
24, 7:30 p.m., Alexander Recital Hall. They will complete
symphonic works on the "king
of instruments," the magnificent Aeolian-Skinner pipe organ.
More than 30 nationally recognized high school marching
bands from across the Midwest meet all day Saturday, Sept.
29, in Rynearson Stadium for the "Bands
of America Regional Marching Band Competition." The
bands will fill the stadium with thrilling sights and sounds
as they entertain and compete for the chance to perform
in the evening's regional championship finals. EMU's marching
band takes the field for a guest performance. General admission
for preliminaries or finals competitions is $14, or $21
for both. For schedule information and advance tickets,
visit www.bands.org .
Tickets also are available at the gate.
Faculty members Eva Stern, viola, and Joel Schoenhals,
piano; festival director and Detroit Symphony Orchestra
violinist Marian Tanau, and DSO cellist Paul Wingert, along
with violinist Kyoko Kashiwagi, present the "American
Romanian Festival" Sunday,
Oct., 7, 7:30 p.m., Alexander Recital Hall. Works by Enescu,
Grigoriu, Taranu and Kodaly are included in this concert
that promotes cultural awareness and understanding between
the United States and Romania.
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Pollock Photo courtesy
of www.stephen-pollock.com
|
The Wind Symphony and Symphonic Band open
their fall season with a festive concert Sunday, Oct. 14,
3 p.m., Pease Auditorium. Eastern Michigan's newest band
directors, Miller Asbill, director of bands, and John Zastoupil,
associate director of bands, will be introduced.
Renowned tenor saxophonist Steven Pollock will teach a
master class for saxophone students Thursday, Oct. 18,
11 a.m., Alexander Recital Hall. That evening, Pollock
presents "Songs
of the Heart," 7:30 p.m., Alexander Recital Hall.
Pollock, in collaboration with faculty pianist Kathryn
Goodson, will perform love songs of Astor Piazzolla, Sherwood
Shaffer and Gustav Mahler. This event shares its name with
Pollock's latest solo CD.
The Dr. Leonard L. Riccinto Memorial
Concert is an evening
of song celebrating the life and work of EMU's former director
of choral activities Sunday, Oct. 21, 7:30 p.m., Pease
Auditorium. Riccinto's life was cut short when he lost
his battle with leukemia last December. Singers from his
former ensembles, plus a massed choir, will perform many
of Riccinto's favorite selections from the choral literature
of all styles. Donations will be collected to benefit the
scholarship established in his name for outstanding vocal
music education majors. For more information on singing
in the massed choir, please send an e-mail to janriccinto@yahoo.com.
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SPOOKY STRINGS: Kevin Miller will once
again lead
the Symphony Orchestra during the annual
Halloween Concert Oct. 26, 7 p.m., in Pease
Auditorium. |
Kevin Miller and the Symphony Orchestra present the annual
Halloween Concert Friday, Oct. 26, 7 p.m., Pease Auditorium.
The audience is invited to come in costume to this entertaining
evening of astonishing surprises and spooky music. Admission
is $10 for adults, $8 for students and $6 for seniors and
children under 12.
Highly dramatic and versatile mezzo-soprano Leah Dexter,
of the Michigan Opera Theater and Harlem Opera Theater,
is the featured singer, for "Songs and Sonnets
of the Americas" Saturday,
Nov. 3, 7:30 p.m., Alexander Recital Hall. In collaboration
with Kathryn Goodson, this program of poetry and music
from North and South America includes works by Ginastera,
Guastavino, Piazzolla, Charles Ives and female African-American
composers Margaret Bonds, Lilian Evanti, Undine Moore and
Florence Price.
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Helton |
Soprano Caroline Helton, a voice faculty
member from the University of Michigan; and Emery Stephens,
EMU faculty baritone; present a lecture/recital, "Beyond
Race," Sunday
Nov. 4, 4 p.m. Soprano Glenda Kirkland and pianists Kathryn
Goodson and Garik Pedersen welcome additions to this lecture/recital,
which focuses on the art of African-American song and
demonstrates how voice teachers may include these songs
in studio requirements.
The Eleventh Annual Improvisation
Symposium presents "Reach
for the Stars!" and "Rising Stars of the East." Kids ages
three to 93 are invited to "Reach for the Stars!" Friday,
Nov. 9, 7 p.m., Pease Auditorium. Alumnus Scott Elsholz
performs organ works and transcriptions based on stars
and planets. A trip to EMU's Sherzer Observatory follows
with Norbert Vance, an EMU astronomy professor, presenting
a luminous interdisciplinary program of organ music and
astronomy. Pamela Ruiter-Feenstra, an organ professor,
and her students present, "Rising Stars of the East," Saturday,
Nov. 10, 3 p.m., Bethlehem United Church of Christ, 423
S. Fourth Avenue, Ann Arbor. This star-studded recital
will be performed on the newly renovated Casavant organ.
High School Wind and Percussion Clinic
Day will take place
Saturday, Nov. 17, all day, in the Alexander Music Building.
EMU wind and percussion faculty offer instrument-specific
clinics for musicians in grades 10-12. The day includes
a faculty recital, dinner, an opportunity to audition for
the 2008 EMU High School Honors' Band and admission to
Bandorama. Advanced registration and a $30 participant
fee are required. To register or for more information,
call 487-1430.
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STRIKE UP THE BANDS: Eastern Michigan
University's Wind Symphony, Symphonic Band
and
Marching Band will perform during
"Bandorama" Saturday,
Nov. 17, 7 p.m., in Pease
Auditorium. |
Director of Bands Miller Asbill and Associate Director
of Bands John Zastoupil lead the Wind Symphony, Symphonic
Band and Marching Band during "Bandorama" Saturday, Nov.
17, 7 p.m., Pease Auditorium. This will be a colorful and
exhilarating display of pageantry and sound. Admission
is $10 for adults, $8 for students and $6 for seniors and
children under 12.
The Dance Program and Symphony Orchestra team up to present
The Children's Dance Concert's performance of "The
Firebird" Friday
Dec. 7, 10 a.m. and 12:15 p.m., Pease Auditorium (subject
to change). Youth in grades one through eight will dance
to selections from Stravinsky's magical ballet. Admission
is free, but reservations are required. For reservations,
call 487-2448.
Mac users can subscribe to have all upcoming events listed
on their iCals through the Music and Dance Department Web
site at http://ical.mac.com/emumdevents/Events .
For more information on the events listed or more events
sponsored by the Music and Dance Department, visit www.emich.edu/musicdance or
call the music events hotline, 487-2255. All events are
free unless otherwise noted. Tickets can be purchased in
advance at the EMU Convocation Center and the Quirk Theatre
Box Office, or online at www.emich.edu/convocation.
Personnel moves
During the summer, the music department underwent leadership
changes in its band and choral areas.
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Asbill |
Miller Asbill is the new interim director
of bands, effective July 7. Asbill replaces Scott Boerma,
who became director of the marching band at the University
of Michigan. Boerma had been director of bands at EMU for
the past six years.
Previously, Asbill was associate director
of bands at the University of New Mexico. Asbill received
his master's degree in conducting from the University
of Michigan and his bachelor's degree in music from Arizona
State University.
 |
Zastoupil |
John Zastoupil is the
new interim assistant director of bands and director of
the EMU Marching Band, effective July 7. He replaces Mark
Waymire, who plans to complete his doctorate at the University
of Mississippi.
Zastoupil previously was music director
of the Michigan Pops Orchestra from 2006-2007. Zastoupil
received his master's degree in music (wind conducting)
from the University of Michigan and his bachelor's degree
in music education from Baylor University.
 |
Jacobs |
Trey Jacobs was named director of choral
activities, effective Sept. 1. He replaces Bradley Bloom,
who filled the interim diretor of choral activities position
for one year upon the retirement of Leonard Riccinto,
who died Dec. 11, 2006. Riccinto had been choral director
at EMU for 21 years.
Before coming to EMU, Jacobs was a
graduate teaching assistant with the Michigan State University
Chorale and Choral Union. Jacobs received his master's
degree in music from Southwestern Baptist Theological
Seminary and his bachelor's degree in music education from
East Carolina University.
Asbill and Zastoupil will lead the marching band, wind
symphony and symphonic band. — Ron Podell contributed to
this report.
