News

Audiences at School of Music & Dance Events

**Audiences at School of Music & Dance concerts and recitals must comply with all EMU health and safety requirements. Currently, all audience members must wear a mask throughout the event and distance themselves from others outside of their family/party. Also, all audience members must complete the online daily health screening (COVID PASS) prior to entering EMU buildings (Please click the “visitor” box if you are not currently an EMU student, faculty, or staff member).


 

ONSTAGE with the Formosa Quartet (Mar. 30-Apr. 2)—CANCELLED [New residency dates will be announced at a later date]

The internationally acclaimed Formosa Quartet returns to EMU on March 30-April 2! They will give two Open Rehearsals on March 30 (10-11:50 a.m. Room 200) and April 1 (10 a.m.-noon Alexander Recital Hall) where the general public can observe how a professional string quartet brings their musical vision alive followed by a Q&A Session with the artists. On April 2 (7:30 pm, Pease Auditorium), the Formosa Quartet will culminate their visit with a special concert celebrating Beethoven's 250th anniversary featuring his late quartet in A minor, No. 15 Op. 132 followed by selections from Formosa's exclusive collection of pop, folk, jazz, and poetry arrangements. The entire audience will be seated onstage with the artists during the performance. An artist meet-and-greet and CD signing will follow the performance. All events are free to the general public.

Meet the Formosa Quartet


2020 EMU Choir Tour

The EMU Choir will be providing concerts across the region and the west coast. Events in California, Idaho, Michigan, Nevada, Ohio, Utah & Washington. EMU choral students will be inspiring high school students in masterclass settings, performing collaboratively with other collegiate ensembles, observing rehearsals of internationally renown ensembles, and connecting with musicians across the country. Performances will begin on Friday, February 7, and will continue through March 1. Join us for a concert near you.


National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS)

On November 2, 2019 more than 150 singers represented their private studios and colleges at the NATS Michigan Student Auditions at Hope College. After a successful day of singing, the following EMU students received awards:

  • Thomas Larner – First place, Freshman Men
  • Joshua Danielson – Second place, Sophomore Men
  • Olivia Barnaclo – Third place, Upper Music Theatre

Five students were selected to perform at the final awards ceremony in recognition of their performance featuring music by women composers. Among those students was Joshua Danielson for his performance of Lori Laitman’s “The Apple Orchard.


EMU Wind Symphony selected to perform at the 2020 CBDNA division conference at DePaul University in Chicago

The EMU Wind Symphony, under the direction of Mary K. Schneider, is one of eight wind ensembles chosen by audition to present a concert at the College Band Directors National Association (CBDNA) conference on February 21, 2020. Held at DePaul University in Chicago, the north-central division conference includes institutions from Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, Wisconsin, North Dakota, and South Dakota. The concert will feature EMU oboist Kristin Reynolds performing a piece commissioned in her name, Serenade for Kristin, by Frank Ticheli, and guest conducted by H. Robert Reynolds, David Dzubay's RA!, High Water Rising by Sally Lamb McCune, Boogie & Blues by Roger Briggs, and two movements of Caroline Shaw's Pulitzer Prize-winning composition, Partita, transcribed by Kaitlin Bove. This will mark the second time the EMU Wind Symphony has applied and been selected for this honor, having performed at the same conference in 2012 in Mt. Pleasant. A featured ensemble of the EMU School of Music & Dance, the Wind Symphony performs 5 concerts every year at Pease Auditorium. In 2018, they were the featured ensemble for a clinic on diverse repertoire and programming at the Midwest International Band and Orchestra Clinic, and each spring, a performance tour takes them to high schools and middle schools throughout Michigan and Ohio.

Watch the Video


Welcome our New Director of the School of Music & Dance and New Music Director of Orchestral Activities!

We are thrilled to announce the appointment of Dr. Christopher Barrick, Director of EMU's School of Music & Dance, and Dr. Chad Hutchinson, Director of Orchestral Activities.


Congratulations Thomas Torrento! Regional Teacher of the Year.

"LANSING – Ten Michigan educators have been named as 2018-19 Regional Teachers of the Year and will comprise the 2018-19 Michigan Teacher Leadership Advisory Council, a group of teachers dedicated to sharing a teacher’s voice in education discussions throughout the state.

These teachers were selected following a multi-level process that began with more than 430 different teachers being nominated by students, staff, and community members."


Our master's in music education degree program has been recently revised!

Are you looking to further yourself as a music educator? It's not too late to join us this fall to pursue your master's degree in music education! Our newly revised program has many advantages, particularly for those who don't want to give up their jobs or their summers.

For more information, see the program page.


Paul Taylor, a prolific dancer and choreographer, dies at 88.

"Paul Taylor, who brought a lyrical musicality, capacity for joy and wide poetic imagination to modern dance over six decades as one of its greatest choreographers, died on Wednesday in a Manhattan hospital. He was 88."

Read about his contributions to the modern dance world.


The EMU Community Music Academy is enrolling for early childhood, preschool and beginning piano classes, as well as private piano.

EMU's Community Music Academy (CMA) offers non-credit music lessons and classes in piano. We provide an environment that encourages students to realize their musical aptitude in a nurturing and supportive environment.

Classes start mid-September. Enroll now.


Yael Rothfeld, part-time lecturer at EMU, receives University Musical Society's DTE Energy Foundation Educator of the Year Award.

"YPSILANTI —The University Musical Society (UMS) and the DTE Energy Foundation have honored EMU part-time lecturer Yael Rothfeld as one of the 2018 DTE Energy Foundation Educators of the Year.

In addition to teaching music education at EMU, Rothfeld is also a full-time elementary school vocal music teacher at Thurston Elementary School in Ann Arbor, where she teaches preschool through fifth grade and constantly adds new and innovative components to her curriculum." Read the full article.