Artemis Visits 91ֱ��, Leads Master Classes and Panels</h1> <article> <h1>Artemis Visits 91ֱ��, Leads Master Classes and Panels</h1> <p>cstrauss — Fri, 22 Mar 2024 02:48:32 +0000</p> <span>Artemis Visits 91ֱ��, Leads Master Classes and Panels</span> <span><span>cstrauss</span></span> <span><time datetime="2024-03-21T22:48:32-04:00" title="Thursday, March 21, 2024 - 22:48">Thu, 03/21/2024 - 22:48</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>All-star jazz collective <a href="https://artemisband.com/">Artemis</a> served a two-day residency at 91ֱ�� from March 12-13, adjacent to their appearance on the <a href="http://oberlin.edu/ars">2023-24 Artist Recital Series</a>. The band—consisting of musical director and pianist Renee Rosnes, trumpeter Ingrid Jensen, tenor saxophonist Nicole Glover, bassist Noriko Ueda, and drummer Allison Miller—was presented in a variety of educational and interactive events, well attended by 91ֱ�� students and community members, all leading up to their culminating performance in Finney Chapel.</p> <p>Kicking off their residency, the quintet’s first session with students was held at the intimate Cat in the Cream Coffeehouse—an anchor performing and teaching space for 91ֱ��’s <a href="/conservatory/divisions/jazz-studies">Jazz Division</a>. The band opened with innovative and complex renditions of Herbie Hancock’s “Dolphin Dance” and Wayne Shorter’s “United,” both arranged by Rosnes. Following the brief set, band members gave introductions before delving into a Q&A session, facilitated by the 91ֱ�� Crimson Collective. The discussion was intimate and casual, addressing a range of relevant topics from maintaining trust on the bandstand to practicing self-care on the road and balancing activism with artistry.</p> <p>The Crimson Collective’s opening question about conditions for feeling comfortable in professional environments eventually led Artemis into a thorough discussion about the importance of self-acceptance, musical risk-taking, and having your bandmates’ backs on and off the bandstand. </p> <p>“You know, there’s a real deep amount of work, and then the balance of enjoying being in this space with one another… it’s just trust,” said Jensen, who also led attendees through the breathing and stretching exercises she uses when practicing her instrument and decompressing while on tour. </p> <p>The trust, love, and camaraderie among members of Artemis are palpable. And, they care deeply for the tradition and the causes which their music represents. “For me, I always try to marry my activism with my music,” Miller said, “and this is one version of doing that—this group.”</p> <p></p> <p>Artemis continued their afternoon at the Cat in the Cream with an ensemble master class. Student-formed jazz groups performed and received feedback from the band members, all of whom are accomplished educators in addition to esteemed performers. Artemis's feedback touched on holistically learning jazz standards,</p> <p></p> <p>maintaining compelling stage presence, accompanying soloists symbiotically, and methods for improvising captivating solos.</p> <p>As the saxophonist for the second of the two student groups, I can say firsthand how exciting and valuable an experience this was. After our group opened with Miles Davis’s “Little Willie</p> <p></p> <p>Leaps,” members of Artemis divided up and focused on their general areas of expertise. Their first priority was centered on facilitating interaction between drums and piano while accompanying soloists. Rosnes isolated our rhythm section and asked them to play several more choruses of the tune while focusing on catching each other's rhythmic interjections. Artemis’s frontline—Jensen and Glover—then shifted to our own frontline of saxophone and vocals. They provided valuable ideas for structuring a compelling solo, emphasizing melodic playing over lengthy and complex improvisation. Rosnes then set us loose to experiment with this feedback and give another complete performance of the piece. For me, this second run-through felt more deliberate, digestible, and engaging—both with my bandmates and the audience.</p> <p>The next day, Artemis gave a career talk entitled, “What does it take to have a career in jazz?” Opening up the panel, Rosnes stressed the onus on students to utilize their undergraduate years by committing themselves to music, surrounding themselves with it, and studying it as thoroughly as possible. “I don’t think the goal should be to be a star in the music,” she claimed, “The goal should be that you become the best musician that you can be, and that you rise to your personal highest potential. The rest of that, in terms of your career, will take care of itself.” </p> <p>Rosnes then prompted Glover to describe her takeaways from moving to New York City from Portland. “There’s a presence that makes people aware of you,” she said, “and there’s a presence that makes people remember you.” Glover went on to further describe the equal importances of putting yourself out there and maintaining a positive reputation. “It’s one thing to get a call, it’s another thing to get the second call.” </p> <p>This segued perfectly into Miller’s story of meeting and joining the band of famed jazz organist Dr. Lonnie Smith. She also recounted experiences with her own queerness in the jazz world: “I had two worlds of New York City: I had my queer life and my jazz life, and I was afraid to let those be the same.” She later acknowledged that “the bubble of improvisational music is becoming way more open-minded socially,” a long way from her Southern upbringing in Texas. </p> <p>Hailing from Japan, however, Ueda described her journey from growing up playing pop music to discovering jazz while watching the anime Lupin the Third. “It was a jazz version with vibraphone and walking bass,” she said, describing the movie, “and when I heard it, I was shocked by how cool the bassline was. I was interested and started listening to jazz.”</p> <p>Jensen discussed what it was like growing up in a musical household, surrounded by the music of Count Basie, Ella Fitzgerald, Oscar Peterson, and more. Jensen remembers thinking to herself as a child, “Well, things aren’t going well in math or science or anything else, but this music thing, it just keeps coming back to me.” This love took her all over the world, from Boston to Copenhagen, and eventually New York City.</p> <p>After hearing from each band member, the panel opened up for questions from the audience. Jazz Composition and Cinema Studies double-degree fifth-year student Jace Mason is considering pursuing his interests in jazz and film separately and questions finding a way to integrate them. Artemis members encouraged the combining of these fields, leading Miller and Glover to recount previous multimedia works they were part of and the plethora of ways that different mediums can positively influence each other. Ezra Rudel ‘23 is interested in finding mentorship, to which Glover responded by stressing the importance of always having a mentor, especially after graduating from college. Fourth-year jazz vibraphonist Kelsi Bolden thinks about hunkering down after graduation before making a big move to enter a music scene. Artemis unanimously agreed that isolating after school can be a great opportunity to gather mental strength and further artistic skills before applying them in professional environments.</p> <p>With decades of musical and professional experience between them, Artemis’s series of events leading up to their culminating performance in Finney Chapel provided countless invaluable lessons to all who attended. Artemis undoubtedly left a positive and indelible impact on 91ֱ��’s jazz community and the school’s music scene.</p> <div class="obj-center"> <figure class="captioned-image"> <figcaption>Artemis takes a final bow after their March 13 performance in Finney Chapel. Photo: Jonathan Clark</figcaption> </figure> </div> <hr> <p><em>George Rogers is a second-year saxophonist and is a student communications assistant for the Conservatory Communications Office.</em></p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Jazz supergroup provides valuable lessons in music, artistry, and mentorship by engaging with students and community members through a presentation, Q&A, master class, and career talk.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2024-03-21T12:00:00Z">Thu, 03/21/2024 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">George Rogers</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2356">Conservatory</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3878">Conservatory of Music</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2364">Artist Recital Series</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2410">Students</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-programs field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=34691">Jazz Performance</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=34896">Jazz Composition</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/conservatory/divisions/jazz-studies" hreflang="und">Jazz Studies</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-caption field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__item">Artemis performs in Finney Chapel as part of the 2023-24 Artist Recital Series.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pull-images field--type-list-string field--label-hidden field__item">No</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-cte-images field--type-list-string field--label-hidden field__item">Yes (Gallery Style)</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Jonathan Clark</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-flex-content field--type-entity-reference-revisions field--label-hidden vertical-spacing--basic field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <div id="obj-33590" class="paragraph paragraph--type--para-cont-img-section paragraph--view-mode--photoswipe-images photoswipe-gallery"> <div class="o-flex--basic-copy basic-copy"> <div class="image-grid image-grid--single-caption pull"> <div id="obj-31760" class="paragraph paragraph--type--para-el-image-row paragraph--view-mode--photoswipe-images"> <div class="image-row"> <div class="image-row__images" data-cols="3"> <div id="obj-30063" class="paragraph paragraph--type--para-el-figure paragraph--view-mode--photoswipe-images"> <figure> <a href="/sites/default/files/content/figure/24-03-12_artemis_masterclass_cat_jonathan_clark_021.jpg" class="photoswipe" data-pswp-width="1500" data-pswp-height="988"> </a> <figcaption> <div class="figure__credit"><p>Photo credit: Jonathan Clark</p></div> </figcaption> </figure> </div> <div id="obj-30064" class="paragraph paragraph--type--para-el-figure paragraph--view-mode--photoswipe-images"> <figure> <a href="/sites/default/files/content/figure/-03-12_artemis_masterclass_cat_jonathan_clark_005.jpg" class="photoswipe" data-pswp-width="2500" data-pswp-height="1609"> </a> <figcaption> <div class="figure__credit"><p>Photo credit: Jonathan Clark</p></div> </figcaption> </figure> </div> <div id="obj-30065" class="paragraph paragraph--type--para-el-figure paragraph--view-mode--photoswipe-images"> <figure> <a href="/sites/default/files/content/figure/artemis_career_talk_7_photo_by_abe_frato_clr.jpg" class="photoswipe" data-pswp-width="2500" data-pswp-height="1600"> </a> </figure> </div> </div> <div class="figcaption"> <div class="figure__caption"> <p>Two student ensembles receive feedback after their master class performances for their peers and Artemis at the Cat in the Cream Coffeehouse. The five members of the ensemble engage in discussion with students during the panel in the Birenbaum.</p> </div> <div class="figure__credit"> Photo credit: Jonathan Clark (master class), Abe Frato (panel discussion) </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article> <h1>Five Faculty Earn Excellence in Teaching Honors</h1> <p>eburnett — Thu, 14 Mar 2024 14:48:43 +0000</p> <span>Five Faculty Earn Excellence in Teaching Honors</span> <span><span>eburnett</span></span> <span><time datetime="2024-03-14T10:48:43-04:00" title="Thursday, March 14, 2024 - 10:48">Thu, 03/14/2024 - 10:48</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Five 91ֱ�� faculty members have been recognized with Excellence in Teaching Awards for the 2022-23 academic year.</p> <p>Presented annually, the awards recognize faculty in the college and conservatory who have demonstrated sustained and distinctive excellence in the classroom and beyond.</p> <p>Though they approach their teaching across widely varied disciplines, the honorees are united by several key characteristics, says <a href="/node/4921">David Kamitsuka</a>, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences:</p> <p style="margin-left: 40px;">“All of them are beloved and visionary teachers, they are deeply admired by their colleagues, they do a superb job connecting their area of expertise to its importance in real life, and they find great joy and meaning in the growth of their students.”</p> <p>A dinner reception was held March 11 at the home of President Carmen Twillie Ambar. The honorees (pictured above at the reception) are as follows:</p> <p><strong><a href="/node/6671">Jay Ashby</a><br> Associate Professor of Jazz Studies<br> Teacher of Jazz Composition and Trombone<br> Director of the Division of Jazz Studies</strong></p> <p>Dean of the Conservatory <a href="/node/49511">Bill Quillen</a> praises Jay Ashby’s commitment to students, his stewardship of the <a href="/node/3231">Division of Jazz Studies</a>, and his development of the Performance and Improvisation program, as well as his ongoing ties to 91ֱ�� athletics as co-chair of the General Faculty Athletics Committee.</p> <p>“Jay Ashby has played a leading role in continuing the legacy of jazz studies at 91ֱ��, and he works tirelessly in support of our students,” Quillen says. “He has expanded the realm of jazz studies and created opportunities not just for our jazz students, but for students across our campus.”</p> <hr> <p><strong><a href="/node/6761">Jonathan Moyer</a><br> David S. Boe Associate Professor of Organ<br> Chair of the Organ Department</strong></p> <p>“Jonathan Moyer is one of the most outstanding organ performers and pedagogues in America,” Quillen says. “He stands out not only for his artistic excellence, but also for his deep-seated care for his students. He has continued 91ֱ��’s rich tradition of organ study and placed the students and their needs at the heart of everything he does.”</p> <p>Quillen praises Moyer for his commitment to creating immersive learning experiences in organ centers across Europe and fostering career connections for his students throughout Northeast Ohio and around the world.</p> <hr> <p><strong><span id="cke_bm_37257S" style="display: none;"> </span>Lynn Powell<br> Emerita Assistant Professor of Creative Writing<br> Director of 91ֱ�� Writers in the Schools</strong></p> <p>Kamitsuka cites Lynn Powell’s extraordinary and longstanding commitment to the <a href="/node/3221">Creative Writing Department</a> and the community. For more than two decades, she provided visionary leadership to 91ֱ��’s <a href="/node/178921">Writers in the Schools</a> program, a collaboration between the college and 91ֱ�� public schools. “It’s truly unimaginable how much work Lynn has put into this labor of love,” Kamitsuka says of Powell, who retired in summer 2023.</p> <p> </p> <hr> <p><strong><a href="/node/5706"><span id="cke_bm_37257E" style="display: none;"> </span></a></strong></p> <p><strong><a href="/node/5261">Lisa Ryno</a><br> Associate Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry</strong></p> <p>“What is so impressive about Lisa Ryno is her incredible efforts and success in involving students in every facet of her research,” says Kamitsuka. “No one has done more than Lisa to ensure that all students thrive.” Kamitsuka notes that Ryno spearheaded—while on sabbatical—implementation of the Chemistry Climate Survey, which was intended to assess students’ sense of belonging and engagement with the department.</p> <p>Ryno’s many student collaborations are evidenced in the great number of student researchers who participate with <a href="/undergraduate-research">91ֱ�� Undergraduate Research</a> and present at departmental symposiums—and also in the contingent of five students who will present alongside Ryno at the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology conference this month in San Antonio.</p> <p>“Nothing is better than watching someone gain confidence in the lab and take ownership of their project,” Ryno says.</p> <hr> <p><strong><a href="/node/5706">Md Rumi Shammin</a><br> Professor of Environmental Studies<br> Director of the Environmental Studies Program</strong></p> <p>“Rumi Shammin models genuine modesty and humility as the foundation of all learning,” says Kamitsuka.</p> <p>Shammin is regarded among students and fellow faculty as a master of group projects and collaborative work, including his National Science Foundation-funded project “Perspective-Taking and Systems-Thinking for Complex Problem Solving.” Shammin founded <a href="/node/3196">Environmental Studies</a>’ Career Day, which offers a highly successful model for forging professional connections.</p> <hr> <p><strong>About the Excellence in Teaching Awards:</strong> Each year, College of Arts and Sciences faculty are selected for consideration through nominations presented to the College Faculty Council, which are then reviewed by a faculty committee. An award is presented in each division of the college: arts and humanities, social and behavioral sciences, and natural sciences and mathematics. The conservatory dean recommends a number of conservatory faculty to the Conservatory Faculty Council for consideration, and together they review and narrow the recommendations to two recipients.</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Annual awards celebrate distinguished and sustained leadership across the college and conservatory.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2024-03-14T12:00:00Z">Thu, 03/14/2024 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Communications Staff</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2583">College of Arts and Sciences</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2356">Conservatory</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2373">Awards and Honors</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-programs field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=34896">Jazz Composition</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=34691">Jazz Performance</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25351">Environmental Studies and Sciences</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25326">Creative Writing</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25246">Biochemistry</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25306">Chemistry</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=28886">Historical Performance</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=40211">Historical Keyboard Instruments</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=32966">Organ</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-faculty field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/jay-ashby" hreflang="und">Jay Ashby</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/jonathan-william-moyer" hreflang="und">Jonathan William Moyer</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/lisa-ryno" hreflang="und">Lisa Ryno</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/md-rumi-shammin" hreflang="und">Md Rumi Shammin</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/conservatory/divisions/jazz-studies" hreflang="und">Jazz Studies</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/conservatory/divisions/historical-performance" hreflang="und">Historical Performance</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/conservatory/divisions/keyboard-studies" hreflang="und">Keyboard Studies</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/environmental-studies" hreflang="und">Environmental Studies and Science</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/chemistry-biochemistry" hreflang="und">Chemistry and Biochemistry</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/creative-writing" hreflang="und">Creative Writing</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-caption field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__item">91ֱ��’s 2022-23 Excellence in Teaching honorees (from left): Jonathan Moyer, Lisa Ryno, Rumi Shammin, Lynn Powell, and Jay Ashby.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Scott Shaw</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> <article> <h1>91ֱ�� Artist Recital Series Presents Artemis</h1> <p>srasmuss — Tue, 05 Mar 2024 18:07:31 +0000</p> <span>91ֱ�� Artist Recital Series Presents Artemis</span> <span><span>srasmuss</span></span> <span><time datetime="2024-03-05T13:07:31-05:00" title="Tuesday, March 5, 2024 - 13:07">Tue, 03/05/2024 - 13:07</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>What do the words powerful, wonderful, extraordinary, appealing, undeniable, palpable, natural, immediate, unique, organic, and brilliant have in common?</p> <p>They are all adjectives that have been used to describe the musical chemistry of <a href="/tickets/event-details?EventId=6202">Artemis</a>, the collective of modern jazz bandleaders and composers that was named “Jazz Group of the Year” in the 2023 DownBeat Readers Poll.</p> <p>The results of that musical chemistry?</p> <p>“All of us know each other so well now, and we know each other’s playing, so it’s fun and inspiring to write for each person’s strengths,” says pianist and musical director Renee Rosnes.</p> <p>“And musically, I would say we’ve all become a bit more adventurous with how we play together because we know that everyone’s got each other’s back. We always allow the music to flow in the moment, so that if somebody wants to take things in a certain direction, we’re all there.”</p> <p>Northeast Ohio audiences will hear that chemistry in action when Artemis appears on the 91ֱ�� Artist Recital Series on <a href="/tickets/event-details?EventId=6202">March 13</a> in Finney Chapel.</p> <p>Rosnes will be joined in 91ֱ�� by trumpeter Ingrid Jensen, tenor saxophonist Nicole Glover, bassist Noriko Ueda, and drummer Allison Miller. Naturally, the ensemble’s 2023 album In Real Time—which includes six originals and two arrangements of pieces by Lyle Mays and Wayne Shorter—will make up an important part of the program.</p> <p>“And we’ve also got a few newer things in the book,” Rosnes says.</p> <p>Among the possible meanings behind the title In Real Time is the fleeting, immediate nature of music—how, unless recording is involved, it is heard right at the moment when it is created, and no longer than that.</p> <p>“For this last album, we were able to do a week at Birdland in New York City before heading into the studio, which enabled us to kind of workshop the new compositions. So, by the time we got into the studio, the band was in a good state of flow, allowing each piece to unfold in—well, in real time.”</p> <p>Both that album and their 2020 self-titled debut were released on Blue Note Records, which signed Artemis after their acclaimed performance at the 2018 Newport Jazz Festival. “It was really wonderful when the president, Don Was, invited us to be on the label,” Rosnes says. “I feel like Blue Note has been a central figure in the history of jazz, so we’re all very excited about being part of that family.”</p> <p>The group’s 91ֱ�� itinerary will also include a visit to the Cat in the Cream Coffeehouse on <a href="/events/presentation_and_qa_with_artemis">March 12</a>, when Artemis will give a short performance and presentation in addition to participating in a Q&A led by members of the Crimson Collective, a group of female and non-binary 91ֱ�� students dedicated to performing Black American music.</p> <p>With that in mind, it’s notable that the formation of Artemis came when a promoter asked Rosnes to put together an all-female band in celebration of International Women’s Day 2017. But since then, the pianist says, gender has not been part of the group’s self-concept.</p> <p>“After that, we all just had so much fun playing together, we wanted to keep it going. For all of us, I think it’s about the power of the music, not the gender—that’s not something that we think about in terms of our art. And I wish more people would see it that way. Think about how many all-male bands there are, and gender doesn’t need to be mentioned. Why can’t it be the same for any gender?”</p> <p>She doesn’t discount the impact that Artemis has had on audiences as an all-women ensemble in the disproportionately male world of jazz. “I’m often moved by the emotional reactions we receive from people of all genders who relay to us how inspiring it is to witness and listen to a band such as ours. But having said that, we really don’t think about it.”</p> <p><strong>Concert details</strong><br> <a href="/events/artist_recital_series_artemis">Artemis</a><br> 7:30 p.m.<br> Wednesday, March 13<br> 91ֱ�� College Finney Chapel<br> 90 N. Professor St.<br> 91ֱ��, OH 44074</p> <p><strong>Tickets:</strong><br> $35 Public | $30 OC Staff/Faculty/Alumni, Seniors, Military | $10 Students</p> <p>Concert tickets are available <a href="/tickets/event-details?EventId=6202">online</a> and by phone at 800-371-0178. Patrons may also purchase them in person between noon and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, at 91ֱ�� College's Central Ticket Service, located at 67 N. Main Street, in the lobby of the Eric Baker Nord Performing Arts Complex.</p> <p><a href="/artsguide/ticket-information/claim-your-seat">Free Artist Recital Series tickets</a> for enrolled 91ֱ�� students are available through the Claim Your Seat program, made possible through the generosity of Richard ’62 and Linda ’62 Clark. </p> <p>Learn more about the <a href="/artsguide">Arts at 91ֱ��.</a></p> <p>This program is proudly supported by <a href="https://www.ideastream.org/">Ideastream Public Media</a>, official media partner of the Artist Recital Series.</p> <hr> <p><em>Jarrett Hoffman ’14 is a freelance writer and clarinetist based in New York.</em></p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">2023 DownBeat Readers Poll “Jazz Group of the Year” to perform in Finney Chapel. While on campus they’ll also work with students.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2024-03-05T12:00:00Z">Tue, 03/05/2024 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Jarrett Hoffman '14</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2364">Artist Recital Series</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2356">Conservatory</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2548">Concerts and Recitals</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3878">Conservatory of Music</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-programs field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=34691">Jazz Performance</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=34896">Jazz Composition</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/conservatory/divisions/jazz-studies" hreflang="und">Jazz Studies</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> <article> <h1>Gary Bartz Named NEA Jazz Master for 2024</h1> <p>eburnett — Thu, 17 Aug 2023 12:45:31 +0000</p> <span>Gary Bartz Named NEA Jazz Master for 2024</span> <span><span>eburnett</span></span> <span><time datetime="2023-08-17T08:45:31-04:00" title="Thursday, August 17, 2023 - 08:45">Thu, 08/17/2023 - 08:45</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p><a href="/node/7076">Gary Bartz</a>, 91ֱ��’s Grammy Award-winning professor of jazz saxophone and a vital link to generations of jazz greats, has secured a claim to greatness all his own: Bartz was named a 2024 Jazz Master by the National Endowment for the Arts, the nation’s highest honor conferred to jazz musicians.</p> <figure class="captioned-image obj-right"> <figcaption>photo by Tanya Rosen-Jones '97</figcaption> </figure> <p>Bartz is the second 91ֱ�� jazz faculty member to earn the accolade in the past three years: His colleague, Associate Professor of Jazz Drumming <a href="/node/6701">Billy Hart</a>, was named a 2022 Jazz Master.</p> <p>A member of the 91ֱ�� jazz faculty since 2001, Bartz joins a 2024 class of honorees that includes seven-time Grammy Award-winning trumpeter and composer Terence Blanchard; pianist, vocalist, and composer Amina Claudine Myers; and artistic director, writer, and broadcaster Willard Jenkins. They will be celebrated in an April 2024 concert at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.</p> <p>A native of Baltimore, Bartz was raised in his parents’ nightclub, an experience that left him idolizing Charlie Parker by age 6 and wielding his own first alto sax five years later. He attended the Juilliard School and joined the Charles Mingus Jazz Workshop in 1962, beginning a long run of high-profile collaborations as a member of Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers and in the bands of Max Roach and Miles Davis, among others.</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Grammy Award-winning saxophone professor has played with jazz luminaries spanning generations.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2023-08-17T12:00:00Z">Thu, 08/17/2023 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Communications Staff</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2356">Conservatory</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2373">Awards and Honors</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3341">Conservatory Faculty</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-programs field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=34691">Jazz Performance</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=34896">Jazz Composition</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-faculty field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/gary-bartz" hreflang="und">Gary Bartz</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/billy-hart" hreflang="und">Billy Hart</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/conservatory/divisions/jazz-studies" hreflang="und">Jazz Studies</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-caption field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__item">Gary Bartz performed alongside his fellow 91ֱ�� jazz faculty in a February 2023 concert in Finney Chapel.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">John Seyfried</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-flex-content field--type-entity-reference-revisions field--label-hidden vertical-spacing--basic field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <div id="obj-32100" class="paragraph paragraph--type--pb-el-bq paragraph--view-mode--default"> <blockquote class="blockquote--quotemark" data-text-color-red data-text-size-giant> <p>Music is humbling, and I am humbled by this award.”</p> <p class="blockquote__attribution"> Gary Bartz </p> </blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="field__item"> <div id="obj-27772" class="paragraph paragraph--type--para-el-copy paragraph--view-mode--default o-flex--basic-copy basic-copy"> <p>A longtime resident of Oakland, California, Bartz is a two-time Grammy Award winner for his contributions to recordings by Roy Hargrove (1997) and McCoy Tyner (2004).</p> <p>In comments to the NEA, Bartz recognized the many others who paved the way for his career and emphasized the origins of the art form to which he has dedicated his life.</p> <p>“I am very honored to have been chosen to join many of my mentors and contemporaries for this award honoring this art form that was founded in the U.S.A., which I call <em>informal composition</em>, not improvisation,” he said. “I give thanks to my ancestors who nurtured this great art form born in the U.S.A. Music is humbling, and I am humbled by this award. This music is our gift to the universe!”</p> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article> <h1>John Petrucelli Named 91ֱ��’s First Postdoctoral Fellow in Jazz History</h1> <p>eburnett — Thu, 23 Jun 2022 20:48:19 +0000</p> <span>John Petrucelli Named 91ֱ��’s First Postdoctoral Fellow in Jazz History</span> <span><span>eburnett</span></span> <span><time datetime="2022-06-23T16:48:19-04:00" title="Thursday, June 23, 2022 - 16:48">Thu, 06/23/2022 - 16:48</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>The position was made possible by James and Susan Neumann, whose <a href="/news/16m-gift-supports-endowed-fellowship-jazz-history-oberlin-conservatory">recent $1.6 million gift</a> to the conservatory supports the endowment of the fellowship in jazz history. The Neumanns’ generosity also provided for the 2011 gift of an <a href="https://libraries.oberlin.edu/libraries/conservatory-library/special-collections/collections/the-james-r-and-susan-neumann-jazz-collection/about-the-collection">extensive collection</a> of more than 100,000 recordings, books, posters, and other artifacts chronicling the history of jazz.</p> <p>Beginning with Petrucelli, each postdoctoral fellow will be hired for a two-year term to teach courses on specialized topics in jazz history and prepare research involving 91ֱ�� students. The conservatory’s expansive archival materials, including those provided by the Neumanns, will play an integral role in both coursework and research.</p> <p>Petrucelli arrives after serving as visiting director of jazz at the University of Utah. At 91ֱ��, he will interact with students interested in jazz and contemporary American music.</p> <p>“91ֱ�� is fortunate to have John Petrucelli join us on campus,” says Deborah Campana, head of the Conservatory Library and chair of the search committee. “As someone fairly new to the college classroom, John impressed the committee by his devotion to the art of jazz performance. At the same time, it was also evident that he holds respect for its history and impact on society. His ability to share this wisdom and enthusiasm while engaging with the resources provided in our special collections will benefit our entire community.”</p> <p>Petrucelli earned master’s degrees in jazz studies from Rutgers University’s Mason Gross School of the Arts and in jazz history and research from Rutgers University-Newark, followed by a PhD in music from the University of Pittsburgh. He holds an undergraduate degree in philosophy from the University of Virginia. In 2019, he was honored by the Jazz Education Network for outstanding contributions to jazz education.</p> <p>Petrucelli’s interests span the history of jazz. He has performed with and learned from a long list of luminaries including Geri Allen, Charles Tolliver, Terence Blanchard, and <a href="/node/314401">late 91ֱ�� alumnus Stanley Cowell ’62</a>, his mentor at Rutgers. His research interests include the music of underrepresented saxophonists, and he hopes to complete a book on one of them, Clifford Jordan, during his fellowship.</p> <p>Petrucelli’s three recordings to date reveal his devotion to the jazz tradition as well as his penchant for exploring realms of contemporary classical and new music, and seeking points of intersection between the varied musical languages. He continues to perform with duos and ensembles of various sizes.</p> <p>“I feel as though I'm coming to 91ֱ�� with a blank slate,” says Petrucelli. “What is most intriguing about this opportunity is the ability to collaborate with world-class faculty across the college and conservatory while pursuing new avenues in my research, pedagogy, and performance practice that will be inspired through the Neumann Collection. I’m hoping to make the most of the these two years and to contribute as much as I can to the 91ֱ�� community.”</p> <p>The endowment of 91ֱ��’s jazz history postdoctoral fellowship coincides with news of a newly developed <a href="/node/387996">minor in African American music</a>, created in tandem with the Conservatory of Music and the College of Arts and Sciences. In spring, the conservatory appointed musicologist <a href="/node/319121">Courtney-Savali Andrews</a> to a <a href="/node/413236">new tenure-track faculty position</a> in African American and African diasporic music.</p> <hr> <p><em>91ֱ�� Conservatory’s newly endowed postdoctoral fellowship in jazz history continues the institution’s ongoing efforts to expand curricular diversity and support inclusion. Learn more about 91ֱ��'s commitment in the <a href="/about-oberlin/presidential-initiative-racial-equity-and-diversity">Presidential Initiative on Racial Equity and Diversity</a> and the conservatory’s <a href="/node/306446">Racial Equity and Diversity Action Plan</a>.</em></p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Educator and performer to teach courses and guide student research.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2022-06-27T12:00:00Z">Mon, 06/27/2022 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Erich Burnett</div> <div class="text-content field field--name-field-intro-text field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p><a href="/john-petrucelli">John Petrucelli</a>, a jazz saxophonist, composer, scholar, and educator, has been named the first James R. '58 and Susan Neumann Postdoctoral Fellow of Jazz History at 91ֱ�� Conservatory, a two-year appointment that begins in fall 2022.</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2356">Conservatory</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3490">Presidential Initiative</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3450">Conservatory Library</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3448">Conservatory Special Collections</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-programs field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=34691">Jazz Performance</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=34896">Jazz Composition</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=28856">Musicology</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/conservatory/divisions/jazz-studies" hreflang="und">Jazz Studies</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/conservatory/divisions/musicology" hreflang="und">Musicology</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">courtesy of John Petrucelli</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> <article> <h1>91ֱ�� Sonny Rollins Jazz Ensemble Performs March 13</h1> <p>eburnett — Wed, 09 Mar 2022 15:17:49 +0000</p> <span>91ֱ�� Sonny Rollins Jazz Ensemble Performs March 13</span> <span><span>eburnett</span></span> <span><time datetime="2022-03-09T10:17:49-05:00" title="Wednesday, March 9, 2022 - 10:17">Wed, 03/09/2022 - 10:17</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>The 91ֱ�� Sonny Rollins Jazz Ensemble, a student group created through the support of the legendary jazz musician, <a href="https://calendar.oberlin.edu/event/concert_the_sonny_rollins_jazz_ensemble_bobby_ferrazza_director">will perform a set</a> in 91ֱ�� Conservatory’s Clonick Hall recording studio on Sunday, March 13.</p> <p>The 2:30 p.m. concert is free and open to the public, and will be streamed at <a href="/conservatory/on-stage/live-webcasts">91ֱ��.edu/livestream</a>.</p> <p>The ensemble will present a mix of original tunes and arrangements of standards by the group’s members and director <a href="/node/6686">Bobby Ferrazza</a>, 91ֱ��’s professor of jazz guitar.</p> <p>The 2021-22 Sonny Rollins Jazz Ensemble lineup consists of Armen Krakirian (trumpet), Coleman Rose (saxophone), Eric Weaver (trombone), Sehrea Brown (vocals), Archer Parks (guitar), Wilson Woods (piano), Kamran Curlin (bass), and Martin Kent (drums).</p> <div class="obj-center"> <figure class="captioned-image"> <figcaption>The 91ֱ�� Sonny Rollins Jazz Ensemble, with director Bobby Ferrazza (far left). Photo by Tanya Rosen-Jones '97.</figcaption> </figure> </div> <p>Formed in 2018, the Sonny Rollins Jazz Ensemble was made possible through a <a href="/news/jazz-legend-sonny-rollins-designates-major-gift-oberlin">generous gift to 91ֱ�� Conservatory</a> by Rollins, the revered jazz saxophonist and composer. More than a mere spot in an elite unit, membership in the ensemble requires a commitment to service through music and willingness to give for others—core principles exemplified by Rollins, now 91, throughout his life and career.</p> <p>Auditions for the ensemble are held each year, and all 91ֱ�� jazz students are eligible for inclusion beginning with their first year on campus.</p> <p>In January 2019, the Sonny Ensemble performed two sets at New York City’s Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola, part of the Jazz at Lincoln Center complex. The following year, the ensemble made its West Coast debut in the Joe Henderson Lab at SFJAZZ in San Francisco.</p> <p>A return engagement at SFJAZZ coupled with a slate of Bay Area school performances were canceled this year due to COVID restrictions. The students joined forces in fall semester to purchase and deliver groceries to Afghan refugees who have resettled in the Cleveland area.</p> <p>“These students are among the most talented musicians in our conservatory, but they are also amazing stewards of the mission Mr. Rollins established for this group: to be servants to their community not only through their music, but through their generosity of spirit,” says Ferrazza. “I’m very proud of each one of them, and all of 91ֱ�� can be proud of them too.”</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">All-star student group’s return to action ends months of COVID limitations.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2022-03-09T12:00:00Z">Wed, 03/09/2022 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Erich Burnett</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2356">Conservatory</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3797">Sonny Rollins Jazz Ensemble</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-programs field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=34691">Jazz Performance</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=34896">Jazz Composition</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-faculty field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/bobby-ferrazza" hreflang="und">Bobby Ferrazza</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/conservatory/divisions/jazz-studies" hreflang="und">Jazz Studies</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> <article> <h1>$1.6M Gift Supports Endowed Fellowship in Jazz History at 91ֱ�� Conservatory</h1> <p>eburnett — Wed, 16 Feb 2022 21:32:18 +0000</p> <span>$1.6M Gift Supports Endowed Fellowship in Jazz History at 91ֱ�� Conservatory</span> <span><span>eburnett</span></span> <span><time datetime="2022-02-16T16:32:18-05:00" title="Wednesday, February 16, 2022 - 16:32">Wed, 02/16/2022 - 16:32</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>For more than a decade, the generosity of James R. and Susan Neumann has led to incomparable opportunities for 91ֱ�� students to study the history of jazz. Now a new gift from the Neumanns will offer additional paths to explore the quintessentially American art form.</p> <p>The Neumanns, who in 2011 gifted to 91ֱ�� an <a href="https://libraries.oberlin.edu/libraries/conservatory-library/special-collections/collections/the-james-r-and-susan-neumann-jazz-collection/about-the-collection">extensive collection</a> of more than 100,000 recordings, books, posters, and other artifacts chronicling the history of jazz, have donated $1.6 million to establish a fund supporting the creation of an endowed conservatory faculty position in jazz history. An allocation of $100,000 of the overall gift will support the Neumann Jazz Collection.</p> <p>The newly endowed fund makes possible the creation of a postdoctoral fellowship. Each fellow will be appointed for a two-year period on an ongoing basis, and will teach two courses on specialized topics in jazz history. Those courses will draw upon the conservatory’s expansive archival materials provided by the Neumanns and others. In addition, each fellow will pursue individual research, which will involve 91ֱ�� students.</p> <p>“I’m delighted that, through this generous gift, we will be able to expand our offerings in jazz history in such a meaningful and enduring way,” says Dean of the Conservatory <a href="/node/49511">William Quillen</a>.</p> <p>“Increasing the number of academic courses dedicated to jazz history has been an interest of numerous members of our community here at 91ֱ��—and a particular interest of mine—and I’m thrilled that we are able to achieve such a goal through the addition of bright new faculty members. The generous, longtime support of Jim and Susan Neumann has been instrumental to the development of the unrivaled opportunities for jazz study that exist at 91ֱ��.”</p> <p>The endowment of 91ֱ��’s jazz history faculty position coincides with news of a newly developed <a href="/node/387996">minor course of study in African American music</a> created in tandem with the Conservatory of Music and the College of Arts and Sciences. Later this spring, the conservatory will appoint a new tenure-track faculty member in African American and African diasporic music.</p> <p>“The gift provided by Jim and Susan Neumann marks a new era for the appreciation of jazz at 91ֱ�� and ultimately beyond,” says <a href="/node/29976">Deborah Campana</a>, head of the Conservatory Library—which houses the conservatory's <a href="https://libraries.oberlin.edu/collections/special-collections">Special Collections</a>—and director of the Division of Musicology. “The Conservatory Library is grateful for the generous support of the collection itself. At the same time, we look forward to working with a new colleague who will inspire students’ thinking about jazz as they navigate the rich resources represented in this unparalleled collection.”</p> <p>A lifelong jazz enthusiast, James Neumann promoted jazz concerts at 91ֱ�� as a student in the mid-1950s. He has maintained close ties to his alma mater in the decades since his graduation.</p> <p>“It is fortuitous that this gift is going to the school where I graduated from,” he said in January from his home in suburban Chicago. “It is a wonderful way to come full circle, just an incredible piece of good fortune for me, and I hope for 91ֱ�� too."</p> <hr> <p><em>91ֱ�� Conservatory’s newly endowed faculty position in jazz history continues the institution’s ongoing efforts to expand curricular diversity and support inclusion. Learn more about 91ֱ��'s commitment in the <a href="/node/410371">Presidential Initiative on Racial Equity and Diversity</a> and the <a href="/dean-of-the-conservatory/racial-equity-diversity-action-plan">conservatory’s Racial Equity and Diversity Action Plan</a>.</em></p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">New role made possible by James R. ’58 and Susan Neumann.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2022-02-16T12:00:00Z">Wed, 02/16/2022 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Erich Burnett</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2356">Conservatory</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3448">Conservatory Special Collections</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3346">Advancement</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3450">Conservatory Library</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-programs field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=34691">Jazz Performance</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=34896">Jazz Composition</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-faculty field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/william-quillen" hreflang="und">William Quillen</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/conservatory/divisions/jazz-studies" hreflang="und">Jazz Studies</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/conservatory/divisions/musicology" hreflang="und">Musicology</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-caption field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__item">The James R. and Susan Neumann Jazz Collection at 91ֱ�� consists of more than 100,000 recordings spanning the complete history of jazz.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">James R. and Susan Neumann Jazz Collection</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> <article> <h1>91ֱ�� Conservatory Establishes Minor in Improvisation</h1> <p>eburnett — Tue, 25 Jan 2022 20:22:05 +0000</p> <span>91ֱ�� Conservatory Establishes Minor in Improvisation</span> <span><span>eburnett</span></span> <span><time datetime="2022-01-25T15:22:05-05:00" title="Tuesday, January 25, 2022 - 15:22">Tue, 01/25/2022 - 15:22</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>For jazz musicians and orchestral musicians and every musician in between, the ability to improvise on their instruments can be as vital as reading notes on a page.</p> <p>Beginning in fall 2022, improvisation at 91ֱ�� Conservatory will be formalized into a <a href="/improvisation">minor course of study</a> that will be available to them all.</p> <p>The new minor offers students the opportunity to bolster their artistry through the performance of improvised music and through study of practices related to improvisation.</p> <p>“Improvisation can be a thread that connects lots of different areas of music-making,” says <a href="/node/30066">Dana Jessen</a>, associate professor of contemporary music and improvisation and chair of the improv minor. “Improv has always been deeply rooted within the conservatory in myriad forms, be it free jazz and creative music, fusion, historical performance, non-Western idioms, or electronic music.</p> <p>“The minor in improv allows us to recognize and celebrate the musical and creative pathways that our students are already pursuing, while also providing opportunities for students to explore new modes of playing through a range of improvisatory practices and music-making.”</p> <p>In particular, Jessen notes, improvisation provides encouragement and support for the exploration of a wide variety of genres and styles, such as those often studied by the conservatory’s <a href="/news/conservatory-program-emerges-space-between-classical-and-jazz">Performance and Improvisation</a> (PI) ensembles, through which jazz and classical students frequently share the stage.</p> <p>The improv minor does not exist in any one academic department on campus, but instead draws upon the resources of numerous departments across the conservatory as well as the college.</p> <p>Students pursuing the minor must complete 20 credit hours, including a minimum of eight credits in the category of “performance practices” and eight credits in “critical and creative practices.” Among the many available courses in performance practices are Internalizing Rhythms I and II (course catalog title APST 140 and APST 141), Sacred Music Skills (APST 221 and APST 222), 91ֱ�� Improvisation and New Music Collective (APST 807), and Silent Film Ensemble (APST 809), and Approaches and Philosophies of Free Music (APST 143), which is taught by Jessen.</p> <p>Courses in critical and creative practices may include Musical Thought: Analysis of World Music (ETHN 302), Intro to Electroacoustic Music (TECH 101), Introduction to Sound Art (TECH 102), Special Topics in Composition (COMP 350), and many other offerings in both the college and conservatory. In addition, students pursuing the minor may complete various other approved courses in the college that focus on improvisation, among them a variety of dance courses.</p> <p>Course selections must include at least two courses taken outside the student’s major area of study. Pursuit of the minor in improvisation culminates in the presentation of a performance, lecture, demonstration, portfolio, or other approved project.</p> <p>“We think a lot about improvisation as an <em>outcome</em>—someone on stage performing—but we don’t want to overlook the <em>process</em> of improvisation,” says Jessen, noting that fluency in improvisation can bolster the work of composers, electroacoustic musicians, and countless others.</p> <p>“The process of improvisation is important for building skills in any kind of music.”</p> <p>In addition to the improv minor, conservatory students are free to pursue minors in any course of study offered in the College of Arts and Sciences, as well as any of a number of <a href="/musical-pathways">interdisciplinary minors and concentrations</a> that draw upon the resources of both the college and conservatory and are available to all students at 91ֱ��.</p> <p>The minor in improvisation aligns with 91ֱ��’s commitment to optimally prepare students for any number of potential 21st-century career paths—a mission described in <a href="/about-oberlin/one-oberlin">One 91ֱ��</a>, a vision for the institution published in 2019 that focuses on enhanced learning outcomes for all students.</p> <p>"We consistently hear from our alumni about the importance of being comfortable improvising in a variety of contexts: on stage, in the studio, in the classroom, and elsewhere," says Peter Swendsen '99, the conservatory's former senior associate dean for academic affairs and professor in the <a href="/node/51641">TIMARA Department</a>.</p> <p>"In fact, it’s one of the skills most often mentioned as being a key component of their lives as professional musicians. We're excited that the new minor will better prepare our current and future students for this reality of the music world by encouraging them to develop a personal voice and practice that includes improvisation."</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Debuting in fall 2022, new course of study available to all conservatory students.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2022-01-25T12:00:00Z">Tue, 01/25/2022 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Erich Burnett</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2356">Conservatory</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2865">Performance & Improvisation (PI)</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-programs field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=464502">Improvisation</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=33331">Composition</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=34896">Jazz Composition</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=34691">Jazz Performance</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-faculty field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/dana-jessen" hreflang="und">Dana Jessen</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/conservatory/divisions/contemporary-music" hreflang="und">Contemporary Music</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/conservatory/divisions/jazz-studies" hreflang="und">Jazz Studies</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/conservatory/divisions/conducting-and-ensembles" hreflang="und">Conducting and Ensembles</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/conservatory/divisions/historical-performance" hreflang="und">Historical Performance</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-caption field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__item">A conservatory improv ensemble performs in 91ֱ��'s Birenbaum Space.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> <article> <h1>Jazz Trumpeter Theo Croker ’07 Performs at 91ֱ�� Dec. 15</h1> <p>eburnett — Mon, 06 Dec 2021 18:27:59 +0000</p> <span>Jazz Trumpeter Theo Croker ’07 Performs at 91ֱ�� Dec. 15</span> <span><span>eburnett</span></span> <span><time datetime="2021-12-06T13:27:59-05:00" title="Monday, December 6, 2021 - 13:27">Mon, 12/06/2021 - 13:27</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p><a href="https://theocroker.com/">Theo Croker</a>, a 2007 graduate of 91ֱ�� Conservatory who has cultivated a distinguished and varied career as a jazz trumpeter, vocalist, and producer, will return to his alma mater for a <a href="/events/theo_croker">performance on Wednesday, December 15</a>.</p> <p>Presented by the 91ֱ�� Jazz Society, the concert begins at 9 p.m. in Finney Chapel. Admission is free.</p> <p>Croker’s band will include fellow 91ֱ�� alumni Michael King '21 on piano and Shekwoaga Ode '17 on drums, as well as bassist Eric Wheeler and singer D'LEAU.</p> <p>After completing his studies at 91ֱ��, Croker spent seven years in Shanghai, immersing himself in musical styles—among them salsa, fusion rock, and hip-hop—that deepened and complemented his grounding in jazz. While there, he completed a five-month residency at the Shanghai House of Blues and served as music director and bandleader for a late-night talk show.</p> <p>He returned in 2014 with his third studio recording, <em>Afro Physicist</em>, on which he collaborated with venerable jazz vocalist Dee Dee Bridgewater. Croker's 2019 release, <em>Star People Nation</em>, was nominated for a Grammy Award in the Best Contemporary Instrumental Album category.</p> <p>On his self-produced latest album, <em>BLK2LIFE // A FUTURE PAST</em>, released in summer 2021, Croker teams up with musicians ranging from Wyclef Jean to 91ֱ�� mentor <a href="/gary-bartz">Gary Bartz</a> to 91ֱ�� collaborator <a href="https://www.kassaoverall.com/">Kassa Overall ’06</a>. The album blends elements of post-bop, funk, and electronic music.</p> <p>Upon the release of <em>BLK2LIFE</em>, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=2&v=3kdD6ZwsH2s&feature=emb_title">Croker appeared on <em>The Late Show</em></a><em> with Stephen Colbert </em>alongside Jean and yet another collaborative partner, Jon Batiste.</p> <p>A recent <a href="https://www.instagram.com/theocroker/">Instagram post by Croker</a> recounted fond memories of his time at 91ֱ�� and included thanks to a host of influential faculty members from throughout campus, including jazz professors Donald Byrd (his principal trumpet teacher), Wendell Logan, Marcus Belgrave, <a href="/node/6701">Billy Hart</a>, and Bartz; music theorist <a href="/node/6831">Brian Alegant</a>; and theater professors <a href="/node/4961">Justin Emeka</a> and <a href="/node/6551">Caroline Jackson Smith</a>.</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Presented by the 91ֱ�� Jazz Society, concert includes music from the new album "BLK2LIFE // A FUTURE PAST."</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2021-12-06T12:00:00Z">Mon, 12/06/2021 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Erich Burnett</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2356">Conservatory</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2974">Conservatory Alumni</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-programs field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=34691">Jazz Performance</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=34896">Jazz Composition</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-faculty field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/gary-bartz" hreflang="und">Gary Bartz</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/conservatory/divisions/jazz-studies" hreflang="und">Jazz Studies</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Obidigbo Nzeribe</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> <article> <h1>91ֱ�� Conservatory Collaborates on “Resonate” Commissioning Project</h1> <p>eburnett — Thu, 14 Oct 2021 13:08:18 +0000</p> <span>91ֱ�� Conservatory Collaborates on “Resonate” Commissioning Project</span> <span><span>eburnett</span></span> <span><time datetime="2021-10-14T09:08:18-04:00" title="Thursday, October 14, 2021 - 09:08">Thu, 10/14/2021 - 09:08</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>91ֱ�� Conservatory has joined a consortium led by the <a href="https://detroitchamberwinds.org/">Detroit Chamber Winds & Strings</a> (DCWS) and Detroit’s <a href="https://thecarrcenter.org/">Carr Center</a> to embark on a multi-year artistic partnership that will explore the African diaspora through the lens of contemporary American chamber music.</p> <p>In addition to 91ֱ��, the consortium aligns with Bowling Green State University College of Musical Arts, University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre and Dance, Michigan State University College of Music, and Western Michigan University School of Music.</p> <p>Titled <a href="https://detroitchamberwinds.org/programs/">Resonate</a>, the project will result in performances of new works by seven composers at each participating institution and culminates in a symposium in April 2023.</p> <p>91ֱ��’s connection to the project is Professor <a href="/node/6651">Timothy Weiss</a>, director of the conservatory’s Contemporary Music Ensemble and a longtime artistic partner with and conductor for DCWS.</p> <p>Weiss was tapped last spring to participate on a panel of musicians from each of the collaborating institutions to select composers for commissions. The committee selected seven American composers who vary in age—from mid-20s to early 80s—and professional accomplishment.</p> <p>“It was important for us to achieve a balanced field of composers, from the unknown to the long-established,” Weiss says. “And to create seven new works is a significant contribution to the contemporary chamber music art form.”</p> <p>The commissioned pieces will utilize between three and nine performers in instrumentation drawn from woodwinds, brass, strings, percussion, and piano.</p> <p>Participating Resonate composers and the type of composition they have been commissioned to create include:</p> <p><a href="https://www.courtneybryan.com/">Courtney Bryan</a>, work for piano and string ensemble</p> <p><a href="/michael-frazier">Michael Frazier</a>, piece for flute, clarinet, piano, percussion, and string quartet</p> <p><a href="https://www.adolphushailstork.com/">Adolphus Hailstork</a>, composition for trombone and string quintet/orchestra</p> <p><a href="https://www.nathaliejoachim.com/">Nathalie Joachim</a>, reed quintet</p> <p><a href="https://music.columbia.edu/bios/george-e-lewis">George Lewis</a>, brass quintet </p> <p><a href="https://patricerushen.com/">Patrice Rushen</a>, jazz ensemble work for three saxophones, trumpet, trombone, piano, drums, bass, and guitar</p> <p><a href="http://www.pamelaz.com/">Pamela Z</a>, woodwind quintet</p> <figure class="captioned-image obj-right"> <figcaption>Courtney Bryan</figcaption> </figure> <p>Among the composers are three with 91ֱ�� connections: 2004 conservatory alumna Courtney Bryan, newly appointed composition faculty member Michael Frazier, and former Visiting Professor of Composition George Lewis.</p> <p>The composers represent a wide range of musical voices and aesthetic sensibilities that include a more mid-century American style, some that bend distinctly modernist, one anchored in jazz, and others whose work combines and blurs styles and genres.</p> <p>Each of the commissioned works will be performed at every collaborating institution over the course of the next two years—a commitment that will generate a substantial performance history for each piece. All of them will then be performed at a culminating symposium—bringing together all seven composers with ensembles from each organization—in April 2023 at the Carr Center, the Detroit institution dedicated to promoting African and African American cultural experiences.</p> <figure class="captioned-image obj-right"> <figcaption>Michael Frazier</figcaption> </figure> <p>For more than 25 years, Weiss has brought new music to 91ֱ��’s stages and inspired young musicians to champion works of living composers. Scores of 91ֱ�� alumni careers have been generated by the fertile training ground of Weiss’ Contemporary Music Ensemble.</p> <p>During the past year, Weiss’ work at 91ֱ�� has been focused on amplifying the voices of underrepresented composers and expanding the repertoire performed within the conservatory’s large ensembles program, shaped in part by the conservatory’s <a href="/dean-of-the-conservatory/racial-equity-diversity-action-plan">Racial Equity and Diversity Action Plan</a>.</p> <p>This work squares beautifully with the purpose of Resonate, and Weiss is enthusiastic about 91ֱ��'s participation.</p> <p>“This will be a fabulous experience for our students to perform seven new works from diverse composers,” he says. “The project is a perfect fit for 91ֱ��—from how we celebrate the creation of new music to how our students are animated by the school’s small ensemble culture.”</p> <p>Frazier’s piece <em>Black Portraits</em> will be the first of the commissioned works to be performed on 91ֱ��’s campus. It is slated for the Contemporary Music Ensemble concert on Friday, January 12, 2022 on the Fridays at Finney series.</p> <figure class="captioned-image obj-right"> <figcaption>George Lewis</figcaption> </figure> <p>Weiss anticipates additional opportunities for 91ֱ�� student involvement in conjunction with the April 2023 symposium in Detroit.</p> <p>“It will be a great opportunity for our students to engage in community outreach through music and interact with the composers and performers from the other institutions,” he says.</p> <p>DCWS President Maury Okun and Carr Center President Oliver Ragsdale note the strength of the collaboration in bringing this new music to life.</p> <p>“Detroit Chamber Winds & Strings and the Carr Center have adventuresome audiences that approach new works with open minds and kind hearts,” they said in a joint statement about the project. “By collaborating with these great institutions throughout Michigan and Ohio, we can extend that spirit of artistic generosity and significantly leverage the impact of these wonderful composers.”</p> <hr> <p><em>Learn more about 91ֱ��'s commitment in the <a href="/about-oberlin/presidential-initiative-racial-equity-and-diversity">Presidential Initiative on Racial Equity and Diversity</a> and the <a href="/dean-of-the-conservatory/racial-equity-diversity-action-plan">conservatory’s Racial Equity and Diversity Action Plan</a>.</em></p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Seven-way partnership engages seven composers to create works that explore the African diaspora, with all works to be performed in 91ֱ�� and Detroit.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2021-10-14T12:00:00Z">Thu, 10/14/2021 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Cathy Partlow Strauss ’84</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2356">Conservatory</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2370">Ensembles & Orchestras</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2596">Conservatory Tours</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2974">Conservatory Alumni</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-programs field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=33331">Composition</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=34896">Jazz Composition</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-faculty field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/timothy-weiss" hreflang="und">Timothy Weiss</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/michael-frazier" hreflang="und">Michael Frazier</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/conservatory/divisions/conducting-and-ensembles" hreflang="und">Conducting and Ensembles</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/conservatory/divisions/contemporary-music" hreflang="und">Contemporary Music</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-caption field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__item">Timothy Weiss leads the 91ֱ�� Contemporary Music Ensemble in a 2016 performance at Ganz Hall in Chicago.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Yevhen Gulenko</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> </main></body></html>