91ֱ�� Orchestra and Choirs to Preview Upcoming Carnegie Hall Performance at Finney Chapel</h1> <article> <h1>91ֱ�� Orchestra and Choirs to Preview Upcoming Carnegie Hall Performance at Finney Chapel</h1> <p>jreinier — Thu, 06 Oct 2022 18:30:31 +0000</p> <span>91ֱ�� Orchestra and Choirs to Preview Upcoming Carnegie Hall Performance at Finney Chapel</span> <span><span>jreinier</span></span> <span><time datetime="2022-10-06T14:30:31-04:00" title="Thursday, October 6, 2022 - 14:30">Thu, 10/06/2022 - 14:30</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>The program includes music by 91ֱ�� composition alumnus R. Nathaniel Dett and showcases the artistry of faculty, guest, and alumni soloists. Both concerts will feature the 91ֱ�� Orchestra, joined by voices from the 91ֱ�� College Choir, 91ֱ�� Gospel Choir, and Musical Union.</p> <p>"If there is a title for the program, it should be ‘Freedom,’" says conductor <a href="/raphael-jimenez">Raphael Jiménez</a>. "Two of the pieces on the program are inspired by our eternal fight for justice and freedom: <em>A Metaphor for Power</em> by <a href="https://www.ivanrodriguezmusic.com/home/">Iván Enrique Rodríguez</a> (an ASCAP award-winning composer from Puerto Rico) and Nathaniel Dett’s <em>The Ordering of Moses</em>." The 91ֱ�� Orchestra will also perform Johannes Brahms’ <em>Tragic Overture</em>.</p> <p>R. Nathaniel Dett, the first Black double-major and Phi Beta Kappa honoree of 91ֱ�� Conservatory, graduated from 91ֱ�� in 1908 and was also awarded an Honorary Doctorate in 1926. Jiménez shares, "For the 91ֱ�� ensembles, bringing life to <em>The Ordering of Moses</em> has a special significance. Dett wrote a lot of piano and choral pieces, but unfortunately, he didn’t write much for orchestra. So, I am very grateful for the fact that this piece—written for chorus, a full orchestra, and four soloists—gives a large part of our community the opportunity to perform his music."</p> <p>The soloists for the October performance here in 91ֱ�� are faculty soprano <a href="/mathilda-edge">Mathilda Edge</a>, guest mezzo-soprano <a href="http://www.krystyswann.com/">Krysty Swann</a>, alumnus tenor <a href="https://www.limmiepulliam.com/">Limmie Pulliam</a> '98, and faculty baritone <a href="/timothy-lefebvre">Timothy LeFebvre</a>. </p> <p>91ֱ�� musicology professor <a href="/courtney-savali-andrews">Courtney-Savali Andrews</a> adds some historical context: “Upon graduating from 91ֱ��, Dett became an early champion for the preservation and re-articulation of the folk idioms of his ancestors. He concentrated particularly on interpreting the melodies and harmonies of the Negro Spirituals and the rhythms of purge music and recreational dances carried out between the plantation and the town square. These Negro folk idioms would serve as source material for many of his piano and choral compositions, notably his large-scale works <em>Listen to the Lambs</em>, <em>The Chariot Jubilee</em>, and <em>The Ordering of Moses</em>.”</p> <figure class="captioned-image obj-left"> <figcaption>The orchestra and choirs prepare for their concert at Finney Chapel. Credit: Ben Johns</figcaption> </figure> <p>Dett’s oratorio carries an important political message: it tells the story of Moses, one of the most important prophets of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, while also serving as a metaphor for the emancipation of enslaved people in the United States. According to Jiménez, "The piece is cinematic and full of drama. It is cleverly written and full of orchestral and choral effects: at one point, the entire chorus sings ‘Go Down Moses’ with great contrapuntal treatment, and then there is the beautiful march of the Israelites as they cross the Red Sea, full of hope, en route to the promised land."</p> <p>Andrews highlights how the fugal treatment of “Go Down Moses” emphasizes the shifting identities present in Dett’s piece: “When considering how enslaved Africans employed coded messaging and double meaning in their expressive cultures as a survival mechanism, this doubling moves between past, present and future using symbolic language and 'call-and-response.'”</p> <p>This will be the first time that 91ֱ��'s ensembles have performed Dett's oratorio. Choral conductor <a href="/ben-johns">Ben Johns</a> concludes, “I'm elated about the music we are making together. I'm excited to give more voice to this underperformed work and composer. And I'm grateful that we get to tour such a large ensemble to Carnegie Hall. <em>The Ordering of Moses</em> is inspiring, imaginative, and joyful. At every step in the process, I have found delight.”</p> <p> </p> <p> </p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">October 13 program features an oratorio by 1908 91ֱ�� alumnus R. Nathaniel Dett.</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="2022-10-06T12:00:00Z">Thu, 10/06/2022 - 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="text-content field field--name-field-intro-text field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>91ֱ�� musicians are preparing for a January trip to New York for an engagement at Carnegie Hall—91ֱ��'s third Winter Term tour to the iconic venue this decade. But the excitement begins at home, with a <a href="/events/musical_union_and_oberlin_college_choir_and_gospel_choir_with_oberlin_orchestra">preview performance</a> of the program in 91ֱ��'s own Finney Chapel, in person and <a href="/events/musical_union_and_oberlin_college_choir_and_gospel_choir_with_oberlin_orchestra">streamed live</a> at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, October 13.</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=2390">Events</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3155">91ֱ�� Orchestra</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3119">91ֱ�� College Choir</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3328">Musical Opportunities for College Students</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2974">Conservatory Alumni</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2356">Conservatory</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="/raphael-jimenez" hreflang="und">Raphael Jiménez</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/mathilda-edge" hreflang="und">Mathilda Edge</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/timothy-lefebvre" hreflang="und">Timothy LeFebvre</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/vocal-studies" hreflang="und">Vocal Studies</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-caption field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__item">R. Nathaniel Dett (1908), 91ֱ�� Conservatory's first Black double major graduate and Honorary Doctorate recipient (1926).</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">Library of Congress</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> <article> <h1>91ֱ�� Establishes Minor in African American Music</h1> <p>eburnett — Thu, 27 Jan 2022 21:40:24 +0000</p> <span>91ֱ�� Establishes Minor in African American Music</span> <span><span>eburnett</span></span> <span><time datetime="2022-01-27T16:40:24-05:00" title="Thursday, January 27, 2022 - 16:40">Thu, 01/27/2022 - 16:40</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p> 91ֱ�� has formalized a new course of study in African American music, a program that will draw upon resources from multiple corners of campus.</p> <p>Beginning in fall 2022, 91ֱ�� will offer an interdisciplinary <a href="/node/458995">minor in African American music</a>, which will be available to current and incoming students in both the college and conservatory.</p> <p>The newly established minor is one of numerous initiatives under way in the conservatory to expand offerings in the study of African American music. Those include the appointment of a new tenure-track faculty member in African American and African diasporic music, and an additional faculty position <a href="/node/390601">dedicated to the study of jazz history</a>. Both positions will be in place for the 2022-23 academic year.</p> <p>“We feel very fortunate to be able to create a program such as this, bringing together offerings through the conservatory, the college’s extraordinary <a href="/node/3431">Africana Studies Department</a>, and more," says Dean of the Conservatory <a href="/node/49511">William Quillen</a>. "In many regards, this program formalizes and recognizes pathways of study long pursued by students in these areas, and lines of scholarly and creative inquiry of interest to faculty and staff throughout campus. We are delighted to create this program in partnership with our colleagues in the college, and we look forward to the intellectual and artistic explorations it helps inspire.”</p> <p>The new minor also represents the latest in a growing suite of <a href="/node/180896">interdisciplinary minors and concentrations</a> that draw upon resources from both the college and conservatory and are available to all students at 91ֱ��. Those minors, first introduced in the 2019-20 academic year, also include <a href="/musical-pathways/music-minor">Music</a>, <a href="/musical-pathways/music-and-cognition-minor">Music and Cognition</a>, <a href="/musical-pathways/music-and-popular-culture-minor">Music and Popular Culture</a>, <a href="/musical-pathways/interdisciplinary-performance-minor">Interdisciplinary Performance</a>, and <a href="/musical-pathways/arts-and-creative-technologies-minor">Arts and Creative Technologies</a>.</p> <p>Available interdisciplinary concentrations include <a href="/musical-pathways/arts-administration-and-leadership-integrative-concentration">Arts Administration and Leadership</a>, <a href="/education-studies">Education Studies</a>, <a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/global-health">Global Health</a>, <a href="/international-affairs">International Affairs</a>, <a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/journalism">Journalism</a>, <a href="/peace-and-conflict-studies">Peace and Conflict Studies</a>, and <a href="/conservatory/divisions/pace/integrative-concentration">Pedagogy, Advocacy, and Community Engagement</a>. In addition, all 91ֱ�� Conservatory students may pursue minors in any of the <a href="/arts-and-sciences/areas-of-study">43 areas of study</a> offered by 91ֱ�� College.</p> <p>To earn the minor in African American music, students must complete 20 credit hours of related course material (generally five full courses), including three required courses that account for 12 of the 20 credits: Introduction to African American Music I and II in the conservatory (classified in the course catalog in several ways, including JAZZ 290 and JAZZ 291), and Introduction to Africana Studies (AAST 101) in the college.</p> <p>Students are invited to envision the minor in African American music from a variety of perspectives—performative, creative, or academic—in accordance with their specific areas of interest. Their chosen focus informs the remaining eight required credits, which may be selected from an extensive array of approved courses in both the college and conservatory, among them Gospel Chorus (JAZZ 702), Ethnomusicology as Activism (ETHN 303), African American Drama (THEA 264), and Beginning Hip Hop Dance (DANC 180).</p> <p>In addition to 20 credit hours, completion of the minor requires the creation of a learning portfolio that chronicles students’ development through their coursework.</p> <p>“The new conservatory minor in African American Music will reinforce and strengthen a bridge that has been under construction between the conservatory and Africana Studies for years,” says <a href="/node/4981">Charles Peterson</a>, associate professor and chair of 91ֱ�� College’s Africana Studies Department. “Many of the department's courses examine musical forms in the African diaspora through the lenses of theater and dance, history, cultural studies, literature, and philosophy. The new minor expands that study by directly bringing musicology into the arena.</p> <p>“The minor in African American music is a perfect example of the new and innovative ways the conservatory and college, in concert, can expand student curricular opportunities. There is a long and honored list of conservatory and Africana studies double majors at 91ֱ��, and this new minor allows for a broader community of students in the conservatory and the college to participate in that experience."</p> <p>All proposed minors must be approved by the chairs in each corresponding area of study. The African American music minor is co-chaired by Peterson, Associate Dean for Academic Support <a href="/node/30061">Chris Jenkins</a>, and by an incoming African American music faculty member in the conservatory.</p> <hr> <p><em>91ֱ�� Conservatory’s newly established minor in African American music 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">Interdisciplinary course of study available to all students in 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="2022-02-01T12:00:00Z">Tue, 02/01/2022 - 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=3847">Interdivisional Programs</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3328">Musical Opportunities for College Students</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 class="field__item"><a href="/charles-peterson" hreflang="und">Charles Peterson</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="/arts-and-sciences/departments/africana-studies" hreflang="und">Africana Studies</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/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 pathways of Tappan Square connect 91ֱ��'s college and conservatory buildings and link the campus to the community.</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">Bryan Rubin</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> <article> <h1>91ֱ�� to Offer New Course in Music Sampling</h1> <p>eburnett — Tue, 27 Apr 2021 21:09:11 +0000</p> <span>91ֱ�� to Offer New Course in Music Sampling</span> <span><span>eburnett</span></span> <span><time datetime="2021-04-27T17:09:11-04:00" title="Tuesday, April 27, 2021 - 17:09">Tue, 04/27/2021 - 17:09</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>91ֱ�� Conservatory, an international standard-bearer among preprofessional music schools since its founding in 1865, will offer a new course in music sampling taught by renowned New York City-based DJ, producer, and educator <a href="https://www.chrisannibell.com/">Chris Annibell</a>.</p> <p></p> <p>A longtime fixture on the New York club scene, Annibell is the owner of Quiet Creator studio and founder of Afrokinetic, a music marketing and production company that presents DJ and live music events. As a DJ, he has held residencies in many of New York’s best-known venues, including Le Bain and APT, and he is the founder and producer of the popular N.Y.C. dance music party Afrokinetic. His work has also appeared in TV commercials and programs including the HBO series <em>Entourage</em>.</p> <p>Sound Collage, an introductory-level course in the conservatory’s <a href="/node/33031">Technology in Music and Related Arts </a>(TIMARA) Department, will be available in summer 2021. The four-credit course focuses on the history, culture, technology, and practice of music sampling in the U.S., Europe, and Japan. Students will learn how early 1980s advancements in synthesizer technology sparked entirely new approaches to the creation of music and unprecedented cross-pollination between genres that continues to this day. They will also take part in hands-on experiences using the music production software Ableton Live, through which they will break down, analyze, and reconstruct music of various eras.</p> <p>Taught remotely, Sound Collage is a special offering designed for students from the College of Arts and Sciences who are enrolled for the summer 2021 semester.</p> <p>A member of the faculty at Long Island University in Brooklyn, Annibell also is no stranger to 91ֱ��: In recent years, he has visited the conservatory as a guest in the TIMARA Department. He will serve as an assistant visiting professor in his new role.</p> <p>“Chris has been in the loop with us for quite a while, and we have wanted to develop new ways for him to become more involved with our students,” says <a href="/node/7021">Peter Swendsen</a>, a longtime TIMARA professor at 91ֱ�� and the conservatory’s senior associate dean of academic affairs. “Chris is a true authority in his field, and gifted in uniting the theoretical and hands-on aspects of his craft. His presence with us this summer offers a wonderful opportunity for 91ֱ�� students from all corners of our campus.”</p> <p>While 91ֱ�� traditionally follows a two-semester academic calendar, the COVID-19 pandemic necessitated the creation of a summer semester in 2021 to sufficiently dedensify campus and permit an optimal learning environment for all students throughout the academic year.</p> <p>The addition of Annibell’s course represents the latest step in 91ֱ��’s longstanding efforts to provide outstanding musical opportunities to students in the College of Arts and Sciences, drawing on the incomparable resources of the conservatory and its faculty. In the summer of 2021, college students can <a href="/news/bluegrass-guitarist-chris-eldridge-named-visiting-faculty-oberlin">study with Chris Eldridge</a>, guitarist for the American roots band Punch Brothers and a visiting associate professor of contemporary American music at 91ֱ��, and <a href="/news/verona-quartet-hold-2020-21-oberlin-residency">with the Verona Quartet</a>, 91ֱ��'s ensemble in residence.</p> <p><a class="view-more" href="/node/372011">Learn more about musical opportunities for college students</a></p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Taught by New York DJ, producer, and educator Chris Annibell, "Sound Collage" will combine historical perspectives with hands-on creating.</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="2021-04-28T12:00:00Z">Wed, 04/28/2021 - 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=3328">Musical Opportunities for College 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=33031">TIMARA</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> <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 Chris Annibell</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> <article> <h1>91ֱ�� Conservatory Launches Virtual Classes for a Worldwide Audience</h1> <p>eburnett — Tue, 13 Apr 2021 18:38:19 +0000</p> <span>91ֱ�� Conservatory Launches Virtual Classes for a Worldwide Audience</span> <span><span>eburnett</span></span> <span><time datetime="2021-04-13T14:38:19-04:00" title="Tuesday, April 13, 2021 - 14:38">Tue, 04/13/2021 - 14:38</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Since its founding in 1865, 91ֱ�� Conservatory has been hailed as one of the world’s preeminent institutions for the training of professional musicians. For the first time ever, the singular resources of 91ֱ�� are available anywhere on earth.</p> <p>91ֱ�� Conservatory Global, a new approach to music learning, begins in summer 2021 with a series of thoughtfully crafted courses that combine virtual lectures, workshops, classes, and more.</p> <p>Born out of the successful implementation of virtual education for 91ֱ�� students during the past year, OC Global brings the dynamic range of knowledge and skills of 91ֱ�� Conservatory faculty to a classroom without boundaries.</p> <p>Intended for students at the high school, college, or graduate level, as well as teachers and lifelong learners, these courses offer excellent opportunities for energizing the study, creation, and teaching of music.</p> <p>“Over the past year, educational institutions everywhere faced unprecedented challenges in adapting their traditional learning models to meet the needs of students and teachers distributed across the globe,” says <a href="/node/49511">William Quillen</a>, Dean of 91ֱ�� Conservatory.</p> <p>“Through the effort and expertise of countless members of our campus community, 91ֱ�� rose to meet those challenges in ways that have inspired us anew to reconsider previously held ideas of what music education in the 21st century can look like.</p> <p>“91ֱ�� Conservatory Global signifies a purposeful step toward realizing an educational model that is unlimited by geography and other impediments to access, and a step closer to an 91ֱ�� education that is attainable from every corner of the world.”</p> <p>Initial OC Global offerings include programs dedicated to music theory and pedagogy, a guide to technology-assisted music collaboration, topics in advanced string playing, and a course dedicated to the enduring impact of 1970s rock and roll. They vary in duration from four days to six weeks, and sessions take place primarily in the evening. Fees range from $150 to $250 per program.</p> <p>At this time, all courses are non-credit-bearing. Some programs are eligible for continuing education (CEU) credit.</p> <p>OC Global’s five initial course offerings for summer 2021 include the following (all times listed are Eastern Time):</p> <p><strong>Ingenuity and Innovation: How Rock and Roll Splintered in the 1970s</strong></p> <p><em>Intended for lifelong learners of all backgrounds.</em></p> <p><strong>Teacher:</strong> Assistant Professor of Ethnomusicology Kathryn Metz</p> <p><strong>Dates:</strong> June 7-July 7 (five Monday sessions, each 7:30-8:30 p.m. ET, plus five additional recorded sessions)</p> <p><strong>Fee:</strong> $200</p> <p>The 1970s saw a dramatic shift in styles, technologies, and consumption of popular music. The rock industry coalesced while genres splintered, pushing listeners into marketable boxes. This course uncovers the layers of 1970s political, social, and cultural shifts that continue to shape and reshape rock and roll and its branches: hip-hop, prog rock, electronic rock, synth pop, glam, arena rock, disco, soul, R&B, punk, and more.</p> <hr> <p><strong>Tools for Online Musical Collaboration</strong></p> <p><em>Intended for teachers, advanced students, and lifelong learners interested in online collaboration.</em></p> <p><strong>Teacher:</strong> Associate Professor of Conducting and Director of Vocal Ensembles <a href="/node/6646">Gregory Ristow</a></p> <p><strong>Dates:</strong> June 14-17 (7-8:30 p.m. ET Monday-Thursday)</p> <p><strong>Fee:</strong> $150</p> <p>Not so long ago, making music with collaborators around the world seemed all but impossible. This class fully explains how to enjoy real-time, low-latency collaborations—and without the need for expensive equipment or software. The course introduces cutting-edge programs that allow for singing and playing together from afar, opening up new worlds of creative artistry. Areas of focus include establishing low-latency connection, techniques for optimal audio transmission, use of the peer-to-peer program SoundJack, and creating successful recordings.</p> <hr> <p><strong>Pillars of Music Pedagogy</strong></p> <p><em>Intended for music teachers at all levels, including private teachers, those considering private teaching, and those who seek to engage diverse music learners of all ages; as well as for lifelong learners.</em></p> <p><strong>Teachers:</strong> Professor of Music Education <a href="/node/6816">Jody Kerchner</a> and Associate Professor of Piano Pedagogy <a href="/node/6616">Andrea McAlister</a></p> <p><strong>Dates:</strong> June 10, 17, and 24 (7-8:30 p.m. ET each day)</p> <p><strong>Fee:</strong> $250</p> <p>This course offers opportunities to hone skills in the basics of general music teaching practices, based on psychological and pedagogical research and the facilitators’ years of teaching experience. These ideas are applicable to all music teaching settings—regardless of instrument, voice, or group size—as well as for lifelong music learners. Participants read pedagogical materials and view video modules independently, then bring questions and observations to weekly online meetings that emphasize discussion and application of the key strategies covered.</p> <hr> <p><strong>Music Theory Jumpstart</strong></p> <p><em>Intended for students entering College Music Theory I or AP Music Theory in fall 2021, as well as lifelong learners.</em></p> <p><strong>Teacher:</strong> Associate Professor of Music Theory <a href="/node/6876">Joseph Lubben</a></p> <p><strong>Dates: </strong>June 21-July 30 (live workshops, recorded videos, and weekly assignments)</p> <p><strong>Fee: </strong>$250 (Fee will be waived for incoming 91ֱ�� students.)</p> <p>This six-week fundamentals course is designed to prepare students to excel in conservatory-level music theory studies. It consists of one weekly prerecorded lecture, one weekly live workshop with small groups, and structured self-study using the online instructional platform uTheory. Students develop fluency with clefs, intervals, rhythm and meter, scales, and chord types, and are exposed to foundations of musical form, approaches to timbre, a variety of analytical perspectives, and a diverse repertoire.</p> <hr> <p><strong>A More Excellent Way of String Playing</strong></p> <p><em>Intended for advanced-level high school, college, and graduate-level string players; professionals; and teachers.</em></p> <p><strong>Teacher:</strong> Professor of Viola Peter Slowik</p> <p><strong>Dates:</strong> July 26-August 5 (8-9:30 p.m. ET Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays)</p> <p><strong>Fee:</strong> $200 (or $250 with an optional one-on-one coaching session with Slowik)</p> <p>From professionals searching for a renewal of the joy of practicing, to teachers seeking seasoned shortcuts to excellence, to advanced students looking to fully unlock their talent, Slowik’s engaging and challenging approach—“teaching from the inside out”—is designed to enlighten and inspire advanced players of all backgrounds. The course blends teacher presentations with student interaction and covers topics including energy flow and the body, sound production, fingerboard geography, and phrasing.</p> <hr> <p>Joseph Lubben, executive director of 91ֱ�� Conservatory Global and associate professor of music theory at 91ֱ��, piloted OC Global in summer 2020 with a music theory program designed for incoming 91ֱ�� students. He curated the OC Global programs available in summer 2021, including the Music Theory Jumpstart course he leads.</p> <p>“Since 2018, I've been realizing that you can make close connections in the online-education world, and I've been championing this as a way to make 91ֱ��'s campus a little bigger," says Lubben. "What we've all learned during the pandemic is that online access in the hands of great pedagogues is an incredibly effective way to bring the 91ֱ�� experience to people across the globe.”</p> <p>While OC Global’s first wave of courses is limited to summer 2021, additional offerings—including various forms of credit-bearing courses—are planned for year-round implementation in the future.</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">91ֱ�� Conservatory Global welcomes music students, educators, and lifelong learners; first courses begin in summer 2021.</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="2021-04-14T12:00:00Z">Wed, 04/14/2021 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Conservatory 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=3707">91ֱ�� Conservatory Global</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2356">Conservatory</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3708">Continuing Education</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3328">Musical Opportunities for College Students</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="/joseph-lubben" hreflang="und">Joseph Lubben</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/william-quillen" hreflang="und">William Quillen</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/peter-slowik" hreflang="und">Peter Slowik</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/jody-kerchner" hreflang="und">Jody Kerchner</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/andrea-mcalister" hreflang="und">Andrea McAlister</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/gregory-ristow" hreflang="und">Gregory Ristow ’01</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/music-theory" hreflang="und">Music Theory</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/conservatory/divisions/strings" hreflang="und">Strings</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/conservatory/divisions/musicology" hreflang="und">Musicology</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/conservatory/divisions/pace" hreflang="und">Pedagogy, Advocacy, and Community Engagement</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/conservatory/divisions/vocal-studies" hreflang="und">Vocal 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="/arts-and-sciences/departments/musical-studies" hreflang="und">Musical 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>Expressing Vulnerability Through Music</h1> <p>ygay — Wed, 24 Mar 2021 18:45:53 +0000</p> <span>Expressing Vulnerability Through Music</span> <span><span>ygay</span></span> <span><time datetime="2021-03-24T14:45:53-04:00" title="Wednesday, March 24, 2021 - 14:45">Wed, 03/24/2021 - 14:45</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>A few months ago, Özüm Pamukçu ’23 explored her ability to become fully vulnerable. Her journey led to the production of two original songs and a thirst for more.</p> <p>Like most 91ֱ�� students, Pamukçu returned home in January for <a href="http://www.oberlin.edu/winter-term/about">winter term</a>. The annual program allows students to pursue interests outside of 91ֱ��’s regular course offerings. For four weeks Pamukçu, who returned to Istanbul, Turkey, was immersed in music.</p> <p>Studying in a different country, although rewarding, can be extremely challenging, admits Pamukçu. In her first year at 91ֱ��, she says she felt like a big part of her identity was defined by being an international student, which made it harder to explore herself beyond borders and labels. Pamukçu found support in the college’s international student community, and learned that many of her peers, who would become close friends, had similar experiences. </p> <p>She nurtured her ability to accept and talk about vulnerability as a participant in 91ֱ��’s <a href="/religious-and-spiritual-life/pastoral-care-and-counsel">Barefoot Dialogue program</a>, where Pamukçu also serves as a facilitator. The program brings small groups of students together to meet and choose vulnerability as a more beneficial way to draw out differences and encourage deeper listening. It is a technique Pamukçu uses in her music.</p> <p>“I love losing the notion of time when making music—my brain temporarily turns into a blank page. I feel beyond daily worldly concerns and just feel in that exact moment,” says Pamukçu, a <a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/musical-studies">musical studies</a> major.</p> <p>By the end of winter term, Pamukçu composed, sang, recorded, and produced two original songs—one in Turkish and one in English. The project also afforded her the time to learn to record using MIDI keyboards, improve her vocal mix and mastering skills, and use of Logic Pro X, a high-quality digital audio workstation. </p> <p>In her first song, <a href="https://soundcloud.com/ozumpam/little-istanbul-1" target="_blank"><em>Little Istanbul</em></a>, Pamukçu sings about carrying the concept of home as a burden. Her voice rhythmically echoes over a soft succession of chords. “<em>It’s cold in Ohio, colder than it ever gets at home,” </em>she sings from her room in Istanbul.<em> “It’s lonely here. I’m craving for what is left of home. Staring at the road won't get me too far from the cornfields.</em>”</p> <p>An anguished melody lingers over her second composition, <a href="https://soundcloud.com/ozumpam/kiz-basina" target="_blank"><em>Kız Başına</em></a>, as Pamukçu expresses in Turkish the hardship of growing up as a woman in a patriarchal society.</p> <p>“Expressing vulnerability is quite natural for me because I’ve been involved with many different forms of art from such a young age,” she says. “What’s challenging is making your vulnerability public. With social media and artists being so focused on highlighting their strongest, prettiest, and best selves, we, as the audience, are not used to witnessing vulnerability. </p> <p>“My creative process starts by me talking, humming, and playing to myself about topics that have significance in my life. I don’t imagine an audience hearing my voice while recording because I want my expression to be as real as possible.</p> <p>“However, my perception has changed a bit,” she admits. “I don’t see home as a burden anymore. It rather feels like something that gives me a wider perspective. It makes me and my music special.”</p> <p>Pamukçu has played piano since she was a child. Throughout the years she has added the ukulele, classical guitar, percussion, <em>kemençe</em> (an Eastern Mediterranean stringed bowed instrument), and a little bit of <em>baglama</em> (a Turkish plucked stringed instrument). She says a working knowledge of these instruments has helped her to understand composition and songwriting on a deeper level.</p> <p>The music theory classes she took in 91ֱ�� Conservatory as a non-conservatory major helped enrich the harmonic structure of her compositions, she says. Pamukçu also received valuable musical feedback in the Internalizing Rhythms class she took with <a href="/jamey-haddad" target="_blank">Jamey Haddad</a>, professor of advanced improvisation and percussion. Haddad, regarded as one of the foremost world music and jazz percussionists in the United States, also served as the advisor for Pamukçu’s winter term project.</p> <p>“I have a fondness for Turkey as I have been there many times performing with Paul Simon and [working on] other musical projects, including designing cymbals and zills. So when I meet a Turkish musician, I am always curious,” says Haddad. “Özüm mentioned that she was a singer and she loved her Turkish roots. When I asked her if she could sing me a song, she jumped at the chance. </p> <p>‘‘For me that is always a game changer. It [makes me think] what, if anything, we as a school or I personally can do for that person. Özüm took both levels of my Internalizing Rhythms class and outperformed most of the conservatory students. There was still work to do, but her stock had gone up considerably,‘‘ he says. ‘‘Most importantly her ability to perform and write the music that she had a real contextual experience with was becoming stronger.”</p> <p>If a professional producer had been on hand, Haddad says he is certain Pamukçu’s end results would have been at a higher level. “But that would have been the producer's job and not the same as the experience she had figuring it out on her own. Now after having done these things, it will be much easier for Özüm to put to use and understand the professional tools that a great producer would have done for her.” </p> <p>While she remains in Istanbul during spring semester, Pamukçu continues to work on many aspects of music: writing, singing, recording, arranging, and marketing, with interests in business and economics. She is studying music production with <a href="/ami-dang" target="_blank">Ami Dang</a>, visiting assistant professor of computer music and digital arts in the <a href="/timara">TIMARA Department</a>.</p> <p>As a first-year student, Pamukçu <a href="https://ozumsturkishmusic.tumblr.com/" target="_blank">completed a research winter term project</a> that explored the fundamentals of Turkish microtonal music and she practiced microtonal singing. And last semester, she and friend Ezra Rudel ’23 hosted Hijaz Forum, a <a href="https://www.wobc.org/">WOBC</a> radio show that focused on music from the Mediterranean and the Middle East, as well as its intersection with jazz and other genres. The pair hopes to lead a Balkan ensemble at 91ֱ��.</p> <p>“We miss Özüm on campus,” says Haddad, who views Pamukçu’s project as “a total success,” explaining, “I think [her winter term] project has taught her much about her capacity to produce music in a digital recording environment and record and perform herself, which ultimately starts a process of discovery. She is super intelligent, disciplined, and has compassion when dealing with other musicians—that is a real criteria I observe about my students when we perform in class. </p> <p>‘‘Talent is a free gift but being a compassionate human is the ultimate goal, and hopefully your talent will lead you to that realization.”</p></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="2021-03-24T12:00:00Z">Wed, 03/24/2021 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Yvonne Gay</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=2402">Winter Term</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2396">International Students</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3328">Musical Opportunities for College Students</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2356">Conservatory</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=33031">TIMARA</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=28876">Music Theory</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25281">Musical Studies</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/music-theory" hreflang="und">Music Theory</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/musical-studies" hreflang="und">Musical 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">Kerem Albuyur</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> <article> <h1>Ed Helms ’96 and Chris Eldridge ’04 Team Up for 'Red Herring Conversations' Jan. 29</h1> <p>eburnett — Mon, 25 Jan 2021 22:33:05 +0000</p> <span>Ed Helms ’96 and Chris Eldridge ’04 Team Up for 'Red Herring Conversations' Jan. 29</span> <span><span>eburnett</span></span> <span><time datetime="2021-01-25T17:33:05-05:00" title="Monday, January 25, 2021 - 17:33">Mon, 01/25/2021 - 17:33</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>91ֱ�� graduates Ed Helms and <a href="/node/312346">Chris Eldridge</a> make no secret of their passion for American roots music. Now the old friends will share their fascination with the rest of us in a January 29 program on <a href="/conservatory/stage-left">91ֱ�� Stage Left</a>.</p> <p>They envision “The Red Herring Conversations” as an opportunity to ruminate about their 91ֱ�� days, reflect upon their influential mentors, and share plans for <a href="/node/312406">Eldridge’s first semester</a> as Visiting Associate Professor of Contemporary American Acoustic Music.</p> <p>It was Helms, the comedic actor, banjo player, and 91ֱ�� board member, who provided pivotal support for the professorship, which begins with spring semester classes on string bands and music-making mindfulness.</p> <p>Both classes are open to students in the college and conservatory. Eldridge, the founding guitarist of the Grammy Award-winning ensemble Punch Brothers, will also teach private lessons.</p> <p>The program airs at 7:30 p.m. Friday, January 29, on 91ֱ�� Stage Left, the conservatory's virtual programming platform, which launched in April 2020.</p></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="2021-01-25T12:00:00Z">Mon, 01/25/2021 - 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="text-content field field--name-field-intro-text field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>91ֱ�� Stage Left program revolves around performers’ shared love of bluegrass and more.</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=3438">91ֱ�� Stage Left</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3328">Musical Opportunities for College 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=36306">Classical Guitar</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="/arts-and-sciences/departments/musical-studies" hreflang="und">Musical 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">courtesy Chris Eldridge; by Yevhen Gulenko</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> <article> <h1>Arts and Sciences Orchestra Collaboration Premieres December 15</h1> <p>eburnett — Thu, 10 Dec 2020 16:09:48 +0000</p> <span>Arts and Sciences Orchestra Collaboration Premieres December 15</span> <span><span>eburnett</span></span> <span><time datetime="2020-12-10T11:09:48-05:00" title="Thursday, December 10, 2020 - 11:09">Thu, 12/10/2020 - 11:09</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>91ֱ��’s <a href="https://sites.google.com/prod/view/oaso">Arts and Sciences Orchestra</a>—the ensemble dedicated to talented college students and members of the community—presents its <a href="https://calendar.oberlin.edu/event/oberlin_arts_and_sciences_orchestra_concert_broadcast">climactic performance</a> of the fall semester at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, December 15, on YouTube premiere.</p> <p>The wide-ranging program features music from the Hollywood film <em>Captain Marvel</em> by Pinar Toprak, the emotionally charged <em>Haunted Topography</em> by David T. Little, and Beethoven’s Choral Fantasy, Op. 80.<span id="cke_bm_319S" style="display: none;"></span><br> </p> <p>If it seems something like a fantasy that such a performance—virtual or otherwise—could happen while incidence of COVID-19 spikes to unprecedented levels, it seems far less so in light of the determination of the ensemble’s director, Assistant Professor of Conducting <a href="/node/121916">Tiffany Chang</a>, a 2009 conservatory graduate.</p> <p>The concert martials the efforts of the University of Rochester Symphony Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra, and Chamber Singers; a distinguished lineup of 91ֱ�� alumni vocalists; faculty pianist <a href="/node/6801">Peter Takács</a> (pictured right); the <a href="/node/304811">Verona Quartet</a> (91ֱ��'s quartet in residence for 2020-21); the <a href="/node/3181">91ֱ�� Dance Department</a>; a chorus made up of students and friends of 91ֱ��—and of course, the Arts and Sciences Orchestra, which also included 16 conservatory musicians, many of them as teaching assistants.</p> <p></p> <p>Chang chose the selections from <em>Captain Marvel</em> in response to sustained input from her orchestra students, who routinely ask to perform film music—but also for the significance of its Turkish composer, Pinar Toprak, the first woman to compose an original score for a Marvel movie.</p> <p>“I felt that it was the right choice, given all that’s happened in the world recently,” says Chang, who arranged the three excerpts for the unusual instrumentation available to her, including a considerable wind section and minimal strings.</p> <p></p> <p>Little’s <em>Haunted Topography</em> afforded the opportunity for collaboration between Chang’s orchestra and the 91ֱ�� Dance Department. Dance student Tyfun Zaidi ’24 developed original choreography to Little’s evocative work, about a mother coming to grips with the death of her son in the Vietnam War; 91ֱ�� dance students recorded performances of Zaidi’s choreography in locations across campus—some well-known, some obscure—and around 91ֱ��. (A still image from the video is seen at right.)</p> <p>Choral Fantasy—which Beethoven wrote in 1808 as the concluding piece of a benefit concert that also included the premieres of his fifth and sixth symphonies—had already been envisioned as part of 91ֱ��’s continuing celebration of the 250th anniversary of the composer’s birth. It was originally scheduled to take place in October in Finney Chapel, in a world not gripped by pandemic. Instead, it was painstakingly prepared by Chang’s musicians and those from Rochester who joined in the collaboration, with each musician or ensemble provided a previously recorded track as a guidepost for their own contribution, and each successive track ultimately blended, layer by layer, into a final recording.</p> <p>Audio for the Toprak and Beethoven was produced by Grammy Award-winning engineer Stephen Roessner, a faculty member at Rochester. The accompanying video presentation—as well as the audio for Little—was produced by Chang, who oversaw numerous video shoots during rehearsals on campus and devoted untold numbers of hours to splicing shots at her computer.</p> <p></p> <p>For the piece’s six solo vocal roles, Chang sought input from conservatory voice faculty for high-profile recent graduates who might be interested. She wound up with sopranos <a href="https://www.caitlinaloia.com/">Caitlin Aloia ’20</a> (a winner of 91ֱ��’s 2020 Senior Concerto Competition) and <a href="https://www.juliadawsonopera.com/">Julia Dawson ’11</a> (of the Frankfurt Opera), mezzo-soprano <a href="https://www.rebeccaprintz.com/">Rebecca Printz ’16</a> (Tanglewood and Marlboro fellow), tenors <a href="https://www.l2artists.com/carlos-enrique-santelli/">Carlos Enrique Santelli ’14</a> (2018 Metropolitan Opera Competition winner) and <a href="https://www.danielmcgrewtenor.com/">Daniel McGrew ’15</a> (Tanglewood fellow), and baritone <a href="http://www.elliottcarltonhines.com/">Elliott Carlton Hines '12</a> (Stuttgart Opera).</p> <p>Also featured is a virtual choir made up of more than 60 91ֱ�� students, faculty, parents, alumni, staff, and other musicians from around the world, led by Olivia Fink '21.</p> <p>“A lot of our choir and orchestra members have mentioned that they really appreciated feeling like they were playing with other people,” says Chang. “They felt like they were playing in an actual orchestra because of the track we provided.”</p> <p>In addition to 35 minutes of music, the program includes a brief intermission segment that peers behind the scenes and includes reflections from participants in the project.</p> <p>91ֱ��’s collaboration with Rochester—which includes Choral Fantasy as well as <em>Captain Marvel</em>—grew in part out of Chang’s friendship with Rochester conductor Rachel Waddell, whom Chang met in 2019 at the Hart Institute for Women Conductors, presented by the Dallas Opera.</p> <p>“We actually didn’t start by saying, ‘Oh, let’s combine our orchestra ensembles!’” Chang says. “I was designing this virtual component because I knew we wouldn’t be able to have a real, live one. I really didn’t want it to be a traditional livestream experience. I wanted a more visually engaging experience that adds to the music in some way or that correlates to the music in some way.”</p> <p>Ultimately, the challenges faced by Chang mirrored those of her Rochester colleagues. Joining forces for the performance, as well as the semester’s workshops and other shared experiences, simply made sense to everyone involved.</p> <p>“It’s amazing that we were able to pull this off,” says Chang, who devoted countless hours to producing the final piece, in addition to various trailers and other promotional materials. “To have all of these moving pieces fall into place exactly when they were supposed to…it’s a miracle. I can’t imagine if something would have happened in, say, October. If we would have had to shut down or modify our activities further, none of this would have been able to happen.”</p> <p>For that miracle, Chang credits the steadfast dedication of 91ֱ�� students and administrators, who adhered to the campus’ stringent guidelines and sustained an extremely low rate of infection throughout autumn, even as cases spiked in surrounding communities and elsewhere.</p> <p>“The plan I devised in summer went surprisingly smoothly,” she says. “It happened just as planned.”</p> <p>However compelling, Chang knows the prerecorded program can’t replace a live musical experience—“and I certainly hope it doesn’t replace the live concert experience,” she says.</p> <p>“But I also hope this way of presenting music and musicians creates a little more intimacy and more of a sense of the power of collaboration, that there is a lot of power in bringing a lot of people together.”</p></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="2020-12-10T12:00:00Z">Thu, 12/10/2020 - 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>Virtual performance draws upon musicians from the college, community, conservatory, and elsewhere.</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=2385">Community</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3328">Musical Opportunities for College Students</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2370">Ensembles & Orchestras</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=35616">Conducting</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25281">Musical Studies</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="/arts-and-sciences/departments/musical-studies" hreflang="und">Musical 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">Courtesy of Tiffany Chang</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> <article> <h1>Verona Quartet to Hold 2020-21 91ֱ�� Residency</h1> <p>eburnett — Fri, 17 Jul 2020 15:31:18 +0000</p> <span>Verona Quartet to Hold 2020-21 91ֱ�� Residency</span> <span><span>eburnett</span></span> <span><time datetime="2020-07-17T11:31:18-04:00" title="Friday, July 17, 2020 - 11:31">Fri, 07/17/2020 - 11:31</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>The <a href="http://www.veronaquartet.com/">Verona Quartet</a>, winners of Chamber Music America’s Cleveland Quartet Award for 2020, will serve as quartet in residence at 91ֱ�� Conservatory for the 2020-21 academic year.</p> <p>The ensemble’s focus includes secondary lessons and chamber music coaching with students from the College of Arts and Sciences, as well as collaborations with the 91ֱ�� Arts and Sciences Orchestra, which consists of standout musicians from the college as well as members of the community. The quartet will also perform a series of concerts throughout the upcoming season.</p> <p>Established by Chamber Music America in 1995, the Cleveland Quartet Award promotes the career development of young string quartets of exceptional promise. Previous winners include such renowned ensembles as the Pacifica, Jupiter, and Mirò quartets, all of which feature 91ֱ�� alumni.</p> <p>The Verona Quartet has earned acclaim for its championing of contemporary repertoire and composers, as well as its numerous interdisciplinary collaborations—among them performances with Dance Heginbotham of New York City, an artistic exchange with poets from the United Arab Emirates, and performances with the folk trio I’m With Her, made possible through the Kennedy Center’s Direct Current Festival. Hailed as “outstanding” by <em>The New York Times</em>, the quartet won the 2015 Concert Artist Guild competition and has performed in such famed venues as Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and Wigmore Hall. Its debut recording, <em>Diffusion</em>, featuring works by Ravel, Szymanowski, and Janáček, is forthcoming on Azica Records.</p> <p>The quartet consists of violinists Jonathan Ong and Dorothy Ro, violist Abigail Rojansky, and cellist Jonathan Dormand.</p> <p>The residency represents a homecoming for Rojansky, a 2011 91ֱ�� Conservatory graduate. Like her Verona colleagues, she gravitated toward chamber music early in her career—and ultimately to the sort of boundary-bending collaborations that have become a hallmark of the Verona Quartet’s young career.</p> <p>“I have always been so thankful for the ways 91ֱ�� opens students up to opportunities and encourages you to pursue your passions,” Rojansky says. “I left 91ֱ�� with the sense that I could do whatever I wanted to. There were no limitations, and this quartet grew out of that same sensibility.”</p> <p>The Verona Quartet currently maintains residencies at Indiana University Summer String Academy, North Carolina’s Chamber Orchestra of the Triangle, and the Lunenburg Academy of Music Performance. Previous fellowships include the Juilliard School, New England Conservatory, and Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music. Their mentors include members of the Cleveland Quartet, Juilliard Quartet and Pacifica Quartet.</p> <p>“With the Verona Quartet at 91ֱ��, we will be providing our college students with the highest level of musical instruction,” says <a href="/node/44016">Sibbi Bernhardsson</a>, professor of violin at 91ֱ�� and a former coach of the quartet at Indiana, when he was also a member of the Pacifica Quartet.</p> <p>Bernhardsson notes that the quartet will live in 91ֱ�� for the 2020-21 season, the better to facilitate opportunities for robust collaboration with students.</p> <p>“Part of what I think is so exciting is that they are not commuting in and out of town and trying to fit 91ֱ�� into their tour schedule,” he says. “They will be here as part of our community, and they will be able to do very meaningful work with our students. They will serve as very important role models—not just for our college students, but for our conservatory students as well.”</p> <p>The Verona Quartet’s 91ֱ�� residency is made possible through the generosity of Richard L. Clark ’62, a physician and avid cellist who performed in the 91ֱ�� Orchestra while pursuing zoology studies at 91ֱ�� College, and by an anonymous gift from the family of a current 91ֱ�� student to support enhanced musical offerings for students in the College of Arts and Sciences.</p> <p>The residency’s emphasis on collaborations with college musicians and ensembles aligns with 91ֱ��’s broader mission of providing vibrant, immersive opportunities in music for all students. Learn more about <a href="/node/372011">music opportunities at 91ֱ�� College</a>.</p></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="2020-07-17T12:00:00Z">Fri, 07/17/2020 - 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>Winner of Chamber Music America’s Cleveland Quartet Award, rising ensemble will mentor college musicians through lessons, chamber music, and more.</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=3328">Musical Opportunities for College Students</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2366">Guest Artists & Speakers</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3476">Residencies</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=35116">Violin</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=36206">Viola</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=35261">Cello</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="/sibbi-bernhardsson" hreflang="und">Sibbi Bernhardsson</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/strings" hreflang="und">Strings</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 Verona Quartet</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> <article> <h1>Backstage Magic</h1> <p>eburnett — Tue, 26 May 2020 17:42:55 +0000</p> <span>Backstage Magic</span> <span><span>eburnett</span></span> <span><time datetime="2020-05-26T13:42:55-04:00" title="Tuesday, May 26, 2020 - 13:42">Tue, 05/26/2020 - 13:42</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>A team of more than 40 91ֱ�� students, faculty, and others convened in January to produce the world premiere of Rachel J. Peters’ <a href="/node/183441"><em>The Wild Beast of the Bungalow</em></a>, 91ֱ��’s winter-term opera for 2020. Student singers and instrumentalists made the music happen, but toiling behind the scenes was a team of equally passionate fellow students consumed with their roles as production assistants: untangling the countless artistic and logistical issues involved in staging an opera, and researching the cultural, historical, and societal aspects of the work.</p> <p>Though they had all joined forces for a conservatory production, nearly half of them pursue their studies in the College of Arts and Sciences. It’s one of many ways 91ֱ��, with its single campus dedicated to both a liberal arts college and music conservatory, nurtures a singular environment for interdisciplinary study and creation.</p> <figure class="captioned-image obj-right"> <figcaption>Kitty Schwartz '20</figcaption> </figure> <p>“We’re all passionate, we’re all here for a reason, and everyone brings something different to the table,” says Kitty Schwartz ’20, an English and history double major who served as <em>Wild Beast</em>’s assistant director, providing feedback to faculty director <a href="/node/50511">Christopher Mirto</a>, running a second rehearsal room, and recording staging notes. “It’s exciting!”</p> <p>Joining her backstage was politics major Alec Perlow '20, who researched and analyzed the opera’s influences, plot, and music as one of the production's dramaturgs. Together, the direction and dramaturgy teams collaborated to create an informed world and bring it to life onstage.</p> <p>Though neither Schwartz nor Perlow imagined a career in performance, both were drawn to 91ֱ�� for its vibrant musical community and its extensive opportunities for students of all majors.</p> <p>“The ability to try a little bit of everything was a huge part of why I chose 91ֱ��,” says Schwartz, of Urbana, Illinois. “It’s great to know that my varied interests don’t have to be separate parts; they can work together and influence one another. And I think that’s the really special thing about being here. Learning to think critically and creatively for my liberal arts courses absolutely helped me develop a story from libretto to stage.”</p> <figure class="captioned-image obj-right"> <figcaption>Alec Perlow '20</figcaption> </figure> <p>“I do research all the time,” laughs Perlow, a resident of Grayslake, Illinois, who graduated—with Schwartz—in May. “There’s different kinds of research, but a dramaturg’s work is very similar to academic work: Find the material, make sure it’s credible, and then present it in a clear and concise way.</p> <p>“At a place like 91ֱ��, many people excel at this kind of thinking—and in an incredibly diverse range of subjects,” Perlow says. “That expansive, intellectual culture means that skills for my major help me understand an opera’s themes and motifs.”</p> <p>Perlow traces his connection to opera to a fourth-grade trip to the theater. “My mom took me to see <em>The Barber of Seville</em>,” he says. “She asked me if I wanted to leave at intermission, and I said, ‘No!’ The rest is history." He was cast as a supernumerary—a silent actor—at the Lyric Opera of Chicago and later joined the Lyric’s Youth Opera Council, a social and educational group for high school students passionate about opera. When he arrived at 91ֱ��, he jumped at the chance to take music history and opera-directing courses in the conservatory.</p> <p>Schwartz’s passion for opera emerged through an unexpected connection to the American West, a significant focus of her dual majors. While researching iconography of the West through a collection of roadmaps at the Newberry Library in Chicago, she stayed with her aunt, the principal oboist for the Lyric Opera. </p> <p>“She got tickets to dress rehearsals and always asked if I wanted to go. I mean, <em>are you kidding?</em> I saw four operas in three months. Before I had only seen one in my entire life. It was a very intense experience, and I was bitten by the opera bug.”</p> <p>Little did Schwartz know that her research on the West and her visits to the Lyric would combine upon her return to campus.</p> <p>“[At the Newberry], I worked to decode the embedded myths surrounding westward expansion that impact American identity even in our present. My project meant delving deeply into 19th-century American history to get at these roots.”</p> <figure class="captioned-image obj-right"> <figcaption>91ֱ�� Opera Theater's production of "Proving Up" proved an ideal match for Kitty Schwartz's interests in opera and the American West. (photo by Yevhen Gulenko)</figcaption> </figure> <p>As Schwartz was tracing the history of Western travelers, 91ֱ�� Opera Theater was finalizing plans to present <a href="/node/129936"><em>Proving Up</em></a>, Missy Mazzoli and Royce Vavrek’s chilling opera about the government-sponsored expansion of land settlement beyond the Mississippi through the Homestead Acts of the mid-19th century. The production needed an assistant dramaturg; Schwartz was the perfect fit.</p> <p>“<em>Proving Up</em> clarified a lot of things for me,” she says. “I was transitioning back to 91ֱ�� after a semester away, and I’d returned with this new appetite for opera. The questions I started asking then, I continued asking with <em>Beast</em>: Do I like being part of the process? Is opera production or management something I want to pursue?”</p> <p>The answers appear to be <em>yes</em>.</p> <p>Both Schwartz and Perlow, in fact, envision careers in arts leadership, and both shaped their paths through extensive experience at 91ֱ��.</p> <p>Perlow’s conservatory courses in music history and opera direction led him to selection for the inaugural class of 91ֱ��’s Music Leadership <a href="/node/127361">Career Community</a>, one of a series of groups that unite 91ֱ�� students, alumni, parents, and faculty around shared interests in various employment sectors. He plans to work in arts funding.</p> <p>“I’m really interested in the financial side of the performing arts,” he says. “The kind of work that the National Endowment for the Arts does—everything that allows creativity to flow without financial burden.”</p> <p>Schwartz, meanwhile, graduated with direction and dramaturgy experience, in addition to serving as a music history tutor. She was selected for the spring semester Music Leadership Career Community.</p> <p>“Opera combines my love for music and theater with my training as a writer and researcher beautifully,” she says. “I would love to keep bringing it to life.”</p></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="2020-05-26T12:00:00Z">Tue, 05/26/2020 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Charlotte Maskelony '21</div> <div class="text-content field field--name-field-intro-text field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>91ֱ�� productions—and the students who mount them—dispel the myth that opera is just for conservatory musicians.</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=3444">Career Communities</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3328">Musical Opportunities for College 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=32971">Opera Theater</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/vocal-studies" hreflang="und">Vocal Studies</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-caption field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__item">The cast, crew, and creative team behind "The Wild Beast of the Bungalow" prepared the production throughout January 2020. The opera was one of many ways 91ֱ�� students join forces to bring musical projects to life.</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> <article> <h1>91ֱ�� Gives Students in the Arts and Sciences a New Path to Musical Education</h1> <p>bdenneen — Tue, 10 Mar 2020 13:54:36 +0000</p> <span>91ֱ�� Gives Students in the Arts and Sciences a New Path to Musical Education</span> <span><span>bdenneen</span></span> <span><time datetime="2020-03-10T09:54:36-04:00" title="Tuesday, March 10, 2020 - 09:54">Tue, 03/10/2020 - 09:54</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>91ֱ��’s liberal arts students will have a new way to tap into the world-class musical education offered by the Conservatory of Music next year, as the institution launches a new music minor.</p> <p>The music minor is the latest in a wave of new academic offerings 91ֱ�� has introduced in recent months, drawing on the institution’s historic strengths in a new way for 21st Century students. December saw the <a href="/node/181066">announcement of five new interdisciplinary programs</a> that include Music and Cognition, Music and Popular Culture, Interdisciplinary Performance, Arts and Creative Technologies, and Arts Administration and Leadership. Since then 91ֱ�� has announced new integrative concentrations in <a href="/node/181496">journalism</a> and in business, for students in both the college and in the conservatory.</p> <p>These new programs grew out of the <a href="/media/19924/download">One 91ֱ�� recommendations</a>, which were based on extensive data about what students want in a college experience and need for life after college.</p> <p>Elizabeth Hamilton, associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, says 91ֱ�� attracts many Arts and Sciences students who can’t imagine a life in which music doesn't figure prominently in their undergraduate experience.</p> <p>“The new music minor opens doors to formal study across a range of musical approaches,” she says. “The conservatory and college enrich each other, and now that students can draw so much more from each division, the creative and intellectual opportunities are unsurpassed.”</p> <p>The music minor is based on a flexible set of course requirements that allow students to create their own paths of study, including rigorous training with conservatory faculty. The minor can be fulfilled by completing 20 credits with courses chosen from three of five areas of study: solo performance, ensemble performance, academic studies, creative practice, and professional development or any class or credit-bearing project in the <a href="/node/42011">Division of Pedagogy, Advocacy, and Community Engagement (PACE)</a>.</p> <p>As designed, the minor increases the quantity and quality of private lessons and performance opportunities in the conservatory for college students, who can choose to take private lessons—instrumental, vocal, or composition—in genres ranging from classical to jazz to electronic music. They can participate in large ensembles such as Musical Union, Arts and Sciences Orchestra, Javanese Gamelan, and Brazilian Ensemble. They can also take advantage of 91ֱ��'s robust small ensemble culture and perform in traditional chamber music or small jazz groups.</p> <p>The music minor builds on and formalizes the longstanding, varied, and robust participation of arts and sciences students in conservatory study and enhances the overall musical culture of the campus at large, explains <a href="/node/7021">Peter Swendsen ’99</a>, the conservatory’s senior associate dean for academic affairs and an associate professor of computer music and digital arts.</p> <p>“Arts and sciences students consistently engage in private lessons, ensemble performance, classes, and special projects in large numbers,” says Swendsen. “Accordingly, we’ve designed a highly flexible minor to accommodate a wide variety of interests, from creative practice and performance to music scholarship and community engagement. Along with our musical studies major and our five new interdisciplinary programs, the music minor completes a unique suite of options for musically engaged undergraduates that only 91ֱ�� can offer.”</p> <p>The music minor recognizes that love of music and preparation for careers in music-related fields exist at many levels beyond the conservatory, says <a href="/node/7131">Alexa Still</a>, associate professor of flute.</p> <p>“Just as <a href="/node/24686">double-degree</a> students enjoy impressively diverse friendships throughout the institution, the college music minor will bring conservatory and college students closer in classes and creative collaborations that will enhance everyone’s 91ֱ�� experience.”</p> <p>The new program announcements are complemented by an expanded and refocused <a href="https://new.oberlin.edu/wt-oncampus/" target="_blank">Winter Term</a>, designed to link 91ֱ��’s unique academic strengths with cocurricular opportunities that will help connect their distinctive educations to fruitful careers and lives.</p></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="2020-03-10T12:00:00Z">Tue, 03/10/2020 - 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="text-content field field--name-field-intro-text field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>New music minor draws upon extensive conservatory resources and campus-wide passion for music.</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=2583">College of Arts and Sciences</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3328">Musical Opportunities for College Students</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2370">Ensembles & Orchestras</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2363">Academics & Research</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=25281">Musical Studies</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="/arts-and-sciences/departments/musical-studies" hreflang="und">Musical Studies</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-caption field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__item">A performance by the 91ֱ�� College Arts & Sciences Orchestra conducted by Tiffany Chang ’09.</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>