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(07/16/12 12:06am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>In 1936, George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart collaborated to write “You Can’t Take It With You,” a comedy that won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1937.On Thursday, this piece of history came to IU’s Wells-Metz Theatre and the Lee Norvelle Theatre & Drama Center. Performances will continue until July 29.The 2012 Indiana Festival Theatre presents this show simultaneously with William Shakespeare’s “The Taming of the Shrew,” which features the same cast.Nicole Bruce, IU junior and theater and drama major, auditioned and was cast as Essie in “You Can’t Take It With You” and Grumio in “The Taming of the Shrew.”“It’s a lot of work to be in two shows at the same time,” she said. “I don’t know how the summer stock or other festivals around the world that run full season run four or eight shows in the summer. Two is a lot.”“You Can’t Take it With You” depicts the clash of two families when the son of one, Tony, falls in love with Alice, the daughter of the other. Director Dale McFadden, professor and associate chair in the Department of Theatre and Drama at IU, has directed many plays for the Indiana Festival Theatre, including “Ah! Wilderness.” “It’s a lot of fun watching the same group of actors do very different things in both shows,” Bruce said. “It’s about keeping the energy up and just going over and over again, day after day.”Because she did not receive the opportunity sooner, Bruce did not realize high schools put on the production until she began talking with cast mates. She added that it is heartwarming when a show receives good exposure. “I’m glad IU chose it, said Brunce. “It’s good fair for the summer, and it’s a really sweet story. It’s still poignant, still important, and it’s nice to take a break from the more political and avant garde works to go back to something that’s a classic for a reason.”— Rachel Wisinski
(06/27/12 11:21pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>As he began to sing and dance to a Russian march the band had just completed, a man in his 90s won the hearts of a crowd gathered on the Musical Arts Center lawn.Though the scene was not part of this year’s program, the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music outdoor Summer Band concerts are anything but typical.This man had grown up in Russia and was moved to tears by the piece the band had played because it reminded him of his childhood.“Music touches people in many ways,” said Stephen Pratt, conductor of the first Summer Band concert. “We’ve found that there are a lot of people who look forward to the concerts, and we play a variety of music that they can enjoy.”Wednesday evening marked the beginning of the outdoor concert cycle.However, the Summer Band concerts became a tradition more than 60 years ago.Jacobs School students and faculty, including trombone soloist Carl Lenthe, performed for a diverse audience.“There are more children. People bring their pets, lawn chairs and picnic blankets,” Pratt said. “They bring food and have picnics on the grounds before the concert. There are a variety of differences. There is a slightly more casual atmosphere than an indoor concert might have.” Pratt began conducting the summer concerts in 1985, sharing the duties with other conductors in the Jacobs School band department.“We try to balance the program in terms of time and the moods of the music to make sure it all fits together in a good way,” Pratt said.He added that the repertoire usually consists of lighter material than the typical band concert, including music from Broadway shows, movie scores, marches and polkas.“Something I find very enjoyable is the incredible support and loyalty of the audience,” Pratt said. “There are people who drive in from the Indianapolis area or Louisville to go eat on Fourth Street and come to the concert. They make an enjoyable day of it.”Flautist Felice Doynov, IU junior and flute performance major, took part in the event last summer as well.“The crowd is so appreciative,” she said. “They’re looking for a good time and good band music. They come up to you afterward smiling because they’re happy and you’re happy. It’s a good feeling.”Pratt said the band members have to become accustomed to wind and humidity, as well as physical surroundings, which played a role in the sound that reached the audience.“The street in front of the MAC, Jordan Avenue, is closed for the time during the concert, so we won’t get a lot of traffic noise to drown out the sensitive times,” he said. Brett A. Richardson, associate instructor and doctoral student in wind conducting, played multiple roles to make the performance a success. Aside from coordinating the work crew and sound system, Richardson was unexpectedly asked to play the euphonium for the band. He will also conduct two pieces in the second installment of the concert cycle, which he said is a great privilege.“As a performer, you’re playing outside and the sound goes out into the air and goes on forever,” Richardson said. “You have to really watch the conductor because the sound can even bounce off Read Residence Hall. Sometimes you almost feel like you’re playing by yourself in the closet. It doesn’t ring like it would in a gymnasium or concert hall.”The band also provided a unique perspective for Doynov, who said playing in the orchestra for “Der Rosenkavalier” in winter was a more intense and stressful environment. “The placement of flutes in orchestras is more in the center,” she said. “Here, we’re up in the conductor’s area, which is very close. It’s a different feeling of ‘Oh my gosh, you can hear every note I’m playing.’ I also like the different style of music. It’s good to adapt to a larger dynamic setting.”Richardson just completed his first year toward his doctorate, where he frequently took lessons and worked on his craft with Pratt.“It’s the first time I’m playing in an ensemble here in the Jacobs School, and I’m looking at it from a different point of view,” Richardson said. “One of the benefits is getting to watch this master teacher work with this group that just came together to produce a high-quality product, and I’m trying to be a sponge and soak up as much as I can.”
(06/24/12 11:21pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Amidst her first trip to the United States, Sulabha Patil found herself visiting the IU Art Museum.To celebrate the summer solstice, which occurs June 21 in the Northern Hemisphere, Patil joined patrons of all ages for the annual Midsummer Night event at the museum Friday.Sulabha’s son, Sameer Patil, recommended they attend the event while she was in town.Since April 2011, Sameer has been at IU completing post-doctoral work in computer science at the School of Informatics.Art associated with the spirith summer spirit and nighttime were displayed in all three permanent collection galleries for those who entered throughout the evening.A native of India, Sulabha said the evening would have been improved only if a guided tour were available.“When you’re seeing and reading about the pieces you don’t come to know many things,” she said.Regardless, Sulabha said she enjoyed the handiwork and handicraft the items on display depicted.Sameer said he would have liked to see a special exhibit for the night or the theme-oriented works more distinguished within the galleries.“I think in general art is important,” Sameer said. “It broadens horizons, and you get to experience other places without going there. This is teaching you things while also giving a pleasant experience.”Local singer and guitarist Curtis Cantwell Jackson entertained the crowd in the Thomas T. Solley Atrium.In addition to supporting his friend Jackson, Duncan Searle attended the event to catch up with acquaintances.Besides a particular interest in the solar cycle, he said he also appreciated the atmosphere the museum provided.“I think it’s an important social link,” Searle said. “I like these receptions they have in the atrium periodically.”IU senior Emily Izzo is an event coordinator for the IU Art Museum and has studied some of the pieces on display in her arts management classes. Izzo was familiar with the oil canvas “Judith with the Head of Holofernes” by Antiveduto Gramatica.”She said the event is a chance for others to be familiar with the works as well.“I think it’s nice because it’s highlighting pieces from the permanent collection,” Izzo said. “People may have come here before, but now they get to look at them more in depth and learn about them instead of just browsing.”Some of the other highlighted works included Rockwell Kent’s wood engraving “Twilight of Man,” a Greek “Amphora (Storage Jar)” using black-figure technique and Baining peoples’ “Night Mask, Kavat,” made of bark cloth.After about a half hour, more than 200 people had showed up. Izzo said this surpassed her expectations, despite the night’s purpose.“We’re celebrating the shortest night of the year,” she said. “It’s a chance to get a big crowd in here and make an event out of the night. I would say this is a place of attraction in the community.”Diane Pelrine, associate director for curatorial services and curator of the third-floor gallery — Arts of Africa, the South Pacific, and the Americas — was happy to see people in the galleries despite the music and the amount of people.“We’re usually not open in the evenings, so this is a chance for people to come after work,” she said. “Also, parking is easier on the weekends, so that draws in the community because it’s more accessible.”With Jackson’s final notes echoing through the atrium, some guests submitted their comments about the event to a computer kiosk and parted ways for the evening.“This art museum is one of the top university museums in the country,” Pelrine said. “This attracts them for the music, food and drink, but hopefully they realize it’s a place they might be interested to visit a second time.
(06/21/12 12:06am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Playing in the Penderecki String Quartet has brought violinist Jeremy Bell to venues across the world.As part of IU’s Summer Music Festival at the Jacobs School of Music, Jerzy Kaplanek, Jacob Braun, Christine Vlajk and Bell will perform for a Bloomington audience at 8 p.m. Thursday, June 21, in Auer Hall.The second part will take place at 4 p.m. Sunday in Auer Hall.“It’s possibly one of the most impressive campuses in the world,” Bell said. “We come here fully aware of this being one of the great, great music schools in the world. When I first came here I couldn’t believe I was actually here. I had grown up revering the place so completely that to suddenly find I was on stage, I was pinching myself.”Bell, alongside two United States natives and a fellow violinist from Poland, will celebrate the quartet’s 25th year in existence with tours at festivals in Brazil, Spain, Ukraine, Germany, Poland and China, with other appearances in the U.S.The Penderecki Quartet, which formed at Karol Szymanowski Academy of Music in Katowice, Poland, is now the quartet-in-residence at Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Ontario.Kaplanek has been with the quartet for 24 years.“We’re doing it for repertoire and the sake of playing music, but we all need to do something with our lives,” Kaplanek said. “We’re very fortunate because we’re doing for a living what we love to do. It’s a good life.”This will be the 10th year the quartet participates in the summer series.Vlajk has been the ensemble’s violist for 15 years, while Braun joined on the cello just three years ago.“To have repeat visitors participate in our programs makes for a double gift,” said Tom Wieligman, director of the Summer Music Series. “Their level of expertise is extremely high, plus the continuity of repeat visits makes for consistently high levels of interaction with our students.”Members of the quartet spend a week in Bloomington guest teaching for the Summer String Academy. Mimi Zweig, Jacobs School professor and director of the academy, chose Beethoven as this year’s theme.The Penderecki Quartet’s performances will feature Parts I and II in the cycle of six Beethoven String Quartets to be performed throughout the summer by four internationally known ensembles.“It holds a special place in the hearts of music lovers to hear all of them at once during one season,” Kaplanek said. “It’s a very enriching experience not only artistically, but also as a life experience. This is the core of the string repertoire, and it’s very special.”As a member for 13 years, Bell has played his fair share of venues.“I’m proud to have been on the stages in places like the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam,” Bell said. “It’s exciting to be part of a rich history that is so awe-inspiring. To think I’m a nice dot on that continuum is humbling, but it’s also very inspiring to be on the great concert stages in the world.”He said transitioning from a freelance musician to traveling the world made his first year particularly intense.“I jumped in midseason, had a week to prepare for the first concert, and it was nonstop concerts after that,” he added. “It was trial by fire.”Although bouncing around has taken its toll, Bell said he has always loved to travel.“Seeing new cultures is endlessly fascinating,” he said. “I was always dreaming about being in a situation to see the world through music, and I’m very grateful for that.”Kaplanek said even the members’ diverse backgrounds play into the ensemble’s effectiveness.“It’s great,” he said. “We complement each other with different knowledge from the different educations we’ve received, and the music making is richer because we have those different backgrounds. It’s a really strong asset to the group because when we work together, we constantly comment on each other and the sound of the group.” Looking ahead to the concerts, the members said they are up to fulfilling expectations.“It doesn’t happen every day the Beethoven cycle is presented,” Bell said. “I think when it happens, and you know the audience is going to go through this incredible journey, you want to really step up to the plate and give them the best experience possible because they are such incredible works.”
(06/20/12 11:04pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>When Patricia Stiles arrived at IU in 1998, summer had a different feel.With an opera and a musical, Jacobs School of Music vocal performers had a summer outlet in which to immerse themselves.However, productions were cut for financial reasons, and in 2002, Stiles implemented the Opera Workshop to provide Jacobs vocal performers a similar opportunity.On Wednesday, participants performed a series of scenes from various selected operas, including Don Giovanni and Falstaff, which will be put on by the Jacobs School this upcoming academic year.Additional opera workshops on June 30 and July 25 will feature Jacobs students who are taking the summer Opera Workshop course with Professor Carol Vaness.“They can learn a lot about different characters in a short amount of time,” Stiles said. “I started it with the purpose of helping young seniors with their stage craft. It’s mostly about acting and, of course, we want to give a nice musical performance.”Nick Karageorgiou, IU junior and vocal performance major, said the workshop has helped his stage presence immensely.“It’s one thing to focus on correct technique with breathing right and air pressure, but it’s another thing when you’re moving around, dancing, rolling or jumping on chairs,” he said. “You have to pay more attention to your body, and I’ve learned that, obviously, it’s important. I feel like I’ve taken steps in the right direction.”Stiles said this year’s 19 participants were able to have at least two scenes, each involving contrasting characters.“I chose operas with different languages,” she said. “I picked ensembles that are beautiful and have many people in them to get more people involved. Also, I know the students and picked scenes they’ll take the role of performing, so it could be a positive thing for them as singers vocally.”She said the program was meant to take students out of their comfort zone.“Yeah, it’s challenging, but it builds their ability in acting and in role portrayal,” Stiles said. “The more flexible you can be, the more you catch on and the better you’ll be in looking for a job in any field. Many singers want jobs, and many of them sing well, so if you are slow or not musically prepared you don’t have a chance.”As coordinator, Stiles was able to hire a stage director, conductor and pianists for the workshop with the fee the students paid to participate.She chose Brenna Corner from Canada as the stage director due to her experience directing actors to fight and dance on stage. Marcello Cormio joined the crew as music director.“Marcello really knows how to bring out the best in someone’s sound in the fact that he knows the right things to say that will make you push harder as opposed to deter you from dwelling as a singer,” Karageorgiou said. “His way of dealing with constructive criticism is inspiring, and the same goes for Brenna.”After his introduction to opera in April, IU sophomore Mark Phillips said he thought this program would help him learn the proper opera techniques for his audition into the vocal performance program at Jacobs in July.“I wanted to do it to get a good start of being in opera,” he said. “I thought I would get a good view of how it feels to perform with others in opera and perform opera on stage because I want to do it for a living eventually.”Evening rehearsals took place beginning June 4 and concluded with the performance Wednesday. Stiles said she expected the participants to arrive ready to recite lines and take direction.“Part of the learning process is to figure out how long it takes them to learn something so they can be prepared when they go out in the professional world,” she said. “They must know music but also know themselves.”As a cast member of “A View from the Bridge” and “Der Rosenkavalier” this year, Karageorgiou noticed a number of differences between these larger productions in the Musical Arts Center and the workshop.“Working with new people presents its own challenges,” he said. “In opera you work against a symphony and this is not like that. The stage is different. For example, on the MAC stage there’s a certain degree your body has to be at for the audience to hear the sound. The rehearsal room is smaller so it has different acoustics. You never know what to expect.”If accepted into the vocal performance program, Phillips said he will audition for the operas during the academic year.“I feel like I have the technique, and this is just verifying I want to continue doing things like this in the future with opera,” Phillips said.Stiles said performers who take part in the workshop are often cast in futureproductions.“A beautiful voice is the starting point, but you have to build from that,” Stiles said. “It should be a given that all these other things are required to be a well-rounded singer.
(06/18/12 12:12am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>For one week, high school-aged musicians immersed themselves in the college lifestyle by participating in courses and ensembles at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music.Students from across the country attended the Jacobs School’s 66th annual Summer Music Clinic, June 10-16.The international appeal allowed students from 15 different states and Seoul, South Korea, to attend.Jeffrey Gershman, IU associate director of bands and director of the Summer Music Clinic, said 250 people, including students and assisting faculty and staff, attended the longest running summer camp in IU history.“The faculty and counselors are really remarkable,” Gershman said. “Personal connection is a giant thing, and they make it comfortable, so it feels very much like a family. That is a big part of the success.”For the first time, the clinic was held during IU’s Summer Music Festival. This provided the opportunity for participating students to hear Jacobs students perform in a much different setting than they are used to, Gershman said. “They will be immersed in the culture here, and that’s going to be really special,” he said. “Maybe they haven’t been to an orchestra concert before or haven’t heard anything at this caliber. I think their minds are going to be blown, and I think they will remember this for a long time.”The camp is usually during the gap week between when IU students have completed summer sessions and when the fall semester begins.“It’s been a giant challenge to try to get us worked into the fabric of the Jacobs School,” Gershman said. “As far as rooms, we use about 50, plus the other classes need them.”Besides preparing for their final performance, the kids are able to take one-week course electives of their choice, including conducting, composition or leadership classes, Gershman said.Scott Stewart, senior lecturer and director of wind studies at Emory University in Atlanta, has helped with the clinic since 1987.Working his way up the ranks, he began as a counselor when he attended IU as an undergraduate. In 1996 and 1997, he worked as a manager until his promotion to faculty member.“They’re incredibly enthusiastic and eager to learn,” Stewart said. “These kids are polite, respectful, engaged and interested to learn about the music. It’s a joy to teach them.”Gershman said due to economic stipulations, short, intensive camps are becoming rarer. However, a lot of campers return year after year because it becomes a high point of their summer. “There aren’t many of these left, and it’s important that the clinic begins to grow and evolve,” Gershman said.Upon arriving, students engaged in auditions that determined which ensemble they would perform with: the Crimson or Cream band or the Symphony Orchestra.On Thursday night, selected high school students performed an Honors Recital and Jazz Ensemble.On Saturday, the students showcased what they learned in their sections during a Music Clinic Finale concert conducted by Jeffrey Boeckman, Stephen Pratt and Eric Smedley.“This is one of the most educational and inspiring music camps in the country,” Stewart said. “I enjoy the quality of the students and faculty and maintaining my ties with the Jacobs School of Music. The clinic keeps one foot in tradition and one in innovation.”Former directors Frederick Ebbs, Ray Cramer and Pratt established “a world-class summer experience for high school students,” Stewart said. “They all come from different backgrounds and levels of experience, so we start with the fundamentals,” Stewart said. “Then we help them move forward, erase bad habits, reinforce the good habits, and all of them learn new concepts of playing their instruments and music making in general.”IU junior Bailey Petersma did not attend the clinic when she was in high school, but she took part in the Summer Percussion Academy at the Jacobs School, which helped her decide to come to IU, she said.“You get to see incredible performances that you don’t get exposed to just anywhere,” Petersma said. “It’s an awesome experience.”She was a residential counselor, which was a paid position that helped ensure the campers followed the rules in Forest Residence Center.Gershman chose Petersma for the position from a batch of hopeful applicants.As a music education major, Petersma said she really enjoyed working with the younger kids.“It’s fun hearing them talk about how much they’re learning and talking about IU and how much they love it,” Petersma said. “It’s fun to see them develop and to watch rehearsals and how the conductors work with the ensembles. Seeing them working with high schoolers is a treat to see how they interact with them. We learn strategies for when we end up teaching high school. It’s great.”
(06/17/12 11:51pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Miss Indiana University 2012 Brianna McClellan will compete for the title of Miss Indiana from June 20-23 in Zionsville, Ind.“I love this school and all the opportunities and everything it does for its students,” McClellan said. “To be chosen to personally represent this incredible institution is unbelievably flattering.”Indiana’s 32 local pageant winners will converge at this competition, which is a preliminary to the Miss America pageant.Marni Lemons, public relations director for the Miss Indiana pageant, said the girls will compete for scholarships and much more.“They do it for a lot of reasons,” Lemons said. “A lot of girls find it’s a good way for developing self-confidence. A lot make great friends as well. We’ve all been made to believe through movies and TV shows that it seems very competitive, and while it is competitive, these girls become very, very good friends.”The Miss America organization provides about $45 million in scholarships per year.“Brianna worked a couple jobs all year long,” said Teresa White, director of the Miss IU Scholarship Pageant. “She’s helping to pay her way through school, and it means a lot to her to win these scholarships.”Lemons said the winner of the Miss Indiana pageant will win a $7,000 scholarship. All participants will win a $1,000 prize.All workers behind these pageants are volunteers. White said she sort of acts as McClellan’s manager.“She is a delight to work with,” White said. “She’s really sweet. We get along really well. I think it’s because she’s a theater major that she knows how to take direction and interact with people and work hard.”Much as they did in the competition that earned them their respective titles, the girls will participate and receive scores in five categories: talent, a private interview, modeling an evening gown, modeling a swim suit and answering one on-stage question.Scoring is weighted in the talent and private interview sections. “Pageants constantly get a bad reputation because of the media and because of ‘Toddlers and Tiaras’ and stuff like that,” McClellan said. “These women are so smart, talented and passionate. It’s been the best experience of my life.”As a theater and drama major, McClellan said she is used to performing in front of a large crowd. However, that doesn’t stop her from getting nervous every time she takes the stage.“I’m a religious person, so every time I go on stage I say a quick little prayer of thanks to glorify God because he’s the reason I’m here,” she added.McClellan also has a tiny, plastic pig charm for good luck. “Each time I compete I learn something new and continue to develop who I am as a woman and pageant contestant,” McClellan said.Though she stumbled upon the position two years ago, White implemented a Miss IU student organization to help coordinate and organize the pageant as a way for students to practice leadership skills.Senior Paige Geer, president of the Miss IU student organization, was one of seven to compete in the 2012 pageant. However, she has gotten to know McClellan and is rooting for her in the Miss Indiana contest.“The title holder is representative of our school,” Geer said. “This would just be a great way to show the quality of character we have here.”White said they will continue to work on recruitment for the Miss IU pageant so more women have the opportunity to participate.“We’re building an organization, and we’ve already built relationships with Bloomington Kiwanis, the Boys and Girls Club, Big Brothers Big Sisters as well as other student organizations, especially in the journalism school,” Geer said. “We’re starting to get really involved, and I really like that.”Another large part of the program consists of each contestant taking a personal platform for which she becomes an advocate in a service project. McClellan supports Safe Schools for Every Student, an anti-bullying advocacy group.The Miss America crown consists of four points that represent expectations of every contestant: scholarship, style, service and success.“The prettiest girl on stage isn’t always the one who wins,” Lemons said. “It gives them an opportunity to work on the other parts of the competition. We have had plenty of girls who, through competing, have developed a healthier lifestyle and improved their quality of life.”
(06/13/12 11:52pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>German conductor and composer Matthias Pintscher arrived to lead the Summer Music series Festival Orchestra’s first rehearsal Tuesday after taking in Bloomington sights from his car window. As part of the Summer Music series at IU’s Jacobs School of Music, the orchestra will perform its first concert at 8 p.m. Friday in the Musical Arts Center.“We began working right away,” Pintscher said. “The primary goal is to listen to what others do to create a contrast and respond. It’s not about individual sound but about how to support others in the group. That’s the point of an orchestra: trying to sound better together.”A mix of IU faculty and students from the Jacobs School will join musical guests from symphony orchestras across the United States.Mark Jackobs, fourth chair viola of the Cleveland Orchestra and principal chair for the viola section of the Festival Orchestra, said Pintscher has conducted him in the Cleveland Orchestra before.“He is one of the most sought-after young composers of this time,” Jackobs said. “He is a well-known and respected composer at the highest level, and it’s a real treat for the students to be able to work with him.”The performance will feature three pieces, including Beethoven’s “Symphony No. 5,” Igor Stravinsky’s “Petrouchka” and one of Pintscher’s original pieces, “Towards Osiris.”Bill Ludwig, IU professor of music and chair of the woodwinds department at the Jacobs School, said the Festival Orchestra is realistic because of the number of rehearsals performers were allowed before the show. IU students are normally allowed about 12 practices before a performance, but professional orchestras only allow three or four.“This gives them a good combination between being professional where they’re preparing on their own island and where they’re in a teaching situation,” Ludwig said “That’s an important element of what this summer’s about.”The Summer Music series will offer two other Festival Orchestra concerts, on June 29 and July 13. IU alumna Adrienne Taylor returned to Bloomington for the summer to take cello lessons from Distinguished Professor of Music Janos Starker. However, Taylor received an even greater opportunity in the Festival Orchestra.As she rehearsed with the other cellists, Taylor said she noticed an air of seriousness among the musicians.“To prepare a program in such a short time is a useful experience because having been in the professional world, that’s how things work,” Taylor said. “You have to be able to learn music very quickly and bring it to a high level in a very short time.”She graduated from IU with a bachelor’s degree from the Jacobs School in 2003 and a performer diploma in 2004.“It’s always interesting to get to work with different conductors who bring their own interpretation on the pieces and how an orchestra should work together,” Taylor said. “Getting that different perspective from someone is always a musically valuable experience.”As a member of the 2009 Festival Orchestra, she was able to work with Eric Kim, IU professor of music.A repeat participant, Kim sits at the head of the cello section for Friday’s concert.“It’s really important for us to constantly have fine artists from the nation’s best orchestras be here and help the kids,” Kim said. “They are able to expose them to a wide range of views on how to interpret music. That’s something they don’t get the opportunity for out of school, and summer music festivals don’t usually come to Bloomington for that kind of experience.”Pintscher said that, as conductor, he works to help the performers detach themselves from the music.“It’s important for young musicians to find the music inside it,” Pintscher said. “They have to forget the notes and make it something alive and human and beautiful.”After one day of rehearsal, he said the performers still had a long way to go.“Tomorrow is the day we will come back and see how everything has grown and come together,” he said. “We’ll see what we digested and transformed into listening. It’s not an instant process. They’ve been thrown together for a couple weeks, and we’re here trying to create the spirit of ensemble.”
(06/10/12 10:04pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>IU students and Bloomington residents can revel in the sweet sounds of summer on the Musical Arts Center lawn.As part of the second annual Summer Festival of the Arts at IU, the Jacobs School of Music has assembled a Summer Music series that features world-class conductors and performers.Tom Wieligman, academic specialist in instrumental ensembles and director of the Summer Music series, said the series has been a large part of Bloomington summers for about 35 years.“We don’t like to think of this as a September to April job,” Wieligman said. “It’s our job to educate students on an international level and give them the best possible level of training that they can get.”From June 13 with the jazz component “Birth of the Cool,” to July 27 the series will feature more than 40 events.The series has remained similar in event numbers and diversity throughout the last eight to 10 years, Wieligman said.Outdoor concerts allow a different feel from those during the school year because they occur in a much different environment from a concert hall, he added.Wieligman used the two types of summer orchestras to illustrate the diversity.The Festival Orchestra concerts will feature a variety of popular works, including Beethoven’s “Symphony No. 5,” Rachmaninoff’s “Symphonic Dances” and Brahms’ “Symphony No. 2.”Participating musicians include distinguished faculty members, students from the Jacobs School and guests from symphony orchestras across the United States, according to a press release about the Summer Music series.The performances will be led by conductors Matthias Pintscher, Roberto Abbado and Carlos Kalmar on June 15 and 29 and July 13.“You’ll get world-class leadership in every section surrounded by wonderfully talented students,” Wieligman said. “This orchestra plays very well, very quickly.”Pursuing her doctorate degree in violin performance, Hye-Young Kim will perform in all three concerts.She also participated in the series in summer 2010.“It’s a really great program,” Kim said. “There’s a wide range of repertoire, and it’s great for the audience to hear all these different composers and their works. For us, it’s great to perform and study them. It really broadens our knowledge and musical language.”Working with different conductors and faculty members with experience gives students new perspectives in music making, she said. “Because they’re professional orchestra musicians, they know the trouble spots and what we should watch out for,” Kim said. “They’re there to guide us. We get to ask questions and learn a lot from them.”Aside from learning new techniques, student musicians learn professionalism.“During the year when you play in school orchestra the rehearsals are more scattered,” Kim said. “The summer is more concentrated to prepare for the concert in one week, which is what most of the professional orchestras do. It’s a really good opportunity to experience what it’s like to be part of the intense preparation for a concert.”Cliff Colnot will conduct IU students in the Symphony Orchestra in concerts on June 20 and July 20. Colnot is the principal conductor of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s contemporary MusicNOW series and of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago.“He is unique,” Wieligman said. “He has a very specific type of teaching and is an outstanding teacher at the world-class level.”IU junior Joey Miller, who is majoring in clarinet performance and composition at the Jacobs School, auditioned for and won a spot on the Colnot-conducted Symphony Orchestra.“I love it,” Miller said. “(Colnot is) an incredible musician and he’s probably one of the best conductors I’ve worked with in getting the orchestra to play together as an ensemble. He has a really unifying approach to conducting.”The increased competition during the school year has made earning a spot in the wind section of the five orchestras more difficult, so the summer opportunity has been satisfying, he said.Last summer, Miller attended and enjoyed many of the concerts. He said he expects this year’s events to be just as good.“It seems to be successful in always drawing a large crowd,” Miller said. “It brings in a lot of guest artists who wouldn’t normally come to a town as small as Bloomington.”The series will also feature the Shanghai, Penderecki, Afiara and Cecilia quartets in a six-concert performance of all the Beethoven string quartets.On June 17 and 18, legendary pianist Distinguished Professor Menahem Pressler will perform with cellist Antonio Meneses and violinists Andrés Cárdenes and Paul Neubauer. A founding member and pianist of the former Beaux Arts Trio, Pressler has established himself among the world’s most distinguished and honored musicians, with a career that spans more than six decades.Opera performances include Summer Opera Workshops directed by faculty members Patricia Stiles on June 20 and Carol Vaness on June 30 and July 25.The July 1 performance will showcase Clara-Jumi Kang, the winner of the 2010 International Violin Competition of Indianapolis.“It points to how we don’t just do what we do to provide entertainment,” Wieligman said. “The first thing is to educate the students. It’s like cooking school. Once you cook something then you ask, ‘Who’s going to eat it?’ That’s why a lot of the summer things are free of charge. We want to give them to the community.”
(06/07/12 12:21am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Six years ago, Michael Vernon brought his flair from London and New York to the ballet department at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music.Following examples from various other music workshops in the summer, Vernon, professor of music (ballet) and chair of the ballet department, initiated and serves as director of a summer intensive program for intermediate and advanced ballet dancers and choreographers. The program is now in its third year.The first 2012 session runs from June 3 to June 9 and the second from June 10 to June 16.Although the daily schedule remains similar, the dancers may choose to participate in one of the two sessions, or both.“It’s developed a great way for prospective students to come and experience the campus, my teaching and the facilities we have,” Vernon said. “Then they can decide if they’d like to audition and come here as a major in the department.”He said summer contains a lighter atmosphere compared to during the academic year when educational pressures loom large.“The summer program is really great because it’s small enough where we have control of it and we can have personal interactions with each dancer,” Vernon said. “It’s interesting. They come from all over the country, but by the end of the week they have homogenized into a team. This is partly because ballet does that, but it’s a great experience.”In London, Vernon performed with the Royal Ballet, the Royal Opera Ballet and the London Festival Ballet.“I learned high standards of presentation and technique, musicality and that the arts should be part of the fabric of life and not separate from it,” he said.Now he said he enjoys guiding people to where they would best fit into the professional world, including working with large or small companies and getting involved in classical or contemporary ballet.“One of the big comments I have is how much the dancers appreciate the outside influences,” Vernon said.This week’s guest instructors include Victoria Lyras, a former principal dancer with Vernon in New York, and IU alumna Jennifer Adam Bailey.New York’s Heather Hawk will teach during next week’s session.Vernon said the New York connections help the dancers build professional networks for when they leave IU.“Everything to do with this department has to do with my connections in New York,” Vernon said. “It’s proven to be really useful.”Dancing since she was three, Megan Noonan, 18, will begin majoring in ballet at IU in the fall of this year.This is her first year participating in the summer workshop.“I thought it would be a good introduction to the program and a way to get to know the teachers,” she said.IU was an easy choice, she added, because of its prestige and proximity to her home in Carmel, Ind. The specifics of the program tend to be geared toward high school students, Vernon said, which make up most of the participants.“They have something to look up to,” he said. “It teaches them how high the standard can be, even in Bloomington.”Approaching her senior year of high school at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, Shelby Finnie, 17, plans to audition for the Jacobs School of Music when the time comes. From Greensboro, N.C., Finnie also attended the workshop in 2011. “Year to year, you develop different ways of looking at ballet,” she said. “The stronger you get, the more you get out of the classes.”Although it is hard on her toes, Finnie said she has loved getting to know the repertoire and new choreography.“I’m getting more familiar with my body and its limitations,” Finnie said. “Once you find that out about yourself you can take it to different levels and explore new things. Mr. Vernon is really good about introducing new ways of thinking about techniques.”She said she appreciates the energy Guo Ping Wang, lecturer in music (ballet), exudes. Learning from Violette Verdy, distinguished professor of music (ballet), has been an honor, Finnie added.“The program is excellent, and we’re finally getting it done thanks to Michael, who is a mover and fantastic programmer,” Verdy said. “To see the talent and know they’re going to do something good, it’s just wonderful.”This is her first year instructing for the summer intensive program. “It’s nice to do with Michael because he brings a constantly growing population and a quality program,” she said. “It’s terrific because I know with him we’re going to get serious, good stuff.”Because she doesn’t have any children, Verdy said she likes to think of her students as her own.“It’s absolutely fabulous the universities are giving us hospitality because they have the brains, we have the heart, and the complete person should have brains and heart,” Verdy said. “Our kids are receiving absolutely everything they need.”
(06/03/12 10:45pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>After 25 years and constant encouragement from his wife and kids, Tim Noble, distinguished professor of voice at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, finally completed the music, lyrics and his overall vision for the musical “Alamo.” With a book and script written by Eric Holmes, son of one of Noble’s friends since childhood, and musical arrangements by conductor Constantine Kitsopoulos, the musical received its first public reading Saturday evening in Auer Hall. The time and place of when the musical will debut is unknown.A combination of Noble’s love for country western music, history, the West and Texas led to the idea. He said he began thinking about the Alamo and noticed a lack of music about it. “I’ve been to the Alamo several times,” Noble said. “It’s one of those places where if you don’t feel anything, there’s something wrong with you.”He compared it to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery.The action takes place in and around San Antonio in 1836 and 1881. As one of the two Anglo-Texan survivors of the 13-day siege, Susannah Dickinson recounts her experiences leading up to, during and following the battle to a reporter who seeks the truth behind the events.“It’s definitely one of the best scores I’ve heard in a long time, and with the right producer and director it could be on Broadway,” Holmes said. “It has a lot to say, and it’s relevant to where we are in society.”Universal themes, such as undying love, truth versus myth, racism, heroism and the American Dream resonate through the mix of toe-tapping tunes and soft ballads.“This is the first time I’ve heard some of my songs, and it’s exciting,” Noble said. “It’s incredible. I walked by a practice room the other day and heard someone playing some of my music. How can you be objective? I don’t know if it’s good, but I’ve enjoyed watching everything evolve.”He said it has certainly been a different experience sitting back and conducting rather than performing on stage, which is what he is accustomed to.“You’re going to walk out humming one of the melodies, and that’s the essence of a really great show,” he added.Noble said he chose Holmes for the project because he has seen Holmes’ hard work and dedication throughout the years.“I could have gone to New York for someone but I would have never gotten the commitment and love I get from him,” Noble said. “He’s written one hell of a book. I would be very happy for him if it was a huge success. He has been like a son to me, and he works his rear end off.”Holmes graduated from IU in 2005 with a theater and drama degree.When Noble asked him to be the writer for the project, he almost refused.“I thought I could only write comedies, but I did the research, fell in love with the story and just had to write it,” Holmes said.He admitted he owns about 20 hours of documentaries and has watched every History Channel special on the Alamo to prepare himself.“You tend to forget history and write as if they are actual characters,” Holmes said. “It’s almost like you’re basing them off family members or friends. That was the key because as historic figures, the play was boring. But once they became as screwed up as the rest of us it became exciting to watch.”It was a challenge to get in the same mindset as Noble, he said.Using a film technique in which the sequences are mostly Susannah’s flashbacks was a difficult concept for Holmes to grasp, especially because it is rarely done in musical theater. “It took me years to figure out how that works,” Holmes said. “Things began to connect, and the show became about what is truth and the American need to rewrite its history. We always paint ourselves better than we actually are.”Working with Noble has been the best part of the experience, he said.“He is the best collaborative writer I’ve ever had,” Holmes continued. “It’s been really fun to write something I thought was out of my element.”After Noble asked some of his students to be a part of the musical, he held public auditions. With the project near completion, Noble proposed the idea to Dean Gwyn Richards, who agreed to fund the musical and its production at the Jacobs School of Music.“There is no place in this country that makes things so easy to create and has the quality facilities,” Noble said. “I don’t know where else I could go to find this kind of talent for this show. It’s really wonderful. I’m a lucky man.”Ayron Hyatt, who plays Almeron Dickinson, studied with Noble during his time at Jacobs.“His passion is the reason this came together so quickly and tightly,” Hyatt said. “It’s incredible how fast it went from the point where we hadn’t seen the script or learned the music to where lines were memorized and we had actual characters.”He said the music is unlike that of other shows and recreates the older, classic style of Broadway. Rachel Milligan, who plays Sue Dickinson of 1836, said Noble began casting roles in the late fall to early winter and asked her to participate.“We didn’t know a lot about it or what we were getting ourselves into, but it turned out to be something pretty amazing,” she said. “I think it’s something that can touch a lot of peoples’ hearts. It’s about truth, love, finding our own self and coming to terms with things in our lives. It’s relatable and can definitely turn into a more colorful piece of work.”
(05/31/12 12:32am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>For five days, musicians will flock to Bloomington from across the globe to partake in performance training at Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music.Jeff Nelsen, founder and director of the Fearless Performance Seminar for Musicians, will head the program from May 30 to June 3.“Performance is everywhere in all of our lives,” Nelsen said. “It doesn’t matter what you do. Excellence is excellence, and everything you do goes through the filter of performance.”Now in its sixth year, the idea blossomed from Nelsen’s desire to reach more than his own students. With a musician from Australia attending this year’s program, Nelsen has surpassed his goal.He has been able to reach a global audience with news of his seminar through posters, Facebook and word of mouth.“The biggest thing they can realize is that performance happens in every area of their life, not just when they pick up an instrument,” Nelsen said.The seminar changes every year, he said, so those who return will not be getting the same experience. Through daily performances, lectures and a few surprises, participants are always in for a treat, he said. Guest faculty member David Cutler, who wrote the book “The Savvy Musician,” will attend this year’s seminar. Another highlight will include a Friday night performance by Nelsen and Jessie Thoman, assistant director for the program.“I’ve been working with Jeff since its inception,” Thoman said. “Not only is it good to be refreshed, but it is life changing every time.” Nelsen approached Thoman with the idea, and she said she was more than happy to aid in his vision.“Jeff is probably one of the most influential people in my life I have ever met,” Thoman said. “He is the best teacher and mentor I’ve ever had. He has opened up a world I didn’t know or think I deserved.”The participants play tubas, trumpets, guitars and contribute vocals, and come from different backgrounds.Be it students or teachers, amateurs or professionals, all are welcome.“All the ideas can be placed into the context in which you are in,” Thoman said. “The seminar is open to anyone interested in learning to perform their best.”Jacobs graduate Julie Gerhardt participated in the program during the past two summers.“I wanted to get insight into what I could do mentally to seem more present and calm in my audition experience,” Gerhardt said. “It’s really easy as a musician to get worked up when you have to perform in front of someone, especially when you’re used to practicing alone in a practice room.”She studied French horn performance under Nelsen during her two years at IU.“The Fearless seminar is a week-long embodiment of the principles he features throughout the course of the year,” Gerhardt said.She would return for this year’s seminar if it did not clash with an audition.“As a performer and human being, we’re always evolving within ourselves and adjusting to different perspectives or encounters with people,” Gerhardt said. “My perception and his presentation evolve, and there’s always something new to get.”Although she enjoyed the entire process Nelsen created, Gerhardt said she found the inspiration sheet exercise, in particular, to be helpful. This technique includes technical advice, memorization techniques or encouragement for music auditions.“I feel more confident than I’ve ever felt as a performer, rather than feeling more confident in the practice room and going into the performance feeling less than my best,” she said.Through a variety of lessons, Nelsen provides students with essential information. Gerhardt said her favorite part of the seminar was the talent show.“Everyone has to do a talent that gets away from their instrument,” she said. “Sometimes I felt we were less inhibited in that performance than when we were playing our instruments.”She said this seminar serves as a perk of attending one of the best music schools in the country. “With so many music majors, it’s easy to get lost in the crowd,” Gerhardt said. “This is just an additional resource we can take advantage of that allows us to stand out from the crowd in Bloomington and when we get out to money-making performance situations.”“Perform best when it matters most,” states the seminar’s tagline.“It’s definitely something I see as becoming a movement,” Thoman said. “It’s about feeling good about yourself and working hard and developing yourself to be the best you can be, not comparing yourself to others.”She said she sees it in everyone that comes through the seminar. “The positive energy and amazing people we work with are transformative,” she said. “You have to breathe accountability and love for what you do. Anyone willing to participate and listen will gain enormous benefits.”In an effort to expand the program, Nelsen will teach a similar seminar July 11-15, which will include information on music education. “My favorite part is getting to affect other musicians’ lives,” Nelsen said. “People realize their music making is connected to everything they do in life and every choice they make.”
(05/31/12 12:18am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>In 1966, Edgar S. Furniss received the Wilbur Lucius Cross Medal for his contributions to the fields of scholarship, teaching and academic instruction. Now, 46 years later, Bernice Pescosolido has kept it in the family. Pescosolido, distinguished and chancellor’s professor of sociology at IU, has been honored for her research on social issues. Pescosolido received the Cross Medal as well as Leonard I. Pearlin Award for Distinguished Contributions from the American Sociological Association’s Section on Sociology of Mental Health. The Pearlin award honors a scholar who has contributed to research of mental health.The Cross Medal was awarded to Pescosolido by her alma mater, Yale University. Furniss is her son’s great grandfather. “It’s interesting, all these years later I’m awarded the Wilbur Cross Medal as well,” Pescosolido said.She has also served as the director of the Indiana Consortium for Mental Health Services Research.“I think it’s a wonderful recognition for the work my consortium does and the resources Indiana University gives us,” Pescosolido said. “It’s about the work of the deeper way society functions and making things better for people who are vulnerable.”Pescosolido specializes in the understanding of health, disease and health care utilization through social networks.Pescosolido’s Network-Episode Model has evolved through several decades and has influenced her research in three areas: health care services, stigma and suicide.“I’ve always been fascinated with how people recognize and respond to health problems,” Pescosolido said. “My work was aimed at developing a scientific model of people which represented facing stigma. I think looking at one problem opened doors to others.”She began to see how people dealt with problems in society through networks. Uncovering these facts helped her become aware of existing stigmas.“Each time I dug deeper, it led to a new level of research and added to the complexity of it all,” she said. “If we had solved the problem as a society there wouldn’t be any need for this kind of research, but these problems continue to exist and dampen the recovery for people who have health problems.”Alex Capshew, associate director for the Indiana Consortium for Mental Health Services Research, said he does most of the research administration and project management for Pescosolido’s funded studies.“What I appreciate is that the awards give her a national and international platform to create awareness of mental health issues,” Capshew said. “She has a strong platform, and we translate her research findings in order to improve the lives of real people. The recognition gives her a voice in reaching a broader community.”Pescosolido was also named a member of the scientific advisory board of Bring Change 2 Mind.Led by actress Glenn Close, the campaign is an anti-stigma movement dedicated to removing misconceptions about mental illness.“My job is to help the foundation understand the science being done and use it to create effective programs,” Pescosolido said. “The last 15 years we have taken new directions in understanding stigma, and that will be a foundation for the programs.”Despite this progress, Pescosolido said there doesn’t appear to be a link between understanding and tolerance. She continues to explore what approach can be taken in order to lessen rising prejudices.“I’m in the middle of an 18-country study of the stigma of mental illness,” she said. “We’re trying to do some myth busting in developing countries in figuring out which are more tolerant and what we can learn from them here in America.”Pescosolido has also been the recipient of other universities and disciplinary teaching and mentoring awards.“I am proud to be part of the organization and working for a director that is so well recognized and respected,” Capshew said. “I first started here and said I could never envision myself working in the same place more than three years because it gets monotonous. I’ve worked for her for 10 years. She keeps things interesting and keeps the staff motivated.”IU graduate student Ann McCranie said Pescosolido’s leadership and awards have helped bolster her own study, as McCranie is pursuing a graduate degree in sociology and Pescosolido is chair of her dissertation.“I say I work with Bernice and people know who she is,” McCranie said. “She is very helpful in that she wants to work with graduate students to get them into the best place in their careers. She is helping to create the next generation of mentors. She’s a great mentor, teacher, teacher of teachers and researcher, but she’s also a great person. She’s the whole package.”
(05/24/12 12:11am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>World-renowned vocal jazz conductor and educator Steve Zegree will head the Singing Hoosiers in addition to serving as the Pam and Jack Burks Professor of Music for the Jacobs School of Music.“I am excited and honored by the prospect of being only the fourth director of the Singing Hoosiers, and I very much look forward to working with my new students and creating great music,” Zegree said.Founded in 1950, the Singing Hoosiers perform American popular music, jazz and new Broadway tunes set to high-energy choreography.Zegree said the faculty and administration approached him with great interest in expanding the vocal jazz and contemporary vocal programs at IU.“I was attracted by this forward-looking, inclusive and visionary philosophy,” he said. “I think having a highly visible program like this at IU will help make the Jacobs School unique among world-class music conservatories.”The appointment follows Michael Schwartzkopf’s retirement.Schwartzkopf, director for the past 17 years and a new member of the Singing Hoosier Alumni Council, said he thoroughly enjoyed representing the University through the group’s worldwide performances.“Steve Zegree will be an outstanding successor and next director of the Singing Hoosiers,” he said. “He brings a lot of expertise to the group, and I expect him to bring the Singing Hoosiers to new levels and new experiences in music.”Before accepting the job, Zegree previously acted as the Bobby McFerrin Distinguished Professor of Music at Western Michigan University, according to a press release. His work at WMU has also included directing Gold Company, a vocal jazz ensemble that has performed throughout the United States, Canada, Europe and South Africa.“I am extremely fortunate to have many wonderful professional experiences both as a performer and conductor,” Zegree said. “Most of all, I am passionate about music education and giving my students musical opportunities, including performance and personal experiences and memories that they might not find in another classroom.”In order to maximize the success of the Singing Hoosiers in the 2012-13 school year, Zegree plans to work diligently.“We will hit the ground running from minute one of the first rehearsal in the fall,” he said. “We look forward to sharing our music with our audiences.”Zegree said he expects to continue his professional activities outside Bloomington, as long as they do not interfere with his teaching responsibilities.“I think this kind of external exposure also benefits the entire University, as well as the recruiting of future talented graduate and undergraduate students to the Jacobs School,” he said.Realizing the importance of carrying on lasting traditions, Zegree said he is willing to work with past and current members to maintain expectations.“It is very important that we meet the musical and educational needs of our students as we prepare them for success in the real world after they graduate from IU,” Zegree said.Cullen McCarty, president of the Singing Hoosiers Alumni Board, said he expects Zegree to uphold the traditions most associated with the Singing Hoosiers’ repertoire.“There’s a family feel to the group, especially with the songs we perform,” he said. “Some of the songs performed today were arrangements from the ’90s, ’80s and further back. That right there is a nutshell of information about traditions in the group.”That being said, Zegree is also looking forward to incorporating his own style.“I have very high expectations of my students and try to set the musical standard as high as possible,” he said. “I expect our Singing Hoosier concerts to be fun, exciting, educational, entertaining and artistic.”What will be fun to watch is what Zegree’s tenure brings to the table, McCarty said.“There’s always room for improvement, and I think he will introduce new arrangements and types of music, especially in the area of jazz,” McCarty said.Zegree’s experiences greatly enhance potential networking contacts for students and alumni, McCarty added.“His breadth of experience is incredible,” he said. “He has worked in numerous clinics in the country and world. He coached Nick Lachey’s team to victory on a reality show where choirs performed against each other. It’s totally different from what we had before.”
(05/20/12 11:23pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Completing its second year, Project Jumpstart is a career and entrepreneur leadership program offering a number of resources for students in the IU Jacobs School of Music.Winners of the video and essay competitions, a new feature of the 2012 project, were announced in early May.For the video competition, Erich Rieppel placed first with a $300 prize, Steve Metcalf came in second with a $200 prize and Stevan Jovic won the Encouragement Award with $100.In the essay contest, Rose Fraser and Jovic each received $100, while Madeleine Ohman was rewarded $50 for the Encouragement Award.“Project Jumpstart’s programming, including workshops and career advising, provides expanded opportunities for the Jacobs School of Music’s illustrious faculty and staff to share strategies, tips and experiences with upcoming generations of musicians,” said Peter Thoresen, coordinator for Project JumpstartThe competitions were designed in fall 2011, launched that spring and were open to currently enrolled students, Thoresen said.Three judges per contest were required to rank the submissions. These judges included faculty from the Jacobs and administrators from the Johnson Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation from the Kelley School of Business and WFIU Public Radio.The video instructions prompted students to share what they have to offer in promoting artistry in the 21st century.“I’m really happy they have a sort of organization where students have the opportunity to go and find a lot of things about everything they need to know,” winner Stevan Jovic said. “We’re not just going to school and attending classes to pass exams. There is much more than that, and they’re there to help us, which is great.”Jovic won the essay contest with the inspiring story of his “Practice Right” invention.He was searching for a way to ease a guitar player’s hand into the correct position to pluck the strings of a guitar.The idea was born near the end of summer 2011, and while the fame of “Practice Right” consumed much of his time, he received emails about Project Jumpstart from the Jacobs School. “I feel great,” Jovic said. “I really wanted my idea and project to be recognized.”He says the invention has become a hit in the guitar world. Jovic has been wrapped up in finding investors and stores to sell his product.“I also wanted something that would make me satisfied emotionally,” Jovic continued. “I’m really happy I received those awards because one day I’ll be sitting in my room and no matter how much money I make or trophies I receive, I will be very happy to see those certificates and see where it started.”Forrest Wu, undergraduate student representative for the Project Jumpstart team, accredited the idea of the essay and video competitions, as well as the set of rules, criteria and organization of the project, to Joanna Helms and Jerome Síbulo, the graduate and post-graduate student representatives.“They were looking for students who showed an innovative spirit, an eye toward the future and an understanding of themselves as a musical product as well as an artist,” he said.Wu was grateful to share responsibilities with the two. They helped each other make promotional posters and videos as well as manage the social media sites. This work with the project has helped Wu in more ways than one.“I’m looking for a career in arts administration working day-to-day for a creative organization, and Project Jumpstart has helped me handle it,” he said. “I have gotten looks at the way grant writing works, how résumé building works, and it’s been eye opening for music students when the face of the industry is changing so rapidly.”The writing script questioned, “What are you doing to be proactive about your future as a musician?”As a ballet major, Ohman decided to enter the contest for unique reasons.“I felt I had a different take on the question, which made it different from all the other essays just because for ballet you don’t do the same things instrumentalists do to further your career,” Ohman said. “For dancers there’s a lot more to it because your instrument is your body.”The competition’s organization was important because Ohman said if the competition did not contain the writing element, she probably would not have participated.“It’s nice they have these opportunities in general for musicians,” she said. “They can inspire each other.”Ohman said she enjoyed reading the other winners’ essays.“It’s nice to see what other people in Jacobs do to approach their career,” she said. “It gives an insider’s scoop into what it’s like to be an artist.”
(05/17/12 12:44am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>It was a weekend Justin Polyblank, Chris Elchico, Steven Lawhon and Marti Comas will never forget.Competing against 48 ensembles from around the world, IU’s Barkada Saxophone Quartet won the $7,500 Grand Prize for the 2012 Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition.Performing together since September 2011, the boys also took home the Gold Medal in the Senior Wind Division, which consisted of a $3,000 cash prize.Founded in 1973, the Fischoff Competition has become the largest chamber music competition in the world. A winner is chosen in both the wind and string ensembles. These winners then face off for the Grand Prize.“We were absolutely astonished to have won the Grand Prize because typically it’s awarded to the String Division,” Polyblank said. “It’s unbelievable. It’s been 10 years since a wind group has won. It’s usually so hard to win over the string judges. I can’t even begin to describe the feeling.”Having competed in the Fischoff Competition two times previously, Polyblank was hungry for more.He said it has been a dream of his to have a professional chamber ensemble as part of his career. On the way to fulfilling this dream, the Barkada Saxophone Quartetmembers met by chance in the fall and toyed with the idea of playing together. What followed was unexpected.“It’s a blessing to be able to do this now, especially with four people who are extremely different,” Elchico said. “We have a great time hanging out with each other, and it’s only going to get better. I’m just happy we’re able to make music and share it with other people.”For Polyblank, the win drastically altered his post-graduation plans. He had intended to move to Los Angeles and look for different musical opportunities with the possibility of starting an ensemble with Elchico, a California native.However, the group earned the opportunity to participate in the Winner’s Tour of the Midwestern United States beginning in October, as well as an all-expense-paid trip to play at the Emilia Romagna Festival in Italy in 2013.Elchico said the money is to be split among the quartet members, but they are still unsure whether it will be used toward future projects for the group.“It’s still taking me a while to wrap my head around the whole thing,” he said. “I’m excited to see what happens in the next year and after that.”Each member of the quartet has studied with IU saxophone professor Otis Murphy.“It’s important to mention there’s an element of me working with them, but I spend a tiny fraction of time compared to how much time they spend practicing,” Murphy said. “They spend hours a day together in addition to individually practicing. They took a lot of time developing as a group, and the hard work paid off.”Murphy said he was receiving calls and texts constantly throughout the competition as he was at a conference in California this past weekend and could not attend.“I was in touch with them moments before they played,” he said. “They had to pick their repertoire for each round, and they would ask my advice similar to a football coach. It touched me and I truly felt part of this important event. They are humble and wonderful students, and I appreciate that they trusted me in that capacity.”The ensemble members had nothing but positive things to say about studying with Murphy.“He has been an incredible inspiration and teacher,” Polyblank said. “Without the individual instruction we wouldn’t have been able to come up with the group concept that has taken us in the direction we have gone.”Elchico had auditioned for the Jacobs School a couple years ago in hopes of studying with Murphy.In fall 2011, he finally got his wish.“Coming here has been extremely motivating to be around so many amazing musicians,” he said. “Professor Murphy strives to create a family in the studio, and it’s amazing to be able to go to any person regardless of age or degree and ask for advice. It’s a really great learning environment. It has influenced not only my playing but me as a person, and I can honestly say I’m really thankful.”Murphy said that while the saxophone is typically viewed as a jazz instrument, one of the amazing things about this competition is that it was exhibited in the classical capacity.“As a saxophone quartet, they are ambassadors,” Murphy said. “They are very talented young musicians. They have really refined themselves as a group to get this tremendous prize, and I’m very hopeful they will make a difference in the classical saxophone scene. I’m excited for them and their potential.”
(05/14/12 12:08am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Among the ranks of musical talent, IU’s Tyron Cooper and Marietta Simpson have been nominated for regional Emmy Awards.Their work in the documentaries “Musical Threads: Expressions of a People” and “Open Door: China in Indiana” aired in October and December, respectively, on WFYI, the PBS affiliate in Indianapolis.“Musical Threads” will air again at 4 a.m. May 19 and “Open Door” will air at 4:30 p.m. June 24.Winners of the Emmy Awards will be announced at the annual Lower Great Lakes Regional Emmy Awards on June 2 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis.While Cooper is a doctorate candidate in ethnomusicology from the IU College of Arts and Sciences, Simpson is currently a voice professor at the IU Jacobs School of Music.“We’re absolutely thrilled for both of them,” said Alain Barker, director of marketing and publicity at Jacobs. “It’s a project we were aware of for a while, and we’re very excited they could work together to do the program and be recognized in the way they have been.”Simpson has sung with major orchestras and opera companies throughout the United States with many of the world’s greatest conductors, including the late Robert Shaw in her Carnegie Hall debut in 1988, as well as Kurt Masur, Lorin Maazel and Simon Rattle, according to the press release.She adds these programs to her collection of recordings and television appearances that include the Covent Garden production of “Porgy and Bess.”From 1999 to 2005, Cooper served as director of the IU Soul Revue, an R&B and jazz group from the African American Arts Institute. Additionally, he has directed, accompanied and arranged for a diverse set of artists, such as Soulful Symphony, Dionne Warwick, A Taste of Honey and Donnie McClurkin.“My great experiences with music basically came from all my prior performing experiences, as well as education at Jacobs at IU,” Cooper said. “It had prepared me to engage the diverse experiences and try to collaborate with people as a musician with the mind or insight into what makes great television.”Cooper said his rigorous and diverse education has greatly helped him in his current work.“With a lot of practice and a lot of prayer, I was ready for the door to open, which culminated into this exciting moment,” he said.Simpson echoed his sentiments.“When we received news of the Emmy nomination, we were all very excited that this production presenting music of African-American traditions, that was so special to each of us, was also recognized by the industry as noteworthy,” Simpson said.Cooper performed with Angela Brown in the presence of the WFYI production team, which landed him the opportunity to work on “Musical Threads.”“They had followed what I had done with Angela and a few other artists in the past, so I formed a relationship with them, and it became my musical bridge,” he said.From there, Cooper brought in Simpson to collaborate for “Musical Threads” on eight or nine pieces from the 18th century to the present, including some original scores.“Bob Williams and the production staff of WFYI fully embraced our artistic vision, and what followed was nothing short of a dream,” Simpson said.Although the pair has only collaborated for three or four years, Cooper said he feels as if he is performing with his sister.“It’s indescribable,” he said. “I’m always enthused and excited to work with Marietta. I always learn something new and different and great. Marietta also performs different styles of music, and with each style she brings a different approach.”After “Musical Threads,” Cooper told Clayton Taylor at WFYI about his desire to do more film scoring. It just so happened that Taylor had a project that needed music, and Cooper’s involvement in “Open Door” was born.“It was a challenge to find ways to bridge the gap between presenting an art form in its most accurate, cultural context with cameras and lights shooting at us,” Cooper said.He praised Williams and Taylor for approaching the projects with open minds, listening to Cooper’s and Simpson’s thoughts and sharing their own expertise. Flexibility was also required to make the production possible.“There were times when we were performing where we did things that we didn’t rehearse,” Cooper said. “It takes a collection of creative people, open minds, expertise and the will and desire to get it right, to make a product to look back on and be proud of.”Each artist has a formula for approaching music, he said. But it eventually becomes a signature, and it is difficult to pinpoint what causes that success.“I try to create the best music I can from the heart, and for me to (have a chance) to win that award, it is humbling,” Cooper said. “I’m so thankful to God that he allowed me to be nominated.”Since the nomination, he said his phone and email cannot be silenced.“With the exposure on PBS I’m ecstatic,” Cooper said. “I’m almost speechless that it’s getting aired over 50 percent of the country.”
(05/10/12 12:40am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>For the first time, the Indiana Arts Commission will allow teaching artists to compete with Indiana schools in the Arts in Education Granting Program.Susan Britsch, community development manager and arts education coordinator for the commission, said a number of factors allowed for the change.“Schools don’t have as much time to apply for grant funds due to other responsibilities like testing grades or attendance tracking,” she said. “This really opens the application base, and hopefully schools and teaching artists will find the benefit to collaborating through this grant program.”The additional stipulation expands the grant program to different markets, said Rex Van Zant, marketing and communications director for the commission. Schools are no longer solely responsible for finding artists, but artists now have the chance to bring their experiences to the schools of their choice.“Artists are always looking for opportunities to share what they do,” Van Zant said. “I think they’re just as aware, if not more aware, of the number of schools with arts programs being cut or completely eliminated. In a sense, they’re trying to give back and share their talents and experiences with younger people, as well as get additional exposure for what they do.”Individual proposals can be made out for up to $3,000 for project-related costs,according to the press release.Before, grants have been helped expose students to different artists inside the classroom, as well as symphonies and other educational points of interest outside, Britsch said.Leon Enneking, general music teacher at Batesville Middle School in Batesville, Ind., has obtained grants through the program for the 2009-10 and 2010-11 school years.“I write a lot of grants, and it has been one of the most helpful organizations I’ve dealt with,” he said of the commission.Enneking used the funds for guest artists, such as Cuban and African drummers.“We’ve done a variety of guests with different funding for 10 years,” he said. “It’s what we do and what kids have come to look forward to.”The funds cannot purchase permanent facilities or equipment, Enneking said.“The things I do with the kids are valuable,” Enneking said. “It allows artists to essentially write their own grants and follow some kind of dream or something they would like to do they don’t have funding for.”With about $35,000 to allocate this year, Britsch said the commission wants to fund 11 or 12 different projects.“We’ve seen a wide range of project ideas that have been successful and extremely impactful to students in the classroom,” Britsch said. “Students and schools benefit from the expertise of writers, artists and musicians across the state.”The Cultural Trust Fund, which helps support cultural resources for citizens, has been the main source of funding since grants were made available in 2008.Arts trust license plates feature a dancing star figure atop a multi-colored bar logo with the words “Celebrate the Arts” across the bottom. The plates cost $40, $25 of which is donated to the trust fund.“Purchasing a license plate helps arts education, future generations of artists and arts patrons in Indiana,” Van Zant said.A good following has emerged with about 2,500 plates sold each year, Van Zant said.If chosen to receive a grant for the upcoming year, Enneking would continue to hire guest artists. “There’s nothing like getting a master musician, someone who’s an expert in the area you’re covering,” Enneking said. “It’s one of the best things I do. I’m still a student. I learn. They learn. Everyone learns.”Although he acknowledged the additional competition he will face with the eligibility of teaching artists, Enneking praised the opportunity the grants provide.“Anyone with interest in promoting the arts should look into writing a grant,” Enneking said. “If there’s something that drives them or they have something to implement, it’s a great resource that we have that I don’t think enough people take advantage of it.”Grant information and guidelines will be available in mid-August. Applications must be submitted before Oct. 11.
(05/10/12 12:26am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>For the first time, the Indiana Arts Commission will allow teaching artists to compete with Indiana schools in the Arts in Education Granting Program.Susan Britsch, community development manager and arts education coordinator for the commission, said a number of factors allowed for the change.“Schools don’t have as much time to apply for grant funds due to other responsibilities like testing grades or attendance tracking,” she said. “This really opens the application base, and hopefully schools and teaching artists will find the benefit to collaborating through this grant program.”The additional stipulation expands the grant program to different markets, said Rex Van Zant, marketing and communications director for the commission. Schools are no longer solely responsible for finding artists, but artists now have the chance to bring their experiences to the schools of their choice.“Artists are always looking for opportunities to share what they do,” Van Zant said. “I think they’re just as aware, if not more aware, of the number of schools with arts programs being cut or completely eliminated. In a sense, they’re trying to give back and share their talents and experiences with younger people, as well as get additional exposure for what they do.”Individual proposals can be made out for up to $3,000 for project-related costs,according to the press release.Before, grants have been helped expose students to different artists inside the classroom, as well as symphonies and other educational points of interest outside, Britsch said.Leon Enneking, general music teacher at Batesville Middle School in Batesville, Ind., has obtained grants through the program for the 2009-10 and 2010-11 school years.“I write a lot of grants, and it has been one of the most helpful organizations I’ve dealt with,” he said of the commission.Enneking used the funds for guest artists, such as Cuban and African drummers.“We’ve done a variety of guests with different funding for 10 years,” he said. “It’s what we do and what kids have come to look forward to.”The funds cannot purchase permanent facilities or equipment, Enneking said.“The things I do with the kids are valuable,” Enneking said. “It allows artists to essentially write their own grants and follow some kind of dream or something they would like to do they don’t have funding for.”With about $35,000 to allocate this year, Britsch said the commission wants to fund 11 or 12 different projects.“We’ve seen a wide range of project ideas that have been successful and extremely impactful to students in the classroom,” Britsch said. “Students and schools benefit from the expertise of writers, artists and musicians across the state.”The Cultural Trust Fund, which helps support cultural resources for citizens, has been the main source of funding since grants were made available in 2008. Arts trust license plates feature a dancing star figure atop a multi-colored bar logo with the words “Celebrate the Arts” across the bottom. The plates cost $40, $25 of which is donated to the trust fund.“Purchasing a license plate helps arts education, future generations of artists and arts patrons in Indiana,” Van Zant said.A good following has emerged with about 2,500 plates sold each year, Van Zant said.If chosen to receive a grant for the upcoming year, Enneking would continue to hire guest artists. “There’s nothing like getting a master musician, someone who’s an expert in the area you’re covering,” Enneking said. “It’s one of the best things I do. I’m still a student. I learn. They learn. Everyone learns.”Although he acknowledged the additional competition he will face with the eligibility of teaching artists, Enneking praised the opportunity the grants provide.“Anyone with interest in promoting the arts should look into writing a grant,” Enneking said. “If there’s something that drives them or they have something to implement, it’s a great resource that we have that I don’t think enough people take advantage of it.”Grant information and guidelines will be available in mid-August. Applications must be submitted before Oct. 11.
(02/01/12 3:41am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The Bloomington Playwrights Project has come a long way from its grimy, blemished beginnings.Thanks to a $25,000 grant from the City of Bloomington Investment Incentive Fund (BIIF), the BPP has been able to complete a makeover that has been in the works for nearly two years, Producing Artistic Director Chad Rabinovitz said.“It gives us an even better reputation,” he said. “People walk in the door and have a perception of the quality of the company. It certainly affects our recognition because we get a lot of exposure that says the BPP is a great place to be.”Assistant Economic Development Director for the Arts Miah Michaelsen said one of the first projects the BIIF sponsored was the renovation of the theater’s exterior.As the first organization to receive a grant from the fund in four years, she compared the investment in the BPP to that of WonderLab.Renovation to the outbuilding structures of Wonderlab, which made it possible to change exhibits more often, helped attract about 80,000 individuals to the museum in 2011.The BPP makeover is the same type of project and has a similar sense of purpose, she said.“Their proposal made a good case in enhancing the BPP with higher quality products, increasing audiences and hiring more artists,” Michaelsen said. “They did their homework in making the case this was a grant project that would have economic development, not just for themselves, but for the community.”With new lighting and indoor sound systems, the BPP will be able to create a better experience for the audience, Rabinovitz said.BPP Managing Director Gabe Gloden highlighted the private foundations and individual supporters in areas of design, electricity and painting.“We needed to renovate the space to make a statement to the arts community that we’re legitimate and we’ll be around a while,” he said.The usual cast and crew are not the only ones to take the stage at the BPP.Other local performing groups are able to rent the space for various events at affordable rates, Gloden said.The newly renovated lobby also offers wall space for local art galleries to exhibit their work. Stone Belt Art Gallery, with which BPP has partnered, currently has pieces on display. The gallery is an art program for adults with disabilities.“The renovations have allowed the BPP to continue to grow in terms of the amount of donations we receive on an annual basis,” Gloden said. “It makes for more artistic ability, and we have a win-win for the BPP, the artists and any group that we have worked with.”During the upcoming Grand Re-Opening Celebration on Thursday and Friday, the BPP will also unveil newly commissioned artwork inspired by the Playwrights Project by Joel Washington and Martina Celerin, with support from the Mary Morgan Oliver Foundation.Without giving away all of their secrets, Gloden also hinted at other announcements in conjunction with the opening weekend of “The Boy in the Bathroom,” the BPP’s latest main-stage show. The event will feature a reception with musical entertainment and a different beverage and appetizer in each of the newly renovated rooms.“I think this makeover says we’re here for the foreseeable future, and this is a space we’re committed to,” Gloden said. “Hopefully, people feel it’s an essential part of the community, and they’re proud to have it in their backyard.”Tickets to “The Boy in the Bathroom” are $18 for general admission and $15 for students and seniors.