On October 24-27, 1996, scholars of music and theology, church musicians, clergy, students, and others interested in Moraviana gathered in the Music Department of Moravian College for a conference devoted primarily to the life and works of Johann Friedrich Peter, whose 250th birthday was earlier this year. Most sessions, except for some performances and services, were held in Peter Hall, a consecrated chapel built in 1867, now a recital hall, which bears Peter's name. Some sixty-three people were registered for the conference, not including music majors and minors at Moravian College (students in "Music of the 17th and 18th centuries" were required to attend as part of their course requirements), who were admitted free of charge to the sessions and concerts.

This was the second in a series of conferences on Moravian music and related topics to be offered here. The first, entitled "A good Moravian Organ: the work and inspiration of David Tannenberg (1728-1804), Organ builder," was held in November 1995 in York, Nazareth, Bethlehem, and Lititz, Pennsylvania. Although it is the intention of those involved to make this series bi-annual, it was felt that we should take advantage of the Peter birthday year in 1996 before continuing the series. The next conference will take place in October of 1998, a year which marks the 250th anniversary of the Brethren's House (formerly home to the single men in the Moravian community, now home to the Moravian College Music Department), as well as the 100th anniversary of the Bethlehem Bach Choir.

Papers were organized into five sessions, beginning Thursday afternoon. A list of the topics and presenters is shown below:

	Music in Colonial America outside of the Moravian Community (Chaired by Dr. Larry Lipkis, Composer-in-Residence, Moravian College Music Department) David Hildebrand (Peabody Conservatory of Music), "The rise of the music business in late 18th-Century America" Richard Mulan (Arlington, Virginia), "Swedish influences on the Moravian Church and its music in Colonial America" Gail Miller (Catholic University of America), "M. St. Aivre and the refinement of America: French opera in New York, 1790" Daryl Hollinger (Ephrata Cloister Chorus), "Music of the 18th-century Ephrata Cloister: A spiritual discipline"
	Music and Culture of the Moravians (Chaired by Dr. Lipkis) Timothy Sharp (King College, Bristol, Tennessee), "The Passion-oratorio Maria und Johannes (J.A.P. Schulz) in Pennsylvania Moravian life" Pauline Fox (New York University), "A new window onto a widening repertoire" Alice Caldwell (Easton, Connecticut), "Tune interludes in Moravian chorale performance" Lou Carol Fix (Moravian College), "The music of young Moravian girls and the American musical mainstream" Paul Larson (Moravian College), assisted by three students, "The Moravian spirit"
	The Life and Works of Johann Friedrich Peter (Chaired by Dr. Carol Traupman-Carr, Assistant Professor of Music, Moravian College) C. Daniel Crews (Moravian Archives, Winston-Salem), "Your humble servant: The life of Johann Friedrich Peter" Nola Reed Knouse (Moravian Music Foundation), "Not to glory, but to serve: The musical gifts of Johann Friedrich Peter" Paul Larson (Moravian College), "J.F. Peter and the American Revolution" Karen Carter-Schwendler (Miami University of Ohio), "First-movement sonata form in the string quintets of Johann Friedrich Peter: A reconsideration" Jewel Ann Smith (University of Cincinnati), "The Kummer Collection: Gender and music in the Moravian settlement of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania"
	The State of Research on Moraviana and Aspects of Moravian Liturgy (Chaired by Rev. Dr. David Schattschneider, Dean and Vice-president, Moravian Theological Seminary) C. Daniel Crews (Moravian Archives, Winston-Salem), "Moravian worship and the why of Peter's music" Peter Vogt (Kittery Point, Maine, and Harvard Divinity School), "The cultivation of Gemeinmusik: Moravian music in the context of Moravian spirituality in the 18th-century" Vernon Nelson (Moravian Archives, Bethlehem), "Johann Friedrich Peter's environment: The communities in which he lived and worked" Tom Minor (Moravian College), "What's new in Moravian studies"
	Moravian keyboards and Keyboard music (Chaired by Dr. Paul Larson, Chair and Professor of Music, Moravian College Music Department) Demonstrations of and talks on performance practices and other practical matters by Laurence Libin (Metropolitan Museum of Art), Alice Caldwell (Easton, Connecticut), and Brian Henkleman (Christ Church U.C.C., Bethlehem, and Moravian College Music Department)

The graduate students in particular (Miller, Fox, Smith, and Vogt) are to be commended on outstanding presentations.

In addition to the paper sessions, attendees participated Saturday afternoon in a choral reading session of four anthems by Peter, newly-edited for the Moravian Music Foundation by Dr. Carol Traupman-Carr of Moravian College. (The reading session was directed by John Eric Floreen of Rutgers University and Paula Zerkle, Director of Choral Activities at Moravian College.) None of the four anthems had been published previously, and all will be published by the Music Foundation and Hinshaw in late 1998 or early 1999. The anthems, which were edited from parts in either Peter's hand or Johann Christian Till's (Peter's successor as organist at Central Moravian Church in Bethlehem) included the following: "Wir gebens uns," "Lasser uns rechtschaffen," "Freuet euch und seyd frohlich," and "The Word was made flesh."

Also, two uniquely Moravian services were held on Friday and Saturday afternoon, respectively. These were a Singstunde, in which the congregation sings a series of hymns on a theme chosen by the leader of song, and a Liebesmahl (Lovefeast), in which the congregation worships together with prayers, sings hymns, and shares a light meal.

Each evening featured concerts of Moravian and other period music. Thursday evening, the audience was treated to a performance on harpsichord by Margaret van Dijk (Moravian College Music Department), who performed works from Peter's copy book. The second half of the concert featured the Ephrata Cloister Chorus, which sang works from Ephrata, the Shakers, and the New England School. Friday evening held two concerts: the first was a performance on piano and flute (by Robert Steelman, Martha Schrempel, and Robin Kani, all of the college's Music Department) of sonatas by Moravian composers; following this, an ensemble of faculty members and guests performed two string quintets by Peter and a trio by John Antes. Saturday evening featured student performers, as both the Moravian College Choir and Wind Ensemble performed works by Grimm, Peter, Barnes (a contemporary piece based on a Moravian hymn), and Moravian chorales.

The conference ended with a continental breakfast in nearby Luckenbach Mill, an 18th-century building constructed by the Moravian, and a Sunday service at Central Moravian Church (located across the street from the Music Department.) The service featured a number of anthems by Peter. Following the service, conference participants and the congregation processed up the street to Peter's gravesite.

A number of the papers related to Peter and Moravian music, though not all, will be collected and edited by Dr. Carol Traupman-Carr for publication in an anthology entitled "Not to glory, but to serve: the life and works of Johann Friedrich Peter."

The conference, which was extremely well-received by presenters, attendees, and students, was sponsored all or in part by the following organizations:

	Moravian College
	Moravian Archives
	Historic Bethlehem Partnership
	Moravian Music Foundation
	Moravian Museum of Bethlehem
	Moravian Historical Society
	Moravian College Music Alliance
	Central Moravian Church
	Moravian Theological Seminary
	Center for Moravian Studies
	Young's Music Store
	The Pharo Foundation

 

Music Fraternity Continues to Grow in Activity and Popularity

On Saturday, April 1, 1995 Moravian College welcomed the International Honor Music Fraternity Delta Omicron, Chapter Gamma Pi, into its Music Department. with a collection of approximately 20 chartering music students whose Music GPA was minimum of 3.0 and who had an unwavering support of its cause, Delta Omicron, symbolized with its Greek letters a ƽ, came into full swing with its first Musicale concert that April afternoon.

Since then, pledging activities for future members of Delta Omicron have developed, our budget has grown with fund-raisers, and activities in the community have increased. Gamma Pi is becoming well established in church, community and school.

Under the presidency of Laura Bacher and through the cooperation of the officers, the music fraternity has developed into a musically active and service-dedicated organization. On Saturday, October 19, Delta Omicron provided music for the sisters of St. Elizabeth's Catholic Church in Fullerton, PA through a concert of both instrumental and vocal music. Delta Omicron has begun to extend its services to other parts of the community for example, in the form of dinner music at the Holiday Inn on Rts. 512 and 22 for an engagement on October 29 which was hosted by Mulenberg Rehabilitation Center.

In conjunction with one of the Music Department's benefactors, the Music Alliance, Delta Omicron marked its second annual Music Alliance-sponsored concert in Peter Hall on the evening of November 8. In addition to the wonderful publicity support of the Music Department, hundreds of invitations were sent out to all Music Alliance members, college administrators and faculty, and to the families of Wind Ensemble, Orchestra, College Choir and Women's Chorus. An audience composed of students, faculty, families of performers and Alliance members enjoyed a Thematic Musicale filled with vocal and instrumental music of German and French composers. Afterwards audience members and performers socialized at the reception located in the neighboring Hearst Hall.

Future plans for December include geographical extension out of the Bethlehem Area and towards extremities of the Lehigh Valley into Emmaus. Here, members of Delta Omicron will be spreading holiday greetings and their love of music through Christmas caroling at Encore Bookstore.

 

Meet our Majors Doug Hawk & Nora Patterson

Doug Hawk

Originally from Easton, PA, I have resided in Bethlehem for the past two years. I am currently in my second semester at Moravian. Considering the fact that I had no previous musical training, my time here has been equally rewarding and frustrating (OK, a little more frustrating than rewarding.)

I attended LaSalle University directly after graduating from Wilson Area High School. I transferred to Temple University before taking some time off from school (two years to be exact.) My time off allowed me to work at some very interesting occupations. this included working at the World Cup soccer event held in Washington, D.C. in 1994, and the centennial Olympic Games this past summer in Georgia.

this period of time proved to be very beneficial. Besides offering a more mature focus o my education, it allowed me the freedom to decide what I wanted to do with my life. I found that a career in music suited my desires.

My voice instructor, Bonnie Fix-Keller, has taught me a great deal in my short time here. This has led to a successful audition as a soloist in an upcoming performance of Handel's "Messiah." This will take place just before Christmas in Center City, Philadelphia.

Despite this, my true interest lies in jazz performance. The jazz fusion ensemble is the highlight of my week. I am also very excited that the department has hired a jazz vocal instructor for next spring and look forward to working with him.

It is my hope that my educational background, as well as my development as a musician, will equate into a career in performance after graduation.

Nora Patterson

My name is Nora Patterson. I am a sophomore music education major. I was born i Tuscaloosa, Alabama, but have lived in various parts of Missouri and Maryland. Since the fourth grade, my family and I have lived in Bethany Beach and Ocean View, Delaware.

the piano is my main instrument. I have always loved this instrument from the time I was a baby playing random notes from my mom's lap. Sometimes, the piano can be a sort of "time machine" for me practicing alone in Peter or Hearst Halls, or a practice room. Different melodies give me flashbacks to childhood events: holidays with family members singing around the piano, recitals, or just playing duets with my sister. At these times the piano seems harmless and nice. This luxury is one that I don't really have a lot of time for now. When preparing for juries and various performances, I often see the piano as a sort of threat looming over me.

However, my music experiences are not limited to living in the fear of performance class. From the time I was fist struggling with Hanon exercises and wondering when my flute would make an audible noise, I had a lot of family encouragement. When I plucked out my first original melody on the piano, my mom gave me a little manuscript notebook and told me I was a composer. Since then my musical experience events include playing piano at Delaware's Governor's School, community events, accompanying choruses, musical theater, and a summer job as a pianist at a tiny country church. With my sister's persuasion I worked up the courage to successfully audition for our County Chorus, Southern Delaware Choral Society, and later the All-State Chorus. My flute experiences range from the typical marching band, County Band, and All-State Band, to the atypical playing for outdoor weddings on the beach. "Canon in D" is a challenge to play with the gale wind blowing in your face!

Though classical music is mostly what I play, I have always had an interest in jazz music as well. My grandfather was classically trained but as an adult he played for silent movies, and got into Dixieland piano playing at speakeasies in the 1920s and dance band music later on. At 80 years of age he could still be persuaded to play a little, and even when he became very ill and couldn't remember most thins, he could still show me how to transpose and help count a complicated rhythm. I'd like to think that I have inherited some musical ability from my grandpa. He would have been a good music teacher and I'm hoping I will one day, too.

Which brings me to why I am here at Moravian. From my first unscheduled visit (when Mr. Barnes stopped what he was doing to take my family and me on a tour) I was impressed with how helpful and friendly everyone is. That helpfulness has expanded into encouragement, which I received in multiples from Janice Fiore, my voice teacher, and Patrice Kidd, music teacher at the Moravian Academy, where I am doing my field study. Actually, all the teachers I have had here have helped and encouraged me. I guess the "purple heart" for patience has to go to Dr. Torok though. She is not only teaching me to play the piano; she is teaching me to enjoy it more. In the future here I hope to conquer my anxieties on performance and learn to express myself musically despite different audiences, distractions, or insecurities.

Whatever the future holds for me, I feel certain that I will be teaching and living music.

 

 

Department Trivia

How many CD covers are on the Music Department's new CD Wall?

Answer: 51

What is the ensemble that was just added to the Department?

Answer: 0pera Ensemble (coached by Bonnie Fix-Keller, it is open to alumni and members of the community for a small fee.)

 

 

Calendar of Events

	Saturday, January 18: Faculty jazz 8:00 p.m., Foy Concert Hall
	Sunday, January 19: Gregory Oaten, Eve Weiss, and Andrea Wittchen 4:00 p.m., Peter Hall
	Sunday, January 26: Lou Carol Fix and Carol Temlin 4:00 p.m., Wesley United Methodist Church
	Friday, January 31: Mimi Papp and Michael Toth 8:00 p.m., Peter Hall
	For more information please call (610) 861-1650

 

Special Event: Marilyn Horne

 

Sunday, February 2: Marilyn Horne
4:00 p.m., Foy Concert Hall
Admission: $40

Special proceeds to benefit the Moravian College Music Alliance Scholarship Fund

For further information, contact the Music Department 610-861-1650.