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The
Official Newsletter of Moravian College Music Department
SPRING 1997 -- Volume 2, issue ii
Marilyn Horne Master Class
by Nancy Clark, Assistant Dean
World-renowned singer Marilyn Horne, who performed in recital this February, will return to campus on Monday, April 14 to coach a master class with current voice students of Moravian College. The class will take place at 1 P.M. in Foy Concert Hall and will feature Rebekah Graver, soprano; Amy Green, soprano; Tara McFadden, mezzo-soprano; and Sean Carroll; baritone (alternates: Noah Rachels, baritone; Johanna Fryling, soprano). Tickets are $20 general admission, $15 LVAIC employees, and $10 students/senior citizens, and can be purchased at the Haupert Union Building (North Campus) or the Music Department (South Campus). Proceeds from the recital and master class will be in support of the Moravian College Music Alliance Scholarship Fund.
For additional information about the master class or the Music Alliance, call (610) 861-1650.
Meet Our Majors
Sean Carroll
Hello! My name is Sean Carroll of Springfield, Pa., and I am currently a second-semester Junior at Moravian College. I am a vocalist majoring in Music Education and Performance; however I also play the trumpet, trombone, piano and percussion. When I first began looking at colleges, I never had music in mind as a possible major for me. I made my decision at the last possible minute. My high school choral director graduated from Moravian and suggested I take a look at the school, and I was quite impressed. I was accepted as a music major and here I am!
My decision to add a performance major to my curriculum was also made at the last minute. This year, I gave a junior recital and got such a thrill from performing for my peers and my family that I simply had to pursue performance as well. I received an even bigger thrill when the faculty asked me to sing in the master class with world-renowned singer Marilyn Horne.
In the Music Department, I participate in the MC Choir, the Mostly Monteverdi Ensemble, and most recently the pep band. Some of my other activities on campus include being a student advisor, a member of The Twenty-Six Points student ambassador program, Alpha Phi Omega (the national service fraternity), Delta Omicron (the music honors fraternity), Omicron Delta Kappa (leadership honors society) and Kappa Delta Pi (the education honors society).
After graduation in 1998, I hope to pursue graduate studies in either the field of performance, conducting or both. I hope to teach in the public schools or perhaps someday teach at the college level. Given my past record on choosing things, it seems that last minute decisions will prevail throughout my academic career. I enjoy my studies at Moravian very much, and I can't say enough about the training that I have received here.
Amy Green
Hi! My name is Amy Green of Southampton, Pa., and IÕm a junior double majoring in vocal performance and psychology. Music has always been a big part of my life. I grew up in a very musical family, with my mother as a music teacher and my sister playing her flute. Since the time I was five or six, people asked me if I was going to play the flute like my big sister, and I always said, "Oh, I'm going to sing." I began taking voice lessons at the age of seven and sang one of my first songs, "Give My Regards to Broadway," on the radio and in the mall. It was my first performing experience that made me realize that I wanted to do this the rest of my life.
I sang all through elementary, junior high, and high school in chorus as well as in many musicals, and in my church choir. I was involved in county, district, regional, state, and All-Eastern Honors choruses while in high school. I also began giving my own concerts in nursing and retirement homes. This also gave me a real sense of enjoyment, especially seeing the residents' faces light up after being touched by the music. It gave me a special feeling that cannot be explained.
During the summer I continue performing as a singing/dancing waitress on the Spirit of Philadelphia, which is a dinner cruise boat on the Delaware River.
Now here I am, already a junior, trying to plan for the future. Being involved here at Moravian in all the choral and extra-curricular activities has been keeping me busy. With my double major, I plan to go to graduate school for music therapy, and hope to be able to have music touch the lives of many people, just as it has touched mine. I have had so much support and encouragement through teachers, but mostly through my family and friends.
Music is something I hold very close to my heart, and I don't plan on ever letting it go. It has brightened my life even on the gloomiest days. Music is everywhere and surrounds us every day. If everyone would take the time to sit back and "take it all in," they would be overwhelmed by its beauty and power. Music has taught me so much: don't be afraid to go after your dreams, and reach for the starsÑand may there always be a song in your heart.
Students Go Solo in Studies
Performing solo on stage is an expected and required part of musical studies here at Moravian, but recently a number of students have been pursuing or plan on pursuing individual studies in more academic matters. Each year, the Music Department averages one major who undertakes a senior Honors Project. This year, the student was Jennifer Schaeffer, a Bachelor of Arts candidate in music with a double major in psychology. Jennifer was the featured student in a previous edition of Musica Caesia. Here, she includes the abstract from her Honors Project, which is jointly advised by Dr. Carol Traupman-Carr from Music and Dr. Dana Dunn from Psychology. She writes:
Most of us realize that music elicits certain emotional responses while we listen to it. How many of us, however, actually sit and think about what those emotions are and why we have these reactions? The purpose of this Honors project is to find out why we have emotional reactions to music and how similar the reactions may be among diverse groups. Music may bring out varied emotional reactions among different groups of people. The reactions that occur in musicians compared to those in non-musicians may differ based on experience in or knowledge of music. There may also be specific musical factors in a piece of music which influence one's emotional reaction to a piece.
The experiment for this project was used to collect data from musicians and non-musicians. Participants were randomly assigned to one of two groups, each group having a separate, different questionnaire. The groups to which participants were assigned consisted of a "planned" and a "spontaneous" label. Group one ("planned") received questionnaires which had a list of 10 emotion words already printed on them. From those 10 words participants were to choose those emotions which they felt during the listening. On these questionnaires there was also a space where participants could write in an emotion they felt which was not included in the list of 10. Group two ("spontaneous") received questionnaires with 10 blank spaces on them. Participants in this group were also given a word bank containing emotion words in order to facilitate their ability to generate words. Each participant listened to 11 excerpts consisting of a variety of genres and musical styles, including classical, popular (encompasses film soundtracks), and new age. Participants completed one of the aforementioned questionnaires after listening to each excerpt.
A musical analysis of each excerpt played in the experiment was completed in an attempt to explain why certain people may have certain emotional reactions to music.
Next year, the Honors Program blossoms in music, with three students (all Class of 1998) planning to pursue projects at this time. They are:
Sean Carroll, from Springfield, Pa., will explore how the music of early Motown reflects the optimism set forth by the beginnings of the civil rights movement. He will by advised by Dr. Carol Traupman-Carr. Sean is a major in music education and vocal performance. Tara McFadden, from Cranford, N.J., will work with Dr. Larry Lipkis on the topic of war and music in the twentieth century. Tara is a vocal performance major. John Ondrey, also from Cranford, N.J., will work with Dr. Carol Traupman-Carr on a project exploring the classical influences in the rags of Scott Joplin. John is a music education major.
Independent Studies
Outside the realm of Honors, two other majors have independent projects planned for the fall 1997 term:
Carlo Dean, class of '98, will do advanced study and work on Big Band arranging, supervised by adjunct instructor Steve Primatic. Carlo is a jazz performance major from Columbia, N.J. Kelly Dolan, class of '99, will do a field study six hours a week at the Moravian Museum, just up the street from the Music Department. Kelly will be working in the archives, studying either musical instruments, composers, or unpublished music. Kelly, from Throop, Pa., is a music education major who hopes to pursue graduate studies, perhaps in the field of musicology or music history.
Faculty Bits
New faculty member Skip Wilkins (Jazz Piano) tells of his activities: My first CD with flutist Jill Allen, "Two Much Fun!" on Eaglear Records, was released nationally on March 7th. The CD is receiving airplay coast to coast and is available from North Country Distribution (315) 287-2852.
I have the following special performances scheduled for April:Skip Wilkins, piano and Jill Allen, flutes and electric bass
Skip Wilkins and Jill Allen Duo:
April 8, 9 p.m.Ð1 a.m.
CleopatraÕs Needle
2485 Broadway at 92nd St.
New York, N.Y.
(212) 769-6969Skip Wilkins/Jill Allen Quartet Tour
(with Tony Marino, bass and Gary Rissmiller, drums):
April 21, 9Ð11 p.m.
The Mill
Newton, KansasApril 23, 8 p.m.
Borders Books and Records
Wichita, Kansas
(316) 634-0800April 24, 7:30 p.m.
Wichita State University
Miller Concert Hall
(316) 978-3103April 26, 8 p.m.
Wichita Jazz Festival
Scottish Rite Temple
332 East 1st St.
(316) 263-4218Dr. Carol Traupman-Carr, the department's musicologist, has signed on to work with the Sun Inn. She is working with faculty in the department to find performers of eighteenth-century music for the Strawberry Festival in June 1997. Carol will also be assisting in the establishment of a regular concert and educational series, beginning sometime next year. The Sun Inn hopes to invite elementary school children to their building for monthly musical programs, performed by Moravian students and faculty. But don't expect to see Carol in the Department or the Sun Inn much this summer or early fall: she and her husband, David, are expecting their first child in July. In February Professor James Barnes assisted with the proposal and delivery of an advanced World Wide Web journal site prototype to the Research Board of the Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT) in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The web site was approved by the board and should be made accessible later this year. In April Professor Barnes will adjudicate the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association (PMEA) band sight-reading competition in East Stroudsburg.
On April, 24, 25, and 26, Professor Barnes will conduct the Emmaus Lions Club Men's Chorus in four performances of "The Dingling Brothers Circus." This will be the 52nd annual show presented by the Emmaus Lions Club.
Percussion Ensemble Tour
by Stephen Primatic
Director, MC Percussion EnsembleThe Moravian College Percussion Ensemble went on its annual tour of regional high schools during spring break. The ensemble played at Phillipsburg (New Jersey) High School on Tuesday, March 4th, and Stroudsburg Area (Pennsylvania) High School on the 5th. This tour marked the third year the ensemble has traveled. Music graduate Skip Cassady, who teaches at Stroudsburg, asked the ensemble to play two concerts and also give a clinic to his percussion students. Despite snow and having to get up what Eric Kenlin calls "stupid early," the tour was a great success. Repertoire included pieces from last semester's concert, as well as music for the ensemble's upcoming spring performance (April 20). Ensemble members include Mike Bedics, Jess Caggiano, Carrie England, Aaron Hale, Eric Kenlin, Lori LeBec, Barbara Martyska, and Charissa Piccotti.
Delta Omicron
Moravian College has always had a remarkable reputation for its music program. What better way to complement the music program than to bring a music honors fraternity to campus? In April of 1995, the Music Department did just that, and the charter class was inducted into the Gamma Pi chapter of Delta Omicron, the international music fraternity.
Delta Omicron was founded on 1909 at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music by Lorena Creamer, Hazel Dunn, and Mabel Wilson. Some of the goals of the fraternity are to foster better fellowship among college musicians and to provide service to the community and college through music. Since its inception, Gamma Pi has achieved many of these goals at Moravian. Monthly ÒmusicalesÓ bring the membership together in musical fellowship. Our service projects include caroling at the Moravian Book Shop, singing at Encore Books in Allentown, performing at St. ElizabethÕs R.C. Church in Whitehall, and other musical projects in the college and community. Members also gather for such events as a Welcoming Parties for new members and Movie Nights.
Officers for 1997 are: John Ondrey, president; Sean Carroll, 1st vice- president, Alexis Katchuk, 2nd vice -president; Jill Crissy, secretary; Stephanie Newman, treasurer; Marianne Zwicker, historian; Liesl Snyder, warden; Todd Silvius, music director; Heidi Zwicker, chaplain. For more information, please call the Music Department or 882-5165.
Wind Ensemble News
by James Barnes
Director of Instrumental Music
Trip Fund The MC Wind Ensemble is fundraising again to replenish and augment its trip funds. In addition to asking for donations at performances, the band is selling candy: Hershey (Pa.-based!) almond bars, Kit-Kats, Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, and plain and peanut M & Ms. When you need a pick-me-up, ask a MCWE member for some candy. The price is still only a dollar!
Harrisburg Concert at Capitol On Tuesday, April 8, the MCWE is traveling to Harrisburg to perform a noon concert in the mini-rotunda near the capitol cafeteria. Two legislators have been invited to conduct marches at this performance. After the performance and a tour of the capitol building, the band will head for a tour of Hershey's Chocolate World. (Notice a candy theme?)
Spring Concert The MCWE formal Spring Concert will be Friday, April 18 at 8 p.m. in Foy Concert Hall. The band will perform Bernstein's "Overture to Candide" and "Danzon," Giannini's "Dedication Overture," and local composer Scott Watson's "Fantasy on an Old English Air". Assistant conductor Eric Kenlin will conduct the "Liberty Bell March"; another assistant conductor, Carrie England, will conduct "Hands Across the Sea" march, and graduating Vice-President Michael Bedics will conduct "Amazing Grace." The performance is free even though we will have tour donation boxes in the lobby at the end of the performance. Don't forget to buy some candy afterwards, too!
