ON THE BEAT (To other issues)
The Official Newsletter of Moravian College Music Department
Fall 2000, Volume 5, issue i

HIGHLIGHTS THIS ISSUE

MUSIC DEPARTMENT LAYS DOWN THE WELCOME MAT FOR NEW STUDENTS
IN MEMORIAM: ROSEMARY BORTZ
IN MEMORIAM: ANDREW VETROSKY
MEET OUR MAJORS
FALL TERM FEATURES
ASSORTED ALUMNI ACTIVITIES
PIANOS, PIANOS, PIANOS..We’re on a roll!
STAFF NEWS AND NOTES
COOK’S CORNER

MUSIC DEPARTMENT LAYS DOWN THE WELCOME MAT FOR NEW STUDENTS

If you live in The Morning Call’s distribution area, you already know that Moravian College has welcomed its biggest freshman class ever this year. Well, we in the Music Department are happy to reap the benefits of that big class. We are proud to claim the following students as our own:

Gregory Bechtel, tenor
Lawrence Budden, baritone
Matthew Cavoto, piano
James Colin, jazz guitar
Anna Marie Cunningham, soprano
Rebecca Dishon, soprano
Angela DiToro, soprano
Anthony Gach, trumpet
Thomas Gebhardt, classical guitar
Jeffrey Kash, piano
Elizabeth McCann, soprano
Brent Missimer, composition, classical guitar
Caress Prince, piano
Emily Ralph, piano
Crystal Reinert, piano
Jessica Setley, violin
Corrinn Smith, flute
Jessica Smith, flute
Rena Smith, soprano
Tracy Smith, flute and voice
Laura Strattan, clarinet
Colin VanHorne, saxophone

In addition, we welcome Rebecca Tropeano (transfer, soprano), JoLynn Dentith (second degree candidate, piano). Other “additions” to department this fall include the new Contemporary Ensemble, uniforms for the Marching Band, four pianos (read more later on this), and several new faculty (read on!). J

IN MEMORIAM: ROSEMARY BORTZ

It is with great sorrow that we announce the death of Rosemary Bortz, who had served as Music Library Assistant from October 1996 to May 2000. Rosemary had recently relocated to Australia, where she planned to be married; unfortunately she passed away there on September 4, 2000.

The Music Department offered a memorial service for Rosemary on September 14. Rev. Chris Giesler, the College chaplain, and Rev. Dr. Charles Norman, OSFS, Catholic Chaplain, co-presided over the event, which featured spiritual readings and a number of musical selections. Performances included Carol Traupman-Carr (chair), Erin Jennings (’01) and Clara Thorne (’01) leading the assembly in singing Bob Dufford’s “Be Not Afraid”; Robin Kani (flute instructor) performed “Syrinx,” a solo flute work by Claude Debussy; Emily Rideout (’01) and JoLynn Dentith (’00) performed Fritz Kreisler’s “Liebsleid.” Paula Zerkle lead a group of student singers in the singing of John Willbye’s madrigal, “Adieu Sweet Amaryllis,” with the name altered to “Adieu Sweet Rosemary.” This same song was performed at Rosemary’s farewell reception in May. Revs. Giesler and Norman offered prayers and readings.

IN MEMORIAM: ANDREW VETROSKY

The Music Department was saddened to hear recently of the death of one of our graduates, Andrew Vetrosky, Jr.. A.J., as we knew him, died of lung cancer on Friday, July 21, 2000, in Easton Hospital. A.J. was the husband of Carol L. (McGrogan) Vetrosky. They were married eight years in June. He was employed by Walgreens Pharmacy. He was a former band director and music teacher at Notre Dame High School, Bethlehem Township.

Born in Allentown, he was a son of Andrew J. and Gale (Derkits) Vetrosky Sr. of Bethlehem Township. He was a 1988 graduate of Moravian College, receiving the Bachelor of Music degree. He was a member of the American Federation of Musicians and the American Legion Band, Bethlehem. He played in the Youth Symphony for three years. He was a member of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, Easton.

In addition to his wife and parents, he is survived by his sister, Monica, wife of Mark Vetrosky-Thompson of Allentown, and nephews.

Music faculty and alumni remember A.J. as a drummer with a unique sense of rhythm; as a cheerful, happy-go-lucky guy who simply loved to play.

Joe Fink, a senior at Moravian, offers this remembrance of A.J., who Joe studied under at Notre Dame High School in Easton: “Mr. V. was a great guy who worked hard to get the band to sound the way he wanted it to. In my senior year, a few of the seniors in the NDHS class of ‘95 made a list of all the funny ‘Vetrosky-isms’ he had. I.E.: ‘You’re sharper than a tack,’ ‘You’re flatter than a pancake,’ ‘The line looks like 611.’

I don’t think I would be where I am now if it weren't for Mr. V. He helped me along as to what college paths to take, and what music program to take, and how to be successful in the music field. He pushed me along and encouraged me, and now I'm a music student who will hopefully be another A.J. and bring up a successful music program in a parochial school.

He started at Notre Dame in 1987. The field band had only about 10 people, and the concert had about 15. By the time he left in 1997, he had the field band up to about 60, and the concert band to about 70. Mr. V. touched a lot of lives in that band and will be greatly missed.”

MEET OUR MAJORS

In each issue of “On the Beat,” we invite one or two music majors to introduce themselves to our readers.

Emily Flower

Although my name is Emily, many of my friends and professors call me Lily. I am a music education major and I study organ. Until I came to college, I had lived my entire life in a very small town in Connecticut called Plymouth. I have been involved with music for as long as I can remember because I come from a very musical family. Between my mother, father, sister and I, we can play piano, organ, flute, recorder, clarinet, oboe, trumpet, trombone, guitar, banjo, and dulcimer.

This fall I will be a senior and will be very busy. Aside from my regular classes, I will be completing work on my Honors thesis, which is a study of Paul McCartney’s classical work “The Liverpool Oratorio.” Recently, I switched to the Bachelor of Arts degree program, which I think will better prepare me for a career in journalism. I hope to relocate next year to Boston to pursue this career, perhaps enrolling in graduate study in that field. Hopefully, I will be able to get a job with a major newspaper or music journal and continue to compose in my free time. J

Steven Carrasco

Winner, the Leon Prokofy Leonovich Memorial Prize, awarded to a member of the sophomore class who has shown significant growth and excellence in the study of music.

My name is Steve Carrasco. I am entering my sophomore year at Moravian College. I am going for my Bachelor of Music degree in vocal performance.

I have always loved to sing in the privacy of my bedroom. Since I was little, I wanted to perform in front of an audience. I never had the courage to do so until my senior year in high school, when I sang in the talent show and later in my high school’s production of Oklahoma!, and then finally at my class’s graduation.

I did not decide to pursue this love of singing until my senior year. I originally intended to go to the Philadelphia College of Textile and Science for architecture, even though I can’t even draw and know nothing about computers. After successfully playing the leading role in Oklahoma!, I realized that I had the desire and commitment to risk wealth and prestige in order to follow my heart; in May of my senior year, I decided to switch from architecture to vocal performance. My guidance counselors were very helpful in finding a school for me that had a reputation for having a strong music program. I applied, auditioned, and was accepted into Moravian’s music program.

After a year of studying music and performing on stage at Moravian, I am now certain that my last-minute decision was the right one. [Given Steve’s performance in classes, lessons, and ensembles during his freshman year, I think we’d all agree with that!] J

FALL TERM FEATURES

Here are some of the featured events of the Fall term in the Music Department and Music Institute:

· Khac Chi Ensemble, “Sounds of Vietnam,” Wednesday, September 27 @ 8p.m. in Peter Hall; $8 adults; $5 senior citizens, students, children under 12

· Contemporary Ensemble’s debut performance, under the director of James Barnes, Monday, October 2 @ 8p.m. in Foy Hall; free admission

· Faculty recital: John Arnold, guitar; Sunday, October 15 @ 4p.m. in Peter Hall; $8 adults; $5 senior citizens, students, children under 12 (this is John’s debut performance at Moravian)

· Faculty recital: Lou Lanza, jazz voice, and guests; Friday, October 10 @ 8p.m. in Foy Hall; $8 adults; $5 senior citizens, students, children under 12 (this is Lou’s debut performance at Moravian)

· Moravian Vocal and Choral Music; Thursday, October 26 @ 8 p.m. in Foy Hall; admission free (this is part of the Fourth Bethlehem Conference on Moravian Music)

· Ensemble Soleil, performing 18th-century works by the Moravians; Friday, October 27 @ 8 p.m. in Peter Hall; $8 adults; $5 senior citizens, students, children under 12 (this is part of the Fourth Bethlehem Conference on Moravian Music)

· Malcolm Bilson, fortepiano; Saturday, October 28 @ 8 p.m. in Foy Hall; $8 adults; $5 senior citizens, students, children under 12 (this is part of the Fourth Bethlehem Conference on Moravian Music)

· Samite, “Music of Uganda,” Wednesday, November 1 @ 8p.m. in Peter Hall; $8 adults; $5 senior citizens, students, children under 12

· Moravian College Chamber Symphony, Saturday, November 4 @ 8 p.m. in Peter Hall; $5 general admission (features the winner of the 2000 student concerto competition)

· Faculty vocal recital; Dr. Yvonne Robinson, soprano, and Eduardo Azzati, baritone; Saturday, November 11 @ 8 p.m. in Peter Hall; $8 adults; $5 senior citizens, students, children under 12

· Contemporary Ensemble, Monday, November 13 @ 8 p.m., featuring the winners of a composition competition for K-6th graders in the Northampton School District, among other works

· Vespers Preview: Sunday, November 19 @ 8 p.m. in Foy Hall; donation

· Sacred Music for Advent and Christmas; the Choir of St. Ann’s Church, Emmaus, PA, under the direction of Carol Traupman-Carr; Wednesday, December 13 @ 8 p.m. in Peter Hall; $5 general admission

ASSORTED ALUMNI ACTIVITIES

· Rebecca Kleintop Owens (B.Mus., ’95) was awarded the first ever Young Alumni Achievement Award by the Alumni Board of Moravian College. Becky is senior organist at Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church in Florida. This is one of the most important and visible organ positions in the country, as pastor Dr. D. James Kennedy’s services are broadcast nationwide. Becky also recently just finished her first recording—we’ll give you more details after it is released! Following the awards presentation on September 15, Becky performed a short, very impressive, solo recital in Foy Concert Hall. We’re so proud to claim Becky as one of our own!

· Tanya Lauser (B.Mus., ’96) presented a solo recital in Peter Hall on Sunday, September 17. Tanya completed a Master’s degree at Boston Conservatory in 1999, then in March 2000 was a semifinalist at Operfest! New Hampshire’s Annual Vocal Competition. Joining Tanya in the performance were fellow alumnae JoLynn Dentith, piano (’00), Stephanie DiFelice, soprano (’95 and ’96), and Rita Cortez, mezzo-soprano (’94 and ’96). Looks like alumni weekend!

· Joyce Dawley (B.Mus., ’96) recently completed her M.S. in Education at Wilkes University. Congrats to Joyce! Joyce continues to do outstanding work with the instrumental music program at Broughal Middle School in Bethlehem.

· Jennifer Smull (B.Mus., ’00) safely made the trip to Bloomington, Indiana, where she is now enrolled in the doctoral program in musicology. She reports that she passed the theory exam and a music history exam. She is looking forward to playing in one of I.U.’s orchestras while also beginning coursework in research, bibliography, and German. We look forward to many pleasant reports of her success in the midwest!

· Jill Crissy (B.Mus., ’99) recently accepted a full-time teaching position in music in the Parkland School District, teaching at the elementary school level.

· Jamie Reese (B.Mus., ’00) has a full-time music position in the Nazareth School District.

· Rosemary Chickersky (B.A., ’00) has a part-time position in the Northampton School District, teaching strings.

PIANOS, PIANOS, PIANOS..We’re on a roll!

We are pleased, thrilled, delighted, overjoyed, ecstatic (nay, beside ourselves) to announce four new residents in the Music Department. Most notable is the nine-foot Steinway concert grand for Foy Hall, purchased through the generous gift of Priscilla Payne Hurd, Chairman of the College Board of Trustees. The Music Alliance committed to the purchase of two brand-spankin’ new Steinway “L” model pianos for the Music Department. One was placed in Studio 113 (most often occupied by long-time piano instructor Barbara Thompson); the other has been given a welcome home in Studio 116, now designated as a practice room for piano majors only. Finally, the College purchased a new Boston (made by Steinway) upright for Studio 104, when its predecessor met its demise this summer.

This marks the beginning of a campaign by the Music Department and Music Alliance to raise $500,000 to replace all the old pianos in the department with brand-new Steinways and to provide an endowment fund for the ongoing maintenance of those instruments. Here’s how our spending to date compares with our goal:

STAFF NEWS AND NOTES

The Music Department lived through an unusually active summer in terms of faculty hiring. We are pleased with the results:

· After an exhausting summer-long search, we are happy to introduce Shannon Kilpatrick as our new Music Library Assistant. A native of South Carolina, Shannon received a bachelor’s degree in music education (percussion major) from Winthrop University. She has lived in the Lehigh Valley for a year and half, working at Barnes and Noble, where she will continue a part-time job while working with the happy campers on the Church Street Campus in the daylight hours. Welcome, Shannon!

· Joseph Nero, a recent graduate of Temple University, joins us to teach violin. Joseph was a violin performance major, and was awarded the Esther Boyer Scholarship for Musical Excellence at Temple. Already he has an impressive resume of teaching and performing; Joseph also has won several young musician competitions. We think he’ll not only be a great teacher but also an excellent role model for our performing students.

· Dituri Kadesha also joins our violin faculty. Dituri is a political refugee from Albania, where she studied at the Academy of Fine Arts and the Jordan Misja Arts Lycee. Dituri currently plays with the Allentown Symphony, Pottstown Symphony, and Pottsville Orchestras while maintaining a small private studio and teaching at the Community Music School in Allentown, PA.

· Also joining our string ranks is cellist David Moulton, who is well known to area orchestras and concertgoers. David has both bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Michigan. Has has played in numerous orchestras from Honolulu to Nova Scotia. David comes to us with eighteen years’ private studio teaching experience. When you see him, ask him about the nickel on his cello…

· Ralph E. Brodt III returns to his alma mater (B.A. ’75) to teach trombone. A “professional fill-in,” as he calls it, Ralph plays with many area orchestras, jazz and brass ensembles. Ralph taught for twelve years at Allentown Central Catholic, where he was the band director. Currently, he owns and operates the Nazareth Music Center with his brother.

· Coming to us with an extensive, impressive performing résumé is jazz guitarist Bill Washer. Bill grew up in Rochester, NY, where he studied theory and played in a big band at the Eastman School of Music. Bill also studied at the Berklee College of Music in Boston. He has performed or toured with such luminaries as Stevie Wonder, Whitney Houston, Gato Barbieri, Jimmy Cliff, Richie Havens, Frank Sinatra, Stanley Clarke and others. He has also played extensively on Broadway.

· French horn instructor Paul LaFollette has taken a leave of absence to serve as Principal Horn for an orchestra in Mexico. Replacing him will be Lyndsie Wilson, who has degrees in horn performance from Temple University and the Cleveland Institute of Music. Lyndsie has performed with numerous orchestras in the northeast, including the Cleveland Orchestra, Youngstown Symphony, Spoleto Festival USA, and Cleveland Pops. She brings ten years’ teaching experience to Moravian.

· Barbara Liebhaber (music education) spent the summer continuing to work on her Ed.D. at Columbia; she took courses in curriculum, supervision and higher education. This fall she will take the certification exam and perform the required doctoral recital, which she will perform sometime this year at Moravian (probably as one of our Music Department Showcases, Thursdays at 11:30am). Barbara will also accompany vocal faculty members Yvonne Robinson and Eduardo Azzati for their November 11th recital.

· James Barnes (Director of Instrumental Music) was appointed Director of Computing-Across-the- Curriculum, beginning with the Fall 2000 term. A new Learning In Common (LinC) liberal education curriculum was introduced with the new freshman class; LinC contains mandates for speaking, writing, and computing across the curriculum. Jim gets to serve as facilitator for faculty in trying to implement this ambitious plan. Between this and the marching band, you can bet Jim is keeping plenty busy!

· Greg Oaten (voice teacher) reports a busy summer of vocal activities: I have spent a fairly busy summer performing at several different festivals. Among the highlights: “I performed as both a featured soloist and chorus member for a performance of Mendelssohn’s Elijah in July at the Shippensburg University Summer Music Festival in Shippensburg, PA, and received critical acclaim for same. I also re-created (for the third time) my role as the ‘Coffee Evangelist’ J.S. Bach’s “Coffee Cantata” with the Bach Choir of Bethlehem, which we staged and choreographed. It was great fun and we received very good reviews from the Morning Call, which reviewed my performance as ‘excellent.’ Making the evening all the more special was performing with so many of my treasured colleagues from the Moravian Music Department in the Orchestra!”

· David Roth (jazz piano, and Class of ’85) co-authored an article that is the main feature of a quarterly (fall 2000) newsletter that is a supplement to the Music Teacher’s National Association professional journal, The American Music Teacher. The article is a short discussion of the Jazz Studies Achievement Plan that he has been working on with MTNA and International Association of Jazz Educators.

· The Moravian Faculty Jazz Quartet, featuring Neil Wetzel on saxophone, Skip Wilkins on piano, Paul Rostock on bass, and guest artist Gary Rissmiller, drums, was selected for inclusion on the “Best of Mayfair 2000” CD compilation. We always knew they were good. It’s nice to get recognition outside of Main and Church Streets!

· In commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the death of J.S. Bach this summer, Lou Carol Fix (organ instructor) performed selections of Bach’s organ music in a recital with our other Lehigh Valley organists at the Lutheran Church of the Holy Spirit, Emmaus, PA. The concert concluded with a reading of Bach’s obituary and the playing of his final revised chorale prelude, “Vor deisen Thron.”

· Neil Wetzel was recently officially appointed as “Director of Jazz Studies” at Moravian College. The Music Department dubbed him as such a few years ago, but, recognizing his value to our faculty and students, the College officially bestowed this title upon his this term! Congrats, Neil! How did Neil celebrate? By touring this fall with Bernadette Peters. Not too shabby, eh?

· Carol Traupman-Carr (music historian and chair), in her capacity as choral director at St. Ann’s Church in Emmaus, PA, is happy to announce the release of the choir’s second recording. Carol conducted all of the selections on “Music for the Jubilee,” a sampling of sacred choral music from the Renaissance to the present, honoring the Catholic Church’s Jubilee Year (2000).

· Finally, next time you’re heading for Peter Hall, be sure to take note of the new plaque provided by the Music Alliance in the hallway between Hearst and Peter Halls. The plaque indicates all “Music Degrees Conferred” by the College—more than 340 names in all—and has plenty of room for almost twice that many more names. The plaque is solid wood, and over 8 feet long. We hope to fill it faster than they can engrave the names! We’re so thankful to the Alliance for recognizing the importance of honoring and remembering our graduates, who are our past and in many ways our future.

Equally good with apples, and without the pecans, in case you never keep them on hand (like me) or have a nut-allergy (like my brother-in-law). And I usually add a wee bit more fruit than the recipe calls for…

1 C. all-purpose flour
2/3 C. sugar
1 ½ tsp. Baking powder
½ tsp. Ground cinnamon
½ tsp. Salt
pinch ground cloves
½ C. milk
4 medium pears, peeled and cut into ½ inch cubes
½ C. chopped pecans
¾ C. packed brown sugar
¼ C. butter or margarine
¾ C. boiling water

In a mixing bowl, combine the first six ingredients; beat in milk until smooth. Stir in pecans and pears. Spoon into an ungreased 2-quart baking dish. In another bowl, combine brown sugar, butter, and water; pour over batter. Bake, uncovered, at 375F for 45-50 minutes. Serve warm with ice cream or whipped cream.

Reportedly yields 8 servings…the most we’ve managed at home is 4, because it’s soooo yummy, you don’t want to leave any in the baking dish!

The next issue of ON THE BEAT will be released early in 2001. If you are an alum, faculty member, current student, or supporter of the Moravian College Music Department and would like to contribute articles, information, recipes, or photos, please e-mail Carol Traupman-Carr (mecat01@moravian.edu) or call the Music Department at (610) 861-1650.