FAREWELL, FRIENDS

Music Department bids “adieu” to an animated senior class

On Saturday, May 12, Moravian College ended its 259th year with the annual commencement ceremony.  The Music Department graduated another large, talented class this year.  The class of ‘01 is listed below, along with their concentration and major instrument or voice:

  Bachelor of Arts  
Joseph Fink (baritone voice)
Chris Gilbert (jazz piano)
Sarah Parker (soprano)
Steven Rosati (string bass)
Nicole Woods (saxophone)

    Bachelor of Music  
Kristen Adamson (performance, soprano) cum laude  
Rosemary Chickersky Frey (music ed., violin), cum laude  
Erin Jennings (music ed., mezzo-soprano), cum laude
Jessica Kistler (performance, flute)
Vera Marston (music ed., clarinet), magna cum laude  
Lauren Nicholas (performance, saxophone), T. Edgar Shields Prize in Music
Tonya Ogden (music ed., soprano), magna cum laude
Emily Rideout (performance, viola), summa cum laude, T. Edgar Shields Prize in Music
Gary Stokes (performance, piano)
Heather Strizalkowski (performance, flute), cum laude
Clara Thorne (performance, soprano)

Music minors  
Christine Baal  
Amy DePuy, summa cum laude, Beta Beta Beta Award, Charles A. Albrecht Memorial Award
 Allison Fisk
Joslyn Grube 
Bennett Turner
Zachary Wirjosemito

 At the final performance class of the term, the seniors made a special presentation to the faculty and staff of the Music Department, which is reprinted in full here.

  Some Bonus Points of our Own . . .   a presentation for our last performance class: April 24, 2001

v            Bonus points to Mr. Barnes for attending every concert this semester and practically the last four years!

v            Bonus points to Mrs. Liebhaber for always having candy in her office—including a large supply of chocolate for the women!

v            Bonus points to Dr. Lipkis for his hysterical dry humor.

v            Bonus points to Dr. Traupman-Carr for giving bonus points out . . . and, for getting rid of the evil Music Before 1600 once and for all!!!

v            Bonus points to Dean Clark for working so hard to bring us big stars like Wynton Marsalis and Frederica von Stade.

v            Bonus points to Dr. Zerkle for exposing us to the hardest choral music imaginable…. Stravinsky! 

v            Bonus points to Mr. Barnes and Dr. Zerkle for taking us to Germany!!

v            Bonus points to Judy [Bernd, music department secretary] for being the smiling mother of the music department who is equipped with hand lotion, safety pins, a needle and thread, and anything else to help anyone in a small crisis.

v            Bonus points to Rose [Panik, music institute secretary] for always having a smile on her face, mints in her candy jar, and good company in between classes.

v            Bonus points to Judy and Rose, for together they have been known to fix any catastrophe any music student might have.

v            Bonus points to Shannon [Kilpatrick, music library assistant] for her organized, yet HIP librarian skills, and for taping all of our performances classes.

v            Bonus points to Neil [Wetzel] for winning the T. Edgar Shields award and for making so many interesting photocopies!!!

v            Bonus points to Bill [Bauman, administrative assistant] for lovingly nagging us to complete paperwork on time and giving us wonderful, professional-looking programs, despite our craziness and procrastination. 

v            Bonus points to Blair [Flintom, facilities coordinator] for bringing us a colorful perspective on life at Moravian, and for his dedication to the faculty, the students, and all musical events at Moravian.  AND MOST OF ALL . . . for teaching us that Steinway & Sons is not a furniture company specializing in coffee table production!!

v            And last but not least, bonus points to a great music department.  Thank you to all of our professors and fellow students for making our four years here unforgettable . . . we’ll miss you!

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JULY JAZZ GETAWAY GEARS UP AGAIN

            July Jazz Getaway, a week-long summer “fantasy camp” for adults who love to play jazz, returns for the ninth time this summer.  The featured artist this year is Wycliffe Gordon, trombone.  Gordon was born on May 29, 1967, in Waynesboro, Georgia.  He began playing the trombone at age 12. During high school in Augusta, Georgia, he was honored with a place on the All-State Concert and Jazz Band, as well as McDonald’s All-American High School Marching Band and Jazz Band.

Gordon attended Florida A & M University in Tallahassee, Florida, where during his sophomore year he met Wynton Marsalis while attending a class Marsalis was teaching. Impressed with Gordon’s playing, Marsalis asked him to perform with him. In June of 1989, Gordon officially joined Mr. Marsalis' touring and recording group, performing with Mr. Marsalis’ Septet for five years.

Gordon has performed with the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra on numerous occasions, including their 1992 tour of the music of Duke Ellington. In the winter of 1995, he toured with the LCJO once again, performing the music of Louis Armstrong in Hong Kong and across the United States. Mr. Gordon performed with the LCJO this summer and fall, as the orchestra has trekked across Europe and the United States under the direction of Wynton Marsalis. He has performed with great musicians like Dizzy Gillespie, Joe Henderson, Lionel Hampton and Shirley Horn, and, in 1997, recorded an album entitled Bone Structure with fellow trombonist and LCJO member Ron Westray. Currently, Mr. Gordon resides in Augusta, Georgia, where he works as a composer and performer, as well as teaching at Augusta Music and Dance Company, which he founded.

Here is the complete schedule of public events during JJG:

·      Sunday, July 8:  JJG Faculty Kick-off Concert, Foy Hall, 7pm ($8 general admission; $5 senior citizens/students)

·      Tuesday, July 10:  An Evening with “Ms. Jazz” (Toni Harris, vocalist), Peter Hall, 7:30pm ($8 general admission; $5 senior citizens/students)

·      Wednesday, July 11:  Lehigh Valley Open Jam Session, Foy Hall, 7:30pm (Free admission)

·      Thursday, July 12:  Master Class with Wycliffe Gordon, trombone, Foy Hall, 10:30am ($5 all seats)

·      Thursday, July 12:  Wycliffe Gordon trio and the Moravian College BIG Band, Foy Hall, 7:30pm ($10 general admission; $5 senior citizens/students)

·      Saturday, July 14:  July Jazz Ensembles & BIG Band, Foy Hall, 7pm (Free Admission)  

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STUDENTS STORM GERMANY, GRAB KUDOS FROM ABROAD

  The College Choir, Women’s Chorus, and Wind Ensemble toured Germany in March 2001.  We were fortunate to hear from Hans Wuerth in our German Department of the review of the students’ performance.  This comes from the newspaper of Bethlehem’s sister city of Schwäbisch Gmünd.  Here are a few highlights.

The story is entitled Beifall für die musikalische Partnerschaft.   The reviewer, Reinhard Barth, praised the entire concert generously and enthusiastically.  The “professional performance was a true joy.  The rendition of  Stravinsky’s Kyrie...demonstrated the excellence of this Moravian College Choir.  The extremely sensitive and harmonically complex work was performed perfectly.... The selection "Es segne Gott," composed by Brian Henkelmann and performed by the choirs and the wind ensemble and the large German audience (which was invited to sing along), "constituted the high point of the evening concert." Apparently, the applause you received after this selection "went on for a long time.“

The reviewer also appreciated the singing of the Swabian folksong "Am Neckar," noting that this was "a nice gesture extended to the hosts."  When Jim Barnes allowed the ensemble to play one number by itself, Mr. Barth observed that "any good orchestra can sometimes play without (a conductor)."  Great!  A compliment for you and your ensemble!  Mr. Barth also emphasized the conducting skills of you, Paula. The two choirs "were superbly ("souverän") lead by Paula Ring Zerkle."  He concluded his review with the observation that the German audience was visibly enthusiastic."

I received a telephone call from a member of the city council of Schwäbisch Gmünd who also praised last Wednesday's concert.  It seems that your visit of Schwäbisch Gmünd that included the now memorable evening concert was a complete success.

When we established the city partnership between Bethlehem and Schwäbisch Gmünd exactly ten years ago, we had no idea that Moravian College musicians would make an appearance there ten years later.  Officially, your concert was publicized as the "10th Anniversary Concert."  As you may remember, a few students from our German sister city studied here as auditors during the past ten years.  The mayor, Dr. Rembold, whom you met, was in Bethlehem twice, and each time I brought him to our fine campus.  Finally, numerous citizens from Schwäbisch Gmünd saw and admired our campus (particularly the wonderful athletic facilities, the library, and our historic campus on Church Street).  And now the two of you and your fine students represented all of us in an extraordinary and very professional manner.

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        MUSIC INSTRUCTOR HONORED BY DEPARTMENT

        The Music Department this spring initiated the T. Edgar Shields Prize for Outstanding Studio Instruction.  Shields was of Moravian heritage (his father was a Moravian minister).  For nearly 40 years, Shields taught music to students at the Young Ladies' Seminary here in Bethlehem.  Sheilds also directed the choir at the Cathedral Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, and was organist for the Bach Choir (for 43 years).  He was at one time considered the leading American authority on the works of Bach.  Shields also served as head of the music department at Lehigh University, retiring in 1947.  There, he reportedly played organ for 87 commencement ceremonies. 

      Music majors were asked to nominate studio instructors based on 1) quality studio teaching; 2) contributions to the profession (recordings, performances, editions, etc.); and 3) relationship to the students.  The full-time faculty reviewed nominations, and selected the winner (in future years, as with the college-wide Lindback Award, previous winners will be included in the selection process).  We are pleased to recognize Neil Wetzel as the first recipient of the T. Edgar Shields Prize for Outstanding Studio Instruction.  Neil has taught at Moravian since Fall 1989, initially teaching only saxophone and jazz lessons; over the years, he has also taught Diatonic Harmony, Chromatic Harmony, Musicianship I-IV, Beginning Woodwind Techniques, Jazz Artists and Epochs, and the Art of Music to music majors.  This year, he was appointed “Director of Jazz Studies,” a part-time appointment in the Music Department.  Neil also directs the Big Band and teaches numerous jazz practica courses.  Neil is currently a doctoral candidate at Columbia University Teachers’ College.

      Neil received a standing ovation at the last performance class of the year, as well as a framed certificate marking his achievement, and a gift certificate for dinner for two at the Hotel Bethlehem. 

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  ASSORTED ALUMNI ACTIVITIES

  ·      This was a banner year for grad schools with the newest music alums:  Emily Rideout (B.Mus. ’01) received a fellowship to study viola performance at SUNY-Stonybrook (Emily turned down Boston University, Hartt School of Music, Ithaca College, ).  Lauren Nicholas (B.Mus., ’01) received an assistantship to study saxophone at Boston Conservatory (Lauren was also accepted at Boston University and Temple University).  Heather Strizalkowski and Jessica Kistler (both B.Mus., ’01) will study flute performance at the Hartt School of Music at the University of Hartford.  Clara Thorne (B.Mus., ’01) was accepted into the Early Music Vocal Program at Indiana University, but has opted to defer her admission for a year.  Erin Jennings (B.Mus. ’01) was accepted into the Arts Management program at NYU, where she will begin her studies this fall. 

·      Kelly Dolan (B.Mus. ’99) is finishing her master’s in music history at Temple University.  Kelly was accepted into the Ph.D. program at the University of Southern California, but has opted to defer her enrollment there.  Meanwhile, Kelly will receive a second master’s from Temple, this one in music theory, while she works part-time for Hildegard Publishing Company in Bryn Mawr, which focuses on the publication of music by women composers. 

·      Jennifer Smull (B.Mus., ’00) has been awarded a “very nice” teaching assistantship for the intro to music classes at Indiana University for the next academic year. 

·      Carlo Dean (B.Mus., ’99) wrapped up his master’s program at California Institute for the Arts in May.  He writes, “It has been especially busy.  This [spring] semester alone, I am scoring/have scored a film, a documentary, a character animation, and a theater production of Salome (which opens in N. Hollywood on the 27th of April).  I just finished the recording for that project.  It’s about 46 minutes of music for string quartet and harp.  My final chamber orchestra piece was performed on April 30th, and is perhaps my most ambitious piece here.”  

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  MUSIC DEPARTMENT AWARDED GRANT

        The Music Department and Development Office are happy to announce that we have been awarded our second grant from the Presser Foundation.  In 1998, the Music Department received a $25,000 grant for the Teaching Systems Development Project, which allowed for the purchase of new hard- and software as well as training for music faculty to incorporate more technology in the classroom.  This latest grant will provide a new piano lab for use in Beginning Piano Techniques, Piano Class, and Beginning Technology Techniques.  The Music Department took a few instruments for a “test drive” and selected electronic keyboards from the Yamaha Corporation.  The six new instruments are midi-capable, and can be connected directly to the computers used by the students for use with their music software.  The instruments should arrive in plenty of time for the start of the fall term. 

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STAFF NEWS AND NOTES  

·   Neil Wetzel (Director of Jazz Studies) reports an active spring:  “First, I was be guest conductor for District (9) jazz festival at Tunkhannock HS on April 26 & 27 2001. This is just like the district chorus or band festivals, except for jazz ensembles. Moravian alum Ryan Zellner was the host director. Students from 47 different schools in the district have auditioned and those selected to participate will come to Tunkhannock that weekend. The concert was held Friday night April 27.  Secondly, I have had the opportunity to play on two CD’s that are being released this week. The first is a CD by local artist Justin Solonynka. I solo on tenor sax on the album which is a mixture of jazz, R & B, pop, classical and blues. Justin is a singer/songwriter who plays piano and sings (as well as plays penny whistle) on this his second CD. He has appeared at Musikfest and appears frequently at Godfrey Daniels in Bethlehem. The other CD is one I play a more prominent role on. It is with the Eric Mintel quartet, a straight ahead jazz group led by Eric Mintel, a piano player. Eric has three previous CD’s but this one was recorded live at the Allentown Art Museum’s Jazz Brunch in February of 2001. The selections range from Dave Brubeck standards such as ‘Take Five,’ jazz standards such as ‘Beautiful Love,’ and original jazz compositions by Mintel. This group has toured New England, the Southeast US, played at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC and has played for president Clinton at the White House. Mr. Mintel has also written an orchestral piece combining full orchestra with jazz quartet called ‘Millenium.’ It has been performed by the Riverside Sinfonia and North Penn Symphony Orchestras, and will be performed this summer by the Sacramento Symphony Orchestra.

·      At this year’s Women of Moravian art show in the HUB (held in honor of Women’s History Month), adjunct instructor of flute Linda Ganus took “best in show” for her painting, and Nancy Clark (assistant dean for music) won first prize in photography!  Aren’t we a multi-talented bunch o’ gals?

·      Jim Barnes and Carol Traupman-Carr were both promoted to Associate Professor of Music, beginning September 1.

·      Jim Barnes, Director of Instrumental Music, has been appointed the new Music Department Chair for the 2001-2002 academic year, replacing Carol Traupman-Carr, who is moving “up north.” Carol will serve in a 2-year stint as Associate Dean for Academic Affairs.  Her replacement in the classroom will be Dr. Hilde Binford-Walsh, who will move to Bethlehem from the Washington, D.C. area.  We’ll tell you more about Dr. Binford-Walsh in the fall 2001 issue of “On the Beat,” but she’s such a dynamo, and has done so much varied scholarship and teaching, we might need a whole issue devoted just to her!

·      Paula Zerkle will have a sabbatical for the 2001-2002 academic year, during which time she hopes to complete a new performing edition of Amy Beach’s Mass in E-flat.  David McConnell has been hired in the interim to take on the choral conducting class, women’s chorus, choir…and Vespers!  Good luck to both!

·      Skip Wilkins has been offered a full-time tenure-track position in music theory at Lafayette College, where he had been teaching this past year.  Farewell and best wishes to Skip.  David Roth, who was hired as his temporary replacement, will be retained in the jazz piano studio.

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REFLECTIONS ON INDIA

              On Saturday, January 13, 2001, I departed America en route to India.  The 4 ½ week trip was a Group Study Exchange (GSE) sponsored by Rotary International, and I traveled with our team leader and three other team members, all from the United States.  It would be far too time consuming to document all of my experiences, emotions, and reactions to this most unique trip.  So consider this as merely “excerpts” from my journey to India.

            To quote our team leader, “You don’t go to India; you experience India.”  All five senses were engaged at various times as I lived in this fascinating country.  I saw the crowded city streets in great need of improved sanitation, along with the beautiful, peaceful countryside.  I heard the constant blowing of horns as cars, pedestrians, rickshaws and animals all navigated the streets simultaneously, and I also heard the daily religious chanting in the early morning hours.  I tasted many dishes; some agreed with me, some did not.  I bathed with a bucket of water (instead of taking my usual 20-30 minute hot shower) and I felt the beautiful fabrics against my skin as I donned my punjabi or saree. 

            For the complete report, send request to:  menec01@moravian.edu.

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COOK’S CORNER

Buttermilk Chocolate Cake

½ c. butter, softened  
2 c. sugar
2 eggs
3 squares chocolate, melted
2 c. flour
½ t. baking powder
¾ c. butter milk or sour milk
1 t. baking soda
1 t. vanilla
¾ c. strong hot coffee

Cream butter and sugar; add rest of ingredients in order. If you have sweet milk and need sour, simply add the baking soda to the milk (in a 1 quart container¾it foams!) and let it “sour” for 5 minutes.  Pour batter into two 9” greased, floured, and papered cake tins.  Bake at 375F for 25 minutes.  Do not overbake!  Unfrosted layers can be frozen for use later.  NOTE:  This cake, like some of our staff, improves with age. 

Quick raspberry filling

¾ c. seedless raspberry jam
2 T. softened butter
1 c. 10x confectioner’s sugar
¼ c. raspberry liqueur

Cream butter and sugar; add jam & beat until smooth.  Pour in liqueur and mix.  Check consistency. Add more sugar if needed. Beat on high until mixture reaches a spreading consistency. 

Chocolate glaze  

6 oz. semisweet chocolate
3 T. butter
3 T. strong hot coffee
1 t. corn syrup
1 t. vanilla

In top of double boiler, place all ingredients. When chocolate is melted, stir until smooth. Allow to cool a bit before pouring over the cake.

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The next issue of ON THE BEAT will be released in September 2001. This is the last issue of “On the Beat” to be produced and edited by Carol Traupman-Carr.  Dr. Larry Lipkis will take over for the next two year.  If you are an alumnus, 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 Larry Lipkis (lalipkis@moravian.edu) or call the Music Department at (610) 861-1650. 

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