All posts by shoekst

Scott Lavender to perform with Johnny Mathis and the LA Philharmonic

events, faculty news, jazz, keyboard

SCOTTLAVENDER

BGSU adjunct music professor Scott Lavender, will be performing with Johnny Mathis and the LA Philharmonic at Walt Disney Concert Hall on April 4, 2015.  Lavender will be conducting the orchestra and playing piano.

As Music Director for Glenn Yarbrough, Toni Tennille, and, for the last twenty-four years, Johnny Mathis, Scott Lavender has performed with and conducted orchestras throughout the United States, Canada, and Great Britain including the National Symphony, Detroit Symphony, Minnesota Orchestra, Baltimore Symphony, Atlanta Symphony, and the Los Angeles Philharmonic. Scott holds a Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance degree from Bowling Green State University (Ohio), pursued graduate studies in jazz at North Texas State, and earned a Masters Degree in Instrumental Conducting from California State University, Northridge. A published composer of works for symphony and school orchestra as well as college jazz band, his big band CD, Prime Time, features many of LA’s most accomplished studio musicians. With New York City-based cellist Roger Shell, his most recent recording is the CD, ‘Round Midnight, featuring songs from jazz and the American songbook. Scott is in his third year as an adjunct asst. professor at BGSU and lives in Findlay.

For information on the event, visit http://www.laphil.com/tickets/johnny-mathis/2015-04-04

 

BGSU Opera Theatre presents “Dialogues of the Carmelites”

brass-percussion, choral, conducting, dma, education, events, opera, string-news, student news, voice, woodwinds

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BOWLING GREEN, O. – Francis Poulenc’s “Dialogues of the Carmelites” will be presented at 8 p.m. March 27 and 3 p.m. March 29 in the Thomas B. and Kathleen M. Donnell Theatre in the Wolfe Center for the Arts on the BGSU campus.

Poulenc’s powerful 1957 opera, about an order of Carmelite nuns who refuse to renounce their beliefs in the wake of the French Revolution, is presented in collaboration with BGSU’s Department of Theatre and Film. The opera is directed by Nicholas Wuehrmann and features the orchestra conducted by Dr. Emily Freeman Brown. In accordance with Poulenc’s wishes that the opera be performed in the language of its audience, BGSU’s production will be sung in the composer’s approved English translation by Joseph Machlis.

With social unrest rippling through Paris, a timid young woman leaves her aristocratic family to seek refuge at a convent in northern France. She strives to align with her fellow sisters, who soon discover they must either abandon their monastery or face certain execution. Their act of defiance in the face of fear becomes a gripping, emotional story of loyalty, redemption, and sacrifice.

“Poulenc’s soaring score is served beautifully by The BGSU Opera Theater, and the universal themes of war, persecution, fear, faith and love are given a unique treatment by our production which transcends time,” noted Nicholas Wuehrmann, visiting director for the opera. Wuehrmann is an actor/singer/director living in New York City. He performs in musical theater, film and television, Shakespeare, comedy and drama, opera and operetta, and with symphonies.

Tickets for “Dialogues of the Carmelites” are $15 for adults and $5 for students or children when purchased in advance. On the day of the performance, all tickets are $20. To purchase tickets, visit bgsu.edu/Arts or call the Arts Box Office at 419.372.8171.

BGSU College of Musical Arts to host 100th year birthday celebration

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Treble Clef Club 1918a CroppedBOWLING GREEN, O.—The College of Musical Arts at Bowling Green State University invites the community to join its celebration of 100 years of music during “Bravo CMA!” on March 28.

Events get underway at 3 p.m. in the Moore Musical Arts Center, where visitors can attend a reception, learn about the history of the college in a special presentation, and enjoy a concert. The night will conclude with a party and dancing at the Clazel Theatre, 129 N. Main St. in downtown Bowling Green.

According to CMA Dean Jeffrey Showell, “The CMA’s 100-years-of-music celebration will provide a unique opportunity for CMA alumni, former professors and former administrators to relive the past, to find out more about the present of this terrific institution, to reunite with their contemporaries, and to meet current faculty, students and administrators.”

From 3-5 p.m., guests are invited to connect with the various departments of music, including the Falcon Marching Band, Men’s Chorus, music education, the jazz area, orchestra and string faculty, choral, voice and opera faculty and more. During that time guests are also invited to meet the deans in the Kennedy Green Room.

A reception in Kobacker Lobby and Bryan Recital Hall will be held from 5-6 p.m. At 5:40 p.m. a pre-concert talk about the history of the college with Professor Emeritus Vince Corrigan will be held in Bryan Recital Hall.

The Bravo CMA! celebration concert will follow at 6 p.m. in Kobacker Hall featuring the Wind Symphony, University Women’s Chorus, University Men’s Chorus and the Bowling Green Philharmonia.

The festivities continue with an after party and dance celebration at the Clazel Theatre, beginning at 9 p.m. Guests can look forward to performances by the Jazz Lab Band I, Afro-Caribbean Ensemble and Indian Opinion, a student band.

The cost for the event is $25. Register by visiting www.bgsu.edu/musical-arts/bravo-cma.html. For more information, contact Dr. Mary Natvig at 419-372-7351.

 

An enduring gift to BGSU

faculty news, voice, voice-alumni

Ramona_Cormier

By Jordan Cravens

Service above self was the lifelong mantra of Dr. Ramona Cormier.

The former dean of Continuing Education and Summer Programs and associate provost at Bowling Green State University tirelessly put the University and Bowling Green community first and never sought praise or affirmation for her efforts.

Even after her death on Oct. 28 in Louisiana, the alternative energy crusader continued giving back to BGSU. Cormier made a $100,000 bequest to the University, which will benefit the Cormier Endowed Scholarship Fund. The scholarship fund was established for nontraditional students who have resumed classes after a break in their formal education.

Her final gift was symbolic of her lifetime of giving to BGSU and other organizations dear to her heart. Her philanthropy at BGSU extended to the Gish Film Theater, WBGU, Pro Musica, Library Enrichment, BGSU Opera, College of Musical Arts and many more.

Dr. Christopher Scholl, an associate professor in the College of Musical Arts and coordinator of voice/opera, said without generosity like Cormier’s the arts would cease to exist.

“Opera is the culmination of all art forms, music, theater, visual arts, dance and acting. It is very expensive to produce. Her generosity helped create productions that were visually and aesthetically pleasing,” Scholl said.

While always humble, Cormier leaves behind a legacy that has not gone unnoticed.

“Ramona Cormier touched the University and community in many, many ways,” said Wally and Diane Pretzer, former colleagues and long-time friends. “She was always willing to step up.”

Cormier came to BGSU in 1965 and remained until her retirement in 1990. She began as a faculty member in the Philosophy Department, but worked her way up the University ranks before she retired as dean of Continuing Education and Summer Programs.

During her tenure, she held numerous posts and belonged to a host of professional organizations, garnering a multitude of awards along the way. One of her greatest contributions to the philosophy realm was her development of research tools as associate director of the Philosophy Documentation Center. She composed many publications and was well-known as a high-caliber scholar. She later served as president of the BGSU Retirees Association.

Suzanane Crawford, who succeeded Cormier following her retirement as dean of Continuing Education and Summer Programs, called Cormier a “forward-thinker” with high standards and a relentless pursuit to advance the department and University.

“We called her the ‘orphan dean’ because she took on projects other deans didn’t want. This benefited our program, but also the institution and our students,” Crawford said.

“She left behind a sense of community, of positivity and a sense of forward-thinking that sometimes gets lost,” Crawford said.

Forward-thinking seems an appropriate way to describe Cormier who was a staunch supporter of alternative energy in an era where such ideas were almost unthinkable.

Cormier served the community in several capacities, including her time as a member of the Bowling Green Board of Public Utilities. She was an integral player in promoting wind and hydroelectric energy, solar power panels at the BGSU Ice Arena, load management and Green Power. She served four years as board chair.

She was strong in her convictions and didn’t shy away from giving her opinion, but she was also known as a good listener.

Prior to coming to BGSU, Cormier earned a bachelor’s degree in music from the University of Southwestern Louisiana (1943), a master’s in music from the University of Southern California (1948) and a doctorate in Philosophy from Tulane University (1960). She also held teaching positions at the University of Tennessee, Tulane and Newcomb College.

Outside of academia, Cormier served in the U.S. Navy shortly after graduating from college in 1943. She retired in 1946 as a first class ensign.

Cormier was also known for being a master gardener, world traveler, excellent cook, wine connoisseur and avid Shakespeare fan. She was a native speaker of Cajun French and immersed herself in French culture.

Cormier was born on Jan. 21, 1923 in Breaux Bridge, La. She died on Oct. 28, 2014, in Sulphur, La., where she had relocated to be closer to her family. She was 91

BGSU College of Musical Arts to host Student National Electroacoustic Music event

composition, composition-alumni, events, New Music
NSEME
BGSUElectroacoustics, in collaboration with the student new music group Praecepta, the MidAmerican Center for Contemporary Music, and the College of Musical Arts Composition Area, will host the 2015 National Student Electroacoustic Music Event (N_SEME) March 6-7, 2015 in the College of Musical Arts.
Over 60 student attendees from across the nation will attend to have performances of their electroacoustic and video works. Concerts are free and open to the public.
Events take place in Bryan Recital Hall and in Room 3002.
Friday 06 March:
Bryan Recital Hall Concerts at 10:30am, 2:30pm, and 8:00pm
Room 3002 concerts at 1:30, 4:00, and 5:00
Saturday 07 March:
Bryan Recital Hall Concerts at 10:30am and 4:30pm
Bryan Recital Hall keynote address and concert by featured guest Joo-Won Park at 1:30pm Room 3002 concerts at 9:30am, 12:00pm, and 3:00pm

16th Annual Conrad Art Song Winners Announced

events, keyboard, voice

conrad-winners-2015

BOWLING GREEN, Ohio – The 16th Annual Conrad Art Song Competition at BGSU was held on Saturday, February 20, 2015 in the Bryan Recital Hall in the Moore Musical Arts Center.

First Place Winners in the Undergraduate Division were Autum Cochran-Jordan, soprano (Dayton, Ohio) and Qincheng Zeng, piano. (Hubel-Zianning, China). Second Place were Rebekah Wehrly, soprano (Findlay, Ohio) and Peng Zhang, piano. (Shenyang-Liaoning,China) Third Place winners were Daniel Baumgartner, baritone (Findlay, Ohio) and Amy Faber, piano. (Tiffin, Ohio)

First Place winners in the Graduate Division were Desiree Johnson, soprano (Strongsville, Ohio) and Alphonsus Kiu, piano. (Bayan Lepas Penang, Malaysia). Second Place were Jennifer Creswell, soprano (Temperance, Michigan) and Chia-Jung Lin, piano. (New Taipei City, Taiwan) Third Place winners were Elizabeth Hood, soprano (Chelsea, Michigan) and Alphonsus Kiu, piano. (Bayan Lepas Penang, Malaysia)

Winners in the competition from the studio of Myra Merritt included Autum Cochran-Jordan, Rebekah Wehrly, Desiree Johnson, Jennifer Cresswell and Elizabeth Hood.  Daniel Baumgartner is a student of Sean Cooper, Alphonsus Kiu is a student of Robert Satterlee, Amy Faber is a student of Tom Rosenkranz and piano students of Laura Melton who were winners were Peng Zhang, Chia-Jung Lin and Qincheng Zeng.

Judges for the competition included Robert Peavler, baritone, Associate Professor of Voice at Eastern Michigan University, Dr. Mary Beth Armes, voice and piano instructor at the Edinboro University Community Music School, and Laura Silverman, Coordinator of the Accompanying Department of the School of Music at the University of Akron.

A total of six prizes were awarded: two first prizes of $1,500 each, two second prizes of $1,000 each and two third prizes of $750 each. The Dr. Marjorie Conrad Art Song Fund encourages BGSU students to approach the art song in a serious and intense manner and enhance their learning experience by awarding financial prizes for singers and collaborative pianists.

Local physician and patron of the arts Dr. Marjorie Conrad endowed the Dr. Marjorie Conrad Art Song Competition. A native of Philadelphia, Conrad practiced medicine in Wilmington, Del., for nearly 20 years before moving to Bowling Green in 1966 to marry local physician Dr. Roger Peatee. She began her medical practice here the same year, becoming the community’s first woman on the boards of MidAm Bank and MidAm Inc., and, from 1987–89, served as the first woman chief of staff at Wood County Hospital. She retired from the active practice of medicine in 1991. Though she studied voice as a young woman, she began studying voice again in 1993.The College of Musical Arts mourns the loss of Dr. Marjorie Conrad who passed away on Wednesday, October 8, 2014.  She was 92.