All posts by spergal

Faculty Collaboration “explores universe of sound”

faculty news

John Sampen and Mark Bunce

The Sentinel Tribune writes:

“Saxophone virtuoso John Sampen and sound engineer and composer Mark Bunce, both of the Bowling Green State University  College of Musical Arts, have gone the distance in their two decades of performing as a duo.

Their current program is titled “Two Worlds” and that doesn’t capture the reach of their work.

The duo has just released “Electric Saxophone II,” a follow up to their 1997 recording “Electric Saxophone.” Both are released on Bunce’s own AMP label. Bunce served as recording engineer for both recordings

Sampen and Bunce had begun touring several years before that first recording.”

Read the full article here.

Susan Nelson Highlights Bassoon in Montana

faculty news, woodwinds

Susan Nelson

Dr. Susan Nelson was invited as the guest artist for the University of Montana Concert Band Festival last month during the week of February 23rd, 2015.  During the festival Nelson gave several performances of the Eric Ewazen Bassoon Concerto with the UM Symphonic Wind Ensemble, presented multiple clinics to high school bands visiting from around the state, performed with several middle school groups, and gave master classes and lessons to the UM bassoon studio and a private studio in Missoula comprised of students from Montana and Idaho ranging from elementary to college age.

Andrew Pelletier in Australian residency at the Queensland Conservatorium

brass-percussion, dma, faculty news

Andrew Pelletier

Andrew Pelletier,  Associate Professor of Horn, will be in residence at the Queensland Conservatorium of Griffith University, in Brisbane, Australia, March 9-14.  He will be presenting numerous masterclasses, coaching sessions and individual lessons and will present a recital on March 13.  Included in the program will be music of BGSU DMA candidate Cory Kasprzyk.

Top art song duos crowned at BGSU’s Conrad competition

events, student news, voice

Art Song Winners

The Sentinel Tribune writes –

Just as it takes two to tango, it takes two to perform an art song.

The Dr. Marjorie Conrad Art Song Competition at Bowling Green State University honors not just the singer out front, but the pianist who provides the instrumental support.

On Saturday College of Music crowned the 16th set of winning musical teams.

The winners in the undergraduate division were soprano Autum Cochran-Jordan and pianist Qincheng Zeng. In the graduate division the winners were soprano Desiree Johnson and pianist Alphonsus Kiu.

Both sopranos study with Myra Merritt, and both said the chance to study with Merritt was what brought them to BGSU.

Zeng studies with Laura Melton and Kiu, who plans to specialize in collaborating with vocalists in his doctoral program, studies with Robert Satterlee.

Both duos had an international flavor Johnson and Cochran-Jordan are both from Ohio and Zeng is from Chion and Kiu from Malaysia.

They were elected in the finals Saturday night. The first round was held earlier in the day with 17 undergraduates duos and nine graduate duos participating.

That field was winnowed to six undergraduate duos and five graduate duos.

Also honored in the undergraduate division were: second place, soprano Rebekah Wehrly and pianist Peng Zhang, and third place, baritone Daniel Baumgartner and pianist Amy Faber.

Other honorees in the graduate division were: soprano Jennifer Cresswell and pianist Chia-Jung Lin, and third place, soprano Elizabeth Hood and pianist Kiu.

The winning duos share the cash prizes: $1,500 for first, $1,000 for second, and $750 for third.

The singers must perform songs from a variety of periods including one by a living composer and at least one each in  English, French, German and Italian.

This was the first competition since the death of its founder last October at the age of 92.

Conrad was remembered with a reserved seat and floral arrangement in the center front row of the Bryan Recital Hall.

Christopher School, the voice faculty member who coordinates the competition, said Conrad would always attend the event.

Until last few years she would come to both the first and final rounds.

The winners of the competition will perform March 3 at 7:30 p.m. in the Manor House in the Wildwood Preserve Metropark in Toledo.

BGSU Alumnus, Yutaka Kono, appointed director of the Burlington Chamber Orchestra

alumni, brass-percussion-alumni

Yutaka Kono

From the Shelburne News -“The Burlington Chamber Orchestra (BCO) has appointed Dr. Yutaka Kono of Shelburne as Artistic Director. Dr. Kono was born in Tokyo, Japan and began studying piano at age of 7 and began playing the tuba in middle school, where he continued when he came to the U.S. as an exchange student. He received a Bachelor of Music magna cum laude from Bowling Green State University in Ohio and a Master of Music from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. He became the first person ever to receive a Doctor of Musical Arts Degree in Tuba performance from The University of Texas at Austin.  While pursuing the tuba degrees, Dr. Kono also studied piano, composition, and conducting. He was placed as a finalist for The American Prize for orchestral conducting at the college/university level, and earned Bronze Medal of the Global Music award for his composition “Mamma at the Gate” last year.

The BCO is Vermont’s own professional chamber orchestra offering the community an opportunity to savor the gift of music and local artistry, and cultivate life-long musical relationships through performance and education. Founded in 2007 by Dr. Michael Hopkins to advance the arts and culture in Chittenden County and surrounding areas through the performance of new and traditional works for small orchestra, the 27 members are a spirited local ensemble of professional musician/educators dedicated to the joy of making music together.”

Read more about Dr. Kono and the BCO here.