Category Archives: alumni

BGSUElectroacoustics Makes Strong Showing at 2013 ElectroAcoustic Barn Dance Festival

Ten BGSU current and alumni composers (and performers) will present pieces at the 2013 ElectroAcoustic Barn Dance Festival at the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, VA , November 7-9 2013. (Pieces listed in program order.)
Josh Simmons (current master’s) – confessions smell of faint fairfood in the background as new highs and new lows were set on the proportions taken in from the late sunset in autumn timechange drifting through the trees on that smell of cooling dirt [live electronic performance by Simmons]
Elise Roy (current DMA) – dilation (Flutescape II) [fixed media]
Ben Taylor (MM11) – Stop.Rewind.Play [trumpet, fixed media, and video]
Carter John Rice (MM13) – Soundscape for Viola and Electronics [viola and live electronics] – performed by Kalindi Bellach (current DMA)
CR Kasprzyk (current DMA) – adapt[ation] [saxophone and fixed media] – performed by Kasprzyk
Anne Niekirk (MM09) – Office Space [fixed media]
Evan Williams (MM13) – Origins [fixed media]
Hong-Da Chin (current DMA) – Wind in Abyss [fixed media]
Paul Thomas (MM05) – Slapbox [accordian and live electronics] – performed by Thomas
and one paper presentation:
Carter John Rice (MM13) – Sentential Structure in the Music of Elainie Lillios

CMA Faculty, Students, and Alumni Make Substantial Contribution to the Toledo Opera

The Toledo Opera’s production of Giuseppe Verdi’s Aida on October 4 and 6 was a grand success, in no small part due to the contributions of several current and former members of the College of Musical Arts.  Dr. Sean Cooper, Assistant Professor of Voice, sang the role of the King of Egypt and Kevin Bylsma, Instructor of Opera (repetiteur), is the Chorusmaster of the Toledo Opera. Austin Heath, a recent graduate, made his Toledo Opera debut in the role of the Messenger.
Of the forty-two member opera chorus for this production, eighteen were CMA students and alumni. Current graduate students included Anthony Ferrer, Madeline Harts, Liz Hood, Patty Kramer, Letara Lee, Daniel Parsley, Maegan Pollonais, Jackie Stearns, Stephanie Tokarz, Joel Trisel, and Rory Wallace. Undergraduate students in the chorus were Patrick Conklin and Ricardo Mota. Alumni from the CMA included Greg Ashe, Timothy Bruno, Austin Heath, Dustin Hill, and Laura Reaper.

Detroit Symphony names BGSU music alumnus as General Manager and Artisitic Administrator

DETROIT (September 20, 2013) – The Detroit Symphony Orchestra (DSO) is proud to announce the promotion of Erik Rönmark as General Manager and Artistic Administrator, an executive leadership position at the DSO.
 
Rönmark began his career at the DSO in 2005 as a Library Assistant before moving over to the Artistic department in 2006. In March 2009, he became the Artistic Manager and New Music Specialist before being named Artistic Administrator in July 2010. As Artistic Administrator, Rönmark has collaborated with DSO’s Music Director Leonard Slatkin in implementing the DSO’s artistic vision and programming across all product lines.
 
As General Manager and Artistic Administrator, Rönmark will be directing orchestra operations, artistic administration and concert production as well as leading all DSO operations, while managing key internal and external relationships of the organization.
 
“For 8 years, I have had the privilege of working alongside Erik, and I have admired and appreciated all he has accomplished,” said DSO President and CEO Anne Parsons. “Erik is a highly respected musician who values innovation while respecting the great history of our art form.  I am thrilled to welcome him to this new position, and believe he will provide inspired leadership, partnership and support to Leonard, the musicians of the DSO and the broad and diverse audiences we serve.”
 
ABOUT ERIK RÖNMARK
Erik Rönmark came to the United States in 1996 to continue his musical education. A classical saxophonist by trade, Rönmark has extensive performing experience in both chamber music and orchestral settings. He has performed in the Detroit Symphony Orchestra on several occasions, as a guest in Detroit Chamber Winds and Strings, and regularly appears in the contemporary group New Music Detroit, of which he is also co-founder and Executive Director. Recently, Rönmark was featured with the Chamber Music Society of Detroit, culminating a national tour with the Pacifica String Quartet.
 
A native of Sweden, Rönmark is a first-prize winner of both the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition and the Coleman Chamber Music Competition. He is also the recipient of the American-Scandinavian Foundation’s award for establishing valuable relationships between Sweden and America. Using his diverse talents and skills within the music field, he has collaborated and assisted artists such as Karlheinz Stockhausen, Terry Riley, Matthew Barney, Shara Worden, and Branford Marsalis, and has commissioned and premiered over 30 new works for saxophone.
 
Rönmark has been a part of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra administration since 2005. In his new role as General Manager, Rönmark combines his administrative experience with degrees in fine arts and music performance from Northern State University, SD and Bowling Green State University, OH, as well as a Doctorate of Musical Arts from the University of Michigan.
 
He lives in Birmingham, MI with his wife Adrienne Rönmark, violinist with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, and their three children.

 

Jennifer Higdon’s latest CD

Pulitzer Prizer/Grammy award winner and BGSU alumna Jennifer Higdon’s latest CD has been issued on the Naxos American Classics Series.  It contains her Sky Quartet (string quartet), Amazing Grace” (arr. for string quartet),  Dark Wood  (bassoon, violin, cello, piano),  Viola Sonata, and String Trio (violin, viola, cello), performed by the Serafin String Quartet with Charles Abramovic (piano) and Eric Stomberg (bassoon).