Guest soloists from Berlin, Pittsburgh to highlight Philharmonia concert

January 20, 2015conducting, events, string-alumni, string-newsshoekst

BOWLING GREEN, O.—The Bowling Green Philharmonia will host featured soloists Noah Bendix-Balgley, concertmaster of the Berlin Philharmonic, and Randolph Kelly, principal violist of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, on Feb. 7. The concert begins at 8 p.m. in Kobacker Hall at Bowling Green State University. Under the direction of Emily Freeman Brown, the soloists will be featured in Mozart’s “Sinfonia Concertante in E-flat Major for Violin, Viola and Orchestra.”

Recently appointed first concertmaster of the Berlin Philharmonic, Bendix-Balgley has appeared internationally as a soloist to great acclaim. In 2011, he became concertmaster of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, where his debut recital in 2012 was named “Best Classical Concert of 2012” by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. He has also performed his own version of “The Star-Spangled Banner” for solo violin in front of 39,000 fans at the Pittsburgh Pirates Opening Day at PNC Park.

A laureate of the 2009 Queen Elisabeth Competition in Brussels, Bendix-Balgley won the first prize at the 2011 Vibrarte International Music Competition in Paris and was awarded first prize and a special prize for best Bach interpretation at the 14th International Violin Competition in Fermo, Italy.

Kelly has enjoyed a distinguished and multifaceted career as principal violist of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, where he was signed by André Previn in 1976. Previn once wrote that Kelly “transformed his section into what I believe is the best viola section of any orchestra in America.” One highlight of Kelly’s tenure with the orchestra was performing the world premiere of a viola concerto written for him by Samuel Adler, commissioned for the 2000-01 season.

In addition to his orchestral career, Kelly’s virtuosity as a soloist and chamber musician has been celebrated around the world. He has collaborated with such artists as Yo-Yo Ma and Pinchas Zukerman. As a soloist, Kelly has appeared on some of the most prestigious concert stages in the world. He made his European solo début when Lorin Maazel invited him to play the “Walton Concerto” with the National Orchestra of France.

Also featured on the BGSU program is Carl Maria von Weber’s “Overture to Der Freischütz” and Paul Hindemith’s “Symphonic Metamorphosis on Themes of Weber.”

Advance tickets for the performance are $3 for students and $7 for adults and can be purchased by visiting bgsu.edu/arts or by calling 1-419-372-8171. All tickets the day of performance are $10.

President of the Merit School of Music to visit BGSU

January 13, 2015education, events, music-education-alumnishoekst

BOWLING GREEN, O.—The Dorothy and DuWayne Hansen Musical Arts Series at Bowling Green State University brings educator and music education advocate Duffie Adelson to campus on Jan. 29 and 30.

Duffie Adelson is president of the Merit School of Music, a Chicago community music school nationally renowned for the caliber of instruction and level of financial support it provides to more than 5,000 students annually.

At BGSU, Adelson will visit two music education classes and present a special talk at 2:30 p.m. on January 30 in Bryan Recital Hall in Moore Musical Arts Center. She will speak about community engagement in music education and ways in which students can use their music training in both traditional and non-traditional situations. The event is free and open to the public.

Her visit is the second time recently that BGSU has welcomed representatives from Merit, which is where last fall’s Hansen Series guests the McGill Brothers — Anthony, principal clarinet of the New York Philharmonic, and Demarre McGill, principal flute of the Dallas Symphony — received their early music instruction.

Adelson joined Merit’s faculty in 1982, was appointed associate director in 1986, became executive director in 1993, and was named president of the School in 2007. Under her leadership, Merit completed a $19.6 million capital campaign, increased its endowment to $11 million, and moved into a state-of-the-art facility with a concert hall, music library, recording studio and 50 classrooms. Merit now provides more than $2 million annually to ensure that motivated students can participate regardless of financial need.

Adelson earned a Bachelor of Music degree from Lawrence University and a Master of Music from the University of Wisconsin at Madison. She received a Doctorate of Music Education, honoris causa, from VanderCook College in 2007.

NY Times selects Robert Satterlee’s CD as one of the best classical recordings of 2014

January 12, 2015faculty news, keyboardshoekst

The New York Times selected Professor Robert Satterlee’s CD, ‘FREDERIC RZEWSKI: PIANO MUSIC’ as one of the best classical recordings of 2014.

For the article: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/19/arts/music/classical-critics-pick-the-top-music-recordings-of-2014.html?_r=0

Bassoon Chamber Music New Release from Susan Nelson and BGSU Faculty

January 12, 2015education, faculty news, New Music, woodwindsspergal

“Elements,” the winning works from the 2012 and 2014 Bassoon Chamber Music Composition Competition was released on January 1st with the MSR Classics label. The CD showcases music for bassoon, and all the works on the CD are world premiere recordings. Recording artists include Susan Nelson, bassoon; Nermis Mieses, oboe; Solungga Fang-Tzu Liu, piano; Jennifer Goode Cooper, soprano; Matthew Daline, viola; Steve Miahky and Christina McGann, violins; Jacqueline Black, cello; and Jeffrey Barudin, marimba. The pieces were recorded in the Donnell Theatre in the Wolfe Center for the Arts by Mark Bunce.

Susan Nelson, Professor of Bassoon at BGSU, is a performer and proponent of new works for the instrument. This winter she is the Guest Artist Instructor for the Bocal Majority Bassoon Camp in Las Vegas, January 17-19, 2015. Dr. Nelson will work with students on reed making, chamber music, and special topics as well as give daily faculty recitals.

48th Annual BGSU Competition in Music Performance Winners Announced

December 22, 2014brass-percussion, composition, events, keyboard, voice, woodwindsTony Cleeton

The 48th Annual BGSU Competitions in Music Performance were held the week of December 8, with finalists competing on Saturday, December 13, 2014 in Kobacker Hall on BGSU’s campus.

Coordinator of the competition, Dr. Nermis said “The judges were impressed with the high quality of performance. It was difficult for them to choose only two winners in each category since it was so clear there were more competitors that deserved to be commended. “

Undergraduate Division Winners included Quincheng Zeng, piano (Wuhan, China) student of Laura Melton, and Chi Him Chik, saxophone, (Hong Kong) student of John Sampen. Honorable Mention was awarded to Elizabeth Ritter, flute, (Ann Arbor, MI) student of Conor Nelson.

Qincheng

Graduate Division Winners included Chappy Gibb (not pictured), flute (Stillwater, MN), student of Conor Nelson, and Christopher Murphy, saxophone, student of John Sampen. Honorable Mention was awarded to Gunther own Hirthe, clarinet (Green Bay, WI), student of Kevin Schempf.

Composition Division winner was Thomas Beverly (San Antonio, TX) and the Virginia Marks Collaborative Piano Award was given to Stephanie Titus, piano (Indianola, IA), student of Tom Rosenkranz.

Other graduate finalists included: Jacqueline Berndt, flute; Andrew Kier, clarinet; Danny Milan, piano; and Eun Hae Oh, flute. Undergraduate finalists included Tom Darlington, trumpet; Linda Jenkins, flute; Julia Kuhlman, saxophone; AJ Skojac, clarinet; and Malcolm Thompson, piano.

Judges for the preliminary round included James Westhoff, bassoon, Damon Coleman, cello, David Denniston, horn, Phillip Clark, piano and Carol Dusdieker, soprano. Final round judges included Ellen Breakfield, clarinet, Daniel Thomas, cello, Jonathan Ovalle, percussion, Amy Cheng, piano, Robert Peavler, baritone, and Mathew Fuerst, composer.

Winners will perform at the annual Concerto Concert with the Bowling Green Philharmonia on Sunday, March 1, 2015 at 3:00 p.m. in Kobacker Hall. For tickets,

visit bgsu.edu/arts.

EMBRACING THE UNEXPECTED

December 22, 2014alumni, composition-alumniTony Cleeton

Jennifer Higdon receives honorary doctorate, gives commencement address

Jennifer-Higdon

By Jennifer Sobolewski

Jennifer Higdon’s life has been full of surprises. The BGSU alumna and composer admitted during her commencement address on Dec. 19 that much of her success, both personally and professionally, would likely have never happened had she stuck with her original plan at the University to become a professional flutist.

Instead of playing in an orchestra, Higdon ‘86 is one of America’s most acclaimed and most frequently performed living composers. She has become a major figure in contemporary classical music, with commissions in the orchestral, chamber, choral, vocal, and wind ensemble genres. An opera, written by Higdon and based on the book “Cold Mountain,” will premier next year in Santa Fe.

In addition to giving the commencement address, Higdon was also awarded an honorary doctorate from BGSU during the ceremony.

She holds doctoral and master’s degrees in music composition from the University of Pennsylvania, a bachelor’s degree in flute performance from BGSU, and an Artist Diploma in music composition from the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, where she now holds the Milton L. Rock Chair in Composition Studies.

Her Percussion Concerto won the Grammy for Best Contemporary Classical Composition in January 2010. Higdon also received the 2010 Pulitzer Prize in Music for her Violin Concerto.

In her address, Higdon challenged students to be open to the unexpected possibilities that could come their way and to strive to make new rules for living their life.

“The reality is we are not always able to imagine how events will unfold,” Higdon said. “The ability to think beyond the norm, and beyond expectations, can make a lifetime of the ‘amazing.’”

“Thinking outside the box has brought us the light bulb, personal computers, iPhones, the cure for diseases, Post-it notes, and the Internet. Many of the things we enjoy casually in our lives occurred because someone accidentally stumbled down a different path than what they had originally intended.”

Higdon also encouraged the new graduates to not be afraid to fail. “Failure only occurs when you don’t try. Success comes when you move past an event, and gain the most that you can from it.”

She also encouraged the new alumni to push themselves, to make every day unique, and to try to not get bogged down in daily routines.

“Can you imagine if you got to the end of your life and you could look back and say ‘Everyday, I made someone’s day a little better’? Small gestures—big results. Life is not a predetermined route. It’s never what you expect, but that’s what makes it possible for you to scale mountains of experience.”

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