Overture

Ensembles Selected for Regional Performance

music — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 14:28:30 +0000

The UCM Wind Ensemble, under the direction of Dr. Scott Lubaroff, has been selected to perform at the annual Missouri Music Educators Association In-Service/Conference at Tan-tar-a resort, January, 2011. Performing ensembles are selected through an application and audition process that involves blind evaluation of audition recordings by an adjudication panel from out-of-state. We are very proud to represent UCM through this prestigious performance, and look forward to seeing many, many of our proud alumni and friends at the concert in January!

The Mid-Missouri Percussion Arts Trophy has rapidly become the most significant percussion competition for college and high school students in a several state region. The day of competition concludes with an evening percussion ensemble concert which includes accompanying the Marimba Competition Master Class artist. On March 5, 2011, the UCM Percussion Ensemble, under the direction of Dr. Michael Sekelsky, will perform the evening concert and accompany International marimba artist, Michael Burritt – Professor of Percussion, Eastman School of Music. As part of the performance, composer Raymond Helble is writing a new marimba concerto specifically for Michael Burritt and the UCM Percussion Ensemble.

Students Win Competitions in Piano & Percussion

music — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 16:49:57 +0000

Pianist Sarah Blunk won the Gladys Casford Memorial Scholarship in piano ($1,000) given by the Kansas City Musical Club, March 6, 2010. Kudos to Sarah and her teacher, Richard Smith.

On the same day, percussion students of Michael Sekelsky competed at the annual Mid-Missouri Percussion Arts Trophy competition in Lebanon, Miss0uri. The competition featured high school, undergraduate, and graduate student percussionists from Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Indiana, competing in two categories (Marimba or Timpani) and two divisions (High School and Collegiate). The following students earned trophies:

Tess Schurder, 1st place – Collegiate Timpani
Ian McClaflin, 2nd place – Collegiate Timpani
Rebecca Meads (Clinton High School), 1st place – High School Timpani

Other UCM competitors included:

Mat Thornton – Collegiate Timpani
Tess Schurder – Collegiate Marimba
Richard Evans – Collegiate Marimba
Ian McClaflin – Collegiate Marimba

The UCM Percussion Ensemble has been invited to be the featured ensemble, accompanying the featured guest marimbist at the 2011 MMPAT Competition.

Student Vocalists Perform in Denver

music — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 17:25:19 +0000

Eight singers were chosen to represent UCM at the Southwest American Choral Directors Association (SWACDA) Conference held in Denver, CO last weekend. Current students April Wilson, Alyssa Pate, Alyssa Latta, Krystal Thurm, Travis White, Mason Ross, Kiel Beardshear, Jacob Ritter all made the trip west for the conference.

They prepared the concert music and had the honor of singing for iconic conductor Dr. Craig Jessop. As former conductor of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, Jessop led the group to receive many awards, including the Special Recognition Award from the International Radio and Television Society Foundation and a National Medal of Arts presented by President George W. Bush.

Each of the students is grateful for the opportunity to observe and experience the techniques of such a fine musician as Jessop, augmenting their own knowledge and skills significantly. At UCM, the students work with our talented vocal and choral faculty, including Lisa Fredenburgh, Robert Lawrence, Stella Roden, and Jake Sentgeorge. For more information on choral and vocal studies at UCM, make sure to visit the choral area website.

Student Composer Success – Michael Martin and NYAE

music — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 14:45:51 +0000

Student composer Michael Martin took Honorable Mention in this year’s New York Art Ensemble Young Composers’ Competition! His work The Cinnamon Peeler for clarinet, violin, violoncello, and piano made the final round of the competition. The NYAE competition is very well-known, and previous finalists have gone on to great success in other competitions and festivals. Martin worked with Eric Honour and fellow student Tim Gormly to record the work in the UCM recording studios in December 2009, as part of the materials he submitted. The performers for the recording were staff accompanist and UCM alum Amanda Arrington, violin/viola professor John Rutland, and current students James Westbrook and Kasey Wasson. Martin is majoring in jazz-commercial music at UCM. He studies composition with Eric Honour and David Aaberg and piano with Richard Smith.

Professor Emeritus Frederic Homan Dies at 77

music — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 17:42:13 +0000

Professor Emeritus Frederic Homan, known to many of our alumni for his work in the music theory classroom, has died. Professor Homan taught at UCM from 1962 (when it was named Central Missouri State College) until his retirement in 2000. In his thirty-eight years teaching music theory and organ at UCM, he guided hundreds of our music alumni to deeper understanding of the workings of music. He is remembered by many for his dry sense of humor, kindness to students, and the daily grace with which he approached his work.

The digitalBurg website published an extensive obituary of Dr. Homan.

For those able to attend, his funeral will be held 11 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 11, 2010, at First Presbyterian Church of Warrensburg, with the Rev. Alex Wales officiating.

Burial will be in the Warrensburg Memorial Gardens Cemetery . Pallbearers are Bryce Austin, Matthew Headley, Bruce Austin and James Dosier.

The family will receive friends Wednesday, February 10, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at Sweeney-Phillips & Holdren Funeral Home in Warrensburg.

Memorial contributions are suggested to the ALS Foundation and may be left at the funeral home.

Performing Arts Series Presents “Eclectica”

music — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 15:28:06 +0000

The University of Central Missouri’s Performing Arts Series presents Eclectica in concert at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 20, in Hendricks Hall, in cooperation with the UCM Jazz Festival.

Inventive, inspiring and thoroughly entertaining, Eclectica weaves sound-pieces together with a groove that is alive from the first note to the last encore. With sing-along choruses and three-part vocals, Eclectica is a celebration and a concert on the same stage.

Performing Arts Series audiences will remember electric violinist Tracy Silverman from his 2008 appearance on the Hendricks Hall stage with pianist Jim Brickman in the Performing Arts Series holiday concert. Tracy is a Windham Hill artist and currently teaches jazz and rock violin at Belmont University.

Joining Silverman in making up the genre-defying band are five-time Grammy Award-winning drummer Roy “Futureman” Wooten of Bela Fleck and the Flecktones and bass legend Steve Forrest, currently one of Nashville’s top session performers and bass chair of “The Wooten Brothers and Friends,” a Nashville institution.

The concert is in conjunction with the UCM Jazz Festival and is sponsored by the UCM Department of Music. In addition to the stage performance, Eclectica will conduct free improvisation and percussions workshops.

Tickets are available now by contacting the Performing Arts Series box office at 660-543-8888, or online at www.ucmo.edu/pas/tickets .

Music Alumnus New Front of House Engineer for the Kansas City Symphony

music — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 23:39:32 +0000

UCM alumnus Jeffrey Keirsey, a graduate of the music technology degree program, has recently been named the Front of House (FOH) engineer for the Kansas City Symphony. Since his graduation in 2006, Keirsey has been employed by Kansas City’s Harvest Sound, one of the largest KC-based event production companies, and the exclusive sound and lighting provider for the Kansas City Symphony. In his time at Harvest, Keirsey has become one of their lead audio engineers and a fixture at shows with the symphony, due to his expertise with audio technology and the extensive musical training he received at UCM. As the Front of House engineer, Keirsey will be responsible for all decisions related to sound reinforcement for the symphony, including microphone selection and positioning, PA system design and placement, and the actual mix heard by audience members. Next time you hear an outdoor performance of the Kansas City Symphony, the sound you hear will be the work of a UCM Music alumnus. Congratulations to Jeff!

Wenger Selected to Perform Down Under

music — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 02:41:27 +0000

UCM trumpet professor Alan Wenger will premiere a new composition for trumpet and piano composed by faculty colleague Eric Honour on the new music recital at the International Trumpet Guild Conference in Sydney, Australia in July 2010. Wenger says, “I am excited to showcase Eric’s great abilities and share his music with an international audience.” The International Trumpet Guild is the foremost association for trumpet in the world, and its annual conference is one of the preeminent venues worldwide for trumpet performance. According to the ITG website, “ITG’s more than 6,000 members represent 64 countries and include professional and amateur performers, teachers, students, manufacturers, publishers, and others interested in belonging to an organization dedicated to the trumpet profession.” Honour says, “it’s very exciting for Alan’s proposal to be accepted by the ITG review board, and I can’t wait to compose the work. Alan’s reputation in the international trumpet community continues to grow each year, and it’s a tremendous privilege for me to be able to work with such an outstanding performer in creating new music.”

CMENC Chapter Works With Elementary and Pre-School Students

music — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 14:37:40 +0000

Members of the University of Central Missouri’s CMENC chapter participated in a music-making workshop with area elementary and pre-school students. This workshop was the first activity of the New Harmonies exhibit sponsored by the Smithsonian Institute and the Johnson County Historical Society. The activities were designed for children aged 4-8. They went to different stations and explored the science of music, the sounds of music and musical elements like melody and rhythm. UCM Music Education majors received hands-on experience in working with children through this workshop.

Honor Wind Symposium 2009

music — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 19:22:11 +0000

Nine members of the UCM Wind & Percussion faculty welcomed 79 high-school students to the campus on November 21 for the 19th Annual Honor Wind Symposium. The event allows students to rehearse and perform ensemble music written for their specific instruments. Students are invited to attend the event by each faculty member. Participating ensembles were conducted by Frank Fenley (flutes), James Gai (clarinets), Sheri Mattson (double reeds), David Aaberg (jazz combo), Gary Moege (horn), Alan Wenger (trumpet), David Stagg (trombone), and Jon Gregory (tubas and euphoniums).

Two concerts were the final event of the day. The woodwind ensembles and the jazz combo presented their program in the Union, while the brass ensembles performed in Hart Recital Hall. Each concert was attended by approximately 70 parents and friends. An additional feature of the day was a mid-morning session for parents hosted by Scott Lubaroff, UCM’s Director of Bands. Dr. Lubaroff met with approximately 45 parents to give them information on scholarships, admissions procedures, and financial aid.