UE Music Conservatory to Host Annual Holiday Pops Concert

Posted: November 22, 2024

UE Opera Receives $32,400 Grant from William E. Schmidt Foundation

Posted: November 19, 2024

UE Music Conservatory Invites Musicians to Join Community Ensembles

Posted: August 15, 2024

UE's Andiron Lecture Series to Feature Insight into Electroacoustic Music Analysis

Posted: March 17, 2024

The Andiron Lecture series at the University of Evansville (UE) is proud to announce its upcoming event featuring Charles du Preez, DMA, Assistant Professor of Clarinet. Charles du Preez will be delivering a lecture titled "Listener-based analysis of electroacoustic music: a selected chronology of methods," which promises to be an illuminating exploration into the analytical methods of electroacoustic music.

Scheduled for Wednesday, April 10, 2024, at 4:00 p.m. in Wheeler Concert Hall at the Krannert Hall of Art and Music, this lecture will be an enlightening experience for music enthusiasts, students, and scholars alike. Charles du Preez, is a distinguished clarinetist and bass clarinetist with a rich background in performance and academia, holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Arizona and a Master of Fine Arts degree from the California Institute of the Arts.

The lecture will feature insights from du Preez's extensive research, culminating in a comprehensive 222-page document titled "Listener-Based Analysis of Electroacoustic Music." This document provides analytical methods used in electroacoustic music, with a focus on listener-based approaches. Attendees can expect an in-depth examination of various methods, including spectromorphology, sonograms, and other listener-based techniques.

du Preez brings a fresh perspective as his lecture will explore the evolution of analytical methods since the 1960's and their practical implications for understanding electroacoustic compositions.

Admission is free and open to the public, offering an invaluable opportunity for anyone interested in the intersection of music and technology.

Celebrate the Season with Annual Holiday Pops Extravaganza at the Victory Theatre

Posted: November 29, 2023

The University of Evansville (UE) Music Conservatory is thrilled to announce its highly anticipated annual Holiday Pops event at the historic Victory Theatre on Tuesday, December 5.

This festive extravaganza promises an unforgettable evening filled with the joyous sounds of the holiday season, featuring all of the Music Conservatory's large performing ensembles.

The Conservatory's talented musicians, comprising UE's Choirs (University Choir and Choral Society), Wind Ensemble, and Symphony Orchestra, along with the Changelab "United Sound" will come together to create a magical atmosphere that captures the spirit of the holidays.

"We are delighted to invite the community to join us for this joyous celebration of the holiday season," said Dennis Malfatti, Professor of Music & Director of Choral Activities. "The Holiday Pops at the Victory Theatre has become a beloved tradition, and we are excited to share the magic of music with our friends and neighbors."

Event Details:

Date: Tuesday, December 5

Time: 7:30 p.m.

Location: Victory Theatre, 600 Main St, Evansville, IN 47708

Admission: Free and open to the public

Music Conservatory Celebrates $25,000 Grant Awarded to UE Opera

Posted: November 15, 2023

The University of Evansville (UE) Music Conservatory is delighted to announce that UE Opera has been awarded a generous $25,000 grant from the William E. Schmidt Foundation.

The grant encompasses funding for the Schmidt Opera Series, a vital component of UE Opera's productions held on campus. It will also contribute to the Schmidt Opera Collaborative, a community outreach and education program designed to engage and inspire residents in the tri-state area.

"We are profoundly grateful to the William E. Schmidt Foundation for their support of UE Opera," said Dr. Alanna Keenan, Associate Professor of Music. "The funding will bring support to our commitment to advancing music education and cultural enrichment."

Under the artistic direction of Dr. Keenan, with additional guidance from Dr. Dennis Malfatti and Dr. Gregory Rike, UE Opera has established itself as a dynamic force in the world of opera. This grant will empower the program to continue its legacy of excellence, providing invaluable opportunities for students and fostering an appreciation for the arts within the community.

In addition to supporting on-campus productions and community outreach, the grant will facilitate the continuation of the Community Conservatory Study Grants. This initiative ensures that area students, who may otherwise lack access to private study, can benefit from music lessons, further enriching their musical education.

The William E. Schmidt Foundation's commitment to supporting the arts aligns seamlessly with The Music Conservatory's mission to cultivate a vibrant and inclusive cultural community. This partnership will undoubtedly have a lasting impact on the artistic landscape of the region.

University of Evansville Music Conservatory Presents EVSC "Choir Palooza": A Day of Musical Exploration and Education

Posted: October 24, 2023

The University of Evansville Music Conservatory will host the "Choir Palooza," set to take place on Wednesday, October 25, 2023. This extraordinary event will unite middle school and high school students from the Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporation (EVSC) on the UE campus for a full day of enriching workshops led by three distinguished experts in middle and high school choral music.

Approximately 500 EVSC students will be on campus for the day with UE students assisting with the event and learning from guest teachers. UE students will also do a brief performance for the EVSC students to promote vocal music opportunities at the university. 

The activities of the day will unfold across multiple locations on the UE campus, with Wheeler Concert Hall, Neu Chapel, and Eykamp Hall simultaneously hosting workshops conducted by the guest clinicians. The culmination of this immersive experience will occur on the East Terrace Lawn, where all participants will join together for a grand finale performance, celebrating the power of choral music and the extraordinary talent fostered by EVSC and UE.

“Bringing 500 middle and high school students to UE, enabling them to engage with our student body and experience the wealth of musical opportunities available at our university, represents an exceptional outreach and recruitment prospect for the entire institution,” said Dennis Malfatti, Conservatory Co-Director, Professor of Music, and Director of Choral Activities, Music Education. “We feel privileged to collaborate with the EVSC as we nurture and strive towards a bright future for musical talent.”

To learn more about UE’s Music Conservatory, click here.

Changemaker Highlight of the Week: Joshua Academy Band Project

Posted: February 21, 2023

$1.9 Million Estate Gift to Support Music Conservatory

Posted: February 7, 2022

Music Conservatory Hosting Holiday Pops Concert on December 7

Posted: December 1, 2021

The University of Evansville Music Conservatory will host the Holiday Pops concert on Tuesday, December 7. The event will be held at Old National Events Plaza beginning at 7:30 p.m. Admission is free, and the public is invited to enjoy the sounds of the season.

Holiday Pops will feature music from the UE Symphony Orchestra, University Choir and Choral Society, and Wind Ensemble. Musical selections will include "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," "Christmas at the Movies," "Christmas and Sousa Forever," and more. Holiday Pops is made possible by the George L. Mesker Music Trust, Anna Bosse Trust, and Raymond B. Preston Family Foundation.

Music Conservatory Announces Full Funding for Wheeler Concert Hall Renovations

Posted: October 5, 2021

University of Evansville Launches Music Community Conservatory

Posted: July 6, 2021

University of Evansville Ranked Among the Top 50 Best Affordable Colleges for Music Therapy

Posted: June 15, 2020

The University of Evansville has been ranked among the top 50 best affordable colleges for music therapy degree programs. The ranking comes from Affordable Schools and was published on the organization's website in January.

The compilation and ranking of schools was created by using the National Center for Education Statistics' College Navigator database. Affordable Schools considered programs based on tuition costs, student-to-faculty ratio, and educational outcomes. Points were assigned for each of the categories to build the final list of 50 schools from across the nation.

"This recognition for our music therapy program demonstrates the University's commitment to both academic excellence and affordability," said Kenneth Steinsultz, co-chair of the Department of Music at UE. "This program provides great value to students, as they can experience small class sizes, hands-on learning, and a high-quality education, all while maintaining affordability."

The Bachelor of Music in Music Therapy degree at the University of Evansville trains students to use music therapy methodology and interventions to address an individual's physical, emotional, spiritual, and cognitive needs. This profession is a growing field in the healthcare industry that has been proven to help patients regain speech, improve motor function, develop communication capabilities, and more.

Students in UE's music therapy program will prepare for a career through behavioral and music courses, as well as music therapy-specific classes that include Psychology of Music and Introduction to Improvisational Methods. Before graduating, students will complete a six-month internship to apply classroom knowledge to real-life scenarios. A music therapy and music education double major is also available, and this route is for students interested in combining their skills and talents to be a therapist and teacher. Visit 36837a.com/majors/music to learn more.

"Becoming a music therapist is a transformative experience for students," said Demian Kogutek, director of music therapy at UE. "Music therapy majors not only learn about the music therapy process, but also about the clients with whom we work and the overall importance of music in the community."

Affordable Schools is an online resource guide that highlights the best, high quality, affordable online and traditional colleges and degree programs. As a leading higher education resource, Affordable Schools provides profiles of a large number of public and private institutions with solid academic reputations. You can read the full article about music therapy programs online.

University of Evansville Department of Music Presents Concerts Online

Posted: April 1, 2020

The University of Evansville’s Department of Music will be presenting recorded concerts online for community members to enjoy free of charge.

During the semester, UE’s Department of Music hosts more than 90 concerts on campus and around the community. These concerts feature students, faculty, alumni, guests, and friends of the University. Under the current shelter-in-place guidelines and during the month of April, the department will release a UE concert recorded during a recent academic year.

“The power of music can help us cope with difficult times and bring us some peace,” said Dennis Malfatti, professor of music, director of choral activities, and department co-chair. “Although UE cannot host concerts for the time being, the Department of Music is pleased to share with the UE community recordings of recent concerts.”

Listen online to the first in this series: A University Choir concert from October 30, 2018.

Check the department’s Facebook page or visit the concert series web page each week for a new concert.

Strandberg to Speak at February Andiron Lecture

Posted: January 20, 2020

Kristen Strandberg, PhD, University of Evansville assistant professor of music, will be the speaker for the Andiron Lecture on February 5. The lecture will begin at 4:00 p.m. in Eykamp Hall, Room 252, Ridgway University Center. This event is free and open to the public.

Strandberg will be discussing “Constructing Otherness: Critical Representation of Musicians in the Press.” Nineteenth-century French critics frequently asserted the superiority of French musicians, often discussing marginalized performers in language that implied their inferiority. Critics especially targeted foreign and female performers by pointing out their “mechanical” playing style to demonstrate a performer’s lack of artistry and nuance. In this lecture, Strandberg will demonstrate the range of cultural meaning behind assertions of “mechanical” playing. Critical and philosophical writings of the period reveal anxieties about the increased mechanization of culture following the Industrial Revolution and the ways those anxieties affected the arts. Meanwhile, the popularity of automata in stage shows and contemporary literature demonstrates a new and widespread fascination with technology as entertainment. In exploring the cultural assumptions and meanings of mechanized performance, we see these simultaneous anxieties and fascinations.

Strandberg holds a Bachelor of Music degree in Cello Performance from the University of Minnesota and a PhD in Musicology from Indiana University. Her research focuses on the reception of violin virtuosity in mid-nineteenth-century Paris, examining concert reviews in the press to explore how critics and listeners perceived and discussed these performers. Her recent publications include articles in the Journal of Musicological Research and the Journal of Music History Pedagogy. She has presented at conferences throughout the U.S. and Europe, recently appearing as an invited speaker at the annual conference of the National Chopin Institute in Poland.

For further information, call the series coordinator Annette Parks at 812-488-1070 or the William L. Ridgway College of Arts and Sciences at 812-488-2589.

Wylie wins prestigious award

Posted: December 5, 2019

UE Trustee Reverend Larry Rascoe Receives Mayor's Celebration of Diversity Award

Posted: November 6, 2019

Strandberg presents at College Music Society

Posted: October 29, 2019

Kristen Strandberg, Assistant Professor of Music History and Associate Director of Eykamp Center for Teaching Excellence, gave a talk at the annual College Music Society conference on October 24. She discussed the advantages and feasibility of community engagement projects with music students. As a case study, Dr. Strandberg outlined the activities and outcomes of her spring 2019 class "Music in Evansville from the Civil War to WWII."

UE Music Partners with Joshua Academy to Reinstate Band Program

Posted: September 13, 2019

University of Evansville junior and senior music education students have partnered with Joshua Academy to reinstate the school's band program.

“This is why I came to college," said UE music education major Devyn Haas. "So I can get these hands on experiences.” 

Joshua Academy students meet twice per week to receive one-on-one and small ensemble instruction from UE students under the advisement of professor Greg Keith.

Music Department Chair Nominated for Arts Award

Posted: August 15, 2019

Dr. Kenneth Steinsultz has been nominated for the Arts Educator of the Year award. The award will be presented at the Arts Council's Art Awards celebration on Thursday, August 15.

This annual event recognizes individuals who have made meaningful and significant contributions to arts and culture in Southwestern Indiana, and features the prestigious Mayor's Art Award. Dr. Steinsultz is the Director of Bands and the Low Brass instructor at UE. He was recently appointed chair of the Department of Music.

University of Evansville Announces Berger Awards for 2019

Posted: August 13, 2019

University of Evansville professors Mohammad K. Azarian and Thomas Josenhans were honored recently with the 2019 Sydney and Sadelle Berger Awards for Scholarly Activity and Service. They were presented with the awards by Charlie Berger during UE’s Fall Conference.

UE professor of mathematics Mohammad K. Azarian was given the Berger Award for Scholarly Activity. Azarian is a well-published professional who has significantly contributed to the research community and has worked at UE for 34 years.

He has published 42 peer-reviewed journal articles in four different areas of mathematics including group theory, number theory, combinatorics, and the history of mathematics.

He presented his research at 54 international, national, and regional conferences. In addition, he has published 82 problems in peer reviewed general mathematics journals in the United States and made over 1600 contributions to the On-Line Encyclopedia of Integer Sequences, including over 1000 new sequences.

Azarian has earned the respect of mathematics organizations and publications, who value his expertise and trust his judgment. He serves as a referee for the following journals:

Missouri Journal of Mathematical Sciences

Houston Journal of Mathematics

College Mathematics Journal

Journal of Integer Sequences 

Ars Combinatoria

International Journal of Mathematics and Mathematical Sciences

He has served on the editorial boards of many prestigious journals and newsletters, and is a reviewer for the Mathematical Reviews of the American Mathematical Society (MathSciNet), the most prestigious and the authoritative gateway to the scholarly literature of mathematics in the world.

His remarkable research portfolio of 136 publications in the Google Scholar’s Citations system, and he was named a University of Evansville Global Scholar in 2007-2008.

From 2001 to 2007, he served on the Executive Board of the Mathematical Association of America- Indiana, where he was solely responsible for the Indiana College Mathematics Competition for all 40 colleges and universities in the state of Indiana.

In 2015, Azarian was one of only seven mathematicians in the United States who was selected to serve as a discipline peer reviewer for the Fulbright Scholar Program, sponsored by the United States Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, a position that he is still holding.

He is the recipient of the 2017 Mathematical Association of America-Indiana Distinguished Service Award, which recognizes a member for "extraordinary contributions and outstanding efforts" to mathematical sciences in America.

UE professor of music Thomas Josenhans was the recipient of the Berger Award for Service. Josenhans is fully committed to serving both UE and the greater community. One nominator says that he embodies the definition of a servant leader and truly has a servant’s heart.

During his nine years as chair of one of the largest and most diverse groups of faculty on campus, he has worked tirelessly to create opportunities to enhance the faculty and student experience. He has gone above and beyond to create a department that serves as a community resource and a showcase of arts in the community.

As part of this effort, he has cultivated positive relationships with area educators, providing financial and personal support of the Wesley Shepard Summer Music Camp which he has transformed into an annual high-quality experience for local and regional middle and high school students that serves as an invaluable recruiting tool.

Josenhans is an integral part of the Tri-State Community Ensemble Festival regional music educators' conferences, and weekend events such as Brass Day, Woodwind Day, Percussion Day and UE Opera events. He has provided support and found funding for campus appearances of world-class guest artists such as Doc Severinsen, Diane Shur, and Andre Watts. He has worked closely with the Evansville Philharmonic Orchestra to consistently evaluate and improve the interwoven relationship of shared faculty and artists.

In addition, Josenhans has gone beyond his already heavy responsibilities as chair, to represent the University as chair of the Music Director Search Committee for the Evansville Philharmonic Orchestra, a committee charged with selecting from over 200 applicants to find the 5 finalists who will guest conduct during the 2019-2020 season.

Two recent grants have specifically enhanced recruiting and current student opportunities. He wrote the request for a three-year grant to fund the new position of Music Outreach Director, with responsibilities to coordinate camp recruiting school visits. A second grant awarded during his leadership is from the Schmidt Foundation for the UE Opera Series. This grant has been renewed annually and has allowed UE Opera to mount larger productions and schedule outreach visits to area schools.

This year’s recipient has also been a dynamic influence in a steady period of growth, positivity, and tangible financial support from the Friends of UE Music. This organization includes a growing membership of alumni, faculty, UE student families, and members of the greater Evansville community.

Nominators also want to specifically recognize this year’s recipient for his work in creating and developing the UE Music Strategic Plan. He guided and mentored those working on this collaborative effort for more than a year.

Through all of this, he gives selflessly of his time and energy because of his genuine love and devotion to his department and University. His door is always open to faculty and students where each one is heard compassionately, validated and supported with kindness and integrity. 

UE’s Department of Music Welcomes Community Members To Join Band, Choir, and Orchestra Ensembles

Posted: August 1, 2019

The University of Evansville Department of Music is proud to announce three new music ensembles open to Tri-State community members. Individuals with an interest in participating in band, choir, or orchestra are encouraged to join.

“We’re delighted to offer this opportunity to the community,” said Dennis Malfatti, Professor of Music and Director of Choral Activities at UE. “We can’t wait to work with the talented people in our community through these new groups.”

The cost to join is $30 per semester and rehearsals begin in late August. Each ensemble will perform a public concert at the end of each semester.

Learn more and register on the UE website or call 812-488-2754.

Music Alumnus Receives Performance Award

Posted: May 8, 2019

Ian Murrell, a 2016 UE Department of Music graduate in vocal performance, was recently awarded the American Prize in Vocal Performance (men/opera/collegiate division) for 2018-2019.  This is a national award recognizing achievement in the arts. 

Read more about this prestigious award at The American Prize website.

Dean's Teaching Awards

Posted: May 6, 2019

The Academic Deans have awarded the Dean’s Teaching Awards for 2018-2019.

The faculty members being honored are:

• Kate Schwartzkopf-Phifer, Assistant Professor of Physical Therapy from the College of Education and Health Sciences
• Jessica Lofton, Assistant Professor Mechanical Engineering from the College of Engineering and Computer Science
• Rania Mousa, Associate Professor of Accounting from the Schroeder Family School of Business Administration
• Derek Jones, Assistant Professor of Philosophy from the William L. Ridgway College of Arts and Sciences
• Thomas Josenhans, Professor of Music from the William L. Ridgway College of Arts and Sciences

Congratulations to our deserving faculty members!

Sullivan Receives Dissertation Award

Posted: May 6, 2019

UE assistant professor of music James Sullivan was recently a co-recipient of the Alfred Mann Dissertation Award from the Eastman School of Music for his dissertation, "Meter, Melodic Parallelism, and Metric Manipulation in Post-Tonal Music." The award is given once every two years for an outstanding dissertation in music theory.

UE Wind Ensemble at Old National Events Plaza

Posted: April 15, 2019

The University of Evansville Wind Ensemble, under the direction of Kenneth Steinsultz, will present its spring concert on Tuesday, April 16, at 7:30 p.m. The performance will be held downtown at the Old National Events Plaza.

he program features an exciting mix of pieces by Clifton Williams, Joaquin Turina, Eric Whitacre, Normal Dello Joio, and David Holsinger. The performance is free and open to the public.

For more information, call 812-488-2754.

UE music department hosts EVSC professional development workshops

Posted: April 12, 2019

The University of Evansville's Department of Music was honored to be asked by EVSC Fine Arts leaders to host professional development workshops for their teachers. On March 6 and again on April 10, middle school and high school music teachers from EVSC worked with UE choral students and received coaching on conducting and rehearsal technique from UE director of choral activities and professor of music Dennis Malfatti.

UE choral students served as the laboratory choir for each of the EVSC teachers. Each teacher conducted the laboratory choir followed by coaching from Malfatti with input and constructive comments from our students. These two events were excellent outreach opportunities for the university and gave EVSC teachers a window into instruction at UE.

Andre Watts to Perform at UE's Snyder Concert and Lecture Series

Posted: April 4, 2019

The University of Evansville's Patricia H. Snyder Concert and Lecture Series will present world renowned pianist André Watts in concert on Tuesday, April 30, at 7:30 p.m., at the Victory Theatre in downtown Evansville. Watts will also be conducting a masterclass on Monday, April 29, from 1:00-4:00 p.m. in Wheeler Concert Hall on UE's campus. Both events are free and open to the public.

Register for the event on the UE website. 

Watts was only 16 when Leonard Bernstein chose him to make his debut with the New York Philharmonic in one of the orchestra's Young People's Concerts. It was broadcast nationwide. Two weeks later, Bernstein asked Watts to substitute for the ailing Glenn Gould in performances of Liszt's E-flat Concerto with the New York Philharmonic. More than half a century later, Watts remains one of America's most distinguished and celebrated performing artists.

Watts is a regular guest at major summer music festivals, and has appeared with the Philadelphia Orchestra, the New York and Los Angeles Philharmonics, and the St. Louis, Atlanta, Cincinnati, Dallas, Indianapolis, and Nashville symphonies, among others. International engagements have included concerto and recital appearances in Japan, Hong Kong, Germany, and Spain. Watts has appeared on programs produced by PBS, the BBC and the Arts and Entertainment Network. His 1976 New York recital for Live from Lincoln Center was the first full length recital broadcast in the history of television. His performance at the 38th Casals Festival in Puerto Rico was nominated for an Emmy Award in the category of Outstanding Individual Achievement in Cultural Programming.

Watts's extensive discography includes recordings of works by Gershwin, Chopin, Liszt and Tchaikovsky; recital CD's of works by Beethoven, Schubert, Liszt and Chopin; and recordings featuring the concertos of Liszt, MacDowell, Tchaikovsky, and Saint-Saens. He is included in the Great Pianists of the 20th Century series for Philips. In 2016, SONY Classical released André Watts - The Complete Columbia Album Collection.

Watts received a 2011 National Medal of Arts, given by the President of the United States to individuals who are deserving of special recognition for their outstanding contributions to the excellence, growth, support and availability of the arts in the United States. In June 2006, he was inducted into the Hollywood Bowl of Fame to celebrate the 50th anniversary of his debut. He is the recipient of the 1988 Avery Fisher Prize.

At age 26, Watts was the youngest person ever to receive an Honorary Doctorate from Yale University and has since received numerous honors from highly respected schools including the University of Pennsylvania, Brandeis University, The Juilliard School of Music and his alma mater, the Peabody Conservatory of Johns Hopkins University. Watts was appointed to the Jack I. and Dora B. Hamlin Endowed Chair in Music at the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University in 2004 and in 2017 was named a Distinguished Professor, the highest academic rank the university bestows upon its faculty.

The Patricia H. Snyder Concert and Lecture Series was made possible in 1997 through an endowment from the late Patricia H. Snyder, trustee and longtime friend of University, to bring speakers or performers of renown to Evansville at no cost to the public.

UE Opera to present "Cosi Fan Tutte" at Preston Arts Center

Posted: March 25, 2019

On March 29 and March 30, at 7:30 p.m., the University of Evansville Schmidt Opera Series comes to the Preston Arts Center in Henderson, Kentucky, with Mozart's comedy Così fan tutte: A School for Lovers. All are welcome to attend. Admission is a suggested donation of $10. The Henderson Arts Center is located at 2660 South Green Street, in Henderson, Kentucky.

In this opera, the cynical Don Alfonso goads his two young friends into making a not-so-friendly wager. Its outcome will either defend the virtue of the women they love or expose an infidelity present in women everywhere. The battle lines have been drawn as the two men set out to test the faithfulness of their unwitting fiancées.

In this production we find our characters in a college town in southern Indiana with visiting guests from a rival Kentucky school. As we wonder who will ultimately prevail in this battle of the sexes, the musical genius of Mozart pervades the arias, ensembles, and choruses of Cosi fan tutte.

Mozart's opera is brought to life by UE students directed by Alanna Keenan, Associate Professor of Music with a professional orchestra under the baton of Dennis Malfatti, professor of music. Henderson native Adam Smith, takes on the role of the scheming Don Alfonso. He efforts are aided by his confidant, Despina, played by Madeline Cox of Gibson County. Rounding out the cast are the four lovers Darwi Sandleben, Kathryn Lee, Isaac Cooper, and Clay Steenbergen, all of Evansville, Indiana.

UE professor Garnet Ungar to present a recital

Posted: March 25, 2019

University of Evansville professor of piano Garnet Ungar will present a recital on Tuesday, March 26, at 7:30 p.m. in Wheeler Concert Hall on UE's campus. This is free and open to the public.

The recital will feature sonatas by Scarlatti and several short pieces by Mendelssohn.

For complete program information, visit the music department concert calendar at: wzka.36837a.com/majors/music/eventDetails.cfm?eventId=14792.

Jamey Aebersold Quartet in concert at the University of Evansville

Posted: March 19, 2019

The Jamey Aebersold Jazz Quartet will perform in concert as part of the Jazz Guest Artist Concert Series on Sunday, March 24, at 4:00 p.m. in Wheeler Concert Hall on UE’s campus.

In addition to Aebersold on alto and tenor saxophones, pianist Gabe Evens, bassist Tyrone Wheeler, and drummer Jonathan Higgins will perform. All are among the most sought-after jazz artists in the Midwest.

Admission is $15 for adults, $10 for Evansville Jazz Society members and $5 for students with ID. Tickets can be obtained by contacting the UE Department of Music at 812-488-2754 or may be obtained at the door.

The Jazz Guest Artist Concert Series is co-sponsored by the University of Evansville and the Evansville Jazz Society.

Aebersold is one of the world’s best known jazz educators, in addition to having established an outstanding reputation as a saxophonist. The National Endowment for the Arts has honored Aebersold by naming him a “Jazz Master” in a ceremony at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. Among his many endeavors are the renowned Jamey Aebersold Jazz Camps, held annually at various locations around the US and in other countries, and the Jamey Aebersold Jazz Play-along Records, now numbering over 130 volumes, which are widely used in jazz education all over the world.

UE Music Professors Plan Joint Recital

Posted: March 18, 2019

On Tuesday, March 19, at 7:30 p.m., University of Evansville music professors Timothy Zifer (trumpet) and Kenneth Steinsultz (euphonium) will give a joint recital. The program will feature works by Mahler, Reger, Rachmaninoff, Jacob, Turrin, Ewazen, and Arutiunian. Anne Fiedler (piano) and the Shepard Brass will be joining them on several pieces.

The concert is free and open to the public. For complete program information, visit the music department concert calendar.

UE Schmidt Opera Series, March 29 and 30

Posted: March 15, 2019

On March 29 and March 30, at 7:30 p.m., the University of Evansville Schmidt Opera Series comes to the Preston Arts Center in Henderson, Kentucky with Mozart's comedy Così fan tutte: A School for Lovers.  In this opera, the cynical Don Alfonso goads his two young friends into making a not-so-friendly wager. Its outcome will either defend the virtue of the women they love or expose an infidelity present in women everywhere. The battle lines have been drawn as the two men set out to test the faithfulness of their unwitting fiancées.

In this production we find our characters in a college town in southern Indiana with visiting guests from a rival Kentucky school. As we wonder who will ultimately prevail in this battle of the sexes, the musical genius of Mozart pervades the arias, ensembles, and choruses of Cosi fan tutte.

Mozart's opera is brought to life by University of Evansville students directed by Alanna Keenan, associate professor of music, with a professional orchestra under the baton of Dennis Malfatti, professor of music. Henderson native, Adam Smith, takes on the role of the scheming Don Alfonso.  He efforts are aided by his confidant, Despina, played by Madeline Cox of Gibson County.  Rounding out the cast are the four lovers Darwi Sandleben, Kathryn Lee, Isaac Cooper, and Clay Steenbergen all of Evansville, Indiana.

All are welcome to attend.  Admission is a suggested donation of $10.00  The Henderson Arts Center is located at 2660 South Green Street, Henderson, KY  42420

University Choir performs with Southridge High School Concert Choir

Posted: March 1, 2019

The UE University Choir, under the direction of Dennis Malfatti, will give a concert in Neu Chapel on Tuesday, March 5, at 7:30 p.m., featuring Southridge High School Concert Choir. The program is wide ranging, including works by Palestrina, Brahms, and Bruckner, as well as familiar spirituals like “I’ll Fly Away.”

UE music students Hannah Hunt and Darwi Sandleben will be featured as soloist, and Kristin Jones will accompany the choirs.

The concert is free and open to the public.

For complete program information, visit the music department concert calendar.

University Orchestra and Wind Ensemble Concert planned for February 26

Posted: February 25, 2019

The University of Evansville’s University Symphony Orchestra and University Wind Ensemble will give a combined concert at the Preston Arts Center in Henderson, Kentucky, on Tuesday, February 26 at 7:30 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.

The University Symphony Orchestra is under the direction of Chun-Ming Chen,
UE assistant professor of music and director of orchestral activities. The University Wind Ensemble is under the direction of Kenneth Steinsultz, UE associate professor of music and director of bands.

The Wind Ensemble will open the program with works by Karl King, Clifton Williams, Gustav Holst, and David Gillingham. The orchestra will close program with selections by Marcus Maroney, Gustav Mahler, and Georges Bizet. Adam Smith, the 2018 Vukovich Concerto Competition Winner, will perform with the orchestra in Bizet’s Carmen Suite. 

For more information, call 812-488-2754.

UE Music Department to Present Lecture and Recital on Diversity and Musical Performance

Posted: February 20, 2019

The University of Evansville’s Department of Music is planning a lecture and recital on diversity and musical performance at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, February 28, in Wheeler Concert Hall in the Krannert Hall of Art and Music on UE's campus.

Douglas Shadle, assistant professor of musicality at Vanderbilt University will present the lecture, titled “Finding a Home on the Concert Stage.” A short recital will follow Shadle’s talk, featuring the works of Florence Price, a black female composer of the early 20th century.

Timothy Zifer to be invested as holder of UE’s Oramay Cluthe Eades Distinguished Professorship in Music

Posted: February 20, 2019

The University of Evansville’s William L. Ridgway College of Arts and Sciences Department of Music has announced the upcoming investiture of Timothy Zifer, DMA, as the holder of the University’s Oramay Cluthe Eades Distinguished Professorship in Music. The ceremony is planned for Saturday, March 2, at 1:30 p.m. in Neu Chapel.

The Oramay Cluthe Eades Distinguished Professorship in Music was established through a generous gift to UE from the Eades Foundation. Oramay Cluthe Eades and her husband, Alvin Q. Eades, were longtime supporters of the University of Evansville and benefactors of its Department of Music.

Cluthe Eades was a graduate of Combs Conservatory in Philadelphia with majors in harp and piano. She was the originator of the Cluthe School of Music in Cluthe Hall in 1924. The Cluthe School became affiliated with Evansville College in 1940. All advanced students matriculated into Evansville College and the young students remained at Cluthe Hall, which later became known as the EC Preparatory School of Music. The Cluthe School was donated to Evansville College by Cluthe Eades in 1942. The prep school moved onto campus in 1962 when Krannert Hall of Art and Music was completed.

Cluthe Eades presented a memo to the Evansville College Board of Trustees with the recommendation to create an Evansville School of Music. She offered to serve as director of the school free of charge for three years until the school was self-sufficient. Her reasoning for transitioning her private school into a civic one was that a civic school would be more permanent; it would gain the support of more people and make possible a larger, more complete school; and that by making the school known as a nonprofit educational institution, public-spirited citizens would make bequests to the school.

Cluthe Eades wanted the new school to have membership in the National Association of Schools of Music. The present faculty has been selected with that end in view and is acceptable to the National Association.

Zifer, a UE professor of music, earned his bachelor’s degree in music education from Ohio University, his master’s degree in trumpet performance from Louisiana State University, and his doctorate in trumpet performance with a minor in wind conducting from Louisiana State University.

Zifer teaches courses in applied trumpet, UE Jazz Ensembles, UE Trumpet Ensemble, jazz studies, and music management courses. He received the Dean’s Teaching Award in 2010. Zifer is the principal trumpet of the Evansville Philharmonic Orchestra and is an active soloist and recitalist. He also serves as the principal trumpet and founding member of the Shepard Brass (UE faculty brass quintet). Most recently, Zifer recorded Robert Russell Bennett’s Rose Variations with the UE Wind Ensemble on their CD recording project.

Prior to taking over the jazz studies program, Zifer served as director of bands (1996-2008). During this time the University of Evansville wind ensemble toured over 20 states and appeared at the 2001 International Trumpet Guild Conference, competed in the 2002 International Hawaiian Music Festival, and performed at the 2006 and 2008 Indiana Music Educators Association conventions.

The UE Jazz Ensemble I has performed and competed at the prestigious Elmhurst College Jazz Festival from 2008 to the present, having received two honorable mentions, outstanding soloist award, and recognition for an original composition by a student. The UE Jazz Ensemble I has hosted numerous internationally acclaimed musicians during the past few years, including trumpeters Doc Severinsen and Allen Vizzutti, vocalists Diane Schuur and The New York Voices, and drummer Max Weinberg. The UE Jazz Ensemble also hosts an annual Jazz Band Invitational bringing in over 13 high school and college jazz bands from across the tri-state area.

The UE Trumpet Ensemble has performed at the 2001 and 2004 International Trumpet Guild Conferences, the 2011 University of Kentucky TrumpetFest, and the 2015 Orvieto TrumpetFest in Orvieto Italy. In 2001, Zifer served as the conference host for the International Trumpet Guild Conference on the campus of UE. The conference brought in over 800 attendees from around the world and featured recitals, lectures, exhibits, and clinics by some of the world’s leading trumpet professionals.

UE Faculty Recital: Britton, Gan, Keenan, and Ungar

Posted: February 12, 2019

On Tuesday, February 12, at 7:30 p.m. in Wheeler Concert Hall on the University of Evansville campus, UE music faculty Emily Britton (horn), Jia-Rong Gan (violin), Alanna Keenan (soprano), and Garnet Ungar (piano) will present a joint faculty recital.

Their program will feature works by Schubert, Gounod, Debussy, and Brahms. The recital is free and open to the public.

For full program information, visit the music department concert calendar.

Jazz pianist Stephanie Trick featured in Guest Artist Series

Posted: February 11, 2019

Pianist Stephanie Trick, internationally-recognized master of traditional jazz piano styles, will be featured in the next Jazz Guest Artist Series concert. Co-sponsored by the University of Evansville Department of Music and the Evansville Jazz Society, the concert will take place in Wheeler Concert Hall on Sunday, February 17, at 4:00 p.m.

Trick is widely recognized as today’s most outstanding proponent of the jazz piano styles known as Harlem stride and boogie-woogie. A classically trained pianist, she discovered piano jazz while still in high school. Trick has thoroughly incorporated the swinging piano styles of James P. Johnson, Willie “The Lion” Smith, Fats Waller and Meade Lux Lewis.

Trick has performed throughout the USA and Europe, and her exciting performances entertain and engage her audiences with prodigious and amazingly accurate technique.

Trick has recorded seven albums and one DVD. Her “Live” CD was awarded the “New Talent Prize of 2011” by the Hot Club of France.

Admission to the concert is $15 for adults, $10 for Jazz Society members and $5 for students with I.D. Tickets can be obtained by contacting the UE Department of Music at 812-488-2754, or at the door.

For more information, contact Edwin Lacy at 812-488-2227 or EL2@36837a.com.

James Sullivan to speak at February Andiron Lecture

Posted: February 5, 2019

James Sullivan, University of Evansville assistant professor of music theory and double bass, will be the speaker for the Andiron Lecture on Wednesday, February 6, in Eykamp Hall, Room 252, Ridgway University Center. The lecture starts at 4:00 p.m. Sullivan's topic will be "Composing Queer Music: Samuel Barber's Despite and Still."

In addition to the lecture, there will be an evening recital of works discussed in the lecture at 7:30 p.m. in Wheeler Concert Hall, Krannert Hall of Art and Music. The recital will feature guest tenor Matthew Valverde (Adams State University), guest pianist Allan Armstrong (Indiana University, Bloomington), and UE voice faculty Alanna Keenan.

Sullivan earned a PhD in music theory and a DMA and MM in double bass performance from the Eastman School of Music, as well as a BM in double bass performance and a BS in mathematics from Indiana University. Sullivan presents regularly at conferences, including those of the Society for Music Theory, the Society for Music Perception and Cognition, Music Theory Midwest, and the International Society of Bassists. His research focuses on rhythm and meter perception in post-tonal music.

Sullivan’s Andiron Lecture brings together his interest in rhythm and meter with secondary interests in the music of Samuel Barber, queer music theory, and performance and analysis. What does it mean to compose queer music? Can a piece of music sound gay? In what ways does a composer’s, listener’s, or performer’s sexuality influence the way one composes, listens to, or makes music? This talk will survey some answers to these questions from the fields of musicology and music theory and will show, as a case study, the impact that Samuel Barber’s sexuality had on the composition of his late song cycle, Despite and Still. 

For more information, call Annette Parks at 812-488-1070 or the William L. Ridgway College of Arts and Sciences at 812-488-2589.

UE music management students attend Winter NAMM Show

Posted: February 5, 2019

University of Evansville music management students Peter Blok, Justin Morrison, and Michelle Nuti attended the 2019 Winter NAMM Show in Anaheim, California, on January 24-27 with their faculty advisor, professor of music Timothy Zifer.

The students had the opportunity to visit over 1,000 exhibits of music products from around the world, and attend informative music business sessions as well music performances.

UEMMA (University of Evansville Music Management Association) raised money for the trip through a fundraiser, applying to SFB, and receiving assistance from FUEM (Friends of UE Music).

UE Plans Annual Holiday Pops Concert for December 4

Posted: November 30, 2018

The Department of Music at the University of Evansville will present its annual Holiday Pops concert on Tuesday, December 4, at 7:30 p.m. at the Victory Theatre in Evansville, Indiana. The event, which will feature performances by UE students, faculty, soloists, and ensembles, is free and open to the public.

This year’s concert includes performances by the University Orchestra, Choirs, Wind Ensemble, and University Band, as well as some special guests and surprises. Holiday favorites will be performed, including Winter Wonderland, Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day, The Night Before Christmas, and Sleigh Ride, and the audience will be invited to join in on the traditional sing-a-long.

For more information, contact the UE Department of Music at 812-488-2754

Basically Basie Concert

Posted: November 19, 2018

The UE Jazz Ensemble I will present the concert, Basically Basie, on Tuesday, November 27 at 7:30 p.m. in Wheeler Concert Hall on the University of Evansville campus The concert is free and open to the public and will feature music solely from the Basie library. Tickets are available for both preferred seating and a post-concert reception. The fee to attend the reception is $25.

Contact the University of Evansville's Department of Music office at 812-488-2754 or at www.uealumnionline.com/basie for more information.

All proceeds benefit the UE Department of Music.

Zifer guest conducts All Region Honor Band

Posted: November 14, 2018

University of  Evansville professor of music Timothy J. Zifer guest conducted the Indiana Band Masters Association All Region Honor Band in Spencer, Indiana, this past weekend. 

The band was made up of 100 students from 12 different school districts. The students had rehearsals and sectionals all day Saturday. A Sunday rehearsal followed by a concert.

Zifer had the opportunity to interact with students, parents, and regional music educators during the event.

Chen appears as guest conductor for Indiana ASTA

Posted: November 12, 2018

University of Evansville music professor Chun-Ming Chen was invited to guest conduct the Indiana American String Teacher’s Association Central All-Region Honor Orchestra on November 3 at Hamilton Southeast High School.

Strandberg presents at conference

Posted: November 6, 2018

Kristen Strandberg, Univeersity of Evansville assistant professor of music history, presented at the Nineteenth-Century French Studies conference in Los Angeles on October 26.

Her presentation, “’Pour le plaisir des yeux’: Musical Celebrity as a Visual Phenomenon in Nineteenth-Century France,” discussed how critics and audiences often focused more on the visual aspects of musical performance than the aural.

Steinsultz serves as guest conductor

Posted: November 6, 2018

University of Evansville music professor Kenneth Steinsultz served as guest conductor for the Middle Level Band Festival at St. Norbert College recently. The event included talented musicians in grades 7-9 from Wisconsin and Michigan.

Hampton wins 3rd place in flute competition

Posted: October 26, 2018

Leanne Hampton, University of Evansville instructor of flute, was awarded third prize in the Colorado Flute Association’s 2018 Young Artist Competition. Her program included works by C.P.E. Bach, Sigfrid Karg-Elert, Paul Taffanel, and Valerie Coleman.

UE Opera presents "Coffee Cantata" and "Riders to the Sea"

Posted: October 11, 2018

The Schmidt Opera Series at the University of Evansville returns Friday, October 12 and Saturday, October 13 at 7:30 p.m., in Wheeler Concert Hall with a double bill of Bach and Vaughan Williams.

In Bach's Coffee Cantata, we have a comic telling of a father struggling to get his daughter to give up her coffee habit. The mood shifts drastically with the second opera, Vaughan Williams' Riders to the Sea. This tragic opera, based on the play by J.M. Synge, tells of an Irish mother whose last remaining son is determined to go to sea despite her pleadings for him to stay at home.

Tickets for the opera are $10.

UE Shepard Brass performs at Moores Hill

Posted: September 27, 2018

The UE Shepard Brass performed in Carnegie Hall in Moores Hill, Indiana, on Saturday, September 22 for Moores Hill’s Bicentennial Celebration. UE was invited to participate in the celebration because of the University's connection to the town. Moores Hill College was moved to Evansville in 1919 and became Evansville College, and then later was renamed the University of Evansville.. 

Members of Shepard Brass include Timothy Zifer, Kevin Wilson, Emily Britton, Kenneth Steinsultz, Joshua Britton, and Ross Erickson.

Azarian publishes research paper

Posted: July 10, 2018

Mohammad K. Azarian, University of Evansville professor of mathematics,  published a paper entitled, Risala al-watar wa'l jaib ("The Treatise on the Chord and Sine")-Revisited, in Forum Geometricorum.

The purpose of this paper was three-fold. First, Azarian used Jamshid al-Kashi's [Kashani's] famous cubic equation and a mathematica program to calculate sine of one degree to over 11,200,000 decimal digits of accuracy; an amazing improvement over the 17 digits of accuracy that Kashani found by pencil and paper in 1426. Then, Azarian conjectured that Kashani's cubic equation can be used to calculate sine of one degree to any desired accuracy. Second, Azarian set the record straight about the number of correct digits obtained by Kashani that were reported in many previous studies. Third, Azarian commented on some statements that he made in his previous paper on this topic.

UE graduate Bryan Sherlock appointed Marine Band assistant director

Posted: June 21, 2018

UE graduate Bryan Sherlock, a chief warrant officer 3 and former fleet Marine Corps band officer, has been promoted to captain as he becomes the first Marine Band assistant director to be appointed from the officer corps of the Fleet Marine Force.

Sherlock earned a bachelor’s degree in music education from UE in 1991. In 1995 he earned a master’s degree in trombone performance from Butler University in Indianapolis and served as principal trombone in the Lafayette Symphony Orchestra while also performing in other orchestras and brass quintets.

He enlisted in the Marine Corps in November 1996 and graduated from Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego as the Company Honor Graduate in 1998. Throughout his career he continued to flourish at the Armed Forces School of Music in Little Creek, Va., and as part of leadership in several field bands and at The Basic School for Marine Officers in Quantico, Va.

As assistant director, Sherlock’s responsibilities include conducting the Marine Band and Marine Chamber Orchestra in their winter/spring concert series and summer concerts on the National Mall as well as at ceremonies in the national capital region and at the White House.

Additionally, he serves as a supervisor for the acclaimed fall and winter Chamber Music Series, which features the virtuoso musicians of “The President’s Own,” as well as all pre-concert music.

UE Music Students Win Service and Presser Awards

Posted: April 27, 2018

Rico Martinez is this year's winner of the Music Service Award, and Bailee Bostic is this year's winner of the Presser Award. Martinez is a sophomore majoring in music education at the University of Evansville, and Bostic is a junior majoring in music therapy at UE.

The Music Service Award was established by a supporter of our department in 2014, and is designed to recognize and provide a financial award to a student who has participated in at least three ensembles each semester during an academic year, who has exhibited a positive attitude, and who has been inspiring to others. The student selected for this award must demonstrate dedication, consistent motivation, a high standard of performance and a positive attitude. 

The Presser Foundation was formally established in 1939 under various deeds of trust of the late Theodore Presser, who was a respected music teacher and publisher. In the charter of incorporation, The Foundation’s purposes are set forth to promote primarily the cause of musical education and musical philanthropy as follows: to provide scholarships for promising students; to increase the value of music education by erecting suitable buildings; and to administer aid to worthy teachers of music in distress.

The student is selected by a vote of the faculty of the department. The winner of the award is selected based on the following requirements:

The award is intended to be a prestigious one recognizing excellence. The student selected should be identified by the music faculty with the choice of the recipient guided solely by consideration of excellence and merit.

The winner receives a scholarship from the Presser Foundation, and is designated as the Music Department’s Presser Scholar for the coming year.

Sullivan Presents at Song Cycles Conference

Posted: April 23, 2018

University of Evansville music professor James Sullivan recently made a presentation at the 20th- and 21st-Century Song Cycles for Voice and Piano Conference at Michigan State University.

His presentation "The Queer Context and Composition of Samuel Barber's 'Despite and Still'" discusses the impact that particularities of Barber's relationship with Gian Carlo Menotti had on Barber's choice of texts for the cycle, as well as his musical setting of them.

University of Evansville Orchestra to Present Faculty Soloists

Posted: March 21, 2018

The University of Evansville Orchestra will present an all-Beethoven concert on Tuesday, April 3, at 7:30 pm. The concert will be held at Victory Theatre, located at 600 Main St, Evansville, Indiana. The concert is free and open to the public.

UE faculty soloists Robert Anemone, violin, Kirsten Jermé, cello, and Garnet Ungar, piano, will join the orchestra in the rarely-heard Triple Concerto, following a performance of the Coriolan Overture. The concert will be conducted by UE assistant professor/director of orchestral activities Chun-Ming Chen.

Following the concert, the orchestra will embark on a four-concert tour of high schools in Tennessee.

For more information, please call 812-488-2881 or e-mail cc319@36837a.com.

Malfatti publishes Handel article

Posted: March 5, 2018

Associate professor of music and director of choral activities Dennis Malfatti’s article on Handel’s Saul is the featured cover article for the April 2018 edition of the Choral Journal.

The Choral Journal goes to all members of the American Choral Directors Association, which has about 22,000 members.

Logan Tsuji wins festival award

Posted: February 28, 2018

Logan Tsuji, junior trumpet performance major, won an Outstanding Soloist Award at the 51st Annual Elmhurst College Jazz Festival on Saturday, February 24.

Tsuji's solo work on Duke Ellington's Concerto for Cootie won accolades from the judges at the festival. UE Jazz Ensemble I attended the long running festival and performed several works by noted jazz composers and arrangers.

Ungar and Wright Piano Duo Recital

Posted: February 12, 2018

UE music professor Garnet Ungar and guest artist Roger Wright will give a recital of piano duos on Tuesday, February 13 at 7:30 p.m. in Wheeler Concert Hall. The program will feature works by Bach, Mozart, Schubert, and Rachmaninoff. The concert is free and open to the public.

For complete program information and more information about the guest artist, visit the music department concert calendar.

Ungar nominated for book award

Posted: February 5, 2018

University of Evansville professor of music Garnet Ungar's book Inner Voices has been nominated for the 2018 Association for Recorded Sound Collections Awards for Excellence in Historical Recorded Sound Research.

Strandberg publishes essay

Posted: January 31, 2018

Assistant professor of music history Kristen Strandberg contributed an essay to conference proceedings recently published by the National Chopin Institute in Warsaw, Poland. The volume’s essays demonstrate the ways in which vocal music influenced instrumental music in the nineteenth century. Strandberg’s essay is titled “The ‘Singing’ Violinist as Artistic Genius in Nineteenth-Century France.

Teichmer invited to be East Central Division MTNA adjudicator

Posted: January 8, 2018

University of Evansville assistant professor of music Shawn Teichmer was invited to adjudicate the East Central Division Wind Competitions for the Music Teachers National Association.

He judged Chamber Winds, Senior Winds, and the Young Artist Wind Competition at the event, which was held at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign on January 8.

UE Holiday Pops Concerts Planned in Both Evansville and Henderson this Year

Posted: November 20, 2017

The University of Evansville Department of Music invites the public to ring in the holiday season at the annual Holiday Pops Concert. For nearly four decades, students, faculty, and soloists have shared their talent and celebrated the spirit of the season with music. This year - for the first time - the concert will be presented both in Evansville and in Henderson, Kentucky. Both presentations are free and open to the public.

The Evansville concert will be at the Victory Theatre downtown, at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, December 5. This presentation is made possible through the generosity of Mesker Music Trust by Fifth Third Bank, trustee. The Henderson concert will be at the Preston Arts Center at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, December 6. This presentation is part of a budding partnership with the center.

UE’s music programs also have the support of the Friends of UE Music.

UE’s choirs, Wind Ensemble, Symphony Orchestra, and University Band are among the ensembles audiences can expect to enjoy at this year’s event, along with an added touch of community spirit. The featured guest for the concert is Evansville’s own Gina Moore.

A graduate of Central High School, Moore has appeared frequently as a soloist around the Tristate. She began singing with her church choir in the late 1970s. Since then she has made numerous appearances, both as a soloist and with her sister Joan as a member of The Browne Sisters, with ensembles ranging from choirs to the Evansville Philharmonic Orchestra.

Moore will sing a number of holiday favorites, including Sweet Little Jesus Boy, Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, and The Christmas Song. Each of UE’s student music ensembles will also perform during the evening. Orchestra selections include variations on Joy to the World, the University Choir will perform Amazing Grace, featuring Moore as soloist, and the Wind Ensemble will share their rendition of the Leroy Anderson’s classic Sleigh Ride.

The concert concludes with all of the department’s ensembles joining on-stage for an audience sing-a-long, and likely a visit from a right jolly old elf!

The Department is pleased to partner with the Tri-State Food Bank and Christian Charities Food Bank for this year’s event. Tickets are free, but attendees are encouraged to bring a donation of canned food, which the food banks will share with those in need.

For more information about the UE Department of Music, please visit music.36837a.com.

Strandberg presents at Francophone Music Criticism Conference

Posted: November 7, 2017

Assistant professor of music history Kristen Strandberg will travel to Rochester, New York, to present at the conference of the international Francophone Music Criticism Network.

Her paper discusses nineteenth-century French music critics’ belief that altruism and charitable giving were essential components of the true musical/artistic genius.

UE Trumpet Ensemble travels to Iowa State

Posted: November 2, 2017

Jim Bovinett, professor of trumpet, will be hosting the Trumpet Summit on the campus of Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa, on Saturday, November 4. The University of Evansville Trumpet Ensemble has been invited to be guest performers and participants at the event. Timothy Zifer, UE professor of music, will direct the trumpet ensemble, serve as a guest clinician, and also perform on the faculty recital.

UE instructor Leanne Hampton presents masterclass and workshop in Denver

Posted: October 23, 2017

Leanne Hampton, University of Evansville instructor of flute, presented a masterclass and workshop for the flute studio of Colleen White at Metropolitan State University in Denver, Colorado.

UE professor Garnet Ungar presents book launch in New York City

Posted: October 23, 2017

University of Evansville associate professor of music Garnet Ungar, who recently co-wrote an autobiography of his teacher, revered pianist Abbey Simon, presented a book launch and signing at Yamaha Artists Services Salon in New York City on October 20. The book is available for purchase on Amazon by searching Abbey Simon Inner Voices.

Teichmer to perform at Oakland University

Posted: October 4, 2017

University of Evansville saxophone professor Shawn Teichmer will travel to Rochester, Michigan, the week of October 2-7 to give a recital at Oakland University

Dallinger serves as clinician at MTSA

Posted: September 20, 2017

University of Evansville violin professor Carol Dallinger recently served as guest clinician at the 10th Annual Violin Workshop of the Middle Tennessee Suzuki Association, in Nashville..

UE professor emeritus Ed Lacy named Jazz Musician of Year

Posted: September 11, 2017

University of Evansville professor emeritus Ed Lacy has been chosen as the Kenny Kent Lexus Jazz Musician of the Year. He will be presented with an award onstage on Saturday, September 16 at the Lexus Jazz & Wine Festival in downtown Evansville.

IMEA Symposium at UE on August 31

Posted: August 30, 2017

The Indiana Music Education Association (IMEA) will be hosting the Southern Indiana Symposium & Clinic, a full-bodied professional development event for educators, at the University of Evansville on Thursday, August 31. It will offer sessions for all levels of music educators in band, orchestra, choral, and general music.

Featured sessions include “Bring Your Men”, a choral/vocal workshop bringing middle school and high school male choral singers to campus to work with Dan Anderson of Anderson University and author of choral methods published by Hal Leonard. Additional clinicians leading sessions for choral educators are Angela Hampton and David Stone.

Joani Brandon, music education faculty member at Anderson University, will be leading general music sessions including Folk Songs and Dances from around the World, First Steps of Music and Music Activities for Early Elementary, Exploring Conversational Solfege and Songs and Games for Music Literacy, Drumming in the Classroom-Activities that Work!, and Circle the State with Song Reading Session/working with Elementary School aged voices.

Instrumental music sessions for band feature masterclasses by University of Evansville faculty on woodwind, brass and percussion instruments. Orchestra sessions include: Setting up Instruments for Success, Emergency Repair Strategies, What to do When: Before the Method Book, Athletes with Instruments- Movement in String Playing, Being Resourceful: Pedagogy from the Best in the Field.

Featured clinicians for the orchestra sessions are Sheryl Schuster, fine arts specialist, orchestra, coordinator, The Spark Project and director, EVSC Middle and High School Honors Orchestra, Carol Dallinger, professor of violin/viola at the University of Evansville, coordinator, UE Suzuki Violin Program and violin teacher trainer for the Suzuki Association of the Americas, and John Rihani, string specialist at Paige’s Music, Indianapolis.

The Symposium will take place in the Krannert Fine Arts Building beginning with registration at 8:00 a.m. and concluding at 4:00 p.m. This event is open to both IMEA members as well as non-members. For more information go to: music.36837a.com.

Von Der Heide, '15, accepts position with national symphony

Posted: August 15, 2017

UE graduate Katy Von Der Heide has accepted a position as Production Coordinator with the National Symphony Orchestra in Washington, DC. She will be part of a team that works on production for NSO concerts, especially the Pops and NSO: Declassified series

Her duties will include advancing technical riders, serving as a liaison with guest artists and managers, working backstage, training an NSO Operations Intern, and assisting with televised concert broadcasts at the Capitol.

Previously Von Der Heide was assistant production manager with the Sarasota Orchestra.

She graduated from UE in 2015 with a degree in music management.

UE’s Department of Music Receives Accreditation Renewal from NASM

Posted: July 14, 2017

The Department of Music at the University of Evansville was recently granted renewed accreditation by the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM). UE’s music department has been accredited since 1948.

Founded in 1924, NASM is an organization of schools, conservatories, colleges, and universities with approximately 650 accredited institutional members. It establishes national standards for undergraduate and graduate degrees and other credentials for music and music-related disciplines. It provides assistance to institutions and individuals engaged in artistic, scholarly, educational, and other music-related endeavors.

Accreditation by NASM is the result of a comprehensive review process. The institution must meet specific standards in a variety of areas, including degree programs offered, general operations, and facilities. An intense self-study by UE’s music department was submitted to NASM in January 2015. UE then hosted a site visit with NASM in March of that year.

“Accreditation by NASM is a significant achievement for our department,” said Thomas Josenhans, UE music department chair. “It is a testament to the excellence of the programs and level of professional experiences and development that we provide for our students.”

Josenhans noted that UE has five degrees that are accredited by NASM - Bachelor of Science in Music, Bachelor of Science in Music with an emphasis in Music Management, Bachelor of Music in Music Therapy, and Bachelor of Music in Performance.

“NASM’s renewal of the University’s membership is an external validation of the quality of the faculty, students, and programs provided by our Department of Music,” UE president Thomas A. Kazee said. “It shows their continuing success in creating life-transforming experiences for our students.”

Professor Mary Ellen Wylie Named Outstanding Teacher of the Year at UE Commencement

Posted: May 6, 2017

Mary Ellen Wylie, professor of music at the University of Evansville, was named the 2017 Outstanding Teacher at the University during today’s UE’s 159th Commencement exercises.

UE alumni value the exceptional education they received here. To encourage continued excellence, the Alumni Association sponsors this award honoring distinguished service in teaching.

Wylie came to UE in 1991. She earned her undergraduate degree in music education from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and her advanced degrees from the University of Kansas. 

She is an experienced music therapist having worked with children with severe developmental delays and multiple handicaps, adults with mental handicaps, the elderly and terminally ill, and patients with cancer.

Wylie is past president of the American Music Therapy Association and has served a number of years on the board of directors and executive committee of that organization. In March 2010 she was awarded the Honorary Life Member award from the region for distinguished contributions made over the years.

She has given numerous presentations locally, as well as at national, regional, and state music therapy conferences. She has been published in the Journal of Music Therapy and Music Therapy Perspectives.

As director of UE’s music therapy program, Wylie teaches courses in music therapy, supervises music therapy practica, and coordinates internships.

A record number of nominations for this year’s award were submitted for Wylie, not only from students, but also from alumni and fellow faculty members.  

UE choir program receives national distinction

Posted: April 24, 2017

The American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) chose the University of Evansville to represent the state of Indiana in the National Collegiate Honor Choir which took place last month in Minneapolis, Minnesota, as part of the 2017 American Choral Directors Association National Conference.

The ACDA National Collegiate Choir featured one quartet from each of the 50 states for a total of 200 singers.

Dennis Malfatti, director of choral activities, was asked by ACDA to prepare and bring four singers from UE for this event.

Senior vocal performance and music therapy major Rebecca Laskey, senior music therapy major Cynthia White, junior vocal performance major Adam Smith, and freshman music education major Griffin Devoy were selected as the quartet to represent UE and the state of Indiana as a whole.

The students were rehearsed and prepared by Malfatti in the weeks leading up to their trip to Minneapolis.

Even though only four students from each state could attend, this distinction was the result of recent achievements by all the members of UE’s choral program and the increasing recognition of UE’s choral program from ACDA, the nation’s largest and primary professional organization for choral music.

UE Students Perform with Jazz Legend Doc Severinsen In Front of Packed House

Posted: April 5, 2017

“Before I begin, let me ask the ladies…how do you like the outfit?”

Donning a bright pink suit true to his signature style, former leader of The Tonight Show Band Doc Severinsen took the stage with students in the University of Evansville Jazz Ensemble I to play to a packed Victory Theatre Tuesday night.

The event was part of UE’s Patricia H. Snyder Concert and Lecture Series, which brings renowned acts or speakers to Evansville at no cost to the public.

Selections included Max Anderson’s September Song, Hoagy Carmichael’s Georgia, a big band arrangement of Soundgarden’s Black Hole Sun, and a Tonight Show Band’s rendition of a Count Basie favorite, 12 O’clock Jump.

After a difficult arrangement of A Night in Tunisia, Severinsen motioned toward the ensemble and asked for applause for the “brilliant work from all the folks in the back.”

“The students should be given a lot of credit,” said Timothy Zifer, UE professor and band leader for the jazz ensemble. I am fortunate to have such good, dedicated young people in the band.”

There are six freshmen, nine sophomores, and three seniors in the UE Jazz Ensemble I.

“Playing with Doc was an absolute dream come true,” said Griffin Honeycutt, saxophone player and music education major. “I’m still in shock that I got to play and even solo with such a living legend in the jazz world. It’s a performance that I will never forget.” 

This wasn’t the first time the jazz legend has played in Evansville. In 1945, Severinsen played at Club Trocadero, a recollection that sparked grand applause from the audience. He was also involved in promotions for Sterling Beer—what he called the “worst beer ever invented!”

As part of the Patricia H. Snyder Concert and Lecture Series, jazz legend Doc Severinsen and the UE Jazz Ensemble played to a packed Victory Theatre on Tuesday, April 4.

Doc exchanged his vibrant pink jacket for a bedazzled purple shirt, a gift from the trumpet section of the UE Jazz Ensemble.

Following the concert, Doc Severinsen answered questions from the audience, moderated by Tim Zifer, director of the UE Jazz Ensemble I. “Doc said during his interview that if you work really hard you can make your dreams come true.  Well... mine did!  I never thought when I saw Doc perform live 33 years ago in Portland, Oregon, that I would one day get to host him with the band I direct.”

Doc Severinsen poses with Melanie Baker, pianist in the UE Jazz Ensemble I, during his CD signing following the event. Melanie was one of 18 UE students who performed with the jazz legend. “Doc Severinsen is a showman, comedian, good person and above all, an inspiration. He told us during the show that he believes hope, dreams and the desire to play are the key to a long and fulfilling life as a musician.”

Rite of Spring to honor UE faculty

Posted: March 14, 2017

Three University of Evansville Department of Music faculty members will be celebrated at the Friends of UE Music’s annual Rite of Spring Gala this year. Renato Butturi, John Jordan, and Edwin Lacy will be honored for over a century of teaching excellence at UE.

Three University of Evansville Department of Music faculty members will be celebrated at the Friends of UE Music’s annual Rite of Spring Gala this year. Renato Butturi, John Jordan, and Edwin Lacy will be honored for over a century of teaching excellence at UE.

Tickets are $65 per person and are available now. For tickets or more information and to register on-line at wzka.36837a.com/RiteOfSpring/ or call 812-488-2754.

Steinsultz conducts High Plains Festival Band

Posted: February 10, 2017

UE director of bands Kenneth Steinsultz was conductor of the High Plains Festival Honor Band at Chadron State College in Chadron, Nebraska, on February 6-7. The band was selected by audition of students from high schools in Nebraska, Wyoming, and South Dakota.

Performance psychologist Noa Kageyama to present workshop

Posted: October 12, 2016

Special guest performance psychologist Noa Kageyama will be offering a series of clinics on Friday, October 14, in Wheeler Concert Hall. All sessions are free and open to the public.

Topics will include:

• 9:00 a.m. - Energy: How to beat performance anxiety and play your best when it counts
• 10:30 a.m. - Focus: How to quiet your inner critic and get into the zone
• 1:00 p.m. - Courage: How to get past your fears and doubts and perform fearlessly under pressure
• 2:30 p.m. - Preparation: Practice techniques to help you thrive under pressure

Students and community members are invited to attend these sessions and learn various techniques for utilizing sport psychology principles to perform up to their abilities under pressure.

Kageyama serves on the faculty of The Juilliard School and the New World Symphony. Also a conservatory-trained violinist with degrees from Juilliard and Oberlin, his understanding of performance pressure and excellence come from his own experiences on the concert stage from the age of two. Through 23 years of training, complete with television and radio appearances, solo performances with orchestra, and international competitions, he experienced first-hand the discipline, hard work, and perseverance it takes to reach an expert level of performance - as well as the frustration of performing poorly at the worst possible moments.

Kageyama's work has been featured in media outlets ranging from The Wall Street Journal to Lifehacker, and he has provided seminars for institutions and organizations such as the New England Conservatory, US Armed Forces School of Music, Perlman Music Program, Starling-Delay Symposium, Music Teachers' National Association, and the National Association for Teachers of Singing.

Reed appointed interim principal organist of Church of the Ascension

Posted: September 12, 2016

Douglas Reed, UE university organist emeritus and a professor of music emeritus, has been appointed interim principal organist of the Church of the Ascension, an Anglo-Catholic parish in Chicago. During the 2016 fall semester, Reed is visiting professor of music (organ) at the University of Notre Dame while organ professor Craig Cramer is on sabbatical.

Anne Hastings Fiedler and Eykamp String Quartet to be honored at Mayor's Arts Awards

Posted: August 18, 2016

Anne Hastings Fiedler, professor of music, and the Eykamp String Quartet, resident artists of the University of Evansville and the Evansville Philharmonic Orchestra, will be honored at the 2016 Mayor's Arts Awards Ceremony on Thursday, August 18, at the Victory Theatre.

The Arts Council of Southwest Indiana's annual Arts Awards honor individuals, groups, and institutions that have made significant contributions to the advancement of the arts in Evansville and the surrounding counties.

Fiedler will receive the Artist Award, and the Eykamp String Quartet will be recognized with the Ensemble Award.

Dailey wins NFA Piccolo competition

Posted: August 18, 2016

Consortium professor of flute Cara Dailey won first prize in the biennial Piccolo Artist Competition at the 2016 National Flute Association Convention in San Diego, California.

As a competitor, Dailey performed two recitals at the convention - first as one of six semifinalists, and then as one of three finalists. Each recital consisted of different repertoire, including works by Antonio Vivaldi and Robert Beaser, as well as Stephen Hough’s Paradise, a new work commissioned for the 2016 Piccolo Artist Competition.

The National Flute Association is the largest flute organization in the world, with 5,000 members from more than 50 countries.

Dailey has been a member of UE’s music faculty since 2013 and is also principal flutist with the Evansville Philharmonic Orchestra.

Dennis Malfatti and Choral Students Perform at Carnegie Hall

Posted: June 23, 2016

On June 5, Dennis Malfatti, associate professor of music and director of choral activities at the University of Evansville, conducted a concert at the historic Carnegie Hall in New York City, along with students from UE’s choral program.

The concert featured The New England Symphonic Ensemble (an east-coast based professional orchestra), and a chorus of over 120 voices in a program of choral-orchestral works by Mozart and Haydn. The chorus was made up of singers from several different choirs from Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Virginia.

Thirty students from the UE choral program made up the core of the 120 voices. The 30 singers from UE, representing the UE University Choir, the UE Mixed Choir, and the UE Women’s Chorus, began rehearsing in March for this rare opportunity

All the participating choirs, each of which learned the music for the program with their own directors, met in New York City two days prior to the concert for two combined rehearsals as well as a rehearsal with the orchestra all led by Malfatti.

Carnegie Hall is the most famous concert hall in the United States and one of the most famous halls in the world. Nearly every major classical music artist of repute from the last 100 plus years has performed there.

This recent performance was the second time Malfatti and students from the UE choral program have been invited to perform on the storied stage of Carnegie Hall, having performed a similar concert in 2011.

UE Trustee, Quartet, Professor and Friends Honored by Arts Council

Posted: June 16, 2016

Members of the University of Evansville community were among the recipients of this year’s Arts Council of Southwestern Indiana Awards. The awards were presented today at a ceremony at the Bower-Suhrheinrich Foundation Gallery at the Arts Council of Southwestern Indiana in Evansville.

Steve and Susan Worthington received the 2016 Mayor’s Arts Award given to recognize talent, hard work, and dedication to the arts over a lifetime of service in and around Evansville. Steve, a graduate of UE, and Susan belong to every organization at the University that supports the arts. They are members of the board of directors of these groups and give their time and energy to support events and initiatives developed by the organizations. Both have been recognized with awards from the University.

The Worthingtons are long time volunteers and patrons of Willard Library and the Evansville Museum. Steve is a member of the museum’s board of directors, and Susan is an active member of the Bethlehem United Church of Christ’s bell choir.

The winner of the Arts Council’s ensemble award was the Eykamp Quartet, a group supported by the Eykamp family, the Evansville Philharmonic, and UE. This resident quartet - comprising Robert Anemone. Alicia Choi, Rose Wollman and Kirsten Jermé - enriches the musical, cultural, and educational activities of the Evansville community.

The group is the resident quartet at UE, where they perform in the Tuesday Night Concert series and in special concerts. They work with the UE Symphony Orchestra, volunteer masterclasses for string majors, and adjudicate end-of-semester juries for students. The quartet serves as principal players in the Evansville Philharmonic’s string section, participates in Philharmonic education and outreach programs, and works with the Philharmonic Youth Orchestras.

Anne Hastings Fiedler, UE’s Oramay Cluthe Eades Distinguished Professor of Music and head of the keyboard area, received the Artist Award. Since her arrival at the University, Fiedler has been a major contributor to the Evansville musical community. She accompanies UE music faculty members when they give recitals in the community. She performs more each academic year than any other UE music professors, as so many ask her to be their accompanist at their solo recitals.

Fiedler, principal pianist for the Evansville Philharmonic Orchestra, was a finalist and prizewinner in the National Beethoven Piano Sonata Competition and has collaborated nationally with soloists and ensembles. She has been a featured soloist with the Evansville Philharmonic Orchestra, the Evansville Chamber Orchestra, and the UE Orchestra.

The recipient of the Arts Advocate Award was Robert Shetler, who has contributed much to the area’s artistic and cultural landscape. As owner of Shetler Moving and Storage, he has offered free transportation of UE Theatre’s sets, lights, and costumes, including the many times it has performed at the Kennedy Center’s regional and national festivals.

His moving company played an integral part in the opening of the Red Skelton Museum in Vincennes, Indiana, making many trips from Los Angeles to Vincennes with items for the museum. Shetler also serves as a member of the museum’s board of directors.

Shetler personally made arrangements for artifacts to be moved to the Evansville African American Museum, and as chairman of WNIN’s annual auction, his fleet of trucks and drivers picked up and delivered auction items. He supervised the move of the Children’s Museum of Evansville T-Rex from Indianapolis to Evansville, and moved the Evansville Philharmonic into their new offices. Recently Shetler coordinated the move of two large paintings and more than 300 pieces of eighteenth-century porcelain to the Reitz Home Museum.

UE Plans Annual Holiday Pops Concert

Posted: December 2, 2015

The Department of Music at the University of Evansville will present its annual Holiday Pops concert on Tuesday, December 8. The event begins at 7:30 p.m. in the Victory Theatre in downtown Evansville. This concert is free and open to the public.

The concert program will feature the University Choir, the Men’s and Women’s Choruses, the UE Symphony Orchestra, the UE Wind Ensemble, and the UE String Ensemble performing separately and in various combinations.

Director of Choral Activities Dennis Malfatti, Director of Orchestra Activities Jessica Morel, and Director of Bands Kenneth Steinsultz will lead the ensembles in a program of traditional and popular holiday favorites. Assistant Professor of Music Alana Keenan will sing during the event.

Schmidt Foundation Awards UE $60,000 for Opera Series

Posted: October 22, 2015

The University of Evansville has received a $60,000, three-year grant from the William E. Schmidt Foundation for the Schmidt Opera Series and Opera Outreach Program. The Schmidt Opera Series will expand to include two annual full-scale main stage productions, the use of an orchestra during the spring production, and an increased budget for costume, set design, and other technical elements.

Through the Schmidt Opera Outreach Program, UE’s Department of Music will be able to increase visibility for the Schmidt Opera Series through off-campus performances. UE plans to bring opera to students across the Tri-State area in their schools, the elderly in nursing homes, and in run-out performances in the Evansville community.

The University would like to thank the William E. Schmidt Foundation for their commitment to the arts, and the generosity of their grant. As one of only a handful of universities that offer an undergraduate opera theater program, UE is proud to be able to give students the opportunity to hone their craft while simultaneously bringing music and performance to the greater Evansville community.

“The University of Evansville Opera has benefited through the years from the generosity of the William E. Schmidt Foundation, and the growth of our program can be attributed to this support,” says Alanna Keenan, UE assistant professor of music. “The impact on our students will be tremendous as they will benefit from an expansion in repertoire, the opportunity to sing operatic roles with orchestra, and the possibility of receiving one-on-one coaching in performance.”

“We have a rich tradition of creating opera on campus,” Keenan says, “and this grant will positively impact our mission as we strive to bring opera into the Tri-State.”

UE Faculty, Student and Friends Honored by Arts Council

Posted: June 24, 2015

Let’s Create Orff Techniques for Music Education & Music Therapy

Posted: February 19, 2015

Presented by Karen Mercer, MS. Participants will learn how to orchestrate simple folk songs using Orff Instrumentarium.

March 21, 2015
8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
University of Evansville
Carson Center Small Gym

For more information, please visit our website.

UE Plans Annual Holiday Pops Concert for Tuesday, December 9

Posted: December 8, 2014

The Department of Music at the University of Evansville will present its annual Holiday Pops concert on Tuesday, December 9. The event begins at 7:30 p.m. in the Victory Theatre in downtown Evansville. This is the 35th year for the concert, which is free and open to the public.

The concert program will feature the University Choir, the Men’s and Women’s Choruses, the UE Symphony Orchestra, the UE Wind Ensemble, and the UE String Ensemble performing separately and in various combinations.

Director of Choral Activities Dennis Malfatti, Director of Orchestral Activities Brian St. John, and Director of Bands Kenneth Steinsultz will lead the ensembles in a program of traditional and popular holiday favorites. Associate Professor of Piano Garnet Ungar and Assistant Professor of Voice Eric McCluskey will also participate.

UE Eykamp Quartet-in-Residence to Perform on September 9

Posted: September 2, 2014

The University of Evansville's Eykamp Quartet-in-Residence will perform a recital with violist Atar Arad on Tuesday, September 9 at 7:30 pm in Wheeler Concert Hall. The Tuesday night program will feature a string quartet by Mozart, a string quartet by Arad, and the Dvorak Viola Quintet op. 97.

Arad was the violist of the Cleveland Quartet for seven years, taught at the Shepherd School at Rice University, and is currently professor of viola at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music.

In addition to a full teaching and performing schedule, Arad is a prolific composer, and has written a viola concerto, viola sonata, 12 viola caprices inspired by famous viola works, as well as numerous chamber pieces.

Auditions for Music Department Ensembles Planned

Posted: August 25, 2014

The Department of Music wants to let everyone know that auditions are being held this week for Department ensembles. Those interested can check bulletin boards in the north hall of Krannert Hall of Fine Arts for more details. Sign-up sheets for most ensembles are available on the respective bulletin boards. The ensembles are open to both music majors and non-majors.

 

UE Jazz Ensemble Auditions will be held on Wednesday evening, August 27, from 7:00 to 9:30 p.m. Auditions will consist of major scales (drums will play styles), audition excerpts, and sight reading.

Audition excerpts are available at
http://wzka.36837a.com/majors/music/ensIntro.cfm.

The audition sign-up sheet will be available on Dr. Timothy Zifer's office door (FA 144).

Contact Dr. Zifer at tz3@36837a.com for more information.

Support the Alzheimer's Assocation through Music at UE’s The Longest Day

Posted: May 20, 2014

Support the Alzheimer's Association® through music at The Longest Day,® Saturday, June 21, in Krannert Hall of Fine Arts at the University of Evansville. This special event, hosted by UE’s Music Therapy program, starts at 7:00 a.m. and ends at 10:00 p.m. Participants can enjoy a full day of music activities or just spend part of their day at the event.

The day starts with coffee and a social hour, followed by music activities, including drum circles, Karaoke, musical bingo, pick-up band and choir. The festivities conclude with an open mic night. All ages are welcome!

The activities are free and open to the public. Donations to the Alzheimer’s Association will be accepted at the event.

For more information, contact Kathy Murphy at 812-488-2880 or km301@36837a.com.

To register for the event or to see a schedule of the day’s activities, go to: http://wzka.36837a.com/thelongestday

UE Announces Summer Music Camp

Posted: May 15, 2014

The University of Evansville Department of Music has announced the dates for the 4th annual Wesley Shepard Summer Music Camp. The camp will be held on the UE campus from June 22-28 and will include both band and orchestra divisions. It is open to any middle or high school student who has completed at least one school year of either band or orchestra.

Students will have the opportunity to work with UE music faculty and other professional music educators from the Evansville area. The week will culminate with performances by the camp ensembles on the campus of the University of Evansville.

Aside from ensemble rehearsals, students will have the opportunity to study music theory in a small class setting. The students will also choose an elective from a list of options that include jazz band, chamber music, and conducting.

Day camp tuition ($195) includes lunch each day in the Ridgway Student Center, as well as recreation time using the UE recreation and athletic facilities. Overnight camp tuition ($450) will also include six nights stay in the dormitories and three meals per day, plus additional evening activities and guest performances.

To receive additional information please visit the Department of Music website and click the green Summer Music Camp link, or contact Dr. Brian St. John at bs191@36837a.com. 

Eykamp String Quartet to Feature Student Performers

Posted: April 7, 2014

The University of Evansville and Evansville Philharmonic Orchestra are excited to announce “Chamberpalooza!,” a concert featuring the winners of the first annual Eykamp String Quartet chamber music competition. The concert will include works by Mozart, Glazunov, Barber, Foote, and Schnittke, and is set for Thursday April 10, at 6:00 pm in Wheeler Concert Hall on the UE campus.

The program will also feature performances by the EPYO Mentorship Quintet, a chamber music group comprised of students from the youth orchestra and coached by the ESQ. Members of the 2013-14 Mentorship Quintet are Ian Sponseller and Meredith Walling, violins; Jimmy Schraeder, viola; and Adam Willett and Karin Roberts, cellos.

UE music majors and students from the Evansville Philharmonic Orchestra competed in the Eykamp String Quartet competition, playing a movement of chamber music with the Quartet. Out of the great number of impressive auditions, four student performers were chosen. This year’s EPYO winners were clarinetist Corinna Waggoner and flutist Ellen Backer. Winners from UE were pianist Josh Kight and baritone Ian Murrell.

The program will also feature performances by the EPYO Mentorship Quintet, a chamber music group comprised of students from the youth orchestra and coached by the ESQ. Members of the 2013-14 Mentorship Quintet are Ian Sponseller and Meredith Walling, violins; Jimmy Schraeder, viola; and Adam Willett and Karin Roberts, cellos.

UE music majors and students from the Evansville Philharmonic Orchestra competed in the Eykamp String Quartet competition, playing a movement of chamber music with the Quartet. Out of the great number of impressive auditions, four student performers were chosen. This year’s EPYO winners were clarinetist Corinna Waggoner and flutist Ellen Backer. Winners from UE were pianist Josh Kight and baritone Ian Murrell.

UE Department of Music Plans First Tuesday April Fool’s Day Concert

Posted: March 28, 2014

Celebrate April Fool's Day with the faculty of the University of Evansville Department of Music as they present a concert titled “A Musical Joke.” The concert will occur at 7:30 PM on Tuesday, April 1 in Wheeler Concert Hall and is free and open to the public.

The program will feature humorous works from the classical repertoire including Mozart’s “Musical Joke” for string quartet and 2 french horns, PDQ Bach’s “The Art of the Ground Round,” and “Sonata for Viola 4-hands and Harpsichord,” Jan Bach’s “2-Bit Contraptions,” “Isoldina,” by Clément Doucet, “Subadobe IV” by Fredrick Högberg, “Bach at the Double” by Teddy Bor, and “The King of Instruments” by William Albright.

Faculty members performing are William Bootz, Alicia Choi, Cara Dailey, Carol Dallinger, Anne Fiedler, Barbara Josenhans, Douglas Reed, Gregory Rike, Schuyler Slack, Kenneth Steinsultz, Jon Truitt, Jessica Tong, Garnet Ungar, Lee Veazey, Jennifer Wingert, Rose Wollman, and Marc Zyla.

Eykamp String Quartet to Collaborate with Guest Artists at UE

Posted: February 10, 2014

Two internationally acclaimed chamber musicians, violist James Dunham and cellist Michael Kannen, will collaborate with the University of Evansville’s resident faculty Eykamp String Quartet in an upcoming performance. The concert, featuring Arnold Schönberg’s chamber music masterpiece Verklärte Nacht, will take place in the University of Evansville’s Wheeler Concert Hall at 7:30 p.m. Sunday, February 16 and it is free and open to the public.

Violist James Dunham’s rich background includes having been founding member of the Naumburg Award-winning Sequoia String Quartet and violist of the Grammy Award-winning Cleveland Quartet. An impassioned advocate of new music, he has premiered and recorded several works written for him by American composer Libby Larsen. Dunham is currently professor of viola and chamber music at Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music, where he also co-directs its Master of Music in String Quartet program.

Cellist Michael Kannen was a founding member of Brentano String Quartet and is currently a member of the Apollo Trio. During his years with the Brentano Quartet, the group was awarded the first Cleveland Quartet Award, the Naumburg Chamber Music Award, and a Royal Philharmonic Award, and was the first participant in the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center II. Kannen is currently the director of chamber music at the Peabody Conservatory of Music, where he holds the Sidney Friedberg Chair in Chamber Music.??

Appearances by Dunham and Kannen are part of the UE Department of Music’s Friends Series and are made possible through the generosity of Friends of UE Music.

For more information, please contact the Department of Music at 812-488-2754.

UE Department of Music to Perform 34th Annual Holiday Pops Concert

Posted: December 4, 2013

The Department of Music at the University of Evansville will present its annual gift to the community – the Holiday Pops concert – next week. This festive celebration of the holiday season will begin at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, December 10 at the Victory Theatre in downtown Evansville. The 34th annual concert is free and open to the public.

Holiday Pops brings together UE ensembles and soloists to perform holiday music. The evening includes performances by the University’s choirs, orchestra, and wind, brass, and jazz ensembles.

This year’s program features students and faculty members performing sacred and secular musical selections, ranging from “Greensleeves” to “Sleigh Ride” to music from Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker ballet.

“Every year, it’s a joy to see talented students share their love of music with the Evansville community by performing in the Holiday Pops concert,” said Thomas Josenhans, chair of the Department of Music. “The collaborative efforts of UE students and faculty make this performance a local favorite every holiday season.”

For more information, please contact the Department of Music at 812-488-2754.

December’s First Tuesday Concert to Feature Renowned Trumpet Player Graham Breedlove with UE Jazz Ensemble

Posted: November 25, 2013

UE Students to Perform in Professional Opera Production

Posted: November 18, 2013

November’s First Tuesday Concert to Celebrate Composer Birthdays

Posted: October 31, 2013

The University of Evansville’s Department of Music will celebrate the birthdays of several prominent composers in next month’s installment of the First Tuesday Concert Series.

The concert, titled “Composer Birthdays,” will take place at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, November 5, in Wheeler Concert Hall. Like all events in the First Tuesday Concert Series, it is free and open to the public.

November’s First Tuesday concert celebrates the fall birthdays of composers such as Benjamin Britten, Giuseppe Verdi, and Richard Wagner with performances of arias, chamber music, and more by 13 UE faculty members.

The first half of the program features performances by the Harlaxton Woodwind Quintet and Shepard Brass Quintet. The second half includes selections from the operas Falstaff and La Traviata.

The First Tuesday Concert Series, in its sixth season, showcases the talent of the University of Evansville’s music faculty as they perform works from seldom-heard masterpieces to beloved standards. All concerts are free and open to the public and take place on UE’s campus.

For more information on this concert or events in the First Tuesday Concert Series, please contact the Department of Music at 812-488-2754. For a full list of upcoming events, please visit the department’s online concert calendar.

Faculty Recital to Feature Newly Discovered Piece of Organ Music

Posted: September 20, 2013

UE to Host International Day of Peace Concert

Posted: September 18, 2013

In observance of the United Nations’ International Day of Peace, the University of Evansville Department of Religious Life, International Club, Interfaith Council, and Neu Chapel Society will host a concert featuring a diverse group of local performers.

The International Day of Peace Concert will take place at 4 p.m. Sunday, September 22 in UE’s Neu Chapel. Admission is free, but donations of non-perishable food items are requested.

The concert will feature the Signature School String Orchestra, directed by Becky Simpkins; the North High School Choir, directed by Andrea Drury; the Joshua Academy Choir, directed by Monte Skelton; the First United Methodist Church Choir of Henderson, Kentucky, directed by Matthew Vanover; and University of Evansville music students and faculty.

Each year, the International Day of Peace is observed around the world on September 21. UE’s concert is scheduled on the following day, September 22, to maximize participation by the campus and broader community.

The United Nations General Assembly declared September 21 as a day devoted to strengthening the ideals of peace within and among all nations and people. The United Nations invites all to honor a cessation of hostilities during the day, and to commemorate the day through education and public awareness on issues related to peace. To inaugurate the day, the “Peace Bell” is rung at UN Headquarters in New York City.

UE Department of Music Announces 2013-14 First Tuesday Concert Series

Posted: August 22, 2013

The First Tuesday Concert Series, presented by the Department of Music at the University of Evansville, kicks off its sixth season on September 3.

The First Tuesday concerts, presented the first Tuesday of each month at 7:30 p.m., bring together the outstanding talent of the University’s music faculty to perform works from seldom-heard masterpieces to beloved standards. All concerts are free and open to the public and take place on UE’s campus (specific locations noted below).

The 2013-14 series begins September 3 with the annual Fall Faculty Gala in Wheeler Concert Hall, which includes the presentation of the annual Friends of UE Music Distinguished Service Award to the UE Music Therapy program.

The First Tuesday Concert Series continues with the following performances:

October 1: Eykamp String Quartet, Wheeler Concert Hall. UE’s quartet-in-residence performs works from Mendelssohn, Bartok, and Mozart.

November 5: Happy Birthday to…, Wheeler Concert Hall. This concert celebrates the birthdays of several prominent composers, including Giuseppe Verdi and Benjamin Britten, with performances of arias, chamber music, and more.

December 3: An Evening of Jazz, Wheeler Concert Hall. Jazz trumpet virtuoso Graham Breedlove, called “one of the most exciting trumpet players on the planet” by the International Trumpet Guild Journal, shares the stage with UE’s Jazz Ensemble I.

February 4: Mahler Songs, Wheeler Concert Hall. UE Department of Music faculty members perform Schoenberg’s chamber orchestra arrangement of Mahler’s Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen, one of the most influential vocal orchestral works of all time. 

March 4: University Choir and Symphony Orchestra, Neu Chapel. Two of UE’s premier student ensembles join forces for a performance of Haydn’s powerful Te Deum.

April 1: Musical Jokes, Wheeler Concert Hall. This April Fools’ Day-inspired celebration of humor in music features composers from Mozart to PDQ Bach, who have written music designed to make listeners laugh.

Members of UE Community Recognized for Excellence in the Arts

Posted: June 27, 2013

The University of Evansville had an excellent showing in this year’s Arts Awards, presented by the Arts Council of Southwestern Indiana. Faculty members and student performers in the Department of Music won two of the annual Arts Awards: Dennis Malfatti, associate professor of music and director of choral activities, was named Arts Educator of the Year, while UE Opera under the direction of Jon Truitt, associate professor of music, received the Ensemble of the Year Award. In addition, UE trustee Bob Jones and his wife, Lisa, were named Arts Advocates of the Year.

Arts Council leaders announced the honors June 27 at a news conference at the Bower-Suhrheinrich Foundation Gallery.

With at least two fully staged productions a year, UE Opera provides performing opportunities for music and non-music majors alike. In addition to performing, students learn the mechanics of staging and the sheer labor of putting together a full production. Some UE Opera alumni have gone on to prestigious graduate schools and successful careers, and the program has also created greater opportunities for Tri-State families to experience opera without the time and expense of traveling to major cities. 

Jon Truitt, himself an accomplished opera performer, directs the program and serves as head of the voice area at UE. “Teaching a full load of applied voice majors, he always has his students’ well-being at heart,” said Jack Schriber, chair of the Arts Awards committee, while announcing the award. “Exhibiting never-ending energy and optimism, he is demanding of his students, but always encouraging and patient.”

This fall, Truitt and the UE Opera will collaborate with the Evansville Philharmonic Orchestra in a fully staged production of Madame Butterfly. 

Under the direction of Dennis Malfatti, the Arts Educator of the Year, the choral program at UE has flourished. The University Choir is recognized as one of the outstanding choral groups in the state of Indiana, and in May 2011, Malfatti conducted the University Choir and choirs from Indiana, Kentucky, New York, and California for a performance of Haydn’s Paukenmesse at Carnegie Hall in New York City.

A recent graduate stated, “To say Dr. Malfatti made a significant positive impact on my undergraduate experience would be an understatement.  I have never known a choir director to be so passionate about what he does, and he instills that passion in his students. He hold us to the highest standards of musicianship and discipline and we are all better musicians and students because of it.” 

In addition to his work at UE, Malfatti serves as director of music at Eastminster Presbyterian Church and directed the Evansville Philharmonic Chorus for four years. 

Bob and Lisa Jones, named the Arts Advocates of the Year, have been actively involved with the University of Evansville’s Department of Theatre, one of the nation’s top undergraduate theatre programs. Lisa served on the UE Theatre Society Board of Directors for six years, chairing numerous committees, in addition to serving as the president of the organization for two years. She has been awarded the Barbara St. Clair McKenna Award, the highest honor the UE Theatre Society can bestow.

Bob and Lisa have been generous contributors to UE Department of Theatre and UE Theatre Society fundraising campaigns, and in 2011, they personally funded the idea of “flying the fairies” in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, through the expertise of ZFX Flying Effects. Bob and Lisa are dedicated theatre patrons and participate in the UE Theatre Society's Adopt-a-Student program. 

“Bob and Lisa don’t just lend their names to arts causes, although that in itself would be helpful, but they actively work with groups to improve the community,” said Schriber while announcing the award. “They regularly offer themselves as organizers for charity events, provide guidance on fund development efforts, and open their home or Old National Bank corporate offices to support arts activities.”

The Arts Awards will be presented at a banquet on Thursday, August 22 in the Walnut Atrium of Tropicana Evansville.

UE Opera to Perform "The Magic Flute" This Weekend

Posted: April 16, 2013

Guitar Fest to Feature Local Musicians, UE Alumnus

Posted: February 18, 2013

UE Music to Host Second Annual Swing Dance Fundraiser

Posted: February 4, 2013

The University of Evansville Music Management Association (UEMMA) will hold its second annual Swing Dance Fundraiser from 7-9 p.m. Wednesday, February 13 at the Old Courthouse in Downtown Evansville.

The event includes dancing and live music, performed by the UE Jazz Ensemble. Drinks, finger foods, and desserts will be available, as well as a cash bar. The evening also includes a silent auction with items that have been donated by area restaurants and businesses as well as gift baskets made by band members.

Proceeds from the event go toward UEMMA and UE jazz bands to help the groups travel to conferences and festivals, purchase equipment and music, and host guest speakers and artists on the UE campus.
              
Tickets for the event are $20 and can be purchased by contacting Brittney Smith at 812-204-0339 or bs201@36837a.com.

February's First Tuesday Concert to Feature "The Music of New York"

Posted: January 29, 2013

The University of Evansville Department of Music will pay tribute to the Big Apple in next month’s installment of the First Tuesday Concert Series, titled “The Music of New York.”

February’s First Tuesday concert will take place at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, February 5 in Wheeler Concert Hall. Like all events in the First Tuesday Concert Series, it is free and open to the public.

The program features music written in, around, or about New York City. The program will open with the Eykamp String Quartet performing the first movement of Antonin Dvorak’s iconic “American” Quartet.  Flutist Shauna Thompson will perform New York composer Eldin Burton’s Sonatina for Flute and Piano, and Marc Zyla, consortium instructor of horn, will play Leonard Bernstein’s Elegy for Mippy. 

The remainder of the concert includes selections from Broadway favorites, including West Side Story, Candide, and Little Johnny Jones, and UE faculty members Elizabeth Robertson, Anne Fiedler, Jon Truitt, Erzsebet Gaal, Stacey Uthe, Gregory Rike, Richard Williams, Ross Erickson, and Garnet Ungar. 

The First Tuesday Concert Series, in its fifth season, showcases the talent of the University’s music faculty as they perform works from seldom-heard masterpieces to beloved standards.

For more information on this concert or events in the First Tuesday Concert Series, please contact the Department of Music at 812-488-2754. For a full list of concerts, please visit the department’s online concert calendar.

Classical Guitar Society Concert to Feature Daniel Bolshoy of Canada

Posted: January 22, 2013

Music Ensembles Invited to Perform at Statewide Convention

Posted: January 15, 2013

The University of Evansville’s University Choir and Wind Ensemble are among a select group of collegiate ensembles invited to perform at the Indiana Music Educators’ Association annual convention in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

As part of the IMEA convention, a professional development conference for Indiana music teachers, the Wind Ensemble will present a free, public concert at 10:30 a.m. Friday, January 18 at Fort Wayne’s Grand Wayne Convention Center, Hall C. The University Choir will perform at 2:30 p.m. Friday, January 18 at Fort Wayne’s First Presbyterian Church, and for the high school Indiana All-State Honor Choir that evening.

The performances at the IMEA state convention are part of the University Choir’s and Wind Ensemble’s joint Winter Tour, which includes private performances at Evansville’s North High School, Olney Central College in Olney, Illinois, and East Noble High School in Kendallville, Indiana.

One of four choirs at the University of Evansville, the University Choir has built a reputation for performances of major choral-orchestral masterworks, a cappella music ranging from the Renaissance through the 21st century, part songs, and spirituals. In May 2011, the University Choir joined five other choirs from Indiana, Kentucky, New York, and California to perform Haydn’s Paukenmesse at Carnegie Hall in New York City with the New England Symphonic Ensemble. This milestone performance for the choir was conducted by University of Evansville’s director of choral activities, Dennis Malfatti.

At the IMEA convention, the University Choir’s program will include works by UE faculty member William Hemminger and alumnus Ronald Kauffmann. The choir’s performance at the 2013 IMEA convention is their second IMEA appearance in recent years, having also been invited to perform at the convention in 2010. That same year, the choir had the privilege to perform in a master class with the world-renowned vocal sextet, the King’s Singers.

The University of Evansville Wind Ensemble is composed of UE’s finest brass, woodwind, and percussion performers. The ensemble performs a wide variety of literature from major masterworks for the modern wind band to more intimate chamber literature. The ensemble is also actively involved in commissioning and performing new works. In addition to its campus concerts, the group represents the University both regionally and nationally. Membership is by audition and is open to UE students of any major.

Department of Music to Host Annual Holiday Pops Concert

Posted: November 28, 2012

November's First Tuesday Concert to Feature "Frankenstein!!"

Posted: October 29, 2012

In a nod to Halloween, the University of Evansville Department of Music will perform Heinz Karl Gruber’s Frankenstein!! for next month’s installment of the First Tuesday Concert Series.

The performance will begin at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, November 6 in Wheeler Concert Hall. Like all events in the First Tuesday Concert Series, it is free and open to the public.

The performing ensemble for Frankenstein!! is comprised of UE music faculty and the resident string quartet, the Eykamp String Quartet. The work, a series of children’s rhymes by H.C. Artmann, is performed by a narrator and orchestra and was originally composed in 1971 for an arts ensemble in Vienna. In 1978, Gruber reworked the composition for both full orchestra and chamber ensemble.   ?

“The 33-minute work is unique in that it requires the musicians and narrator to pick up and perform on toy instruments and also to be theatrical,” said Thomas Josenhans, chair of the Department of Music. “The performance of Frankenstein!! is sure to be both enjoyable and memorable.”

Poems in the suite include “Miss Dracula,” “Goldfinger and Bond,” “John Wayne,” “Monster,” “Frankenstein,” and “Superman.” 

For more information on this concert or events in the First Tuesday Concert Series, please contact the Department of Music at 812-488-2754. For a full list of concerts, please visit the department’s online concert calendar.

National Symphony Orchestra Violinist Featured in UE Guest Recital

Posted: October 11, 2012

Violinist Joel Fuller, a member of the Washington, D.C.-based National Symphony Orchestra, will perform a guest recital at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, October 24 in the University of Evansville’s Wheeler Concert Hall.

The concert is free and open to the public, and the program includes works by Debussy, Faure, Bach, and Ysaye. Pianist Jiyoung Oh will accompany Fuller.

Prior to joining the National Symphony Orchestra, Fuller served as the assistant principal second violin of the Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra. He also spent three years as the assistant concertmaster of the Naples Philharmonic, enjoying many opportunities to solo with the orchestra there. As a chamber musician, Fuller was the first violinist of the University of Michigan Graduate String Quartet and founding member of the Sonare and Vanderbilt String Quartets. He is currently a member of the IBIS Chamber Music Society and Musica Aperta ensembles in Washington, D.C.

As a student, Fuller was awarded a three-year orchestral fellowship to attend the Aspen Music Festival in Aspen, Colorado. He was one of only two to receive the honor for the 2001 summer season. He received his Bachelor of Music from the University of Wisconsin and a Master of Music degree in violin performance and chamber music from the University of Michigan. Fuller has won numerous awards and competitions including the ASTA competition and both the University of Wisconsin Concerto Competition and the University of Michigan Concerto Competition. He is honored to play on the “ex Powell” Omobono Stradivari violin, generously loaned to him by the John C. Schroeder trust for musical excellence.

Pianist Jiyoung Oh is a member of the faculty at the Levine School of Music in Washington, D.C. Oh received her Doctorate in Musical Arts from Indiana University Jacobs School of Music as a Chancellor’s Fellow and her Master of Music degree at the Eastman School of Music. She has performed as a soloist and chamber musician in the U.S. and Canada, and participated in summer festivals including the Aspen School of Music and the International Holland Music Sessions in Bergen. This past year, she was an interim piano faculty member at James Madison University where she taught piano and doctoral piano seminars. Prior to that, she taught at Lewis and Clark College and Indiana University. She was also a former adjudicator at the Virginia Music Teacher's Association State Competition. Oh is also a freelance pianist in the greater D.C. area.

Classical Guitar Concert to Feature UE Alumni Quartet

Posted: October 3, 2012

Next weekend, four University of Evansville alumni — all classical guitarists and former students of UE assistant professor of music Renato Butturi — will travel from as far away as Las Vegas to perform a reunion concert at UE.

The concert will begin at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, October 13 in Wheeler Concert Hall. Admission is $15 for the general public, $5 for students, and free for UE students.

The concert, co-sponsored by the Classical Guitar Society of Evansville and the University of Evansville, will feature Duane Corn ’90, Steve Dumbacher ’92, Tim Robinson ’91, and Troy Wright ’85 performing works by composers such as J.S. Bach, Gilbert Biberian, Jeffrey Van, and Luigi Boccherini.

Corn graduated from UE with a Bachelor of Music degree in performance as well as a Bachelor of Music Education degree. Upon completion of his studies at UE, Corn earned a master’s degree at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. Corn, now living in Lexington, Kentucky, is an active performer and teacher who has completed the Suzuki Guitar School teacher training for books 1, 2, and 3.

Dumbacher began his study of classical guitar at the University of Cincinnati CCM. After graduating from the University of Evansville, he went on to receive a master’s degree in performance from the University of Minnesota. Dumbacher now resides in Chicago and has performed throughout the United States. He works in the entertainment industry producing concerts and corporate shows globally.

Robinson grew up in a family of music educators and performers in Asheville, North Carolina, and Lexington, Kentucky. In 1991, he received UE’s prestigious Gumberts Award, presented each year to the most outstanding senior music major. Robinson went on to study in the Master of Music program at the University of Cincinnati CCM. He currently lives in Las Vegas and works in performing arts management.

Wright is a 1985 graduate of the University of Evansville, where he studied trumpet with James Bursen and guitar with Renato Butturi. He also received a master’s degree in classical guitar performance at the University of Cincinnati CCM. Wright is the guitar instructor at the Musical Arts Center in Cincinnati, where he has been teaching since 1995.

October's First Tuesday Concert at UE to Celebrate Evansville's Bicentennial

Posted: September 25, 2012

On Tuesday, October 2, the University of Evansville Department of Music will present a concert in honor of the City of Evansville’s Bicentennial, featuring the world premiere of a new work composed for the occasion. The concert, part of the First Tuesday Concert Series, will take place at 7:30 p.m. in Neu Chapel and is free and open to the public.

In recognition of the University’s contributions to the city’s cultural life, the program will feature works composed specifically for UE’s Department of Music. The University Choir, Jazz Ensemble, and Wind Ensemble will perform works by Ronald Kauffmann, Josh Stallings, and John Corigliano, and the concert will also include the world premiere of a new work by University Symphony Orchestra director Brian St. John.

The concert will open with Jubilate Deo by Ronald Kauffmann, commissioned by the Friends of UE Music to honor Shirley Shepherd. Shepherd, an alumnus of Evansville College, taught vocal music in the Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporation for 41 years. Kauffmann, a former student of Shepherd’s, graduated from UE in 1971. He majored in voice and minored in both trombone and piano.

The Jazz Ensemble, under the direction of Timothy Zifer, will perform Bells of November. The composer, UE student Josh Stallings, is a theatre design and technology major with associated studies in music, and is completing a Jazz Studies Certificate. Bells of November was composed in 2010 and was inspired by the Olmsted Hall chimes. The work was presented at the 2011 Elmhurst Jazz Festival where it received an honorable mention award.

The highlight of the concert will be the University Symphony Orchestra’s world premiere of Brian St. John’s Dominion Overture. Written specifically for this event, the piece describes aspects of the settlement of Evansville, musically depicting clearing of land, construction of residences, and an emerging community arising next to the Ohio River. St. John has composed numerous works including a piano concerto, a bass concertino, a double concerto for mandolin, mandola, and string orchestra, and seven ballets.

The program will conclude with the Wind Ensemble’s performance of John Corigliano’s Gazebo Dances, directed by Kenneth Steinsultz. Corigliano has emerged in recent decades as one of America’s prominent composers. Among his best-known works are his opera Ghosts of Versailles and his Oscar-winning score to the movie The Red Violin. He has received numerous prestigious awards including a Pulitzer Prize, the Grawemeyer Award, and three Grammys. Gazebo Dances was premiered in 1973 by the University of Evansville Wind Ensemble under the direction of Robert Bailey.

First Tuesday Concerts, presented the first Tuesday of each month, showcase the talent of the University of Evansville music faculty (and occasionally students) as they perform works from seldom-heard masterpieces to beloved standards.

For more information, please contact the University of Evansville Department of Music at 812-488-2754 or visit the department’s concert calendar.

Carol Dallinger Celebrates 40 Years at UE with Faculty Recital

Posted: September 19, 2012

In celebration of her 40th year with the University of Evansville Department of Music, violinist Carol Dallinger will hold a faculty recital featuring two of her former students, now professional performers and music educators.

The recital, which is free and open to the public, will begin at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, September 25 in UE’s Wheeler Concert Hall. The program will feature violin and viola solos, duets, and trios by composers including Dvorak, Mozart, Schumann, and Shostakovich.

Dallinger will perform with two of her former students in the Suzuki Violin Program, Scott Conklin and John T. Posadas. Conklin, a Murray, Kentucky native, is associate professor of violin at the University of Iowa School of Music. Posadas, a native of Henderson, Kentucky, currently serves as adjunct professor of viola and chamber music at the University of South Florida’s School of Music.

“I am grateful for a career that has been long enough for me to see my first students become outstanding adults,” Dallinger said, “and in turn can experience the joy of teaching many of their children.”

Dallinger is currently the Oramay Cluthe Eades Distinguished Professor of Music at the University of Evansville. She is also founder and coordinator of UE’s Suzuki Violin Program, which currently serves more than 100 students ages 4-17 from around the Tri-State. An active performer, Dallinger serves as principal second violinist of the Evansville Philharmonic Orchestra and performs regularly at department recitals.

She has lectured at state and national music conferences and, as a registered teacher trainer with the Suzuki Association of the Americas, frequently serves as a clinician for summer institutes throughout the United States. She has also taught in New Zealand and Australia, and is a former member of the national board of directors of the Suzuki Association.

Dallinger’s honors include UE’s Outstanding Teacher of the Year award in 1995, the Arts Council of Southwestern Indiana’s Artist of the Year award in 1997, the Dean’s Teaching Award for UE’s College of Arts and Sciences in 2000, and the Suzuki Chair Award at the American Suzuki Institute in 2006. Most recently, she received the Friends of UE Music Distinguished Service Award for 2012.

Dallinger holds a Bachelor of Music in performance from Illinois Wesleyan University and a Master of Music in performance from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She currently teaches courses in applied violin, applied viola, music theory, and Suzuki violin pedagogy.

For more information on upcoming events in UE’s Department of Music, please visit the online concert calendar or call 812-488-2754.

UE Department of Music Announces 2012-13 First Tuesday Concert Series

Posted: August 24, 2012

The Department of Music at the University of Evansville is proud to announce its 2012-13 performances in the First Tuesday Concert Series.

The First Tuesday Concert Series, in its fifth season, showcases the talent of the University’s music faculty as they perform works from seldom-heard masterpieces to beloved standards. All concerts take place the first Tuesday of each month at 7:30 p.m., and are free and open to the public. All events are held on the University of Evansville campus except for December 4’s Holiday Pops concert at the Victory Theatre.

The 2012-13 series kicks off September 4 with the annual Fall Faculty Gala in Wheeler Concert Hall. This concert, celebrating the 50th anniversary of Wheeler Concert Hall, features a variety of works performed by the department’s faculty. 

The First Tuesday Concert Series continues with the following performances:

October 2: Bicentennial Concert, Neu Chapel. Celebrate the City of Evansville’s 200th birthday through music. This concert features music composed and arranged for the River City, including Gazebo Dances, a student work for Jazz Ensemble, and a new piece written just for this occasion.

November 6: Frankenstein!!, Wheeler Concert Hall. Inspired by H.C. Artmann’s poems Frankenstein!! (Noises, noises, all around – lovely new children’s rhymes), Heinz Karl Gruber’s composition for voice and chamber ensemble is full of surprises, fun, and covert political statements. Experience the classic monster in a revealing musical portrait.

December 4: Holiday Pops, Victory Theatre (600 Main St., Downtown Evansville). Share a celebration of the holidays with the University of Evansville’s annual concert at the Victory Theatre. Hear performances of your favorite seasonal favorites by the department’s ensembles and faculty.

February 5: Start Spreading the News, Wheeler Concert Hall. Faculty perform selections of solo and chamber music inspired by New York City. From Lincoln Center to Times Square, hear pieces written in, around, or about the Big Apple.

April 2: Wind Ensemble, Neu Chapel. Following their performance at the Indiana Music Educators Association conference, the Wind Ensemble presents an evening of dance inspired works for wind band. The concert includes pieces by Ron Nelson, John Barnes Chance, Alfred Reed, and Donald Grantham.

For a complete listing of concerts offered by the Department of Music, please visit their website or call 812-488-2754.

Members of UE Community Honored by Arts Council

Posted: June 27, 2012

This morning, several members of the University of Evansville family received recognition for their significant contributions to the arts in a seven-county region of Indiana.

Winners of the Arts Council of Southwestern Indiana’s annual Arts Awards were announced at a news conference at the council’s Bower-Suhrheinrich Foundation Gallery. The recipients will be honored at an awards banquet at Casino Aztar on September 6.

Those with UE ties who won awards are:

Melvin M. Peterson H’91, Mayor’s Arts Award. Peterson received the year’s most prestigious award, which recognizes long-standing support and a lifelong interest in the arts in and around Evansville. Since moving here from San Francisco 23 years ago, Peterson has been named an honorary trustee at UE for his significant impact at the University. UE’s newest art gallery, the Melvin Peterson Gallery, bears his name, and in 2002 the Melvin M. Peterson Endowed Chair in Literature and Writing was established. Peterson has also served as a docent at the Evansville Museum of Arts, History and Science and been a supporter of the Evansville Philharmonic Orchestra and the EVSC Foundation. One of Peterson’s nominators called him “an acknowledged, inspiring, and resourceful leader, a friend of students and a model for others in our community.”

R. Scott Lank, Educator of the Year. Lank, professor of acting and director of playwriting in UE’s Department of Theatre, may be best known in the Evansville community for the many UE theatre productions he has directed. However, his students recognize and praise his work inside the classroom, too, which has helped them launch careers in playwriting and acting. A 2012 graduate writes: “He has a truly significant impact on his students’ lives.  At the end of each of his classes, we leave wanting to keep working, desiring to grow more, aching for a chance to apply what we have learned in class to our work onstage.” 

William Baer, Artist of the Year (two recipients chosen). Nominator Margaret McMullan, UE professor of creative writing, has worked with Baer for 23 years and says she knows no other writer who is quite so fearless in crossing into new writing genres. Baer has written plays, screenplays, novels, essays, poems, and musicals — all while teaching in UE’s Department of Creative Writing, mentoring students outside of class, and running the University of Evansville Press.

Elizabeth Robertson, Artist of the Year (two recipients chosen). Robertson, UE consortium instructor of music for oboe and English horn, has served as principal oboe of the Evansville Philharmonic Orchestra since 1995 and is also a member of the Harlaxton Woodwind Quintet. Nominators call her a performing artist of the highest caliber who shows superb technique and musical expressiveness with every passage she plays. Also a disciplined and focused teacher, Robertson lays out clear expectations for her students and works tirelessly to help them achieve their goals. 

Jo Frohbieter-Mueller ’56, Arts Advocate of the Year. As a lifelong resident of Vanderburgh County, most of Frohbieter-Mueller’s activities have revolved around the arts: She is an artist, collector of art, published writer, musician, and research biologist. She plays fife in the Civil War Band and can often be found at classes and recitals, art exhibits, and board meetings. Truly a Renaissance woman, Frohbieter-Mueller says that art makes her happy. Her nominators say that those around her are made happy, too, by her support and enthusiasm.