Clarion Participates in International Music Theory Tutoring Program

This fall, the Journal of Music Theory Pedagogy and the Gail de Stwolinski Center for Music Theory Pedagogy at the University of Oklahoma launched a new website - Music Theory Tutor -offering free tutoring in music theory and aural skills to music theory students around the world. Students seeking music theory help connect with tutors via Skype. Tutors are chosen from international undergraduate and graduate music programs. Clarion University is proud to be an active participant in the new program.

Clarion University music theory instructor, Dr. Jeffrey Wardlaw, describes the program as “a great opportunity for Clarion pre-service music teachers to gain valuable experience teaching a core music subject, and in using technology to help meet students’ individual needs.”

Justin Salada, sophomore Music Education student from Brockway, PA, is Clarion’s first tutor selected for the program. In the short time the website has been live, Salada already has held two tutoring sessions with students from Canada.

“The music theory tutoring program is a fantastic project,” says Salada. “Personally, this experience has been really fun and it helps me take what I learn at Clarion and use it in teaching.”

CU Choral Festival Attracts Area Choirs

The seventh annual Clarion University High School Choral Festival, sponsored by the Clarion University Department of Music and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia fraternity, will be held Wednesday, October 19, 9:30-11:30am in Marwick-Boyd Auditorium.    Schools participating this year include: Allegheny-Clarion Valley High School, Clarion Area High School, Cranberry High School, Oil City High School, Redbank Valley High School, and Union High School.  The Festival is open to the public and admission is free. Everyone is invited to attend all or part of the Festival.

For more information, contact Dr. Hank Alviani, Director of Choirs – 814-393-2384 or halviani@clarion.edu

GEMB heading to Chicago?

Not really. But the Golden Eagle Marching Band is performing several exciting tunes from the musical group Chicago at Clarion University footbal games and at other exhibition performances throughout the state this season.  Featured selections include some of Chicago’s most memorable hits, including Make Me Smile, Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?, Free, and 25 or 6 to 4.

Make time to get out and see the Golden Eagle Marching Band this fall at one of the CU football games listed below, or view the entire GEMB Performance Schedule to see if they are coming to a venue near you.

Sept. 11	Bloomsburg @ Clarion
Sept. 17	Clarion @ Shippensburg
Sept. 24	Clarion @ Claifornia
Oct. 1	Clarion @ Slippery Rock
Oct. 8	Lock Haven @ Clarion
Oct. 15	Indiana @ Clarion
Oct. 22	Clarion @ Edinboro
Oct. 29	Gannon @ Clarion
Nov. 5	Mercyhurst @ Clarion

Alumni Band Concert and Reunion

The Clarion University Foundation is sponsoring an Alumni Band Concert and Reunion on Saturday, October 8, 2011

Dr. Stanley F. Michalski, Clarion University Director of Bands (1961-1992)

from 7:30-9:00 p.m. in the Marwick-Boyd Auditorium. This is part of the university’s Homecoming Weekend activities and is in honor of the announcement of the Dr. Stanley F. Michalski Marching Band Scholarship. The event flyer states,

Be our guest for a Jazz Band Concert, performed by Clarion University band alumni (special guest conductor will be Dr. Stanley Michalski), then join us for a special reception and announcement of the Dr. Stanley F. Michalski Marching Band Scholarship.

For more information or to RSVP your attendance, or if you wish to donate to the Dr. Stanley F. Michalski Scholarship fund, please contact Debbie Huffman at 814-393-1844, or dhuffman@cuf-inc.org

Choir Members Perform in NY

On April 12, select members of the Clarion University Choirs will perform at Avery Fisher Hall, Lincoln Center, NY. This year, the students will join choir members from Washington Adventist University (MD), Newton High School (NJ), and Pacific Lutheran University (WA) in a performance of Morten Lauridsen’s Lux aeterna, under the direction of guest conductor Brian Galante, Associate Director of Choral Activities at Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, Washington. Also on the program, are Faure’s Requiem and Mozart’s Solemn Vespers, performed by mixed choirs from throughout the country.

Clarion University participants include Moria Ambrose, Joe Bazzone, Stephen Benton, John Cameron Burba, Drew Caliguiri, Mary Fahringer, Lynnea Fiorentino, Kyle Hart, Amanda Hershey, Megan Heilbrun, Jimmy Ivell, Tyler Lobdell, Vickee Matthews, Corinne Menapace, Rob Milanich, Jonathan Mracko, Stephanie Mullen, Jordan Rembold, Brandy Shreckengost, Jesse Snyder, Trisha Vamosi, Erin Wadding, Danielle Watt, Sherri Woland, and Victoria Woodford.

These unique New York performance opportunities are offered through MidAmerica Productions, which has organized over 1500 choral and instrumental performances in Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall since 1984. Last year, Clarion University choir members sang at Carnegie Hall in New York.

Leary Represents Clarion University

Senior Music Education major Chelci Leary, saxophone, represented Clarion University at the 64th annual Pennsylvania Intercollegiate Band Festival, on March 4-6, 2011 at Juniata College. The Festival, sponsored by the Pennsylvania Collegiate Bandmaster’s Association, brings together the top instrumentalists from colleges and universities throughout Pennsylvania to perform under the direction of a noted guest conductor. This year’s guest conductor was Dr. Mark Scatterday, Professor of Conducting and Chair of the Conducting and Ensembles department at the Eastman School of Music.

Chelci is from Warren, PA, and studies saxophone with Clarion music faculty member Russell Reefer.

Congratulations, Chelci!

Music Ed Students Blog About It

This year, our Music Education students are sharing their thoughts on a variety of Music Education-related topics in a blog all their own –  Music Education – Clarion. Watch for new articles by our students throughout the Spring 2011 semester. We already have 3 posted, with many more to come.

Take some time to visit our Music Education – Clarion blog to read what our  students are saying about music teaching and learning, feel free to share your thoughts on their posts. Comments are always welcomed .

Back at it!

And we’re back!

It’s nice to be back after an extended holiday break. The students are recharged, the faculty are refreshed, and Theresa and Pudge? Well…they didn’t get the same break as the rest of us, unfortunately, but they did enjoy a little time away from the Boyd.

A new year often is a time to rethink the past and try something new, different, and exciting. New year’s resolutions, anyone? We are grateful to see a few new students around the department this spring semester. Our freshman class is just beginning their core music theory and aural skills coursework, which is always a new and challenging experience for them. And to our group of Music Education students beginning their student teaching experience this semester, everything is new!

For the first time, this semester each of our students will be writing a blog article to post on our newly-created Music Education Clarion blog (http://musicedclarion.blogspot.com).  Last year, they were asked to read and comment on Music Education blogs posted from around the web. It was wonderful to read the many thoughtful responses they provided on a wide range of topics. But, now it’s their turn to contribute to the conversation. Blogging is a terrific way to refine one’s thinking on teaching, learning, education, advocacy, you name it! It is our hope that our Music Education Clarion blog will foster in our students improved critical thinking and reasoning skills, further their communication skills, and help them transition from being student to professional music educators. Beginning in February, watch for weekly student blog posts. You are encouraged to share your comments on their articles, as well.

What is NOT new this year is the wide number of Department of Music events taking place during the semester. Our events calendar is filling up fast, and you can see the latest version by following the Department of Music Events Calendar link on the home page, or by clicking here. Telephone the Music Office at 814-393-2287 if you have any questions about one of our upcoming events.

Here’s wishing a wonderful new year to everyone, and my sincere hope that you do a better job at keeping your New Year’s resolutions than I do keeping mine!

Hope to see you at the Boyd!

Around the Boyd Podcast-Music Events

Department of Music Events – October 18-24, 2010
Around the Boyd Podcast – Music Events

Trumpeter Seelan Manickam to Perform

The Department of Music is pleased to welcome trumpet artist Seelam Manickam to campus 3:00 p.m. Sunday, October 24, 2010 in a performance of the Concerto for Trumpet and Wind Ensemble by Robert J. Bradshaw.

UPDATE: In conjunction with his visit, Seelan Manickam will give a Masterclass on Saturday, October 23 at 9 a.m. in Room 231 of the Marwick-Boyd Fine Arts Center. All are invited to this free event.

Seelan Manickam began his musical studies on the trumpet at the age of ten. Seelan received his Bachelors of Music at the University of Victoria where he studied with Louis Ranger. He has also finished his Graduate work in trumpet performance at The Boston Conservatory where he studied with Steven Emery. Additional studies have been with Jens Lindemann of the Canadian Brass and Charles Schlueter, principal trumpet of the Boston Symphony.

As a top prizewinner of several solo competitions, Manickam has appeared as a frequent soloist with the Boston Chamber Orchestra, Cambridge Choral Society, South Coast Community Chorale and most recently The University of Massachusetts Orchestra.

Other professional experience has included playing principal trumpet with The Indian Hill Symphony, New Hampshire Symphony, Salisbury Symphony, Thayer Symphony, New Bedford Symphony, Taipei Sinfionetta and Cape Ann Symphony. A founding member of the award winning Bala Brass Quintet, Manickam has toured the globe appearing in Japan, Canada and Thailand. His keen interest in contemporary music, has led Manickam to be instrumental in the commissioning and performance of numerous chamber and solo works for brass. He has been a featured artist at several conferences including the International Trumpet Guild Conference and the New York Brass Conference. His debut solo CD will be released this spring on the Beauport Classics Label and will contain several new works for trumpet.

An advocate of music education, Manickam has given master classes and clinics at the nation’s top conservatories and schools, including the University of Connecticut, SUNY-Purchase, Shenandoah Conservatory, Wisconsin Lutheran College, University of Massachusetts-Amherst, Bridgewater State College, Salem State College and Phillips Academy.

In addition to performing with Bala, Manickam is the Music Director at St. John’s Preparatory School and is currently on faculty at The University of Massachusetts, Boston. He is a Sonaré Performing Artist and performs on the Sonaré Bb and C trumpets.

The performance is part of the annual Fall Wind Ensemble concert, and is free and open to the public. For more information, contact the Department of Music at 814-393-2287.