PMEA 2009

There’s nothing like spring. Everything “feels” clean and fresh. The grass is greening, bird songs erupt in the morning and last into the evening, and the beauty of the flowering trees is unmatched. You can always count on the constancy of spring to end winter’s long stay and brighten your spirits.

Each year spring also brings the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association (PMEA) annual in-service conference. I don’t know how many years Clarion has had a booth at the PMEA conference, probably more than most can recall. Many of our alumni who teach in PA and attend the conference make a point to stop by the Clarion booth and say “hi.” It’s always great to see so many of our friends from the past, and I enjoy hearing what they have been doing since leaving Clarion.

While Clarion has always had an exhibitor’s booth, relatively new is the increased presence of Clarion’s music faculty at the conference as invited presenters and clinicians at the conference. This year 3 music faculty were invited to present.

Dr. Stephen Johnson, Assoc. Professor of Music, was invited to give a poster presentation of his ongoing research into sight-reading. His project, titled “A Descriptive Study of Rural Sixth Grade Instrumental Students’ Thought Processes while Engaged in Sight-Reading,” also will be presented in a research forum at the conference. Dr. Henry Alviani, Associate Professor of Music and Director of Choirs, will offer a session on his vocal manual Voiceworks, published by Alfred Publishing. And, at the end of the week, I will be presenting a session on internet applications for music educators, focusing on getting novice users started on using the web to help manage, enhance, and assess their music programs.

Many other great sessions take place during the conference, not to mention the many, many fine performances presented. So, if you ever have the opportunity to attend the PMEA conference, I think you’ll agree that it is a great experience. You have to promise, though, between sessions and concerts to stop by our Clarion booth to chat for a minute. To make it worth your time, I’ll even give you one of our “world famous” Department of Music pens!

BTW – I’m video blogging about my PMEA experience at the booth just for fun at http://clarionmusicalumni.ning.com/video

New Faculty – New Opportunities

I am excited about the faculty this year. For the first time in several years we have the opportunity to welcome new faculty members to the Department of Music.

Sari Gruber – Voice

Ms. Sari Gruber will be joining the faculty to instruct Applied Voice. Dr. Alviani has shouldered all of the voice teaching load in addition to his ensemble and classroom load admirably over the last two years. But as the largest single studio in the department, we needed another faculty member to teach Applied Voice.

Ms. Gruber comes to Clarion with an extraordinary performance resume. Her performances include major operatic roles throughout the United States and abroad with some of the finest opera companies in the world, including New York City Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Los Angeles Opera, Boston Lyric Opera, San Francisco Opera Center, and De Nederlandse Opera. She has recital performances at both Alice Tully Hall and Avery Fisher Hall of Lincoln Center and the Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall.

Ms. Gruber received the Bachelor of Arts in Music and Theatre Studies from Yale, and the Master of Music degree in Voice from The Julliard School. In addition, Ms. Gruber has trained at some of the most renowned musical institutions and festivals, including Julliard Opera Center, Tanglewood Music Center, and the Ravinia Festival Stearns Institute. Her principal teachers are Marlenna Malas, Cynthia Hoffman, and Lili Chookasian.

Russell Reefer – Clarinet, Saxophone

We are also very pleased to welcome an alumnus and long-time friend of Clarion’s Department of Music – Mr Russell Reefer – back to campus to teach Applied Clarinet and Saxophone beginning this fall.

Mr. Reefer graduated from Clarion with his Music Education degree, and received the Master of Arts in Music Education from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Presently, Mr. Reefer is a doctoral candidate at the Shenandoah Conservatory.

Mr. Reefer has nearly 30 years public school teaching experience, and over 30 years experience in applied woodwind studio instruction. His ensembles and his woodwind students are regularly recognized for superior performances at adjudication festivals throughout the state, and he is well known in the region for his remarkable performance skill and outstanding musicianship.

We are thrilled to have two such talented performers and gifted teachers joining our faculty ranks this fall, and we are excited that our students will have the opportunity to share with and learn from such outstanding musicians as Ms. Gruber and Mr. Reefer.

What a GREAT time to be a music student at Clarion!