8th-Annual CU High School Choral Festival

The 8th-Annual Clarion University High School Choral Festival will be held on Thursday, October 18^th, 9:30am-noon. Since its beginning in 2005 by CU Director of Choirs, Dr. Henry Alviani, the Festival has attracted hundreds of choral students to Clarion University’s campus each fall to perform and to learn from CU music faculty.

Participating high schools and their directors for this year’s Festival  include:

A-C Valley (Kathy Larimer)
Brookville (Deanna Owens)
Clarion Area (Zachary Covington)
Keystone (Fran Nesta)
Mercer (Michelee Christy)
Redbank Valley (Carrie McIntire)
Rocky Grove (Jodi Hoover)
Union (David Gibson)

The event will be held in Marwick-Boyd Auditorium and is free and open to the public.

Clarion Hosts Music Ed. Advocacy Festival

Clarion University’s chapter of the Pennsylvania Collegiate Music Educators Association (PCMEA) will host a Music Education Advocacy Festival: A Festival of Small Ensembles on Saturday, March 31, 2012 in the Marwick Boyd Auditorium at 4pm. Chamber ensembles representing PCMEA Chapters from colleges and universities in PMEA Regions I, II, and III, encompasing all of western Pennsylvania, will perform to advocate for music education and demonstrate the importance of keeping music in our schools. The performances will feature a performance by professional chamber ensemble, The Easterly Chamber Players.

The event is free and open to the public. For more information, contact the Music Office at 814-393-2287.

CUP Represented at Intercollegiate Band Festival

This year marks the 65th anniversary of the Pennsylvania Intercollegiate Band Festival, and again, Clarion University and  the Department of Music will be well represented at the festival. Seven Clarion Music Education students will be delaying the start of their winter break to join instrumentalists from 23 colleges and universities across Pennsylvania at California University of PA March 9-11, 2012 for the festival.

Representing Clarion University are:

Brittany Howe, clarinet – sophomore (Pleasantville, PA)
Katie Kohlenburg, clarinet  – freshman (Knox, PA)
Brendan Holly, trumpet – sophomore (Dix Hills, NY)
Michael Guzik, horn – sophomore (Mckeesport, PA)
Zachary Ray, euphonium – freshman (Franklin, PA)
Daniel Conrad, euphonium – freshman (Morrisdale, PA)
Justin Salada, tuba – sophomore (Brockway, PA)

The Intercollegiate Band Festival concludes on March 11 with a performance at 2:30 p.m. in Steel Hall Mainstage Theater on the campus of California University, led by guest conductor Frank B. Wickes, former Carruth Alumni Professor and Director of Bands at Louisiana State University. Wickes has conducted more than 40 all-state bands and has led music clinics throughout the United States and Canada, as well as in Europe and South America.

The band will perform:

• The National Anthem, by Francis Scott Key, arranged by Edward J. Madden
• Salute to the P.M.E.A., by Arthur D. Davenport
• Chester (Overture), by William Schuman
• The Diplomat (March), by John Philip Sousa, arranged by Frank Byrne
• Festive Overture, by Dimitri Shostakovich, arranged by Donald Hunsberger
• Italian Rhapsody, by Julie Giroux
• Carmina Burana, by Carl Orff, arranged by John Krance

 

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.

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.

Clarion Hosts H.S Choir Festival

The Department of Music is proud to host the Sixth Annual Clarion University High School Choral Festival on October 20 and 21 in the Marwick-Boyd Auditorium. The festival will begin at 9:30 a.m. and conclude at 11:30 a.m. on each day.

The schools and their directors who will participate include:

Wednesday, October 20

Bradford High School	Chad Young
Brookville High School	Patrick Tatman
Forest Area High Schools	Brian Rosen
Keystone High School	Fran Nesta
North Clarion High School	Christine Cohlhepp
Redbank Valley High School	Carrie McIntire

Thursday, October 21

A-C Valley High School	Kathy Larimer
Clarion Area High School	Zac Covington
Clarion-Limestone High School	Tina Bennett
Oil City High School	Steve Luxbacher
Rocky Grove High School	Jodi Hoover
Union High School	David Gibson

 

Each ensemble will perform for 20 minutes. The performances will be followed by a critique and clinic by Clarion University’s Director of Choirs, Dr. Henry Alviani.

The public is invited to attend each day’s performances free of charge. For more information, contact Dr. Alviani – 814-393-2384 or halviani@clarion.edu.