The halls of the Westbrook Music Building are once again busy and our faculty, staff, students and alumni are all doing amazing things! Read about them here:
Esti Sheinberg
A book faculty member Esti Sheinberg edited, Rethinking J.S. Bach's The Art of Fugue, was chosen in the U.K. as one of five core titles for 2016 in music.
Each quarter GOBI releases a segment of UK Core titles, involving UK subject-specialist bibliographers to select these titles from the new academic titles published in the United Kingdom. The profiling bibliographers select these titles for inclusion on the list using a complex selection process. The titles selected are carefully screened to identify major titles that will stand the test of time, which would be considered standard (core) works in any good undergraduate collection.
Jonathan Vusich & Cameron Berta
Senior Jonathan Vusich placed first and freshman Cameron Berta placed second in the Music Teacher's National Association Young Artist Competition that took place at the state conference of the Nebraska Music Teachers Association at Nebraska Wesleyan. Both are piano students of Paul Barnes. Vusich will compete at the division competition at the University of Iowa on Jan 12-14, 2018.
Michael Tully
TADA Productions, Inc. proudly presents Evil Dead The Musical opening a three-week run at the award-winning TADA Theatre on Oct. 26th at 7:30 pm. starring Glenn Korff School of Music Alum Michael Tully.
Evil Dead The Musical takes the elements of the cult classic horror films and combines them all for one of the craziest, funniest, and campiest theatrical experiences of all time. Five college students go to an abandoned cabin in the woods, and accidentally unleash an evil force that turns them all into demons. It’s all up to Ash (a housewares employee, turned demon-killing hero), and his trusty chainsaw to save the day. You don’t need to be a fan of Evil Dead to love this show. You don’t need to be a fan of horror to love this show. You don’t even need to be a fan of musicals to love this show. If you like having fun…this show is for you. Is it scary? No! Is it gory? No. This is a pure comedy start to finish. Plus, it’s the only show with a “Splatter Zone” – a section of the audience that gets covered in fake blood. And with this combination of blood, jokes, cheesy effects, and really awesome musical numbers, Evil Dead The Musical is unlike any live show a theatre audience has ever seen.
Tully stars as Ash in this Lincoln premiere production. Dr. Tully earned his Doctor of Musical Arts degree from UNL in 2013 and has found success in a wide range of vocal styles in a career that has taken him from the world of opera, oratorio and art song, to jazz, blues, music theatre, and acappella. He is thrilled to be returning to TADA after appearing in such roles as Smudge in Forever Plaid, Gaston in Disney’s, Beauty and the Beast, Anthony in Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, and Fonzie in Happy Days: A New Musical.
Additional cast members include Chloe Schwarting, Laura Lynn Schafer, Soren Tobey, Josh Schafer, Chris Harroun, Daniel Peters and Dick Terhune. Evil Dead The Musical is directed by Robert D. Rook, musical direction by Cris Rook, choreography by Laura Lynn Schafer, musical arrangements by Bill Strongin, stage management by Ariana Miller, scenic painting and props by Jenna Williamson, costume coordination by Liz Lohse, make-up design by Cathy Rook and stage carpentry by Michael Fortkamp. The production is sponsored by Ace Rent To Own and The Nebraska Lottery. Evil Dead The Musical contains adult humor, language and zombies.
Evil Dead The Musical is on stage at The TADA Theatre at 701 P Street in Lincoln, Nebraska’s Historic Haymarket October 26-Nov. 12 with 7:30 pm curtain times Thursday-Saturday and 2:00 pm on Sundays. A special late-night performance will take place at 11:00 pm on Saturday November 4th and a special Halloween performance will take place on Tuesday, October 31 at 8:00 pm that will include a costume contest. Reservations are encouraged by calling (402) 438-TADA (8232) or on-line atwww.tadatheatre.info. Tickets are $20.00, and $15.00 for the late and Halloween shows. The TADA Theatre also offers V.I.P. reserved parking on show dates in the West Depot parking lot for its patrons. For details contact The TADA Theatre box office.
William White
Lincoln’s Symphony Orchestra is proud to announce the selection of trombonist William White as the LSO Young Artist Winner for the 2017–18 season.
White, currently a sophomore studying trombone performance under Dr. Scott Anderson at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln’s Glenn Korff School of Music, will perform the third movement of Rota’s Concerto for Trombone and Orchestra with Lincoln’s Symphony Orchestra on Sunday, December 3, 2017 at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m.
“We are thrilled to work with William this season, and to feature him as a soloist at both our holiday concerts in December,” said Edward Polochick, Music Director of Lincoln’s Symphony Orchestra. “It was such a pleasure to hear such a fine group of young musicians audition at the Young Artist Competition this year. It is a tribute to the educators in our community that the level of talent was so high.”
As winner of the LSO Young Artist Competition, White receives the title of LSO Young Artist Winner for the 2017–18 season, publicity exposure, a private rehearsal and coaching from LSO Resident Conductor, Dr. Tyler White, solo performances at LSO’s performances on December 3, 2017, and a $500 cash prize.
Twelve high school and college music students participated in LSO’s Young Artist Competition this year, which is funded in part by the J. Edmund & Thelma D. Miller Fund at the Lincoln Community Foundation. The competition requires that applicants be 20 years old or younger and perform a movement of a concerto on their instrument in a formal audition. Past Young Artist Competition winners include Kevin Cheng, pianist from the University of Nebraska at Kearney; Isabella Amador, violinist from Omaha; Lukas McIlhaney, flutist from Wahoo; Jennifer Ahn, violinist from Westside High School; and Nicholas May, saxophonist from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln.
Young musicians interested in entering next year’s Young Artist Competition may apply beginning in July 2018. More information may be found at www.lincolnsymphony.com/auditions.
Founded in 1927, Lincoln’s Symphony Orchestra has a mission to present inspiring experiences that welcome all members of our community to discover and cultivate a profound, personal connection with live orchestral music. For more information about Lincoln’s Symphony Orchestra, call 402.476.2211 or visit www.lincolnsymphony.com.
About William White
William White is a sophomore studying music performance at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Glenn Korff School of Music. He began playing the trombone in the sixth grade as part of his school district's band programs. In high school, William was a four-year Iowa All-State participant, occupying principal spots in the All-State Band, Orchestra, and Jazz Band. William began studying with Dr. Scott Anderson at Nebraska during his sophomore year of high school, and started to perform with the Nebraska Trombone Ensemble later that same year. William made his professional debut with the Sioux City Symphony Orchestra in 2016 at the age of 17, when he substituted for their principal player. Currently, he is on the substitute musician list for the Omaha, Lincoln, and Des Moines symphony orchestras. William is a founding member of the Johnny Manhattan Orchestra, Lincoln's premier dance band. In his time at Nebraska, he has been the principal trombonist of both the Wind Ensemble and the Symphony Orchestra, as well as 2nd trombone in the Jazz Orchestra. In the future, William hopes to occupy a trombone position with a major symphony orchestra.
Hans Sturm and Tom Larson
Over a career spanning more than 30 years, vocalist and songwriter JACKIE ALLEN has produced 11 CDs that have garnered accolades from fans and critics alike. Now with ROSE FINGERED DAWN, her 12th release, the Chicago-based veteran ventures into new territory with an album featuring 10 original tunes all written specifically for her by the formidable bass player and Glenn Korff School of Music professor HANS STURM. Allen and Sturm are not only musical partners, they’re a husband and wife team who met in college and have been working both together and apart since the early 1980s when they began performing as a voice/bass duo act. Glenn Korff School of Music's Tom Larson joins them on keyboard.
Allen has a smoky, expressive voice that’s instantly recognizable. She’s very musical and innovative, yet she eschews vocal pyrotechnics to express the story of a song with a directness that seems to emanate directly from her core. Allen’s repertoire has never been focused on a single genre of music. Throughout her career, she’s incorporated a range of styles, including folk and pop, that she transforms into the jazz idiom through her own unique approach.
ROSE FINGERED DAWN is a stylistically eclectic outing that draws on Allen’s skills as a natural storyteller. According the Allen, “Obviously, Hans knows me very well. I’m lucky to have a collaborator who can compose in so many different styles, as well create such poetic, sensitive imagery. His music can be so light and beautiful and romantic.” To which Sturm adds, “Jackie is my muse, and all these songs are ultimately her interpretations of my music. If she doesn’t connect with a particular lyric, I go back and rework it until she’s satisfied. I try to write to Jackie’s strengths, like her ability to convey lyrics naturally and honestly.”
ROSE FINGERED DAWN takes you on a journey across different geographical and emotional landscapes. Indeed, the eponymous title track is a nod to Homer’s Odyssey in which Odysseus invokes Eos, the goddess of dawn, as he sets out on his wanderings. The tune opens with a Ghanaian Islamic chant of welcome by drummer DANE RICHESON, who brings to the group his vast knowledge of musical cultures from around the world.
“NOLA Love Song” is a tune inspired by Allen’s and Sturm’s love of New Orleans, which they visited almost accidentally when they tried to escape a brutal Chicago winter. Their flight to the Caribbean was cancelled, so they hopped on the next available flight out, which happened to be going to The Big Easy. Hans had written the melody shortly after the trip, but he was inspired to write the lyrics after Hurricane Katrina.
Sturm, a poet at heart, loves wordplay and wrote “Time” using a series of clichés that all add up to the message that time flies and should be used wisely. The song has a moody jazz-rock feel that features a smoldering solo by the versatile guitarist JOHN MOULDER. “Dark Butterflies” is slow bossa that’s one of the earliest tunes that Sturm wrote for Jackie. It’s an abstract love song with lovely lyrics like “Lilies, from stem to blossom / Sliding out of the green silence / Suddenly biding their own time / Through sweet chocolate / Earth and are gone / With riots of color left behind.”
“Bel Air BBQ” is a funky homage to the great food and ambience of Kansas City, where they often travel to play music and enjoy the local cuisine. Chicago phenom VICTOR GARCIA tears it up on the tune with a burning trumpet solo. “The Laugh That Is You” is about their son’s infectious laugh. The tune is a swinger that sounds like a big band number from the Great American Songbook. On “The Moon’s on the Rise,” Allen’s sultry vocals raise the temperature of Sturm’s suggestive lyrics.
“Holy Man” switches gears with a get down blues about the hypocrisy of TV evangelists. “Sweet Dreams” is a tune that invites us “to find respite from the stress of modern life and the obstacles we each face.” Allen’s whispery vocals take on the dreamy quality one feels while slowly sliding into sleep. The CD fittingly closes with “Steal the Night,” a song inspired by Dylan Thomas’ poem “Do Not Go Gentle” about the ultimate end of all our journeys.
Allen and Sturm are joined on ROSE FINGERED DAWN by old friends and musical compatriots who have recorded and performed with the duo for many years. Besides the aforementioned guitarist John Moulder, trumpeter Victor Garcia, and drummer Dane Richeson, they’re accompanied by TOM LARSON on keyboards, reedman GEOFF BRADFIELD, and ANDY BAKER on trombone. Each of these stellar musicians has extensive performing and recording careers.
ROSE FINGERED DAWN is available in stores and online everywhere. Listen on Soundcloud to the title track, “Rose Fingered Dawn”: http://bit.ly/2xObhJb.
Andrew Paulson
Alum Andrew Paulson is currently the Director of Music Ministries at Westwood Lutheran Church (ELCA) in St. Louis Park, MN. Westwood is an open, affirming, and inclusive church in the Twin Cities area, and is locally and nationally known for its historic music program.
Christian Johnson
Graduate student Christian Johnson was selected as a contestant for Celebration of Music! The show will take place this coming Sunday at the Rococo Theater at 3 p.m.
If he wins (by voting online here: https://www.celebrationofmusic.com/christian-johnson ), he will have the opportunity to be locked-in for a spot in the Los Angeles TV showing of this event.
The show stars the PBS national artist, Ethan Bortnick, who will be advising and judging talent to see who will win. The winner will get to perform Live with Ethan in concert and record a single.
Kelli Bomberger
Graduate student Kelli Bomberger was one of 18 students internationally selected for a student research panel for the International Society for Music Theory conference in Washington DC.
Bomberger is participating in Frank Samarotto’s workshop, “The Craft of Musical Analysis”.
Sendoff with UNL Opera
We had an amazing opportunity to share our love of music with others that love music in a special way late Tuesday afternoon.
Ann Marie Snook, who is the chair of the music department at Washburn University in Topeka, Kansas and classically trained in opera, suffered a massive stroke on August 18 and has been rehabbing at Madonna Rehabilation Hospitals in Lincoln. Her husband, Lee, is also a professor of music at Washburn.
UNL Opera's William Shomos and Jared Hiscock along with pianist Denis Plutalov provided an amazing sendoff for Snook, who was having her final day at the hospital. They performed a duet from Don Pasquale. 10/11 news was also there to capture the event. http://www.1011now.com/content/news/Amid-recovery-surprise-opera-brings-smiles-448307853.html
Thanks everyone for bringing all of this together so quickly and the smile on Ann's face spoke volumes.
Paul Haar
The modern saxophonist has a wonderful new tool at their disposal,
WWW.THESAXOPHONIST.ORG was created by university professor and performer, Dr. Paul Haar. Haar is currently the Associate Professor of Saxophone and Director of Jazz Studies at The University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Noticing a void in the saxophone community, Haar created “The Saxophonist” as a resource that would serve students, performers and educators alike.
“The saxophone has blessed my life by taking me places that I used to dream of and to make music with people of all ages, nationalities and backgrounds. “The Saxophonist” is created to give back to the instrument I love!” -Paul Haar, Editor-in-Chief
The site, which launched in late August, offers informative articles, interviews with leading performers and teachers in the field and product reviews. In less than a week of its launch the site welcomed nearly 3,000 visitors from such locations as Brazil, Peru, Vietnam, Russia, Germany, England and Iceland. The inaugural issue showcases a review of the Retro Revival saxophone mouthpiece line and a featured article with tenor saxophonist, Lew Tabackin. The site is offered as a resource and is presented in a format that anyone, from any country, can access. In addition to Dr. Haar, The Saxophonist welcomes educators from around the world as reviewers, authors and advisors, making this venture truly “global”.