School of Performing Arts
Newsletter
SPRING 2017 ALUMNI NEWSLETTER
Curriculum Changes Will Usher in a New Era for the School of Performing Arts
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he School of Performing Arts (SPA) at MSUM has long been known for innovative programs that have made it a “destination location� for young musicians and actors. As in any other field, a continual evolution is essential to not just prepare young artists for the future, but to give them the tools to be in charge of creating that future. SPA has done exactly that with new degree programs that are at the leading edge of contemporary arts education.
In the Theatre area, there are two new Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) degree programs: one in Acting and another in Musical Theatre. The BFA - Acting degree focuses on advanced study of a wide range of genres from Shakespeare and Commedia and Post-Realism with a focus on the integration of movement and voice.
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A minimum of three plays will be produced each academic year. The Musical Theatre degree focuses upon advanced study in acting specifically for musical theatre and will feature a strong collaboration with the music program including a new Musical Theatre ensemble. Dance training in all styles will be a cornerstone of this new curriculum that will produce at least one major musical and two dance shows each academic year. Students in both curricula will be encouraged to audition and participate in the Straw Hat Players summer theatre program, which continues its 54th year of excellence this summer.
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School of Performing Arts
MSUM Theatre Hosts Mary Zimmerman and Metamorphoses
> MSUM Students wait backstage as they prepare to perform in the Fargo-Moorhead Community Theatre’s production of White Christmas. ...continued from page 1
The Music Industry (MI) program has been creating wonderful graduates focused on the areas of live/recorded sound and music business for more than 30 years. As with theatre, the “industry” is constantly evolving and it became clear to area coordinator Ryan Jackson that change was necessary. This spring, the MI area became its own school within the College of Arts, Media, and Communication: the School of Entertainment and Industries Technology (EIT). The new EIT core is focused on the audio and business aspects of the prior Music Industry degree. Music classes are among the choices for what can become 30 credits of electives leading to a minor in music or a minor in our new Commercial Music program. Commercial music? Yes! MSUM has long held a major in Jazz Studies that has served many of our students well. When the Music Industry program became a separate school, Jazz Studies was given the opportunity to shift and modernize toward a more modern curriculum that retains the traditional studies in jazz/ commercial theory, arranging, and improvisation but opens up other opportunities in business, entrepreneurship, and audio technology. The Commercial Music and Entertainment Industries and Technology degrees can also work together as a seamless whole. Each degree program has a large body of elective credits which will allow students to easily complete minors in either area as a complement to their primary area of interest. Even our “traditional” BA in Music and Music Education curricula has had exciting new options added. The BA now has a performance emphasis available and the Music Education degrees now include the possibility of dual certification (instrumental and choral) and a “Music Education PLUS” option with certificates in Jazz Studies and Technology (through the EIT department). Some schools prepare themselves and their students for the future based on models created by others. Clearly, we’re creating the future with new and innovative courses of study here at MSUM!
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Minnesota State University Moorhead
MSUM University Theatre was proud to present Mary Zimmerman’s Metamorphoses this spring. As part of a TriCollege collaboration, MSUM hosted Ms. Zimmerman in a series of workshops aimed at engaging students in the creative and professional side of the world of theatre. Ms. Zimmerman is an American theatre and opera director and playwright. She is an ensemble member of the Lookingglass Theatre Company, the Manilow Resident Director at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago, and is a professor in Performance Studies at Northwestern. She has also garnered a Tony Award and MacArthur Fellowship. According to MSUM senior Theatre Arts major Joe Schwartz, “Her collaboration with us during a rehearsal shed new light to the work we were already engaged in, and it was exciting working with her on so many different levels.”
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Music, Theater and Art Students Learn the Alexander Technique The School of Performing Arts brought Alexander Technique specialists to campus for a series of workshops and seminars. The Alexander Technique is a way of learning to move mindfully through life and is of particular use to musicians, artists, and actors. The process focuses upon inefficient habits of movement and patterns of accumulated tension that interfere with the body’s innate ability to move easily–issues that are often compounded in live performance or in repetitive physical activities. Specialists Tully Hall and Joe Krienke worked with students in October, February and April, giving lessons and workshops in music, theatre, dance, drawing, print-making, and ceramics classes. The lessons and ‘hands-on’ opportunities were particularly beneficial, creating a lot of buzz amongst students. Participants in these sessions believe they are making progress in releasing tension and improving ease of movement in their disciplines and in their daily lives.
MSUM goes to the Caribbean! Ten MSUM students were lucky enough to spend a few days during the cold month of January not in Moorhead, but on the islands of Trinidad and Tobago for MSUM’s second offering of the School of Performing Arts’ biennial “Trinidad Abroad” World Music course. Directed by Dr. Kenyon Williams, Professor of Percussion and World Music, the students explored the rich culture and music of the island through hands-on music making experiences as well as participating in historical tours and daily lectures. The students were introduced to the calypso music of Trinidad while they learned to perform on the island’s famous steel drums during lessons which were taught by special guest instructor Amrit Samaroo, one of the top steel band arrangers and performers in Trinidad. This experience was a highlight for many of the participants. As MSUM student Taylor Myers noted, “We were able to experience Trinidad as if we were locals rather than just tourists. Not many tourists get to meet and play with amazing pan musicians!” Students were able to view native wildlife on a nature tour of Caroni Swamp (home of the rare scarlet ibis), as well as visit the workshop of a steel drum builder, tour the capital city of Port of Spain, attend a rehearsal of the National Steel Orchestra as specially invited guests, and even enjoy a private concert with master calypso singer Black Sage. Of course, the trip wouldn’t have been complete without just a little time to go swimming and snorkeling in the warm blue waters of the Caribbean. “I have held tight to all of the memories I made in Trinidad and Tobago,” reflected participant Cassandra Johnson. “The musical, cultural, and personal experiences have helped me become a more positive and ambitious individual. Plus, I never imagined that I would ever take a class while swinging in a hammock next to a pool!” To find out more about how you might join us for our next offering of Trinidad Abroad in January of 2019, contact the School of Performing Arts for more information. mnstate.edu/spa
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School of Performing Arts
Music program receives $32,000 Scholarship Grant This past fall, the MSUM School of Performing Arts was excited to learn that the Music program had been selected by the Minneapolis Foundation to receive a $32,000 scholarship from the Jane Burkleo Scholarship Fund. This generous onetime gift allowed the department to offer $8,000 scholarships to four exceptionally talented incoming freshman music major applicants beginning in the fall of 2017. Jane Burkleo had a life-long interest in music and established the scholarship fund in her name in 1985 for “the assistance of talented persons aged eighteen years and over in the active pursuit of education or training in music.” Students selected as eligible for the scholarship were asked to participate in a live on-campus audition before a full faculty panel, where four talented applicants from a variety of musical backgrounds were selected to receive Burkleo scholarships. The MSUM School of Performing Arts has a rich history of shaping the next generation of music and theatre professionals. To help accomplish that goal, we manage a wide variety of scholarships, any of which can use your support. From scholarships that benefit any music or theatre loving student to specialty scholarships that focus upon particular fields such as theatre, winds, voice, jazz, guitar, piano, music industry, and percussion, there are scholarship opportunities that we hope you’ll be excited to explore. Please consider donating to the future of the arts in Minnesota. Become an MSUM Scholarship Donor by contacting the MSUM Alumni Office at (218) 477-2143 or via the web at: https://donate.mnstate.edu/CAMC. Thank you!
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Minnesota State University Moorhead
Choral Program Adds New Ensembles The MSUM choral program will get a makeover in the Fall of 2017! The Theatre and Music programs are working together to premiere a new musical theatre ensemble this coming August. This group, called Show Choir, will combine choreography with Broadway numbers from productions both big and small. In addition, the program’s Tenor/Bass Choir and the Treble Choir will merge together to form a new mixed voices University Choir. Like its predecessors, this ensemble will be non-auditioned and will be open to all majors. MSUM is also excited to announce that the new pop a capella group Solfire will be recognized this coming year by MSUM’s student government as one of the campus’ newest student organizations. Solfire will be able to sing at official University functions and will have the opportunity to continuously spread this institution’s love for the arts to the community.
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Music Students Participate in MMEA More than twenty-five MSUM music students took part in the Minnesota Music Educators Association (MMEA) Midwinter Clinic this past February, which was the highest student participation in recent memory. Fifteen of these students were selected to perform with the MN CBDNA Intercollegiate Honor Band, where they presented a world premiere performance of the piece Temperance composed by Minnesota native Aaron Perrine. The remaining students, all of which were members of the MSUM chapter of the National Association of Music Educators, took full advantage of the many wonderful sessions presented at the midwinter clinic event. It was a tremendously inspiring conference for all involved!
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Music Students in the News In January, senior Erik Hagfors, Vocal Music Education major and student of Dr. Jenny Dufault, took third place in an international voice competition. The Great Composers Competition Series is based in England and undergraduate students from around the world submit videos of performances. These performances are then ranked by a panel of judges and the top three winners are chosen. The competition was based on the music of Franz Schubert. Erik sang Der Tod und Das Mädchen. Erik just completed his senior recital and plans to student teach next year. During the summer of 2017, MSUM Music Education major Kaele Peterson will sing with the Minnesota Opera Company’s young artist program. The training program is for undergraduate students to practice the art of performance in both opera and art song. It is a competitive program and only a few students are selected to participate. Kaele was also selected this spring as the 2017-18 Presser Award winner by the MSUM School of Performing Arts. This prestigious scholarship is given each year to one senior in the music program through a generous grant from the Philadelphia-based Presser Foundation. Kaele is a double major in vocal and instrumental music education programs and is a voice student of Dr. Jenny Dufault and a percussion student of Dr. Kenyon Williams. Her high level of academic achievement, exceptional performance ability in two contrasting areas, and dedication to completing her degree as a non-traditional student (she is the proud mother of both Maeve (8) and Leif (6)) made her an outstanding candidate for this award. Kaele plans to give her senior voice and percussion recitals in the fall and will student teach in the spring. mnstate.edu/spa
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School of Performing Arts
FACULTY NEWS Julie Adams (Musical Theatre) is getting ready to begin the 2017 season of MSUM’s Straw Hat Players (her 8th) after a busy academic year that saw her serving as Musical Director for the Theatre Department’s production of The Full Monty as well as FMCT’s production of White Christmas and serving as chorus master for the Fargo-Moorhead Opera’s productions of The Magic Flute and The Pirates of Penzance. She additionally mentored three Music Education majors as musical directors of MSUM’s children’s show production of Charlie Brown and private voice students from her studio won first and second in the Musical Theatre (Men) area as well as second place in Musical Theatre (Women) categories at the Minnesota NATS competition. Patrick Carriere (Theatre) became a Full Professor of Theatre Arts this year. He is enjoying retirement from the regional and national boards of KCACTF by focusing upon production work. He loved directing his first children’s show at MSUM, You›re a Good Man Charlie Brown. He also collaborated with the tri-college consortium to bring in Mary Zimmerman in conjunction with his directing of Metamorphoses. Outside of MSUM, he acted in an original play by film professor Raymond Rea at Theatre B. He is still integrating Michael Chekhov technique into his class and productions and will continue his study of the technique this summer.
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Minnesota State University Moorhead
Dr. Allen Carter (Music Theory, Jazz Studies) received critical acclaim for his new CD Time On My Hands including a four-and-a-half star review from All About Jazz. The recipient of a Dille Foundation Grant from the university, he was able to take two students with him to Los Angeles so they could witness the sessions featuring the finest jazz and studio musicians the west coast has to offer. During the school year, he created the new Commercial Music curriculum that will begin the fall of 2017 and has recently returned from a guest artist/lecturer trip to Alaska. Dr. Jenny Dufault (Voice) continues to be the Coordinator of the Voice Program at MSUM. Her studio is filled primarily with voice music education majors. Dr. Dufault appeared this season with the Fargo-Moorhead Opera company in two productions: she was the nursing nun in Puccini’s Suor Angelica and the Second Lady in Mozart’s The Magic Flute. She was asked by the opera company to perform at an international dinner benefit concert last summer and will do so again this coming summer. Dr. Dufault worked with Maestro Stephen Sulich and was a guest recitalist at both Concordia College in Moorhead and at Minnesota State University and Technical College in Fergus Falls. Craig A. Ellingson (Director of Theatre) has recently been seen on stage with Music Theatre Fargo-Moorhead in the roles of Emcee
in Cabaret and Bobby in Company; and with FM Ballet as Droselmeier in The Nutcracker. For University Theatre he continues with creative work for The Straw Hat Players and the annual academic season; and he was just awarded the ICDSJ Fellowship grant which will allow him to create an original piece of theatre next academic year. Dr. Monte Grisé (Director of Bands and Music Education Coordinator) recently received tenure and promotion to Associate Professor of Music. In addition, Dr. Grisé became the Music Director and Conductor of the Lake Agassiz Concert Band. He will also return again to teach at the International Music Camp in June. This summer, Dr. Grisé will present the first College for Kids and Teens session at MSUM for band students. This class will be aimed at rising eighth, ninth and tenth grade instrumental students from the region and will feature fun and interactive music-making experiences and ensemble playing. As sponsor of the NAfME Chapter, he brought twenty five music students to the Minnesota Music Educators Association Conference in Minneapolis this past February. Dr. Grisé remains an active adjudicator and clinician. Dr. Tiana Grisé (Flute) is completing her fourth year of teaching the growing flute studio at MSUM. She continues to be impressed by the increasing musical maturity of her students. In October, she also took on the mantle of Executive Director of the Fargo Moorhead Area Youth Symphonies, a position which allows her
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to work closely with area professionals as well as the most talented young musicians in the FM area. Dr. Grisé is planning a number of collaborative projects for the 2017-18 year, including a recital with pianist Stephen Sulich. Dr. Michael J. Krajewski (Guitar, Jazz Studies) presented a lecture at the College Music Society conference in Santa Fe, New Mex., titled “Social Media Marketing for the 21st Century Musician”. In January 2017, he attended the Jazz Educators Network conference in New Orleans, La., where he presented a music technology session titled “Moving on up: From GarageBand to a Professional DAW”. Dr. Krajewski is a contributing editor for Soundboard magazine where he writes articles on music technology for the guitar studio. In the summer of 2017, Dr. Krajewski will travel to California to present on social media marketing for guitarist at the Guitar Foundation of America international conference. Professor and Coordinator of Keyboard Studies Dr. Terrie Manno has enjoyed an exciting year of performance and research. In March, she and Michael Dean presented a two-piano recital that featured major works by Rachmaninoff, Copland, Lutoslawski, Chopin, Joplin, and Nancy Beach. She attended the Music Teachers’ Association National Conference in Baltimore, continuing her studies on how the brain processes information for study and music performance. These investigations are part of her research on how to help students develop and improve
mental focus. In her interdisciplinary collaboration, Dr. Manno performed with poet and spoken-word artist Kevin Zepper in the Fall semester in Lines&Notes. They combine Mr. Zepper’s poetry with Dr. Manno’s compositions in live performances that evoke a wide range of emotions from listeners. Lines&Notes has been featured on the PBS television program Prairie Musicians. Dr. Erynn Millard (Director of Choral Ensembles, Music Education) led a group of MSUM’s Choral Music Education majors to the national conference for the American Choral Directors’ Association in Minneapolis. Additionally, she created a field experience for music education majors who had completed the elementary music methods class where they had the opportunity to volunteer with a K-2 choir at First Presbyterian Church in Fargo. In February, she traveled to Virginia to adjudicate Menchville High School’s Clash of Choirs, and in May, she judged two choral contests for Festivals of Music in the Minneapolis area. She also performed roles with both the Fargo-Moorhead Opera and Fargo-Moorhead Community Theatre. During the summer, she will perform as a guest artist in MSUM Straw Hat Players’ production of Forbidden Broadway and will conduct the final show, Hello Dolly!
campus concerts, the group performed at Fargo Davies High School and DilworthGlyndon-Felton High School. Dr. Kenyon Williams (Percussion, World Music) was elected this fall to serve on the Board of Advisors for the Percussive Arts Society, presented a solo faculty recital at MSUM, and then hosted the School of Performing Arts’ eighth biennial “Day of Percussion” with guest artists Casey Cangelosi (marimba), Shane Shanahan (hand drum artist with Yo Yo Ma’s Silk Road Ensemble), and Larnell Lewis (drumset artist for the jazz/fusion ensemble Snarky Puppy). During the winter, Dr. Williams created a unique set of ice percussion instruments which he performed on with his professional ensemble, the Varying Degrees Percussion Trio at Fargo’s Frostival winter festival. Dr. Williams also performed Cort Lippe’s Music for Tenor Pan and Computer at the Society for Electro-Acoustic Music in the United State (SEAMUS) conference in St. Cloud and concluded the year by directing the MSUM Percussion Ensemble in their unique spring concert, “Percussion Electronica,” featuring works for percussion and electronics.
Dr. Tom Strait (Director of Jazz Bands, High Brass) continued serving as Principal Trumpet with the FargoMoorhead Symphony Orchestra while also directing the highly active MSUM Jazz Ensemble. In addition to two onmnstate.edu/spa
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2017-2018 Music Performances Thursday, Sept. 14
Faculty Recital, Glasrud Auditorium, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 29
Wind Ensemble Concert, Hansen Theatre, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 4 to 7
University Theatre presents Macbeth, Gaede Stage, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 07
Fuego Tropical at the Spare Key Gala, Moorhead Center Mall, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 21
Choir Concert, Glasrud Auditorium, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 03
Percussion Ensemble Concert, Glasrud Auditorium, 7:30 p.m.
Monday, Nov. 6
Jazz Ensemble Concert, Glasrud Auditorium, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 18
Children’s Theatre presents The Wizard of Oz, Hansen Theatre, 1 and 4 p.m.
Friday, Dec. 01
Choir/Wind Ensemble Concert, Hansen Theatre, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, Dec. 02
Unsilent Night, Downtown Fargo
Hansen Theatre, Gaede Stage and Fox Recital Hall are in the Roland Dille Center for the Arts. Glasrud Auditorium is in Weld Hall. Some dates may be subject to change. Contact the MSUM Box Office at 218-477-2101 Monday through Friday from noon to 4 p.m. or go to mnstate.edu/tickets for tickets and concert confirmation.
Minnesota State University Moorhead is an equal opportunity educator and employer.