VOLUME 109, ISSUE 4 WINTER 2016
THE
TRI ANGLE
INTERNATIONAL PROFESSIONAL FRATERNITY FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF MUSIC IN THE COMMUNITY, NATION, AND WORLD
MIXING IT UP Interdisciplinary Arts CHAPTER PROJECTS
NEW ACME HONOREES
FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIP STORIES
Fraternity Mission Statement: Mu Phi Epsilon International Professional Music Fraternity is a coeducational fraternity whose aim is the advancement of music in the community, nation, and world through the promotion of musicianship, scholarship, and music education, with emphasis on service through music. EDITOR Melissa J. Eddy editor@muphiepsilon.org
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contents WINTER 2016 | VOLUME 109, ISSUE 4
features 4
Breathing Life into Breathing Room Mary Lou Newmark writes about the process of creating her latest work.
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Integrated Arts: Creating Parallels & Connections An interview with interdisciplinary artist and educator Jeffrey Hoover.
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Harping On It How the Kansas City Alumni chapter co-presented the Mu Phi Epsilon Concert Artist and promoted the Fraternity at the same time.
columns 10 12 13 14 20
ACME Meet the newest honorees. Alumni Corner The value of district conferences & beyond Collegiate Connection Making the most of officer transitions BookShelf Alma Rosé: Vienna to Auschwitz Chapter News Epsilon Upsilon engages new students, campus community
departments 3 15 18 21 22 23
President’s Message Foundation Applause / Encore Final Notes District Directors Directory Executive Officers Directory
DESIGN & PRODUCTION Corinne Lattimer thetriangle@muphiepsilon.org PROOFREADER Doris Braun Send all material for publication to: Melissa Eddy, editor@muphiepsilon.org Fax 325-388-0914 or by mail to 220 Link Drive, Kingsland, TX 78639-5262 All materials submitted for publication become the property of Mu Phi Epsilon. Requests for return are accepted and must be accompanied with a self-addressed stamped envelope. Electronic transmissions are preferred. Photos must be scanned at a minimum of 300 dpi. Deadlines for submissions: Spring — February 15 Summer — May 1 Fall — August 15 Winter — December 1 Change of address, renewals, notice of deceased members, requests for extra copies and subscription requests should be sent to: Mu Phi Epsilon International Executive Office P.O. Box 1369 Fort Collins, CO 80522-1369 toll free: 888-259-1471 fax: 888-855-8670 email: executiveoffice@muphiepsilon.org The Triangle is published 4 times per year by Mu Phi Epsilon, International Professional Music Fraternity. Member, Professional Fraternity Association. (ISSN 0041-2600)(Volume 109, Issue 4) Subscription price is $20.00 per year. Single copies are $8.00. Periodicals postage paid at Fort Collins, Colorado and at additional mailing offices. Printed in the United States of America. POSTMASTER: Send all changes of address to: Mu Phi Epsilon, PO Box 1369, Fort Collins, CO 80522-1369. © 2016 Mu Phi Epsilon. All rights reserved.
On the cover: Eileen T’Kaye, Charles Reese and Mary Lou Newmark | Photo credit Ed Krieger
Detail from "Golden" by Jeffrey Hoover. See story, page 6.
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE ROSEMARY AMES
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INTERNATIONAL PRESIDENT
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PRESIDENT@MUPHIEPSILON.ORG
By the time you read this, I’ll be home wearing three sweaters, nice comfy socks and wrapped up in a blanket awaiting spring. But as I write this greeting, I’m on the other side of the world in northern Thailand, where we are traversing a highway boasting thousands of switchbacks, and around each bend is another beautiful view that is uniquely Thailand. Traveling, whether near or far, opens new doors for me, exposing me to new people and experiences I might never have had if I had not taken the chance to discover something. It’s much the same with the arts. We know and love music with which we are familiar and never tire of performing or listening to it. We also know what it is like to take a chance, opening a door to something with a new and different sound. We know that when combining music with other performing arts, we are rewarded with a full, rich experience that leaves us feeling so complete. In this issue of The Triangle, we meet some fellow members who have opened those doors and taken that chance to grow musically by combining their musical art with other arts. Their path may not be the same one we would take, but we applaud their ever-expanding talents and growth in the performing arts. We applaud them for their continued learning and for continuing to give us the opportunity to grow in our own talents and learning as well. Let’s all resolve to do something in 2016 to expand our musical lives - be it performing something we’ve never done before, listening to a genre we’ve never taken the time to explore, or attending a program that incorporates multiple types of performing arts. Won’t it be fun to open those doors?
Rosemary Ames International President
UPCOMING DEADLINES These opportunities are open to any currently affiliated Mu Phi (dues paid as of 12/31/15).
FRATERNITY CONTESTS AND AWARDS Mary Alice Cox Award for Lifelong Learning Marian Bowker Davidson Collaborative Pianist Award Musicological Research Contest Deadline March 1, 2016 Complete descriptions and application forms at muphiepsilon.org/?page=HonorsAwards
FOUNDATION GRANTS AND SCHOLARSHIPS Available in many musical fields of study and professional development Deadline March 1, 2016 Complete list and application in Fall 2015 Triangle and at muphiepsilon.org/?page=GrantsScholarships
Winter 2016 | THE TRIANGLE
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COVER FEATURE BY MARY LOU NEWMARK
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MU CHI, LOS ANGELES ALUMNI, ACME
Breathing Life into Breathing Room Creating an interdisciplinary work
Eileen T’Kaye, Charles Reese and Mary Lou Newmark | Photo by Ed Krieger
I was trained as a classical musician, so my approach to theater comes from a different perspective than most playwrights. I view my theater work as an extension of my music composition. I usually start with music, with sounds, and with the rhythm of words. I also write poems that can stand alone, but sometimes become integrated into the music.
Common themes Breathing Room began with music compositions and poems. Over time, I had recognized common themes appearing in my pieces: a sped-up society barraged with stimuli, losing touch with our bodies and with Nature around us. I realized that there was work here that was bigger than a collection of poems — and more than a series of music compositions. My earlier pieces were initially based on personal experience. The “Bed, Bath, and Beyond Experience” is a
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combination of storytelling and musical soundscapes. It is based on a disorienting experience I had with the store that had relocated and had grown in size to become a bit frightening — where the “shopping carts became stalkers that just followed you home whether you wanted them to or not.”
Emerging characters After writing that piece, I saw a character emerging who was not me: a visual artist who was creative but somewhat trapped inside her standards and a little overwhelmed with life. I named her Marilyn. A second character then began to appear, with a contrasting persona: a science teacher with a mysterious past. The Professor is Marilyn’s neighbor — analytical, but mischievous, playful, and grounded in an odd way. Both these characters sprouted from more abstract figures in my previous dance/theater work, “Breath of Trees.” The two of
them could help one another to see their differences, as well as tease each other into new ways of thinking. My two characters would explore how people in contemporary society engage with each other. And how we engage with Nature, personally and collectively. The audience would see the characters’ blind spots before they could.
Finding a structure I began to write monologues, dialogues, and interlogues (poems spoken back and forth by the two characters). I composed more music and envisioned possible dance sequences. The work grew more complex as I began to play with juxtaposing elements in order to show connections between them. My characters began to find equivalencies (things that people don’t think of having commonalities): words and music, quantum physics and spirituality, light and sound. After months of scribbling, I ran a draft by my friend Dan Berkowitz, drawing on his years of script writing and directing experience. Dan and I agreed that the draft was a collection of modules. My previous theater pieces were organic, circular in shape. Breathing Room was more complex; it needed a structure. I thought for a while and drew on my classical music background. Why not use the structure of a symphony? The work would have four acts/movements, plus a coda. Each would begin with a musical tempo and a quotation to set the tone. Following the pattern of a classical symphony, the structure of Breathing Room became clear.
Humor, open hearts, and physics Act I (“Allegro”) sets a lively musical pace, introducing the piece’s themes. Here, we learn about the “peanut butter explosion” and Marilyn’s latest artistic project. Act II (“Andante”) is a slow movement filled with personal stories and a meditation on hummingbirds. In Act III (“Minuet”), our characters dance around meatball-eating bears. The fourth act, “Presto,” brings frenzied action, as Marilyn and the Professor wrestle with “modern technologic vertigo.” The act builds to a breakthrough climax with a musical dance number that has the actors moving through the audience. The piece ends with a Coda, a poem our characters share that invites the audience to open their hearts. There is a third character in Breathing Room, someone I almost forgot to mention: a musician. But audiences don’t hear classical string sounds. As the musician, I play the electric violin — with soundscapes — and perform my original compositions live as part of every show. I interact with the characters in many ways, in duet, ensemble, underscoring, commenting, and providing a larger context. Breathing Room is a chamber symphony in four acts for two actors and a musician, and there is a lot going on in a
70-minute show. I agree with @ This Stage that creativity is “born from a cross-pollination of disciplines.” I hope audiences find this play creative in unexpected ways, a thought-provoking experience and, especially, an enjoyable one. Reprinted with permission from @ This Stage Magazine (ThisStage.LA). This article first appeared October 7, 2015, in conjunction with the world premiere production of Breathing Room October 3-25 at the Greenway Court Theatre in Los Angeles. Mary Lou Newmark is an electric violinist, composer, and poet based in Los Angeles. She finds time in her busy schedule of performance, touring, and creating to serve as Corresponding Secretary for the Los Angeles Alumni chapter. Visit her at greenangelmusic.com.
Breathing Room summary Breathing Room, directed by Dan Berkowitz, follows two neighbors in a Los Angeles suburb — Marilyn (Eileen T’Kaye), an artist, and the Professor (Charles Reese), a high school science teacher. The two of them struggle with “modern technologic vertigo” as they negotiate living with hummingbirds, meatball eating bears, coyotes, and backyard chickens. Structured like a symphony with evocative music, the neighbors explore personal relationships with nature, quantum physics, and embodied spirituality. Reprinted with permission from an article by Eileen Dostal on kmozart.com, September 30, 2015
Accolades for Breathing Room Winner, Best Musical Score, 2015 SAGE Awards (theater critics of ArtsInLA.com) “Disarmingly beautiful musical parable.” - Ernest Kearney's Best of Los Angeles Theater 2015 “A dreamscape in which the audience becomes another element in the creation of the piece … The music is … a way to enhance the thematic elements, [and] there are moments of true sonic beauty and classical reference … a fresh and thought-provoking evening for a discerning audience.” –showmag.com “In the intensely talented hands of Ms. Newmark [the electric violin] became musical magic.” – examiner.com “Neither ornate nor boisterous, this work is not a thing forged of sturdy links, but a gossamer fabric woven of silken butterfly wings … an experience of intense feeling spoken softly.” – thetvolution.com
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COVER FEATURE
Integrated Ar ts: Creating Parallels & Connections AN INTERVIEW WITH JEFFREY HOOVER, BETA OMEGA, ACME
Jeffrey Hoover is a pioneer in the field of integrated arts, taking interdisciplinary creativity to the next level. In this e-interview, he offers a glimpse into the exciting potential of combining diverse art forms, including music, to make unique new works.
musical materials I use are acoustical instruments, the voice, electroacoustic media, and sounds found in nature. I often paint in a series, a process that lends itself to creating parallels in multi-movement musical compositions.
How did you become involved in creating integrated artwork?
The compositions and paintings are complete in themselves and could be presented separately, but in my work they are connected because of how they are structured. When they are combined during a performance, images of the paintings are projected so the audience can both see and hear the work. To see and hear affinities between art forms is a remarkable experience for the audience, giving a richer experience of the wholeness of an artistic work.
While at Tech, I was invited to create a movement work for a fellow doctoral student. Because I paint as well as compose, I decided to combine my paintings with my music. The result was The Colors of Music, a work for electronic music, paintings, and dancer. A series of seven paintings and seven musical movements, the work explores how art, music, and dance can be combined so ideas can be both seen and heard. The visual aspects of the paintings were parallel to the auditory aspects of the music. I’ve continued to work in this way ever since.
Sometimes I create action painting in real time on the stage while musicians perform or electronic music is heard. Because such works are founded in the passing of time, they are often abstract, reflecting a temporal quality, although figurative content and imitational content may emerge. Sometimes I will introduce a third art form – poetry – to complete the auditory, visual, and linguistic connection, such as in Golden for alto flute, piano, painting, and poem.
In 1990, I pursued doctoral studies at Texas Tech University, where the Ph.D. in Fine Arts program was a unique opportunity for me. As a musician and teacher, I had been previously involved in artistic collaborations that crossed over disciplinary lines. When it was time for me to enter doctoral studies, this program was a natural choice.
How and why do you create these integrated works?
As a painter, I combine acrylic, pastel, charcoal, and sometimes watercolor on both canvas and paper. The
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Another of my integrated works, Into the Night (pictured adjacent page, top right), is in some ways autobiographical. I grew up during the Space Race, and the piece was inspired by the summer when Neil Armstrong set foot on the moon and I had my $24
telescope set up in the driveway. The painting reflects the music’s evocative structure and texture, and includes a portrait of the moon. A brief poem completes the visual-sonic-linguistic triangle. (Golden, Into the Night, and some of my other combined works may be experienced at artmusic1.wordpress.com.)
How is this different from merely putting together music and art at random? A question I have wrestled with is whether combined artistic works from diverse disciplines are truly joined or are merely experienced parallel to each other. I believe the answer is in the phenomena of the artwork themselves. As part of experiencing an interdisciplinary work, the viewer can consider and validate connections between its elements. It is an intellectual and analytic process, but rooted in the emotional experience of coming face-to-face with the work. Without strong connections, combined artwork risk becoming fanciful caprices, where the connections are subjective on the part of the artist.
Where does the growth of arts integration lead us?
Integration of art disciplines can take us in two important directions. The first direction is the creative work itself. Combining diverse art forms can enable us to create and experience art in different ways, with a more full and robust reading. It can even build community, bringing together artists who normally might not be in the same room at the same time. The second direction is serving the wider society through the arts. Arts organizations are increasingly reaching out to each other and presenting works that involve collaboration and partnership. Bringing integration to such collaboration, intentionally and with a specific purpose, helps artists and others connect to achieve common goals.
How is arts integration reflected in your work as a teacher?
I’m the director of the Integrated Arts program at the University of Baltimore. The program draws students from every arts discipline and has three important thrusts: managing the arts, presenting the arts, and continued personal development in one’s primary discipline. The program includes experiential learning, a capstone internship, and a major project on behalf of an
arts organization. Best practices from each discipline are brought together to solve problems using the arts. My own integrated work as artist and teacher has led me to write a book about the power of connections between different artforms. The Arts and Society: Making New Worlds (Kendall Hunt Publishing) examines social context for the arts while exploring how and why art is created, yesterday and today. More information about the book is at artmusic1.wordpress.com/book-the-arts-andsociety.
Jeffrey Hoover's compositions – ranging from music for soloist to symphony orchestra – have been recognized through the prestigious Trieste prize, Mu Phi Epsilon awards, Lancaster Fine Arts Festival, various grants, publications, and fellowships, and over twenty commissions. Contact him at jhoover@ubalt.edu.
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CHAPTER NEWS BY JULIA SCHERER
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ALPHA KAPPA
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KANSAS CITY ALUMNI PRESIDENT
Harping On It
From left: Julia Scherer, Rachel Brandwein, Charlotte Brown
Over three days in October 2015, the Kansas City Alumni chapter sponsored multiple events that spotlighted what can be achieved through passion, planning, persistence, and partnership (with a dash of creative thinking sprinkled into the mix). Harpist Rachel Brandwein (Gamma, Minneapolis/St. Paul Alumni), the 2014 Mu Phi Epsilon International Competition winner, arrived in Kansas City on October 8. She immediately plunged into a whirlwind of performances and outreach events that brought the joy of music to large audiences and hundreds of students. The Kansas City chapter used these events in several ways to bring awareness of Mu Phi Epsilon to our community.
Performances The core event was Rachel’s appearance as harp soloist with the Kansas City Civic Orchestra on October 10. She was joined by flutist Hannah Porter Occeña (Alpha Kappa) in a performance of Mozart’s Concerto for Flute, Harp, and Orchestra, K. 299. The concert was the Kansas City chapter’s 2015 Musicale, its main annual outreach event, presented in collaboration with the orchestra as part of the latter’s season.
Each year’s Musicale is a world-class concert offered free of charge 8 MuPhiEpsilon.org
Promoting Mu Phi Epsilon through Concerts & Outreach Embodying Mu Phi Epsilon’s stated purpose “to foster the advancement of music throughout the world,” each year’s Musicale is a world-class concert offered free of charge as a gift to the people of Kansas City. Since the KCCO consistently draws audiences of up to a thousand people, the collaborative concert gave our chapter exposure to a much larger audience than usual. The concert itself was stunning; the capacity audience rose to its feet in a prolonged standing ovation at the conclusion of Rachel’s and Hannah’s performance of the Mozart concerto. The evening after the Musicale, Rachel appeared in a flute and harp recital at University of Missouri at Kansas City (UMKC) Conservatory of Music and Dance, home of Alpha Kappa. Although not a Mu Phi event, the fraternity was again prominently featured when Chen Yi’s transcription for flute and harp of her Three Bagatelles from the West received its world premiere. Dr. Chen (Alpha Kappa, Kansas City Alumni, ACME, Sterling Patron) attended and spoke to the audience about the composition and her gratitude to Mu Phi Epsilon for its support of her and of her work.
Spoken word I had been invited to address the audience of around a thousand people just before the concert. This was a golden opportunity to familiarize concertgoers with Mu Phi Epsilon’s history, purpose, and activities and the benefits of becoming a member (whether professional or patron).
Printed materials The chapter had voted to purchase a full-page ad in the KCCO’s program book, which contains information for the entire season and is distributed at each of the five concerts. This investment will continue to bring Mu Phi Epsilon to the attention of KCCO concertgoers all season long. The chapter knew it would be important to be prepared with information for prospective members and a means to record contact information for those who expressed interest on the spot. So we provided prominently displayed chapter business cards (pictured, below right) with contact information, a QR code to the chapter website, and on the back, a list of benefits of being a Mu Phi. We also had sign-up sheets for people to leave their email addresses and phone numbers.
Master classes On the morning of the Musicale, Rachel presented a harp master class at the concert venue. The master class served a twofold purpose of giving area students the opportunity to learn more about harp and of creating excitement – and hopefully a larger audience – for the concert that night.
Rachel Brandwein, Hannah Porter Occeña
On the following Monday, Rachel gave four master classes for band, choir, and string students at an area middle school. With 60 to 80 students attending each class, around 300 students experienced the thrill of the harp up close. Rachel shared the history of the harp, how it is constructed, how
it works, and how it is played. She also performed several pieces, including some of her own compositions. The master classes were arranged by KC chapter members Charlotte Brown (Alpha Kappa, IEB) and Gail Rowland, the middle school’s orchestra director. Gail had a photographer and videographer on hand and also asked the students to submit written feedback, which she later assembled into Harp Experience, a book presented to Charlotte. A sample student comment: “Seeing/hearing the harp being played was really cool because I didn’t realize that you could play those types of songs. I always thought the harp was just a bunch of glissandos and stereotypical stuff.” – Zach A.
An inspirational model We hope that these three intense and exhilarating days (and the many months of thinking and planning that led up to them) will serve as an inspirational model for other chapters to promote music in their communities and increase chapter membership. We invite you to borrow these ideas and use them in your own chapters.
Handout card
It was nice to point out that not only were both guest soloists Mu Phis, but so were conductor Christopher Kelts (Alpha Kappa), concertmaster Carol Chatelain (Xi, Kansas City Alumni), and Outreach Coordinator Gail Rowland (Phi Pi). I also noted that Robert Carney, the piano soloist who will appear with the KCCO in March, is also a Mu Phi (Alpha Mu). The chapter hoped that mention of so many participating Mu Phis would be a testament to our organization’s level of excellence and also motivate people to join us.
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ACME ARTISTS, COMPOSERS, MUSICOLOGISTS MARY AU
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MU NU, LOS ANGELES ALUMNI
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&
EDUCATORS
AUHAUS@GMAIL.COM
NEW ACME HONOREES Mu Phi Epsilon is proud to announce our latest ACME honorees. They are among our most accomplished members, whose achievements place them at the acme of our profession. Our new honorees are in different stages of their professional development and each has traveled a unique path to attain acclaim worthy of the ACME designation.
Chen Yi, composition Alpha Kappa, Kansas City Alumni presser.com/composer/chen-yi Dr. Chen Yi lived through the Cultural Revolution, labored in the Chinese countryside, learned about Chinese folk culture, and incorporated her Chinese roots into Western harmony to create her signature compositional style. Composer of hundreds of works, most published by the Theodore Presser Company, she is currently the Lorena Searcy Craven/Millsap/Missouri Distinguished Professor at the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory of Music and Dance. Born and raised in China, Chen Yi received her early music education there, becoming the first Chinese woman to earn a Master of Arts in composition from the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing. After emigrating to the U.S., she earned a D.M.A. from Columbia University. She was a finalist for the 2006 Pulitzer Prize for Music for her composition Si Ji (Four Seasons). The numerous awards, fellowships, and commissions she has received attest to Dr. Chen’s excellence and renown as an artist-performer, composer, musicologist and educator. For an in-depth profile of Chen Yi, please see The Triangle, Vol. 105, No. 4, Winter 2012, pages 6-8. Available online at muphiepsilon.org.
Chika Inoue, saxophone Omega Omega, Los Angeles Alumni chikainoue.com Dr. Chika Inoue is committed to sharing the saxophone’s versatility through performance of classical saxophone literature for audiences worldwide. A native of Osaka, Japan, she spent most of her youth in Frankfurt, Germany and San Diego, California. She is a graduate of the USC Thornton School of Music (D.M.A.), UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music (M.A.) and California State University-Fresno (B.A.). She was first prize laureate at the Japan International League of Artists Music Competition, La Jolla Symphony & Chorus Young Artists Competition, Redlands Bowl Young Artist Competition, and Fresno Musical Club Bell T. Richie Award. Chika has performed as soloist and recitalist in international festivals and major concert halls, and is currently on faculty at the California State University-Dominguez Hills. “While my concentration is on classical saxophone, I am also immersed in jazz, film, ethnic folk, rock
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and electronic music. My experience as an artist and as an educator in saxophone, general music, marching band technique, and humanities all serve to broaden my appreciation of art, culture, various genes of music and their influence on my interpretation of classical music.” She notes that the saxophone, invented in 1846, has been primarily considered a jazz instrument; few composers have historically included it in symphonic works, and when they do, it often has a jazz element. In addition to standard saxophone repertoire, Chika often performs Improvisation III for alto saxophone by Ryo Noda. “This work captures the essence and nuance of the shakuhachi, a Japanese vertical flute, and indirectly gives the West a glimpse of Japanese culture,” says Chika. “Incorporation of jazz, ethnic, and other genres allows the composer to expand the color of classical saxophone music, and in turn attract more people to becoming classical saxophonists.” Chika transcribes for saxophone a variety of classical repertoire written for strings and woodwinds, to highlight the saxophone’s beauty, timbre, and versatility. She says, “It is my hope that when people play my transcriptions, they too receive the single comment I hear most often after my performances: ‘I had no idea the saxophone could sound so beautiful.’”
Rik Noyce, flute Gamma Sigma riknoycedma.com
Dr. Rik Noyce began his musical journey as a percussionist in fourth grade. Answering the needs of various school bands he subsequently joined, he also became a self-taught alto saxophonist, oboist, and flutist, and studied oboe at New England Conservatory’s Extension Division. He earned a B.M. in oboe performance from Hartt School of Music, an M.M. in flute performance from California State UniversityNorthridge where he studied with David Shostac, and a D.M. A. from University of Nevada-Las Vegas. He is currently an educator at University of Nevada-Las Vegas, California State UniversityDominguez Hills, and Loyola Marymount University, and also teaches private lessons, master classes, and workshops. An Altus Flutes Performing Artist known for rich, expressive tone and passionate musicality, Rik has performed in the U.S., Canada, and Europe as soloist, chamber musician, clinician, and orchestral musician. He is a founding member of the Resonance Flute Consort (resonancefluteconsort.com) which explores pop, jazz, film, and television music. As a composer, Rik has written and transcribed compositions for flute, and he also commissions and premieres flute works. As a musicologist, he has written about the influence of Aaron Copland and Virgil Thomson on 20th century American music. Rik is cofounder of The Whole Musician (wholemusician.net), a collaboration of five uniquely experienced flutists who offer retreats addressing the mental, physical, and musical demands placed on the 21st century performer. Also a certified life coach, Rik has helped people from all walks of life, especially performing artists, to reach personal goals, address creative blocks and performance anxiety, and improve productivity. Rik’s effectiveness as a teacher and coach is lauded by students. “Apart from teaching me technique, musicality, productive practice methods, and repertoire, Dr. Noyce has helped me overcome my fear of failure, taught me the power of the mind, and to never give up before even allowing myself the opportunity to try,” says Marchel’le Hayes, his flute student at CSUDH. “His style of teaching causes me to approach music differently, to think differently, and even speak differently about myself as a musician.” ACME CO-CHAIRS Arietha Lockhart, Beta Gamma, Atlanta Alumni, ACME Chairman (404) 291-5162, ACME@muphiepsilon.org Mary Au, Mu Nu, Los Angeles Alumni, ACME Co-Chair (310) 508-8116, auhaus@gmail.com
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ALUMNI CORNER BY RUTH CUCCIA
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THIRD VP/ALUMNI ADVISOR
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ALUMNIADVISOR@MUPHIEPSILON.ORG
THE VALUE OF DISTRICT CONFERENCES & BEYOND What do croissants, silly singing games, a stand-up comedian/guitarist, technology, harps, initiations, rhythm, 50-+ something divas, and collegiate musicians have in common? Well, the answer is a district conference! The Pacific Southwest Province (Southern California and Phoenix, Arizona) held a joint district conference in November at the University of California at Irvine (UCI), hosted by the Delta Sigma chapter, and it was a wonderful event.
to attend your meetings, as a way to continue the many benefits attained at district conferences. For instance, the students might be thrilled if you invited them to present a musical program for your chapter. If your chapter supports more than one college or university in your area, it would be delightful for everyone if each collegiate chapter in the area were invited to perform a piece or two at one specific meeting. It is really a fine experience to see their performances, talk to them personally during refreshment time, and see them begin to develop friendships with one another.
These kinds of experiences help us ... to see the up-and-coming These kinds of experiences help us, as talent
We all love the triennial convention, and each district conference is like a small convention. It gives us a chance to be closer to one another – to visit, share on a more personal level, and even show off a bit. It’s also an opportunity to hear speakers who can inspire and encourage us, and of course, to share a meal or two together. Then we go back to our everyday lives. How can we keep the warmth and collaborative spirit going?
Keep the glow going As you and your alumni chapter look forward to the spring, consider opportunities to invite local collegiates
music, ence enjoyed e PSW confer th in ts an ip Partic od. rmony - and fo friendship, ha
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alumni, not only to see the up-and-coming talent and skill of our terrific collegiates, but also to remember to push forward in our own training and practice. In our alumni meetings and elsewhere this spring, let us be professional in our conduct, artistic in our performances, and dedicated to furthering Music, Friendship and Harmony between alumni and collegiates.
COLLEGIATE CONNECTION BY JENNY SMITH
| SECOND VP/COLLEGIATE ADVISOR | COLLEGIATEADVISOR@MUPHIEPSILON.ORG
MAKING THE MOST OF OFFICER TRANSITIONS Welcome to the spring semester! I hope it’s off to a wonderful start, whether you’re planning a rush for new members, holding a service project for your school, or making time to get together as a chapter to support one another. Many of you have recently elected new officers, and I want to stress the importance of an efficient and comprehensive transition to new leadership.
Valuable tools
periods for new officers, where officers from the previous year attend meetings and give constructive feedback during the first month of transition. Outgoing and incoming officers also meet one-on-one to discuss expectations, a timeline for the year, and resources available. It is not too late for this if you elected in December! Officers of the previous year then continue to attend meetings, gently giving advice and guidance when helpful.
As blooming professionals ... always be open to new ideas, novel New leaders' time to shine Keep in mind that it’s your new problem solving, leaders’ time to shine and boldly take and unique points on their new responsibilities. Remember, as human beings we learn of view. best from making mistakes and doing all
Officers have many valuable tools to help your chapters succeed and operate smoothly. Some of these are documents from International, such as bylaws, manuals, guidelines, and forms. Your officer toolkit should also include documents specific to your chapter such as standing rules, timelines for rush and other important annual events, records of member activities, committee planning and implementation records, and lists of all events held in the previous year (along with notes about their success or ways to improve them). Hopefully, this information has all been organized and put together for you in one place; often these documents are directly passed down to the next officers.
Training is important
we can to correct our errors. Doing so in a professional manner, without taking things personally, is the path to becoming better at what we do. Also remember that very rarely is there a right way that’s also the only way to get something accomplished. As blooming professionals, we should always be open to new ideas, novel problem solving, and unique points of view. So in times of transition, allow your peers and colleagues the benefit of the doubt if they don’t do things quite the way you did. Our collective goals in Mu Phi Epsilon, after all, are the same.
But I urge you to consider doing even more. The most successful chapters, year after year, have training
Trumpeter Nora Elkanick (Epsilon Lambda) performed in December as part of an Ann Arbor Alumni holiday event. She is a junior at Eastern Michigan University and serves as her chapter’s recording secretary and chaplain.
Deborah How (Omega Omega, Los Angeles Alumni treasurer) speaks at the PSW district conference in November.
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BOOKSHELF BY PETRA HOGAN
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MU ETA
Alma Rosé: Vienna to Auschwitz By Richard Newman and Karen Kirtley were struggling in post-World War I poverty, and launched a unique musical endeavor that was unlike anything her husband or father had done.
A combination of cultural history, Holocaust documentation, and biography brought to life, Alma Rosé: Vienna to Auschwitz is a compelling profile of one of Vienna’s pre-World War II rising-star violinists, the niece of Gustav Mahler. The book is both inspiring and heart-wrenching as it follows her life from birth in 1906 to her death in an extermination camp in 1944.
As political turmoil increased, most of the Rosé family sought refuge in England. But counting on her Czechoslovakian passport for safety, Alma stayed in Holland where she had musical prospects and could earn enough to provide for her father. However, in 1943 Alma was captured by the Nazis and transferred to Auschwitz where she was put into the Music Block. While her earlier work with and for the Vienna Waltzing Girls should not be discounted, it pales in comparison to the import of her work leading the Birkenau women’s orchestra, the only all-female orchestra in any Nazi extermination camp.
As a child, Alma studied violin with her father Arnold Rosé, principal violinist of the Vienna Opera and Philharmonic orchestras and leader of the Rosé Quartet for six decades. She was born into the musical elite of Vienna and grew up in the sheltered belief, espoused by her parents, “that music could erase all difficulties, that it was a bulwark enough against the political extremists around them.”
In 1943-1944, as leader of the orchestra, she had the opportunity to effectively advocate for fellow prisoners, a power and responsibility she took very seriously. For instance, Alma told the SS that the instruments must be kept at constant warm temperatures, thus securing heaters for many. Orchestra members received double rations as a result of her work, and none were sent to the gas chambers while she was leader.
As a young adult, Alma lingered long in her father’s shadow as a performer, and subsequently that of her husband Vása Príhoda, the spitfire violinist often compared to Paganini. It wasn’t until 1930, when Alma started a touring orchestra for women, that she felt her “career reborn.” She sought to employ and empower female musicians who
Alma was well aware that the orchestra, as entertainment for their captors, was a life-saving tool for its members. So she found ways to incorporate instruments not usually considered orchestral (such as accordions and guitars) into the orchestra, even if the players were poorly trained musicians. Thus her work in the Music Block
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reverberated for decades, because many of the women in her orchestra survived to liberation and went on to return to normal life. Sadly, Alma herself died in 1944 of a mysterious illness; her death is still clouded with speculation. Authors Richard Newman and Karen Kirtley have done a marvelous job reconstructing the times, places, and people detailed in this work, and their deep research is evident on every page. As a whole, the book is riveting, enthralling, and written with a beautiful ease that makes it feel like you are in the story rather than a distant observer. Editor's note: Alma's story was depicted in the 1980 film "Playing for Time." Petra Hogan was initiated into Mu Eta at University of the Pacific in 2009. After finishing her master’s degree in music composition at the University of Maryland, she moved to Fort Wayne, IN to be near family. She now works in interior design and sales, teaches piano lessons, sings in her church choir, and composes on the side.
Available through Amadeus Press $22.95 (US) 408 pages Inventory #HL 00331642 ISBN: 9781574670851 UPC: 073999486223 Publisher Code: 1574670859 Dimensions: 6.0" x 9.0" Genre: Biography Release: March 1, 2003
FOUNDATION
Growing as a Jazz Musician in New York City By Cortland Mahoney, Phi Pi I will forever remember the evening of April 14, 2015. While working on a string quartet arrangement, I checked email in case anything new had arrived. When I saw “Congratulations!” from the Mu Phi Epsilon Foundation, the entire room seemed suddenly bright with light. I was literally jumping with joy for about an hour.
entirely engaged through stellar performance. Every minute at a place like Smalls or Fat Cat is like the history of jazz pouring through you. This is both inspiring and terrifying. On one hand, hearing these musicians play opens my ears to sounds and patterns I have never heard before. On the other, it is a constant reminder of the quantity and quality of dedication one puts into playing to make it happen. I don’t doubt myself in this matter, but there is still a long road ahead.
Inspiring teacher, new bow A great help in this has been Zach Brock, one of the most inspiring figures of jazz violin for me. Part of the scholarship was appropriated to study with him, and it was an ethereal experience. Never before in my eleven years of playing have I had the opportunity to study jazz in a lesson with a violinist. It is a small community for us, and Zach was the first to welcome me in. The dynamic of studying with him is unlike any lesson dynamic I have experienced. The way he plays the violin told me more than anything past instructors had used words to describe. Photo by Bryon Phillips
As the 2015 recipient of the Beth Landis Violin Scholarship, I have been enabled by the Foundation’s generosity to advance my career as a performing musician. The scholarship is specifically to support the development of career goals. For me, this was moving to New York City, studying with a jazz violinist, and acquiring a bow that allows pure articulation.
Living where jazz lives My graduation date was imminent at the time I applied for the scholarship. This meant major life decisions were coming sooner rather than later. Pursuing a career as a jazz musician (violinist at that) in Wichita, Kansas, did not have a lot of depth in sight. With my eyes looking forward, I knew I had to be in a place where jazz lives. Why not go for the gold, New York City! The end of December marked six months here. It has been enlightening in many respects. The quality of musicianship is indescribably remarkable. Going to a standard jazz club any night of the week will keep you
The other portion of the scholarship was appropriated to purchase a bow to meet professional Photo by Andrew Bales needs. Thanks to Elizabeth Shaak at Mount Airy Violins in Philadelphia, I now have a Chagas bow that allows me to articulate the finest detail I need. My right hand has never felt so free, between what the bow enables me to do and the liberties NYC promotes.
Ideas that make me feel at home The real fun started happening when I discovered Ibeam, the Brooklyn venue for new jazz and improvised music. Modular form, erratic soloing, and international influences are the progressive standard in this environment. These are the ideas that resonate with me, the ideas that make me feel at home. Continued on bottom of page 17
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FOUNDATION
From left: Katie Dukes (soprano), Michael Walker (horn), Christina Dioguardi (bassoon), David Cook (clarinet), Zach Pulse (oboe), Alice Jones (flute).
The Mysterious Paradox of Music A Summer Chamber Music Odyssey By Katie Dukes, Phi Mu The late British neurologist Oliver Sacks (1933-2015) understood the curative, emotional, and sometimes forceful effects of music, as he describes in Musicophilia (2007): “[Music] is both completely abstract and profoundly emotional. It has no power to represent anything particular or external, but it has a unique power to express inner states or feelings. Music can pierce the heart directly; it needs no mediation . . . [there is] a deep and mysterious paradox here, for while such music makes one experience pain and grief more intensely, it brings solace and consolation at the same time.� It is perhaps the performer who most often witnesses this mysterious paradox, not only in the music itself, but in the teary eyes, smiles, frowns, laughs, and applause of affected listeners. Last summer, the Fiati Five wind quintet and I (lyric soprano) encountered these paradoxical moments when our concerts enlivened audiences who cried or laughed, whistled enthusiastically or sat silently, barely caught their breath or exhaled deeply.
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New audiences, different spaces Generously sponsored by the James and Lola Faust Chamber Music Scholarship, our remarkable journey began with a residency at Avaloch Farm Music Institute (Boscawen, NH), an idyllic retreat for emerging artists. The residency prepared us for a series of concerts in New York City, New Jersey, and Atlanta, including a performance at a rehabilitation center for men struggling with addiction. Remarkably, the listeners at that concert drew from personal experiences to understand the concert, reimagining their own difficult biographies through the filter of Puccini and Mozart opera music. Our adventures continued in Sarasota, where we were ensemble-in-residence for the third annual season of Chamber Music Campania, a festival that brings unfamiliar music to new audiences in intimate spaces. We presented eight events that emphasized community outreach, education, and public performance, playing for over five hundred people. The concerts took place in non-traditional and relatively small spaces, including a retirement community, an Italian restaurant, a Sarasotaarea college, a high school, and a beachfront clubhouse.
Gusto of food and music One of our most notable events was “Flavors of Italy,” a performance at the Community Resource Network of Florida, an David Cook teaching at Braden River High School organization that supports the health of persons with developmental disabilities. Our concert brought to life the gusto of Italian culture, demonstrating how music and food can uplift and energize communities of people. The musical program featured classics by Rossini, Verdi, and Puccini. Instead of presenting a formal concert, we opened an informative yet fun dialogue with the audience. The CRN community members had been studying Italian culture and cuisine, so we linked their knowledge of Italy to the concert by describing how the intensity of ingredients in a recipe can correlate with the vibrant colors, textures, melodies, and rhythms of Italian music. Following the performance, we had an opportunity to speak personally with individual audience members, who had prepared a feast of Italian antipasto.
Chamber music for high schoolers Another special occasion was our day at Braden River High School (BRHS), a multi-component event sponsored by the Sarasota Concert Band and the Barbanera Woodwind Studio. The event had three main
parts: an open-discussion seminar, a masterclass, and a concert of American music, including traditional quintet repertoire and newly transcribed works for soprano and woodwind quintet. During the seminar, we presented best practices for learning, rehearsing, and performing chamber music. We created mock situations in which the quintet encountered common ensemble problems, such as balance, ensemble alignment, and tuning. We then presented solutions for each dilemma, namely Michael Walker (Phi Mu, left) teaching at eye contact, careful Braden River High School study with a metronome, and building chords. We also discussed how to establish a fulfilling performance career by maintaining multiple income streams; the advantages of being a chamber musician (as opposed to the more traditional orchestral career); and how to build a professional network. Two students then performed in the masterclass and received one-on-one instruction time from ensemble members including hornist Michael Walker (Phi Mu). A summer like this truly makes one contemplate the paradox of music, which now seems less mysterious and more like a profound, uncomplicated truth. We realized anew that music both comforts and agitates, uplifts and depresses. Music is cold and hot; it is the winter and, thankfully, the summer.
Continued from page 15 It would be unfair to not include a few other ways the City sparks inspiration. Open mic nights are everywhere, every night. Friends run DIY shows out of their apartments. One neighborhood may be filled with artists and musicians, while the next block over may be families and lifetime residents. All of this and so much more influence the way I interpret, feel, and create music. Every day I become more aware of all the possibilities, and every day I chisel away harder at the sounds I make. It would be impossible for me to predict the way I will play or my style of writing even one year from now. But I do know it will always have the heart of improvisation. To say it in the words of my dear friend Mason Vickery, “It’s always jazz.”
HELP WANTED FOR THE MPE FOUNDATION BOARD The Mu Phi Epsilon Foundation is looking for new Directors, especially one who might be interested in becoming Treasurer after a year of Board experience. Please contact Beverly Abegg, Treasurer, by telephone 978-692-7353 or email bevabegg@verizon.net
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APPLAUSE & ENCORE news from members and chapters APPLAUSE Composer and music educator Aaron Alon (Phi Omicron, ACME) was named a 2015-16 Faculty Excellence Award winner at Lone Star College/CyFair, where he is an associate professor of music. Also a playwright and theatrical producer, Aaron recently announced that his nonprofit organization Thunderclap Productions has received a generous grant from the John Steven Kellett Foundation in support of making its first film, entitled Bully – a musical, based on Aaron’s stage play of the same title. Visit Aaron and Bully – a musical on Facebook. Conductor Marlon Daniel (Xi, New York Alumni) was recently interviewed on national television about the annual Colour of Music Festival, for which he serves as principal conductor and music director. The CBS Evening News piece began: “A festival in South Carolina is trying to change the color of classical music. Less than four percent of classical American symphony musicians are African American, but that’s not because of the talent pool. Maestro Marlon Daniel says, ‘You know a lot of musicians of color get pigeon-holed into jazz and hiphop and all these things. It’s a big stereotype. A lot of people think there are not any musicians of color out there doing classical music, when there actually are, in reality, tons of us.’” Read the article and watch the segment at cbsn.ws/1RQv3e2. Marlon also recently got to meet his idol, conductor Zubin Mehta (above). Pianist Rebecca Davis (Mu Nu, Los Angeles Alumni) relocated last year to Vergas, MN, where she was featured soloist with the Fargo-Moorhead Symphony Orchestra in November, performing George Gershwin’s Concerto in F. In conjunction with the concert, she was profiled in InForum online magazine, where she talked about the stops and starts on her unique musical path, recovery from a serious accident that could have ended her playing career, and making music with a hometown orchestra. Read the article at bit.ly/1Orv0j2.
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Baritone and music educator Matthew Hoch (Lambda, Allied, ACME) has been awarded the highly competitive 2016 Van L. Lawrence Fellowship, sponsored jointly by the NATS Foundation and The Voice Foundation. Matthew is an associate professor of voice and coordinator of the voice area in the Department of Music at Auburn University, where he will use the fellowship to pursue a human subject study that adapts recent voice fatigue indices by Nanjundeswaran et al. (2015) and Paolillo/Pantaleo (2014) to specific singing tasks. Matt says, “I would like to continue studying the application of exercise science principles to voice pedagogy. I am particularly interested in the injury prevention aspects of muscle training as they apply to both vocal warmup and literature selection.” Also an active performer, Matt gave a recital in Atlanta last December with soprano Arietha Lockhart (Beta Gamma, Atlanta Alumni, ACME Co-Chair), pictured with Matt, above. Violinist Gaylene Joe (Phi Chi, Fresno Alumni vice president) plays with the Fresno Philharmonic Orchestra and Kings County Symphony. She also directs a small string ensemble called Back to the Bow, bringing together string players who haven’t played for a long time and want to revive their skills in an informal, supportive setting. They perform monthly at local retirement homes. Vocalist Virginia Parker (Mu Gamma, Lincoln Alumni) was interviewed on Lincoln’s KOLN television in early January. She reminisced about her four-year stint as co-host of KOLN’s first live early morning show in the 1950s, including some humorous moments. In the interview she observed, “We were the pioneers” of live broadcast television. Virginia went on to a professional singing career. Watch the interview at 1011now.com/lancesjournal (scroll to Ginny Parker). Pianist Delores Stevens (Xi) and flutist Susan Greenberg (Phi Nu), both Los Angeles Alumni members were recently profiled in the Palisades News. The article focused on their 1996 co-founding of
APPLAUSE & ENCORE news from members and chapters Chamber Music Palisades, now in its 19th season, and on their individual music careers. Search online for Palisades News November 4 2015 to read the article. Pianist Nicholas Susi (Xi, formerly St. Louis Alumni) won the 2015 Young Artist Award for piano at the 2015 National Federation of Music Clubs annual convention in Fargo, ND. In addition to concertizing under NFMC auspices, he is currently studying for his doctorate at University of Michigan. He was a finalist in the 2014 Mu Phi Epsilon International Competition. Another NFMC Young Artist winner was soprano Christie Conover, who studied at San José State University with Erie Mills (Phi Mu). More at bit.ly/1OiuqGH.
Pianist Jordan Williams (Omega Omega, Fresno Alumni) attended a September town hall discussion at Arte Americas in Fresno, where the speaker was Jane Chu, chair of the National Endowment for the Arts. After the forum he had the opportunity to visit with her and discover a shared enthusiasm for contemporary composers (see photo, above). Jordan recently accompanied the Reedley College Concert Choir at the Fresno State Invitational Choral Festival, among other musical activities.
ENCORE Several Alpha Zeta alumni and one collegiate appeared in Opera Roanoke’s production of Stephen Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd: the Demon Barber of Fleet Street in three October-November performances. Adam McAllister sang the role of Beadle Bamford; the Roanoke Times hailed his performance as “splendid.” Molly Cox sang in the chorus and also covered the role of Mrs. Lovett. Other Alpha Zetas who participated were Zach Helms, Erin O’Neil, and Brandon Goss. The staging was conceptual, with steampunk costuming and red scarves to represent the blood of the dead. In December, Alpha Zeta hosted its annual winter concert, led by chorister Alex Lyons, with songs of the season, Broadway numbers, and pieces from the Mu Phi songbook. In November, Beta Alpha raised more than $2,000 at a silent auction held in conjunction with the Cal State Fullerton School of Music dedication celebration. The gala event featured renowned soprano and CSUF alumna Deborah Voigt. The chapter was hand-picked by the director of the School of Music to run the auction, which was spearheaded by chapter members Jasmine Mangal and Andrea Romero. The auction proceeds will support music scholarships. Lawrence Alumni hosted a recital on November 1 to celebrate the 100th birthday of Al Gallup, husband of longtime Mu Phi Winnie Gallup (Xi, Lawrence Alumni), both pictured left, and to honor the couple’s recent donation of a grand piano to the University of Kansas chancellor’s residence. Recital performers included violinist Lynn Basow (Phi Pi) and pianist Dee Blaser (Xi), both Lawrence Alumni members.
More Applause on back cover.
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CHAPTER NEWS BY JACOB LEONOWITZ
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EPSILON UPSILON
EPSILON UPSILON ENGAGES NEW STUDENTS, CAMPUS COMMUNITY By Jacob Leonowitz, Epsilon Upsilon
This is a productive time for Epsilon Upsilon at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, PA. As the spring semester gets underway, we look back on our activities thus far this school year and look forward to more Music, Friendship, and Harmony. During the fall semester, we reached inward to the other students in our Mary Pappert School of Music and also reached out to the entire Duquesne community. Our members helped nurture new freshmen at the School of Music through their transition into college life by acting as piano tutors. This established camaraderie between our chapter and our school’s new students, and also garnered some interest among those students as the spring rush period begins. Our spring semester’s rush will include more Big-Little bonding activities in addition to our Mu Phind, the scavenger hunt our initiates are required to complete with their Bigs every year. In addition, Epsilon Upsilon engaged with the entire Duquesne community by hosting a Fall Ball in November. It was a formal event open to the entire campus and held in Duquesne’s new Genesius Theater, complete with food, professional DJ, and dancing. A great time was had by all and the event proved an effective fundraiser for the chapter. A similar event is in the works for spring 2016, to be called the Spring Fling. Also scheduled this spring is our Valentine’s Day “Spread
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the Love” benefit concert. Members will perform a diverse repertoire, and the event will benefit a charity to help underprivileged children gain access to music. Such programs show that Epsilon Upsilon is a chapter interested in engagement – not just with its music school, but also with the various communities surrounding it – in a manner upholding service, professionalism, and our fraternity’s ideals. Above, Epsilon Upsilon members (from left) Alexander Quitter, Natalie Tomaro, Kate Kratzenberg, Brady Collins, Austin Perry, Grant Weaver (bottom, from left) Kaitlyn Caron, Tylar Kowalewski, and Michelle Shine proudly display the triangle sign. Left, 2015 Epsilon Upsilon Treasurer Elizabeth Elek (left) and President Shelbi Timmons (right) dancing the night away at the Fall 2015 Fall Ball.
A chapter interested in engagement - not just with its music school, but also with the communities surrounding it
FINAL NOTES ANN GIBBENS DAVIS
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PHI LAMBDA, WASHINGTON DC ALUMNI
Florence Andonian Artenian Phi Chi, May 8, 1973 Fresno Alumni Died September 28, 2015 Violinist, accordionist, organist. Florence was a violinist for 30 years in the Fresno Philharmonic Orchestra and a lifelong teacher of piano and violin. Marilyn Hash Coburn Iota Alpha, February 4, 1945 Cincinnati Alumni Died October 20, 2015 Vocalist, pianist, church musician. Marilyn taught piano and voice for 65 years. She was soloist and choir director for many churches in Greater Cincinnati, and was a 70-year Mu Phi member. Helen Morton Gist Beta Zeta, April 23, 1966 Baton Rouge Alumni Died June 16, 2015 Music educator, pianist. Helen was a charter member and faculty advisor to Beta Zeta at Southern University and A&M College. She taught music education at Southern University for 35 years and maintained a private piano studio for over 40 years. She was an executive member of the Debose Foundation and founding member and coordinator of the Keyboard Musicians Festival in Baton Rouge.
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DAVISMUSEC@COMCAST.NET
Julianne McLean Mu Delta, March 15, 1947 Wichita Alumni, ACME Died August 25, 2015 Pianist, vocalist. Julianne studied at the Juilliard School and became an international concert pianist. She was the first female pianist to perform live on a Vatican radio broadcast, and she concertized throughout the U.S. and Europe. She also maintained a private piano studio, teaching several generations of young pianists. An accomplished soprano, she sang for many years with the Robert Shaw Chorale. In 2013, she received the prestigious Burton Pell Outstanding Musician award given by the Wichita Arts Council. A survivor of the sinking of the Andrea Dorea, Julianne was featured in two documentaries about that event. She performed at the 1983 Mu Phi Epsilon convention in Wichita and was past president of Wichita Alumni. Martha Raley Peak Mu Chi, May 16, 1949 Dallas Alumni Died November 10, 2015 Pianist, violinist, vocalist. Martha sang for many years in the Highland Park Presbyterian Church Chamber Chorale and chancel choir and with Dallas Civic Chorus. Active in many community organizations, she served on the board of directors for the Dallas Opera, Dallas Symphony, Dallas Chamber Society, and Meadows School of the Arts.
Send Final Notes to: Ann Gibbens Davis, 7200 3rd Avenue C-134, Sykesville, MD, 21784, 410-795-9437 davismusec@comcast.net
Member Remembered Carla Maltas Mu Gamma, April 28, 1981 Died December 24, 2015 Music educator. Carla taught music education at Central Missouri and Ball State universities and vocal and general music in Nebraska. She earned a Ph.D. in Kodaly music education and was a nationally certified Kodaly educator. She was the chair of the Essig committee and was published in the Music Educators Journal, Orff Echo, Southern Journal of Music Education, and other state education publications. Carla was a founding board member of the Great Plains Orff chapter and served on state committees and boards for the American Choral Directors Association, National Association of Music Educators, and National Education Association. She was currently the state advisor for the Collegiate Music Educators National Conference. A dedicated Mu Phi, Carla served as Parliamentarian for several recent international conventions, where her deep knowledge, calm demeanor, humor, and gentle guiding spirit contributed to productive business meetings and inspired attendees to learn about parliamentary procedure. She was greatly admired by students and colleagues, and her unexpected passing inspired countless tributes on her Facebook page and elsewhere. Like so many others, the Fraternity will miss her.
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DISTRICT DIRECTORS ATLANTIC
DISTRICT SE2
DISTRICT A1 Stephanie Berry 574 596 8285 bmpenguin69@hotmail.com DISTRICT A2 Susan Todenhoft 703 323 4772 H 703 509 0224 C todenhoft@gmail.com
EASTERN GREAT LAKES DISTRICT EGL1 Danielle Stoner 585 217 6597 dstoner326@gmail.com DISTRICT EGL2 Cassandra Eisenreich 724 728 2440 cassandra.eisenreich@sru.edu DISTRICT EGL3 Nancy Jane Gray 330 688 7990 bobgrayz@aol.com
GREAT LAKES DISTRICT GL1 Susan Owen-Bissiri 734 971 1084 slbissiri@sbcglobal.net DISTRICT GL2
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EAST CENTRAL DISTRICTS EC1, EC2 & EC3 Sean Kilgore 317 750 3206 smk193@gmail.com
SOUTHEAST DISTRICT SE1 Marshall Pugh 252 599 2492 mgpugh889@gmail.com
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DISTRICT SE3 Stephanie Sandritter 407 538 2371 stephanie.sandritter@gmail.com DISTRICT SE4
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SOUTH CENTRAL District SC1 & SC4 Isabel De La Cerda 210 204 6425 idelacerda@hotmail.com DISTRICT SC2 Ashley Kimmel Bouras 972 765 3252 ashley.kimmel12@gmail.com DISTRICT SC3 Chrisalyne Hagood 580 383 8011 chrisalyne.hagood@gmail.com
CENTRAL DISTRICT C1 Cathy Woelbling Paul 314 567 3281 cpoboe@sbcglobal.net DISTRICT C2 Linda Chen 913 486 3337 lindaychen@aol.com
NORTH CENTRAL DISTRICT NC1 Teresa Rowe 612 926 5854 Terryrowe568@gmail.com DISTRICT NC2 Liana Sandin 402 483 4657, 402 560 7126 Liana.Sandin@gmail.com
WEST CENTRAL DISTRICT WC1 Chrisalyne Hagood 580 383 8011 chrisalyne.hagood@gmail.com DISTRICT WC2
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PACIFIC NORTHWEST DISTRICT PNW1
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DISTRICT PNW2 Kathryn Habedank 206 405 4645 Kahabedank@aol.com DISTRICT PNW3 Michael Lasfetto 971 275 3800 pnw3dd@muphiepsilon.org
PACIFIC DISTRICT P1 Lestelle Manley 916 485 0415 ms5cnts@yahoo.com DISTRICT P2 Kira Dixon 408 439 6076 kira.dixon@me.com
PACIFIC SOUTHWEST DISTRICT PSW1 Jane Davidson 626 487 6201 jane@newmusicempire.com
DIRECTORY OF EXECUTIVE OFFICERS 2014-2017 INTERNATIONAL EXECUTIVE BOARD
INTERNATIONAL CHAIRMEN
2015-2016 FOUNDATION BOARD
Rosemary Ames, International President ACME Arietha Lockhart (Chair) 13 Travis Dr, Framingham, MA 01702 Beta Gamma, Atlanta Alumni 508 872 5818, president@muphiepsilon.org
President Linda Florjancic 7959 Wright Road Broadview Heights, OH 44147 216 219 4953 lflorjancic@yahoo.com
3159 Springside Crossing
Charlotte Brown, 1st VP/Extension Officer Decatur, GA 30034 404 284 7811 12578 Barkley St, Overland Park, KS 66209 ariethal@hotmail.com 913 345 8999 extensionofficer@muphiepsilon.org Jenny Smith, 2nd VP/Collegiate Advisor 1137 Esters Rd #1524, Irving, TX 75061 214 662 5087 collegiateadvisor@muphiepsilon.org Ruth Cuccia, 3rd VP/Alumni Advisor 3408 S. Denison Ave, San Pedro, CA 90731 310 832 7433 alumniadvisor@muphiepsilon.org Jan Scott, 4th VP/Music Advisor 6223 Washington Ave, St. Louis, MO 63130 314 727 6876, musicadvisor@muphiepsilon.org Kayla Lisa, 5th VP/Eligibility Advisor 7881 Reflection Cove Dr #208, Fort Myers, FL 33907 434 987 9191 eligibilityadvisor@muphiepsilon.org Melissa Eddy, Editor & Webmaster 220 Link Drive, Kingsland, TX 78639 512 217 1264, editor@muphiepsilon.org Mark Gehrke Executive Secretary-Treasurer International Executive Office P.O. Box 1369, Fort Collins, CO 80522-1369 888 259 1471 Fax: 888 855 8670 executiveoffice@muphiepsilon.org
HONORARY ADVISORY BOARD
Katherine Doepke, Phi Beta 825 Summit Ave., Apt 606 Minneapolis, MN 55403 612 377 2043, katdoepke@gmail.com Frances Irwin, Epsilon Upsilon 6464 Rhodes Ave, St. Louis, MO 63109 314 752 2585, fmirwinstl@aol.com Lee Clements Meyer, Phi Xi 8101 Club Court Circle, Austin, TX 78759 512 345 5072
Vice President Liana Sandin 6321 A Street Lincoln, NE 68510 402 560 7126 liana.sandin@gmail.com
Mary Au (Co-Chair), Mu Nu Los Angeles Alumni 2363 W Silver Lake Dr. Los Angeles, CA 90039 323 666 2603 auhaus@gmail.com BYLAWS & STANDING RULES Kathleen Early Midgley Alpha Delta, Sacramento Alumni 1704 Haggin Grove Way Carmichael, CA 95608 916 485 4017 bylaws@muphiepsilon.org
Treasurer Beverly W. Abegg 8 Phillips Dr. Westford, MA 01886 978 692 7353 bevabegg@verizon.net
FINANCE Evelyn Archer, Omega Omega St. Louis Area Alumni 5312 Sutherland Ave. St. Louis, MO 63109 314 481 2361 archerbe@sbcglobal.net
Secretary Eileen Butler Kennedy 2875 77th Avenue Baton Rouge, LA 70807 225 357 0310 kennedyeb48@gmail.com
INTERNATIONAL Marlon Daniel, Mu Xi New York Alumni 45 Tiemann Place, Apt 5F New York, NY 10027-3327 212 641 0305 marlondanielnyc@gmail.com
Dr. Kristín Jónína Taylor 139 Indian Avenue Forest City, IA 50436-2320 641 590 0547 kjtsonata@hotmail.com
MUSIC LIBRARIAN & ARCHIVES Wendy Sistrunk, Mu Mu Kansas City Alumni 1504 S. Ash Ave. Independence, MO 64052 816 836 9961 SistrunkW@umkc.edu
President of Mu Phi Epsilon International Fraternity Rosemary Ames 13 Travis Drive Framingham, MA 01702 508 872 5818 president@muphiepsilon.org Artist Concert Manager Dr. Keith Bohm School of Music Sacramento State 6000 J St. Sacramento, CA 95819 916 213 4085 kbohm@csus.edu
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International Executive Office P.O. Box 1369 Fort Collins, CO 80522-1369 executiveoffice@muphiepsilon.org 888 259 1471
NOTICE OF CHANGE OF ADDRESS OR NAME Update online at www.muphiepsilon.org
MORE APPLAUSE Pianist Janet Spencer (Epsilon Kappa, St. Louis Area Alumni) and flutist Jan Scott (Epsilon Tau, IEB 4th Vice President/ Music Advisor) performed at the St. Louis Alumni chapter’s Founders Day celebration in November.
Sue Whitener (Gamma Omicron, Ann Arbor Alumni), center, was feted in December at the Ann Arbor Alumni holiday party for 25 years of hosting Mu Phi parties in her home. Chapter members made a group donation to the Fraternity in her honor. Sue’s husband and co-host Steve (left) and chapter president Deborah Ash (Gamma Omicron) look on as Sue opens her surprise envelope. Music educator Ashley (Kimmell) Bouras (Phi Tau, Dallas Alumni, District Director SC2) gave a talk on the Orff method at the Dallas Alumni chapter’s January meeting.
Soprano and music educator Joyce Castle (Xi, Lawrence Alumni, ACME), at left in photo, both directed and sang the lead role in a production of Michael Torke’s oneact opera Strawberry Fields at the University of Kansas Music School in January. The event was part of the inaugural Joyce Castle University Distinguished Professor lecture series.