The DA 1-12-2012 by The Daily Athenaeum

A&E

Thursday January 12, 2012

ALL KEYED UP Steinway donation helps kick off fundraiser for WVU piano program by Elizabeth Finley A&E WRITER

The sound of a new instrument is filling West Virginia University’s Creative Arts Center because WVU physics professor Arthur Weldon and his wife Barbara have donated a new Steinway piano to the University. The Weldons donated the piano with the intention that only WVU music students will use it for practice. Therefore, it will be housed in room 104, a practice room in the lower level of the CAC. The new Steinway, which will soon have a brass plaque to honor Barbara, is the first piano the University has received since its announcement of the conversion to an all-Steinway-piano school. “We already have Steinway pianos for the students to play for concerts. With this, students will get to practice on the piano they use for the concert,” said Keith Jackson, director of the WVU School of Music. “It will make their performances better. They will get to learn the craft consistently.” There are currently about

120 other universities in the country that use Steinway pianos exclusively, including Oberlin, Yale, The Juilliard School and the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music. The all-Steinway designation will enhance opportunities for WVU piano students to connect with other musicians and schools. The decision allows the University to partner with more than 1,500 Steinway artists worldwide. Also, because of the new designation, WVU music students will be given opportunities to perform at Steinway Hall in New York and at Steinway events worldwide. Currently, 70 percent of the pianos at the CAC are more than 30-years-old. For piano students to have better instruments on which to practice, WVU will raise $4 million to purchase more than 65 new Steinway pianos with a fundraiser called “All Keyed Up.” “I would be thrilled if we could complete the conversion in two or three years,” Jackson said. It is sponsored by the WVU

Foundation,a private nonprofit corporation that generates and provides support for WVU. The effort will also work in conjunction with Steinway & Sons in New York. The minimum donation to the “All Keyed Up” cause is $1,000. Part of the donations will also be used for the upkeep and maintenance of the pianos. Parties who give $100,000 or more will be named as honorary members of the Steinway Living Legacy Society, which allows them to be exclusively invited to Steinway events both at WVU and Steinway & Sons in New York. “Because we are making the investment in the students, we will see a higher percentage of top piano students making the choice to come to WVU,” Jackson said. For more information about how to make a gift in support of “All Keyed Up,” contact Glenn Rosswurm, director of development for the College of Creative Arts, at (304) 293-4331 or Glenn.Rosswurm@mail.wvu. edu. daa&e@mail.wvu.edu

Sara Wise/THE DAILY ATHENAEUM

Doctorate piano performance student Wei Tuck Chan plays the new Steinway piano that was donated to the CAC for student’s practice .

‘Rock of Ages’ invites you to ‘feel the noise’ at the CAC by Emily Meadows A&E WRITER

Get ready for a big, hairsprayed musical journey back in time. The critically acclaimed Broadway ’80s rock ‘n’ roll musical “Rock of Ages” is making a stop at the West Virginia University Creative Arts Center for the show’s national tour Jan. 22. The Tony Award-nominated sensation is a comedic love story centered around a young, small-town girl who

falls in love with a famous bigcity rocker, set on none other than Los Angeles’ Sunset Strip circa 1987. The show tells an entertaining and feel-good rock ‘n’ roll story to the tune of numerous ’80s glam metal and rock legends of the decade, including popular classic rock tracks from Journey, Styx, REO Speedwagon, Pat Benatar, Twisted Sister, Poison, Whitesnake and more. DeAnne Frazier, a WVU graduate student, saw the mu-

sical on Broadway last December and said it was a one-of-akind show. “It’s a good mix of a love story and a comedy, but the cheesy, fun ‘80s vibe with big hair and big personalities tied with all the nostalgic party-hard music, makes it unique from other traditional Broadway shows,” Frazier said. The jukebox musical, based on a book written by Chris D’Arienzo, first premiered in July 2005 at King King club on Hollywood Boulevard under

the direction of Kristin Hanggi and became an instant success before making its home on Broadway in 2009. It has since received rave reviews from publications such as Spin, Rolling Stone Magazine and the New York Times, and has often been applauded for its unique interactive and light-hearted style. The actors will often directly address the audience while in character- a theater technique referred to as breaking the “fourth wall,” which is not often

used in contemporary Broadway productions. It has additionally been transformed into a full-length feature film starring Tom Cruise and Julianne Hough, set for release under New Line Cinema later this year. Morgantown was added as the fourth stop to the second “Rock of Ages” U.S. tour and is expected to bring big excitement to the college town. “This will be my second time seeing this production, and I’m so excited that Morgantown is

Find us on

Facebook

www.rockofagesmusical.com

The show’s soundtrack features ‘80s hits from Journey, Styx and REO Speedwagon.

Ohana Ladies:

www.rockofagesmusical.com

The jukebox musical ‘Rock of Ages’ will be coming to the CAC on Jan. 22.

FREE COVER ALL NIGHT 25¢ MIXED DRINKS UNTIL 11 PM

Gentlemen: 50¢ DRAFTS $1 MIXED DRINKS

LIVE DJ Now Hiring

18+

Located Behind Casa D’Amici

getting the opportunity to see what this show has to offer,” Frazier said. “I’ll be taking my mom along again, also … She had just as much fun as I did!” “Rock of Ages” tickets are on sale now ranging from $43-54, and $27 for all WVU students will a valid student ID. Tickets can be purchased at the Mountainlair and Creative Arts Center box offices, www.Ticketmaster.com or any area Ticketmaster outlet. daa&e@mail.wvu.edu

@dailyathenaeum