Encore! 2015

ENCORE! ncore!

E THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI SCHOOL OF MUSIC MAGAZINE

As we move into another year of classes, performances, recitals and tours, we hope that your involvement with the School of Music grows. Whether you consider yourself a supporter, alumn, concert attendee, current or future student, we are happy to have you on board. Your participation in all that we do is appreciated.

Here’s to a fantastic year!

-Stacy Reischman Fletcher, Interim Chair

ABOUT US

I am pleased to share with you this year’s School of Music magazine, Encore! If you are a regular supporter or an alumnus of the School of Music, you may notice that this magazine is a bit different and that it is expanded to include information useful to prospective students.

Why have we done this?

Because highlighting alumni successes and achievements is one of the best ways we can recruit new students and audiences. Your successes also remind us of the high quality of work in the School of Music. Most importantly, we are proud of you!

The School of Music at The The University of Southern Mississippi School of Music has a longstanding University of Southern international reputation for musical excellence. The school is recognized for its Mississippi is a family. eminence in musical artistry, education and community service. Serving more than 400 majors from the United States and 15 countries, the school maintains a strongly We live on a diverse student population. friendly and beautiful campus in a vibrant We have a strong record of placement for our graduates into competitive jobs and Southern community. graduate programs. We have trained many of this region’s finest educators, and our alumni have found professional performing work in a variety of places from the Our students and faculty Rascher Saxophone Quartet to the English National Opera. Also, many of our perform and teach alumni hold positions as ensemble directors and studio teachers at major universities on the national and across the country and overseas. international stage.

The School of Music provides a wealth of valuable opportunities for the professional An education here is and artistic growth of our students. Our faculty members perform at major venues affordable and accessible around the world and teach at international festivals and conferences every year. Our yet priceless to your future. ensembles host important guest artists such as Plácido Domingo, Yo-Yo Ma, Renée Fleming, Denyce Graves, Christopher Parkening, Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg, Doc Severinsen, Sir James Galway, Joshua Bell and Ray Charles, to name a few.

And our student ensembles have been featured performers at national conventions of the ACDA, CBDNA, American Bandmasters’ Association, MTNA, MENC, World Saxophone Congress, International Tuba-Euphonium Conference, the Jazz Education Network Conference and the European Handbell Festival.

ON THE COVER Cuban-born violinist Rainel Joubert began his musical studies at the age of seven. The current concertmaster of the Symphony Orchestra of The University of Southern Mississippi has been involved in high quality programs and festivals in United States and outside the country such as the International Chamber Music Festival of Merida (Venezuela), the Premier Orchestral Institute (Mississippi), and the Aspen Music Festival and School. His chamber music recital appearances have taken him to Spain, Venezuela, Cuba, and the United States. He is one of the four laureates of the 15th Annual Sphinx Competition and winner of the William T. Gower Concerto Competition at Southern Miss. Joubert is currently in the last semester of his Master’s degree in Violin Performance and studies with Dr. Stephen Redfield.

The School of Music is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music.

FACILITIES

The School of Music facilities reside in two three-story buildings, the Manonni Performing Arts Center and the Marsh Fine Arts Building. These two facilities provide our students with state-of-the-art classrooms and equipment, four major rehearsal halls, two dedicated chamber music rehearsal rooms, a computer lab, sound isolation practice rooms with VAE technology, a student commons area, 53 practice rooms, and faculty offices and studios. They also contain our three primary performance venues - Marsh Auditorium (200-seat recital hall), the Manonni Performing Arts Center Auditorium (740-seat proscenium stage) and the Intermezzo @ Woods Gallery Stage (70-seat, cafe-style intimate venue). The School of Music also performs in Bennett Auditorium, a 1,000-seat venue. All performance venues are equipped with live streaming and self-help recording capability.

ALUMNI

Southern Miss School of Music alumni teach in the finest universities and school systems in the country and perform on national stages from coast to coast. Our alumni perform as orchestral and jazz musicians, in opera and musical theater productions, and as concert soloists all over the world. We produce more public school music teachers each year than all other music programs in the state combined. These music educators are making an impact in music education at local, state, regional and national levels through their work and research.

Our alumni are also teaching at universities, colleges and conservatories in the United States and other countries around the globe.

APPLY ONLINE NOW! w w w. u s m . e d u / m u s i c To register for School of Music audition days, click Future Students and Auditions.

To speak to our admissions coordinator, please call 601.266.5366.

On March 12, 2015, The Pride of Mississippi departed on an unforgettable journey that would be a fond memory of the students, staff and visitors who went. The destination…

Ireland! The inception of this trip came as a result of an invitation from the Lord Mayor of Dublin, Ireland, for The Pride to be one of the bands to perform in the St. Patrick’s Day Parade. They would also learn of other performance opportunities at the Limerick International Band Competition Parade and at the Guinness Brewery.

Much to the delight and surprise of all who attended the trip to Ireland, The Pride of Mississippi would win awards in each of the parades. In the Limerick Parade, The Pride won ‘Best Overall Band,” and in the St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Dublin, they were awarded “Best Adult Band.”

The Pride was also granted another performance opportunity at the Guinness Brewery in Dublin. Although there were several other groups that performed that day, The Pride seemed to be the highlight of the day and garnered many extremely positive comments from the staff at Guinness. One staff member there said that The Pride gave the best performance he has seen in his six years of working there.

DON’T HOMECOMING OCTOBER 17 M I S S ALUMNI BAND OCTOBER 31 Featuring Dixie Darling ALumni

Alumni Sharon Laird, director of bands at Oak Grove High School in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, and Jody Miller, band director at McCleskey Middle School in Marietta, Georgia, have both made the quarterfinals for the Grammy Music Educator Award for their significant contributions to their students and music education. Selection of the semifinalist will take place in September, with the finalist being chosen in December. The winner of the Grammy Music Educator Award will be presented the award in Los Angeles and have the opportunity to attend the Grammys. The winner will receive a $10,000 honorarium, and a matching grant will be given to the winner’s school.

Southern Miss to the top!

eople ask me if I was ever in a fraternity.

I always respond that I was – with The Pride!

UNIVERSITY BANDS

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Joe Trahan received both his undergraduate degree in sports administration with a minor in journalism and his master’s degree in public relations from Southern Miss as he served as a graduate assistant with the Southern Miss Athletics Media Relations department. His fondest memories of his time here was of his days spent with The Pride of Mississippi Marching Band, where he played the saxophone in the saxophone section. From the first day of band camp, where his section leaders led him in a poetic reading of “The Fresh Prince of Bel Air” theme sing, to insane “chair” tryouts, which included sight reading composed by the great Alan Theisen that often included breaks where they had to sing, yell or dance, Joe had formed a familial bond with The Pride.

Joe says, “I can honestly say that my time with The Pride of Mississippi helped me get to where I am today. It taught me teamwork, loyalty, commitment and, most importantly, family. I have to thank The Pride of Mississippi for providing me with some of my greatest memories of college and one of the greatest bonds of friendship that any student and Pride member could ever ask for.”

Joe currently works as the media relations coordinator for the Dallas Cowboys, but preceding that he was an intern with them for three years. Before he worked with the Cowboys, he interned briefly for the NFL Europe Hamburg Sea Devils Public Relations department in Germany and with the Detroit Lions Public Relations department.

UNDERGRADUATE DEGREES

The Southern Miss Band Program is the oldest wind program in the state of Mississippi and is considered the best program for performance and music education majors in the state. The Wind Ensemble and The Pride of Mississippi Marching Band have been selected to perform at national and international venues, including College Band Directors National Association, American Bandmasters Association, with the Italian Army Band based in Rome, Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City, and the St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Dublin, Ireland. The Wind Ensemble premieres new works from contemporary composers each year, including David Maslanka, Joseph Schwantner and guest artist performers. All graduate and undergraduate students, both performance and music education majors, have the opportunity to audition for concerto competitions within both the Wind Ensemble and Orchestra.

UNDERGRADUATE DEGREES OFFERED

• Bachelor of Arts in Music • Bachelor of Music - Performance • Bachelor of Music - Jazz Studies •Bachelor of Music Education (Instrumental Licensure) •Minor in Music

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I believe we should play the highest quality repertoire that the wind band has to offer. So I bring to the podium a wide range of literature from significant works for winds to the new cutting-edge music for our genre. Also, it is an amazing experience as an ensemble conductor when we can bring in other professional conductors, composers and musicians for our students. Being able to share that musical opportunity can be life-changing to those who sit in front of us as educators.

-Dr. Catherine Rand

Graduate students in wind conducting will have ample podium time to conduct each of the three major wind bands and smaller chamber ensembles. Each year wind conducting majors have the opportunity to conduct the Instrumental Concerto Competition Winners. Conducting majors also work with the 300+ members of The Pride and basketball pep bands.

Graduate students in performance participate in a wide range of large ensembles, chamber ensembles and master classes with nationally recognized performers and teachers. Similar to undergraduate students, both performance and music education majors have the opportunity to audition for concerto competitions within both the Wind Ensemble and Orchestra.

Catherine Rand, D.M.A. Director of Bands

GRADUATE DEGREES OFFERED

• Master of Music - Performance, Conducting, Woodwind Performance and Pedagogy • Master of Music Education - Traditional Track, Track II - Licensure, Online • Doctor of Musical Arts - Conducting • Doctor of Musical Arts - Performance and Pedagogy • Doctor of Philosophy - Music Education

Jamie Standland, D.M.A. Director of The Pride of Mississippi

UNIVERSITY BANDS

GRADUATE DEGREES

Andrew Hunter Instructor of Bands

For more information, visit www.usm.edu/band.

Choral Activities at Southern Miss will experience an unprecedented year of national visibility and achievement. The Southern Chorale has received its first-ever invitation to appear at the National Convention of National Collegiate Choral Organization (NCCO) in Portland, Ore. in November.

In addition, the group has also been invited to perform at the Southern Division Convention of American Choral Directors Association in Chattanooga, Tenn. in March. Both meetings received over 100 applicants for presentation, and both used a blind panel to review recent recordings of applicants to select the participants.

The performance in Portland will be the premiere of a new work, Canticle of the Sun, written for the Southern Chorale by Estonian composer Tõnu Kõrvits. The work was inspired by a blues pilgrimage to the Mississippi Delta while Kõrvits was spending a week with Southern Miss students and faculty in the spring of 2014. In addition, the Hattiesburg Choral Union has once again been asked to premiere a new oratorio in the spring of 2016. The Seven Last Words, by Richard Burchard of Louisville, Ky., will be performed on the Future Stars concert with the orchestra in April.

Fuller and Southern Miss are becoming known as champions of new extended choral works.

The Southern Chorale is still reminiscing about the beautiful venues and beaches in Jamaica, from their March concert tour. Four concerts were exchanges with other academic institutions, including The Singers of the University of the West Indies (UWI), the choir of the Edna Manley College of Visual and Performing Arts, the Kingston College Chapel Choir, and a concert for school children at Holy Trinity Cathedral. The tour also included benefit concerts. Two concerts for St. James Parish Church, Montego Bay, Jamaica, helped to raise funds for rebuilding their church hall. The building is used for outreach programs, including continuing education, counseling, and public events. A concert at the University of the West Indies Chapel raised funds to help endow three scholarships in the performing arts. And a concert at St. Andrew’s Parish Church in Kingston helped to raise funds for outreach programs, including a girls home, and helping get boys off the street in Kingston.

Other highlights from last year include two performances at the joint state convention of American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) and the National Association for Music Education in Hattiesburg (NAfME).

The Hattiesburg Choral Union and Southern Miss Symphony Orchestra did a second performance of The Prodigal, by Mack Wilberg on Thursday night of the convention. The new oratorio had been premiered one month earlier by Southern Miss ensembles. The Spirit of Southern sang for the entire convention on Friday morning. Both concerts were delivered to a packed house at Main Street Baptist Church.

Her extensive training prepared her for her current role as not only a choir director, but also as a voice teacher and musical theater vocal director.

Under her leadership, the White Station High School choir has performed in the Tennessee Music Educator’s Association state conference, competed as one of four finalists in the A Cappella Education Association’s National Convention, and performed for the Tennessee State Governor during the National Holocaust Day of Remembrance. White Station choirs have also received superior and excellent ratings in Memphis’s District Choral festival. As a soloist, Ms. Williams has been seen around the Memphis area performing with such companies as Playhouse on the Square and Opera Memphis.

“Take the opportunity to expose yourself to diverse things outside of your own world,” she advises students. “If there is a chance to study abroad, try to do it. The best experiences can be had when submerging yourself in a different culture.”

CHORAL ACTIVITIES

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oing what you truly love, never feels like work.

Nikisha Williams is currently entering into her second year as director of choirs at White Station High School. She previously was the assistant choral director at WSHS, and came to Memphis, Tennessee, in 2013 from The University of Southern Mississippi, where she received a bachelor’s degree in vocal performance and a master’s in choral conducting. While at Southern Miss, she had extensive training in classical singing and participated in many operas and musicals, including I Pagliacci, La Boheme, Smokey Joe’s Café, Sweeney Todd and Ragtime. As a soloist, Ms. Williams has performed major works, including Bach’s B Minor Mass, John Rutter’s Gloria, Edwin Penhorwood’s American Requiem, and Haydn’s Mass in G. Ms. Williams also won first place in the musical theater category of the state NATS competition. She also conducted various choirs, including the University’s premier vocal ensemble, the Southern Chorale, while on tour in Italy and Romania.

UNDERGRADUATE DEGREES

Southern Miss Choral Activities has become a regional leader in choral music excellence. From the placement of outstanding teachers, to exceptional performances locally, nationally and beyond, Southern Miss Choral Activities is making a difference and adding to the quality of life in many communities. For undergraduates, we offer degrees in music education, vocal performance, music history, a Bachelor of Arts with an emphasis in voice, and Bachelor of Science in entertainment industry. Choral Service Awards are available for majors and non-majors for singing in major choral ensembles. Our mission includes orchestral opportunities and collaborative efforts, such as a recent church music conference featuring Mack Wilberg. The Southern Invitational Choral Conference now hosts more than 600 participants each year. The Southern Experience summer showchoir camp is growing in reputation as one of the most popular educational camps in the nation.

UNDERGRADUATE DEGREES OFFERED

• Bachelor of Arts in Music • Bachelor of Music - Performance •Bachelor of Music Education (Choral Licensure) •Minor in Music

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There is no doubt that great choral music has been made at Southern Miss in the last decade. However, we maintain that the quality and support of our community is the most important thing we possess.

Your professors and student colleagues often become lifetime friends and mentors.

-Dr. Gregory Fuller

Southern Miss offers the Master of Music (MM) and the Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) degrees in choral conducting. Job placement in full-time academic and sacred settings is over 95%. Over the last decade, 20 graduates have been placed in collegiate teaching positions. In those same 10 years, students have come to Southern Miss for graduate study in choral conducting from more than 30 different institutions in higher education.

Assistantships, partial assistantships, out-of-state waivers, and service awards/ scholarships are available on a competitive basis to students that are accepted to the program. In addition, students pursuing the MMEd and PhD with a choral emphasis, the MM and DMA in piano or voice, and MM theory students are also considered for those awards, if active in the choral program. Podium time is deemed important for all MM and DMA students and is achieved with multiple ensembles. The Chamber Singers is a fully dedicated ensemble for graduate conductors.

Customized travel seminars are a regular part of the agenda for graduate choral conductors at Southern Miss. Recent interaction includes the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir (EPCC) in Tallinn, faculty members at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki (Finland), the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and the Choir School at Madeleine Cathedral in Salt Lake City, the Latvian Radio Choir in Riga, and the Saint Petersburg Chamber Choir (Russia). In addition, the conducting studio attended Laulupidu (Five-year Estonian Song Celebration) in 2014, also in Tallinn. Workshops have focused on conductors, composers, choral singers, repertoire, research, culture and organizational administration. Multiple face-to-face meetings have occurred with Arvo Pärt, Tõnu Kõrvits, Daniel Reuss, members of the EPCC, Erkki-Sven Tüür, Tõnu Kaljuste, Länsiö Tapani, Matti Höykki, Kaspars Putninš, Galina Grigorjeva, Veljo Tormis, Aarne Saluveer, Mack Wilberg, Gregory Glenn, members of the St. Petersburg Chamber Choir and Nicolai Kornev.

Gregory Fuller, D.M.A. Director of Choral Activities

Lauren Fowler-Calisto, D.A. Associate Director of Choral Activities

CHORAL ACTIVITIES

GRADUATE DEGREES

GRADUATE DEGREES OFFERED

• Master of Music - Performance, Conducting • Master of Music Education - Traditional Track, Track II - Licensure, Online • Doctor of Musical Arts - Conducting • Doctor of Musical Arts - Performance and Pedagogy • Doctor of Philosophy - Music Education

For more information, visit www.usm.edu/choirs.

Deborah Voigt

Anthony McGill

The 2014-15 Symphony Orchestra season consisted of eight wonderful events reaching a variety of audiences. In October 2014, the season began with a program titled “From the New World,” which featured world-renowned cellist, Amit Peled. Following this performance was “Made in America” that consisted of a performance of Grammy Award-winning American composer Joan Tower’s Made in America, and the world premiere of Joseph Britain’s orchestral version of Natasha Trethewey’s Pulitzer Prize-winning poem, Native Guard, narrated by Ms. Tretheway, Mississippi poet laureate and former U.S. poet laureate. February’s concert included two world premieres: Concerto for Trombone and Orchestra, In Memoriam to Gustavo Campos Cassemiro, by Russian composer, Polina Nazaykinskya. This work was commissioned by Southern Miss trombone professor, Dr. Ben McIlwain, in honor of his student who lost his battle with cancer in December 2013. Also, on the program was a collaboration with Southern Miss Choral Activities to present The Prodigal

by Mack Wilberg, conductor of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. Finally, the season closed with a spectacular concert featuring internationally acclaimed dramatic soprano, Deborah Voigt , who sang arias by Strauss, Wagner, and a variety of Broadway tunes.

The 97th season begins in October 2015. Complete with premieres and well-known celebrities, this may prove to be one of the best seasons yet! The Opening Night concert titled, “New Acquaintances and Old Friends,” includes two new world premieres: Nostalgic Dances by retired composer-in-residence Luigi Zaninelli and Southern Miss’ new horn professor, Jacquelyn Adams will perform the premiere of Radiant Dances for Horn and Strings by James Naigus in her Mississippi debut. In October, the Southern Opera and Musical Theatre Company will present Bernstein’s classic award-winning musical West Side Story.

In November, “Sonic Blast” features Dmitri Shostakovich’s incredibly powerful Symphony No. 5, a fantastic work composed in 1937. And providing literal inspiration for the title of this concert, the Mississippi premiere of John Stevens’ Grand Concerto for 4 Tubas. Annual collaborative productions include the “Holiday Choral Spectacular” with Choral Activities in December, Georges Bizet’s opera, Carmen, with Southern Opera and Musical Theatre Company in February, and the “Future Stars” concert in April, featuring brass, wind and percussion student winners of the William T. Gower Concerto Competition.

Spring concerts include Nielsen’s Clarinet Concerto featuring Anthony McGill, principal clarinetist of the New York Philharmonic as guest soloist. Sure to be one of the most memorable events of this season is the return of Sir James and Lady Jeanne Galway in March at a concert simply called “The Galway’s Return.” It will be their third appearance in Mississippi, all of which have been with The University of Southern Mississippi Symphony Orchestra.

Sir James and Lady Jeanne Galway

ands-on experience has made me more marketable in the real world .

As one of the major international recruitment tools at The University of Southern Mississippi, the Symphony Orchestra enjoys a reputation of excellence among its international students. The orchestra faithfully cultivates not only stellar musicians, but also resourceful, skilled, and versatile artists, such as alumnus, Pablo Saelzer, an internationally regarded conductor and violist. After finishing his master’s degree at another institution, Saelzer recalls, “I was renting a room from this guy who said I should do a degree in music with his friend, Jay Dean. He called Dr. Dean after midnight one evening and told him about me. I think there might have been some disagreement about getting a phone call after midnight, but less than a week later, I was doing an audition in conducting and viola.”

Saelzer credits his time at Southern Miss and working with the symphony with preparing him for his current position. “I had this image of myself arriving in Hattiesburg, thinking I was a conductor because I could read music and move my hands. All the other things about how to make something happen, I learned here with Dr. Dean. I went from knowing only music to putting an entire concert together.” Pablo worked and studied in the southern United States for about 10 years before moving to the Washington D.C. area to conduct the Avanti Orchestra, the Orchestra of the Friday Morning Music Club (one of the oldest music clubs in the D.C. area), and eventually taking a position as a full-time professor at Montgomery College in Rockville, Md. When asked to describe his experience at Southern Miss, Saelzer explained that the opportunities that the was given by Dr. Dean here allowed him to be so successful. Beyond conducting technique Saelzer was able to learn the administrative side of things by working under Dr. Dean. Hands-on experience with managing, working with faculty, and much more have made him more marketable in the real world than just being a musician alone.

Alumni like Pablo Saelzer confirm and perpetuate Southern Miss’ academic excellence and relevance in the professional arena. “I now conduct two orchestras, and I have to do everything from making sure we have a room and renting and copying music, to dealing with problems, meeting with people, organizing all the logistics and administrative duties. My colleagues and I used to call Dr. Dean ‘The Godfather’ because he organized everything. Now, they call me ‘The Little Godfather!’ And walking away with a nickname like that is an offer you can’t refuse!”

SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

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During the last few decades, the Symphony Orchestra has risen to its present place as one of the top student orchestras in the country. As a representative ensemble of the university, the ensemble performs a complete season of eight concerts each year, some of which feature internationally acclaimed artists. In recent seasons, the venerable organization has performed with Itzhak Perlman, Yo-Yo Ma, Joshua Bell, Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg, Edgar Meyer, François Rabbath and many other international musical celebrities.

UNDERGRADUATE DEGREES

Undergraduate students come from all over the U.S. and overseas to study music at Southern Miss, making the orchestra one of the biggest international communities on campus. The Symphony Orchestra has a large number of scholarships available, and a very high percentage of orchestra members are awarded scholarships. Besides being part of this renowned ensemble, undergraduate string students form chamber groups and receive regular coaching and lessons with our experienced and dedicated faculty.

The Symphony Orchestra offers a vast number of opportunities for undergraduate students to develop their musical abilities and get the most valuable college experience they can have.

UNDERGRADUATE DEGREES OFFERED

• Bachelor of Arts in Music • Bachelor of Music - Performance • Bachelor of Music - Jazz Studies •Bachelor of Music Education (Instrumental Licensure) •Minor in Music

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The Symphony Orchestra has helped change the lives of many students, not just musically, but in other ways. We have had musicians in the orchestra from all over the world who have come to the U.S. to pursue bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees. We have also had musicians who have pursued dual degrees, such as engineering, education, business, etc. While musical excellence is always at the forefront of our priorities, helping students open doors that change their lives is without question the most important work we do.

-Dr. Jay Dean

Graduate students who play in the Symphony Orchestra not only share the stage with great artists, but also receive private lessons, form chamber music groups, and receive regular coaching as part of the degree program. Also, graduate students get experience in teaching, coaching and promoting music through the educational outreach programs. The Symphony Orchestra has many scholarships and graduate assistantships available. A large number of graduate students hold scholarships up to full tuition or assistantships, including full tuition waivers plus monthly stipends. Topquality teaching, performance opportunities and financial aid make Southern Miss a great environment for graduate students to further their musical knowledge and get the experience needed for the future.

Jay Dean, D.M.A. Director of Orchestral Activities

GRADUATE DEGREES OFFERED

• Master of Music - Performance, Conducting, Woodwind Performance and Pedagogy • Master of Music Education - Traditional Track, Track II - Licensure, Online • Doctor of Musical Arts - Conducting • Doctor of Musical Arts - Performance and Pedagogy • Doctor of Philosophy - Music Education

Michael Miles, D.M.A. Associate Director of Orchestral Activities

SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

GRADUATE DEGREES

For more information, visit www.usm.edu/symphony.

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t Southern Miss, I found myself surrounded with likeminded students who shared my passion for music and who were also committed to attaining the highest goals possible.

Tom Luer received his undergraduate degree in saxophone performance from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, and his master’s degree in saxophone performance from The University of Southern Mississippi, as well as additional graduate studies in jazz at the University of North Texas.

On his time here at Southern Miss, Tom says, “I highly regard the diverse ensembles in which I performed as I draw upon those experiences daily in my career even now. My teachers, most notably Professors Larry Panella and Lawrence Gwozdz, provided me with opportunities both on and off campus that enriched my studies and experience.”

Tom works as a professional freelance saxophonist is Los Angeles.

His career is a combination of performances, recordings, writing and teaching. He is an adjunct faculty member at California Polytechnic University in Pomona, Calif., where he teaches jazz history and improvisation. As a performer and recording artist, he has worked with people such as Queen Latifah, Lee Ritenour, Kurt Elling, Poncho Sanchez, Gordon Goodwin and John Beasley, and as a session musician, he has recorded music for various films, TV shows and commercials.

“USM provided me with an opportunity to study with some of the world’s most renowned educators and performers. Under the guidance of the USM faculty, I was allowed to grow and discover who I was as an artist and individual.“ Also, Tom is a D’Addario Reeds Performing Artist. His album “Project Popular” was released in 2011 to critical acclaim. Most recently, Tom appeared on Dave Slonaker’s Grammy-nominated album “Intrada.” His recent performences include the NBC broadcast of “Sports Illustrated 50 Years of Beautiful” and the “X-Factor” on Fox. Previous television appearances include the American Music Awards, the Tonight Show with Jay Leno, and the Ellen Degeneres Show.

et involved in as many different musical situations as you can.

Tyler Dennis is in Macau, China, working as the musical director, conductor and keyboardist for Dragone’s newest production, Taboo, a contemporary take on the traditional cabaret. The show features singers, dancers, knife-throwing, contortion, beatboxing, acrobatics, fire performances and many other performance elements that weave cabaret, burlesque and circus elements into the visually captivating sensory experience for which Dragone is known. He has had the opportunity to work alongside some world-class creative talents, including music supervisor, Daryl Waters (Tony Award-winning orchestrator), Jermaine Brown and Benoit-Swan Pouffer (choreographers), and Franco himself at the helm of it all.

For him, some of the most important preparation he has received for this gig came directly from his Southern Miss experience. Going to China was a pretty big departure from what he has been doing over the past three years, which was mostly ‘behind the scenes’ work in studio production and composition. In addition to his experiences in the School of Music, he also spent countless hours working with various community theatre and performing arts organizations in the area, which provided invaluable lessons in collaboration with performers from a wide range of backgrounds. One of his favorite parts about Southern Miss is that these opportunities are not only available, but they are actively encouraged by the performing arts faculty.

Dennis’s number one piece of advice to students is to get involved in as many different musical situations as you can, which will help you to pick up the wide range of tools that a professional musician in the 21st century needs. There are innumerable performing opportunities that exist around South Mississippi and plenty of other creative minds who would love to collaborate on exciting new projects. Every freshman music student at Southern Miss is exposed to some of the most important and necessary skills for today’s professional musician: piano skills, sight-singing/ear training, music notation, and knowledge of all genres and styles. In this day and age, it’s also vital to get as much experience working with software as possible - 21st century commercial musicians are expected to have a solid grasp on digital notation, recording, and editing programs, which has opened up a number doors for me that would’ve otherwise remained shut. Dennis claims that if he hadn’t taken the time to develop all of these vital musical fundamentals with the excellent professors and resources at his disposal at Southern Miss, there’s no way that he would be able to keep his head above water in a commercial production of the size he is working for today.

JAZZ & PERCUSSION STUDIES

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JAZZ STUDIES

The Jazz Studies program has a long tradition at Southern Miss, spanning almost 50 years, and offers both talented majors and non-majors the opportunity to be creatively engaged in learning and performing this uniquely American art form. The Jazz program is located in our newly renovated facility in the Fine Arts Building, which includes our large rehearsal hall, combo rehearsal space, library and teaching studios. Jazz performance opportunities include 20-piece big bands and a variety of combos, which can include non-traditional instrumentation.

Students are encouraged to explore both the great American songbook of jazz standards as well as create their own compositions and arrangements. Course offerings include four semesters of jazz improvisation, jazz arranging and composition, jazz history, jazz band methods, as well as the previously mentioned ensembles. Jazz courses are open to interested non-majors with instructor approval.

UNDERGRADUATE DEGREE OFFERED • Bachelor of Music - Jazz Studies

The Percussion Studio at Southern Miss has earned an excellent national and international reputation, performing at the Percussive Arts Society International Convention and several national and international percussion festivals.

The Drum Line and Percussion Ensemble with percussionist Ney Rosauro were featured on the Vic Firth website this year as featured artists. The Steel Pan Orchestra is one of the elite steel pan programs in the country and has recorded and/or performed with the likes of Andy Narell, Robert Greenidge and Ray Holman. Percussion students can also perform in the Samba Band, Percussion Jazz Combo and Latin Lab (Salsa Band). Guest artists frequently give performances and clinics on various percussion instruments. The facilities include a percussion room, steel band room, drum set lab, three teaching studios, and seven additional practice rooms, all designated for percussion practice.

UNDERGRADUATE DEGREES OFFERED • Bachelor of Arts in Music • Bachelor of Music - Performance • Bachelor of Music Education (Instrumental Licensure)

GRADUATE DEGREES OFFERED • Master of Music - Performance • Master of Music Education • Doctor of Musical Arts Performance and Pedagogy

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Three words we like to use to describe our philosophy at Southern Miss are “practical,” “functional,” and “applicable.”

Diversity is also very important and individuality as well. Creating an atmosphere where everyone has bought into this idea makes for a wonderful learning and teaching environment.

-Dr. John Wooton

Lawrence M. Panella, M.M. Director of Jazz Studies

John Wooton, D.M.A. Director of Percussion Studies

JAZZ & PERCUSSION STUDIES

PERCUSSION STUDIES

For more information, visit www.usm.edu/music/jazz-studies-program or www.usm.edu/music/percussion.

Dr. Ben McIlwain has been on the faculty of The University of Southern Mississippi since 2010 and was named the Nina Bell Suggs Endowed Professor of Trombone in May of 2014. He received his undergraduate degree from Middle Tennessee State University, his masters’ degree from Manhattan School of Music, and his doctorate degree from Florida State University.

A strong work ethic trumps great talent every time.

While we all encounter obstacles in our discipline, it is how we face them that will determine our success.

Natural ability with no work ethic will crumble against the first sign of resistance.

Conversely, the determination and perseverance that only comes from a daily decision to pick up your instrument and go to work will help you overcome all hurdles.

-Dr. Ben McIlwain

“I remember meeting former students of Dr. Marta Hofacre and hearing tremendous stories of the quality of music-making and trombone pedagogy that was going on in Hattiesburg.” said McIlwain.

One of his passions is supporting new music for the trombone. As of June 2014, he has commissioned 19 new works for trombone solo and ensemble. After receiving the Aubrey Keith Lucas and Ella Ginn Lucas Endowment for Faculty Excellence at The University of Southern Mississippi, Dr. Ben McIlwain was able to fund a new trombone concerto by Polina Nazaykinskaya. It is his most recent commission, and it is dedicated to former Southern Miss trombone student, Gustavo Campos Cassemiro, who lost his battle with cancer on December 4, 2013.

Over the last five years, the Southern Miss Trombone Studio has performed at the International Trombone Festival and hosted topnotch guest artists, including Joseph Alessi, Denson Paul Pollard, Michael Dease and Ron Barron, just to name a few. In addition, students have consistently been awarded spots in summer music festivals, competed in the final rounds of solo competitions, and advanced in orchestral auditions. Recent alumni of the studio have gone on to record in New York City, join the U.S. Navy Band, play in professional orchestras, become top-notch band directors and pursue graduate study.

“He’s not only teaching us how to play the instrument or how to teach, but how to think for ourselves and how to develop our own ideas for musical interpretation. His end goal is to work himself out of a job; that is, to make us independent of him as performers and instrumentalists. “ -Kyle Moore “I greatly enjoyed my studies with Dr. McIlwain. He consistently challenged me to have a musical approach to everything I worked on. He works hard to shape each student’s studies to fit their current academic and future career needs.”

-Craig Watson

The B.M. and M.M. programs in music history and literature at Southern Miss offer students advanced training leading toward professional careers in college teaching and scholarly research. Students enjoy a program that strikes its own balance between traditional historic musicology and interdisciplinary connections to music theory, ethnomusicology, and the humanities in general.

The musicology faculty is a friendly community of researchers whose areas of expertise represent a variety of scholarly approaches and critical methods.

UNDERGRADUATE DEGREES OFFERED • Bachelor of Music - History and Literature

Danny Beard, Ph.D. Music Theory

GRADUATE DEGREES OFFERED

•Master of Music - History and Literature

“

Joseph Brumbeloe, Ph.D. Music Theory I enjoy teaching all of the freshmen and sophomore-level music theory.

It’s great to see the students’ light bulbs come on when they start to understand music for the first time.

-Dr. Danny Beard

MUSIC THEORY

The Music Theory program within the School of Music promotes music theory as a subject of broad and passionate interest to performers, historians, ethnomusicologists, composers and theorists. For undergraduates, we offer a wide range of courses with various levels of concentration in the discipline.

While many of our undergraduates have gone on to have professional careers in music, others have used their music study as an enriching foundation for other pursuits. Within the Southern Miss Graduate School, the Music Theory program offers a Master of Music degree in music theory. Normally, between two and four students are admitted each year, some with generous teaching assistantships, and they add to a tightly knit community of scholars who both benefit from and add to the intellectual and cultural life of the university. Most graduates continue their studies at another university to earn the Ph.D., using their time at Southern Miss to begin presenting and publishing research that will make their applications more competitive.

Chris Goertzen, Ph.D. Music History

Edward Hafer, Ph.D. Music History

UNDERGRADUATE DEGREES OFFERED • Bachelor of Arts in Music • Bachelor of Music - Performance

GRADUATE DEGREES OFFERED • Master of Music in Music Theory

Douglas Rust, Ph.D. Music Theory

MUSIC HISTORY & THEORY

MUSIC HISTORY

Dr. Lois Leventhal is a piano professor here at Southern Miss. She holds degrees from Indiana University and The New England Conservatory of Music. She began her teaching career in 1976 and has taught here for 39 years.

Her performances include touring with faculty artists and collaborating with renowned guest artists such as trombonist Christian Lindberg and hornists Froydis Werke and Julie Landsman.

When asked about the program at the School of Music, Dr. Leventhal said, “I am always astounded at the quality and quantity of the musical ‘offerings’ on our campus. I have heard some of the best—and still what happens here at Southern Miss never fails to amaze me.” A teacher’s pride and joy is her students, and Dr. Leventhal’s students do impressive things after they graduate. One of her recent DMA alumni, Nuria Rojas, received the “Most Outstanding Faculty of the Year” award at Benedict College in Columbia, South Carolina, where she teaches.

Dr. Leventhal’s upcoming performances include the Lojo Duo with colleague Dr. Joe Brumbeloe, a concert tour with USM faculty Dr. Richard Perry (tubist) and Dr. Jackie Adams (hornist), and a recording session with the Argot Trio for future release on Centaur Records.

I was recently asked how I sustained myself in the field of music. My answer is simple: Music sustains me.

Even now, after 39 years, I am excited about the fall semester —teaching my students, and concertizing and recording with colleagues old and new. I am lucky to have spent almost four decades in the profession and can’t imagine any career that could have been more fulfilling or more joyful. Working at USM has been a gift, one I continue to enjoy and cherish.

-Dr. Lois Leventhal

“Coming to USM was a life-changing experience. I had the opportunity to meet and work with world-class musicians and professors, such as Dr. Leventhal, who not only was a wonderful piano instructor, but a mentor in every sense of the word. Her expertise, patience and professionalism, guided me with success through the completion of my doctoral studies.”

-Amanda Virelles “Dr. Leventhal’s enthusiasm for piano teaching provided me with a stimulus to have creative ideas and limitless imagination in piano performance. In addition, her care for students made me feel as though she is like a mother to me. “ -Jihyun Kim “Dr. Leventhal helped me to find myself in every piece that I performed, and her joy of teaching brought a smile to my face, which meant a whole lot to me.”

-Patrick Hearns

As a piano student at Southern Miss, you will work closely with our dedicated faculty members and enjoy ample performance opportunities, including solo, chamber music and accompanying experience.

Our students can also participate in the School of Music concerto competition, leading to a performance with the Symphony Orchestra or Wind Ensemble if selected as winner.

Our students can also gain valuable teaching experience by participating in our community music program, the Southern Miss Piano Institute (SMPI). Our mission is to offer a quality education in piano to pre-college students and adults in the community. Our faculty is dedicated to help students reach their highest potential and to equip them with musicianship skills that can be applied to all areas of music. All students enrolled in SMPI will receive private instruction, as well as performance opportunities in institute recitals and in local, state and regional festivals and other competitive events.

UNDERGRADUATE DEGREES OFFERED • Bachelor of Arts in Music • Bachelor of Music - Performance • Bachelor of Music Education (Licensure) • Minor in Music

Ellen Price Elder, D.M.A.

Lois Leventhal, D.M.A. Professor

PIANO STUDIES

The piano major program aims to develop the student’s abilities as a pianist and musician and to prepare and qualify the student either for a career as an independent piano instructor or for graduate study in music leading to a possible college teaching position. Specific objectives include technical development at the keyboard, increasing the student’s knowledge of repertoire (both in quantity and scope), developing interpretive abilities in a wide variety of styles, increasing familiarity with the literature of the keyboard, providing opportunities to perform, and developing sight-reading and memorizing abilities, as well as “functional” piano skills.

GRADUATE DEGREES OFFERED

KAWAI EPIC INSTITUTION

• Master of Music - Performance • Master of Music - Performance - Piano Accompanying • Master of Music Education • Doctor of Musical Arts - Performance and Pedagogy

Elizabeth Moak, D.M.A. Associate Professor

ELITE PERFORMING INSTRUMENT COLLECTION

For more information, visit www.usm.edu/music/keyboard/about.

In music education research, it is not unusual for one to collaborate on projects with professors from one’s alma mater. Dr. Gregory Springer, assistant professor of instrumental music education at the University of South Carolina, is a Southern Miss alumnus and extensively collaborates on research projects with Dr. Amanda L. Schlegel. What is unusual about this research pairing is that Dr. Schlegel is not one of Dr. Springer’s professors from his time at Southern Miss.

“Our paths crossed in fall 2009 when I was a doctoral candidate at Louisiana State University. We realized then that we had very similar research interests and backgrounds since we are both brass players and former public school band directors. Even better, we both had interests and backgrounds in psychology. Once we both earned jobs in higher education, we decide those similar interests would make for a fruitful and edifying collaboration,” says Dr. Schlegel.

“It is almost as if we share a brain. We finish each other’s sentences, and our collaboration has resulted in multiple manuscripts in press and in review along with several regional, national and, hopefully, international presentations” says Dr. Springer, a trombone player and instrumental music educator originally from Madison, Mississippi.

Dr. Springer attributes his initial research coursework during his MME at Southern Miss in which he conducted a study with other colleagues as one of the formative experiences that initiated his curiosities and interests in research. Drs. Springer and Schlegel are both interested in music perception and cognition as it relates to teacher and conductor effectiveness. Their current research efforts examine issues and variables affecting performance evaluation, pitch-matching and intonation, the pedagogy and perceptions of tone quality and timbre, and affective responses and appreciation. The duo recently had an article published in Psychology of Music and has presented their research together in August 2015 at the Society of Music Perception and Cognition in Nashville, Tennessee. Their ultimate goal is that their research might yield implications and findings that foster more efficient and effective development of musicians’ skills as performers, teachers and advocates. To accomplish this goal, they meet weekly via Skype to discuss research in progress and to brainstorm future studies.

Dr. Schlegel states, “I cannot imagine finding someone with whom I have more in common as a music education researcher. It surprises me how similar we are and how excited we get about quantitative and experimental research endeavors and issues. This collaboration has been edifying to me on so many levels; Greg Springer is not only my primary collaborator, but also my dear friend. I am most grateful for the latter of those two roles that he places in my life.”

Dr. Springer’s response: “Ditto!”

he experiences I had this year were amazing.

Grant won the Wind Ensemble Concerto Competition in 2008, 2010 and 2012, allowing him to perform as a featured soloist at their annual concerto concert. In 2007, Grant earned an honorable mention for the International Trombone Association’s Robert Marsteller Competition and in 2008, was an alternate for the Frank Smith Competition.

In 2009, Grant performed the Derek Bourgeois Trombone Concerto with the Mississippi Symphony Orchestra after winning the Mississippi Symphony’s Young Artist Concerto Competition. Also in 2009, Grant was offered the position of second Trombone with the Meridian Symphony Orchestra, a position that he still holds. Earlier this year, he was a finalist for the American Trombone Workshop solo competition.

Grant will graduate next summer and is considering several options for the future. Grant is currently studying trombone with Dr. Ben McIlwain. He also studies music education with Dr. Mark Waymire and Dr. Amanda Schlegel. “Dr. McIlwain has been invaluable in his hard work and dedication to the trombone studio. The experiences I had this year were amazing, and they can all be contributed to Dr. McIlwain’s commitment to his students.

My music education professors are incredible. They have changed my approach toward teaching music and, in turn, made me a better musician.”

MUSIC EDUCATION

T

Grant Futch is currently pursuing a master’s degree in music education at The University of Southern Mississippi. Originally from Baldwyn, Miss., Grant enrolled at Southern Miss to pursue a bachelor’s degree in music performance and completed his studies in May 2013.

During his time in Hattiesburg, Grant has been afforded the opportunity to play with many world-renowned artists, such as: the Pointer Sisters, Renée Fleming, Joseph Alessi, Steve Weist, Tom “Bones” Malone, Patti Labelle, Dionne Warwick, Mac McAnally, and many others. Grant has been a member of the Southern Miss Wind Ensemble, Southern Miss Symphony Orchestra, Jazz Lab 1 and 2, Trombone Choir, Hub Bones and Golden Eagle Brass Quintet.

The current Music Education program at Southern Miss looks at the present and exciting future of the music education field in order to offer not only a strong program, but one that garners national and international attention. Joined by conductors of some of the finest university ensembles in the world, and a full faculty providing private lessons on all instruments and voice, the music education faculty represents a deep and diverse background of teaching experiences, professional appointments and published research. A brand new distance-learning room with state-of-the-art equipment, coupled with access to standard and newly emerging tools for successful teaching, helps make the music education programs at Southern Miss unique, comprehensive and noteworthy.

Steven Moser, Ph.D.

UNDERGRADUATE DEGREES OFFERED

•Bachelor of Music Education - Choral and Instrumental (Licensure) Successful completion of this degree certifies graduates to teach in schools as band directors, choir directors, orchestra directors, elementary music teachers, etc.

Anita Davis Ph.D.

GRADUATE DEGREES OFFERED •Master of Music Education

For all those with an undergraduate degree in music education who wish to further their education in music education

•Master of Music Education (Track II - Licensure)

For all those without an undergraduate degree in music education who wish to seek teaching certification in music education

Webb Parker, Ph.D.

•Master of Music Education (Online)

For those seeking a master’s degree in music education and wish to do so online, our MME program is one of the best financial online degree bargains in music education.

Degree completion can be accomplished in as little as one calendar year.

•Ph.D in Music Education

The purpose of the terminal degree in music education is to provide students with knowledge and skills to become leaders in the field of music education and to advance the culture of music teaching and learning forward.

MUSIC EDUCATION

Getting a music education degree at Southern Miss has proven to be a rewarding and exciting experience for thousands of graduates over the many years of the program’s existence.

Amanda Schlegel, Ph.D.

Mark Waymire, Ph.D.

For more information, visit www.usm.edu/music/music-education.

To found a new festival in the Music Capital of Colombia [Ibague] is not an easy task, not to mention the difficulties involved in bringing guest artists from all over Latin America to Ibague, but this did not stop Southern Miss doctoral student Jesus Castro from making Ibague Music Festival (IMF) a reality. Helping him are five guest artists who are also pursuing graduate degrees at Southern Miss. They have all come to Ibague willing to share their knowledge, talent, and experiences.

This past May, Brazil, Peru, Panama, Mexico, and Colombia, five brother nations, will speak and teach a common language through concerts, recitals, master classes, and workshops.

For Peruvian cellist Andrea Beltran Landers, who will start a doctorate at Southern Miss in August, it is somewhat difficult to explain, but the positive energy from the orchestra kids in rehearsals makes everything flow pretty easily.

“I am very happy to be here. By the time I left my country to study abroad, there was not a lot of musical activity in my country, but now there are several projects involving young musicians; also, the National Symphony Orchestra, for example, is becoming more and more popular. It makes me very happy to see my country growing musically”.

Thiago Bohm Bottega is a flutist who has played this instrument for 13 years with several different orchestras.

“Because of the level of engagement of children in musical activities. I have not seen anything like this in Brazil.”

He says. “This is a great experience.

The musical exchange is very valuable: the children can see what we do in Mississippi and we can see what is being done here.”

Dennis Leoni, an orchestra conductor who comes from Brazil, besides having extensive podium time in front of symphony, opera, and jazz orchestras, has also played in rock bands. He sticks to a principle: to approach music with an open mind, because music is alive.

“People have to support these kinds of projects.” He says. “If Ibague wants to grow and have more contact with the world, then this has to be done”.

“This is a wonderful opportunity for us, for the children, and for the community in Ibague. We will continue working with IMF in the years to come and we are hoping to create a Peruvian edition of the festival in the future”, says cellist Andrea Beltran.

The festival resonates with each of the musicians. They all agree this festival is really not about making money, but about doing what we love to do: music.

The Classical Guitar Studio focuses on creating and developing the “whole guitarist” – someone with solid technique, well-trained musicianship, keen sight-reading ability, excellent aural skills, practical foundations in teaching, well-versed knowledge of the major repertoire, and realistic perspectives on the field. It also provides a positive approach to competition, collegiality, careers and performance confidence.

UNDERGRADUATE DEGREES OFFERED • Bachelor of Arts in Music • Bachelor of Music - Performance • Bachelor of Music - Jazz Studies • Bachelor of Music Education (Instrumental or Choral Licensure)

GRADUATE DEGREES OFFERED • Master of Music - Performance • Master of Music Education • Doctor of Musical Arts Performance and Pedagogy

“

Nicholas Ciraldo, D.M.A. Associate Professor

GUITAR STUDIES

The Classical Guitar Studio at Southern Miss is one of the leading guitar departments in the region, housed within one of the leading schools of music in the region. It is headed by nationally recognized concert artist and educator, Dr. Nicholas Ciraldo, and boasts a large number of talented students at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Students of Dr. Ciraldo have gone on to pursue graduate degrees at the New England Conservatory and the Manhattan School of Music, among others. Students have also graduated “cum laude” and won teaching positions at various institutions around the country.

My favorite course to teach is MUS 446/546, Instrumental Literature. This is an opportunity to share my knowledge and research on music for plucked string instruments since the Renaissance. Usually, the students know only about a third of the music I present, so it is an "ear-opening" experience for them.

-Dr. Nicholas Ciraldo

For more information, visit www.usm.edu/music/guitar.

In 2014-15 the opera and musical theatre season presented four outstanding productions: Franz Lehár’s The Merry Widow, Walt Disney and Cameron Mackintosh’s Mary Poppins, Gilbert and Sullivan’s Trial by Jury and Lee Hoiby’s Bon Appétit! The Merry Widow, our first production in October 2014, was a marvelous, lighthearted operetta with beautiful and memorable melodies. Like all of our Southern Opera and Musical Theatre productions last season, we double cast the opera in order to provide more students with performance opportunities. The Southern Miss Opera and Musical Theatre Company has become an important tool for cultural and educational outreach in the state of Mississippi. As such, we performed The Merry Widow in other Mississippi cities, such as Natchez, Madison and Meridian. We plan to continue the tradition of touring with productions in the future.

Mary Poppins was, by all accounts, one of the most visually stunning performances in the history of the school. Two casts presented four sold-out performances at the newly renovated Mannoni Performing Arts Center. Both students and community members collaborated to accomplish this very successful show with generous sponsorship from Forrest General Hospital and Hattiesburg Coca Cola. In late spring, undergraduate and graduate voice students presented Trial by Jury as a class project in two performances double-billed with Bon Appétit!, a one-woman, comic opera based on a classic episode from Julia Child’s television series performed by doctoral candidate, Rachel Alexander. If you missed one of her several performances around town, you’ll have the chance to catch it again this season. “Cooking is not a chore; it’s a joy!”

Three productions are also planned for the 2015-16 Southern Opera and Musical Theatre season. Our first production in October is a children’s version of Engelbert Humperdinck’s opera, Hansel and Gretel, that will be presented at the historic Saenger Theater in downtown Hattiesburg for thousands of school children in collaboration with the Hattiesburg Arts Council. In late October, we will present multiple performances of Bernstein’s Tony and Academy Award-winning musical, West Side Story —one of the most exciting and iconic shows in the history of American Broadway musical theatre. We conclude our operatic season in the spring with multiple performance of Georges Bizet’s Carmen, the most popular opera in the world. The company will again tour multiple cities in the spring as part of our annual outreach project.

athering knowledge is always a positive thing.

Opera, an art of vivid, impassioned, musical drama, fulfills one of our oldest and fundamental human needs: storytelling. No form captures the beautiful human experience like the culmination of visual, theatrical and musical drama instantly heightening our physical and emotional state into momentary bliss. Southern Miss alumnus Pelham “Pat” G. Pearce Jr. forges innovative and creative storytelling with each new season as general and artistic director of Central City Opera, the fifth oldest opera company in the United States. During his 19-year tenure, Central City Opera has received local, national and international accolades for premiering new operas, reviving forgotten works, reinventing traditional operatic repertoire, and integrating contemporary musical productions into its annual season.

Pat Pearce completed his master’s degree in voice performance under Dr. Vivian Wood at Southern Miss, having earned a degree in vocal performance and yet earning a living in arts administration. “Well, I always wanted to sing, and even now still wish I could have sung as a performer and made money doing it,” he notes about his juxtaposed career. “But, I went into administration to put all of the talents I had to good use. My ability to produce this art form rather than perform it, seemed to be my gift.” As evident in his own career path, he wisely asserts, “Although as students we may not take the career path we originally intend, we use our learning and experience whether by teaching, administering or performing.” He adds, “It [education] may simply inform individuals about how they lead their lives.

Gathering knowledge is always a positive thing.”

Mr. Pearce has an eye on the future, even with increasing reports of opera houses closing their doors and a looming deterioration of our celebrated art. “All performing arts organizations at this moment are under a great deal of stress all over this country and even the world.” He asserts, “Changes and shifts in the industry mean we are all searching for new and fresh ways to deliver the art form. We are continually scraping away the trappings of grandeur that we have wrapped around opera for centuries. We are getting back to storytelling—storytelling in a way that people will consume it. This may well be a blip in time—a relatively short shift with everything eventually leveling out. For those of us living in it as producers and performers, it is an important thing, and no one really knows how it will play out.

We are trying to find the right mix, and until then, it’s going to be a bumpy ride. No matter how much our society has changed, how much the Internet has changed our communication and consumerism, fundamentally people love stories, and they need to be told stories. And that’s what we do.”

VOICE STUDIES

G

Since 1948, The University of Southern Mississippi Opera, now known as the Southern Opera and Music Theatre Co. (SOMTC), has risen to a program of excellence in the area of music stage production.

As a representative ensemble of the university, the SOMTC has performed both operas and musicals each year, some of which feature guest artists. In recent seasons, the SOMTC has presented operas including Carmen, Cosi fan tutte and La Boheme, as well as musicals like West Side Story, Sweeney Todd and Mary Poppins.

Kimberley Davis, D.M.A. Associate Professor

Undergraduate students come from all over the U.S. and overseas to study music at Southern Miss. The SOMTC has a very high percentage of members who are awarded scholarships. Besides being part of this renowned ensemble, undergraduate voice majors receive regular coachings and lessons with our experienced and dedicated faculty. The program offers a vast number of opportunities for undergraduate students to develop their musical abilities and get the most valuable college experience they can have.

UNDERGRADUATE DEGREES OFFERED

• Bachelor of Arts in Music • Bachelor of Music - Performance •Bachelor of Music Education (Choral Licensure) •Minor in Music

Taylor Hightower, D.M.A. Associate Professor

GRADUATE DEGREES OFFERED

• Master of Music - Performance, Conducting • Master of Music Education - Traditional Track, Track II - Licensure, Online • Doctor of Musical Arts - Conducting • Doctor of Musical Arts - Performance and Pedagogy • Doctor of Philosophy - Music Education

VOICE STUDIES

The University of Southern Mississippi offers one of the most comprehensive vocal music programs in the Southeast. In addition to the major ensembles offered by Choral Activities, students at Southern Miss have the opportunity to be involved in the Southern Opera and Musical Theater Company.

Maryann Kyle, D.M.A. Professor of Voice

Jonathan Yarrington, D.M.A. Assistant Professor of Voice

For more information, visit www.usm.edu/music/voice or www.usm.edu/opera.

BANDS/JAZZ

Catherine Ann Rand, D.M.A.—bands, conducting Andrew Hunter, M.M.—bands James Standland, D.M.A.—bands Lawrence M. Panella, M.M.—jazz studies

BRASS

Jacquelyn Adams, D.M.A.—horn Ben McIlwain, D.M.—trombone Michael Miles, D.M.A.—trumpet Richard Perry, D.M.A.—tuba/euphonium

MUSIC EDUCATION

Steven R. Moser, Ph.D.—conducting/music education Anita Davis, Ph.D.—music education Webb Parker, Ph.D.—music education Amanda Schlegel, Ph.D.—music education Mark Waymire, Ph.D.—music education

MUSIC THEORY/HISTORY

Danny Beard, Ph.D.—music theory Joseph Brumbeloe, Ph.D.—music theory Chris Goertzen, Ph.D.—musicology Edward Hafer, Ph.D.—musicology Douglas Rust, Ph.D.—music theory

Ellen Price Elder, D.M.A.—piano Joohae Kim, D.M.A.—accompanist Lois Ann Leventhal, D.M.A.—piano Elizabeth Moak, D.M.A.—piano John A. Wooton, D.M.A.—percussion Zhaolei Xie, M.M. —piano

FACULTY

PIANO/PERCUSSION

STRINGS/ORCHESTRA

Jay Dean, D.M.A.—orchestra Michael A. Miles, D.M.A. —orchestra Nicholas Ciraldo, D.M.A.—classical guitar Hsiaopei Lee, D.M.A.—viola Marcos Machado, D.M.A.—bass Stephen Redfield, D.M.A.—violin Alexander Russakovsky, D.M.A.—cello

For bios and more information, visit www.usm.edu/music/faculty-bios.

VOICE/CHORAL

Kimberley M. Davis, D.M.A.—voice J. Taylor Hightower, D.M.—voice Maryann Kyle, D.M.A.—voice, opera Jonathan Yarrington, D.M.A.—voice Lauren Fowler-Calisto—choral activities Gregory A. Fuller, Ph.D.—choral activities

WOODWINDS

Lawrence S. Gwozdz, D.M.A.—saxophone Galit Kaunitz, D.M. —oboe Jackie McIlwain, D.M.A. —clarinet Danilo Mezzadri, D.M.A.—flute Kim Woolly, D.M.—bassoon

U N D E R G R A D U AT E D E G R E E S

IN-STATE COSTS

Offering everything you need to kickstart a successful career, Southern Miss is one of the most affordable universities in the country.

Current tuition is only $3,612 a semester. You may choose to add a meal plan and/or housing for exceptional value.*

Qualified music majors have the opportunity to earn up to a fulltuition scholarship or service award to offset costs!*

OUT-OF-STATE COSTS

Whether from a neighboring state or from across the globe, the possibility of free out-of-state tuition makes Southern Miss closer than you think.

Current out-of-state tuition is only $8,047 a semester. You may choose to add a meal plan and/or housing for exceptional value.*

Qualified music majors have the opportunity to earn up to a full out-of-state waiver, full-tuition scholarship or service award to offset costs!* *Meal plans range from $1,497 - 1,797 annually.

Housing plans range from $1,990 - 3,050 annually.

Figures accurate at time of printing, are subject to change.

It makes cents!

APPLY ONLINE NOW! To register for School of Music audition days, click Future Students and Auditions.

To speak to our admissions coordinator, please call 601.266.5366.

www.usm.edu/music

GRADUATE DEGREES

IN-STATE COSTS

Offering everything you need to kickstart a successful career, Southern Miss is one of the most affordable universities in the country.

Current graduate tuition is only $1,745 a semester.

Graduate assistants have the opportunity to earn up to a full-tuition waiver, plus $7,200 to offset costs!*

OUT-OF-STATE COSTS

Whether from a neighboring state or from across the globe, the possibility of free out-of-state tuition makes Southern Miss closer than you think.

Current out-of-state tuition is only $8,047 a semester.

Graduate assistants have the opportunity to earn up to a full out-of-state waiver, full-tuition scholarship, plus $7,200 to offset costs!*

*Meal plans range from $1,497 - 1,797 annually.

Housing plans range from $1,990 - 3,050 annually.

Figures accurate at time of printing are subject to change.

Complete your master’s degree in music education online from the comfort of your home, no matter where you live, for the cost of

in-state tuition!

Where are you?

What are you doing?

Promoted?

Changed Jobs?

Recent successes?

LET US HEAR FROM YOU!

Share your story with us for possible inclusion in our next ENCORE! publication.

Visit www.usm.edu/music and click on the Alumni tab to fill out the online submission.

CONNECT

Follow us on Facebook at “USMSchoolofMusic,” on Twitter at “USMmusic,” and on YouTube at “USMmusic1” for the latest news, photos, videos and more.

MAILING LISTS

If you would like to receive additional Southern Miss School of Music information and updates, visit www.usm.edu/music and click on the green envelope icon at the bottom right corner of the home page.

CALENDAR

For the most up-to-date list of concerts, visit our online calendar at www.usm.edu/music.

THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI

www.usm.edu/music

AUDITIONS APPLY NOW

NOVEMBER 6 (Choral only) JANUARY 29 • FEBRUARY 26 • APRIL 8

PRIORITY DEADLINE FEBRUARY1 /

UNDERGRADUATE DEGREES SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE

GRADUATE DEGREES ASSISTANTSHIPS AVAILABLE

All qualified undergraduate music majors receive a scholarship up to full tuition and an out-of-state tuition waiver.

PLEASE DETACH AND POST

All woodwind, brass and string instruments Percussion, piano and voice Music theory and history Music education Conducting Opera Jazz

www.usm.edu music CLICK FUTURE STUDENTS TAB All graduate assistantships include full in-state and out-of-state tuition waivers plus $7,200 stipend and health insurance benefits.

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Master of Music in the following areas: Performance, Conducting, Theory and Composition, History and Literature, Woodwind Performance and Pedagogy Master of Music Education in the following areas: Choral and Instrumental Doctor of Musical Arts in Conducting and Performance and Pedagogy Doctor of Philosophy in Music Education

D Complete your master’s degree in music education online AN

from the comfort of your home, no matter where you live, for the cost of in-state tuition!

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SCHOOL OF MUSIC 118 College Drive #5081 Hattiesburg, MS 39406-0001 www.usm.edu/music

Partners for the Arts (PFTA) continues to provide essential funding for a variety of School of Music performances. Due to a recent reorganization of PFTA, your membership dollars will have an even greater impact on the performances we produce. Please visit www.usm.edu/pfta and become a “Friend of Music� to show your support. Thank you!

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