Purchase tickets
General admission: $15
Students: Free (ticket required)
Live stream: $7

Mead Witter School of Music Faculty Artist Series

Conor Nelson, flute
Christopher Taylor, piano
Johanna Wienholts, harp

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Program

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Praised for his “long-breathed phrases and luscious tone” by the Minneapolis Star Tribune, Canadian flutist Conor Nelson is established as a leading flutist and pedagogue of his generation. Since his New York recital debut at Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall, he has frequently appeared as soloist and recitalist throughout the United States and abroad.

Solo engagements include concerti with the Minnesota Orchestra, the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, the Flint Symphony, and numerous other orchestras. In addition to being the only wind player to win the Grand Prize at the WAMSO Young Artist Competition, he won first prize at the William C. Byrd Young Artist Competition. He also received top prizes at the New York Flute Club Young Artist Competition, the Haynes International Flute Competition as well as the Fischoff, Coleman, and Yellow Springs chamber music competitions.

With percussionist Ayano Kataoka he performed at Merkin Concert Hall, Tokyo Bunka Kaikan Hall, and Izumi Hall. A recital at the Tokyo Opera City Hall that received numerous broadcasts on NHK Television. Their CD entitled, Breaking Training was released on New Focus Recordings (NYC). His second CD, Nataraja with pianist Thomas Rosenkranz is also available on New Focus. He has collaborated with Claude Frank on the Schneider concert series in NYC and appeared at numerous chamber music festivals across the country including the OK Mozart, Bennington, Skaneateles, Yellow Barn, Cooperstown, Salt Bay, Look and Listen (NYC), Norfolk (Yale), Green Mountain, Chesapeake, and the Chamber Music Quad Cities series.

He is the Principal Flutist of the New Orchestra of Washington in Washington, D.C., and has performed with the Detroit, Toledo, and Tulsa Symphony Orchestras. He also performed as guest principal with A Far Cry, Orquesta Filarmónica deJalisco, and the Conceirtos de la Villa de Santo Domingo.

A respected pedagogue, Dr. Nelson has given master classes at over one hundred colleges, universities, and conservatories. Prior to his appointment at UW-Madison, he served as the flute professor at Bowling Green State University for nine years and as the Assistant Professor of Flute at Oklahoma State University from 2007-2011. His recent residencies include Yonsei University in Seoul, Korea, the Sichuan Conservatory in Chengdu, China, the Conservatoriode Música de Puerto Rico, and the Associação Brasileira de Flautistas in São Paulo.

He is also a regular guest of the Texas Summer Flute Symposium and has been the featured guest artist for eleven flute associations across the country.

His former students can be found performing in orchestras, as well as teaching at colleges, universities, and public schools nationwide. They have also amassed over sixty prizes in young artist competitions, concerto competitions, and flute association competitions.

He received degrees from the Manhattan School of Music, Yale University, and Stony Brook University where he was the winner of the schoolwide concerto competitions at all three institutions. He is also a recipient of the Thomas Nyfenger Prize, the Samuel Baron Prize, and the Presser Award. His principal teachers include Carol Wincenc, Ransom Wilson, Linda Chesis, Susan Hoeppner, and Amy Hamilton. Conor is a Powell Flutes artist and is the Assistant Professor of Flute at UW-Madison where he performs with the Wingra Wind Quintet.

Free | No ticket required

Liz Jackson Hearns
Teaching the Trans and Non-Binary Voice: Introductory Workshop for Students, Performers, and Educators

Part of the DEIB Festival

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The Music Teachers National Association-UW–Madison Collegiate Chapter, in partnership with the UW–Madison Division of Arts, welcomes Liz Jackson Hearns to conduct a workshop on vocal pedagogy for the transgender and non-binary voice.

Day-to-day societal, cultural, and political growth impacts the society we live in. The emergence of the transgender/queer/non-binary singing student reflects the significant changes in the socio-political understanding and workings of gender, and this offers crucial opportunities for the academic community. While there is a growing interest, resources are still limited in understanding the best practice and approaches to work with this student demographic.

One of the primary goals of this workshop is to create and spark awareness of shifting perspectives in pedagogies. This workshop-based event directly responds to the growing need for visibility for trans, queer, and non-binary individuals, especially in the performing arts. Furthermore, it aims to equip participants with a preliminary knowledge of socially relevant and culturally important voice pedagogy. This event hopes to provide resources on repertoire, training, and safe singing practice through a lens that centers on the individual struggles and needs of transgender and non-binary students.

Topics include considerations for gender expansive pedagogy, exploration of the PIRA scale, and proposals of possibilities for gender expansive vocalization through vocal exercises and compassionate conversation.

At the conclusion of this intensive, participants will be able to:

● Begin supporting gender diverse students with appropriate language and care

● Inform students about aspects of voice transition

● Explore gender expansive voice pedagogy and the PIRA (pitch, inflection, resonance, articulation) scale

This is an introductory course. If participants want to engage further, we will share information on our upcoming workshops and trainings that deepen your knowledge of working with trans and non binary clients.

This event is funded by the UW–Madison Division of Arts Artivism Student Action Program (ASAP).

Free | No ticket required

Mead Witter School of Music Musician Health and Wellness Series

Dr. Laura Medisky
AmSAT-certified teacher of the Alexander Technique

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Morning Session: 9 am -11:45 am 
The Alexander Technique is an educational method proven to teach people greater poise and more efficient body use in their daily activities. No matter how you make music, your body is the most important part of your instrument. Alexander Technique can help you increase body awareness, strengthen your mind-body connection, and guide you to effective habit-forming. This can improve your tone quality and projection, as well as your stage presence, mental focus, and overall well-being.

In this workshop, we will explore the Alexander principles of awareness, alignment, and the mind-body connection through everyday movements such as sitting, standing and bending. We will then put awareness into action and focus on topics that apply to musicians by addressing the head-jaw relationship, the use of arms and hands, and efficient breathing.

Afternoon Session: 1 pm-2 pm 
This session begins with a 20-minute guided Alexander Technique lie-down. While lying on the floor, you will learn how to use gravity, and subtle thoughts and actions to realign your body, increase awareness, and quiet your mind. Bring a yoga mat or a thick towel to lie on, and 2-3 paperback books to support the head.

We will conclude with individual volunteers to play or sing and receive hands-on Alexander Technique instruction.

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Dr. Laura Medisky is an oboist and AmSAT-certified teacher of the Alexander Technique. She has studied and taught Alexander Technique for 25 years, and has an interest in working with other musicians. Through her own experience with debilitating tendonitis as an undergrad, Laura came to the Alexander Technique in search of physical relief, and discovered a philosophical approach to mind-body awareness and habit-changing that has enhanced her practice, performance, teaching, and daily life. For more information, visit lauramedisky.com.

Purchase tickets
General admission: $30
Senior: $25
Student (UW–Madison and all other): $10

Literally translated as “The Fallen Woman,” La traviata is probably Verdi’s best-known masterpiece. Violetta is a high-class courtesan and the most celebrated figure of the glamorous Parisian social scene. She loves her life – carefree, attached to no-one, her own woman. But Violetta is also seriously ill.

Enter Alfredo, a poet who shows Violetta real, unconditional love for the first time. She falls for him, abandons her career, and the two escape to a country retreat to live in domestic bliss. Until Alfredo’s father shows up. Unhappy with how his son’s relationship with a “fallen woman” is damaging the family’s reputation, he persuades Violetta to end things with Alfredo and return to Paris.

Later on, Alfredo’s father is remorseful and finally reveals to his son the reason Violetta left him. Alfredo rushes to be with her, but Violetta’s sickness is now much worse… is it too late?

Free | No ticket required

Kevin Friermood Master’s Euphonium Recital

Kevin Friermood, euphonium
Chris Fiol, tuba
Turner Gray, tuba
John Scoville, piano

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Program

Euphonium Concerto       Joseph Horovitz (1926-2022)
I. Moderato
II. Lento
III. Con Moto

Cafe 1930       Astor Piazzolla (1921-1992)

Intermission

Fantasia di Concerto       Eduardo Boccalari (1859-1921)

Gypsy Earrings       Ardeshir Farah/arr. Ryan McGeorge

Morgenmusik       Paul Hindemith (1895-1963)

Chris Fiol, tuba
Turner Gray, tuba
Keegan Brown, euphonium

Necroterror     Ian Lester (b. 1994)

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Kevin Friermood is a second-year Master of Music in Euphonium Performance student at UW–Madison. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Applied Music at Manchester University in North Manchester, Indiana where he performed in a wide variety of ensembles on campus. While at Manchester, Kevin had the opportunity to perform as part of several intercollegiate bands, including National and Regional CBDNA ensembles.

Upon graduating, Kevin joined the United States Marine Corps as a musician and was stationed in New Orleans, Louisiana. In the Marine Corps, Kevin performed in over 200 commitments annually in marching, concert, and ceremonial settings. His unit traveled and performed in venues from Window Rock, Arizona to New York City and many locations in-between. Kevin also helped form and arrange music for the Marine Forces Reserve Tuba/Euphonim Quartet, which performed in conjunction with the band’s annual Christmas Concert Tour. He also attended the Pershing’s Own United States Army Band’s Tuba and Euphonium conference in Washington DC and performed with the Interservice Tuba/Euphonium Ensemble in 2019 and 2020. Kevin was honorably discharged from the Marine Corps in June of 2021.

While at UW–Madison, Kevin has been a member of the Wind Ensemble, Low Brass Ensemble, Brass Choir, and the Park Street Tuba/Euphonium Quartet. He is a student of Professor Tom Curry.