Celebrating the Class of 2023

Graduation: A time for celebration and reflection; a time to say goodbye to friends and prepare for the future. Graduating students Lauren Rault and Heidi Keener highlighted those sentiments during prepared remarks at the Graduation, Hooding, and Awards Recognition Ceremony on May 12.

“I’m so grateful for everyone I’ve crossed paths with over the past four years,” Rault said. “No matter how small the interaction, every single person I met made me better in some way, so thank you.”

Held at the Hamel Music Center, a portion of the ceremony included recognition of all students who have earned School of Music awards over the past year. The Class of 2023 joins 4,702 living School of Music alumni.

“No matter where you go in the world, you are likely to meet other alumni, and be reminded that you are forever a Badger,” Director Susan C. Cook said.

Watch the live stream: 

Heidi Keener, DMA Flute Performance ’23, offers remarks on her time at the School of Music.

School of Music choral students perform “In My Life” and “The Road Home” during the ceremony.

Chris Fiol, MM Tuba Performance ’23, accepts a pink rose from Professor Martha Fischer. Pink is symbolic of music in academia.

Jerzy Gillon, MM Vocal Performance ’23, accepts a pink rose from Professor Martha Fischer.

Jason Xue, Piano Performance ’23, and Shelby Miller, MM Flute Performance ’23, attend a post-ceremony reception in the Hamel Music Center lobby.

Karen Szczech, MM Violin Performance ’23, Amelia Simpson, Violin Music Performance ’23, Dr. Dawn Dongeun Wohn, Jane Krasovich, Violin Music Performance ’23, and Nithya Attipetty, Cello Music Performance ’23.

Andrew Voth, DMA Choral Conducting ’23, and Herbert Payung, DMA Wind Conducting ’23.

Hanna Noughani, Oboe Music Performance ’23, Dr. Lindsay Flowers, Professor Emeritus Mark Fink, and Keslie Pharis, MM Oboe Performance ’23.

Let’s celebrate: Students and supporters attend a a post-ceremony reception in the Hamel Music Center lobby.

/by

Dan Cavanagh named next School of Music director

Dan Cavanagh has been named the next director of the School of Music, effective July 1, 2023. Cavanagh’s appointment concludes a national search led by Associate Dean Susan Zaeske of the College of Letters & Science; music professors Mimmi Fulmer, Christopher Taylor, Scott Teeple, Conor Nelson, and Daniel Grabois; and School of Music Assistant Director Wendy Johnson.

“I am thrilled that Dan will bring to the directorship of the Mead Witter School of Music a cutting-edge vision of research and curricular excellence combined with the wherewithal to get things done thanks to his many years of experience as a music and liberal arts administrator,” Zaeske said.

Cavanagh is a composer and pianist who has garnered numerous awards in both areas. As a composer he has written or arranged for Latin Grammy-winning AfroBop Alliance, the legendary Patti LaBelle, and a wide range of classical and jazz performers across North America and Europe. He has released five critically acclaimed jazz CDs as a leader.

His music can be heard on many other recordings both classical and jazz and he continues to be commissioned and programmed around the world. Cavanagh has also performed extensively in North America and internationally. He has been a finalist in the EuropaFest Jazz Contest in Bucharest, and in the Jacksonville Jazz Festival Piano Competition.

“I am very excited to join UW–Madison as the next Pamela O. Hamel/Music Board of Advisors Professor and Director of the Mead Witter School of Music,” Cavanagh said. “The school’s national reputation is bolstered by its amazing faculty, talented students, and accomplished staff.”

Cavanagh is currently the interim Dean of the College of Liberal Arts at the University of Texas at Arlington. Prior to serving as interim Dean, Cavanagh held various academic leadership roles, including program director, music department chair, and associate dean. He has also served in high-profile shared governance roles in the University of Texas System, including as Chair of the Faculty Advisory Council representing over 21,000 faculty members across the 14 institutions in the system.

From 2015-2020, he served as the Co-Chair of Region VI for the Society of Composers and currently serves on the executive board of a2ru, the Alliance for the Arts in Research Universities. Cavanagh serves on the board of directors for Downtown Arlington Management Corporation (Arlington, TX), chairs Downtown Arlington’s Cultural Arts District Partners group and serves as the Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees for the Dallas Winds, a five-time Grammy nominated professional Wind Symphony.

Cavanagh succeeds Director Susan C. Cook, who will be on research leave during the 23-24 academic year after serving 10 years as director of the School of Music.

“I look forward to engaging with the Board of Advisors, colleagues across the University, and individuals throughout the community to continue growing the impact, reach, and excellence the School of Music creates every day, and to advance the ideals of the Wisconsin Idea through the creative work and scholarship we will produce together,” Cavanagh said.

/by

School of Music celebrates new scholarship fund

The School of Music is thrilled to announce and celebrate the Susan C. Cook Scholarship Fund. This newly-established fund created by alumni, friends, and our Board of Advisors will provide eligible students with full in-state tuition and will build upon Professor Cook’s ten years of service as director of the School of Music.

Professor Cook’s legacy resonates throughout the school, from the students she has mentored to overseeing the building and completion of Hamel Music Center which she called “the Wisconsin Idea at its most audible” upon its opening in 2019. During her ten years as director, Professor Cook has also developed a larger culture of philanthropy and support and has expressed her deep appreciation for the generous philanthropic individuals who have continued to support music students through scholarships and support of all kinds.

Join us in celebrating the new fund during Day of the Badger March 28–29. All gifts made during Day of the Badger will be designated to support students through the Susan C. Cook Scholarship and will ensure Professor Cook’s pivotal contributions to the School of Music will be remembered for generations. Thanks to Garry and Joanne Owens, your gift will be matched dollar for dollar–up to $10,000–during Day of the Badger.

/by

University Opera presents Verdi’s La traviata

On the heels of winning four national awards for last year’s productions, University Opera rounds out the 2022-23 season with Giuseppe Verdi’s tragic masterpiece, La traviata. Perhaps his best-known work, La traviata tells a tale of love, morality, and self-sacrifice. Three performances will be presented at Music Hall on the UW–Madison campus: March 3 at 7:30 pm, March 5 at 2 pm, and March 7 at 7:30 pm. The Mead Witter School of Music’s Director of Orchestral Activities Oriol Sans will conduct the UW­–Madison Symphony and Karen K. Bishop Director of Opera David Ronis will direct the production.

“Due to the significant vocal and dramatic demands placed on performers, works like La traviata do not often show up in the repertoire for university opera programs,” Ronis said. “But this year, we are thrilled to have the right complement of extremely accomplished singers among our students who cannot only meet La traviata’s challenges, but deliver professional-level performances.”

Written during Verdi’s fruitful middle period, La traviata is one of his most intimate works. The opera features a taut plot and vivid characters for which Verdi composed perfectly attuned music. Although a work of the 19th century, La traviata’s themes are universal and have compelling contemporary resonance.

Literally meaning “The Fallen Woman,” La traviata is based on the famous novel, La dame aux camélias by Alexandre Dumas fils. Dumas used the real-life Marie Duplessis, a courtesan who served elite Parisian society in the 1840s, as a model for his heroine. In the opera, Marie becomes Violetta, who lives the high life but is dying of consumption. Upon meeting Alfredo, Violetta is disarmed and captivated by a man who is not interested in her for the usual reasons. Instead, he offers true love and a chance to escape her frenetic and unfulfilling lifestyle.

Shortly after the couple goes off to a country cottage to live an idyllic life, Alfredo’s father Giorgio Germont pays Violetta an unexpected visit. He asks her to end the relationship and leave Alfredo so that his daughter’s (Alfredo’s sister) marriage can proceed, and his family’s honor be restored. Reluctant to give up the love that she has found but understanding the profound effect on her lover’s family, Violetta makes the supreme sacrifice and returns to her old life. Alfredo, believing Violetta to have left him for financial reasons, finds and confronts her in Paris with disastrous results. A few months later, Alfredo, having finally learned the truth from his father, returns to reunite with the dying Violetta one last time.

The University Opera production will be set in the late 1920s and include fashions from the era as well as Art Deco furniture and decorations. The cast features Jeni Houser and Sachie Ueshima in the title role, Evan Mitchell as Alfredo, and Luis Orozco as Germont. Madison Barrett and Jing Zhang will share the role of Flora while Ryan Nash and Noah Strube will split the performances of Gastone. Annina will be played by Jerzy Gillon and Krista Laszewski, Grady Hayden will be the Baron, Corey Lallo the Marquis, and Augustine Ahn, Doctor Grenvil.

Keith Pitts will be the scenic designer, Zak Stowe will design the lighting, and Kenneth Hoversten and Madeline Walaszek will design costumes. Jan Ross will be the wig designer and Zak Wolff, the props designer. Musical preparation will be by Thomas Kasdorf and William Preston is the rehearsal pianist. The production stage manager will be Grace Greene. Others on the production staff include Oliva Gacka, assistant director; Juliana Gessner, assistant scenic designer; Evan Mitchell, operations manager for University Opera; Elizabeth Cantwell, assistant stage manager; and Katie Eggers and Bella Moss, costume assistants.

Tickets are $30 for the general public, $25 for senior citizens, and $10 for UW–Madison students, available in advance through the Campus Arts Ticketing office at (608) 265-ARTS and online at artsticketing.wisc.edu. Tickets may be purchased in person at the Wisconsin Union Theater Box Office Monday-Friday, 11:30 am-5:30 pm and Saturdays, 12 pm-5 pm. Tickets may also be purchased at the door beginning one hour before the performance. The Carol Rennebohm Auditorium is located in Music Hall, at the foot of Bascom Hill on Park Street in Madison.

/by

Faculty, students recipients of 2023 Creative Arts Awards

Professor Mimmi Fulmer and School of Music students Sachie Ueshima, Trace Johnson, James Osorio, Sahada Buckley, and Ben Ferris are each recipients of  a UW–Madison Division of the Arts 2023 Creative Arts Award. Award recipients will be recognized at a ceremony on Tuesday, May 9, 2023.

These awards celebrate artistic achievement, recognize service to the arts, and support arts research. Nine awards were open to a variety of arts practitioners, researchers, students, staff, and faculty from any area including arts academic departments and programs. This includes Art, Art History, Arts Administration, Communication Arts, Creative Writing, Dance, Design Studies, Interdisciplinary Theatre Studies, Music and Theatre and Drama. Applications and nominations for these awards were juried by a panel of seven committee members including previous recipients of the awards and campus arts research administrators.

School of Music faculty and staff received awards in the following categories:

Emily Mead Baldwin Award in the Creative Arts

Mimmi Fulmer, Professor
Project title: Women’s voices then and now: at the center of Finnish music as artists, activists, and muses

David and Edith Sinaiko Frank Graduate Fellowship for a Woman in the Arts

Sachie Ueshima, DMA student, Music Performance
Project title: Last Letters Home: Voices of Japanese Soldiers in WWII

Lyman S.V. Judson and Ellen Mackechnie Judson Graduate Student Award in the Creative Arts

Trace Leighton Johnson, DMA student, Music Performance

Joan Spero and C. Michael Spero Graduate Student Award

James Carl Lagman Osorio, MM student, Piano and MA student, Historical Musicology
Project title: “Pagbabagong-anyo” (Transformation): Rediscovering Nicanor Abelardo’s “Violin Sonata”

Graduate Student Creative Arts Award

Sahada Jewel Buckley, MM student, Violin Performance & Trace Leighton Johnson, DMA student, Music Performance
Project title: Eastern Shore Chamber Music Festival

Ben Ferris, MM student, Music Performance
Project title: Roland Hanna Bass Concerto Project

/by

University Opera wins four awards

University Opera has won four national awards over the past year. University Opera garnered two first place awards–one each in Division V and VII of the National Opera Association Production Competition–for last year’s productions of Two Remain (Out of Darkness) and Sweeney Todd.

Additionally, The American Prize awarded University Opera third place in its Musical Theater division for I Wish It So: Marc Blitzstein – The Man In His Music, a biographical video project that director David Ronis assembled, wrote, and produced, using resources from the Wisconsin Center for Film and Theater Research. The same production also earned Ronis the second place Charles Nelson Reilly Award for Musical Theater Directing, also given by The American Prize.

/by

Schwendinger wins Charles Ives Opera Prize

The American Academy of Arts and Letters has named Professor Laura Schwendinger and librettist Ginger Strand winners of the Charles Ives Opera Prize for their opera Artemisia. Based on the life of 17th-century Italian painter Artemisia Gentileschi, Artemisia premiered at the Left Coast Chamber Ensemble in 2019 and received an OPERA America Discovery Grant.

The Ives Opera Prize is is the largest and most prestigious award for opera composers in the US. As composer, Schwendinger will receive $35,000, and Strand, as librettist, will receive $15,000.

Operas were nominated by the Academy’s members, and winners chosen by a jury comprised of members John Harbison (chair), Anthony Davis, Tania León, Tobias Picker, and Shulamit Ran, who met in 2022. The awards will be given at the annual Ceremonial in May.

The first composer to win the American Academy in Berlin Prize, Schwendinger is a professor of composition at the Mead Witter School of Music.

 

/by

Symphony Orchestra Concerto Competition Winners Announced

The winners of the 2022 Symphony Orchestra Concerto Competition are Elizabeth Vaughan, piano, and Benjamin Davies Hudson, violin.

The winners of the 2022 Symphony Orchestra Concerto Competition are Elizabeth Vaughan, piano, and Benjamin Davies Hudson, violin. The results were announced by Director of Orchestral Activities Oriol Sans following the Concerto Competition Finals on November 28 in the Mead Witter Foundation Concert Hall at the Hamel Music Center.

“The judges were highly impressed with the high artistic level of all performances during the finals,” Sans said. “Congratulations to all!”

At the finals, Elizabeth performed Sergei Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto No. 3 in D Minor, Op. 30 with Eric Tran as accompanist. Benjamin performed Jean Sibelius’ Violin Concerto in D Minor with Calvin Guse as accompanist. The winners will perform with the UW–Madison Symphony Orchestra in spring or fall of 2023.

Concerto competition judges this year included Devin Colbeigh-Morrison, brass; Les Thimmig, jazz; Marisol Kuborn and Alexander Weir, percussion; Lina Lee, piano; Dawn Wohn, strings; Marc Vallon, woodwinds;  and Paul Rowe and Colleen Brooks, voice.

Elizabeth Vaughan is a current DMA student in piano performance and pedagogy under the tutelage of Professors Jessica Johnson and Christopher Taylor. She received her master’s degree in piano performance from University of Tennessee-Knoxville, master’s in viola performance from Roosevelt University, and bachelor’s degree in vocal performance from Lawrence University.

She has performed as a solo pianist with the UT-Knoxville Symphony Orchestra and Lawrence University Symphony Orchestra. She is a first place winner of the MTNA Young Artist Competition in the states of Tennessee and Wisconsin, and second place winner in the MTNA East Central Division. She has also won second place awards at the Wisconsin Federations of Music Clubs competition and the Wisconsin NATS competition.

Elizabeth is a freelance musician in the Chicagoland area, and her performances have been broadcast on 98.7 WFMT and 91.9 WUOT. She has collaborated with musicians from the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and with students and faculty in studios of Roosevelt University, DePaul University, the Lyric Opera of Chicago, and the Music Institute of Chicago. In addition to performing as a pianist, she sings with the Chicago Symphony Chorus.

Benjamin Davies Hudson is a sophomore studying violin with Professor David Perry and viola with Professor Sally Chisholm. Prior to UW–Madison, Benjamin studied with Janet Chisholm shortly after starting the violin at age 7. In high school, Benjamin studied harpsichord maintenance, tuning, and period performance with Trevor Stephenson.

In 2018, Benjamin was a finalist in the Milwaukee Symphony’s “Stars of Tomorrow” Concerto Competition and was given the opportunity to solo with the Milwaukee Symphony under the Baton of Maestro Yaniv Dinur performing Saint-Saëns Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso. That same year, Benjamin was a winner of the Wisconsin Youth Symphony Orchestras concerto competition and performed as a soloist with the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra under the Baton of Maestro Andrew Sewell.

He has worked with Arnold Steinhardt, Uri Vardi, Young Nam Kim, Kenneth Woods, Arianna Kim, Eric Nowlin, Jordan Bak, Siwoo Kim, and Eleanor Bartsch through performance classes and chamber music festivals.

/by

The Director Takes A Bow

Susan C. Cook sums it up perfectly: “You can take the professor out of the classroom, but not the classroom out of the professor.” After a decade as director of the Mead Witter School of Music, Cook will step down at the end of this year. But this isn’t the grand finale of Cook’s career; it’s just the beginning of a new movement.

Having worked 15 years without a sabbatical, Cook is looking forward to taking some time off. Then, she’ll be back to doing what she loves: teaching music history.

“My area of interest has always been contemporary music,” Cook says, “which used to mean the 20th century, but now it’s the 21st century as well. The world keeps changing around us and we have to change with it. I think it’s always important for faculty to be continuing to think about what it is our students need now and to be not teaching just the way we were taught, or just the way we used to teach even 10 or 15 years ago.”

That adaptability and forward thinking have been the cornerstones of Cook’s term as director. They served her well when things looked precarious for the school.

“I came into the role in somewhat of a challenging time,” she recalls. “The previous director had stepped down a couple years early, so it was a transition that we weren’t expecting.”

The school was experiencing budget cuts and limited hiring and had been struggling to move ahead with a new building project. Then, there came a new chancellor, provost, and dean in quick succession — all starting around the same time that Cook assumed her new role. The future was uncertain. However, following campuswide discussions, Chancellor Rebecca Blank quickly decided to move ahead with plans for a new music building, which would become the Hamel Music Center.

“That decision proved to be a really smart one,” Cook remembers, because it was the vote of confidence that signaled to the Mead Witter Foundation that the university was invested in the future of the school, and “that there was a real critical need here.” The foundation made a major gift that allowed the ambitious building project to proceed and attracted even more support.

“One of the things I’ve really enjoyed about this job was working with the incredibly generous philanthropic individuals who have helped make this building a reality and have continued to support our students, again, through scholarships and support of all kinds,” Cook says. She beams as she talks about the “larger culture of philanthropy and support” that has sprung up around the school. “We have wonderful fans that come and write students notes (after performances) and tell them how terrific they sounded and that has just been something really unexpectedly wonderful to be a part of.”

The Hamel Music Center opened its doors in fall 2019, glistening like a jewel at the heart of campus. Then came the blow that nobody expected: COVID-19. But as it turned out, even though the center wasn’t designed with a pandemic in mind, it met the needs of the moment perfectly.

“Had we not had this building, the pandemic would have been so much worse for all of us,” Cook says. “Because we did have the technology and the extra spaces in this building that allowed us to do things safely to continue to connect with each other and to connect with audiences, even if we couldn’t be in person. I know there were people who felt like the building was closed and empty, and I kept saying, ‘It’s not. There’s still life going on there.’ I would drive by, and I would see the lights on in the lobby. To me, it was a beacon of hope and a reminder that we would be back together and that the building was helping keep us connected even then.”

Looking ahead, Cook hopes that the school will continue to build on what the Hamel Music Center started, continuing to be “inventive in our programming, inventive in our use of the space.” She also hopes to get the additional rehearsal spaces and financial assistance that students need, though that is a quest that will pass to the school’s next director — and to the new Humanities building project, which is in development.

“This clearly is a big job, a challenging job,” Cook says. “Sometimes people have asked me what have been the rewards? And I would say that the rewards have been in the music.”

She says it’s like “being in this wonderful garden” and not knowing what’s going to spring up and blossom. “You’re doing a lot of digging and a lot of heavy labor at times, but then (you’re) rewarded with this kind of beauty that you couldn’t have imagined.”

/by

University Opera presents Albert Herring

 

Purchase tickets

Albert Herring, Benjamin Britten’s intricate and witty opera, will open the 2022-23 University Opera season at UW–Madison following the success of last season’s Two Remain (Out of Darkness) by Jake Heggie and Stephen Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd.  One of Britten’s few comedic operas, Albert Herring explores the themes of lost innocence, social stratification, Victorian morality, and the coming of age. Three performances will be presented at Music Hall on the UW–Madison campus: November 18 at 7:30 pm, November 20 at 2 pm, and November 22 at 7:30 pm. The Mead Witter School of Music’s Director of Orchestral Activities, Oriol Sans, will conduct a chamber ensemble comprised of members of the UW–Madison Symphony, and Karen K. Bishop Director of Opera, David Ronis, will direct the production.

Britten’s score for Albert Herring is equally as complex and beautiful as his most serious operas and the libretto by Eric Crozier inspires some of his most sensitive musical writing. The piece displays a good measure of levity as it tells a story as old as time, contrasting the values of older and younger generations.  With the town’s May Day Festival approaching, Lady Billows is scandalized and shocked by the lack of moral virtue in the young women of East Suffolk and is left with no choice but to appoint a King of the May rather than a May Queen.  Her committee of advisors suggests the young Albert whom they don’t view as particularly bright but is perceived as virtuous and a good son.  Albert, put upon by his strong-willed mother, is forced to accept this appointment. But, in a bold move of self-actualization fueled by a bit of alcohol, he breaks free from small town conventions and uses his prize money to pursue the life experiences he so desperately desires. This all too familiar story of the conflict between generations ignites Britten’s hilarious opera and is bound to put a smile on anyone’s face regardless generational affiliation.

The cast features Ryan Nash in the title role and Eloise Williamson as Lady Billows. Madison Barrett and Kathryn Flynn will share the role of Nancy while William Volmar will appear as Sid, Alexxis McDade as Mum, Noah Strube as Mayor Upfold, Grady Hayden as Vicar Gedge and Augustine Ahn as Superintendent Budd. Isabel Celata and Minseon Lee will split the performances as Miss Wordsworth, Jing Zhang and guest artist Chloe Agostino as Florence Pike, Katie Eggers and Danielle Bullock as Emmie, and May Kohler and Riley Brutto as Cis. Liam Kleckner and John Palenik, both members of the Madison Youth Choir program, will share the role of Harry.

Greg Silver will design both scenery and lighting and Hyewon Park will design costumes. The production stage manager will be Grace Greene. Others on the production staff include Luis Orozco, assistant director; Evan Mitchell, operations manager for University Opera; Elizabeth Cantwell, assistant stage manager; and Kenneth Hoversten, Katie Eggers, and Madeline Walaszek, costume assistants.

Tickets are $30 for the general public, $25 for senior citizens, and $10 for UW–Madison students, available in advance online through Campus Arts Ticketing or by calling (608) 265-ARTS. Tickets may also be purchased in person at the Wisconsin Union Theater Box Office Monday-Friday, 11:30 am-5:30 pm, and Saturdays, 12 pm-5 pm. Tickets may also be purchased at the door beginning one hour before the performance. The Carol Rennebohm Auditorium is located in Music Hall, at the foot of Bascom Hill on Park Street in Madison.

/by

School of Music welcomes new faculty

From L to R, Amy Lewis (Music Education), Michael Weinstein-Reiman (Music Theory), and Lindsay Flowers (Oboe) joined the School of Music faculty this fall.

The School of Music is excited to welcome three new faculty members this fall: Amy Lewis (Music Education), Michael Weinstein-Reiman (Music Theory), and Lindsay Flowers (Oboe).

Dr. Amy Lewis is the daughter of Jayne McShann Lewis and Bennie Lewis and is the granddaughter of Frances McShann Shelton and jazz pianist Jay McShann. Dr. Lewis is a research associate as an Anna Julia Cooper Fellow in the Mead Witter School of Music at the University of Wisconsin–Madison.

Her research is focused on systemic oppression, equity, and racism in music education. As a public music teacher, she taught K-1, 6-8 general music, beginning band, middle school choir, and jazz band in the Chicagoland suburbs. She received the 2022 Compass Visionary Award, the 2019 Black Faculty, Staff, and Administrators Association Emerging Leader Award, and was also named the 2015 Illinois Education Association Teacher of the Year.

“I am absolutely thrilled to be named an Anna Julia Cooper Fellow at the UW–Madison,” Lewis said. “I look forward to working with incredible colleagues in the Mead Witter School of Music and contributing to such a rich history of research in music education.”

Michael Weinstein-Reiman is a historian of music theory. His work seeks to elucidate music theory’s role in the history of ideas over the longue durée. His related research interests include eighteenth- and nineteenth-century European philosophy, music pedagogy, literature, gender and sexuality, and disability studies.

In 2021, he received the Ph.D. in Music Theory from Columbia University, where he wrote a dissertation on the changing understanding of touch—considered as an action, a sense, and as a metaphor for music’s effect on the psyche—across the span of two centuries of French intellectual history. Research for the dissertation was supported by Columbia’s Dean’s Fellowship, a Georges Lurcy Fellowship, an honorary Chateaubriand Fellowship from the French Embassy, and several travel grants. He holds degrees in music from The University of Oregon, Mannes College, and Brandeis University.

“It is a real honor to join the community of musicians and scholars at UW–Madison,” Weinstein-Reiman said. “I am excited about working with the School of Music’s top-notch and diverse performers. As I embark on my own research projects, I cannot wait to see our students flourish and forge their own paths.”

Dr. Lindsay Flowers is the Assistant Professor of Oboe at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Mead Witter School of Music where she is a member of the Wingra Wind Quintet and guides student-generated community engagement projects. She received a Doctor of Music degree from Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music under the tutelage of Linda Strommen and Roger Roe. Her background in athletics distinguishes her pedagogical approach in her emphasis on performance visualization, disciplined commitment, and supportive teamwork.

Lindsay is an Oboist and English Hornist with the Madison Symphony Orchestra, Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra, and Quad Cities Symphony Orchestra. She previously was a member of the Milwaukee Ballet Orchestra, New Mexico Philharmonic, and Civic Orchestra of Chicago. Lindsay was a founding member of the Arundo Donax Reed Quintet, Bronze Medal Winners of the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition and recorded a duo album with Dr. Andrew Parker to be released in 2023. She has performed with the Milwaukee, Chicago, Indianapolis, Utah, and Nashville Symphony Orchestras and during recent summers with the Santa Fe Opera, Grant Park, Midsummer’s, Lakes Area, Apollo, Lake George, Castleton, Aspen, and Banff Music Festivals.

/by

Faculty, DMA student presenting at ACDA 2023

Dr. Mariana Farah, director of Choral Activities, and incoming DMA choral conducting student Liz Olson are presenting as part of a panel session at the National Conference of the American Choral Directors Association. This session will feature five active women conductors and a first-year doctoral student in a candid discussion about past, present, and future challenges for women in choral music. The presenters will offer strategies on how young and experienced conductors can fight new and longstanding matters involving gender bias in the choral field. Members will learn to:

a) identify instances of gender disparity in the choral profession;
b) fight challenges related to gender bias;
c) support students and colleagues who experience gender discrimination;
d) advocate for themselves and others;
e) promote change to help create more equitable spaces for women conductors

The conference will be held February 22-25, 2023 in Cincinnati, OH.

/by

Professor Margaret Butler receives IAML Vladimir Fédorov Award

Professor Margaret Butler has received the IAML Vladimir Fédorov Award for her article “Opening a Celebrity’s Closet: Cecilia Davies and the De Bellis Collection,” Fontes Artis Musicae 68/4 (2021): 288–314. The award honors the best article published in the journal during a given volume year.

The Publications Awards Subcommittee commented that “this article could well stand as a model description of uncatalogued collections: it provides historical background of both the collection and collector; description of the content together with the extensive research required to compile the listing; further reading and research suggestions, and a tantalising problem that set our detective pulses racing: there are still some unidentified pieces in the collection.”

/by

Summer Band returns for 2022

Summer Band participants will perform in the Mead Witter Foundation Concert Hall, pictured here during a University Bands concert this spring.

Summer Band is returning for 2022! Join musicians from UW-Madison and the surrounding area in an experience making music at the Hamel Music Center. Details and a link to register are listed below.

Summer University Band (Music 43)
Conductor: Prof. Scott Teeple
Open to UW–Madison students and members of the community

Schedule:
Dates: Mondays & Thursdays, June 20-July 14, 7 pm-9 pm
Rehearsals: Lee/Kaufman Rehearsal Hall, Hamel Music Center, 740 University Ave
Final Concert: Thursday, July 14 at 7 pm, Mead Witter Foundation Concert Hall, Hamel Music Center

Registration:
Registration fee: $75
Registration deadline: Tuesday, June 21, 2022
UW students: Enroll through the course catalog for Summer Term 2022

Community members: CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

Additional information:
UW-Madison COVID Response: covidresponse.wisc.edu
Instruments: Community members are expected to provide their own instrument for ensemble participation. The Mead Witter School of Music may be able to provide certain instruments for rental, but due to limited availability, cannot guarantee instruments for community member participation.

Questions about course content can be directed to: scott.teeple@wisc.edu

/by

Music graduate selected for Dean’s Prize

Alejandro Oñate is one of three seniors graduating from the College of Letters & Science to have been selected by Dean Eric M. Wilcots for the Dean’s Prize, one of the College’s highest academic honors. Candidates for this award completed a minimum of 24 Honors Program credits, made significant contributions to UW–Madison and the local community, completed an undergraduate thesis or major research project, and excelled in their classes.

Oñate will continue researching immune therapies to combat cancer in the lab of Dr. Zachary Morris in the Carbone Cancer Center, while making plans for earning an MD-PhD degree and becoming a physician scientist. Oñate has been praised for his development as both a team member and leader, combining thoughtful communication skills, scientific curiosity, and critical thinking on his path through both the Biochemistry and Music (violin performance) majors, with a certificate in biology core curriculum (Biocore). Oñate is also a Mercile J. Lee Scholar.

“He embodies empathy and humility in our weekly violin studio class where he is always eager to give positive and insightful comments to his colleagues and then in turn, to receive others’ suggestions humbly and with gratitude,” says Eugene Purdue, adjunct professor of strings.

Among many community service activities, Oñate brought his music and science passions together when, as a Biocore Outreach Ambassador, he developed an elementary-school program exploring the physics of stringed instruments. He has also played violin and coordinated other School of Music students to perform for patients and staff of the UW Hospital and Clinics.

Read the full story

/by

Music students honored at the 2022 Chancellor’s Undergraduate Awards Ceremony

Four Music students were among the 149 recipients honored at the 2022 Chancellor’s Undergraduate Awards Ceremony on May 2, where students were recognized for their academic excellence, public service, and undergraduate research. The 149 award-winners will take on research in areas ranging from biochemistry and neurobiology to psychology and music.

Read more about the students and their accomplishments.

Sophomore Research Fellowship
Niharika Patankar (Biochemistry, Music): Investigating the Role of Metabolism on iNKT Cell Cytokine Production

Hilldale Undergraduate/Faculty Research Fellowships
Daniel Laws (Music, Physics): Characterizing the Roles of KLC4 Interactor Proteins MSTO1 and TRAK2 in Mitochondrial Transport and Function During Neuronal Development

Allyson Mills (Music): A Revolutionary Composer: Analyzing the Songs and Letters of Anne-Louise Brillon de Jouy

Hanna Noughani (Music, Neurobiology): Obesity and Brain Health: The Association Between Body Fat and Entorhinal Cortex Microstructure

/by

Di Sanza premieres “Ancient Echoes”

Professor Anthony Di Sanza recently premiered “Ancient Echoes,” a new concerto by Michael Udow commissioned by the Longmont Symphony Orchestra. In addition to a modern lithophone and percussion instruments from around the world, Professor Di Sanza played on a set of 6,000-year-old lithophones discovered by Longmont archaeologist Marilyn Martorano.

Read more –> “Ancient Echoes”: A Review

/by

Mariana Farah on the importance of programming women composers

Women have always been at the core of every major development in music history, with historical and contemporary composers such as Hildegard of Bingen, Amy Beach, Clara Schumann, Eleanor Daley, Andrea Ramsey, Elaine Hagenberg, Dale Trumbore, and Ingrid Stolzel leading the way for generations to follow.

However, a major lack of documentation often leads to important contributions by women composers going overlooked, an issue Director of Choral Studies Mariana Farah sees as an educational opportunity. Farah is committed to programming more music by women composers.

“A lot of music by women composers has been neglected for a long time, and some music remains unpublished and unknown,” Farah said. “I know that programming music by women composers will help our students better understand the role of women in music history and it will also empower our female students to come forward with their own contributions.”

Through performances, Farah and her colleagues can educate students and audiences about the lack of representation and the importance of furthering our perspective on how women have contributed to the canon of literature throughout history.

A student in Women’s Chorus describes the impact the programming decision has had. In a conversation with her mother (who was also in Women’s Chorus during her college years), the student noted that her ensemble was working on pieces by women composers that were both beautiful and meaningful. The student’s mother was pleasantly surprised, as she remembered Women’s Chorus mostly consisting of love songs and lesser pieces written by men.

Her comment got the student thinking.

“I didn’t realize how much I was affected by sexism in classical music culture,” the student said. “I never considered creating music, because women are just supposed to sing what they are given. Women aren’t talented enough to compose. We’re better as passive vessels for the artistry of the opposite gender. I’ve never heard female composers because men just have a special gift. I didn’t realize the above were my subconscious thoughts until being accepted into Women’s Chorus. Experiencing the excellence of Andrea Ramsey’s work has made me feel empowered.”

Farah conducts the UW-Madison Concert Choir, Advanced Treble Choir, and Choral Union. She also teaches courses in graduate choral conducting and oversees all aspects of a comprehensive choral program. Prior to her appointment at UW-Madison, she served as the Associate Director of Choral Activities at the University of Kansas.

/by

Production team receives Administrative Improvement Award

Liz Root, Brian Heller, Anne Brutosky, Eric Murtaugh, and Chancellor Rebecca Blank during the Administrative Improvement Awards ceremony on March 8, 2022.

The UW–Madison Administrative Improvement Awards celebrated their 10th year of recognizing process redesign, process development and customer service innovations that resulted in improved efficiency, revenue, cost savings or service delivery. More than 20 individuals and teams were nominated this year, and five projects were selected to receive the award, including the School of Music production team.

“The number of nominations says a lot about the commitment of thousands of employees across campus to finding better, more efficient and effective ways to do their work,” Chancellor Rebecca Blank said at a recognition ceremony for nominees and recipients on March 8.

“I love the team aspect of this award,” Blank said. “We have five winning projects and 35 people involved, and that type of collaboration is exactly how you get things done.”

Rob Cramer, interim vice chancellor for finance and administration and executive sponsor for the awards, noted that administrative work supports the core missions of UW–Madison. “The Administrative Improvement Awards shine a light on the really impactful work that goes on behind the scenes to improve service and move UW–Madison forward,” Cramer said.

The 2022 Administrative Improvement Award recipients are:

Live stream Production Workflow and Database Team (Mead Witter School of Music)
Anne Brutosky, Brain Heller, Lance Ketterer, Lindsey Meekhof, Max Mindorff, Eric Murtaugh, Liz Root, Oriol Sans, Greg Silver, Ana Tinder

During the pandemic, this team from the School of Music had to quickly figure out how to provide access to musical performances and recitals when audiences were told to stay home. Up to that point, the School of Music had no streaming experience, even though the new Hamel Music Center was equipped to support it. The production team streamed the first public live stream in September 2020.  By the end of Spring 2021, the production team streamed more than 130 performances with 56,700 views worldwide.

In developing the live stream capabilities, the production team also created a workflow and database to streamline its processes and improve real-time communication and coordination. The team has since expanded the use of the shared database beyond live streaming to traditional performances at the Hamel Music Center. This fall, the team connected the database and workflows to ticketing and creating concert programs. Team members continue to respond to the changing needs of music performance, sharing the gift of music with supporters around the world.

Dorothy Stepp, MS (Department of Surgery)

Stepp implemented an automated process to increase and track the number of faculty volunteers in critical medical student education activities. Since the project was implemented, 9 out of 11 divisions fully met required medical student education hours. In the 2021–22 school year, the percentage of faculty volunteers increased from 42% to 87%. This has not only been a win for Stepp and her team, but for the faculty involved — and, of course, the students who reap the benefits of these activities.

Nathaniel Haack (Office of Diversity, Inclusion, and Funding – Graduate School)

In his first year as the fellowship officer for campus, Haack noticed a gap in resources and services for students to pursue external fellowships. He created a database of external fellowships, delivered a series of preparation workshops and seminars for external fellowship applicants, and personally provided almost 50 individual consultations with applicants. Nathaniel collaborated with a handful of stakeholders on campus to launch the database in late January 2021. The number of students who received external fellowships will be reported later this year. In the meantime, Haack and his team have received overwhelmingly positive feedback from students.

Streamlining and Automating the Emergency Request Process Team (Office of Student Financial Aid)
Karie Cunningham, Eric Gentz, Doug Jorewicz (OSFA/DoIT), Lo Klink, Martha Kowalski, Chris Lopac, Shane Maloney, Kristen McRoberts, Justin Mumford, Maggie Nowicki, Stevi Parmentier, Nicole Schumacher, Karla Weber Wandel, Katy Weisenburger, Alex White

The Office of Student Financial Aid team improved student access to the Emergency Request Application during the pandemic. They implemented an eForm application that streamlined the back-end processing for financial aid requests, cutting the processing time for HEERF requests in half between the first and second rounds of funding. By the end of December 2021, more than 9,000 students had received HEERF II funding. The current HEERF III form will be repurposed to an emergency request application where institutional aid will be provided to students experiencing financial crises unrelated to the pandemic.

Modernization of the Undergraduate Academic Standing Process Team (Office of the Registrar)
Katie Block, Corey Campbell, Ellen Clark, Joe Goss, Scott Krause, Diana Maki (Office of the Registrar and Office of Undergraduate Advising), Debbie Moy, Jim Vogel, Beth Warner

Academic standing reflects a student’s progress towards their degree and can indicate if a student is experiencing academic difficulties and needs additional support. Academic governance approved changes to the undergraduate academic standing process a few years ago. In response, the Registrar’s Office prioritized and funded a project to completely update the Student Information System academic standing processes. The team collaborated with more than 20 partners from schools, colleges and divisions at UW–Madison. Team members successfully applied the “Good Standing” label to almost 398,000 students dating back to 1979, providing better service to students when their transcripts are reviewed by graduate school admission committees and potential employers. The modernized process resulted in improved efficiency and cost and time savings, freeing up more time to serve students.

/by

Sweeney Todd cast on Sondheim’s legacy, performing his work, and more

From March 4 though March 8, University Opera, in partnership with the Wisconsin Union Theater, will present a special production of Stephen Sondheim’s popular musical Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.

The cast of Sweeney Todd shared thoughts on Stephen Sondheim’s legacy, what it means to be performing his work following his recent death, and more.

……

Kathryn Flynn
Vocal Performance (1st year Master’s)
Role: Beggar Woman

Have you ever performed a work of Sondheim’s before, prior to this production?
No. 

Do you have a favorite work of Sondheim? If so, what is it and why is it a favorite?
Sweeney Todd, hands down! I’ve never been a gigantic Sondheim fan, but there’s something all-encompassing about this particular work that favors and caters to many different types of both musical and opera lovers alike.

Is there something that you feel makes learning, performing, or listening to Sondheim unique?
The speak-sing qualities/aspects of singing Sondheim. Many roles he composed are heavily-characterized, versus heavily-sung. Having the freedom and permission to “have fun” with creating and forming those vocal and character choices (especially for a role like Beggar Woman!) has created an entirely-new dimension of musical interpretation for me.

Do you have any thoughts on what it means to be performing his work now, following his recent death?
Without a doubt, Sondheim is one of the most influential and long-lasting composers of all time in the world of Musical Theatre. Performing a work as recognizable and loved as “Sweeney Todd” definitely presents its points of anxiety, hoping to “live up to the standard” that Sondheim would have wanted his work to represent. However, performing this work amongst other actors and singers who have an equal love, admiration and desire to perform at their peak ability is bringing a dimension and color to this piece never experience before.

……

Charles Hancin
Music No Option, Bachelors, Fifth Year
Role: Ensemble/Fogg

Have you ever performed a work of Sondheim’s before, prior to this production?
No.

Do you have a favorite work of Sondheim? If so, what is it and why is it a favorite?
It’s a tossup between Sweeney and Company, mostly for their adult themes, storytelling, and their capacity to be enjoyed by a wide range of audiences. These works better align with operettas than musicals in my opinion, and as such, command somewhat more respectability. That is not to say that other modern musicals are unrespectable, it’s just that there is more austerity to Sondheim’s works.

Is there something that you feel makes learning, performing, or listening to Sondheim unique?
His compositional voice is certainly distinct. In terms of scholarship, there is much that can be said about his ability to write lyrics and music for varied emotions, events, and characters. The way harmony or rhythm works with his writing is tightly controlled, but it is precisely this control that allows for so much more personal expression in the performance of the players in his works. Sweeney Todd is no exception, in fact, I would hazard that this is one of his most cohesive works save for perhaps that tooth-pulling competition, I can see why pretty much every production skips it.

That is not to say that his lyrics play little part in the success of his musicals. He is certainly a strong poet with a penchant for perfect rhymes. His wit is on full display in many of the numbers in Sweeney, but nowhere is it more exemplified than in A Little Priest. Much has already been said on the duet, so I won’t bore you with my frankly underqualified opinion, but I would be remiss not to mention that it’s downright awesome. Besides that, between Sondheim’s word choice and striking imagery, I don’t know which contributes more to the grimy and dank atmosphere of Sweeney Todd.

Anyway, I don’t see this level of quality in a lot of modern musicals, save for Bernstein, who had worked with Sondheim, probably imparting a fair amount of influence during their time together. I’d say this adherence to quality makes Sondheim’s works unique.

Do you have any thoughts on what it means to be performing his work now, following his recent death?
Not particularly as I’m somewhat an advocate of the unfortunately named ‘Death of the Author’ concept. That is not to say that I have no regard for Sondheim himself, I just see Sweeney Todd as a sort of timeless work that stands on its own merit without the desire to exalt it through the composer’s recent passing. I guess mentioning that would be a nice draw for audiences in terms of advertising, but I would personally steer away from that sort of stuff out of respect. Despite that, I’d have to be blind to miss the irony in doing the work that has the highest concentration of death, so why not go all the way?

Do you have any other thoughts to provide on the legacy of Sondheim, personal connections to the artist and his work, or something else in general?
Not particularly, though I guess I really liked Bernstein’s Mass for which I believe Sondheim was a lyricist. I bought the vocal score for it in high school and brought it over to America so that I can pore over it every once in a while. Those formative years were rather nice, but otherwise, my connection to Sondheim is relatively superficial.

……

Luis Orozco
DMA 1st year
Role: Sweeney Todd

Have you ever performed a work of Sondheim’s before, prior to this production?
No.

Do you have a favorite work of Sondheim? If so, what is it and why is it a favorite?
A little night music. Musically and dramatically brilliant! Sondheim has a gift for taking some of the most flawed characters and making them relatable and humanizing them.

Is there something that you feel makes learning, performing, or listening to Sondheim unique?
It’s extremely lyric centered, and finding a way to sing it while being as clear with the text as possible is always the challenge.

Do you have any thoughts on what it means to be performing his work now, following his recent death?
We are lucky to have the catalog from such a giant! We’re privileged to be performing his works.

Do you have any other thoughts to provide on the legacy of Sondheim, personal connections to the artist and his work, or something else in general?
Just grateful for his music and his words. “Witches can be right, giants can be good. You decide what’s right, You decide what’s good. Just remember Someone is on your side. No one is alone. You are not alone”

……

Lindsey Meekhof
DMA
Role: Mrs. Lovett

Have you ever performed a work of Sondheim’s before, prior to this production?
Yes. Into the Woods (Baker’s wife).

Do you have a favorite work of Sondheim? If so, what is it and why is it a favorite?
Into the Woods will always be my favorite since it was my first introduction to Sondheim. I loved that the characters are not all bad or good, they are people trying to figure it out as they go. “No One Is Alone” is one of my favorite pieces of musical theater of all time. He was masterful at delivering messages that everyone makes mistakes and there is always a community to identify with.

Is there something that you feel makes learning, performing, or listening to Sondheim unique?
The complexity of these characters and how complicated the label of villain can be.

Do you have any thoughts on what it means to be performing his work now, following his recent death?
His legacy will live on through his work and us continuing to share these messages of how important having community support is. It is also very meaningful to be performing for audiences after the isolation of the pandemic. This show will bring out many Sondheim fans that can share in the performance together.

Do you have any other thoughts to provide on the legacy of Sondheim, personal connections to the artist and his work, or something else in general?
Sweeney is a figure who was isolated and abandoned by his community then commits horrific crimes in his obsession for vengeance. Many of the characters in Sweeney Todd are left behind and isolated individuals. They crave connection as we all do. It is difficult in this story to label a true villain when so many bad things are happening. I would love to hear audience perspective on the characters, especially when Sondheim provides lighter and comic moments in the story.

……

Justin Kroll
DMA
Role: Beadle Bamford

Have you ever performed a work of Sondheim’s before, prior to this production?
Yes. Pirelli, Sweeney Todd (Waco Civic Theatre). 

Do you have a favorite work of Sondheim? If so, what is it and why is it a favorite?
Sweeney Todd.

Is there something that you feel makes learning, performing, or listening to Sondheim unique?
The complex, intentional detail in every aspect of his works.

……

Noah Strube
Music Performance BA, Third Year
Role: Toby

Have you ever performed a work of Sondheim’s before, prior to this production?
Yes. I’ve never been in a full show of his work, but I have done Giants in the Sky from Into the Woods for Solo and Ensemble, and I did a character study on Bobby from Company for opera workshop.

Do you have a favorite work of Sondheim? If so, what is it and why is it a favorite?
I love Sunday in the Park with George. Its theme about the conflict involved in the pursuit of art is among the most relatable in all of musical theatre, and especially among Sondheim’s shows. Not to mention the score, balancing rhythmic complexity of the title song, as well as the sweeping glory of ‘Sunday’, one of my absolute favorite songs in a show.

Is there something that you feel makes learning, performing, or listening to Sondheim unique?
It is difficult, likely the most difficult repertoire in musical theatre as far as the well known repertoire goes, but working on it is never unsatisfying. Every time you open the score, you will learn or discover something new about it.

Do you have any thoughts on what it means to be performing his work now, following his recent death?
It shows that a man that brilliant whose work is so beloved will live on as long as there are people performing musical theatre. Few names carry the weight that his does in this community. I feel like he will be looked back on with the same reverent eyes we view the great composers of centuries ago now.

……

Jude Balthazar
Voice and Opera Performance, DMA, 1st year
Role: Anthony

Have you ever performed a work of Sondheim’s before, prior to this production?
No.

Do you have a favorite work of Sondheim? If so, what is it and why is it a favorite?
Since “Sweeney Todd” is my first performance work of Sondheim, I would say it’s a pleasure to discover the marvelous storyteller he is. The libretto is so alive and the music is to me an extension of the unspoken ideas/thoughts/feelings/emotions that carries the singing or that keeps going when there is no singing.

Is there something that you feel makes learning, performing, or listening to Sondheim unique?
I do. The uniqueness is how I ended up valuing the lyric/text/words first in order to genuinely be the character. For instance, in Sweeney Todd, it is imperative , at least for me, that you are seen and heard will performing as natural as possible on stage, and I feel this won’t happened without eating the text out and digesting it fully.

Do you have any thoughts on what it means to be performing his work now, following his recent death?
Sondheim grew up to become this impeccably renowned national and international musical figure. To sing his work today is telling me as an international student in the United States that I am called to follow his footstep to the best of my abilities. His music made history, and I have to keep living his legacy by sharing to the future generation who he was and his messages through his music.

Do you have any other thoughts to provide on the legacy of Sondheim, personal connections to the artist and his work, or something else in general?
I have always heard of him since I transferred to the state for my undergrad. I have been told how special his music is and I have witnessed the performances of his song by many of my peers that moved me; but his death had me think more of him and what he wanted to communicate to the world. I am glad to be in a such position to explore his world of thinking in Sweeney Todd.

 

/by