Faculty Notes
Mary C. Carlson, Associate Professor of Music Education has been appointed the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra Music Educators Award Committee. The purpose of this commitee is to select outstanding music educators in public and parochial schools from the city of Rochester and the nine-county surrounding area.
Bonnie Choi, Lecturer of piano has given serveral concerts with her Baroque Ensemble Group, Air de Cour. This includes the Arts Center Re-opening Gala Prism Concert, Brockport College Concert Series, Rochester Early Music Festival and the annual Messiah Concert with the Rochester Chamber Orchestra. She has been invited to give another recital in Iowa City after her concert last April.
Mitzie Collins, Lecturer of world music was awarded the 2007 Artist Awards from the Arts and Cultural Council of Greater Rochester. Mitzie is known as a recording artist, a performer of Celtic and traditional American folk music, a historian of the American hammered dulcimer, and an Arts- in- Education specialist in the public schools. With her husband, she founded Sampler Records Ltd., a recording company specializing in the production of traditional music.
Liisa Ambegaokar Grigorov, Lecturer of flute performed in the William Walton "Facade," with members of the Ithaca College Chamber Orchestra, on the "Music at St. Luke series on September 23, 2008 inIthaca, New York.
Betsey King, Assistant Professor of Music Therapy and her student Bree Gordon (senior, music therapy) were both featured in the latest issue of Connections Magazine, in an article about the Nazareth Interdisciplinary clinics.
On March 26, pianist Kevin Nitsch and mixed media artist Kathleen Nicastro will present a concert at 3:30 p.m. in the Miller Center Atrium as part of their interactive “Labyrinth of Sound and Light” series. Titled “Water’s Edge: 200 Years of Women Composers,” the event also features soprano Amy Cochrane and pianist Beverley Smoker, Professor of Music. Individuals will be able to wander into the Atrium to listen, watch, and move around the artists to enhance the participatory experience; writing and drawing materials will be available so that audience members can express their own thoughts or impressions.
Kristen Shiner McGuire, Coordinator of Percussion Studies, spent her summer travelling, performing, and teaching. In June, she and her husband travelled to Berlin to visit her co teacher, Mark Maynor, and his wife Jen; the latter of whom is studying for her doctorate in Musicology. Kristen and Mark played marimba on the streets for tips; and all attended concerts, art exhibits, and one of the world’s largest musical instrument museums.
Upon her return home, Kristen played percussion for the Merry Go Round Playhouse production of Les Miserables. The last week of July was spent teaching at Tritone Fantasy Jazz Camp held in our own Music Department. As Percussion Ensemble Editor for NYSSMA, Kristen reviewed and edited submissions to the manual for NYS teachers and students. Throughout the summer, Kristen can be heard performing with the RPO Marimba Band, Elle Jazz Trio, and Kind of Blue jazz and blues group.
Robert Strauss, Lecturer of voice has been particularly active this year as performer, actor and director in a variety of area productions. In May he was the featured tenor soloist in the Finger Lakes Chorale’s presentation of Franz Joseph Haydn’s The Creation. For the Rochester Children’s Theatre summer 2008 production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Rob made his official debut as an accordion player while in the role of Simeon/Butler. He participated in a staged reading at the Jewish Community Center of a new musical, Raise Your Sword, based upon The Three Musketeers, in the role of Cardinal Richelieu. The school year’s first presentation by the Department of Music was a program of musical theatre repertoire complied by Dr. Strauss.
Rob has been engaged as Assistant Director/Assistant Stage Manager for the Mercury Opera Rochester’s fall production of Rossini’s Il Barbiere di Seviglia. In December, Rob will reprise his role of King Kaspar in the Mercury Opera’s annual production of Amahl and the Night Visitors. In January he will perform the role of Spoletta in the Mercury Opera Rochester’s production with the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra of Puccini’s Tosca.
Dr. Strauss's student, Z achary Ligas, baritone, was awarded 2nd place in the 2008 junior men division of the National Association of Teachers of Singing Central New York-Finger Lakes Chapter Student Auditons, which were held at Ithaca College this past October. Zachary has also been engaged by Mercury Opera Rochester to sing Lord Chancellor in a concert version of Iolanthe to be presented in November, and as the Page in Amahl and the Night Visitors this December.
Nancy Strelau, conductor of the Nazareth College Symphony Orchestra and Department of Music Instrumental Activities Coordinator, was presented in March with the Monroe County School Music Association 2008 Richard H. Snook Memorial Award for her work with the student musicians in Monroe County. She received her honor at the High School Area All-County concert, held in the Eastman Theatre. Recent Rochester-area conducting appearances for Nancy included one as guest conductor for the Greece Athena High School Orchestra in March, in their preparation for their upcoming music competition in Boston, Massachusetts in April. Nancy also conducted the Oswego County High School Area All-County Orchestra on March 28 & 29th.
Rachel Whitcomb, Assistant Professor of Music Education is recently appointed to the editorial board of the Music Educators Journal. The Music Educators National Conference Student Chapter at Nazareth College of Rochester, NY (Chapter 328) have won two national awards in 2009: a Service Recognition Award and a Professional Development Award from the Music Educators' National Conference under the guidance of Dr. Whitcomb. The awards are presented to recognize collegiate chapters that have done outstanding work in the areas of chapter projects, chapter programs, and recruitment techniques.