|
|
|
|
|
|
ECU Trumpet Ensemble Wins Fourth Place at National Trumpet Competition (3/13/08)
 During Spring Break, the ECU Trumpet Ensemble competed in the national Trumpet Competition in Fairfax, VA. There were 27 groups accepted into the semifinal round. After the first round on Thursday, ECU was invited to participate as one of five finalists later in the evening, outplaying such schools as Juilliard School, Indiana University, and Boston University. They were awarded fourth place and received a check for $1,500.
The students involved include Alex Jackson, John Maye, Robert Goodwin, James Old and Chris Neverve (pictured above). They performed Ronald Lo Presti's three-movement Suite by memory. Several professors at the competition said it was the finest performance of that piece they had ever heard. The ECU Trumpet Ensemble is coached by Professor Britton Theurer.
ECU Student wins prize in National Vocal Competition (3/3/08)
Gary Harwell, a Senior Vocal Performance major was recently awarded fourth place, and the Nora Sands Encouragement Award at the 13th annual Orpheus National Vocal Competition, held at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. Harwell competed against over 100 other singers in three rounds of the competition. Following a preliminary round where contestants submit recordings to a panel of judges, Harwell was invited to travel to Tennessee for the competition’s semi-final round on March 1, 2008. His performances of Schubert’s Ganymed, and Korngold’s Pierrot’s Tanzlied earned him a spot in the final round, where he competed against six other singers. He offered Poulenc’s Sanglots, and Fauré’s Hostias for the final round of the competition. Other finalists in Harwell’s category included graduate students from Eastman School of Music, Florida State University, and Indiana University.
Gary is a native of Wendell, North Carolina. He is the voice student of John Kramar at ECU, where he has performed the title role in their recent production of Sweeney Todd, as well as leading roles in The Magic Flute, Curlew River, and Gianni Schicchi. He plans to attend the American Institute for Musical Studies in Graz, Austria this summer for further studies in opera and art song.
John Wustman named Distinguished Professor for 2008-09 (2/4/08)
 The School of Music is delighted to announce that John Wustman "dean of American accompanists" has been named the Robert L. Jones Distinguished Professor of Music for the 2008-2009 academic year.
Professor Wustman's biography reads like veritable history of singers and singing. After becoming affiliated with Robert Shaw his long and illustrious career took off. He has appeared in the leading concert halls on five continents with some of the world’s greatest singers; including Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, Birgit Nilsson, Régine Crespin, Christa Ludwig, Nicolai Gedda, Carlo Bergonzi, Luciano Pavarotti and a host of others. Leading highlights in an already brilliant career include a series of televised recitals with Mr. Pavarotti, including the first recital from the Metropolitan Opera House in 1978.
For more information contact Chair of the Vocal Studies Department via e-mail: Professor Sharon Munden.
 ECU Hosts "Day of Percussion" (1/25/08) On February 23rd, ECU will host the 2008 "Day of Percussion". This is an annual event of the North Carolina chapter of the Percussive Arts Society. ECU professor Dr. Jonathan Wacker is currently the President of the NCPAS and will host the event.
The "Day of Percussion" will bring percussionists of all ages, from across North and South Carolina to ECU to enjoy a full day of performances, masterclasses and clinics from some of the best drummers and percussionists in the world. Attendance is expected to be between 300-400.
The event runs from 8AM until 6PM. Student admission is $5, Adults $10 and all PAS members (with a valid PAS ID card) are free!
For more information, contact Dr. Wacker at wackerj@ecu.edu or go to the PAS webpage at http://www.pas.org/Chapters/NorthCarolina/dop2008.htm ECU Announces Concerto Competition Winner (12/4/07)
Leonardo Perez, senior violin student of Ara Gregorian was named ECU’s concerto competition winner in a competition held December 3, 2007. Performing the Violin Concerto No. 1, op. 77 by Dmitri Shostakovich, Leo competed against other students chosen as finalists from preliminary rounds held earlier in the semester. Other finalists included, Makiko Sato (piano), Alex Smith (marimba) and Deborah Nansteel (voice). Mr. Perez will perform with the ECU Symphony Orchestra on February 10, 2008 in Wright Auditorium on the ECU campus.
Chamber Singers Releases First CD (11/1/07) The ECU Chamber Singers, under the direction of Daniel Bara, has recorded their first professional compact disc recording in collaboration with international concert organist and ECU organ professor, Janette Fishell. The project was produced and is now being internationally distributed on the Gothic recording label and in the Gothic Catalog: Choral and Organ Recordings of Distinction. The recording features primarily twentieth-century sacred English works for chorus, and chorus & organ-music dear to the hearts of Fishell and Bara. These works of Britten, Howells, Tippet, Ireland, Pearsall, and Wilbye were first performed live by the Chamber Singers, Bara and Fishell at the 2007 Religious Arts Festival Opening Concert in January of 2007. After traveling to Miami in March for a featured performance at the American Choral Directors Association's National Convention, the Chamber Singers returned to Greenville for two days of recording in May.
The recording was made at St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Greenville, home of the Fisk pipe organ Op. 126, and the primary instructional instrument for ECU Organ Majors.
Read Steve Row's review from the Classical Voice of North Carolina HERE.
Recordings can be purchased through most online classical music recording distributors, including the Gothic Records website. You may also purchase recordings directly through the ECU School of Music. Just send a check for $15.00 to:
Dr. Daniel Bara
School of Music
East Carolina University
Greenville, NC 27858
Strength in Numbers (10/2/07)
Six guitar students in the studio of Professor Elliot Frank entered the 3rd International Guitar Competition at the Music Academy of Greensboro. Of ten semifinalists chosen in the college/degreed category, half were East Carolina University students: Armin Abdihodzic, Chris Adkins, Josinaldo Costa, Aaron Prillaman and Paulina Puljek. Of the four finalists, fifty percent were our students. Adkins won fourth place, and Puljek was second prize winner. The finalists performed at a Winners’ Recital on September 30.
The three-day event featured competition auditions, master classes, clinics, and concerts.
|
|
|
|
