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ECU Welcomes new viola professor (8/1/07)
The ECU School of Music is pleased to announce that Melissa Reardon has joined the faculty as professor of viola.
Melissa received her BM from the Curtis Institute of Music, and her MM and GD from the New England Conservatory of Music. She received the prestigious Tourjee Award from the New England Conservatory for her third year of graduate study in 2002. Melissa has studied with Kim Kashkashian, Michael Tree, Joseph dePasquale, Karen Tuttle, Samuel Rhodes, and Hsin-Yun Huang.
She won First Prize of the 2003 Washington International Competition, and has performed extensively in both solo and chamber music settings. Melissa made her debut with the Boston Symphony Orchestra at the age of thirteen and has since garnered top prizes in several international competitions including HAMS International and Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition. As a collaborative musician, Melissa has performed in numerous festivals across the US, Europe and Korea. She has performed with the Borromeo String Quartet, the Boston Chamber Music Society, International Sejong Soloists, Metamorphosen Chamber Orchestra, at Bargemusic and has toured with Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble. Melissa is also a founding member of the East Coast Chamber Orchestra (ECCO) and has spent several summers at the Marlboro Music Festival. She toured with Musicians for Marlboro in 2004, and toured France with the same group in May-June of 2005. Melissa was also a founding member of the Amaryllis String Quartet (1991-2000) whose engagements included performances at the Kennedy Library, Caramoor Music Festival, Jordan Hall, Steamboat Springs, Boulder and Rockport Chamber Music Festivals. ECU Welcomes new tuba/euphonium professor (5/10/07)
The ECU School of Music is excited to announce that Tom McCaslin has joined the faculty as professor of tuba and euphonium.
Raised in Regina, Saskatchewan, Tom McCaslin began his musical training on the trombone at the age of nine and switched to the tuba three years later. Tom holds a Licentiate in Music Performance from McGill University (Montreal) and a Master’s degree in Music Performance at Arizona State University. Tom’s principal teachers include John Griffiths, Fritz Kaenzig, Roger Bobo, Dennis Miller, Floyd Cooley and Samuel Pilafian. In 2006 he was acting principal Tuba in the Auckland Philharmonia (New Zealand). In 2003 Tom became the first tuba player to return three summers to the prestigious Tanglewood Music Center, the summer training center for the Boston Symphony. Tom has performed with the Minnesota Orchestra, the Detroit Symphony, the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the Winnipeg Symphony, the Ann Arbor Symphony, the New Mexico Symphony, the Santa Fe Symphony, and the Regina Symphony Orchestra. As a soloist, Tom has been a semi-finalist in the Marneukirchen world instrumental competition, a two-time finalist in the Montreal Symphony’s concerto competition, a finalist in the National Canadian Music Festival, the winner of the Saskatchewan Music Festival’s Brass division and the winner of Arizona State University’s Concerto competition. He has presented recitals in USA, Canada, New Zealand, Switzerland and Australia. He has also recorded for the Canadian Broadcast Company, National Public Radio and performed on Prairie Home Companion with Garrison Keillor. Winners Announced for the ECU Pre-College Piano & Organ Competition (3/19/07)
We are pleased to announce the winners of both the Piano and Organ Divisions of the first annual ECU Pre-College Piano and Organ Competition. The field was made up of a number of exceptionally talented young high school students from North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia. The piano competition judges were, in the Junior Section, Dr. Richard Lucht of Greenville, and, in the Senior Section, Ms. Constance Kotis of Greensboro. The organ competition was judged by guest adjudicator, Dr. Wilma Jensen. Winners are as follows:
Junior Piano Section:
- SPECIAL PRIZE: THE GILLOCK PRIZE, $100, sponsored by Green Mill Recordings - DANIEL PETERSON (Wilson, NC)
- SPECIAL PRIZE: THE AMERICAN MUSIC PRIZE - $100, sponsored by The Greenville Piano Teachers Association - NICHOLAS PETERSON (Wilson, NC)
- THIRD PRIZE: THE CHAUNCEY PRIZE - $200, sponsored by Ms. Bea Chauncey – MARIKA YASUDA (Williamsburg, VA)
- SECOND PRIZE – THE BURRAGE MUSIC PRIZE - $300, sponsored by Burrage Music Company - NICHOLAS PETERSON (Wilson, NC)
- FIRST PRIZE: THE TRANS EAST PRIZE - $500, sponsored by Mr. Ed Glenn of Trans East - LUCI DUAN (Cary, NC)
Senior Piano Section:
- THIRD PRIZE: THE BATH/LALIK PRIZE - $350, sponsored by Dr. & Mrs. Charles Bath and Mrs. AnneMarie Lalik – SANDY KIM (Lillington, NC)
- SECOND PRIZE: THE HENRY HUSTED WOOTEN PRIZE -$500, sponsored by Mrs. Harriet H. Wooten - JI-WON LIM (Charlotte, NC)
- FIRST PRIZE: THE CHARLES AND JOANNE BATH PRIZE - $750, sponsored by Dr. Charles and Mrs. Joanne Bath - PATRICK KREEGER (Greenville, NC)
Organ Competition Winners
- First place winner of the Fisk Prize and the Special Prize for outstanding Bach performance (presented by the NC Bach Society): Paul Thomas, HS Senior from Charlotte, NC.
- Second place winner of the Fishell Prize: Chris Lynch (senior), Woodberry Forrest Prep School.
- Third place winner of the AGO Prize: Caroline Robinson, HS Freshman from Greenville, SC.
Acclaimed Vibraphonist Arthur Lipner performs at ECU (2/2/07)  On February 1, acclaimed vibraphonist Arthur Lipner--one of the most talented marimba and vibes voices performing today--performed the world premiere of Hybridisation, a sound sculpture for Vibraphone/Marimba soloist and percussion ensemble. The performance took place in A. J. Fletcher Recital Hall with the ECU Percussion Ensemble, under the direction of Dr. Jonathan Wacker. Included on the program was the Greenville Children's Choir under the direction of Paul Flowers.
On Friday, February 2, Lipner performed with the ECU Jazz Ensemble A under the direction of Carroll V. Dashiell Jr. Joining the ensemble are ECU jazz faculty members Jeff Bair, saxophone; George Broussard, trombone; Ernest Turner, piano; and Jonathan Wacker, percussion. Also on the program is the ECU Symphonic Wind Ensemble, under the baton of Scott Carter. The performance was offered as a part of the All-East Band Festival.
For more information on Arthur Lipner, visit his web site at www.arthurlipner.com.
ECU Voice Professor Appointed to NC Arts Council Board (2/1/07)
Dr. Louise Toppin, acclaimed soprano and voice instructor at ECU's School of Music was recently appointed by the governor of North Carolina to the NC Arts Council. This group sets policy and determines arts funding for all organizations across the state.
ECU Students Win Raleigh Symphony Concerto Competition (1/31/2007)
Three of our string students were selected as winners of the Raleigh Symphony Concerto Competition and will play with the Raleigh Symphony on May 6.
Leo Perez will perform the Prokofiev Concerto #2 1st movement, Ashley Dyer will perform the Saint-Säens Concerto #3 1st movement, and Elizabeth York will perform the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto movements 2 and 3.
We congratulate these students and their teacher, Ara Gregorian, for this terrific achievement.
ECU Music Students to compete in semi-finals of ACDA Conducting Competition (1/31/2007) We are pleased to announced that two of our choral conducting students have been selected to participate in the semi-final round of the ACDA Conducting Competition.
Anthony Maglione, a semi-finalist in the graduate division, and Josh Dearing, a semi-finalist in the undergraduate division, were two of the sixteen semi-finalists chosen nation-wide.
We congratulate these students and their teacher, Dr. Dan Bara, for this fine achievement.
ECU Announces Concerto Competition Winner (12/6/06)
Alicia Arnold, graduate violin student of Ara Gregorian was named ECU’s concerto competition winner in a competition held December 5, 2006. Performing Lalo’s Symphonie Espagnole, Alicia competed against other students chosen as finalists from preliminary rounds held earlier in the semester. Other finalists included, Adam Fussell (trombone), Shrieka Gilliard (bassoon) and Matthew Gillette (voice). Ms. Arnold performed with the ECU Symphony Orchestra on January 28, 2007 in Wright Auditorium on the ECU campus.
ECU to host Southeast Chapter of the American Musicological Society (11/28/06)
The ECU School of Music is proud to host the Spring 2007 meeting of the American Musicological Society-Southeast Chapter. The meeting will take place in the recently completed addition of the A. J. Fletcher Music Center on Saturday, February 24 from 9am to 5pm. For further information, visit the AMS-SE web site or contact the meeting host, Dr. Francesco Izzo.
Jazz Vocalist Vanessa Rubin performs at ECU (11/28/06)
 A frequent jazz performer worldwide, and just coming off two performances at "The Half Note" in Athens, Greece, the renowned vocalist, composer, producer, and clinician Vanessa Rubin provided a jazz vocal clinic and performed with the ECU jazz faculty during the recent Jazz Ensembles concert on Friday, December 1 at 7:00 PM in Wright Auditorium on the ECU campus.
The list of great musicians who have graced Rubins recordings and bandstands is quite impressive: Monty Alexander, Cecil Bridgewater, Kenny Burrell, Frank Foster, Billy Higgins, Etta Jones, Lewis Nash, Houston Person, Toots Thielemans, Steve Turre, Cedar Walton, Grover Washington, Jr., and James Williams are just a few of the masters who’ have lent their skills to support Ms. Rubin’s artistry. More recently she has completed auspicious global tours with Herbie Hancock, the Woody Herman Orchestra, and the Jazz Crusaders.
After teaching for a number of years, Rubin headed to New York City in 1982 and landed early gigs with the likes ofKenny Barron, Pharoah Sanders, Lionel Hampton, and the Mercer Ellington Orchestra. Since then, she has performed countless performances and recorded and released numerous CDs on Telarc and RCA/Novus labels. Visit Rubin's web site for more information and audio samples from each of her seven albums.
Links: Vanessa Rubin Official Web Site
Fall 2006 Issue of Tones Now Available  You don't want to miss this issue of our alumni and friends newsletter!
Features include "From Beauty Parlor to Beauty Queen" which tells the story of music major Jessica Lim's experiences involving the Miss Korea pageant in Atlanta; student news; news on the Chamber Singers invitation to the National ACDA convention; "Opera Professor Sings to Cows, Crosses Nation" which covers Oliver Henderson's trek via bicycle across the U.S.; faculty creative activity; news of Katrina refugee earning a masters at ECU School of Music; and our concert calendar.
Click to view/download a PDF version of the Fall 2006 edition of Tones. Chamber Singers heads to "World Series" of Choral Events (10/31/06)
The American Choral Directors Association’s national convention attracts between 10,000 and 15,000 conductors, singers, teachers and church musicians from across the country, and features a collection of the nation’s best choirs. The conference is so well attended that attendees are divided into more than one schedule. Each concert, interest session and lecture is offered in triplicate, as no convention center or performance hall can hold the multitude that throngs to the annual event.
East Carolina University’s Chamber Singers were selected to perform at this convention. A national committee reviewed more than 300 audition CDs in a blind process, selecting 32 choirs in a variety of categories from across the country to perform. “These choirs tend to be the cream of the crop at the convention,” Bara says. “To my knowledge, this is the first time an ECU choral ensemble has received national level attention, and perhaps the first time that any ECU musical ensemble has been invited to a national level event that was juried.”
The ACDA appearance falls on the heels of having been invited to perform for the Southern Division ACDA last spring. East Carolina’s was the only North Carolina choir invited to that event. “This is our Rose Bowl, our trip to the College World Series,” Bara says.
Links: ACDA National web site || ASTA National Convention || NC-ASTA web site ||
New School of Music web site unveiled (10/27/2006) After five months of development and even more time for the planning phase, the ECU School of Music has released its brand-new web site. This is the first major overhaul of the school's web site since it was first created in the mid-1990s.
Michael B. Dixon, a School of Music alumnus (BM '92, MM '94) and current Instructional Technology Consultant for the ECU College of Fine Arts & Communication, built the new site using the university's official web authoring tool, CommonSpot. Significant planning and consultation with Mr. Christopher Ulffers (assistant director for administrative support), Dr. Christopher Buddo (director) and Dr. Susan Beck-Frazier (assistant director for student services) along with various music faculty members helped to hone in on the desired result.
"The approach we took with this new site was to streamline the information available; to focus on providing easy-to-access information for prospective students, as well as to better serve our current students and faculty," Dixon stated. "We also wanted to provide dedicated web pages to all departments within the School, and expand areas for our Friends groups and Alumni."
In the past, not all departments have had web presence, and trying to find contact information had been one of the main weaknesses of the old site. Both issues are resolved with redundancies throughout the site enabling visitors to quickly find what they need with very view clicks.
One major improvement will be the way the site is managed. Several faculty and staff will have access to specific portions of the new site, enabling them to better maintain the information displayed. The system is easy enough that you need not be a true "webmaster" to make changes.
Dixon added, "As an experienced web site designer, using CommonSpot to build the new site was a bit frustrating for me to use, as it adds so many more steps to create or modify information than standard web design tools. However, this system is ideal for enabling many non-webmasters to maintain the site simultaneously, without redundancy or duplication of efforts."
Have comments? Please feel free to e-mail Chris Ulffers, Chris Buddo, or Mike Dixon |
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