"When you are playing, do not be concerned about
who is listening to you. Always play as though a master were
listening." --Zoltán Kodály (1953)
What a privilege and pleasure it is for the Tiger Bands
and our Band Scholars to be a continuing focal point of excellence,
excitement and enthusiasm for our Georgetown College community.
Through nearly 20 performances this fall, in a veritable
plethora of venues, our Band Scholars remained exemplars of our
"Five-Fold Band Tenets": Academic Excellence, Musical
Achievement, Spiritual Values, Leadership Skills and Commitment
to Georgetown College.
We are extremely blessed and fortunate to have a very
strong "Band Family" this year. Our upperclass Band
Scholars continue to be major contributors to the cause of our Tiger
Bands, and we welcomed a "fledgling class" of unusual size and
ability. As a new feature, we began the fall semester with a
series of "Band Leadership Activities" via our Ropes/Challenge
Course and a Band Barbecue. Early in September we
started our performance season in earnest, and during the semester, our
Tiger Bands have performed in a wide variety of campus worship services,
concert settings, community and civic functions, athletic competitions
and other campus events.
In its 155th year, making it the oldest college or
university band in the Commonwealth, the Tiger Symphonic Band
presented its Fall Concert on November 22 in Hill Chapel.
The program featured Terpsichore by Bob Margolis, as well as
works by Fucik, Mozart, Holsinger and Anderson. Dr. Angela
Easterday served as guest artist, as she performed "Non so piu
cosa son" from The Marriage of Figaro with our symphonic
band.
A special highlight of the concert was when Mrs.
Janet G. Lobitz, manager of operations/coordinator-Facilities
Management, was inducted into our "Band Hall of Fame" as the
newest "Honorary Member of our Tiger Bands." The concert
was preceded by our 7th Annual Band Food Drive, with proceeds
being forwarded to the AMEN House for distribution to the less-fortunate
in the Georgetown-Scott County area.
The Fighting Tiger Grrr...Pep Band had an
extraordinarily exciting and busy fall semester as it performed with its
usual flair at a host of on- and off-campus events. The highlight
of the semester for the FTGPB was when our Tiger Bands "On
the Road Series" continued as we traveled to Savannah, TN to
support our team and college in the NAIA National Championship
Football Game. Played before a sellout crowd at Jim Carroll
Stadium and televised on FOX Sports Network, the game provided
the Band Scholars with many memories to cherish for a lifetime.
We remain indebted to, and would like to thank, all the
many Friends of our Tiger Bands for your continuing support of
Bands at Georgetown College.
Dr. Peter J. LaRue
* * *
The Choral Corner
The choirs of Georgetown College enjoyed a busy and
exciting semester of rehearsals and performances. It began with
the Chorale singing at the President’s Dinner in Lexington, and
ended with the department’s annual Festival of Lessons and Carols,
where the Chorale, Concert Choir and Chamber Singers all
performed. Also, the Chorale, along with the Chamber Singers,
presented its Fall Concert, sang at Faith Baptist Church in
Georgetown, enhanced worship at a Chapel service, and sang for
many prospective students at VIP Day. A special event
occurred on December 8, when the Chorale had the privilege of singing
for Wendy’s Founder and CEO, Dave Thomas.
The Concert Choir and Chorale combined to present the
college’s annual performance of Handel’s Messiah.
Almost all of Part I was performed, along with selected portions of
Parts II and III. The 94 singers were joined by a
college/community orchestra. Eleven student soloists were featured
during the program, which was attended by over 500 people.
Dr. Mark J. Suderman
* * *
Handbell Highlights
The Handbell Ensemble’s fall concert incorporated a
Thanksgiving theme, and also provided music for a chapel worship
service. For the third annual Lessons and Carols Service, the
group performed an arrangement of "The Heavens are Telling,"
from Haydn’s Creation, with Dr. Stephen Tilford assisting on
piano. The group is under the direction of Dr. Angela Easterday.
* * *
Chapel Brass
The Chapel Brass had a busy fall semester. In
addition to its usual Fall Concert with the Handbells and Chamber
Ensemble, the Chapel Brass provided music for the Festival of Lessons and
Carols, which has become an annual Christmas tradition at Georgetown
College.
* * *
Chamber Ensemble
Under the direction of adjunct violin professor Eloise
Lewis, the GC String Ensemble performed at Spindletop Hall in October
for the Greater Georgetown Area Christian Women’s Club. In
November the group presented its fall concert with the Handbell and
Chapel Brass ensembles. Members of the group are: Sarah
Johnson & Sarah Brennan, violins; Sarah Cooksey, cello.
* * *
GC Music Students
Delta Omicron
The ladies of the Delta Delta chapter of Delta Omicron
sang Christmas carols for the Salvation Army for their fall service
project. Additionally, several of the Delta Omicron members
performed solos in the annual production of Messiah: Lela
Cocanougher, Sara Cook, Robyn Delaney, and Emily Heckman.
Another chapter member, Amy Jackson, was the pianist for the
annual Lessons and Carols service, and Delta Delta alumna Glenna
Metcalfe played the organ. Dr. Angela Easterday serves as
Chapter Advisor.
* * *
GC Singers at NATS
This fall, six students participated in the Kentucky
State National Association of Teachers of Singing competition held at
The Southern Baptist Thelogical Seminary in Louisville: freshmen Jennifer
Adkisson, Courtney Carter, Tim Finley and Katie Thompson;
sophomore Julie Sexton; and junior Lela Cocanougher.
Adkisson, Carter, Finley, Thompson, Sexton and Cocanougher advanced to
the semi-final round. Tim Finley advanced to the final round and
placed second in his division. Katie Thompson advanced to the
final round and placed third in her division. Julie Sexton
advanced to the final round and placed third in her division.
Accompanists were senior Sara Cook, sophomore Kieruka Martin,
and staff accompanist Glenna Metcalfe. These voice students
study with Dr. Mark Suderman, Dr. Angela Easterday or Prof. Rebecca
Miller.
* * *
C-MENC News
The 19 members of the GC chapter of the Music Educators
National Conference had a productive fall semester. Many attended
the Fall KMEA Conference held in Bowling Green. At that meeting Sara
Cook was elected President of the state C-MENC organization. A
number of music faculty members attended Puccini’s opera La Bohème
with chapter members. The annual fund-raiser (selling survival
kits) was very successful. The chapter also hosted a breakfast
for music faculty during finals week. Dr. Mark J. Suderman serves
as chapter advisor.
* * *
Faculty Focus
H.M. Lewis (1989) was again involved with the
Lexington Brass Band, where he has become one of the solo cornets, and
with Immanuel Baptist Church, where he leads the orchestra. The
Lexington Brass Band presented two concerts--one in its new concert venue,
Calvary Baptist Church, and a public service concert at the Lexington
Rotary Club. In November, Dr. Lewis gave a presentation for the
Faculty Forum series relating to a workshop he attended at Indiana
University in 1997 on building a natural (valveless) trumpet using
17th-century tools and techniques. The workshop was led by Dr.
Robert Barclay, a museum curator from Ottawa, Canada. A cameraman
from the BBC recorded the entire workshop, and the BBC produced a program
based on the workshop. The videotape was part of the Faculty Forum
presentation. As one of the recipients of a grant from the Pew
Foundation this past summer, Lewis presented a lecture-recital in
September. This program featured hymn-tune based cornet solos by
American composers and arrangers from the period 1880-1930. The
recital was repeated at Campbellsville University in late November.
Last May, Lewis attended the 1999 Conference of the International Trumpet
Guild which met at the University of Richmond in Virginia.
Sonny Burnette (1990) performed fall and New Year’s
engagements with the Pendulum Orchestra in Louisville (saxophone), and
performed on Christmas programs at Faith Baptist Church and for the
Georgetown Choral Society (flute). Also during the fall, the James
Madison University Flute Choir premiered his new work, Scenes of
England, and the University of Kentucky Flute Choir presented a
concert consisting exclusively of Burnette compositions. He was
recently asked to serve on the board of the newly-formed Kentucky Flute
Society, and at the August National Flute Association Convention in
Atlanta, three of his flute choir works were showcased. His Stone
Suite for flute soloist & flute choir was included on the
fall-release CD by Dr. Chris Potter, prof. of flute at the Univ. of
Colorado, Denver. Dr. Burnette's article, "Flute Finesse,"
was also published in the Dec.-March issue of Flutewise, a
British journal.
Peter LaRue (1993) though on
"Flex-Bat" (a flexible approach to the sabbatical experience)
this fall, maintained his regular responsibilities related to Tiger
Bands. Additionally, during fall semester, Dr. LaRue served as
adjudicator at two prestigious marching band contests: the Festival of
Champions at Murray State Univ., and the Greater St. Louis Marching
Festival in the Trans World Dome. He penned an article, "Ma,
We Got a II at Contest," which was published in the Winter 2000 Bluegrass
Music News, and coordinated the first "ArtShop" program at
GC in conjunction with the Governor’s School for the Arts. In
September, LaRue began his sixth season as Musical Director and
Conductor of the Central Kentucky Concert Band. During his
sabbatical he created ScholarNet—a virtual classroom for 8:00 Scholars
taking music appreciation—and visited school band programs in KY, IL,
OH & NC, arranged a low brass quartet for the campus Lessons and
Carols service, and is completing an extended work for concert band
based on Celtic and Irish folk tunes which will be premiered during
spring semester. In addition, LaRue performed widely on trombone
during the holiday season at various schools and churches in Ohio, and
continues to serve the Brothers of Lambda Chi Alpha, Kappa-Omega Zeta as
their High Pi and Chancellor.
Angela Easterday (1995) presented a recital at
Georgetown Baptist Church as part of the Tilford Recital Series; was a
soloist with the Lexington Singers in their premiere of Joseph Baber’s
An American Requiem; performed with the GC Symphonic Band at its
fall concert, singing "Non so piu cosa son" from Le Nozze
di Figaro; and was a featured soloist at the Central Kentucky
Concert Band fall concert, singing "Mein Herr Marquis" (The
Laughing Song) from Die Fledermaus. Additionally, she
served as an adjudicator at the Kentucky State National Association of
Teachers of Singing Competition at The Southern Baptist Theological
Seminary. Dr. Easterday continues to serve as the music liaison on the
Religious Life Council at the college, coordinating music for chapel
worship services.
Mark Suderman (1996) attended the fall state C-MENC
conference that met simultaneously with the Kentucky Choral Directors
fall workshop. During the month of September, Dr. Suderman began a
community chamber choir. The ensemble consists of former GC music
students, area public school music teachers and others. The group
hopes to expand and present a Bach concert in the spring, commemorating
the 250th anniversary of Johann Sebastian Bach’s death. In
October, Suderman attended and adjudicated at the Kentucky National
Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) conference. He also
remains active in church music as a conductor and singer.
Stephen Tilford (1999) provided afternoon music programs for the
Scott County Women's Club, and the "Tilford Luncheon Concert
Series" at Georgetown Baptist Church. In October, Dr. Tilford
played evening concerts for Third Baptist Church in Owensboro, Kentucky,
and Mallard Point Baptist Church in Georgetown. In November, he
was the adjudicator for the BAMTA piano festival in Lexington,
Kentucky. In addition to his off-campus performances, Tilford has
performed with the Georgetown College Handbell Ensemble on its fall
concert, played harpsichord continuo for GC's production of Handel's Messiah,
and has provided music for the Opening of College Convocation, college
chapel services and local churches in need of music for Sunday morning
worship. New this fall, Dr. Tilford holds weekly studio class for
all piano students. This provides an opportunity for students to
gain performance experience, work to improve their technical facility,
and hear and watch great performances.
* * *
Staying in Touch
Rozanna (Dalton) Thompson ‘75, harpist, recently
directed a benefit concert, consisting of adult and student harp
ensembles, on behalf of the Ursuline School of Music and Drama in
Louisville.
Sammie Kidd ‘97 successfully auditioned for, and
is now employed by, Disney World in Orlando.
Stephanie Olguin-Hargett ‘98 is teaching music at
Blessed Sacrament in the Cincinnati area.
Leah Inger ‘99 is teaching middle school music in
Knoxville, TN.
Kellie Witten ‘99 is teaching music at a private
elementary school in Louisville.
* * *
If you would like to be added to our Nunnelley
Notes newsletter mailing list, please contact the Music
Office via e-mail or telephone: 502-863-8100.
* * *
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