Music News 2013

Dr. Eric Honour recently received notice that his composition, "Quirk" has been accepted for performance at the 2013 International Computer Music Conference, in Perth, Australia, in August. ICMC is the foremost gathering of computer music researchers, composers, performers, and scholars in the world. Honour's composition is for bass clarinet and computer. Commissioned by renowned soloist Mauricio Salguero, it features real-time processing of the bass clarinet mixed with hip-hop grooves. The work is included in Salguero's forthcoming CD of music for clarinet and computer, accepted for release by Parma Records.

For more information on the 2013 ICMC, visit: http://icmc2013.com.au/

To hear Honour's piece, performed by Salguero, visit: https://soundcloud.com/erichonour/quirk

Sarah Kliethermes receives Sigma Alpha Iota Philanthropies Scholarship

Vocal student Sarah Rose Kliethermes, has been selected as a recipient of one of twelve $1500 Undergraduate Scholarships given by Sigma Alpha Iota Philanthropies, Inc. for the 2013/2014 academic year. There were many outstanding applications for Undergraduate Scholarships. Sarah was evaluated by the SAI scholarship committee as an excellent representative of the UCM music program.

Dr. Michael Sekelsky named recipient of UCM Foundation Opportunity Grant

Dr. Michael Sekelsky, Professor of Music (Percussion and Band Assistant), has been named a recipient of the first UCM Foundation Opportunity Grants.  The UCM Foundation launched this grant program in 2013 to support targeted, student-centered activities of UCM faculty and staff resulting in significant outcomes that benefit the university's learning environment. Grants start at $100 and range to an individual maximum of $5,000. Grants are funded on the fiscal year running July 1 through June 30.

Sekelsky's grant project will use Make Music's SmartMusic and their new iPad application, to improve percussion student sightreading.  The funds awarded will assist with the purchase of three iPads, three microphones, three student subscriptions to SmartMusic, as well as one educator subscription.

UCM music graduate Nathan Gearke was honored recently as one of Missouri's Outstanding Beginning Teachers.  Nathan was the only music teacher honored this year. The photograph below was taken at the MACTE Outstanding Beginning Teacher Award Ceremony.

Dr. Michael Sekelsky has article on innovative mobile phone class use published

Dr. Michael Sekelsky, Professor of Music (Percussion and Band Assistant), currently serves as the Technology advisor for the Missouri Music Educators Association - Advisory Board.  His article for the summer issue of the Missouri School Music magazine, focused on his web site layout that allowed UCM students to view his Percussion Class outline, calendar, assignments, and other pertinent information (including exams) using nothing but their Smartphones.  The article is available as a pdf download to members at the MMEA website: http://www.mmea.net/

Dr. John Check has review published in the Wall Street Journal

Dr. John Check, Associate Professor of Music (Music Theory), was recently honored with the publishing of one if his book reviews.  The book review was published in the prestigious Wall Street Journal.  Read the review...  Dr. Check has also been featured recently in the College Music Symposium (journal of the College Music Society).  Read his most recent article here...

Music Technology students earn honors in Regional Competition

Shane Meyer and Ross Hullender - UCM Music Technology

Several UCM music technology majors journeyed to St. Louis to attend the 7th annual Central Region AES Student Summit at Webster University over the weekend of March 22/23, 2013. This event draws hundreds of students from throughout the midwest, from Chicago, Minneapolis, and Michigan down into Texas and from Nashville to Denver.

Each year, the event hosts a student mixing competition, adjudicated by audio professionals. In the past, UCM has had several students place or receive honorable mention awards. This year, Dr. Eric Honour, Director of the Center for Music Technology at UCM, had two music technology majors, Ross Hullender and Shane Meyer, placing 2nd and 3rd place, respectively, giving UCM two of the top three awards.

David Aaberg recognized in recent Kansas City Entertainment Article

The Kansas City Jazz Orchestra recently featured trumpet legend Randy Brecker as soloist with the ensemble.  David Aaberg, a long-time member of the Kansas City Jazz Orchestra received recognition as well.  read more...

UCM Percussionists take two trophies at 2013 MMPAT.

Pictured above are UCM percussion students connected with the recent Mid-Missouri Percussion Arts Trophy Competition in Lebanon, MO.  The event host is UCM graduate Carol Helble (BME, BM, and MA).  Second from the left in the top row is James Doyle, a 1998 UCM graduate in percussion (BME/BM) who served as a timpani judge and timpani masterclass guest clinician.  Seated in the bottom row are Marcus Neudigate (1st from the left) who placed 3rd in the Collegiate Timpani division, and tied for 3rd in the Collegiate Marimba competition.  Seated next to him is Rebecca Meads, 2nd place winner in the Collegiate Timpani division.  Other UCM students competing were Kolby Koczanowski (timpani and marimba) and Caleb Smith (timpani).

Congratulations to Jacqueline Blanc for winning the 2013 Quistorff Opera Aria Prize. Amber Naugle was second place and all the performers were well-prepared.

Thanks to Stella Roden, Jake Sentgeorge, and David Adams for coordinating the competition and preparing the students. It was wonderful to have Dr. Roden's mentor, Constance Rock, on campus. Also, we are very appreciative of Edwin and Lynda Quistorff for their sponsorship of the competition for 8 years.

The University of Central Missouri Department of Music recently recognized the dedication of a member of its emeriti faculty with the dedication of the Russell Coleman Rehearsal Hall in the university’s Utt Building.

Congratulating Russell Coleman, right, on the dedication of the Russell Coleman Rehearsal Hall are, left to right, UCM President Chuck Ambrose; Gersham Nelson, dean of the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences; and Steven Moore, chair of the Department of Music. The dedication of the Russell Coleman Rehearsal Hall followed the UCM Alumni Band gathering and concert on Saturday, Jan. 12. The event brought many of Coleman’s former students together to participate in the dedication, including a former student who traveled from Wyoming to participate.

Steven Moore, chair of the UCM Department of Music, introduced Gersham Nelson, dean of the UCM College of Art, Humanities, and Social Sciences; UCM President Charles Ambrose; and Dale Carder, Warrensburg, who served as UCM Marching Mules drum major for four years under the direction of Coleman. Each expressed their appreciation for the dedication of Coleman and his wife, Alice, to the university’s music program and the community.

“This really isn’t about me,” Coleman said. “It recognizes what my students and I were able to achieve in this room. This recognition is the result of the efforts and successes of the students and faculty I had the pleasure to work with.”

Coleman, a resident of Warrensburg, was a member of the university’s music faculty from 1964 until his retirement in 1996. During that time he served as director of bands, including the Marching Mules and the Concert Band, and provided private instruction.

During Coleman’s tenure, the UCM bands were invited to perform at variety regional and national conferences, establishing the Central Concert Band as a major ensemble. Coleman and the Department of Music also established a close relationship with Frank Erickson and Claude T. Smith, nationally known composers of music for concert band. The UCM Concert Band recorded many of their compositions for distribution by publishing companies. Hundreds of high school and college band directors began their career under the direction of Coleman.

Coleman also served as one of four directors of the Musashino Academia Musicae Wind Ensemble in Japan, traveling to Japan for a three month period four times between 1997 and 2007. He directed the ensemble during a U.S. tour in 2006.

While at UCM Coleman also was elected to membership in the prestigious American Bandmasters Association. He currently is one of only three members of the national organization from Missouri. Following his retirement, he was elected to the Missouri Bandmasters Hall of Fame and the Missouri Music Educators Association Hall of Fame.

Coleman also has been active in the Warrensburg community as the founding conductor of the Warrensburg Community Band, which has provided a summer concert series for the Warrensburg community since it was founded in 1985.