High School Students Invited to 'Pursue Their Passion' with AU Music & Theatre

Ashland University Departments of Music and Theatre invite high school students to 'Pursue Their Passion' at an experiential opportunity on Saturday, November 11 beginning at 1 p.m. The event is free and open to any high school student interested in learning more about music and/or theatre at Ashland University.

Registration is due by Friday, November 3 with limited spaces available. Participants can register online at www.ashland.edu/PursueYourPassion.

At 'Pursue Your Passion,' high school students will spend an afternoon and evening with the faculty and students from the Music and Theatre Departments. Participants will explore music and/or theatre through breakout sessions led by Ashland faculty; attend a live stage performance of Euripides' classic Greek drama The Trojan Women; as well as socialize and dine with current students at AU's award-winning dining facility. Visitors can also have the total AU experience with an overnight stay in a residence hall.

Attendees can elect to participate in two of the following sessions led by AU music and theatre faculty including:

• AU Marching Band Performance: Enjoy the halftime show by the AU Marching Eagles at Jack Miller Stadium during the home football game against Saginaw Valley.
• How Does Blues Work? The twelve-bar blues or “blues progression” is one of the most common chord progressions in popular music. Come harness the blues as it applies to other musical genres! Bring your instrument or voice, or have a seat at one of our many pianos and we will consider the basic concept of the blues, and then play and improvise together. Any level of musicianship is welcome!
• PANIC - Auditioning and Interviewing for University Theatre Programs: So you want to major or minor in Theatre and the school wants you to prepare an audition or interview. In this workshop, we will explore what makes a great audition and interview; what materials need to be collected and prepared; and how to craft a professional theatrical resume. If you have a memorized monologue, we can coach you on making it stronger. 
• Act Before You Think: The Values of A First Rate Actor: Maybe your parents taught you to think before you act? Now, let’s act before we think! Explore the inspiring values of a first rate actor that give the beginning thespian a solid base from which to grow and develop his or her talent. These values will come alive through the experience of group exercises and simple scene work. 

For more information about the 'Pursue Your Passion' event, contact Dr. Teresa Durbin-Ames at tdurbin@ashland.edu or 419.289.5821.

Choral Concert Presents Three Vocal Ensembles, Oct. 29

The Ashland University Choir, Women's Chorus and the Ashland Area Chorus present a fall choral concert program ranging from a sacred cantata to madrigals, contemporary songs about the strength of women, spirituals and compositions from early English composers. The eclectic concert will be held on Sunday, October 29 at 4 p.m. in the Jack and Deb Miller Chapel and is free and open to the public.

Dr. Rowland Blackley, Professor of Music and Director of Choral Activities, will conduct the University Choir. Their portion of the program will include “Rejoice in the Lamb,” a cantata by Benjamin Britten with text by Christopher Smart. This highly dramatic work ultimately focuses on all things worshipping their Creator, venturing from near silence to rollicking dance, from seeming chaos to quiet serenity. Organist for the piece is Dr. Timothy Guenther, while vocal soloists include Grace Fumic, Hannah Wise, Corey Turpin and Michael Cowan. The Choir will also sing "Ecco mormorar l’onde" by Claudio Monteverdi. This famous madrigal is an extended and evocative description of a sunrise, with poetry by Torquato Tasso, a sixteenth-century Italian writer. To round-out their portion of the concert, the choir will present “Her Sacred Spirit Soars” by the living composer Eric Whitacre. It is a structurally complex but sonically astounding piece that divides into fourteen different voice parts at times.

Directed by Ashland University alumna Julie Strebler-Renner, the Women's chorus' selections will follow a theme of strength and hope including  "Be Like the Bird" by Abbie Betinis based on her perseverance through cancer treatments, "Warrior" by Kim Baryluk in response to violence against women, Deborah Lutz's African American spiritual "O Nata Lux" and Barbara Baker's gospel "The Storm Is Passing Over." Susan Gregg is the piano accompanist for the Women's Chorus as well as the Ashland Area Chorus.

For the Ashland Area Chorus, director Elizabeth Slade has selected songs by 16th and 17th century English composers Thomas Tallis, Thomas Morely and Orlando Gibbons.

Homecoming to Feature ‘An Evening with Cathi Muckle’ Concert

As part of Ashland University’s Homecoming celebration on Oct. 13, Ashland University will host a tribute concert titled, “An Evening with Cathi Muckle,” that will take the audience back to another era with the most memorable songs of “The Greatest Generation” as she sings selections from the songbook of George and Ira Gershwin.

The concert, which will be held at 7:30 p.m. in the Myers Convocation Center on the AU campus, will feature Cathi Muckle, the daughter of Betty Clooney, who is Rosemary Clooney’s sister.

Muckle, a professional singer and educator who lives in Las Vegas, actually toured with her legendary aunt and even recorded “The Coffee Song” with Rosemary Clooney and has sung over 300 commercial jingles.“We are very excited to be able to offer this special concert event again this year as part of our homecoming celebration,” said Dr. Carlos Campo, who is slated to emcee the event. Campo is the brother of Muckle.

Muckle will be accompanied at the event by an all-star AU Jazz ensemble that will also feature Ashland University Music faculty, alumni and current students including AU Professors of Music Thomas Reed and Scott Garlock, alumni Steve Berry and Paul Martin, and students Nik Psota and Derek Rangel.

The concert will also offer the new Ashland University Jazz Orchestra’s “AUJOy to the World” Christmas CD featuring Cathi Muckle. The CD, which features nine Christmas songs with Cathi on vocals, will cost $15 each. Those not attending the concert who would like a CD can purchase them at the AU Bookstore on campus after Oct. 13.

The event is open to the public and general admission tickets for the event are $10 for adult and $5 for senior citizens, students and AU employees. In addition, a VIP package at $25 per ticket will include a 6:30 p.m. private upscale cocktail reception with the artist. Sales of the limited number of VIP packages will end Oct. 6.

Those with questions or wanting tickets can contact the AU Box Office at 419.289.5125 or go online at ashland.edu/tickets. Doors for the concert open at 7 p.m. and a cash bar will be available at the event.

Proceeds from the event benefit the Elizabeth M. Pastor Endowed Scholarship Fund, which was established in 1992 by friends of Liz Pastor, AU Trustee's Distinguished Professor. The scholarship is awarded annually to a deserving full-time undergraduate student enrolled studying for a bachelor of arts in music with piano as the major instrument or music education majors with piano as their chosen instrument.

Jazz at the Nest Debuts Holiday CD & Takes Donations for Puerto Rico

Led by Dr. Scott Garlock, professor of Music, the award-winning Ashland University Jazz Orchestra (AUJO) will present a free public concert on Tuesday, October 10, in the Hawkins-Conard Student Center’s Eagles Nest at 7:30 p.m.

Audience members are welcome to grab a snack, enjoy a beverage and relax to the live music at this free public concert. The event will offer sales of the ensemble's new holiday CD recording, which features vocals by Cathi Muckle and is titled "AUJOy to the World." CDs are $15 each. In addition, AUJO will accept freewill donations for the Puerto Rico relief efforts.

The concert will offer an eclectic mix of old and new including some classic big band arrangements including Lerner & Loewe's “Almost Like Being in Love,” George and Ira Gershwin’s “Fascinating Rhythm,” Freddie Green’s “Down for Double,” and “Yes Sir, That’s My Baby” by Kahn and Donaldson. More contemporary pieces will include Al Horney’s “Hipper by the Dozen,” Sergio Mendez’s “So Many Stars” and Mike Barone’s “Yo Yo.”

The 2017-2018 AUJO roster includes saxophonists Jason Wolf, Derek Rangel, Josh Thompson, Lauren DeBracy and Ariane Hill; Nik Psota, Branden Barber, Jennifer Wigton and Emily Shordock on trumpet; trombonists Eric Watt, Hannah Drake and Frank Stanek; while the rhythm section consists of pianist and percussionist Stefan Jonsson, Alex Trotter on piano, Emily Ebert on bass, guitarist Dominic Febbo and vocalist Gracie Fumic.