Fall Honors Recital, Dec. 8

The best vocal and instrumental performances of the fall semester will be showcased in the Fall Honors Recital on Thursday, December 8 at 7:30 p.m. in the Recital Hall. Student performers are chosen by the private studio instructors to be recognized for their exceptional work. Fall 2016 performers include sopranos Abigale Brady and Elisha Hofer, mezzo-sopranos Andrea Disch and Sarah Napier, baritone Deric Dove, pianists Michael Woodeand Moriah Goldsmith, Chanel Bluntschly on saxophone, Jaylynn Buchmelter, trombone and Eileen Navratil, euphonium. The concert is free and open to the public.

Student Ensembles Recital, Dec. 6

On Tuesday, December 6 at 7:30 p.m. in the Elizabeth Pastor Recital Hall, several student chamber ensembles perform including the saxophone ensemble under the direction of Dr. Thomas Reed, as well as brass, string and percussion ensembles instructed by Michael Metcalf, Jane Reed and Jeffrey Neitzke, respectively. Mr. Neitzke also leads a jazz combo which will perform. The concert is free and open to the public.

Sandra Tunnell Tapped as Celebrity Tubist for Ashland's TubaChristmas

The local holiday favorite TubaChristmas returns to Ashland University's Hugo Young Theatre on Saturday, December 3 at noon with Sandra Tunnell, Ashland City Council person and Ashland Main Street executive director, as the "Celebrity Tubist." The concert is free and open to the public and invites area tuba, euphonium and baritone players to perform.  Musician registration will begin at 10:00 a.m. followed by a rehearsal at 10:20 a.m.  

TubaChristmas is an idea conceived by Harvey Phillips, Professor of Tuba at Indiana University. Mr. Phillips wanted to demonstrate to the public what a beautiful sound a mass ensemble of tubas and euphoniums could make and to provide an opportunity for fellow low brass players to celebrate the season with the community.
TubaChristmas is dedicated to the memory of Mr. William J. Bell.  It is a fun, holiday tradition the whole family can enjoy.

The registration fee for participating musicians is $10 and includes a 2016 TubaChristmas button. The TubaChristmas carol book is also available for $20. Musicians are asked to bring their own folding stand.

Vocal Majors to Perform Senior Recitals

The Department of Music at Ashland University announces the senior vocal recitals for Deric Dove, baritone, and Abbie Brady, soprano, who both study private voice with Stephanie Sikora. Both recitals will be held on Sunday, Nov. 20 in the Elizabeth Pastor Recital Hall. Both concerts are free and open to the public.

Dove presents his concert beginning at 3 p.m. assisted by pianist Deb Logan and fellow baritone Michael Cowan. His program includes pieces from the Classical and Romantic periods with art songs from Maurice Ravel's Don Quichotte a Dulcinee and Franz Schubert's Heidenroslein, Die Forelle and Erlkonig; along with comedic opera arias from Gaetano Donizetti's Don Pasquale and Gioachino Rossini's Barber of Seville. He will also perform musical theatre selections from Gilbert & Sullivan's Pirates of Penzance, Lionel Bart's Oliver! and George Gershwin's Treasure Girl. Dove is a music education major from Newark Ohio.

Brady will begin her recital at 7:30 p.m. and will be assisted by pianist Deb Logan and Andrea Disch, mezzo-soprano. Her program will include pieces from the Baroque period with G. F. Handel's arias Va Godendo and Alma Mia, as well as the Classical period represented by W. A. Mozart's comical duet To Greet You My Lady from The Marriage of Figaro. She will also perform several art songs such as Richard Strauss' Nichts, John Duke's Little Elegy and Ernest Gold's Music When Soft Voices Die. Miss Brady is from Ashtabula, Ohio and is majoring in music and psychology.

AUJO Concert Presents Three Ensembles Including Alumni Band

The Ashland University Department of Music will present an Ashland University Jazz Concert on Monday, Nov. 21, at 7:30 p.m. in Hugo Young Theatre. The concert is free and open to the public.

Under the direction of Dr. Scott Garlock, the concert will offer pre-concert music from a jazz combo followed by jazz standards performed by the Ashland University Jazz Orchestra (AUJO) and a newly formed AUJO Alumni Band. For any alumni who are interested and available to participate, a rehearsal will be held on Wednesday, Nov. 16, from 7 to 9 p.m. in the Elizabeth Pastor Recital Hall.

The Ashland University Jazz Orchestra’s program will be selected but not limited to pieces including Frank Foster’s Blues in Hoss Flat, Dave Morgan’s Consolation, Howie Smith’s Fleece Market, and Sweet Georgia Bright as arranged by Mike Kamuf. They also will perform a couple of Rosemary Clooney vocal charts including Get Me to the Church on Time and You Took Advantage of Me.

The 2016-2017 AUJO roster includes saxophonists Michael Byndas, Josh Thompson, Derek Rangel, Jacob Garry and Jason Wolfe; Nik Psota, Alex Sandwisch, Tyler McFarland and Branden Barber on trumpet; trombonists Jaylynn Buchmelter, Hannah Drake, Frank Stanek and Cody Henderson; while the rhythm section consists of Emily Ebert and Garrett Rangel on bass, guitarist Dominic Febbo and pianist Stefan Jonsson. This year's vocalist is Gracie Fumic.

Dvořák's Mass in D, Nov. 13

Antonín Dvořák's Mass in D will be performed live in concert under the direction of Elizabeth Slade with the Ashland Area Chorus (AAC) and several guest soloists including organist Susan Gregg, mezzo-sopranos Denise Milner Howell and Sandra Ross, tenor Tim Johnson and baritone Brian Keith Johnson. The concert will be held on Sunday, November 13 at 4 p.m. in the Jack and Deb Miller Chapel at Ashland University. The performance is free and open to the public with a freewill offering accepted to benefit the Sandy Brown Honorary Vocal Music Teacher Mini-Grant Fund through the Ashland County Community Foundation.

The concert will showcase Dvořák's original composition for vocal soloists, choir and organ which was published in 1887. The piece was written at the request of Josef Hlávka, founder of the Czech Academy of Sciences and Art, for the consecration of his new chapel that was built at his castle in Lužany in Western Bohemia. Because of the small size of the Lužany chapel, the Mass was written for an intimate space with an organ instead of an orchestra. In addition, Dvořák wrote it for a modest presentation in a more lyrical and prayerful arrangement than dramatic. It also reflected his love of nature and the tranquil countryside surrounding Hlávka's castle through the folk inspired movements. The work observes the customary parts of the Catholic Ordinary of the Mass including Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus, Benedictus and Agnus Dei.

In her fourth year as the Ashland Area Chorus director, Slade also teaches musicianship courses at Ashland University, and serves with her husband, Peter Slade, in leading worship music at Ashland First United Methodist Church. She holds a B.A. in Music and French from the University of Virginia and an M.Ed. from Harvard University where she studied choral conducting and served as choral administrator for the Harvard Choirs. During her time at Harvard, she was a member of the professional Choir of the Church of the Advent in Boston and a soprano soloist in and around the Boston area. Slade went on to direct the Virginia Women’s Chorus at the University of Virginia and has studied voice and performed with choirs in Virginia, New England and London, UK. In 2009, Slade recruited and directed the hundred-voice Kroc Center Dedication Chorus for the opening of the Salvation Army’s new community center.

In its eighteenth season, the AAC was founded by Dr. Rowland Blackley, director of choral activities at Ashland University. The ensemble is dedicated to a mission of learning great music and singing it beautifully. With over 60 members this fall, the chorus is open to all singers from Ashland and surrounding counties and includes Ashland University faculty, staff and students as well as other singers from the wider community. The chorus sings on programs with the Ashland University Choir and performs annually with the Ashland Symphony Orchestra. New members are always welcome and are invited to the Monday evening rehearsals held at 7 p.m. in Room 242 of the Center for the Arts at Ashland University. 

Turkish Musician Presents as 2016 Gretchen French Visiting Artist

Turkish singer, composer and scholar Latif Bolat has been selected for the 2016 Gretchen French Visiting Artist Series in Music at Ashland University. Bolat will visit Ashland University on October 31 and November 1 to present two workshops and a concert. All of the events are free and open to the public.

The first workshop titled "1000 Years of Eastern and Western Music Journeys" is scheduled for Monday, October 31 at 2 p.m. in Room 303 of the Center for the Arts. The second workshop will focus on the religion of Islam and will be held on Tuesday, November 1 at 1:40 p.m. in the Schar College of Education's Ronk Lecture Hall. 

On October 31 at 7:30 p.m., Bolat will perform a concert titled "The Healing Sounds of Turkey:  A Night of Turkish Mystic Sufi Music, Poetry and Images." Specializing in the ancient Turkish mystic-devotional music genre, Bolat provides a unique philosophy and approach to the performance of traditional music. By creating an intimate, almost "storytelling" atmosphere, he explains Turkish folk and mystic music and its sociopolitical and cultural elements. The performance both entertains and invites the audience to ponder questions such as how major sociopolitical factors influence culture and the art it produces.

As an important part of the performance, Turkish devotional poetry from the 13th century mystics Rumi and Yunus Emre as well as later Turkish mystic poets are also sprinkled throughout the program. Also, slides are used to create a complete experience by providing scenes of the Turkish countryside, cities, artwork, architecture, and people. This provides a deeper understanding of the culture by combining the musical presentation with images of its origin.

Latif Bolat, one of the most renowned Turkish musicians in North America, is a native of the Turkish Mediterranean town of Mersin. After receiving his degree in folklore and music at Gazi University in Ankara, Turkey, he taught traditional music throughout the country. He then went on to manage Ankara Halk Tiyatrosu, a musical theater company, which performed traditional musical plays. Mr. Bolat also received additional degrees in Turkish History and Middle East Religion and Politics from Ankara University and an MBA from San Francisco State University.

Now residing in the United States, Bolat is one of the most distinguished Turkish musicians in this country. With a vast repertory that includes songs in classical, folk and Sufi mystic music styles, he accompanies his singing on the baglama (long-necked lute), and various other traditional instruments from the Turkish folk music tradition. 

The Gretchen French Endowed Visiting Artist Series at Ashland University was established through a bequest from the estate of Gretchen French.  Although Ms. French never attended Ashland University, it was through close friends and alums, Phillip (‘53) and Jean (‘55) Lersch, that she decided Ashland was well suited to demonstrate in perpetuity her values and hopes for young people.  Her entire life was dedicated to people, placing others' needs before her's by unselfishly serving them, in particular her family and many, many young musicians. This is a fitting tribute to her and will be a continual reminder of her love not only of music but most importantly people.

The goal of the Series is to provide Ashland University students close contact and mentoring with an outstanding visiting musician/music teacher. The particular field of expertise for the Series will vary from year to year. It is a goal of the Series to find Visiting Artists that have the widest possible expertise and appeal to students in various areas of music study.

Fall Choral Concert, Oct. 30

The Ashland University Choir, Chamber Singers and the Women's Chorus present their fall choral concert on Sunday, October 30 at 4 p.m. in the Jack and Deb Miller Chapel. The performance is free and open to the public.

With a program featuring selections from the Baroque period to contemporary pieces by living composers, the concert will bridge the old with the new by celebrating Dr. Rowland Blackley's 20-year tenure as Ashland University's Director of Choral Activities and Kimberly Wolbert's inaugural concert directing the Women's Chorus.

The University Choir's program will begin with Johann Sebastian Bach's Classical period piece Motet No.3, "Jesu, meine Freude," the longest of the composer's motets. The choir is learning it in preparation for its concert tour to Germany in March, which will include a performance at the St. Thomas Church in Leipzig, where Bach worked for the longest part of his career. The University Choir will also premiere a brand-new work by Cincinnati, Ohio composer Howard Helvey, "Sweet Day," which is based on a popular text by George Herbert. The piece was commissioned by a consortium of universities in Ohio including Ashland University. The Chamber Singers will perform a setting of the same text by English composer Ralph Vaughan Williams.

The Women's Chorus will also visit the past and present with their program including "Da Pacem Domine" by Melchior Franck, a German composer of the late Renaissance and early Baroque eras; and continuing to "Bonney Wood Green," the traditional Irish ballad from World War I arranged by Canadian composer Stephen Hatfield. Representing American composers, the program also features the contemporary works "Fire" by Mary Goetze which was inspired by a poem written by Patricia Taylor, a thirteen-year-old girl; and "The Seal Lullaby" by Eric Whitacre which is a dreamlike work capturing the undulating rhythm of a mother rocking her child to sleep.

Jazz at the Nest, Oct. 11

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 11 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 concert will feature vocalist Gracie Fumic on several Rosemary Clooney favorites selected from "Hey There", "Mambo Italiano," "Sway," "Someone to Watch Over Me," "Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe," "You Took Advantage of Me" and "I'm Getting Married in the Morning." Other selections will include "Sebastian's Bop," "Song for Bilbao," "Central City Sketches No. 4," "Love for Sale," and "Count Bubba."

In addition to Fumic, the 2016-2017 AUJO roster includes saxophonists Michael Byndas, Josh Thompson, Derek Rangel, Jacob Garry and Jason Wolfe; Nik Psota, Alex Sandwisch, Tyler McFarland and Branden Barber on trumpet; trombonists Jaylynn Buchmelter, Hannah Drake, Frank Stanek and Cody Henderson; while the rhythm section consists of Emily Ebert and Garrett Rangel on bass, guitarist Dominic Febbo and pianist Stefan Jonsson.

Thomas Reed's Faculty Recital, Oct. 9

The Department of Music at Ashland University announces a faculty recital by Dr. Thomas Reed's on Sunday, October 9 at 7:30 p.m. in the Elizabeth Pastor Recital Hall in the Center for the Arts (formerly known as the Arts & Humanities Building). The concert is free and open to the public.

For his 32nd consecutive annual recital, Dr. Reed will perform on clarinet with pianists Susan Schoeffler and Susan Gregg, as well as his son, Charles Reed on cello. His program will begin with Ludwig van Beethoven's Trio in B-flat, op. 11, also known as the "Gassenhauer Trio" in three movements (Allegro con brio, Adagio and Tema con Variazione). After a brief intermission, he will perform Carl Maria von Weber's Concerto No. 2 in E-flat, op. 74, with Allegro, Romanze and Polacca movements.

Reed is professor of music and chair of the departments of music and theatre at Ashland University where he has taught since 1986 in a number of areas including applied woodwinds, music theory and jazz studies. He is a member of the Akron Symphony and Ashland Symphony, was a long-time member of the Cleveland Jazz Orchestra, and has performed on clarinet or saxophone with the Cleveland Chamber Symphony, Cleveland Orchestra, Blossom Festival Orchestra, Pro Musica Chamber Orchestra, Dayton Philharmonic, Youngstown Symphony, Blossom Festival Band and the Jazz Unit. He has been soloist with the Akron, Mansfield and Ashland Symphonies and performs on CDs from the Akron Symphony, Cleveland Chamber Symphony, Cleveland Jazz Orchestra and the Paul Ferguson Jazz Orchestra. His clarinet CD “Mutually Inclusive” was released in 2008 on Capstone Records. He is also a founding member of Iron Toys, a woodwind quartet that performs original repertoire for saxophones, clarinets and flutes. The quartet released their first CD in 2015. He holds degrees from The Ohio State University, the University of Michigan and the University of Akron.

Madrigal Sales Begin Sep. 26

Tickets for the 41st Annual Madrigal Feaste go on sale to the public on Monday, September 26 at 12 p.m. Patrons are reminded that this is a very popular event and the box office will be incredibly busy. For immediate service, the box office recommends that patrons come to the box office window located in the lobby of Hugo Young Theatre at the corner of College Avenue and Grant Street or order online at www.ashland.edu/tickets (additional fees apply for online orders).  Patrons can also call the box office at 419.289.5125, but phone lines are expected to be busy. Discounted tickets for children can only be purchased directly through the box office and not online.

Ashland University Department of Music produces the annual Madrigal Feaste which is slated for Wednesday through Sunday, November 30 - December 4, 2016. All performances begin at 6:30 p.m. in Redwood Hall.

Directed by Dr. Rowland Blackley, director of choral activities, the Madrigal Feaste is a dinner theater based in sixteenth-century England with constant entertainment provided throughout the evening. The Ashland University Chamber Singers perform ceremonial music, Christmas carols and madrigals while the Madrigal Players present a new comedic play along with improvisational theatrics. Fanfare trumpeters, the Court Jester, Butler and Wenches round out the cast. Performer costumes are designed as authentic reproductions of period apparel; and the four-course meal culminates in flaming bread pudding.

The 2016 Madrigal Feaste Chamber Singers feature Drew Berlin, Abbie Brady, Deric Dove, Sami Eron, Gracie Fumic, Elisha Hofer, Rachel Kelly, Danny Lawson, Jacob Markley, Seth Morrison, Sarah Napier, Jacob Poiner, Jake Riley, Corey Turpin, Hannah Wise and Rebecca Young. Andrea Disch will serve as the Jester leading her cast of Players including Logan Baker, Nik Demers, Jessica Dupee, Ariel McCleary and Maya Rickard.

Tickets for the event are $28 for adults; $24 for groups of 10 or more; and $18 for children under 12. A special $11 ticket is available to Ashland University students for the Wednesday performance only. Vegetarian and gluten-free options are available upon request at the time of ticket purchase. Due to preparation of meals, tickets are not available at the door.

Community Band Rehearsals Begin 9/13

The Ashland Area Community Concert Band under the direction of Leonard Salvo begins its twenty-fourth season with rehearsals on Tuesday, Sept. 13 at 7:30 p.m. in the Center for the Arts' Elizabeth Pastor Recital Hall.  AACCB is for those that loved playing in band in high school or college and want the opportunity to play again. Performances for the ensemble this fall include a performance at the University with the Ashland University Concert Band on Saturday, December 12.

Requirements for membership are the ability to play a wind or percussion instrument (no need to be a virtuoso); an interest in playing for enjoyment; desire to play a wide variety of music for the public; an interest in meeting new people who share a common interest and availability for rehearsals on Tuesday evenings from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. AACCB is open to all adults. Students still in high school may also participate with the permission of the ensemble's director.

A nominal membership fee of $25 is requested and payable by the fourth week of rehearsals to continue participation in either ensemble for the semester. The membership fee is payable at the Ashland University Box Office via phone at 419.289.5125 or online at www.ashland.edu/tickets.

AU Music Begins Year with Vocal Recital & Emmy-Nominated Composer

The Department of Music at Ashland University announces its first recital of the new academic year and a special presentation by an Emmy-nominated composer all to be held on Thursday, September 8. Both programs are free and open to the public.

After a visit to Ashland University last winter, Emmy-nominated composer and Wooster native Philip Giffin returns to campus on Thursday Sept. 8 at 9:25 a.m. in room 303 of the Center for the Arts. He will give a presentation about his most recent film score and about producing and arranging for pop artists. A graduate of Berklee College of Music, Giffin has scored and contributed music to numerous features and television programs including "Like Mike," "Fatal Instinct," "Beethoven’s 3rd (and 4th)", "Muppet’s Tonight" and more. As an orchestrator, his many credits include "Sommersby," "Die Hard" (I and II) and "Lethal Weapon" (I and II).

At 7:30 p.m. on September 8 in the Elizabeth Pastor Recital Hall, mezzo-soprano Sarah Napier will present her junior recital accompanied by pianist Deb Logan. Her program will include pieces by Handel, Donizetti, Mendelssohn, Chausson, Lerner & Lowe, Heisler & Goldrich and Mercer & Arlen. Sarah is a music major studying voice with Denise Milner Howell and she is a graduate of Willard High School.

Auditions for PIPPIN Open to All

Ashland University Department of Theatre announces open auditions for their upcoming production of the 2013 Tony Award winner for Best Musical Revival--Pippin. Community members and Ashland University students, faculty and staff are invited to audition.

Vocal auditions for Pippin will be held Thursday, September 1 at 7 p.m. with dance auditions held on Friday, September 2 at 6 p.m., and call-backs immediately following the dance auditions on Friday. All auditions will be held in Ashland University's Hugo Young Theatre located at 331 College Avenue, Ashland.

Pippin will be directed by Assistant Professor of Theatre Robert Sean Parker with musical direction by Dr. Rowland Blackley, Director of Choral Activities. Performances are slated for February 10-18 and include roles for three women and three men, chorus members and a young boy. Auditionees should prepare 16-32 bars of a song in a style similar to the show or a song can also be provided for those who do not have one. An accompanist will be provided. 

For more information, contact Tricia Applegate, Coordinator of Publicty and Events, at tapplega@ashland.edu or 419.289.5950, or visit AU Theatre online at www.ashland.edu/theatre or www.facebook.com/AshlandUniversityTheatre.

Ashland Area Chorus Accepting New Members

Entering its eighteenth season, the Ashland Area Chorus (AAC) is dedicated to a mission of learning great music and singing it beautifully. The chorus is open to all singers from Ashland and surrounding counties and includes Ashland University faculty, staff and students as well as other singers from the wider community. Though no formal audition is required for membership, AAC members must be pitch accurate (sing 'on key') and be able to learn and perform their parts successfully. Previous choral experience is helpful.

Rehearsals for the fall semester begin Monday, August 29 from 7-8:45 p.m. in Room 242 of the Center for the Arts and continue at the same time on subsequent Mondays, but will not meet on Labor Day.

This fall, the chorus will perform Dvořák's Mass in D on Sunday, November 13 at 4 p.m in the Jack and Deb Miller Chapel. The chorus will also perform at Ashland University's annual Festival of Lights service on December 11.

Membership in AAC is open to all adults. Students still in high school may also participate with the permission of the ensemble's director.  A nominal membership fee of $25 for adults and $15 for high school students is requested and payable by the fourth week of rehearsals to continue participation in the ensemble for the semester. The membership fee is payable at the Ashland University Box Office via phone at 419.289.5125 or online at www.ashland.edu/music by clicking on the "Buy Tickets & Memberships" icon.

For further information, contact the Chorus’ director Libby Slade at eslade@ashland.edu or (419) 685-5460.  

Ashland Area Chorus Invites Locals to Sing in Abbreviated Summer Session

The Ashland Area Chorus, a non-auditioned mixed choir of 40-60 participants, invites local singers to join them for the short summer session and to perform with the Ashland Symphony Orchestra. The 4-week rehearsal schedule begins on June 6 and continues for four consecutive Mondays including: June 6, 13, 20, 27. Each rehearsal is from 7-8:30 p.m. at Ashland University in Room 242 of the Center for the Arts (formerly the Arts and Humanities building). The session will conclude on Sunday, July 3 with a live performance of light, popular, and patriotic tunes with the Ashland Symphony Orchestra for the Pops In the Park concert at Brookside Park Band Shell.

The Chorus is open to the entire Ashland community and beyond, with previous singers travelling from Richland, Medina, Wayne, Holmes, and Crawford counties. Previous choral experience is helpful and encouraged. While there are no strict age limits, singers under 18 must be approved by the director. There is no cost to the singer for the summer session.

The AAC performs in several concerts each year on the AU campus and with the Ashland Symphony Orchestra. Recent appearances have included subscription concerts with the ASO (including Orff’s Carmina Burana, Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, and Mendelssohn’s Elijah), Ashland University choral concerts (including Handel's Messiah and the Brahms Requiem) and summer pops concerts in the park.

Current members should encourage their talented friends and neighbors to attend the first summer rehearsal to join this unique community opportunity. For further information, please contact the AU Director of Choral Activities, Dr. Ron Blackley, at rblackle@ashland.edu or (419) 289-5114. Or, simply show up on June 6.

AU Choirs Touring Northern Ohio, WV and DC

Ashland University alumni and friends are cordially invited to attend an upcoming concert of the Ashland University Choir and Chamber Singers as they travel close to you. The  2016 tour presents concerts scheduled at various churches in northern Ohio, West Virginia and Washington DC. The following performances are free and open to the public.

• Monday, May 16, 7:30 p.m. at Zion Lutheran Church, 503 Columbus Ave, Sandusky OH, 419.625.2112 
• Tuesday, May 17, 7:30 p.m. at Messiah Lutheran Church, 21485 Lorain Rd, Fairview Park OH, 440.331.2405 
• Wednesday, May 18, 7 p.m. at St. Paul's Lutheran Church, 309 Baldwin St, Morgantown WV, 304.599.0620 
• Thursday, May 19, 7:30 p.m. at St. Joseph's Catholic Church, 313 2nd St NE, Washington DC, 202.547.1223 

Under the direction of Dr. Rowland Blackley the 2016 Tour program includes selections from throughout the 2015-2016 concert season. Pieces by American composers Morten Lauridsen, Jean Berger, Eric Whitacre, and Moses Hogan are featured along with those of Schütz and Mendelssohn. The Ashland University Chamber Singers will contribute madrigals from the Renaissance and more popular charts from the twentieth century.  Selections from Handel's Messiah round out the program. There’s something for every choral taste!

The choirs are accompanied by Dr. Timothy E. Guenther, University Organist and Director of Music Ministry at Gethsemane Lutheran Church in Columbus, Ohio. He teaches applied organ and harpsichord, as well as courses in fundamentals of basic musicianship, and serves as accompanist as needed for the University Choir, Chamber Singers, and Ashland Area Chorus. He holds degrees in organ performance from the Eastman School of Music of the University of Rochester, the University of Alabama and The American Conservatory of Music.

The Ashland University Choir is composed of singers representing many academic majors across campus. Each year the members are selected by private audition and rehearse three days a week. The ensemble performs programs of unaccompanied literature of all eras as well as major works with orchestra.  

Concert Band Tours to Area High Schools

The Ashland University Band is the only campus group that arrives early to campus in the fall and stays after finals in the spring to perform at graduation and on tour. Under the direction of Gary Ciulla, the Ashland University Concert Band will perform at three area high schools for their 2016 Spring Tour as follows:

• Thursday, May 12 at 9:30 a.m.: Williard High School
• Thursday, May 12 at 2 p.m.: New London High School
• Friday, May 13 at 11 a.m.: Bellevue High School

Music Students Honored

As the 2015-2016 academic year concludes, the Department of Music recognized students for their academic and performance accomplishments. At the University's Academic Honors Convocation on April 24, outstanding academic students from each Department were recognized including the following music students:

• Hannah Wise, Sophomore Academic Award 
• Abigail Brady, Junior Academic Award
• Rachel Crow, Senior Academic Award

The Spring Honors Recital featured performances by those students who accomplished exceptional musical performances in the 2016 Spring semester including vocalists Jacob Poiner, Elisha Hofer, Sarah Napier, Fatima Imani Smith; and instrumentalists Jaylynn Buchmelter (trombone), Nik Psota (trumpet), Chanel Bluntschly (saxophone), Dominic Febbo (guitar) and Emily Minns (flute).

At the conclusion of the Spring Honors Recital, several other awards were presented including: 

• The Ohio Collegiate Music Educators Association (OCMEA) Leadership Award to Hannah Wise, Rachel Crow, Jaylynn Buchmelter, Jessie Barnhouse and Jacob Poiner
• The Zach Spier Memorial Award for outstanding contribution from a non-music major to Emily Sparks and Alexandria Sandwisch
• Most Improved Music Major to Jessica Barnhouse
• Outstanding Student Teacher to Shayne Smith
• Outstanding Performer to Emily Minns and Jaylynn Buchmelter
• Outstanding Music Major to Hannah Phillips.

The Department also recognized the graduating senior music majors at a special dinner in their honor. Congratulations and all the best in their future to (l-f) Hannah Phillips, Rachel Crow, Shayne Smith, Jessica Barnhouse, and Fatima Imani Smith (not pictured).

Spring Band Concert to Honor Senior Graduates

Ashland University Department of Music concludes an eventful 2015-2016 academic year on Sunday, May 8 at 4:00 p.m. in Hugo Young Theatre with the annual Spring Band Concert. The Ashland Area Community Concert Band under the direction of Leonard Salvo, and the Ashland University Concert Band directed by Gary Ciulla will perform and senior Concert Band members will be recognized for their dedication and contribution to the AU Band program. Admission to the concert is complimentary, and open to the public.

The Ashland Area Community Concert Band will open the concert with selections including Alfred Reed's A Jubilant Overture which is written in the natural exuberance of young spirits in springtime; Frank Ticheli's An American Elegy which was composed in memory of those who lost their lives at Columbine High School and to honor the survivors; along with a medley of songs from the awarding winning musical Fiddler on the Roof. The Community Band will close their portion of the concert with Castle Gap by Clifton Williams, a march depicting the strength and vigor of the pioneers in dealing with a rugged terrain and climate.

After a brief intermission, the University Concert Band will perform a program of different cultures with Santiago Lope's Gallito, a paso-doble in the Flamenco style; Franz Joseph Haydn's Armida Overture from his three act opera set in Jerusalem and First Suite in E-flat by British composer Gustav Holst. Trumpet soloists Alexandria Sandwisch (Elmore), Nikolaus Psota (Hinckley) and Hannah Phillips (Plymouth) will be featured in Leroy Anderson's Bugler's Holiday. The concert will conclude with Brant Karrick's Bayou Breakdown, a fun and whimsical fugue with a Cajun twist.

Spring Honors Recital Tonight

Tonight (Monday, May 2 at 7:30 p.m.) is the Spring 2016 Honors Recital in the Elizabeth Pastor Recital Hall. Students who accomplished exceptional musical work during the semester will showcase their talents including: vocalists Jacob Poiner, Elisha Hofer, Sarah Napier, Fatima Imani Smith; and instrumentalists Jaylynn Buchmelter (trombone), Nik Psota (trumpet), Chanel Bluntschly (saxophone), Dominic Febbo (guitar) and Emily Minns (flute). Free & Open to the Public.

Spring Choral Concert to Feature A Cappella and Folk Music

The Ashland University Chamber Singers, the Women's Chorus and the a cappella ensemble Surround Sound present their spring choral concert on Sunday, May 1 at 4 p.m. in the Jack and Deb Miller Chapel.  The performance is free and open to the public.

Dr. Rowland Blackley, Professor of Music and Director of Choral Activities, will conduct the Chamber Singers as they perform selections made famous by the best singing groups of their generation while tracing some of the history of the a cappella pop/jazz choral movement over several decades. 

The Chamber Singers will sing Ward Swingle's arrangement of J. S. Bach's Bourree made popular by the Swingle Singers, and Java Jive by Drake and Oakland as arranged by Shaw and sung by the Manhattan Transfer; to Daryl Runswick's arrangement of Paul McCartney's Blackbird as performed by the King’s Singers; Peter Eldridge's Come Home as sung by New York Voices; and Peder Karlsson's Gøta as recorded by the Real Group.

Continuing with the a cappella-theme, the student-led a cappella ensemble Surround Sound will perform three tunes including Bastille's Pompeii, Meghan Trainor's Dear Future Husband and George Ezra's Budapest. 

Directed by Elizabeth Slade, the Women's Chorus will perform from a different genre including folk tunes from the British Isles and Latin America, along with a piece by French composer Maurice Duruflé. 

Jazz at the Nest Tonight at 7:30 p.m.

The Ashland University Jazz Orchestra conducted by Dr. Scott Garlock will perform its final concert of 2015/2016 tonight, April 26 at 7:30 p.m. in the Eagles Nest.

At the free/public concert, audience members are welcome to grab a snack, enjoy a beverage and relax to the live music of AUJO at the Nest. The program will include jazz standards such as Duke Ellington's In a Sentimental Mood, Stevie Wonder's Isn't She Lovely and George and Ira Gershwin's Summertime along with more contemporary pieces from Justin Haynes, Rich Shanklin and Paul Ferguson.

Members of the AU Jazz Orchestra include vocalists Fatima Imani Smith and Ariel McCleary; saxophonists Michael Byndas, Jason Wolf, Derek Rangel, Jessie Barnhouse, Chanel Buntschly and Shayne Smith. The brass section includes trombonists Jaylynn Buchmelter, Cody Henderson, Rachel Crow and Sean Strader; along with Hannah Phillips, Alex Sandwisch, Nik Psota and Tyler McFarland on trumpet. The rhythm section is comprised of Alex Trotter, piano; Dan Pflueger, guitar; Emily Ebert, bass; and Darren Allen, drums., alto sax.

A Variety of Recitals to Close Spring Semester

The Department of Music announces a variety of recitals to close the spring semester, including small ensembles such as brass, saxophone, string, percussion and jazz combos, as well as vocal soloists. All of the concerts begin at 7:30 p.m. in the Elizabeth Pastor Recital Hall and are free and open to the public. 

On Thursday, April 21, various jazz combos under the direction of Dr. Scott Garlock and Jeff Neitzke will perform a joint student ensembles recital along with a low brass ensemble also directed by Dr. Garlock.

Another student ensembles recital will be held on Monday, April 25, and will feature a brass ensemble under the direction of Michael Metcalf, a saxophone ensemble led by Dr. Thomas Reed, a percussion ensemble led by Mr. Neitzke and a string ensemble directed by Jane Reed.

The final recital of the semester features the best of spring 2016 at the Honors Recital on Monday, May 2. Students who accomplished exceptional musical work during the semester will showcase their vocal and instrumental talents as selected by their private teachers.

Bach Vesper Service Set for Sunday

Choral and instrumental musicians from Trinity and the Ashland University Music Department will join forces on Sunday, April 17 at 4 p.m. at Trinity Lutheran Church, 508 Center Street in Ashland, to present the twelfth in a series of Bach Vesper services, patterned after the order and flow of a Lutheran service from Bach’s day.

Featured music includes Bach's Cantata #43, God Goeth Up with Shouting and selections from the Orchestral Suite No. 3 in D. Dr. Rowland Blackley, Ashland University Director of Choral Activities will direct the choir and orchestra and Dr. Timothy Guenther Ashland University organist will be at the organ. Pastor Michael Koch of Trinity will preach. Ashland University students singing solos include soprano Gracie Fumic, alto Hannah Wise, tenor Jacob Poiner, and bass Jake Riley.

“The music of the great Lutheran musician Johann Sebastian Bach is often viewed as great art - which it is - but the spiritual aspects of Bach’s settings of the Gospel are often ignored. We hope this worship service will allow the true voice of Bach’s music to speak in the context for which it was written,” said Ron Marenchin, Coordinator of Music Ministries at Trinity.

The service is open to the public. A freewill offering will be received. A reception will follow. Staffed child care for children ages five and under will be available. The church building is accessible to persons with handicapping conditions. For more information see the church's website at www.trinityashland.org.

A Cappella Group, Surround Sound, Presents Showcase

The student-led contemporary a cappella group Surround Sound housed through the Ashland University Department of Music presents its annual concert on Sunday, April 17 at 7:30 p.m. in the Elizabeth Pastor Recital Hall. The performances is free and open to the public.

This year's showcase concert will feature many contemporary pop hits including Bastille's Pompeii, Meghan Trainor's Dear Future Husband, Adele's Someone Like You, George Ezra's Budapest along with arrangements made popular by Billy Joel and Pentatonix. A couple of the pieces are arrangements written by one of the group's founding members and AU alumna Brandy Kay Riha.

Surround Sound is currently comprised of thirteen vocalists including Madeleine Beck (Brunswick), Drew Berlin (Barberton), Hayden Coey (Greenwich), Ruth Chilcote (Ashland), Deric Dove (Newark), Karissa Magnacca (Wadsworth), Kayla Phares (North Kingsville), Jacob Poiner (Wellington), Emily Sparks (Greenwich), Emily Sycks (Bluffton), Eryn Tramel (Medina), Alexander Trotter (Vineyard Haven, Massachusettes) and Hannah Wise (Hartville).

Opera Scenes to Journey Through G&S

Ashland University Department of Music presents two evenings of opera scenes which will take audiences on a journey through some of W. S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan's most-loved comic operas. The performances which are free and open to the public are scheduled for Friday and Saturday, April 15 and 16, 7:30 p.m. in the Studio Theatre at Ashland University.

With scenes from five different Gilbert & Sullivan operas each evening, the program presents scenes from The Pirates of Penzance, Patience, The Gondoliers, Ruddigore and The Mikado. Under the direction of guest artist Sandra Ross, this annual event features vocal performances from student singers. This year's female cast includes sopranos Abigail Brady (Geneva), Gracie Fumic (Avon), Elisha Hofer (Sandusky) and Fatima Imani Smith (Copley) along with mezzo-sopranos Grace Keller (Perrysville) and Hannah Wise (Hartville). Male singers include tenor Jacob Poiner (Wellington) and baritones Deric Dove (Newark) and Darion Dow (Bedford Heights).

Equally at home on both operatic and musical theater stages, Ms. Ross has performed with Cincinnati Opera, Cleveland Opera, Central City Opera, Lyric Opera Cleveland, Opera North, Sorg Opera and nine seasons with the Ohio Light Opera. Some of her favorite roles have been Orlovsky, Carmen and Cherubino. In Hamburg, Germany Ms. Ross appeared for 2 years as Madame Giry in Andrew Lloyd Weber’s The Phantom of the Opera. A frequent concert soloist Ms. Ross has performed works including Howard Shore’s Lord of the Rings Symphony, under the direction of the composer, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9, Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis, Prokofieff’s Alexander Nevsky, Mozart’s Requiem, Haydn’s Mass in Bflat Major, Handel’s Messiah and Vivaldi’s Gloria, with organizations including the orchestras of Cleveland, Akron, Canton, Ashland, Toledo and Youngstown. A native of Cincinnati, Ohio Ms. Ross holds a bachelors degree from Heidelberg University and a masters degree from the New England Conservatory where she studied with the renowned Ed Zambara.

Music Education Major Opens 2016 URCA

Junior music education major Jaylynn Buchmelter (sponsored by Dr. Christina Fuhrmann, Professor of Music) will be the first oral presenter for the 2016 College of Arts & Sciences Undergraduate Research & Creative Activity (URCA) Symposium on April 12 at 9 a.m. in the John C. Myers Convocation Center. Below is a synopsis of her abstract which is published in the URCA program.

Jaylynn's presentation titled "Acceptance of Fate in Franz Schubert's Winterreise (1827-1828)" will focus on particular songs in this song cycle which are poems by Wilhelm Müller set to music by Schubert. In the series of songs, the protagonist (the wanderer) embarks on a long journey resulting in an acceptance of his own destiny. Winterreise's wanderer moves toward his destiny throughout the cycle by relinquishing old ways of thinking and feeling, becoming self-aware, and finally embracing his fate. Jaylynn will explain how this work conveys the wanderer's discovery of and acceptance of his destiny. She will also analyze musical devices used by Schubert to represent the wanderer's internal and external journey toward his destiny.

Vocalists, Flutist and Trombonist Present Senior & Junior Recitals

The Department of Music announces upcoming senior and junior recitals featuring vocalists, a flutist and a trombonist. Scheduled throughout the months of March and April in the Elizabeth Pastor Recital Hall, these concerts are free and open to the public.

On Thursday, March 31 at 7:30 p.m., soprano Abigale Brady and trombonist Cody Henderson will present their joint junior recital accompanied by pianists Deb Logan and Susan Gregg, respectively. The program will include vocal selections by Mozart, Strauss and Fauré, while instrumental pieces feature compositions by Marcello, Ewazen and Fauré. Miss Brady is from Ashtabula, Ohio and is majoring in music and psychology while Mr. Henderson is from Bellevue, Ohio and is studying music and business administration.

On Sunday, May 1 at 7:30 p.m., soprano Fatima Imani Smith will perform her senior recital featuring classical, jazz and contemporary pieces from composers including Gioachino Rossini, Georges Bizet, Hugo Wolf, Antonio Carlos Jobim and Ricky Ian Gordon. Accompanied by pianist Deb Logan, Fatima will be assisted by guest performers mezzo-soprano Grace Keller, tenors Jake Riley and Jacob Poiner, baritone Deric Dover and guitarist Darion Dow. Fatima is an applied vocal music major from Copley, Ohio.

Flutist Emily Minns will present her junior recital on Sunday, April 17 at 1 p.m. accompanied by pianist Susan Gregg. Her program will include Fantaisie Pastoral Hongroise by Franz Doppler, Acht Stücke by Paul Hindemith, the first movement of Concerto by Jacques Ibert, Sonata in g minor by J. S. Bach, and Sonate by Francis Poulenc. Emily is from Brunswick, Ohio and is an art education major with minors in music and french.

Band Concert Honors Area Middle Schools' Instrumentalists

In celebration of Music in Our Schools Month, Ashland University Department of Music will host the annual Ashland County Middle School Honors Band on Sunday, March 20 at 4:00 p.m. in Hugo Young Theatre with the Ashland University Concert Band as the featured guest ensemble. Gary Ciulla, Ashland University Director of Bands, will conduct both bands.

Consisting of 85 members, the Ashland County Middle School Honors Band includes seventh and eighth grade students from Ashland, Crestview, Hillsdale, Loudonville-Perrysville and Mapleton Schools. 


Members of the Ashland County Band Directors Association meet with Gary Ciulla and Crestview's Christopher Thompson, this year’s chairman, to plan the program.  The committee of band directors selects the honors band members based on merit and instrumentation needs of the band. Students meet at Ashland University on Thursday, March 17 and Sunday, March 20 to rehearse and present this program with music ranging from classical selections to traditional marches. 

The 65-member Ashland University Concert Band will open the concert with a cameo program of wonderful but unusual music chosen especially to highlight the day including Clifton Williams' Caccia and Chorale, Frederick Fennell's arrangement of Florentiner, three movements of Claude T. Smith's Incidental Suite, and Yo Goto's arrangement of Funiculi - Funicula.

The combination of these two bands make for a rewarding, exciting and satisfying musical experience for both the performers and the audience. Admission is free and open to the public.

Four Guest Artists Headline Jazz Festival

Ashland University’s award-winning jazz program is proud to present the 2016 Maplerock Jazz Festival slated for Friday, March 18. Along with free performances by area high school jazz ensembles in the afternoon, the event presents a main stage concert at 7:30 p.m. in Hugo Young Theatre.

The evening concert opens with the Ashland University Jazz Orchestra under the direction of Dr. Scott Garlock and features guest jazz artists pianist Dr. Michael Stryker, saxophonist Mike Lee, bassist Aidan Plank and guitarist Justin Haynes.

Dr. Stryker is co-leader of the jazz quintet Condition Blue. He can also be heard on Roots and Branches with the Shirantha Beddage Quartet, and regularly performs with the Todd Kelly Quintet and many other fine musicians throughout Illinois. With a D.M.A. in Jazz and Contemporary Media from the Eastman School of Music, B.M. and M.M. in Jazz Performance from DePaul University, and a B.S. in Biology from Purdue University, Stryker is Associate Professor of Jazz Piano at Western Illinois University where he directs big bands and coaches jazz combos, teaches various jazz classes and is a member of the Dale Hopper Faculty Jazz Sextet. He is also on the faculty of the Birch Creek Summer Music Performance Center (Wisconsin).

Mike Lee has been a part of the greater New York Jazz Scene for almost 30 years. Since his early associations with Dave Douglas and Joe Lovano, through his stint with the Woody Herman Orchestra and regular gigs with The Village Vanguard Orchestra and Maria Schneider Orchestra, to his current associations with Oliver Lake's ensembles, Wallace Roney Orchestra, and Michele Rosewoman's New Yor-Uba -- Lee has a proven track record as a versatile soloist and a consummate ensemble musician. As a leader, he fronted the renowned Cecil's Big Band and co-leads the ground breaking quartet New Tricks. He performs with his trios regularly at his weekly Hat City Kitchen Jam Session as well as Trumpet's Jazz Club and other venues.

Aidan Plank has performed in a wide range of musical genres with many musicians from pop legends Frankie Avalon and Chubby Checker, to classical ensembles such as The Case Baroque Orchestra and The Oberlin Opera, and with contemporary jazz artists Bobby Selvaggio and Dominic Ferannaci along with many others. Aidan has performed at Carnegie Hall, Severence Hall, The Knitting Factory, The House of Blues, The Beachland Ballroom, The Bop Stop, Blossom Music Festival, and other venues throughout the country. He can presently be heard in duo performances with guitarist Daniel Lippel and as the bassist for the Cleveland Jazz Orchestra's 2015-2016 season.

Justin Haynes has been recognized as an outstanding soloist and composer at the University of North Texas Jazz Festival, the University of Northern Colorado Jazz Festival, the University of Louisville Jazz Festival, and the Western Illinois University Jazz Festival. One of his charts, “I’ve Gone Crazy,” was debuted at the Rootabaga Jazz Festival featuring Greg Osby on alto saxophone. As an educator, Justin is a member of the Knox College Music Department faculty where he teaches jazz saxophone, jazz guitar, jazz bass and basic improvisation skills. Justin also directs the Knox-Rootabaga Jazz Festival Alumni Band every spring.

The Jazz Festival's afternoon performances begin at 1 p.m. with the Wellington High School Jazz Band followed at 1:30 p.m. with the Ashland High School Jazz Band B, the Rittman High School Jazz Band at 2 p.m., the Galion High School Jazz Band at 2:30 p.m. and the Ashland High School Jazz Band A presents the final high school performance at 3 p.m.

The afternoon performances are free and open to the public while tickets for the evening concert are available through the Ashland University Box Office at 419.289.5125, 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, or online (additional fees apply) at www.ashland.edu/tickets.

Tickets for the evening concert are $10 for adults; $5 for senior citizens, non-Ashland University students and Ashland University faculty and staff; and free for Ashland University students.

Winter Choral Concert This Sunday

The winter choral concert featuring three vocal ensembles will be held on Sunday, February 28 at 4 p.m. in the Jack and Deb Miller Chapel. The concert is free and open to the public.

Under the direction of Dr. Rowland Blackley, the University Choir will present an eclectic mix including Ola Gjeilo's Ubi caritas, a modern twist of a medieval chant; spirituals Abide with Me and The Battle of Jericho by Moses Hogan, and Eric Whitacre's composition of Frederico Garcia Lorca's Spanish love poem, With a Lily in Her Hand.

Dr. Blackley will also conduct the Chamber Singers performing Morten Lauridsen's Les Chansons des Rose, a set of songs based on poetry by Rainer Rilke.

The Women's Chorus, directed by Elizabeth Slade, will perform Johannes Brahms' Four Songs for Women's Chorus, Opus 17, which is one of his earlier works written when he was only 27 years old.

Navratil & Buchmelter Present Low Brass Recital

On Thursday, February 18 at 7:30 p.m. in the Elizabeth Pastor Recital Hall, Eileen Navratil, euphonium, and Jaylynn Buchmelter, trombone, present their junior recital accompanied by pianist Susan Gregg. Read more about Eileen, Jaylynn and the impact of their music professors in the recent Collegian article. HERE

Four Decades of AU Music Alumni Gather

Ashland University Department of Music held its annual alumni reception during the OMEA - Ohio Conference hosted by Tom Reed, Marla Butke and Ron Blackley. Meeting at Palomino Restaurant in Cincinnati, we had a chance to enjoy the company of graduates ranging over 4 decades from 1974 to 2015 including:

Tonya Carper Kral

Marty  Kral  

Jeff  Conklin, 1974

Dave  Wolbert, 1976

Tony  Novotny, 1985

Danell Smart Allar, 1994

Vicki  Mikkelsen, 2000

Julie  Strebler, 2002

Karen Gravagna Mahoney, 2002

Geoffrey  Zimmerly, 2003

Anne Patton Teschler, 2003

Brad  Allen, 2004

Megan  Routh, 2007

Emily Plummer Garlock, 2007

Laura Mohn Schantz, 2007

Christine Drabek Wedell, 2007

Katy  Kohman, 2009

Cassandre  Bull, 2009

Rachel Blenman Caldwell, 2010

Amanda Stahlecker Ballreich, 2010

Aly  Horn, 2011

Margo George Trinter, 2011

Lauren Massaro Colotto, 2012

Alex  VanScoy, 2014

Caleb  Stout, 2015

Devyn  Renninger, 2015

Emmy-Nominated Composer to Visit AU

Ashland University Department of music will host a visit by Emmy-nominated composer and Wooster native Philip Giffin on Tuesday, Feb. 9 at 1:40 p.m. in Room 303 of the Center of the Arts. His presentation will take place in the Music Theory IV class, but guests are welcome to attend.

Mr. Giffin will talk about careers in music including his experience as a composer/orchestrator for TV and films. As a composer living and working in Los Angeles, California, he has composed extensively for television & film including 93 episodes of the Disney animated cartoon called Darkwing Duck. Disney gave him a full orchestra every week to accomplish this opportunity and monumental task. In addition to composing music for several other television episodic's, he has orchestrated and written additional music for blockbuster features such as, Die Hard I, Die Hard II, Lethal Weapon I, Lethal Weapon II, Say Anything, Little Mermaid, Pee Wee's Big Adventure & more. He is also a music director for a Cirque du Solei's live stage performances.

For more information about Philip Giffin, visit his website at philipgiffin.com.

AU Concert Band and Jazz Orchestra Musicians Selected for OPCICA Honors

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Four members of the Ashland University Concert Band and five members of the Ashland University Jazz Orchestra were selected to be members of the 2016 Ohio Private College Instrumental Conductors Association All Ohio Collegiate Honors Concert Band and Honors Jazz Ensemble. The 29th Annual OPCICA Honors Festival was hosted on Jan. 23 and 24 by Muskingum University and the concert was held at the Pritchard Laughlin Civic Center in Cambridge, Ohio.

Those selected for the Honors Concert Band were music education majors Rachel Crow of Reynoldsburg and Jessica Barnhouse of Norwich, criminal justice major Nik Psota of Hinckley and accounting major Brett Stecker of Mansfield. Those selected for the Honors Jazz Ensemble were music education major Jaylynn Buchmelter of Wintersville, music and business administration major Cody Henderson of Bellevue, mathematics and language arts education major Alexandria Sandwisch of Elmore, psychology major Derek Rangel of Vermillion and Frank Stanek of Mansfield.

Nominations for the Honors Band and Jazz Ensemble were submitted by conductors at each of the member institutions. These students were selected from over 150 nominees. Both ensembles rehearsed for two days and then presented a gala concert.

The Ohio Private College Instrumental Conductors Association, founded in 1987, held its first collegiate honors band festival on Jan. 24, 1988. Currently comprised of 20 member colleges and universities, the primary purpose of the organization is to develop a closer network of communication and resource sharing among the instrumental departments, divisions, or conservatories of the various privately funded institutions of higher education within the state of Ohio.

An additional purpose is to sponsor an annual honors festival featuring an Honors Concert Band and an Honors Jazz Ensemble comprised of instrumental students from the participating schools. These festivals have enriched the lives of thousands of college instrumentalists as well as the conductors from the member institutions. The students are together for two days, and prepare the concert in three rehearsal.

Senior Trumpet Recital, Jan. 24 at 5 p.m.

The first concert of the spring 2016 semester will be held on Sunday, January 24 at 5 p.m. featuring music education major Hannah Phillips (Plymouth) as she performs her senior trumpet recital. Accompanied by pianist Susan Gregg, Hannah's concert program will include Sonata for Trumpet and Piano by Kent Kennan, George Gershwin's Someone to Watch Over Me arranged by Joseph Turrin, and Nightsongs by Richard Peaslee. The concert is free and open to the public.

Spring 2016 Music Event Schedule Released

Ashland University Department of Music releases its official event schedule for Spring 2016. From junior and senior recitals to several choral and band concerts, opera scenes and the Maplerock Jazz Festival, the slate of performances offers something for everyone.

The full schedule can be accessed online at Ashland.edu/Music, in-person at the Ashland University Box Office or contact Tricia Applegate to have a copy mailed to your home. You can also stay up-to-date on the latest by following Ashland University Music on Facebook.