Wigton Featured in News Article

The Ashland Times-Gazette (11/27/2017) recently published a "This Week's Personality" story about Loudonville native, Ashland University Music education major and AU Band member Jennifer LeeAnn Wigton. Along with her recent accomplishments in band, the article also mentions those who have influenced her success in music going all the way back to elementary school when her music teacher was another AU music graduate, Megan Routh. READ ARTICLE

Holiday Jazz Concert, Dec. 4

The Ashland University Department of Music will present an Ashland University Jazz Concert on Monday, December 4 at 7:30 pm 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 the 2nd annual AUJO Alumni Band. For any alumni who are interested and available to participate, a rehearsal will be held on Wednesday, Nov. 29 from 7-9 p.m. in the Elizabeth Pastor Recital Hall.

In addition to jazz standards, the Ashland University Jazz Orchestra's program will include selections from the ensemble's new holiday CD recording which features vocals by Cathi Muckle and is titled "AUJOy to the World." The CDs will be available for purchase at the concert and are $15 each.

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.

Mayor-Elect Miller Celebrity Tubist for TubaChristmas, 12/2

The local holiday favorite TubaChristmas returns to Ashland University's Hugo Young Theatre on Saturday, December 2 at noon with Ashland City Mayor-Elect Matt Miller, 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’s a fun, holiday tradition the whole family can enjoy.

The registration fee for participating musicians is $10 and includes a 2017 TubaChristmas button. The TubaChristmas carol book is also available for $20. Musicians are asked to bring their own folding stand.

For more information, contact Professor of Music Dr. Scott Garlock at 419.289.5134 or sgarlock@ashland.edu.

Jazz Alumni Invited to Rehearse & Perform

Dr. Scott Garlock invites all AU Jazz alumni to a rehearsal for the 2nd annual AUJO Alumni Band on Wednesday, Nov. 29 from 7-9 p.m. in the Elizabeth Pastor Recital Hall. The rehearsal will prepare the alumni band to perform at the Ashland University Jazz concert on Monday, Dec. 4 at 7:30 p.m. in Hugo Young Theatre. For more information, contact Scott at sgarlock@ashland.edu.

Hannah Wise Presents Senior Vocal Recital, Nov. 19

The Ashland University Department of Music announces a senior recital by senior mezzo-soprano Hannah Wise on Sunday, Nov. 19 at 3 p.m. in the Elizabeth Pastor Recital Hall. The concert is free and open to the public.

As a music education major, Hannah Wise (Hartville) will perform with pianist Deb Logan and tenor Jacob Poiner. Her program will begin with classical pieces by W. A. Mozart, Claude Debussy and Johannes Brahms, while the second half features musical theatre selections by Gilbert & Sullivan, Allan Menken, Michael Mitnick and Cinco Paul.

Veterans Being Recognized at Saturday's Football Game

Attention Military Veterans: The Ashland University Marching Band invites you to join us on the Ashland University football field at halftime for this Saturday's (Nov. 11) game to recognize you for your service. Kick off is 1 p.m. Please RSVP to Joe Lewis at jlewisjr@ashland.edu.

Madrigal Feaste Tickets Still Available

Tickets for the 42nd Annual Madrigal Feaste at Ashland University are still available for the 6:30 p.m. performances slated for Wednesday, November 29 through Sunday, December 3 in Redwood Hall. Although the Saturday evening show is sold out, there are currently:

• two full tables and four partial tables available for the Wednesday performance; 
• Thursday has 15 seats available in various increments at different tables; 
• Friday only has four single seats at different tables; 
• and the closing night performance on Sunday has 28 seats remaining at different tables. 

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 2017 Madrigal Feaste Chamber Singers feature Corey Turpin and Hannah Wise as the King and Queen, along with the members of their royal court including Drew Berlin, Sami Eron, Gracie Fumic, Elisha Hofer, Rachel Kelly, Jacob Markley, Seth Morrison, Jacob Poiner, Anna Rivero, Cole Rucker, Emily Sycks and Rebecca Young. Jessica Dupee will serve as the Jester leading her cast of Players including Ivey Buffenmyer, Nik Demers, Tristan Peterman, Maya Rickard, Jake Riley and Will Taylor. The court butler will be played by Jacob Ellis.

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.

To purchase tickets, call the Ashland University Box Office at 419-289-5125, Monday through Friday, 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.; or purchase online 24/7 at www.ashland.edu/tickets.

Reed Performs Concert of Songs & Dances, 11/5

The Department of Music at Ashland University announces a concert of Songs & Dances by Dr. Thomas Reed on Sunday, Nov. 5 at 5 p.m. in the Elizabeth Pastor Recital Hall in the Center for the Arts.

For his 33rd consecutive annual faculty concert at Ashland University, Dr. Reed will perform on clarinet and soprano saxophone with pianist Susan Gregg, violinist Jane Reed, percussionist Andy Pongracz and Gary Davis on trumpet. His concert program is comprised of contemporary compositions and arrangements of songs and dances including:

• Darius Milhaud's "Suite, op. 157b" which is inspired by a baroque dance suite with a jazz rhythmic style
• Paul Bowles' "Music for a Farce" consisting of 8 sections of "slap-stick"-like music with chase scenes and corny sentimental music
• Catherine Hoover's arrangement of John Dowland's three Elizabethan lute songs in "Ayres"
• Dave Heath's expressive and exciting "Concerto for Soprano Saxophone: The Celtic"

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.