Festival of Lights, Dec. 9

Ashland University will officially begin its observance of the holiday season with the 28th annual Festival of Lights on Dec. 9 in Ashland University’s Jack and Deb Miller Chapel, located at the intersection of King Road and College Avenue.

The 7 p.m. candlelight service, which is free and open to the public, symbolizes Christ coming into the world. The story is communicated in verse and song. It will include Scripture readings by Mark and Cathy Britton, traditional carols, and seasonal choral music by the Ashland University Choir and Women’s Chorus, and the Ashland Area Chorus. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m.

The Ashland University Choir is under the direction of Dr. Rowland Blackley, director of choral activities and professor of music, while Elizabeth Slade directs the Ashland Area Chorus and Julie Strebler-Renner, the Women’s Chorus. Dr. Timothy Guenther and Susan Gregg will accompany the choirs on organ and piano.

Musical selections will feature original works and settings of carols by a variety of composers including Victoria, Biebl, Whitacre, Leavitt, Powell and Whalum.

Winter Festival Band Concert, Dec. 8

The Department of Music at Ashland University presents its annual Winter Festival Band Concert on Saturday, Dec. 8 at 7:30 p.m. in Hugo Young Theatre. The concert will feature the Ashland University Symphonic Band directed by Joseph Lewis, Jr., Ashland University Director of Bands, and the Ashland Area Community Concert Band (AACCB) under the direction of Leonard Salvo. The concert will offer a program of classic compositions for concert band along with some holiday favorites. The concert is free and open to the public.

The Ashland University Symphonic Band is comprised of the outstanding wind and percussion students at the University. The Symphonic Band's portion of the program includes James Curnow's Fanfare and Flourishes, David Holsinger's On a Hymnsong of Philip Bliss along with two holiday classics: Leroy Anderson's A Christmas Festival and Russian Christmas Music by Alfred Reed which is based on the ancient Russian Christmas carol, Carol of the Little Russian Children.

After a brief intermission, the 65-member Ashland Area Community Concert Band takes the stage. Established in 1993, the ensemble is designed for both university students and members of the Ashland community to continue their musical study and creative activity.

The Community Band's program begins with two pieces by Robert Sheldon including Savannah River Rhapsody and Dances of a Shimmering Spirit, which was commissioned for the Ashland High School Band in memory of Christina Lattanzi, followed by the first movement of Ralph Vaughan Williams' most famous work for military band, English Folk Song Suite: Seventeen Come Sunday. AACCB concludes their portion of the program with two holiday medleys including In the Christmas Mood by John Wasson and It's Christmas by Warren Barker.

Holiday Jazz Concert, Dec. 6

The Ashland University Department of Music will present an Ashland University Jazz Concert on Thursday, Dec. 6 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 the Mellow Work Chicken jazz combo with Bridgid McDonald and Jared Metz on saxophone; Molly Winnard, drums; Torin Dunn, guitar; Emily Ebert, bass and Alex Kwan, piano.

The 3rd annual AUJO Alumni Big Band will perform selections beginning at 7:30 p.m. followed by the Ashland University Jazz Orchestra's (AUJO) program of jazz standards and holiday favorites including Auld Lang Syne, Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas and Let It Snow.

The 2018-2019 AUJO roster includes saxophonists McDonald, Michael Spalding, Lauren DeBracy, Erika Wright and Ariane Hill; Nick Lawwill, Branden Barber, Jennifer Wigton and Nathan Roblin on trumpet; Matthew MacDonald, Satch Garlock and Eric Watts on trombone; Emily Schordock on horn; while the rhythm section consists of Ebert, bass; Winnard, drums; Alex Trotter, piano; Oliver Dewey, guitar and vocalist Gracie Fumic.

AUJO will have their holiday CD recording "AUJOy to the World" featuring vocals by Cathi Muckle available for purchase at the concert at $10 each.

Percussion, Fall Honors & Student Ensembles Recitals

The Department of Music at Ashland University announces a variety of recitals to close the fall semester including an all percussion recital, small ensembles recital which will feature brass, string and jazz groups, as well as the semi-annual Honors Recital showcasing the exceptional work by selected vocalists and instrumentalists. All of the concerts are free and open to the public and will be performed in the Elizabeth Pastor Recital Hall.

On Monday, Dec. 3 at 8 p.m. under the direction of Liz Procopio, the AU Percussion Ensemble will present a wide variety of works featuring different styles of music performed by Stefan Jonsson and Matt Long. The recital program will also include performances by the University Drumline and the Neutrals Percussion Duo.

The AU Drumline is part of the AU Eagle Marching band, which performs for all home games, as well as traveling to marching exhibitions throughout Ohio. Members include Jonsson, Anthony Brown, Dylan Feo, Paulina Seneff, Steven Shrenkel, Layne Spencer, Nicholas Stupka, Molly Willard and Tiffany Zeigler.

Based in Dayton and formed in 2016 by Evan Miller and Andrew Seivert, the Neutrals Percussion Duo combines their Rust Belt underground upbringings and classical training into a contemporary ensemble firmly grounded by their Midwestern roots. Equal parts written works and electroacoustic improvisation, Neutrals performs established percussion duo repertoire, drone-based sound explorations, and above all, commissioned works by living composers. Past and current collaborators include composers Rob Funkhouser, Nate May, Hugh Sheehan, and Brooks Frederickson, percussionist Aaron Michael Butler, Cincinnati experimental ensemble Knee Play, and Indianapolis-based production company NoExit Performance.

The best of Fall 2018 will be showcased at the Honors Recital on Tuesday, Dec. 4 at 7:30 p.m.. Students who accomplished exceptional musical work during the semester will showcase their vocal and instrumental talents as selected by their private teachers.

On Wednesday, Dec. 5 at 7:30 p.m., several student ensembles will perform in a joint recital including a jazz combo, brass ensemble and string ensemble under the direction of Dr. Thomas Reed, Joseph Lewis, Jr., and Jane Reed, respectively.

Mayor Miller to Give Encore Performance at TubaChristmas

The local holiday favorite TubaChristmas returns to Ashland University's Hugo Young Theatre on Saturday, Dec. 1 at 11 a.m. with Ashland City Mayor Matt Miller performing as the "Celebrity Tubist." This will be Mayor Miller's encore performance as he was the "Celebrity Tubist" last year. He had never played a musical instrument before and had a 30-minute lesson before the 2017 event. We are anxious to see if he has been practicing over the past year.

The concert is free and open to the public and invites area tuba, euphonium and baritone players to perform. Musician registration will begin at 9 a.m. followed by a rehearsal at 9:20 a.m. Everyone should note that this year's event is an hour earlier than last year's.

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 2018 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

Watts Presents Original Compositions

Sophomore music and computer science dual major Eric Watts (Ontario) will present a concert of his original compositions titled "Paperclips: An evening of music for trombones" on Saturday, Nov. 17 at 7:30 p.m. in the Elizabeth Pastor Recital Hall. The event is free and open to the public.

Eric composed several pieces for a trombone quartet over this past summer and then received further guidance from Dr. Stefan Swanson, Visiting Assistant Professor of Music, who has composed over 100 film and concert scores.

Eric's program for Saturday's concert will be selected from his following pieces:

• Chaconne from First Suite in Eb
• I Love You but Don't Like You
• If Only it Wasn't for my Crooked Peg Leg 
• Trombone Quartet 5
• Having Anxiety Gives Me Anxiety
• Equal

Trombonists participating in the concert are current AU students and alumni including the composer, Matthew MacDonald, Kyle Ackert and Jaylynn Buchmelter.

Percussion Clinic/Concert, Nov. 11

Join us for a free Percussion Clinic & Concert featuring Trommelgroep West-Nederland on Sunday, Nov. 11 at 2 p.m. in the Elizabeth Pastor Recital Hall. TWN will discuss the history, styles, and performance practices of Swiss drumming in a clinic format then perform a short concert showcasing this extraordinary style of traditional drumming through excellent musicianship and mastery.

Lewis' Career in Music and the Military Leads Him to AU

Joseph Lewis, Jr., Ashland University Director of Bands, is honored to have a career which combines his two worlds of music and the military. Not only will he lead the Ashland University Eagle Marching Band into Jack Miller Stadium for the football game against Northern Michigan on Nov. 10, but he will also recognize fellow military men and women for their service at a special halftime show in observance of Veterans Day.

Lewis' journey into a career combining music and the military began in the summer of 2000 when he enlisted in the Ohio Army National Guard, attended ten weeks of basic training and completed 3 weeks on-the-job training.

After completing the necessary steps to become a member of the Ohio National Guard's 122nd Army Band, he then enrolled as a music education and trombone performance major at the Ohio State University in January of 2001, and went on to earn his masters in music education from Bowling Green State University. In 2014, he attended Warrant Officer Candidate School to become the new 122nd Army Band Commander after a 15-year tenure in the band.

His journey then took a turn which led him to Ashland University when he was named the Director of Bands for the 2017-2018 academic year. Now in his second year at AU, he is making great strides in enhancing the Eagle Marching Band and Symphonic Band programs while continuing his leadership with the 122nd Army Band.

As the leader of both programs, Lewis is responsible for everything from recruiting and auditioning new members, to managing the various ensembles, selecting the repertoire and organizing the "missions" (the military term for their events including military ceremonies, military balls, honorable transfer of remains, and concert tours).

Lewis sees multiple benefits from working for both organizations which he has already implemented. Earlier this fall he collaborated with the Ashland High School (AHS) music department who hosted the 122nd's Flashback Rock Band for a day of workshops with the high school students as well as a public concert that evening. Joe emphasized that "the concert was good, but the workshopping with the high school students was great." Later in the semester, the AHS and AU Marching Bands performed a joint halftime show at each other's home games with over 200 musicians. These are great recruiting opportunities for the 122nd Army Band and the Ashland University Band.

For students looking to enroll in a college music program, there are great benefits for serving in the 122nd Army Band including scholarships, tuitiion assistance, student loan repayment program and G.I. Bill cash assistance for educational expenses such as books, housing, food and more. For a six year commitment of attending drill one weekend per month along with an additional 15 days through the year to perform in parades, public concerts, and ceremonies -- these benefits could be someone's opportunity for a college degree. The scholarship program covers up to 100% tuition paid to any state-supported school within the state of Ohio, or up to the amount of the highest state school tuition in Ohio towards a private university education.

To become a musician with the 122nd Army Band which is considered a "civilian acquired skill," those interested should contact Lewis through the Band's Web site or Facebook page to schedule an audition. The audition is comprised of two portions consisting of prepared and quickly prepared performance. For the prepared portion, auditionees must prepare at least three contrasting pieces which emphasize their technical, musical, and stylistic abilities. The evening before the audition, auditionees will be sent a packet of music of varying styles which will judge their ability to quickly prepare for a short-notice performance. Out of the 40-point audition scoring, a score of at least an 18 is needed to quality. Lewis makes it clear to those enlisting that they must also audition for the Advanced Individual Training (AIT) at the Army School of Music in Virginia Beach, be admitted and complete their 10-week training.

Throughout his career, it has been Mr. Lewis' goal to teach at the college level which he has met at Ashland University where he invites all military veterans to this Saturday's 1 p.m. football game to be recognized for their service on the field at halftime. Veterans will receive one free game ticket upon arrival at the stadium. To secure their ticket, veterans should contact Joe Lewis at jlewisjr@ashland.edu or 419.289.5132.

Remembering Liz

Dear Friends:

We are saddened to announce the passing of Elizabeth Pastor, a truly amazing person who meant a great deal to her students, friends and colleagues over her long life.

Liz taught piano at Ashland College/University from 1947 to 2014! She also taught piano at the Cleveland Institute of Music for many decades and at her home until a few weeks ago. She was a demanding, inspiring and persistent teacher, who always kept the focus on playing with beauty, expression and musicianship. She gave huge amounts of extra time to students preparing for recitals and juries. She taught students from absolute beginners to advanced students embarking on professional careers.

Liz received her artist’s diploma at the age of eighteen from Boston’s Longy School of Music. She studied piano with Boris Goldovsky, Carl Frieberg, Beryl Rubinstein and Arthur Loesser. She made her debut at Town Hall, New York and made solo appearances with leading orchestras throughout the country including the Cleveland Orchestra, the NBC Symphony in New York, the Boston Pops, the Las Vegas Philharmonic and various Ohio orchestras including Mansfield, Wooster and Ashland. She performed in solo recitals throughout the United States as well as being a participant in many chamber music concerts.

In 1987, Liz was named Ashland University’s second Trustees’ Distinguished Professor, an academic honor awarded by the University’s Board of Trustees to a professor who is recognized as an outstanding educator, performer and campus leader. She was chairperson of the Ashland University Music Department from 1983-1987, had an extensive record of serving on University faculty committees and was a multiple-year recipient of the AU Mentor Award.

Also an avid collector of contemporary art, her home and her yard are an amazing array of unique sculptures, paintings, sketches, mobiles, furniture, etc. Her office in 209 CFA was a miniature art gallery as well.

Liz was a community activist, using her clout to advocate for the preservation of historical buildings in Ashland. She helped bring speakers to Ashland on a variety of topics outside of music, including environmental and social issues.

She co-founded Ashland University’s Spectrum Series which hosted world-renowned performers and speakers from 1980 to 2014. She also regularly brought outstanding musicians to Ashland for recitals, sometimes at her own expense, and initiated the Music Department’s tradition of attending Cleveland Orchestra concerts as a group.

Her passion for great music, for helping others succeed and for her community is a great example to us all, and we will miss her.

From the Department of Music
Tom Reed, Chair

Sounds of the Stadium Concert, Nov. 4

The Ashland University Department of Music presents the Sounds of the Stadium concert featuring the Ashland University Eagle Marching Band under the direction of Joseph Lewis Jr., director of Bands, on Sunday, Nov. 4, at 7:30 p.m. in Kates Gymnasium inside the Physical Education Center. The concert is free and open to the public.

The 2018 Eagle Marching Band will perform selections from their halftime shows including music from boy bands, Panic! at the Disco, The Greatest Showman, classic spy shows, and the ’70s along with other Ashland University traditional favorites. The color guard and feature twirlers will also perform at this concert, which will be inside away from inclement weather.

AU Music Well-Represented in Little Women

AU Music will have a strong presence in Ashland University Theatre's production of Little Women, the musical which open this Friday. Leading the way is Ashland University's 14-year veteran Deb Hetrick Logan as the Musical Director. Deb's goal was to compile an all-student orchestra which she has done with: Jedidiah McFadden, Megan Saupé, Kameron Kainec, Ariane Hill, Jacob Moses, Nick Lawwill, Emily Schordock, Eric Watts, Emily Ebert and Stefan Jonsson.

Tickets for the performances slated for Nov. 2, 3, 10 and 11 at 7:30 p.m., and Nov. 4 at 2 p.m. can be purchased at the AU Box Office by phone at 419.289.5125 or online (add'l fees apply) at Ashland.edu/Tickets.

Lipsky, Reed & Hoca: A Chamber Music Concert, Oct. 22

Maestro Arie Lipsky (cello and flute), Dr. Thomas Reed (clarinet) and Claudia Hoca (piano) combine and showcase their talents for a chamber ensemble concert on Monday, October 22 at 7:30 p.m. in the Elizabeth Pastor Recital. The performance is free and open to the public.

The program begins with Maestro Lipsky on flute and Ms. Hoca on piano as they perform Paul Schoenfield's Achat Sha'alti, a passionate piece based on Psalm 27, and the playful and rhythmic Ufaratsta (Hebrew for Valentine), followed by Lili Boulanger's fast and lively D'un Matin de Printemps (A Spring Morning). Maestro will then switch to the cello for Sergei Rachmaninoff's Sonata in G minor for cello and piano, op. 19 in four movements in which most of the themes are introduced by the piano then embellished by the cello. After the intermission, Dr. Reed will perform Igor Stravinsky's Three Pieces for Clarinet Solo which begins on a clarinet in A then changes to a B-flat clarinet for the final movement while the asymmetrical piece is characterized by constant shifts in meter and time signatures. The concert will conclude with all of the musicians performing Johannes Brahms' Trio, op. 114, in four movements for clarinet, cello and piano.

Known in the Ashland area as the music director and conductor for the Ashland Symphony Orchestra, Arie Lipsky is a native of Haifa, Israel, where he received extensive training as a cellist and flutist. He holds degrees in Aeronautical Engineering and Music which he received before serving in the Israeli armed forces as a tank commander. After moving to the United States, Arie served as Assistant Conductor of the Cleveland Institute of Music Orchestra and graduated from there with distinction. During this period he also assumed conducting responsibilities with the Ohio Light Opera. He moved to Buffalo, New York in 1984 to become the Philharmonic's principal cellist and, in 1990, also became the Resident Conductor, a position he held for twelve years. He was a prize winner in the Chicago Cello Society Competition and performed as principal cellist with the Haifa Symphony Orchestra, the Cleveland Opera and the Colorado Music Festival; and has performed as cellist with the New Arts Trio since 1996. Maestro Lipsky is currently in his twenty-first season as Music Director and Conductor of the Ashland Symphony Orchestra, and in his seventeenth season as Music Director and Conductor of the Ann Arbor (Michigan) Symphony. He is also the Principal Guest Conductor of the Haifa Symphony Orchestra and is also a frequent conductor with orchestras in Europe, Israel, and North America.

Dr. Reed joined Ashland University faculty in 1986 and serves as professor of music and chair of the Department of Music and Theatre. He is a member of the Akron Symphony (bass clarinet) and Ashland Symphony (principal clarinet), was a long-time member of the Cleveland Jazz Orchestra (saxophone), 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 a soloist with the Akron, Mansfield, Clarence and Ashland Symphonies and performs on CDs from the Akron Symphony, Cleveland Chamber Symphony, Cleveland Jazz Orchestra, the Jazz Unit and the Paul Ferguson Jazz Orchestra. His clarinet CD “Mutually Inclusive” was released in 2008 on Capstone Records. He is also heard as a founding member of Iron Toys, a woodwind quartet that performs original repertoire for saxophones, clarinets and flutes, on their CD released in 2015. He holds a DMA in Clarinet Performance from The Ohio State University, an M.M. in Saxophone Performance from The University of Akron, and a B.M in Music Education from The University of Michigan.

Ms. Hoca is the recipient of numerous awards, including top prizes in the Chopin Young Pianist Competition and the Washington International Bach Competition. While still a teenager, she appeared with the Boston Pops under Arthur Fiedler, the Philadelphia Orchestra, and the New York Philharmonic in a Young People's Concert, broadcast live on network television. She has played over 20 different concertos with the Buffalo Philharmonic, has appeared in recitals throughout the United States and abroad and is much sought after as a chamber music collaborator. Her recordings include a premier recording of the piano music of Leo Smit on the Spectrum label and two collaborations with Philharmonia Virtuosi of New York available on the Essay label. She is often seen on the Kleinhans Stage as orchestral pianist with the BPO and has for the past five summers been the orchestral pianist of the Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra. Ms. Hoca is a graduate of the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, the State University of New York at Buffalo, and she received a Fulbright grant to return to her native Austria, where she pursued advanced studies under Bruno Seidlhofer.

Jazz at the Nest Returns Oct. 16

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 16 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 in the venue's relaxed, club-like atmosphere.

The concert will offer an eclectic mix of old and new arrangements including Belly Roll by Quincy Jones, I'm Beginning to See the Light by the team of Ellington, George, Hodges and James, Just a Closer Walk by Dean Sorenson, Vine Street Rumble by Benny Carter, Herbie Hancock's Wiggle Waggle and Cy Coleman's Witchcraft.

The 2018-2019 AUJO roster includes saxophonists Michael Spalding, Bridgid McDonald, Lauren DeBracy, Erica Wright and Ariane Hill; Nick Lawwill, Branden Barber, Jennifer Wigton and Nathan Roblin on trumpet; trombonists Matthew MacDonald, Satch Garlock, Eric Watts and Emily Schordock on horn; while the rhythm section consists of Alex Trotter on piano, Emily Ebert on bass, guitarist Oliver Dewey, Molly Willard on drums and vocalist Gracie Fumic.

Fall Choral Concert, Sunday, Oct. 14

The Ashland University Choir, Women's Chorus and the Ashland Area Chorus present a fall choral concert with an eclectic program ranging from a sea chantey, to a Serbian gypsy dance, folk and art songs as well as sacred compositions. The concert will be held on Sunday, Oct. 14, 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 with accompaniment by Dr. Timothy Guenther. Their portion of the program based on the theme of "Time and Place" will include Locus iste ("This place was made by God”) by Anton Bruckner, Time from “Choral Dance from Gloriana” by Benjamin Britten, I dream a world by Dave Brubeck, When memory fades as arranged by Eric Nelson, Sure on this shining night by Morten Lauridsen, and Shawn Kirchner's arrangement of the Kenyan folk song Wana Baraka.

Directed by Ashland University alumna Julie Strebler-Renner and accompanied by Susan Gregg, the Women’s chorus’ selections begin with the Canadian folk song Savory, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme as arranged by Donald Patriquin, followed by Daniel Elder’s Lullaby, Jacob Narverud’s Dominus vobiscum and the Serbian gypsy dance Niska Banja, arranged by Nick Page.

For the Ashland Area Chorus, director Elizabeth Slade has selected pieces following the theme "Viking Seas: Music from Iceland and other ports of call." The chorus will begin with Heyr, himna smithur ("Hear, Heaven’s maker what the poet bids.”) by Thorkell Sigurbjörnsson, followed by Heyr thú oss himnum á ("Hear us in heaven“) by Anna Thorvaldsdottir, and end with the sea chantey Drunken Sailor arranged by Jonathan Willcocks.

AU & AHS Bands Perform Together This Weekend

The Ashland University (AU) Marching Eagles and the Ashland High School (AHS) Arrows Marching Bands join forces this weekend to present two halftime shows. Directors Joseph Lewis, Jr. (AU), and Martin Kral (AHS) will lead 200 students to perform at the halftime shows for AHS' Friday night football game versus Mansfield Senior High School and again at AU’s Saturday evening football game against Saginaw Valley State University. Both games begin at 7 p.m.

With the theme of “Musicals,” the halftime shows will feature a performance by the home band and then the bands will combine to play two other show tunes.

On Friday night, the AHS Band will perform Mambo from West Side Story, then the AU Band will join them for This is Me from The Greatest Showman and Bohemian Rhapsody from We Will Rock You. This is Me will feature the AHS Sweeties Dance Team and Bohemian Rhapsody will feature the AU twirlers. The AU color guard will perform on both tunes as well.

On Saturday, the AU Band will perform two additional selections from The Greatest Showman including the title song, The Greatest Showman, and A Million Dreams. The AHS Band will join them for the two combined pieces that were performed at the Friday show.

According to Kral, who is an AU Band alumnus, the two marching bands performed together when he was a university student in the mid-1990s. He believes this is the first time in over 20 years that the bands have combined to perform together at each other’s halftime shows. Both directors hope to continue this joint effort for each football season.

Kral elaborated on Lewis’ outreach since he was appointed AU's Director of Bands, saying, "Within the last year we've met on several occasions about different opportunities for the university and the high school. We collaborated on the Middle School Honors Band last March and will again this coming spring. [As a member of the 122nd, Lewis] helped AHS host members of the 122nd Ohio Army National Guard Band. Fall of next year, Joe has a marching band show planned and has already invited us."

For more information about this weekend's events or the band programs, contact Kral at makral@ashlandcityschools.org or Lewis at jlewisjr@ashland.edu.

Madrigal Sales Begin Monday, 9/24

Tickets for the 43rd Annual Madrigal Feaste go on sale to the public on Monday, Sept. 24, 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 order online at www.ashland.edu/tickets (additional fees apply for online orders). Patrons can also come to the box office window located in the lobby of Hugo Young Theatre at the corner of College Avenue and Grant Street or call the box office at 419.289.5125. Discounted tickets for children 12 and under 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, Nov. 28 – Dec. 2, 2018. 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 16th-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 2018 Madrigal Feaste Chamber Singers feature Drew Berlin and Rachel Kelly as the King and Queen, along with the members of their royal court including J. Ethan Bedocs, Michael Cowan, Sami Eron, Gracie Fumic, Kendra Garver, Marty Gorsuch, Samantha Gross, Alli Lange, Jed McFadden, Matthew Plumb, Nathan Roblin, Ethan Tingler and Rebecca Young. Nik Demers will serve as the Jester leading his cast of Players including Ivey Buffenmyer, Tristan Peterman, Maya Rickard, Emily Schordock, Alyssa Srail and Will Taylor.

Tickets for the event are $28 for adults; $25 for groups of 10 or more; and $18 for children under 12. A special $13 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.

AU Marching Eagles Lead Annual Parade of Bands

This Sunday, Sept. 16 is the opening of the 2018 Ashland County Fair which will kickoff with the Annual Parade of Bands at 2 p.m. Held at the Fairgrounds Grandstand, the Parade of Bands will lead off with the Ashland University Marching Eagles and several of the local high school bands playing a combined and moving rendition of the National Anthem. Each band will then perform their own show of 3-4 tunes including their school's fight song. Enjoy this video of last year's performance.

Community Band Rehearsals Begin Sep. 11

The Ashland Area Community Concert Band (AACCB) begins its twenty-sixth season with its weekly rehearsals on Tuesday, Sep. 11 from 7:30-9 p.m. in the Center for the Arts' Elizabeth Pastor Recital Hall. Under the direction of Ashland University Professor Emeritus Leonard Salvo, 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 Symphonic Band on Saturday, December 8 at 7:30 p.m..

Open to all adults and high school students with the permission of the ensemble's director, requirements for AACCB 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. 

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 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 by clicking on the "Buy Single Tickets" icon.

For further information, contact the Community Band director Leonard Salvo at lsalvo@ashland.edu.

Ashland Area Chorus Invites Singers to Rehearsals Beginning Aug. 27

As it enters its 21st anniversary season, the Ashland Area Chorus (AAC), under the direction of Libby Slade, announces its fall schedules including rehearsals, concerts and membership requirements.

Beginning Monday, Aug. 27, Ashland Area Chorus rehearsals are held on Monday evenings from 7-8:45 p.m. in Room 242 of the Center for the Arts.

Founded by Dr. Rowland Blackley in 1998, the 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.

AAC’s theme this semester is Viking Seas: Music from Iceland and other ports of call. Performances will include AU’s Fall Choral Concert on Oct. 14 and Festival of Lights on Dec. 9.

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/tickets.

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

Register for AU Marching Band!

It’s not too late to register for Ashland University Marching Band! Band camp starts Monday, August 20 so there’s still time to register. We have specific needs for a bass drummer and cymbal players, but everyone is welcome to join us!

This year's shows include:

• Panic! At the Disco
• The Greatest Showman

and many other cool themes.

Contact the director, Joe Lewis (jlewisjr@ashland.edu) for more information.

ASO & Area Chorus Perform This Sunday

The Ashland Symphony Orchestra and the Ashland Area Chorus perform their annual Pops in the Park concert this Sunday, July 1 at 8 p.m. in the Guy C. Myers Memorial Band Shell at Brookside Park. The concert will feature all of your patriotic favorites along with special effects from the Civil War Battery D, 1st Ohio Light Artillery, sparklers and paper bag cannons.

Vocalists Invited to Sing in ASO Pops in the Park Concert

The Ashland Area Chorus (AAC), a non-auditioned mixed choir of 40-60 participants, invites local singers to join them for a short summer session and to perform with the Ashland Symphony Orchestra. The 4-week rehearsal schedule meets for four consecutive Mondays including: June 4, 11, 18 and 25. 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 1 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 a stand-alone presentation of the Dvořák Mass in D Minor, 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 4.

Lewis Invited to Eastman's Wind Conducting Institute

Congratulations to Joseph Lewis, Ashland University Director of Bands, who is one 1 of 10 conductors invited to attend Summer@Eastman's Wind Conducting Institute (SWCI).  The Institute capitalizes on the relationship between the Eastman School of Music and the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, providing talented apprentice conductors the opportunity to conduct and rehearse highly skilled professional musicians. The course focuses on the relationship between conductor and ensemble, exploring how conductors can achieve their artistic intentions. Eastman professors Mark Scatterday and Donald Hunsberger will lead the SWCI and collectively have directed the Eastman Wind Ensemble for over 50 years. READ MORE

AU Choir's Unique Opportunity at Ohio State Reformatory

On day one of its 2018 choir tour, the University Choir toured the Ohio State Reformatory which was the site for the popular 1994 Academy Award nominated film Shawshank Redemption. While touring the site, they performed an impromtu concert in the facility's chapel. Listen here as the choir takes full advantage of the acoustics.

Choir Tour 2018: May 7-12

All alumni and friends of Ashland University are cordially invited to attend one of the University Choir's upcoming concerts as they travel close to you. The 2018 tour presents concerts scheduled at various churches and high schools in northern Ohio, western New York and Toronto. The following performances are free and open to the public.

Monday, May 7, 7:30 p.m.
First Lutheran Church, 33 Broadway St., Shelby, OH

Tuesday, May 8, 7 p.m.
Painesville United Methodist Church, 71 N. Park Place, Painesville, OH

Wednesday, May 9, 7 p.m.
Williamsville United Methodist Church, 5681 Main St., Williamsville, NY

Thursday, May 10, 7:30 p.m.
Glenview Presbyterian Church, 1 Glenview Ave., Toronto, ON

Under the direction of Dr. Rowland Blackley, the 2018 tour program includes selections from throughout the 2017-2018 concert season. Pieces by living American composers Egil Hovland, Z. Randall Stroope, André Thomas, and Wendell Whalum are featured along with those of Philips and Lotti. The Ashland University Chamber Singers will contribute songs by Debussy, David, and Tate, as well as works from the Renaissance. Excerpts from Britten’s Rejoice in the Lamb and some Moses Hogan spirituals will round out the program. There’s something for every choral taste!

AU Choirs Singing with ASO

On Saturday, April 28, the Ashland University Choir and Ashland Area Chorus will combine into a choir of 110 singers to perform selections from Handel's Solomon with the Ashland Symphony Orchestra for their "Romantic April" program. The 48th season finale concert will also feature soloist Sarina Zhang on piano for Mendelssohn's Piano Concerto No. 1, op. 25, G minor; and on cello for Saint-Saens' Violoncello Concerto, No. 1, op. 33, A minor. In addition, the Orchestra will perform Liszt's Les Preludes.

As ASO's Maestro Lipsky has been invited to be the guest conductor for the World-class Korean Broadcasting System Symphony Orchestra this week, the "Romantic April" concert will feature two guest conductors including AU Music's Dr. Rowland Blackley and Oberlin College's Raphael Jiménez.

Tickets are available through the ASO office at 419.289.5125 or their website at AshlandSymphony.org, as well as the AU Box Office at 419.289.5125.

2017-2018 Music Department Awards

Congratulations to the following students who were recognized for their exceptional accomplishments in the 2017-2018 academic year:

Music Department Academic Awards
Sophomore: Alli Lange (Mansfield)
Junior: Samantha Eron (Brighton, MI)
Senior: Hannah Wise (Hartville)

Ohio Collegiate Music Education Association (OCMEA) Leadership Award
Kailyn Buyok (Wooster), Grace Fumic (Avon), Rachel Parfitt Kelly (Columbus), Jennifer Wigton (Loudonville)

Outstanding Student Teacher
Jacob Poiner (Wellington)

Zach Spier Award for participation and contribution by non-majors
Corey Turpin (Ashland), Derek Rangel (Wooster), Emily Sycks (Bluffton)

Most Improved Music Major
Dominick Febbo (Avon)

Outstanding Performer
Rachel Parfitt Kelly (Columbus), Nik Psota (Hinckley)

Outstanding Music Major
Hannah Wise (Hartville)

Graduating Seniors
Dominick Febbo (Avon), Jacob Poiner (Wellington), Jake Riley (Wooster), Anna Rivero (Three Bridges, NJ), Hannah Wise (Hartville)

Spring Choral Concert Features Four Choirs Including Loudonville High School

Three Ashland University vocal ensembles join forces with the Loudonville High School Symphonic Choir to present the university's annual spring choral concert on Sunday, April 29, at 4 p.m. in the Jack and Deb Miller Chapel. The concert is free and open to the public.

Dr. Rowland Blackley, professor of Music and director of Choral Activities, will conduct the University Choir and Chamber Singers with Dr. Timothy Guenther accompanying on organ and piano. The University Choir will sing a pair of spirituals by Moses Hogan including Abide with Me and The Battle of Jericho.

The Chamber Singers will perform John David and Peter Knight’s uplifting song You Are the New Day, which was made famous by the world-renowned King’s Singers; Esto les Digo by Kinley Lange, a beautiful pair of verses from Matthew’s gospel translated into Spanish; Giselle Wyers' composition of Within the Circles of Our Lives with poetry by Kentucky's Wendell Berry; and Brian Tate's Gate Gate, a setting of a Buddhist mantra.

Directed by Ashland University alumna Julie Strebler-Renner and accompanied by Susan Gregg, the Women's chorus' selections will follow the theme of "What the world needs now...hope, truth, peace, love, justice.” Pieces will include the Beatles' Blackbird; Andrea Ramsey's The Rising; Vijah Singh's On Justice, Truth and Peace; and the Pentatonix arrangement of Take Me Home.

Under the direction of Michael Snyder, the LHS Symphonic Choir will sing Eric Whitacre's The Seal Lullaby, Ola Gjeilo's Northern Lights, Andre Thomas' Swing Down Chariot, and their Women's Chorus will perform I Couldn't Hear Nobody Pray, also by Thomas.

The University and LHS Choirs will also present Undine Smith Moore's arrangement of Daniel, Daniel, Servant of the Lord as a combined number.

2018 Spring Honors Recital Performers

Congratulations to the 2018 Spring Honors Recital musicians who will be performing Monday, April 23 at 8 p.m. in the Elizabeth Pastor Recital Hall. These students have been selected for accomplishing exceptional work this semester: Kailyn Buyok (violin), Moriah Goldsmith (piano), Jed McFadden (piano), Rebecca Young (vocalist), Emily Schordock (horn), Gabby Carr (vocalist)

Concert Celebrates "The Masters" & More

Ashland University Department of Music presents its final band concert of the 2017-2018 academic year on Saturday, April 21 at 7:30 p.m. in Hugo Young Theatre with the annual Spring Band Concert. Admission to the concert is free and open to all.

The Ashland Area Community Concert Band (AACCB) under the direction of Leonard Salvo, and the Ashland University Symphonic Band directed by Joseph Lewis, Jr., will perform a program themed "The Masters" as it features major composers within the band and orchestra world. The event will serve as a celebration for the AACCB's 25th anniversary, and will recognize the senior AU Band members for their dedication and contribution to the AU Band program.

The AACCB will feature soloists John Robinson, euphonium, performing Rhapsody for Euphonium and Concert Band, and Tom Reed on saxophone performing his arrangement of three nostalgic pieces entitled Radio Days. Their portion of the program will also present A Festival Prelude by Alfred Reed celebrating the ensemble's 25th season, Hands Across the Sea by Sousa and The Light Eternal by James Swearingen remembering the 4 chaplains who gave their lives to save others when the SS Dorchester was attacked and sunk during WWII.

The University Symphonic Band will perform Copland's Fanfare for the Common Man, Holst's Second Suite for Military Band in F, Grainger's Irish Tune from County Derry and Children's March, Mackey's Foundry, and conclude with Williams' Olympic Fanfare and Theme.

Two Jazz Concerts Next Week

The Department of Music announces two jazz concerts next week on Monday, April 16 at noon and Tuesday, April 17 at 7:30 p.m. Both concerts are free and open to all and they will be held in the Eagles Nest in the Hawkins-Conard Student Center.

The Monday concert over the noon hour will feature the "AU Lunch-Hour" Jazz Combo directed by Dr. Thomas Reed. The concert's program will be selected from the following pieces: Autumn Leaves by Joseph Kosma, Conversation Piece by Howie Smith, Guataca City by Paquito D'Rivera, Herbie Hancock's Watermelon Man, Wayne Shorter's Footprints, Joe Zawinul's Mercy, Mercy, Mercy and Thelonious Monk's Blue Monk.

Personnel for the "AU Lunch-Hour" Jazz Combo includes Branden Barber, trumpet; Frank Stanek, baritone; Dom Febbo, guitar; Moriah Goldsmith, piano; Jackson Schultz, bass; and Tyler Watson, drums.

Tuesday's evening concert will feature the Award-Winning Ashland University Jazz Orchestra (AUJO) under the direction of Dr. Scott Garlock. Pre-show music will be provided by The FrankenDom Combo with Frank Stanek, trombone; Jennifer Wigton, trumpet; Dom Febbo, guitar; and Jackson Schultz, bass. They will perform pieces such as There Will Never Be Another You, Recordame, Scrapple from the Apple, How High the Moon, Have you met Miss Jones? and The Thrill is Gone.

This final concert on-campus for AUJO will feature a mix of tunes from the 1940s through the turn of the century such as swing, bossa nova, concert jazz, progressive jazz, jazz funk and some great energy. Immediately after the concert, the ensemble will leave to perform at the St. Louis Jazz Festival.

2018 Opera Scenes: An Evening of Menotti

Ashland University Department of Music presents two evenings of opera scenes on Friday, April 13 and Saturday, April 14 which will feature the theatrical operas of Gian Carlo Menotti. The nightly 7:30 p.m. performances will be held in the intimate Studio Theatre at Ashland University, and are free and open to the public.

The performances will present scenes from four of Menotti's operas including The Old Maid and the Thief, Amahl and the Night Visitors, The Medium and The Consul. Complete with theatrical staging, the scenes will include lighting design by Seth Morrison, costume design by Justin Bilewicz and Drew Berlin, while Kendra Garver is the properties master.

Under the direction of Sandra Ross and accompaniment by pianist Deb Logan, this annual event features vocal performances from student singers. This year's female cast includes Samantha Eron (Brighton, MI), Gracie Fumic (Avon), Kendra Garver (Shreve), Mia Kardotzke (Clyde), Maya Rickard (Wooster), Anna Rivero (Ashland), and Rebecca Young (Sherwood, Oregon). Male singers include Cory Turpin (Ashland) and Drew Berlin (Barberton).

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, Beethovens’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.

Pianist Performs AU Concert to Tell the Story of Her Father

Ashland University Department of Music will present a guest artist recital by pianist Sandra Shapiro titled, “Ïn My Father's Footsteps: A daughter's search for answers,” on Sunday, April 8 at 7:30 p.m. in the Elizabeth Pastor Recital Hall. Free and open to the public, the concert is the first of four musical narratives created by Shapiro as she followed her musical journey as a proud daughter and sister of immigrants.

“In My Father's Footsteps” is the story of Shapiro’s discoveries of the man she called “Abba” (Hebrew for father) by tracing his journey through life.

Born in Soviet Russia in 1923, her father’s life unfolded as a fantastic portrayal of courage and perseverance in pursuing his dreams. Her search for answers uncovered his many roles and adventures: WWII as a medic in the Russian army, serving as a doctor in a DP camp in Berlin’s Russian sector, a daring escape from Stalin’s clutches to Foehrenwald DP camp in the American sector, a brief time in Argentina, recruited to the newly formed Israel and finally on to America where she was born.

The music presented in this recital will reflect what she was able to learn about her father’s life, the places he lived, joys and hardships, and his final years. The program consists of pieces by Lyadov, Chopin, Rachmaninoff and Schubert.

Shapiro’s father died when she was quite young and she never knew him when she was an adult. Her curiosity piqued in 2006 after discovering a very old letter written to her father from Moscow. This is when she began her quest to learn about his life and journey to America, which traversed four continents.

Her quest resulted in “Musical Roots: An Exploration of Cultural Heritage and Influences,” which consists of four musical narratives presented as recitals or lectures either individually or as a series including:
I. In My Father’s Footsteps: A daughter’s search for answers
II. Songs My Safta Sang to Me
III. A Portrait of the Musician as a Melting Pot
IV. My Country 'tis of Thee

Shapiro enjoys an active career as performer, teacher, adjudicator and recording artist throughout the United States and Europe. Known as a versatile performer, she appears as soloist both in recitals and with orchestras, and as a highly sought-after chamber musician. She has received national and international awards along with glowing reviews and recognition in each of these areas.

She began her studies at the age of three and a half, and by age 11, was performing in recitals and as a soloist with orchestras. Because of her prodigious talent, Shapiro left home at age 15 to study at the Juilliard School upon the recommendation of her childhood mentor.

As a member of the renowned duo-piano team of Hecht & Shapiro, Shapiro's laureates include winning the Munich International Duo Piano Competition, the Ellis National Duo Piano Competition, and top prizes in the Dranoff International Two Piano Competition and the International Jeunesses Musicales Competition.

She is a member of the Piano and Chamber Music faculty at the Cleveland Institute of Music, Visiting Chamber Music Teaching Artist at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, and is an Alumni Teaching Artist for The Juilliard-Nord Anglia Global Partnership Program.

Choral Concert to Include Biblical Dramas, Choral and Folk Songs

The Ashland University Choir, Chamber Singers and Women’s Chorus will present an eclectic choral concert program ranging from Biblical dramas to choral and folk songs on Sunday, March 25, at 4 p.m. in the Jack and Deb Miller Chapel. The event is free and open to the public.

Dr. Rowland Blackley, professor of Music and director of Choral Activities, will conduct the University Choir and Chamber Singers with Dr. Timothy Guenther accompanying on organ and piano. The University Choir will perform several Biblical dramas reflecting the text in a manner that highlights the strength, sadness, joy or anger contained therein. Pieces will include Lotti’s Crucifixus, Stroope’s The Lamentations of Jeremiah, Philips’ Ascendit Deus, Thomas’ Rockin' Jerusalem as well as Daniel, Daniel, Servant of the Lord by Moore with soloists Drew Berlin (Barberton) and Mark Gorsuch (Ashland); and Saul by Hovland with Jake Riley (Wooster) and Ian Kieffer (Marion) as narrators.

The Chamber Singers will perform selections from two of the great sets of choral songs with four pieces from Brahms' Song and Romances (Opus 93a) including The Humpbacked Fiddler, O Sweet May, Take Heed!, and Farewell; followed by Debussy’s Three Songs of Charles of Orleans (God! She if Fair; When I Hear the Tambourine with soloist Rachel Kelly (Columbus); and Winter, You're Nothing But a Rogue).

Directed by Ashland University alumna Julie Strebler-Renner and accompanied by Susan Gregg, the Women’s chorus' selections will begin with the American folk song Hello, Girls arranged by Pfautsch; and Silvey’s Bloom, a celebration of spring; followed by And Miriam Sang by Highben which is based on Exodus 15:21. Their program will conclude with J. David Moore’s arrangement of the Appalachian folk song Will the Circle be Unbroken.

Senior Recital: Anna Rivero, soprano, Mar. 22

Ashland University Department of Music will present a senior recital with soprano Anna Rivero accompanied by pianist Deb Logan on Thursday, March 22, at 7:30 p.m. in the Elizabeth Pastor Recital Hall. The concert is free and open to the public.

Rivero is a vocal music major from Three Bridges, N.J. The program for her recital will consist of classical pieces by Scarlatti, Mozart, Puccini, Schubert and Schumann; and more contemporary compositions by Satie and Duke.

Annual Middle School Honors Band Concert, Mar. 18

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 18, at 4 p.m. in Hugo Young Theatre. The Ashland University Concert Band will be the featured guest ensemble. Joseph Lewis Jr., Ashland University director of bands, will serve as conductor for both ensembles.

Consisting of 78 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 Lewis and Ashland’s Martin Kral, 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 16, and Sunday, March 18, to rehearse and present this program with music ranging from classical selections to traditional marches.

The 53-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 Copland's Fanfare for the Common Man, Wagner's The Ride of the Valkyries, Irish Tune from County Derry by Percy Grainger, Foundry by John Mackey, and J.P. Sousa’s The Black Horse Troop.

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

Jazz Vocalist Jane Monheit Headlines Maplerock

Ashland University’s award-winning jazz program is proud to present the 2018 Maplerock Jazz Festival slated for Friday, March 16. Along with free performances by area school jazz ensembles from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., the event presents a main stage concert at 7:30 p.m. in Hugo Young Theatre which features acclaimed Grammy-nominated vocalist Jane Monheit.

Monheit will perform as the headliner of the Jazz Festival's evening concert which will open with the Ashland University Jazz Orchestra under the direction of Dr. Scott Garlock. Ashland High School alumnus Chip Stephens, piano; Rich Shanklin, saxophone; and Bob Bonora, drums will join Monheit as guest artists on the evening program.

Blessed with “a voice of phenomenal beauty” (Stephen Holden, New York Times), Jane Monheit has had plenty of milestone moments in establishing herself as one of today’s best and most important vocalist-musicians. From being labeled a musical prodigy to her first runner-up finish in 1998’s Thelonious Monk International Vocal Competition, Jane’s ingénue looks and passion for the Great American Songbook led her to producing Songbook Sessions: Ella Fitzgerald, her tenth studio recording since her 2000 debut, Never Never Land.

Monheit explains, "The Great American Songbook is always going to be the core for me. I have a real sense of pride and purpose about keeping it alive, bringing the music to new generations." It’s a national treasure. I’m really proud to be one of the singers that people want to hear handling that material.”

Jazz pianist Chip Stephens returns to his hometown to join Monheit at Maplerock. His collaborative, recording and world-wide touring with some of the legendary figures in the history of jazz would compile a dissertation. He has performed on Grammy and Emmy Award winning recordings and is sought after for his hard-swinging, powerful and lyrical pianism. As professor of jazz piano at the University of Illinois, Stephens has been consistently ranked in the top 10% of University of Illinois professors since 2005. He was recognized by the Provost, Vice Chancellor and the Committee on Tenure and Promotion as being “Extraordinary for the level of his Teaching and Collaborative Artistry.”

Saxophonist Rich Shanklin has been a faculty member at the University of Akron since 1982, where he teaches classical and jazz saxophone, coaches saxophone quartets, and teaches courses in jazz history, jazz arranging, woodwind pedagogy and the business of music. He has also directed the Vocal Jazz Ensemble. He is a member of the Cleveland Jazz Orchestra, the Jazz Unit, and the Blossom Festival Band, and has also played woodwinds for countless performances at Playhouse Square as a member of the pit orchestra.

Percussionist Bob Bonora has worked with a variety of entertainers, performing in virtually every hotel and showroom in Las Vegas. He currently is on the faculty of The College of Southern Nevada, where he is Lead Faculty for Music, coordinator of Percussion/Steel Drum and Drum Set Studies as well professor of History of Rock Music. Bob is also currently percussionist with Vegas! The Show at Planet Hollywood. He has performed as percussionist with The Wayne Newton Orchestra, and as a member of the Crimes Against Nature Band for the Emmy Award Nominated Penn & Teller television show “Sin City Spectacular.” He has also performed with an endless list of premier artists from Harry Connick, Jr. and Alicia Keys to Luciano Pavarotti and Andrea Bocelli. Bob has done work in many of the Broadway shows playing in Las Vegas including The Producers, Mama Mia, We Will Rock You, Avenue Q, Annie, and The Full Monty.

These four guest artists will conduct a public clinic with nine area school bands that will perform earlier in the day in Hugo Young Theatre. After each band performs their 30-minute concert, the guest artists will meet with the band and offer their expertise to strengthen the ensemble and individual musician's performance. The Jazz Festival's afternoon performances are scheduled as follows:

11:30 a.m. Foundation Academy Jazz Band

12:00 p.m. Ashland High School Jazz Band B

12:30 p.m. Lake High School Jazz Band

1:00 p.m. Rittman High School Jazz Band

1:30 p.m. Ashland High School Jazz Band A

2:00 p.m. GlenOak High School Jazz Band II

2:30 p.m. Brecksville-Broadview Heights High School Jazz Ensemble

3:00 p.m. Galion High School Jazz Band

3:30 p.m. GlenOak High School Jazz Band I

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.

Guitarist Presents Senior Recital, Mar. 1

The Ashland University Department of Music will present a senior recital by guitarist Dominick Febbo from Avon, Ohio, on Thursday, March 1, at 7:30 p.m. in the Elizabeth Pastor Recital Hall. The recital is free and open to the public.

Febbo, a music performance major, will begin his concert with classical pieces by Bach and Handel, followed by compositions by Spanish composers including Albeniz, Llobet and Tarrega, and conclude with Satie's Gymnopedie No. 1.

Community Band Begins Rehearsals Feb. 13

The Ashland Area Community Concert Band (AACCB)] announces their spring schedule including rehearsals, concerts and membership requirements. Beginning February 13, the Community Band rehearsals are held on Tuesday evenings from 7:30-9:00 p.m. in Room 115 of the Center for the Arts (formerly the Arts and Humanities building).

In its twenty-fifth season, the Ashland Area Community Concert Band 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 spring include a performance at the University with the Ashland University Symphonic Band on Saturday, April 21, and a concert at Brookside Park's Memorial Band Shell on Sunday, June 17.

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.

Membership in 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 by clicking on the "Buy Single Tickets" icon.

For further information, contact the Community Band director Leonard Salvo at lsalvo@ashland.edu.

Senior Recital: Rachel Kelly, Soprano, Feb. 4

Music education major Rachel Kelly of Columbus will present her senior vocal recital with pianist Deb Logan on Sunday, Feb. 4 at 1 p.m. in the Elizabeth Pastor Recital Hall. Her program will begin with classical pieces by W. A. Mozart, Franz Schubert, Gabriel Faure, Daniel Auber, and Gian Carlo Menotti, while the second half features more contemporary pieces by Jeanine Tesori, Adam Schlesinger, Jonathan Reid Gealt and Melanie Brooks. Free & Open to the Public

AU Faculty & Students Honored at OPCICA

Several AU students and faculty were honored this weekend at the annual Ohio Private College Instrumental Conductor's Association (OPCICA) honor bands concert. In addition to Ashland's Joseph Lewis and Dr. Scott Garlock serving as conductors, the following students represented Ashland University:

OPCICA Honors Concert Band
Erica Wheaton bass clarinet
Eric Watts bass trombone
Ariane Hill, flute
Stefan Jonsson, percussion
Jennifer Wigton, trumpet
Brandi Wells, tuba

OPCICA Honors Jazz Ensemble
Derek Rangel, lead tenor saxophone
Jason Wolf, baritone saxophone
Nik Psota, lead trumpet
Frank Stanek, bass trombone

Stanek Featured in Halftime Magazine

Ashland University Music student Frank Stanek was featured in the Sept/Oct issue of Halftime Magazine regarding his experience in the Ashland University Marching Band at age 65.

“The director was concerned that I might have physical limitations, … but after many years in farming and construction, I felt I could do it, and I said I’d like to try,” Stanek says. “After three days of band camp, the kids were moaning and groaning, and I was having a ball.”

Read the full article HERE.