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Past and present UM stars will light up the stage in the 2003 Odyssey of the Stars — A Celebration of Artistic Journeys, scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Saturday, April 5, at the University Theatre. The showcase event, a benefit for the School of Fine Arts scholarship fund, will feature fine arts alumni who have gone on to successful careers in the arts, in concert with current faculty and students from the School of Fine Arts. Internationally acclaimed jazz singer Dee Daniels,’70, and award-winning artist Dana Boussard,’ 66 and ’68, highlight this year’s must-see event.
ed in concert with such jazz legends as Lionel Hampton, Johnny Griffin and Herb Ellis. She also has performed in legendary theaters throughout Europe, the United Kingdom, Africa, Hong Kong, Japan, Australia and North America. Critical reviews attest to the fact that few singers match her warmth, sincerity and ability to captivate an audience so completely.
Greetings from the UM School of Fine Arts faculty, staff and students! 
Homecoming 2002 held added excitement this year for the School of Fine Arts when Nancy Fields O’Connor of Los Angeles, B.A. Fine Arts ’51 and B.A. Drama ’51, was honored as one of six 2002 Distinguished Alumni Award recipients by The University of Montana. Always active in the arts, she performed on stage and designed sets and costumes while attending UM. After graduation, she continued theatre work in Europe and later in New York where she acted in the Broadway production God and Kate Murphy, directed by Burgess Meredith.|
Professor England, who has served as Associate Dean of the School of Fine Arts since 1993, returned to full-time teaching this fall, though she continues to assist Dean Shirley Howell with special projects as time allows. “Esther has been invaluable to the School of Fine Arts in her work as Associate Dean, and I look forward to her continued counsel and assistance,” said Howell. “Esther is one of the nation’s great voice teachers, and the continuous influx of outstanding voice students to UM reflects her influence. Many prominent singers and teachers give her primary credit for their success, and our students are understandably delighted to have a greater claim to her time.” |
Professor of Music Esther England has been named Montana Professor of the Year by the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education. Voice teacher and mentor for many successful singers and actors (including Pamela South, profiled on pg. 4), Esther England was featured in The Montanan’s fall 2001 cover story, titled “Diva in Her Own Right.”
Noted Singer/UM Alumna Receives Honorary Doctorate
University of Montana alumna Pamela South has melded her considerable talent, creativity and intellect into a lifelong and focused dedication to the art of singing. As a result of her enormous talent, supported by a belief in her goals and a willingness to dream, she has achieved greatness in the world of music. In so doing, she has carried The University of Montana’s name throughout the United States and, indeed, the world.
President George Dennison conferred upon her an Honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degree, the University’s highest honor, in May 2002.
“Pamela is an ambassador of the first order for The University of Montana,” School of Fine Arts Dean Shirley Howell said.
Pamela came to UM from Salmon, Idaho, in 1967. Her musical journey began when Professor of Music Esther England heard her sing and took the young singer under her tutelage. Professor England helped nurture and develop Pamela’s prodigious talent, and within three years Pamela South had won the Metropolitan Opera Auditions and was offered a solo contract with the Seattle Opera. She proceeded to win the San Francisco Opera Auditions, where she entered the Merola program, becoming the leading soloist with this prestigious opera company. Her career flowered from there, and she was featured in such places as New York’s Carnegie Hall, the Lincoln Center, and the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington D.C. She has received critical acclaim from virtually every major national publication, from journals such as Opera and Opera News to newspapers such as The Washington Post, The New York Times and the London Sunday Times.
“Pamela’s voice and artistry first flowered and then literally soared,” Esther England said. “At UM, she established an outstanding record of performance in the Opera program and was a core member of the Jubileers group that toured the Pacific Theatre during the Vietnam War, entertaining thousands of American troops.”
A former rodeo queen and an avid sports fan, Ms. South began her singing career in country western and musical theatre. Today she is known throughout the opera world as a performer of incredible range and depth, as both singer and actress. “Strong, sure, and a compelling actress with nothing short of vocal brilliance,” said the New York Times. The London Sunday Times called her “an absolutely secure soprano with spine-tingling top Cs.”
Recently, Pamela has kept a very busy schedule singing in venues nationwide. She has performed in her home state of Idaho in Madama Butterfly with the Boise Opera, at the New York City Opera in a new production of I Pagliacci and at Lincoln Center’s Mostly Mozart Festival in several productions. She performed Peter Schickele’s ‘dramatic oratorio’ spoof Oedipus Tex in Carnegie Hall. She has also performed with the Boston Lyric Opera, the Orlando Opera, Opera Colorado, the Washington Opera, the Cincinnati Opera, the Minnesota Opera and Opera Omaha.
Spring 2001, she and classmate Rob Quist were the super luminaries lighting up the UM stage for the first Odyssey of the Stars scholarship event. Pam and Rob were also the first inductees into the UM School of Fine Arts Hall of Honor.
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Professor of Art Beth Lo was named the 2002 School of Fine Arts Distinguished Faculty Awardee and Commencement Speaker. She has exhibited her work nationally and internationally, with five solo or two person exhibitions in the past three years, including shows at Lorinda Knight Gallery in Spokane, WA; Mobila Gallery in Cambridge, MA; Francine Seders Gallery in Seattle, WA and Paris Gibson Square Museum of Art in Great Falls, MT. Beth has also been a part of some twenty group exhibitions on the national, international and regional level. Of special note was her recognition at the First Millennium End Ceramics International Invitational in Beijing, China. Additional noteworthy venues include: SOFA Chicago at Mobilia Gallery in Spokane, and shows at Baltimore Clayworks, Hershey, PA; Studio B in Lancaster, OH; Craft Alliance in St. Louis, MO; Artyard in Denver, CO and the Holter Art Museum in Helena, MT. In addition, Beth’s work was featured through reviews and images in several national publications. These include the July/August cover of American Craft Magazine with accompanying story by Rick Newby. Her work was featured in the gallery section of the October issue as well, and also in the Chinese Ceramic Newsletter, vol. 4; Susan Peterson’s book Contemporary Ceramics, and Seattle’s International Examiner and The Columbus (OH) Dispatch. This year her work was also purchased for the collection of Microsoft Corporation and the Cheney Cowles Art Museum in Spokane, WA. As an educator, Beth has worked with her classes to develop exhibition opportunities for her students. Some of these include organizing exhibitions at Art City in Hamilton, Community Hospital in Missoula, and the Blue Mountain Clinic. She has coordinated the Annual Starving Students Ceramics Sale and Archie Bray Days at UM. |
DeFranco Celebrates 80th Birthday at UM Jazz FestivalTop jazz clarinetist and Montana resident Buddy DeFranco will celebrate his 80th birthday at the jazz festival named in his honor. The Buddy DeFranco Jazz Festival takes place at The University of Montana Friday, and Saturday, April 25-26, with 7:30 p.m. concerts planned each evening.
The concerts will feature a stellar lineup of jazz musicians, accompanied by local favorites, the All-Star Jazz Trio and UM Jazz Band I. On Friday, Buddy DeFranco, who is widely regarded as the greatest “bebop clarinetist” in the history of jazz, will be joined by guest artist James Moody on saxophone. On Saturday, he will welcome old friends and fellow jazz masters Butch Miles on drums, Bill Watrous on trombone, Joe Cohn on guitar and Fabrice Zammarchi on clarinet and saxophone. The event promises to be a birthday party and jam session extraordinaire.
The festival also will feature daytime clinics for more than 500 students from across the region. Guest clinicians are Bob Washut from the University of Northern Iowa and Hal Sherman of Bellevue Community College.
For concert tickets, call TIC-IT-E-Z at (406) 243-4051 in Missoula or (888) 666-8262. More information is available online at www.umt.edu/defrancojazz or by calling (406) 243-5071.
Students working with internationally renowned artists. Standing ovations. Encores galore. Comedic repartee. Advice on performing and practice techniques. Late night jamming. Hollers on and offstage. Great Jazz!!
All these came together to create the stellar University of Montana 2002 Buddy DeFranco Jazz Festival Friday and Saturday, April 26 and 27. The Festival is a celebration of jazz performance and education that connects students and audiences of the region with the finest internationally recognized jazz artists.
For over 20 years, the Festival has given high school and college ensembles the chance to learn from performances and clinics given by top-notch jazz musicians and educators. Over 500 students and over 1,500 audience members participate every year.
Buddy DeFranco and his wife Joyce live part of the year in Whitefish and since 1999 he has “loaned” his name to The University of Montana festival. Buddy has recorded over 150 albums and is the most recorded modern jazz clarinetist since the Swing Era. He has the distinction of winning twenty Downbeat Magazine Awards, nine Metronome Magazine Awards, and sixteen Playboy all-stars Awards as the number one jazz clarinetist in the world.
Buddy has made both concert and recording appearances with such stars as Art Tatum, Billie Holliday, Nat King Cole, Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Stan Getz, Nelson Riddle, Billy Eckstine, Art Blakey, Louis Bellson, and Oscar Peterson.
Joining Buddy for the Festival was another remarkable clarinetist, Eddie Daniels and the outstanding trumpeter Byron Stripling. These guest artists brought their unique gifts to a number of performances and master classes.
Eddie is a masterful, intense and driven clarinetist. He is also a Grammy Award recipient and renaissance musician who bridges jazz and classical styles. Over the years, his playing has grown richer, more inflected, mellower. He can play fast, issuing a world of sparks and sparkles inside a darkly powerful sound.
Eddie’s master class was an open forum for students to ask him about his artmaking. What kind of mouthpiece do you use? “LeBlanc.” What kind of reeds? “VanDoren.” How do you teach students to project so they are heard in a jazz band? “By going to the core of the sound,” he said.
At Friday evening’s performance by Eddie with The University of Montana Jazz Band I, everyone shined. They gave a superb performance of the Patrick Williams Concerto for Clarinet and Jazz Band. It’s a difficult piece, but the band supported him beautifully under the inspiring direction of Festival Director Lance Boyd.
Then the talented and sensitive musicians of the All-Star Trio joined, including pianist David Morgenroth, bassist Clipper Anderson and drummer Robert Ledbetter. Buddy and Eddie cast their clari - nets afar, capturing the rapt attention of the wide-eared audience. The chemistry between Buddy and Eddie was made special by their longtime friendship and mutual respect. Two grand giants of the clarinet world on one stage speaking the universal language. As a substitute for Benny Goodman’s famous Sing, Sing, Sing, the two tore up the stage with Sing, Sang, Sung.
Saturday’s guest trumpeter Byron Stripling has become a pops orchestra favorite throughout the country, soloing with the Boston Pops, Cincinnati Pops, St. Louis Symphony, Vancouver Symphony, and the American Jazz Philharmonic. He has been a featured soloist at the Hollywood Bowl and performs at jazz festivals throughout the world. Stripling also starred in the lead role of the Broadway musical “Satchmo.” Byron is part Satchmo and part motivational speaker on top of being a major trumpet player.
At the Festival, he ran the gamut from magnanimous educator to intimate chamber musician to remarkable entertainer. At his clinic, he led the entire auditorium full of students, eyes closed, through a visualization of their first Carnegie Hall appearances. From green room to the final bow, he took the hushed students through an internal debut at the most legendary performing venue in America.
Byron offered three key pieces of advice to the students on becoming a good musician: practice and practice well; learn to listen, and model the masters. He emphasized the need to listen to the great artists of the world, past and present. He urged the students to get hold of the recordings by the great composers and artists of classical music and jazz, like Mahler, Wagner, Count Basie, Charlie Parker, Ella Fitzgerald. He also spoke to the stages of learning: emulate, assimilate, innovate. Byron showed the student audience how to make themselves the stars of the Festival.
Byron and The University of Montana Jazz Band rang in the Saturday night performance with a bravado tune by Missoula native Allen Vizzutti called Zamba, reminiscent of Pamplona’s running of the bulls in timbres of brassy gold.
The second half of the evening brought Byron and Buddy together with the All-Star Trio. Their phrases danced and intertwined. The musical chefs concocted an array of flavors with tunes that included Anthropology, and I Can’t Get Started. The artists imitated each other with exceptional recall and imaginative abandon. The Trio displayed their powerful abilities to live in the moment, adjusting to the harmonic, melodic and rhythmic differentials all around them.
Festivals like this take mega-leadership and total devotion. Lance Boyd, founder of the Festival and Jazz Director, is the remarkable force behind the Buddy DeFranco Jazz Festival, along with Dr. Shirley Howell, Dean of Fine Arts. The 2002 Festival demonstrated a giant level of commitment. From sponsors like Morgenroth Music Center and the UM Foundation, to students, guest musicians, program advertisers, sponsors, and audience members, such a rich collection of support makes the Festival shine.
Thanks to all and don’t miss this year’s Buddy DeFranco Jazz Festival, April 25 and 26, 2003!
Barbara Koostra was a concert clarinetist through 1992, playing with the Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra and the New York City Opera. Since then she has worked on the local, state and national levels as an arts administrator. Barbara is a 1993 graduate of The University of Montana MBA Program.
Festival photos by Garrett Cheen
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Or, perhaps, the rodeo queen/lounge singer who is discovered by a UM voice teacher and becomes an opera star. Or a UM voice major who has found his greatest recognition to date as a character actor in TV and major motion pictures. When the School of Fine Arts Advisory Council, SFA faculty and Dean Shirley Howell began planning a new event to showcase all the departments and performing ensembles in the School, it was Bill Kliber, a well-known and beloved Missoula minister and patron of the arts, who spearheaded the idea that the event should involve alumni and community, and in so doing should celebrate the wonderful and unforseeable directions that a career in the arts could take. In a tragic turn of events, Bill Kliber succumbed to a brain tumor before the first Odyssey of the Stars: A Celebration of Artistic Journeys could take place. The power of his vision and memory, however, gave the event a purpose and resonance that propelled it to incredible success. From first to last, the 2001 Odyssey was a celebration – of current student artistic excellence, of stellar alumni success, and of community interest and pride in the dreams and lives of talented young artists, an interest personified and illuminated by Bill Kliber. The Odyssey benefits the School of Fine Arts scholarship fund, and its first iteration marked the inauguration of the Bill Kliber Memorial Scholarship for the Arts, providing annual awards to talented students who excel in art, drama, dance, media arts, and music. The program featured riveting performances from Pamela South, an operatic soprano at the pinnacle of her vocal powers and career who began her musicmaking in country and music theatre, and country music star Rob Quist, who graduated in 1970 with a degree in physical therapy with a music minor, and honored both alumni with induction into the Fine Arts Hall of Honor.
In an unannounced appearance, UM President George Dennison joined Quist and the New Big Sky Singers (Gary Funk, Don Collins, and Don MacDonald) for the blues favorite Kansas City, and was presented by Funk with an honorary lifetime membership in the UM Jubileers. When the applause died away, $7,000 had been raised for scholarships, the already strong tradition of teamwork and respect between departments had been strengthened, and a tradition of a gala community and university event had been established. Planning for the second Odyssey began almost immediately. While it had been evident from the start what the guest performers in the 2001 Odyssey would do, namely sing, the 2002 Odyssey—Putting it Together, was something of a surprise. J.K. Simmons, multi-talented actor profiled on pg. 9, and John Shaffner, one of the nation’s top production designers, profiled on pg. 8, collaborated with Michael Murphy, director of UM’s Media Arts program and director of the 2002 Odyssey, to weave an engrossing tapestry of music, theatre, video, and dialogue. Part concert, part music theatre, part documentary, and part skit that at one point enlisted UM’s President, Provost, and football coach, the program gave the audience a spellbinding tour of the trials, triumphs, and accomplishments of two of UM’s most remarkable and successful graduates. At evening’s end, the 2002 Odyssey raised more than $15,000 for scholarships, and firmly established the tradition of a comprehensive, inclusive showcase for UM arts—past, present, and future. It renewed the ideals and vision of Bill Kliber, allowing students the opportunity to work closely with alumni who serve as models not merely for success, but for diligence, persistence, creativity, and the joyful pursuit of excellence. That the interaction of UM’s talented and motivated students and faculty with these two artists produced an entertaining and illuminating stage show was the tip of the iceberg in terms of the Odyssey’s true value, which may only be known when the next generation of Souths, Quists, Shaffners and Simmonses returns to host its own eagerly anticipated Odyssey, to accept honor for supreme accomplishments and to inspire those just beginning to dream. Perhaps it goes without saying that the stage lights had barely cooled before planning began for the 2003 edition of Odyssey of the Stars. |
Nothing makes a story like a plot twist. It’s the unexpected that holds our interest; the survival against all odds, the life changed by a chance encounter, the unpremeditated act of principle that sparks a movement.
“The Odyssey was an incredible experience for everyone involved,” said Dean Shirley Howell. “The opportunity to work with star alumni was educational and inspiring for our students. The alumni were delighted to participate and were more than generous with their time and artistic gifts, and the audience was treated to a wonderful array of talent. The entire project reflected a spirit of cooperation and pride, and everyone had a great time.”
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Today, he is known for his ability to organize the thousands of details needed to produce a hit television series – whether it be Friends, Dharma and Greg, Veronica’s Closet, The Drew Carey Show or The Golden Girls — or the enormous television specials from David Copperfield and the Jerry Lewis Telethon to the American Music Awards and The Emmy Awards. Suffice it to say, most every performer in Hollywood today has worked on a stage designed by John and his partner Joe Stewart. “There are two things that are required for a production designer. The first is a great imagination – an ability to read a script, imagine what it looks like and make it come into reality. The second aspect is to look at your work pragmatically and to organize the details into a workable flow,” Shaffner said. “Billy Raoul had a tremendous influence on my work and approach to work.” Work to Shaffner is what the rest of the world relaxes with after business hours. Shaffner is the production designer for the NBC hit series Friends and ABC’s The Drew Carey Show. The Golden Girls was one of his first hit shows, and he recently won an Emmy nod for Veronica’s Closet. In all, he has garnered three Prime Time Emmy awards, 19 Emmy nominations and one local Emmy (Los Angeles area). Add to that sets for The Emmy Awards, the Jerry Lewis Telethon, ten David Copperfield specials, the Presidential Inauguration and the Olympics. A list of talent that has performed on stages set by John and Joe is too long to enumerate. A few highlights include Carol Burnett, Whitney Houston, Natalie Cole, Kenny Rogers, Bill Cosby, Grahm Nash, Willie Nelson, The Oakridge Boys and the LA Philharmonic. After he graduated from UM in 1974, he completed an MFA degree from Carnegie Mellon. Shaffner’s first steps on his artistic journey took him to the Missoula Children’s Theatre. “I thought seriously about a career in regional theatre and children’s theatre. I took a number of child psychology courses in college and enjoyed the world of fantasy and make believe found in children’s literature,” Shaffner said. He moved to Seattle where he worked as a painter for the Seattle Repertory Theatre. “That experience taught me that you had to be from New York to make it as an artist.” So it was off to New York for Shaffner and then California. His journey included significant kindnesses by relative strangers he met along his path. To this day he holds deep gratitude to those who took the time to talk with him, steer him in the right direction and support his aspirations. With that memory as a guide, he gives generously of his time to the next generation. He has been invaluable as a guiding beacon to the burgeoning Media Arts Program at UM; he has designed scenery for the Montana Repertory Theatre; he serves on the UM Fine Arts Advisory Council and hosted Media Arts students Spring 2001, when they were touring Hollywood. Shaffner – affable and encouraging–– has assisted The University of Montana and its students as well as younger Hollywood hopefuls trying to break into the business. At UM, he was awarded a Distinguished Alumni Award in 1992 for his efforts, and was inducted into the School of Fine Arts’ Hall of Honor at the 2002 Odyssey of the Stars. He helps students with their career aspirations because “I will always be grateful for the kindnesses afforded me by an older generation of professionals in this industry. I feel a tremendous responsibility to give to the next generation,” Shaffner said. “It is with great pride that we inducted John into the School of Fine Arts Hall of Honor at the 2002 Odyssey of the Stars--a Celebration of Artistic Journeys,” SFA Dean Shirley Howell said. “The skyrocketing height of professional achievement that John has attained is something we desire for all of our students,” Howell continued. “He brings distinction to the School not only through his enormous talent, but also through his genuine passion for his art, his delight in helping other people, and his willing mentorship of UM students,” Howell said. |
Bill Raoul’s typed, single-spaced critique of one University of Montana sophomore student went on for pages. Ultimately, that critique – and the humor and charm woven into the suggestions – caused John Shaffner to pause and reevaluate his methods. The then-UM sophomore had been burning the candle at both ends and had just finished constructing a stage design. His mentor-professor’s words cut like a hot knife through butter. “Bill Raoul told me that my process was all wrong, but the final product turned out okay.” That defining moment taught the Emmy award-winning production designer how to prioritize.|
J.K.— or Kim which appears to be his handle only in his home state — landed at The University of Montana in 1978 after spending two years studying radio/TV at Ohio State. Originally a music education and performance major, he admitted his decision to focus solely on performance was more a timing thing – he wanted to get out of school quickly and this appeared to be the ticket. Conducting and composing success during his University days made him think he might be the next Leonard Bernstein, and opera also appealed as a vehicle for his artistic expression. Graduation turned him west towards Seattle where there were friends, teachers and options. His first job in Seattle was washing cars on a used car lot. He said it paid the rent as he continued to audition for absolutely everything. His professional theatre break came when he was cast in Once Upon a Mattress. Although hoping for the baritone part of Sir Harry, he won the part of the mute king and began his transition from singer to actor. Five years in Seattle found him constantly on the road. Until he was into his late thirties, the outside world was impressed that he was supporting himself with his art. While this was fact, what was also true was that he traveled so much he didn’t even have an apartment. Longing for roots, a conscious decision to call New York City home brought about a pivotal point for the artist. Cast as an understudy in the Broadway play A Few Good Men, for both the doctor and the colonel (Jack Nicholson’s part in the movie), he knew the moment he read it that he could play the lead as well as anyone. In 1990 he got the chance to prove himself when he stepped in for several weeks while Ron Perlman, who played the colonel, was called out of town. On one of these nights the play’s author, Aaron Sorkin, was in the audience. Blown away, Sorkin came to J.K.’s dressing room at intermission, bowed down (literally!) and said, “The play has never worked this well.” To an actor who believes the play is the thing, there could be no higher compliment. This extraordinary performance opened doors to many other theatre opportunities. While Simmons admits Broadway is wonderful, he also describes it as a real grind – eight shows, six days a week. He decided to look towards TV and film for more money and reasonable work hours. Stumbling along doing the occasional voice-over, he waited tables for the first 8 to 10 months. Things were very tough. During a conversation with his mother, who expressed great concern, he told her “There is nothing else I want to do.” A lasting friend, a pianist he met when he first got to NYC who is now an acclaimed composer for TV, overheard the conversation and left him $50 on a kitchen countertop. Talking about the commitment required to be an artist, J.K. referred to correspondence he had read between poet Theodore Roethke and a student the poet was mentoring. In one letter that touched his heart the young writer expresses his fear that he might not be up to living his dream. The mentor responds by saying if there is absolutely anything else that the aspiring poet can possibly do with his life, then he should do that other thing. J.K. admitted that even though he has had moments of intense frustration and embarrassment, he has never wavered from the knowledge that he is doing the only thing he can do – he needs to create and communicate. When he was young he always thought TV work had no class and mocked all the bad acting. He admits that there is probably more bad writing on TV than anyplace else. Today, he looks to be involved in TV that communicates a point of view, a motivation that is not strictly commercial. Oz, one of his more recent ventures, depicted prison life as a perversion. HBO is appealing to J.K. because it is virtually censorship free and that enables more of an artistic statement. His Dad and Mom, Don and Pat Simmons, were a significant influence. His father chaired the Department of Music at UM and his mother was an active member of several choirs, although he was quick to point out that music was never shoved down his throat. All the Simmons kids had to take at least one year of piano lessons and he did his time. When it became clear that the practicing was turning him into a depressed nine year old, he was encouraged to quit piano. This gave him more time for his true love – Little League! He did, however, continue to sing in choirs in high school and at the university. J.K. spoke about a “life changing” experience with Don Carey’s Choir, a group of about twenty voices challenged with extremely difficult music. Friede auf Erden or Peace on Earth by Schoenberg was a long piece, at least fifteen minutes, which required what seemed like endless rehearsals. When the choir, arranged in quartets, finally performed in Spokane, the singers held their scores but not one turned past the first page – each young artist was transported to a place where they sang better than they had ever sung before. J.K. still thinks about that peak experience and admitted that he misses the team artistic endeavor that choral singing provides. An intense experience when one is young, passionate, and ready to learn, artistic choral singing is totally consuming. Developing a career is something J.K. claims he never did – it just happened, and it happened slowly. For him, this was a good thing since he wouldn’t have been ready for success at age twenty-two. His journey enabled him to continue learning as he worked. As a young person he never envisioned himself working with Gene Hackman or Brad Pitt (chuckling that Brad Pitt wasn’t born when he was a young person!). He is happy to be at a point in his life where he can turn down jobs that are just jobs. (Bad writing is simply not tolerated!) Parts must be appropriate artistically and financially and must also suit his life style. He and his wife have a five-year-old and a one-year-old child and he doesn’t want to be away from his family. On frequent trips to LA, his wife’s hometown, he brings everyone along. He affectionately remembers his mother telling him he would never be truly fulfilled until he was married with children of his own. Marrying late in life, he now sees that she was right. Right now family is his major focus. Life for J. K. Simmons worked out as if there was a plan but he convinces me that this was most definitely not the case. Simmons has had what he calls “huge strokes of luck” in his career but admits that he was prepared and ready to deliver when luck tapped him on the shoulder. Unlike many actors, he doesn’t believe a career can always be “managed” and employs only an agent, not a manager and an agent. He talks through choices with his wife and other trusted friends, but ultimately makes his own decision. J.K. Simmons is in the midst of a very successful career. His film, TV and Broadway credits are extremely impressive: Spiderman, The Mexican, The Gift, For the Love of the Game, Texas Rangers, Cider House Rules, Guys and Dolls, Oz, Law & Order, Spin City, they go on and on. Can we count this extraordinary man as one of our own? I think so. He commented that to this day, with a few exceptions, most of his close friends are from the Montana connection. As we parted, J.K. talked about an encounter he had with Don Carey at The University of Montana. As a student, Simmons was dabbling in many things – acting, composing, singing – he was clearly multi-talented and Carey said he needed to make a choice and focus. J.K. listened carefully and then completely ignored the advice. Even as a very young man, Simmons’ “gut” served as his compass. And after reviewing this artistic journey, I’d say it has served him very well. |
There was no mistaking J.K. Simmons as he made his way through the revolving glass doors at New York’s Radisson Lexington Hotel. Those piercing blue eyes reached me long before he did and I had to remind myself that my sense of familiarity was an illusion. Although as Law and Order psychiatrist Dr. Emile Skoda he has been a frequent guest in my living room, I actually had never met the man. We sauntered to a quiet corner of the lobby to chat, he strategically perched on a chair with his back to the public. I worked hard to contain my excitement, knowing I was face-to-face with the real thing: an accomplished artist, extraordinary performer, star of stage and screen and, as it turns out, a really nice guy from Montana!
THE ANCIENT ART OF STORYTELLING MEETS 21ST CENTURY TECHNOLOGY:
“When people ask me what we’re training our graduates to do—what field they will enter—I have a simple answer: Pick one!” said Michael Murphy, Director of the Media Arts program at The University of Montana. “I have yet to find a field that doesn’t in some way use narrative structures to communicate, and virtually all professions are struggling to integrate what they do with emerging technologies. Educators, business people, artists, scientists—all deal in narrative and how to communicate more effectively.”
The unique nature of UM’s Media Arts Program—building much-needed bridges between modern technologies, narrative, and artistic vision—is raising it to national prominence. In just four short years, the UM Media Arts program has garnered significant national attention, and the master’s degree in Medi
a Arts is one of the fastest growing academic programs on campus.
Simply put, Media Arts prepares students to work in film and other mass media. It differs from traditional film schools, and broadens its application to other disciplines and professions, by approaching mass media from a philosophical rather than a purely technical perspective. According to School of Fine Arts Dean Shirley Howell, “The combination of artistry, a clear understanding of the principles of story telling, and technological expertise produces a powerful programmatic outcome.”
This collaborative effort led to the creation of a curriculum that approached the delivery of mass media from a philosophical rather than purely technical perspective. In 1998, the Master of Fine Arts in Media Arts was approved by the Board of Regents. Since that time, the program has added a minor, the purpose of which is to serve students of different majors, all of whom benefit from understanding story and its use in the world of new media.
Media Arts begins with the basic unit of human persuasion—the story. It has been said that 75% of what we learn comes from story. Every effective piece of communication tells a story, or evokes a story with which listeners are already familiar. Imagine, for a moment, life without story. What would be left? Would we have a sense of self? A history? On an individual level, stories are the stuff of our identity and personality. It is the exchange of these stories with others that creates the broader culture in which we live.
According to Director of Media Arts Michael Murphy, Media Arts focuses on the development of artists who are able to bring to their view of the world an intensely personal approach. Much of the mass media produced in our country is in support of what we might call “the norm,” says Murphy. This is the natural way in which our identity as a people is confirmed. Artists, however, through their personally driven questions and stories, often lead us to look into areas we haven’t been aware of until illuminated by them. This role of the artist is critical to a healthy society. Through encouraging students’ personal exploration and expression, the Media Arts program hopes to foster artists who are compassionate, empathetic, caring citizens—and who also can communicate these qualities to others effectively.
Media Arts instruction proceeds on the assumption that a trained artist who can construct and tell a vivid, compelling story, using whatever tools are appropriate or available, will be a more valuable resource and will have a more broadly interesting career than a person who has technical skills in, for example, film editing, but lacks perspective and scope. Students coming out of UM’s Media Arts program will have a good understanding of artistic story telling and supporting technologies.
The principles of effective mass communication have limitless application. Students in many disciplines other than film use Media Arts. Dean Howell sums it up: “At the heart of every effective communication is a story, and Media Arts teaches students to find that germ, to nourish and develop it, and to bring it in full bloom to an audience.”
In the five years since its inception, the Media Arts’ graduate program has grown from two students its first year to 19 in residence this fall. The program also enrolls 35 minors and more than 500 general education students each year.
Media Arts students are gaining employment in areas ranging from video production and education to independent filmmaking, effects work, web design and entrepreneurial ventures. Adele Wilson, a 2002 graduate and the program’s first award winner, had her film Donor accepted to film festivals in Oregon, Washington, Louisiana, and Las Vegas, Nevada. She also won the Best Short Film Award in the Northwest Film Festival.
With the assistance of Palmer West and support from the University, President George Dennison and Provost Lois Muir, the Media Arts Program is in the process of renovating the McGill Hall Gymnasium. When completed, the facility will house a state-of-the-art series of computer labs on both the graduate and undergraduate level, a sound studio, production teaching laboratory and seminar teaching spaces, as well as office and reception areas for the program.
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Palmer West (’98) knows potential when he sees it. First, he produced the Academy Award-nominated film Requiem for a Dream and now he’s donated a $50,000 planning grant and pledged one million dollars for enhancements to the Media Arts instructional facilities.
According to School of Fine Arts Dean Shirley Howell, “Palmer’s gift places us at the intersection of opportunity and timing. We are grateful for his leadership gift that affirms our dynamic Media Arts program.” |
Remembering Alumnus Carroll O’Connor 1925-2001
Some called him Archie. Other’s gave a “howdy” to Chief Gillespie.
Old friends just called him Carroll. It didn’t matter to The University of Montana alumnus and Emmy-award winning actor Carroll O’Connor what he was called. To him, the greeting simply determined the fan’s generation.
O’Connor died of a heart attack in a California hospital on June 21, 2001. His wife Nancy, also a UM alum, was at his side.
“Carroll was one of the world’s colorful characters, with a sweet presence that framed his at enormous talents in a remarkable manner,” School of Fine Arts Dean Shirley Howell said.
O’Connor taught Writing the Movie at UM Summers 2000; it was anticipated that this two-part course might have been repeated. Nearly everyday since O’Connor’s course, a student or faculty member recalls his teaching and his willingness to share his talent and genius with UM students.
While in Missoula teaching, he was interviewed by the Missoulian: “It’s been a very enjoyable experience,” he said. “It’s been a great pleasure to explain new concepts to a class of intelligent students. To see them grasp those concepts is a great thrill.”
He met his wife Nancy while acting in the UM student production of Life With Father in 1948. The New York native left the university in 1950 and finished his degree at the National University of Ireland. After Nancy finished her bachelor’s degree in Drama and Fine Arts at UM, she joined her future husband overseas and the couple married in Dublin in 1951.
They soon returned to New York and Carroll struggled as an actor; they earned their modest income through substitute teaching. The O’Connors then returned to UM and Carroll earned his master’s degree in speech in 1956. In 1958, the success that had eluded him finally came. He landed the role of Buck Mulligan in the Broadway production of Ulysses in Nightown.
Carroll would go on to star in many Broadway plays, Hollywood movies, and would earn five Emmy awards for his work in the television productions All In The Family and In The Heat of the Night.
Fame did not alter the O’Connors’ appreciation for their UM education. Over the years the couple financially bolstered student experiences in many areas, particularly remembering the School of Fine Arts. In 1997, the O’Connors donated $1 million to the Center of the Rocky Mountain West, which now bears their name. In addition to the nearly $1.5 million they donated to the University, they have given generously of their time and their influence.
A trio of striking ceramic vessels that grace the entrance to UM’s new Skaggs Building were crafted by 1999 MFA graduate and Missoula resident David Pledge. The classically shaped, salt-fired pots in vibrant earth tones stand more than 11 feet on their steel pedestals. The artwork was funded by Montana’s Percent for Art program that requires a portion of state-funded buildings’ budget to include artwork.
David Pledge had just completed his master’s thesis exhibit, which included several large-scale pots. When the call for art submissions came regarding the Skaggs Building, Pledge submitted a proposal for increasing the size of his pots further - to a more architectural scale.
According to Pledge, he led a misguided life as a teen. “Going to college changed my life,” he said. “It turned my life around. Finding something to be passionate about really made a difference for me.” He still questioned
his pursuit of an art degree, “but then I’d sell a pot and it would reaffirm what I was doing. It’s a vote of confidence,” he said. His pots now are in collections across the country.
Pledge’s work has been shown at the Archie Bray Foundation, the Museum of the Rockies and at Missoula’s Sutton West Gallery. Last year, his entry in the Strictly Functional Pottery National brought home the Best of Show award.
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“It’s like stepping into a new world,” former Department of Art Chair James Bailey said about the fourth-floor renovations to the Fine Arts Building. The face-lift offers new studios for graduate students and a digital laboratory. “This modest remodel provides us with a better use of space and much better lighting,” Bailey said. The Printmaking/Photography Areas received a $22,000 allocation to equip a new digital laboratory. “This lab will greatly enhance our ability to provide students with the hard-copy needed for some art processes in photography and printmaking,” Bailey said. Less glamorous, but something alumni will cheer, is the new roof and new ventilation system that were added. A sprinkler system was also plumbed throughout the fourth floor. “These building improvements add flexibility and safety to our program,” Bailey said. |
Sunset Magazine Features UM Student Artwork
Sunset Magazine’s November 2001 story, “Skeletons on Parade” (page 29), included artwork from Bobby Tilton’s and Rafael Chacón’s classes. A photo of parading skeletons from Tilton’s class and a colorful altar from the creative minds in Chacon’s class both were printed. The article chronicled the traditional observances of El Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead).
According to Sunset Magazine, “One of the biggest celebrations is in Montana at Missoula’s Annual Festival of the Dead. Activities are anything but deadly, ranging from mask-building workshops to art exhibits and poetry readings. The highlight is the merry, macabre Day of the Dead parade through downtown Missoula on November 2. To the beat of a marimba band, skeletons move by on bicycles, on stilts, and in mini-cars. Decorated altars and grim reapers made of toilet-paper rolls, all make their way south on Higgins Avenue.”
The entire Departent of Art is involved in this event. James Bailey’s and Elizabeth Dove’s printmaking classes created large scale steamroller prints for the parade. Students carved 4’x 8’ woodcuts, which were then inked and printed using a steamroller. The prints were printed on fabric and carried as banners in the parade.
The Department of Art is strong and growing! Currently 400 majors are enrolled in the program and 1,000 general education students are served each year. Recently, the Art Department established an e-mail newsletter to communicate important information, deadlines and events to Art students. If you would like to receive this e-mail newsletter or have any pertinent information to contribute, please contact The Department of Art at artinfo@selway.umt.edu
Cathryn Mallory and Bobby Tilton have been appointed Co-Chairs of UM’s Department of Art, succeeding James Bailey who served as Chair for the last three years. Mallory, Associate Professor of Art, is Director of the Gallery of Visual Arts. Tilton, Professor of Art, heads UM’s Art Education program and is well known for her work with Montana public schools. Both Mallory and Tilton have had their work featured in local, regional and national venues.
Patrick Eckman has been hired for the new 3D Technician Position. His skills and knowledge are a perfect match for the sculpture and ceramic areas. Patrick is a ceramic artist who established and ran Basin Creek Pottery and Gallery in Basin, MT for more than 20 years.
The Art Department also hired Tanya Reed as an additional administrative support person. Tanya has excellent office, budget, computer and interpersonal skills. She worked with the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy in Minneapolis before coming to Missoula.
Associate Professor James Bailey’s prints were featured in an exhibition at The Fine Arts Academy in Poznan, Poland; the Yo Gallery in Manchester, NH; and the University of Alaska, among others. He participated in a weeklong visiting artist residency at the University of Minnesota-Duluth.
Associate Professor Rafael Chacón was appointed to the Montana State Preservation Review Board. This past spring while on sabbatical leave, the art history scholar authored a biography of A. J. Gibson, arguably the most important architect from western Montana at the turn of the 20th century.
Assistant Professor Elizabeth Dove’s work was featured in the solo exhibition “Elizabeth Dove: Five Years” at the Art and Design Gallery, Southwest Missouri State University. She was also selected as one of 15 American artists paired with a factory to create a body of new work based on the factory’s resources and materials entitled Factory Direct in New York.
Professor Tom Rippon’s ceramic pieces have been exhibited in numerous galleries including the Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C.; Los Angeles County Museum, and S.O.F.A. in New York and Chicago. His work was featured as the cover story in American Craft Magazine. Professor Rippon took a group of students to Paris and Amsterdam during intersession 2003.
After 27 years and 100 productions, Bill Raoul has taken his final bow at The University of Montana. The retiring Drama/Dance Department “icon” was honored at commencement in 2001 by the UM Board of Regents with Professor Emeritus status. When he arrived in 1969 with the ink still wet on his master’s degree diploma from the University of Washington, he taught eager young UM students in his specialty of scenery design and construction.
Southern California beckoned in 1972, and Raoul accepted a position at California State University – Fullerton and pursued freelance work in the Los Angeles area. Montana was in his blood, however, and he returned to campus in 1977 as Associate Professor of Drama/Dance. The first production he designed upon his return catapulted the student performers to the national stage at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. with When You Comin’ Back, Red Ryder? which won first place honors at the prestigious American College Theatre Festival.
“From the moment I first met him 12 years ago to today, Bill Raoul remains synonymous with‘class,’” Montana Repertory Theatre Director Greg Johnson said. “He is a remarkable man on many levels, not the least of which is his talent to hear a rough set concept from me and take a great artistic leap,” all the while remembering The Rep’s special need to pack a set in a truck and set it up in two and a half hours in venues all over the country.
“He could eyeball something under construction in the shop and tell you right away if it was an eighth of an inch off. And he’d be right!” Department of Drama/Dance Co-Chair Randy Bolton remembers.
He also possesses a wicked sense of humor. Only once in thirty years does anyone remember Raoul wearing anything but a blue shirt and jeans. For years he was jokingly nominated as “Missoula’s Best Dressed,” until he won.
“He’d take forty blue shirts at a time to the laundry!” Bolton said. One day, years ago, he sported a rented tuxedo and appeared at a formal event hosted by the University president. With the elegant attire, he wore paint-spattered tennis shoes. The president’s wife was concerned; she feared he couldn’t afford new shoes. “It became a running joke, to the point that Bill would Xerox his bare foot and send it to the president’s wife,” Bolton said. “One day, a new pair of shoes arrived,” Bolton laughed. “Bill was never one to worry about convention or appearances, and he remains the purest, most honest person I know and one of the finest artists I’ve met,” Bolton said.
“Bill is a Renaissance man. He cooks gourmet meals and entertains often,” Johnson said. “He owns an awesomely extensive CD collection and has an encyclopedic knowledge of music,” he added.
For 10 years, Raoul researched, wrote and recorded many popular programs for KUFM, including Music for Stage and Screen, The Kurt Weill Centennial, The Schubert Bicentennial, and Opera Showcase. He also penned several books that have become required reading for scene design students throughout the United States, including Flat Frame Construction and Stock Scenery Construction Handbook. The Sound Designer’s Handbook was published in 2002. Since his retirement in spring ‘01, Raoul has been busy doing research and writing. He also is designing scenery for the collaborative Drama/Dance and Music production of The Best Little Whorehouse.
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The professional arm (or in this case, leg) of UM’s dance program took a collection of outstanding and diverse works on tour to British Columbia, Washington and throughout Montana last spring. Several new works were on Mo-Trans’ program, including Tsigane, a quirky duet spotlighting a couple of odd characters. Choreographer Gaelen Hanson took full advantage of the piece’s rhythmic complexity. Special Delivery followed the antics of four office workers and their trouble with paper, paper, paper! Ireland’s Cindy Cummings visited UM and created a group piece that explored her interest in rhythm and body sounds. Artistic Director Amy Ragsdale choreographed Pragmatic Matters. Described by one audience member as an “amazing piece,” it was inspired by an excerpt from a CIA manual that was reproduced several years ago in Harper’s magazine. She also developed Chat Room, a duet that chronicles two people who met via the Internet. The piece is funded by a grant from the Allen Foundation. The dance performance also included Bench Quartet by New York choreographer Doug Varone. Bach’s music provided the background for this beautifully and tightly crafted piece. For an up-to-date tour schedule or to book Mo-Trans in your community or school, call 405-243-5615 or visit www.motrans.org. |
Department of Drama and Dance Highlights
New Designer
Assistant Professor Michael Monsos joined the Department of Drama/Dance fall 2001. A UM alum (’84 BFA in Design/Technical Theatre, and ’01 MFA in Scenic and Lighting Design), Monsos teaches scenic design and technology. He also holds a Master of Science degree in Architectural History/Historic Preservation from the University of Utah.
Playwright Winner
Kate Hoffower, MFA graduate student in acting, won the 10-minute playwriting contest at The Actors Theatre of Louisville in Kentucky. Her play was produced there in January 2001. Kate has been a participant for the past two years in the Montana Repertory Theatre’s Colony for Writers. To learn more about how you can participate in the Colony for Writers, view their internet site at www.montanarep.org/colony.html.
The National American College Dance Festival: The UM dance program hosted the Northwest Regional American College Dance Festival in February 2002. Faculty and the finest students from colleges and universities from throughout the Rocky Mountain region gathered at UM for workshops and concerts.
National Choreographer works with UM Dancers: The National Choreography Initiative awarded $10,000 to the Drama/Dance Department to bring Wendy Rogers to campus spring semester 2002. Rogers is associate professor of dance at the University of California, Riverside, and has more than 20 years of national and international dance productions to her credit. She choreographed a new work with UM dance students that was performed April and May 2002.
Montana’s Finest: Karen Kaufmann, Head of the Dance Program, received one of eight Montana Arts Council fellowships. The prestigious award, which comes with a $5,000 prize, recognizes and rewards outstanding individual artists in the state. Kaufmann serves as education director for Mo-Trans and is Associate Professor of Drama/Dance.
Theatre in Education: The newly created Theatre in Education troupe- Our Issues-Our Ideas-Our Input - directed by Assistant Professor of Drama Jillian Campana, travels to a different Missoula area school each week to present interactive, performance-based lessons on specific academic subjects or social issues. During fall semester, the troupe taught original lessons to K-12 students that included Spidermares (about arachnids and their environments for Lowell Elementary School), Rehearsing for Reality (about social and personal issues for Willard Alternative High School students), and The New England States (a theatrical interaction with New Englanders for Chief Charlo School).
Nicole Bradley Browning, Dance
Nicole Bradley Browning, Assistant Professor of Dance, comes to UM from Bucknell University in Lewisburg, PA, where she was Visiting Assistant Professor of Dance, teaching all levels of modern dance and beginning jazz, dance composition, and Introduction to Movement and Improvisation. She received her Master of Fine Arts in Dance, along with numerous awards, from Arizona State University, where she was also a graduate instructor. The following year she became a faculty member at the Dance Place in Washington, D.C. as well as a performer and choreographer with The Playground, an improvisational dance group in Washington, D.C. She also was Principal Dancer and Choreographic Collaborator with Jane Franklin Dance in Arlington, VA, and Improvisational Collaborator with the Monday Night Improvisation Laboratory in Washington, D.C. Her training and experience reflects great breadth built upon rigorous early ballet training. Modern dance, improvisation, theatrical and world dance including Balinese and Chinese traditional dance all
fall within her area of expertise.
Jillian Dean Campana, Drama
After serving as Adjunct Professor of Drama at UM for two years, Jillian Dean Campana joins the drama faculty as Assistant Professor. She holds a Master of Arts in Performance Studies from New York University, a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre from the California Institute of the Arts, and teaching credentials from Chapman University, Los Angeles, and Cambridge University and American University in Cairo, Egypt. For seven years prior to arriving at UM, she taught courses and led workshops in theatre and performance for secondary schools and universities in the U.S., Egypt, and Brazil. She currently is pursuing a PhD in Theatrical Pedagogy for Social and Personal Change at UM.
When director Greg Johnson first saw Death of a Salesman in the early 1960s, his life was changed forever. “I was introduced to the power of drama – the power of a story so compelling and actors so passionate that my concept of the world shifted. I was transfixed by the fall of Willy Loman, a simple man lost in the American dream,” Johnson recalled.
Now, after 37 years in theatre, Johnson, Associate Professor of Drama/Dance and Director of the Montana Repertory Theatre, brought Arthur Miller’s American classic to national audiences. The professional actors of the Montana Rep toured January through May in theatres throughout the United States.
The February 13, 2002 tour stop in Missoula included a benefit showing of Salesman followed by a candlelight dinner and dancing backstage.
“The entire backstage area was transformed into a country club setting with live music and dancing,” Johnson said. “We wanted to keep the theme of the post-war setting of Salesman,” he added.
Event proceeds benefit the 33-years-strong Rep, a professional company based at UM. In addition to annual touring productions that have included To Kill a Mockingbird, The Diary of Anne Frank, and It’s a Wonderful Life, the Rep offered workshops in host cities around the country. Company members taught “Auditioning Techniques,” “Life in the Professional Theatre,” and “Acting and Improvisation,” as well as workshops complementing the major themes of this year’s production.
When Helen Keller came to speak in Missoula, Montana on April 19 and 20, 1914, an audience member asked her if the group before her was large or not. “It is large,” she answered. “I can tell by the vibration of many feet in motion, and then the air is dense and warm when there are many people in the room.” She could also tell if people were applauding by the vibration the clapping hands created in the air. When another person asked if she could tell if the audience was interested, she answered emphatically, “Oh, yes. They always are.” THE UNIVERSITY OF MONTANA
DEPARTMENT OF DRAMA/DANCE
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Spring Dance Showcase
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Open Space |
The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas
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Montana Theatre |
Directors’ Festival
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Masquer Theatre |
Spring Dance Concert
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Montana Theatre |
| THE 2003-2004 SEASON INCLUDES: |
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FALL SEMESTER, 2003:
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SPRING SEMESTER, 2004:
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Singing Legacy Alive with
von Trapp Great Grandchildren
The Sound of Music brought the story of the amazing von Trapp family children to the attention of the world. With the help of UM voice teacher Anne Basinski, the Captain’s great grandchildren are continuing the singing legacy.
“I was contacted last summer about coaching the children for an October festival called “KidSing,” Basinski said. “They also wanted to take a compact disc along and needed some assistance,” she added. Basinski selected songs, wrote arrangements, coached the children’s singing, hired other musicians and edited the CD. According to Basinski, it turned into a huge, albeit enjoyable, project.
Though not sure what to expect, she discovered a quartet of voices that were sweet and abundant with musicianship. She also found mature, cooperative, disciplined and “great, talented kids.” Basinski explained that recording a CD entails starts and stops, refining and polishing on a level above concert preparation. In a concert, the audience can be yards removed from the singer; in a CD performance, the microphone is inches from the singer’s face and the CD must survive repeat playings. “Minute detail becomes important,” Basinski said.
“The recording includes some of the sacred music and Austrian folk songs performed by the original von Trapp singers,” Basinski said. “We’re keeping with that same basic idea but expanding it a bit. We will include folk music that Americans are familiar with, such as Homeward Bound and Danny Boy, and sacred music – from a Latin Dona Nobis to an Amy Grant tune, Father’s Eyes. The CD, The von Trapp Children, is available at Rockin Rudy’s (406-542-0077) and expected to be available at Barnes and Noble.
The children – Sofia, 13, Melanie, 11, Amanda, 10, and Justin, 7 – are the children of Stephan and Annie von Trapp of Somers, MT. Stephan is son of Werner, who is best identified with the character “Kurt” in The Sound of Music, though the writers changed the children’s names and ages in the movie.
The current von Trapp singers continue to study with Basinski and anticipate more concert appearances in the future.
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Kalm has performed locally, regionally, nationally and internationally. In 1997, he received the prestigious New York Dance and Performance Award, the Bessie. He has made several recordings, including the first-ever commercial recording of Harry Partch’s Seventeen Lyrics of Li Po. International performances have included featured roles in Italy, Denmark, Portugal and France. His work has been favorably reviewed in the New York Times, Village Voice, The Journal of Singing, New York Magazine, Fanfare, Opera News, and many other journals. He can be heard on recordings for EMC, New World Records, Wergo Records and Tzadik Records. |
Associate Professor of Music Stephen Kalm, the 2001-2002 Distinguished Faculty Member for the School of Fine Arts, was named Chair of the UM Department of Music, succeeding Tom Cook. This past Spring, Kalm served as Acting Chairman of the Department of Music while Cook was on sabbatical. Baritone Kalm has served as coordinator of the voice program and directed the Opera Theatre, which has traveled to Great Falls, Choteau, Helena, Whitefish, Havre, Hamilton, Glasgow, Laurel, Miles City, and cities in Washington State. He has collaborated as a music director and conductor with the Montana Repertory Theater for Swingtime Canteen and the Drama/Dance Department for A Little Night Music, The Threepenny Opera, and most recently, Sweeney Todd.|
From National Accreditation Association “Outstanding students taught by outstanding faculty,” summarizes the report made public recently by the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM) regarding The University of Montana Department of Music. NASM, the agency responsible for the accreditation of all academic music programs in the United States, re-accredited the department of music for the next decade. “We are extremely pleased, though not surprised, that NASM recognizes the outstanding music programs The University of Montana provides its students,” said School of Fine Arts Dean Shirley Howell. New scholarships and music students’ high morale and excitement about their programs were highlighted by NASM for special recognition. According to the report, student performances often exceeded NASM expectations. The Department of Music was also commended for serving as the focal point for musical activity in the community, region and state. Two NASM site visitors spent three days interviewing students, faculty and administrators, reviewing records, and observing classes, rehearsals and recitals. In their report, they noted that the faculty is “extremely competent, strongly committed to the program in both time and energy, and positive in morale.” “Our Department of Music faculty members represent some of the finest professionals in the field, and I would particularly like to applaud the fine leadership of former Department Chair Thomas Cook. He led the faculty and students to this excellent outcome,” Howell added. |
Department of Music Highlights
Unique Balinese Gamelan Angklung Acquired by UM
What is a Gamelan Angklung? Temples in Bali use this hand-crafted percussion set for festivals. The 21-piece tuned percussion orchestra is used to provide students with experiences with a non-western art form, particularly in the courses Music of the World’s People, Music Appreciation, and Arts in Culture. Dorothy Morrison spearheaded the effort to purchase the instrument, which was supported by the Provost’s Office, the Vice President for Research and Development, the School of Fine Arts and a private donor.
Tom Cook Named President of Montana Music Educators’ Association
Tom Cook, who recently completed a term as President Elect of the Montana Music Educators’ Association, is serving as President for the 2001-2003 term. In addition, Cook was named National Association of Schools of Music Regional Vice Chair last year and Chair this year for an area that encompasses Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Montana.
This past spring, Dr. Cook was on sabbatical leave and conducted interviews with Montana’s education leaders to ascertain significant issues contributing to the shortage of music education teachers in Montana’s public schools.
After a decade of service as Chair of UM’s Department of Music, Dr. Cook returned to the podium as conductor of UM’s Concert Band. He also teaches Music Appreciation and Brass Methods. “I’m enjoying my work with the MMEA,” Cook said, “and I’m also enjoying working directly with UM students again.”
“I have felt privileged to serve as Chair of our superb Department of Music,” Cook continued. “The Music program is in very capable hands under Stephen Kalm’s leadership.”
Clarinet Text to be Published Associate Professor and clarinet instructor Maxine Ramey spent the fall semester completing The 21st Century Clarinetist. The methods and materials text is based on the teaching of four leading twentieth-century clarinet teachers. Ramey studied with three of the clarinetists profiled and with a student of the fourth.
Wind Ensemble Wows Audience of Music Educators
The 50-member Symphonic Wind Ensemble, under the direction of Stephen Bolstad, received a standing ovation at the Music Educators National Conference Northwest Division meeting in Spokane, WA, February 2001. Several thousand music educators from elementary through college levels participated in the prestigious conference and heard the Wind Ensemble perform Adam Gorb’s Awayday, Malcolm Arnold’s Four Scottish Dances, and Michael Daugherty’s Niagara Falls.
Student Trio Plays in Washington, D.C.
The Zallsvre Trio, a UM student trio composed of Megan Guenther (violin), Lisa Henderson (piano) and Lucas Poe-Kiser (cello) performed at the Music Teachers National Association’s National Conference in Washington, D.C. last spring as the state and regional chamber music winners.
New York, New York!
New York’s Lincoln Center Festival hosted UM baritone Stephen Kalm in the beautiful Alice Tully Hall. He also appeared at New York’s Merkin Hall in an evening of chamber music.
The Vienna Experience
Forty-two students of UM’s Chamber Chorale will depart for Vienna, Austria, on March 22, 2003, returning June 14th. Although most of their time will be spent singing and studying in Vienna, the ensemble will also travel to Florence, Salzburg and Budapest. (Pictured to the left is the 2000 UM Chamber Chorale at the AD UNA CORDA Choral Festival in Pezinok, Slovakia.)
New Music Faculty
Eric Hung
Eric Hung has been appointed Assistant Professor of Music History/World Music/Integrated Arts. Currently completing a PhD in Musicology from Stanford University, Hung brings an outstanding range of talents and depth of knowledge to his new position. He taught full-time at Minnesota State University-Moorhead for two years, and also as a graduate assistant at Stanford University for two years. His most recent research focuses on 20th-century art and popular music of Great Britain and the United States, and film music. His teaching experience and preparation covers Western music of all periods, American music, World music, 20th-century Chinese and Chinese-American music, film music, music research methods, and new music, as well as applied piano, music theory, and conducting.
Charles Nichols
Charles Nichols has been appointed Assistant Professor of Music Composition/Technology. Nichols, a PhD candidate in Computer Music and Acoustics from Stanford University,d also holds a Master of Music in Composition from Yale University and a Bachelor of Music in Performance and Composition from the Eastman School of Music. His research and development of the vBow, a virtual violin bow controller, has been recognized nationally and internationally by CNN, the BBC, Reuters, ABC, and New Scientist Magazine. An outstanding composer, he has most recently taught at Stanford University’s Center for Computer Research in Music and Acoustics and at De Anza College.
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“We know it costs a lot of money to go to school,” Bill, a 1950 business alumnus, said. The Mitchells had earlier established a scholarship for business students and knew from the thank-you letters they received how much a scholarship was appreciated and needed. “It appears to be an irreversible trend that universities have to look more and more to private funding sources,” Bill said. “Alumni have to step up. Fortunately, at this point in our lives, we can help and are happy to do so.” “We thought there probably weren’t enough scholarships for music students,” Bill said. Fine Arts Dean Shirley Howell agrees. She has made raising funds for scholarships a high priority for the school. The Mitchells established a music scholarship with a charitable remainder annuity trust. Preference in awarding the Mitchell Scholarship will be given to deserving music majors from Eastern Montana. |
When Opera Theatre students performed in Miles City two years ago, many spent the night in homes of alumni. Bill and Avis Mitchell housed two students and the hosts were surprised to learn that neither of their guests received scholarship support to offset tuition costs at The University of Montana.
UM Marching Band Steps Lively With Scholarship Support
Every Saturday in the fall, football stadiums around the country come alive with the sounds of drums and trumpets. Energetic tunes, crisp uniforms and a stately cadence combine to rally teams to victory.
This past year, Griz fans envisioned a larger Marching Band to help cheer their winning team. One such fan, Dr. Steve Kemple, donated $20,000 for scholarships for The University of Montana Grizzly Marching Band musicians and has encouraged another generous Griz fan to donate $10,000. His gift—and infectious enthusiasm—was inspired by the championship game in 2000. “One of the most impressive things I saw was the other team’s marching band—it had 200 kids in it,” Kemple said. “Then I saw our band, with about 50 kids in it. They played their hearts out, but they couldn’t come near what Georgia Southern could do. I thought, ‘We have a great football team, why do we have such an itty-bitty band?’”
According to School of Fine Arts Dean Shirley Howell, the reason was funding. “Other universities support their marching bands with tuition waivers and scholarships, but at that time UM could only provide $200 scholarships—just barely enough for students to cover the cost of Marching Band shoes,” Howell said. Fall 2001, thanks to Kemple’s leadership, UM was able to offer $500 to new students and $750 to returning students in the Marching Band. The added infusion of support is reflected in the augmented ranks of the Marching Band. Membership has increased to 90 students fall 2001 and to 106 fall 2002.
Former Head Football Coach Joe Glenn said he was so impressed with the band’s efforts this past season that he visited a practice session to give band members a pep talk and to say thanks. “They have been such a tremendous shot in the arm in terms of team spirit,” Glenn said. “Saturdays are not just about football, they are about everything that goes with it, and the marching band is such a traditional part of the whole experience. We need them, there’s nothing that can stir the spirit better than the school fight song when we have a touchdown. It’s a huge rush for everyone.”
“It’s just awesome to play in the marching band,” said Valerie Smith, a student who plays the piccolo in the band. “It’s amazing to look up from the field and see 19,000 people. It’s such a huge adrenaline rush for us.”
Marching Band participation involves an enormous time commitment from the student performers. “Marching Band members spend countless hours in rehearsal and at band camp, and are present from early morning to the last cannon on game days,” Marching Band Director Robert LedBetter said. “It is often difficult for our students to commit to Marching Band responsibilities and hold down a job to help fund school expenses. Particularly with the uncertainty of a post-season schedule,” he added.
With Dr. Kemple’s lead gift, the campaign continues to raise the funds necessary for annual $500 to $1,000 scholarships for UM students. “We are extremely grateful for Dr. Kemple’s leadership; it has helped us reach our goal of 100+ band members by significantly increasing the number and dollar amount of scholarships,” SFA Dean Shirley Howell said.
To learn how you can help support the UM Grizzly Marching Band and cheer the Griz, call Julia Whalen at The University of Montana Foundation, 406-243-5093.
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Bixby has been an active musician and teacher in the Seattle area since graduating from the University of Washington in Music Education. He has played trumpet in the Seattle area since 1994 with The Cascadia Brass and Roadside Attraction. He is a veteran of Drum Corps International and has been writing competitive drill design for high school and college bands since 1991. For the past five years, he has taught Marching Band, Concert Band and Percussion Ensemble at Mercer Island (Washington) High School. His groups consistently receive superior ratings at regional and national festivals, and Bixby’s percussion ensemble has been selected to play at the state solo and ensemble contest five years in a row. Most recently, his bands received superior awards at the Dixie Classic National Invitational in Washington, D.C. |
Master’s degree candidate Parker Bixby was awarded a two-year Marching Band Fellowship in August 2001. His job has been to lead the group in rehearsals and performances, and to help with recruitment efforts.New Scholarships Strengthen SFA Endowment
Since announcing the “Ten Million in Ten Years” goal for the School of Fine Arts endowments in September 1999, the School has seen significant growth in the area of endowed scholarships. Arts patrons, families of former students, and alumni have designated a total of 18 new SFA scholarship funds as a way of perpetuating their interest in and commitment to the arts.
- The Marching Band Endowment was established by Dr. Steve Kemple.
- The Gerald Molen Endowment was established for Media Arts.
- The Gillespie Memorial Endowment was established for drama scholarship.
- The William Kliber Memorial Endowment for the Arts was established by the School of Fine Arts Advisory Council.
- The Elizabeth Maxwell Memorial Endowment in Music was established by her estate.
- The Lucien Hut Adopt a Piano Endowment was established by Lucien Hut.
- The Joseph and Sandra Payne Scholarship in Music was established by Joseph and Sandra Payne to provide scholarships to deserving music students majoring in either percussion or brass.
- The Laura Barrett Charitable Remainder Unitrust has been established to fund a scholarship in Art.
- The Leonard R. Stach Scholarship in Ceramics was established in memory of Mary and Otto P. Stach.
- The C.I.A.O. Endowment has been established by Dr. Catherine Capps and Dr. Thomas Rickard to provide on-going support for the annual C.I.A.O. Awards, a competition that provides career incentive for aspiring opera singers.
The new endowed scholarships above join the endowments listed below initiated since the “Ten Million in Ten Years” campaign announcement in September 1999.
- The Mott Family Ranch Scholarship
- The Scott Bardsley Memorial Endowment Scholarship
- The John Cowan Endowment for Music
- The Mary Cardell Moore Scholarship for Music and Theatre
- The Nancy and Ron Erickson Scholarship in Art
- The Bill and Avis Mitchell Scholarship in Music
- The Sutton West Art Endowment
- The George and Louise Caras Fine Arts Scholarship
The School of Fine Arts is pleased to welcome UM Foundation Officer Julia Whalen, who comes to us from the Rotary Foundation of Rotary International in the Chicago area. Julia spent two years as a Major Gifts Officer with the Rotary Foundation, seeking gifts of $10,000 and above from Rotarians in the Northeast U.S., Italy, France, and other Mediterranean countries. In May, 2002 she joined the UM Foundation as Director of Development for the School of Fine Arts and School of Education. Her emphasis is raising major and planned gifts to obtain support for scholarships.
Julia is an attorney who practiced law as an inner-city public defender in Chicago for five years. Upon leaving the Public Defender’s office, she took a break to travel and study in Italy, and then joined Rotary in late 1999. Julia’s mother is the General Director of the Woodstock Mozart Festival in Woodstock, Illinois, and Julia is a former clarinetist.
If you have questions about making a gift, or would like to know more about how you can make a major gift and receive income back for life (in addition to benefiting from significant tax savings), please give Julia a call at 800/443-2593 or 406/243-5093.
