News and Events
The UW-Eau Claire Music & Theatre Arts Department presents more than one hundred concerts and recitals annually featuring large and small student ensembles, faculty ensembles, solo faculty recitals, student degree recitals, guest artist recitals; five mainstage plays; an active opera theatre ensemble; a one-act play festival; touring theatre; Danceworks, and several special events such as the nationally-recognized Jazz Festival and Viennese Ball.
Check here often for upcoming events on the Performing Arts Calendar; the Faculty and Department News page for an introduction to new faculty and other news; the Alumni News page for alumni highlights; and the latest Alumnotes newsletter. In addition, see more highlights below.
Upcoming Events
2008 Convention
July 9-13, 2008
Haas Fine Arts Center
Uw-Eau Claire
The International Native American Flute Association (INAFA), an organization whose goal is to foster the preservation, appreciation, and advancement of the Native American flute, will hold its 2008 Convention at UW-Eau Claire. The event is sponsored by the UW-Eau Claire Department of Music and Theatre Arts and hosted by the Clear Water Flute Circle. There are thirty performers and presenters scheduled over the five day event. Concerts are open to the public and tickets may be purchased at the door. See the INAFA website for the complete schedule of events.
Special Events
Band and Choir Invitational Performances
Spring 2008 will be busy for the music and theatre arts department at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire following five separate invitations for university ensembles to perform at three prestigious professional music conventions. (Read the full News Bureau article.)
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Women's Concert Chorale Performs at ACDA Convention
Women's Concert Chorale, directed by associate professor of music Dr. Alan J. Rieck, was invited to perform at the American Choral Directors Association Convention.
American Choral Directors Assn.
North Central Division Cenvention
March 7, 2008
1:30 pm
Reineke Fine Arts Center
Festival Concert Hall
North Dakota State University
Fargo, North Dakota
Read more...
- The Singing Statesmen Performs at Two Conferences
The Singing Statesmen, directed by professor of music Dr. Gary Schwartzhoff, was invited to perform at two national conferences.
American Choral Directors Assn.
North Central Division Cenvention
March 7, 2008
9:30 am
Reineke Fine Arts Center
Festival Concert Hall
North Dakota State University
Fargo, North Dakota
Music Educators National Conference
April 11, 2008
10:00 a.m.
Crystal Ballroom
Hilton Milwaukee City Center
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Read more...
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Wind Symphony Performs at Two Conferences
The UW-Eau Claire Wind Symphony, directed by associate professor of music Dr. R. Mark Heidel, was invited to perform at two national conferences.
College Band Directors National Assn.
North Central Div. Professional Conf.
Friday, March 14, 2008
4:30 pm
Recital Hall
University of Nebraska-Omaha
National Association for Music Education
Biennial National Conference
Friday, April 11, 2008
4:30 pm
Midwest Airlines Center
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Read more...
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Jazz Ensemble I Performs Nationally
UW-Eau Claire's Jazz Ensemble I, directed by professor of music Robert Baca, was invited to perform at several national events.
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Minneapolis KBEM Jazz Festival
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International Midwest Band Directors Conference
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New York Brass Conference
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MENC National Conference
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MENC Wisconsin, Illinois, and Minnesota State Conference
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Blugold Marching Band Performs for the Pope
The Blugold Marching Band entered St. Peter's Square
in Rome on New Year's Day. (Photo by Andrei Strizek '05)
The UW-Eau Claire Blugold Marching Band, directed by associate professor of music Dr. Randal Dickerson, received a special invitation to perform for Pope Benedict XVI and an estimated crowd of 100,000 people during the pope's 2008 New Year's Day blessing in St. Peter's Square in Rome.
See the University News Bureau story on the trip to Italy.
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Jazz Students Perform in China
Pictured, from left, are Bob Baca and students
Sean Carey, Ben Herpel-Dobay, Scott Currier,
John Raymond and Jeremy Boettcher.
(UW-Eau Claire photo by Rick Mickelson)
Five University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire jazz students and Robert Baca, UW-Eau Claire director of jazz studies, performed in China in November as part of Jinan University's centenial celebration.
See the full University News Bureau story on the trip to China.
Outstanding Graduate
- David Columbus Billingsley , B.A. in music, liberal arts
(Photo by Rick Mickelson)
What's next: Working as dean of student affairs at the LoveWorks Academy for the Visual and Performing Arts in Golden Valley, Minn., before attending graduate school at the University of South Florida in fall 2008.
David Columbus Billingsley has a gift, and while he's honed it during his time in UW-Eau Claire's music program, he's also spent plenty of time sharing it. (See the full article by the UW-Eau Claire News Bureau.)
Awards
Gary Schwartzhoff,
Choral Director
- Gary Schwarthoff Receives State Award
Gary Schwartzhoff, professor of music and director of choral activities at UW-Eau Claire, has been selected for the Outstanding Church Musician Award by the Wisconsin Choral Directors Association. He received the award Jan. 12 in Madison at the organization's state convention.
"It's an honor to be recognized by my peers for this award," Schwartzhoff said. "My lifelong work in church music has been a rewarding experience involving the four churches I have been privileged to serve as director of music."
See the full University News Bureau story on the Award.
- Concert Choir Receives Award
UW-Eau Claire Concert Choir conductor Gary Schwartzhoff received the choir's special award from Michele Capasso, president of the Fondazione Laboratorio Mediterraneo, in the Palatine Chapel of the Royal Palace of Naples during the choir's recent Italy tour. (F.L.M. photo)
