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
William Chapman Nyaho
Guest Artist Recital
Sunday, Sept. 27, 2009, 7:30 p.m.
Gantner Concert Hall
Master Class
Monday, Sept. 28, 2009, 10:00 a.m.
Gantner Concert Hall
Lecture
Monday, Sept. 28, 2009
Time & Place TBA
"Music of Africa and the African Diaspora"
Haas Fine Arts Center
UW-Eau Claire
All Events Free & Open to the Public
Sponsored by the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Visiting Minority Scholars/Artists Program, Office of Multicultural Affairs, and the Department of Music & Theatre Arts.
Ghanian American pianist William Chapman Nyaho presents a unique multicultural celebration of composers of African descent from Ghana, Nigeria, Cuba, Jamaica, Egypt, Great Britain and the United States.
"This altogether enthralling recital of keyboard works in many styles reveals that this music deserves a regular place on concert programs. The composers - from Nigeria, Jamaica, England, Egypt, Ghana and the United States - are masterful creators who embrace European, American and African idioms. Nyaho plays each score with sensitive, bold artistry."—Cleveland Plain Dealer,
naming Senku one of the best classical music recordings of the year.
Robert Weirich
Recital
Sunday, Nov. 1, 2009, 7:30 p.m.
Gantner Concert Hall
Master Class
Tuesday, Nov. 2, 2009, 10:00 a.m.
Gantner Concert Hall
Haas Fine Arts Center
UW-Eau Claire
All Events Free & Open to the Public
Sponsored by the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Academic Affairs Professional Development Program, and the Department of Music & Theatre Arts.
Pianist Robert Weirich has performed in musical centers throughout the United States, including Alice Tully Hall, the Kennedy Center, Chicago's Orchestra Hall, and at such summer festivals as Tanglewood, Ravinia and Marlboro. During the 2009-2010 season, he will perform and teach in China and Argentina, and serve as convention artist for the state MTAs of Kansas, Wisconsin and South Carolina.
Special Events
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Women's Concert Chorale Tours South Africa
Alan Rieck
Read a blog
by members of the Women's
Concert Chorale, sharing their
experiences while touring
South Africa.
The UW-Eau Claire Women's Concert Chorale represented the university on a tour of South Africa March 12-22. The 69-member choir was led by conductor Alan Rieck, associate professor of music.
The itinerary included an exchange with the Stellenbosch University Schola Cantorum in Cape Town, a formal concert at St. Stithian School in Johannesburg and an informal performance at the historic Regina Mundi Church in Soweto. Non-musical events included a safari tour of Pilanesberg National Park, a visit to Lesedi Cultural Village and a tour of the Apartheid Museum. The group also toured Robben Island, holding place of Nelson Mandela for 18 years.
(Click on photo for a larger version.)
Gary Schwartzhoff
The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Concert Choir and director Dr. Gary Schwartzhoff performed as the featured choir at the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Choral Festival held over Presidents' Day weekend, Feb. 13-16, 2009, in Washington, D.C.
(Click on photo for a larger version.)
The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Blugold Marching Band performed a halftime show during the Green Bay Packers season opener against the Minnesota Vikings Sept. 8 at Lambeau Field in Green Bay.
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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)
