November 4, 2024

EagleEye

A Newsletter for UMW Faculty and Staff

Michael Morley Named Excellent Eagle Employee

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Congratulations to Michael Morley, office manager in the department of music and manager of the UMW Philharmonic Orchestra, who has been selected as an Excellent Eagle Employee for the month of August. A parking spot of his choosing has been reserved for him until the end of the month.

Here is what one of his co-workers said about him:

“Michael is the department’s ‘go to’ guy. He wears many hats and does so cheerfully, efficiently, and effectively. Michael continually displays a positive, can-do attitude. Never one to say no, he just digs in and finds a way to make things happen. He’s outstanding in all of his regular job requirements and never hesitates to lend assistance in situations that fall outside of his job description.

Michael is often the first impression students, parents and community members have of the music department. More than once I’ve been in the office while Michael is fielding a call from community members inquiring about an upcoming concert. He is knowledgeable, patient, and generous with the attention he gives each caller.”

To nominate someone who you believe is an Excellent Eagle Employee, send an email to Priscilla Sullivan (psulliva@umw.edu) with Excellent Eagle Employee in the subject Line.  In your email, be sure to list the person’s name, department, work location (with the most convenient parking lot), and of course, the reason why you believe they should be recognized.  Please spread the word to other employees about this wonderful opportunity to recognize a co-worker(s).

Mark Snyder’s Composition Performed in Thailand

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Assistant Professor of Music Mark Snyder’s composition Butterfly for processed clarinet, electronics & video was performed by Cheryl Melfi on Wednesday, July 11 at the Thailand International Composition Festival (TICF).

This year, TICF will continue in the tradition of excellence, established by previous years. The featured composers for 2012 will include some of the leaders in contemporary composition, namely: Zhou Long (Kansas City, USA), Eric Moe (Pittsburgh, USA), Xiaogang Ye (Beijing, China), and Narong Prangcharoen (Bangkok, TH and Kansas City, USA). It will also feature an international group of ensembles: the Thailand Philharmonic Orchestra (Bangkok, Thailand), the Tetris String Quartet (New York, USA), Hong Kong New Music Ensemble (Hong Kong, China), Contemporary Enclave (Bangkok, TH), Salaya Modern Ensemble (Bangkok, TH), the Mahidol University Wind Symphony and Symphonic Band (Bangkok, TH), the Armrein/ Henneberger Duo (Switzerland and Germany), the Integrated Percussion Ensemble (Bangkok, Th), Tomoko Honda (Belg. and Japan), Michael Hall (USA), Luisa Sello (IT), Cheryl Melfi (USA), and many other performers. The festival will also feature regional and world premieres of works by composers from around the world.

More information can be found here.

 

UMW Philharmonic Will Bring the Music of 1812 to Life This Weekend

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The University of Mary Washington Philharmonic Orchestra will perform classical works from Europe and America during its March Musical Mix concert on Saturday, March 17.

The program will include Tchaikovsky’s “1812 Overture,” Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7 and the evolving versions leading up to the U.S. national anthem “The Star Spangled Banner.” The concert begins at 7:30 p.m. in George Washington Hall’s Dodd Auditorium. Tickets are $10 for general admission or $2 for UMW faculty, staff and students.

Through research on the origins of “The Star Spangled Banner,” UMW Philharmonic Director Kevin Bartram learned it stems from a British drinking song. Its path through American colonial times gave Bartram the idea to present this patriotic piece as never before featured—from its musical roots to a modern symphonic rendition.

“We had to commission a special arrangement of ‘Anachreon’ to match the 18th century version, as the sheet music was not available. You’ll hear the true original,” Bartram said.

“To Anacreon in Heaven,” the underlying British tune from the 19th century, originated as a gentleman’s club song. Then, in Boston it became a patriotic tune and was labeled “Adam’s and Liberty” before Francis Scott Key’s poem formed the verses of “The Star Spangled Banner.” The UMW Philharmonic will be joined by vocalist Daryl Ott, a noted baritone who performed with the orchestra most recently for its Fourth of July concert.

The program also will include classical favorites at the concert, including   Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7, featured in the 2010 film, “The Kings Speech.”

Although performances of Tchaikovsky’s “1812 Overture” sometimes include firing cannons, the Friends of the Philharmonic are planning a unique way to simulate the sound in an indoor setting.

“The UMW Philharmonic is committed to bringing the highest level of musical entertainment to the community and has recently begun to attract an increasingly more diverse audience representing multiple generations,” said Conrad Warlick, chairman of the Friends of the Philharmonic.  “We are passionate about promoting classical music and education.”

Donations and concert fees fund music scholarships that help to attract talented musicians to the university and enable a variety of classical programs that also feature guest artists and celebrities.

Concert tickets can be purchased online at www.philharmonic.umw.edu or at the concert hall. For more information, call (540) 654-1012 or visit http://www.facebook.com/UMWPhil.

Mark Snyder Performed at National Conference

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Mark Snyder, assistant professor of music, performed his composition “Copenhagen” for processed tuba, electronics and video at the 2012 Society for Electro-Acoustic Musicians in the United States national conference. The conference was held at Lawrence University in Appleton, Wisconsin on Feb. 10.

The conference featured 115 music, video, paper and installation submissions. More about the conference can be found here: http://blogs.lawrence.edu/seamus2012/schedule

Three students from the music department, Becky Brown, Paige Naylor and John White), traveled with Snyder to attend the conference.

Four Nations Ensemble at Stratford Hall, FREE to UMW I.D.-Holders

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The Four Nations Ensemble

THE FOUR NATIONS ENSEMBLE in concert

3 p.m. in the Great Hall at Stratford Hall
Saturday, Oct. 2, 2010
Students, faculty, and staff of the University of Mary Washington, reserve your FREE tickets today!!!
804/493-8038 x 1039

The Four Nations Ensemble will be at Stratford Hall for the symposium, The Music of the Stratford Lees, a full day of “Lee-era Music” with presentations featuring Charleston, S.C, historian and musicologist Dr. Nicholas Butler, author of Votaries of Apollo, the acclaimed history of Charleston’s St. Cecilia Society, and Andrew Appel, Artistic Director of The Four Nations Ensemble, a group internationally praised for their historically informed performances. Then, in the afternoon the Great Hall will again ring with “Music of the Stratford Lees” through a program crafted and presented by The Four Nations Ensemble.

The Four Nations Ensemble, founded in 1986, brings together soloists who are leading exponents of period instrument and vocal performance to present great music from the Renaissance through the Viennese Classical masterpieces of Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven. For two decades, Four Nations has developed a leading presence on the early music scene in New York and across the country. With a core ensemble of harpsichord or fortepiano, violin, flute, and cello, the Ensemble explores and performs the major masterpieces of the 17th and 18th centuries, from trio sonata to piano trio and quartet.

Four Nations has performed at major houses and series throughout the United States including The Kennedy Center and Lincoln Center. The Ensemble has participated in festivals including The Boston Early Music Festival, New York’s Mostly Mozart, Amherst Festival, New Haven’’s International Festival of Arts & Ideas, Virginia Waterfront International Arts Festival, Chautauqua, The Indiana Early Music Festival, The Redwoods Festival in Santa Rosa, California, and Brasilseguridade in Rio de Janeiro.