Volume 28, No. 30
April 25, 1997
Scott A. Miller
Contact: MU PR Office 662-4844
NEWS
Festival Chorus' "Requiem" to cap Music Scholarship Weekend
The music department's annual Music Scholarship Benefit Weekend will conclude with a performance by the Festival Chorus of Rutter's "Requiem" Sunday, April 27, at 7 p.m. in Steadman Theatre.
The performance will feature longtime MU music professor Kent Hill on organ, soprano soloist Barbara Winters, a small instrumental ensemble and the 62 voice Festival Chorus.
Hill taught at MU for 28 years, presenting numerous organ recitals along the way and producing a compact disc. Since retiring in 1995, he has been director of music at the Christ Episcopal Church in Pittsford, NY.
The Festival Chorus, under the direction of Peggy Dettwiler, director of choral activities, comprises 17 voices from the Tioga County area and 45 MU students.
Rutter's "Requiem" is one of the most popular works of the last two decades. In addition to the traditional Latin liturgy from the Requiem Mass, Rutter selected texts from the 1662 Book of Common Prayer and the Psalms. Dettwiler says that Rutter chose to affirm life and express hopefulness rather than place the emphasis of his work on death.
In addition to the "Requiem" the Festival Chorus will join the Concert Choir in a performance of the Bach motet "O Jesus Christ, thou light of life." The work, based on a hymn, features trumpet and organ accompaniment. The Concert Choir will add a portion of a mass written by Canadian composer Ruth Watson.
Tickets for the concert are $5 for adults and $3 for MU students and children.
The weekend begins Friday, April 25, at 8 p.m. with the Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Kenneth Sarch. The concert will feature winners of the student solo competition. Mo Sze But will perform St. Saens' Piano Concerto #2. Rebecca Lang will perform Mendelssohn's violin Concerto. Carrie Hooper will sing Donizetti's Aria from "Linda di Chamounix." Gary Holmes and Shawn McClintic will play Vivaldi's Concerto for Two Trumpets. Individual tickets are $5 for adults and $3 for students.
On Saturday, April 26, the Chamber Singers will present a free concert at 1 p.m. with music by Schubert, Brahms, Mendelssohn and also some vocal jazz. Saturday evening at 7 p.m. the department celebrates with the Faculty Gala Concert with all faculty performing on either the more serious or the more humorous portion of the program. Tickets for Saturday evening are $15 for adults and $5 for students.
On Sunday, April 27, at 3 p.m. the Concert Wind Ensemble under the direction of Adam Brennan presents a concert of some of the finest music for wind ensemble. The program includes "Lincolnshire Posy" by Percy Grainger, "Variants on a Medieval Tune" by Norman Dello Joio, "The Sinfonians" by Clifton Williams, and "Symphony #2" by David Maslanka. Tickets for the Wind Ensemble concert and the catered reception following the concert are $8 for adults and $6 for students.
All proceeds from the weekend benefit the music scholarship fund.
Students recognized for service to the university
MU recently honored more than 40 students for their service to the university and community at the eighth annual Student Affairs Outstanding Student Awards Banquet in North Dining Hall Monday, April 21.
The celebration also recognized the time and effort put forth by advisors to the many student organizations on campus.
Of the 39 nominees for the outstanding student service awards, Mark E. Rice, nominated by the Social Work Club, was selected as the Outstanding Student Service Award Recipient for 1996-'97. All nominees were recipients of certificates of merit.
Also recognized were MU's 17 inductees into Who's Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges. Campus nominating committees and editors of the annual directory have included the names of these students based on their academic achievement, service to community, leadership in curricular activities and potential for continued success.
They join an elite group of students selected from more than 1,400 institutions of higher learning in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and several foreign nations.
President Rod Kelchner, Vice President Joseph Maresco, Dr. Robert Maris and Clarence Crisp, director of student activities, presided over the ceremonies. Musical entertainment was provided by flutist Galen Abdur-Razzaq.
Friday, May 2, 8 p.m., Steadman. The MU Symphonic Band, under the direction of Michael Galloway, music, will present its final concert. The performance will include "Dedicatory Overture" by Clifton Williams, "Second Suite in F" by Gustav Holst, "Arioso for Band" by Joseph Jenkins and "Music for Winds and Percussion" by Elliot Del Borgo. The concert will conclude with Richard Rogers' "Victory at Sea."
Have an Updater announcement? Send it to Scott A. Miller
Peggy Dettwiler, music, presented an interest session titled "The Choral Director as Voice Teacher" at the Wisconsin Choral Directors State Convention in Appleton, WI, Jan. 16. She also presented the session at the Music Educators Easter Division Convention in Baltimore Feb. 28. On April 10, she led a reading session of choral works for mixed choirs at the Pennsylvania Music Educators State Conference in Pittsburgh.
Larry Nesbit, information resources, presented a program at the Pennsylvania School Library Annual Conference entitled "Information Trends." He based the presentation on several ideas used in North Hall, including the Internet, the World Wide Web, client server vs. mainframe architecture, centrally mounted databases vs. locally controlled CD-ROM networks, convergence of information technology, and the power of consumer market .
The Communication and Theatre Department's Communication Day 1997, held April 18, welcomed six alumni to campus for presentations relating to their employment, a question and answer session and an informal dinner session. The alumni included Troy Thompson, press aide for the state Department of Labor and Industry in Harrsiburg; Tracey Bellesfield, public relations associate for Images Group Inc. of Easton; Jeff Leiboff, a graphic artist for Artistic Greetings Inc. In Elmira; Brian Ulmer, an attorney in Lewsiburg; Tammy Strausser, research director at H.R.P. in New York City; and Robert Christie, media relations for the the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.
Just hours after the final pick in the NFL Draft was announced, the San Diego Chargers signed MU football standout Nate Gibson to a free agent contract. Gibson, a two-time All-PSAC first team and All-American selection, was ranked sixth at center by the NFL Scouting Combine going into the draft.Gibson is in San Diego for a mini-camp. He is the first Mountaineer to sign a pro football contract Tony Grego signed with the Philadelphia Eagles in 1993.
David Coyle and Dana Vosburgh were named the PSAC Track Athlete of the Week for their outstanding performances during the week ending April 20. Coyle won the 100 and 200 meter dash and also anchored the winning 4X400 m relay in a tri-meet with Lock Haven and Bloomsburg. In addition, he won the 400 meters at the Lock Haven Invitational to remain undefeated in collegiate competition this season in the 400 meters. Vosburgh set a new stadium record in the 1500 meters in the tri-meet with Bloomsburg and Lock Haven with a time of 4:01.5 and was a member of the winning 4x400 relay. Vosburgh also won the 1500 and 800 meters at the Lock Haven Invitational on Saturday. It marks the first time in school history that a member of the men's track team has been selected PSAC Track Athlete of the Week.
The baseball team took three of four games from West Chester throughout the week to climb to within half a game of PSAC East leading Kutztown. Mansfield stood at 12-5 in conference play after splitting its doubleheader with West Chester Wednesday. Senior Greg Robertson became the PSAC's all-time hit leader rapping out his record setting 251st hit on a two-run single as MU exploded for seven runs in the second inning of the first game. Joe Skelly was named the PSAC East Player of the Week for his outstanding performance for the week ending April 20.Skelly, a junior centerfielder, hit safely in all six games during the week rapping out 11 hits in 18 at bats for a .611 batting average. He had a double, triple and two home runs while driving in 11 RBI and scoring nine times. In addition, Skelly posted a 1.111 slugging percentage and stole two bases. For the season, he is batting .331 with 41 hits in 124 at-bats with five five home runs. He also leads the team in runs scored with 33 and has 28 RBI.
The softball team rallied with four runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to beat Kutztown 6-4 in the second game of a PSAC East doubleheader. Kutztown won the opening game 10-0. Trailing 3-2, Nikki Noaeill led off the bottom of the sixth with a double. Stephainie Kent then walk and Noaeill scored on a single by Sherry Thompson. Kent scored on a single by Kelly Morris and Thompson scored on a wild pitch. Missy Tyson went the distance for the win, her second of the season and also scored the Mountaineers first run after leading off the bottom of the first with a triple.