Eastman School of Music

1959

Edward Wolpert ’60E (MA) has published A Conservative Approach to Trading Options: Common Sense Strategies to Increase Income, Limit Risk, Protect Profits, and Leverage Resources (Oconee Financial Planning Services).

1961

Gerry Long (DMA) has released a collection of 12 works he composed for clarinet and guitar titled Thoughts/Afterthoughts for Clarinet & Guitar (Clear Note Publishers).

1968

Flutist Leone Buyse and pianist/composer Martin Amlin ’77E (DMA) have released Dedicated to Barrère (Crystal Records, 2006) and Dedicated to Barrère, Vol. 2 (Crystal Records, 2007) on which they perform rediscovered works dedicated to the renowned Franco-American flutist and teacher Georges Barrère. Buyse is a professor of flute at Rice University and Amlin is on the faculty at Boston University. . . . Bill Cahn returned to the Northwestern University School of Music for a miniresidency in the percussion department. He facilitated a workshop, gave private lessons, and led rehearsals. The residency ended with a performance by the Northwestern University Percussion Ensemble in a program of four of Bill’s compositions. Bill also performs on the new CD titled Variations and Fantasies (BMG Japan) by clarinet virtuoso Richard Stoltzman, along with pianist Peter John Stoltzman and marimbaist Mika Yoshida. . . . John Reid reports that he premiered the Concerto for Bassoon by James Cockey, an Idaho composer, in McCall, Idaho, on May 2 and 3. John was assisted by local musicians and members of the Boise Philharmonic, and musicians from the University of Idaho.

1970

Geary Larrick sends an update: He premiered three of his music compositions for bongo drums, gongs, and xylophone during spring semester at Gesell Institute at the University of Wisconsin at Stevens Point. The collaborating teacher was Lorrie Richardson. Geary wrote his first article for the Percussive Arts Society 40 years ago this year—a history paper that he wrote for the Eastman School. That article is online at www.pas.org/Members.

1974

Phil Markowitz reports that he can be heard with Saxophone Summit (Joe Lovano, Dave Liebman, Ravi Coltrane) on the newly released Seraphic Light on Telarc Records. He begins a world tour this summer with the group. Phil’s trio has released their new recording, Catalysis, on Sunnyside Records. They will tour the United States and Europe in the fall with stops at the Earshot Jazz Festival in Seattle and the London Jazz Festival. Phil continues his professorship at the Manhattan School of Music in the graduate and doctoral divisions. He sends a photo of the Phil Markowitz Trio in front of the Copenhagen Jazz House in March 2007. Left to right: Jay Anderson, Phil, and Adam Nussbaum.

1975

John Serry ’91E (MM) writes that he completed his 12-concert tour (December 2007 and January 2008) of Prague and several other cities in the Czech Republic as a guest pianist and composer with guitarist Adam Tvdry’s group. The performances, in concert venues and jazz clubs (Reduta, Agharta, U Stari Pani, and others) included several of John’s recorded compositions, including those from his new album, The Shift. Recorded with Serry’s quartet in London, The Shift will be released through the Austrian label Couch Records on iTunes.

1977

Martin Amlin ’77E (DMA) (see ’68)

1981

The world premiere of Dan Locklair’s (DMA) latest solo organ work, St. John’s Suite (Four Chorale Preludes for Organ) took place on May 18 at the St. John’s Baptist Church in Charlotte, N.C., as a part of the dedicatory recital for the church’s new Létourneau pipe organ. Commissioned by St. John’s for the occasion, the work was performed by organist Maureen Howell. Based on four well-known hymn tunes (St. Theodulph, Galilee, Herzliebster Jesu, and O Filii et Filiae), the texts associated with each of these melodies contain references to the Gospel of St. John. St. John’s Suite is published by Subito.

1984

William Chapman Nyaho has edited the latest volume in the Piano Music of Africa and the African Diaspora series (Oxford University Press). . . . Violinist William Terwilliger ’90E (DMA) performed with pianist Andrew Cooperstock at BargeMusic on May 18 as part of the “Here and Now: American Contemporary Music Series.” . . . Susan Knapp Thomas writes that she was the featured guest soloist along with flutist Grieg Shearer performing Mozart’s Flute and Harp Concerto with the Hartford Symphony on June 27. The concert is the summer season opener, “Summer Begins! All Mozart,” and took place at the symphony’s permanent summer home, Simsbury Meadows, in Simsbury, Conn. Susan plays seasonally with the Hartford and Waterbury symphonies, and the Rhode Island Philharmonic, where, she writes, she ran into Steve Laven ’85E and Carolyn Comfort Cantrell ’85E. She is in regular contact with Lisa Albrecht ’86E and Nancy Keithan Lane ’86E.

1988

Marianne Gythfeldt performed a concert titled “Radical Departures: An Evening of Relentlessly Bold Music, Ranging from the Divine to the Vulgar” at the University of Delaware. She is assistant professor of music at the university. . . . Cory Hall (MM) writes that he has created a Web site devoted exclusively to tempo in the music of J. S. Bach (www.bachscholar.com). “The site includes a detailed analysis of the complete B-minor Mass as well as other works,” he writes.

1993

Joana Miranda ’95E (MM) was the national winner of the platinum and colored diamonds category in the 2008 Women’s Jewelry Association DIVA jewelry design competition. Her winning design, featuring natural pink and white diamonds, has been manufactured by the Natural Colored Diamond Association and will be marketed over the next year. Miranda, who started her own jewelry business in July 2007 (www.joanamirandastudio.com), also continues her career as a violinist with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra. . . . Jacinto Núñez reports that he graduated magna cum laude from the University of Akron School of Law. While in law school, he served on the editorial board of the Akron Law Review. Jacinto will begin his law practice with Thompson Hine in Cleveland, Ohio. . . . Betsy Schramm (PhD) premiered three pieces for spring orchestra on April 26 at Dunster House at Harvard University.

1995

David Beauchesne ’99 (MM) has been named executive director of the Rhode Island Philharmonic Orchestra & Music School. He was previously the director of education and community partnerships. . . . Wallace Halladay writes that he played the quartet of saxophones in a May 4 performance of Scott Good’s concerto for saxophone and orchestra, Babbitt. The concert was the opening gala of the Esprit Orchestra’s “New Wave Festival.” . . . Greg Yasinitsky reports that he received the Marian E. Smith Award for Faculty Excellence at Washington State University, the first time the award has been given to a professor in the arts. Greg was also selected to give the Distinguished Faculty Address and in the fall will be promoted to Regents Professor at Washington State, a position that’s limited to a maximum of 30 faculty members. Greg is coordinator of jazz studies at the university.

2001

Jennifer Pascual (DMA) oversaw the music for Pope Benedict XVI’s five-day visit to the United States in April and conducted both Masses. She is the director of music at the St. Joseph’s Seminary and College in Yonkers, N.Y.

2003

Mike Williams (see ’06)

2005

Jared Schonig (see ’06)

2006

Lynn Ligammari reports the release of her band’s CD, Politics for Kids (www.thoughtmusic.com). The band, Thought, includes Eastman graduates Mike Williams ’03E (bass trumpet) and Jared Schonig ’05E (drums), as well as P. J. Boeckel (bass) and Tim Allen (guitar).. . . . Jun Qian (DMA) formed two new ensembles at St. Olaf College, where he is assistant professor of music: the St. Olaf Youth Clarinet Ensemble and the St. Olaf Virtuosi Chamber Winds. They joined the college’s clarinet choir for a performance on April 8.

2007

Eugene Feygelson has been selected to receive the Jack Kent Cooke Graduate Scholarship. Feygelson will first read for a one-year master’s degree in musicology at the University of Cambridge. He will have the option of continuing on for a PhD with funding from the scholarship program.