VanderCook Music News, week of April 9

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Happening This Week

Student Recitals

April 13, 7:30 p.m.

Christian Anderson, Alivia Jakubowski & Steven Traversa Junior Recitals

April 14, 6:00 p.m.

Courtney Gleitz Senior Recital + Alexis Hart Junior Recital

April 14, 2018, 8:00 p.m.

Presley Brandt & Christina Connor Senior Recitals

April 15, 2018, 2:00 p.m.

Kornelia Cesarz & Patrick Meagher Senior Recitals

April 15, 2018, 4:00 p.m.

Danielle Dileto Senior Recital + Jonah Figueroa & Katia Schmitt Junior Recitals

April 15, 2018, 6:00 p.m.

Rosemaria DeVenuto, Andrew Espinosa & Joseph McCoy Junior Recitals

Recaps

April 7

A Night at the Pops to Remember!... Sizzling performances played to a packed house of over 250 attendees, and the evening saw the highest-grossing silent auction in Pops history. As one attendee put it, this was not your mom’s Pops!

A wealth of thanks to all of our students, whether performing or working or both, who demonstrated their incredible talent, pride and enthusiasm. A big shout-out to Michael Gibson and the Musicality ensemble, and special thanks as well to all faculty and staff who helped make the event run as smoothly as it seemed.

We want your photos! Send your favorite shots to gmeyer@vandercook.edu and we’ll post them on the website and to our Facebook Pops album!

In Memoriam

Revolutionary jazz pianist Cecil Taylor died at age 89 on April 5. Taylor transitioned from bebop to free jazz in the 1950s and quickly became one of that genre’s mightiest forces. Over his 60+ years of performing, he recorded well over 70 albums and inspired countless others with his groundbreaking approach and techniques.

VanderCook in the News

Victoria Shoemaker (BMEd ’15) has been nominated for a Wisconsin Area Music Industry (WAMI) Peoples Choice Award as band director of the year. The awards ceremony will take place on April 15 at the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center in Appleton, WI. Full nominee listing and ceremony info here.

The current issue of School Band & Orchestra (CBO) magazine features a reflection on the VanderCook Symphonic Band’s performance at the 2017 Midwest Clinic, penned by president emeritus Dr. Charles Menghini. The article also features extensive comments by alumni Nyle Taylor (BMEd ’16) and Mario Moody (BMEd ’01).

Dominic Thompson (MMEd ’08) was recently hired as the new music director of the Bloomington Community Band in Indiana. Their announcement can be found here.

Guitar instructor Dr. Julie Goldberg writes a monthly blog on guitar pedagogy for the D’Addario Music Education Collective. Check out her articles and others here.

Upcoming

Student Recitals

April 21, 2018, 4:00 p.m.

Ronald Ralon Senior Recital + Myckala Tobolsky Junior Recital

April 26, 2018, 7:30 p.m.

Steven Vonderohe Senior Recital

April 27, 2018, 7:30 p.m.

Joshua Breen, Matthew Butler & Edward Sailer Junior Recitals

April 29, 2018, 6:00 p.m.

Miguel Pedraza Senior Recital + Eric Ballenger & Agata Noca Junior Recitals

April 19

Samuel Schuman Fitness Day at VanderCook! Dr. Leah Schuman has arranged for a number of exercises and activities for students and faculty. In addition to yoga, karate, basketball and volleyball, renowned performer Dill Costa will host a special Brazilian Dance class. Sign up this Thursday to participate!

April 19-22

Manju Durairaj (MMEd ’03) will present three sessions on 21st century Orff education, technology and curriculum at the 25th National Canadian Orff Schulwerk Conference in Niagara Falls, Ontario. Conference details can be found here.

April 21

Dr. Julie Goldberg leads the Avanti Guitar Trio in performance at the Kerrytown Concert House in Ann Arbor, MI. Tickets are available here.

April 24

The Chicago Community Classical Guitar Ensemble, led by Dr. Julie Goldberg, will present a side-by-side concert with the Union Ridge Middle School Guitar Ensemble at Union Ridge School in Harwood Heights, IL.

May 3

Yamaha Performing Artist Jeff Rupert will present a special master class to VanderCook students and local school ensembles. Rupert, Director of Jazz Studies at the University of Central Florida, will join VanderCook’s Jazz Band and Percussion Ensembles at the Jazz & Percussion Concert at 7:00 that evening. School ensembles can register for the master class here.

May 6

Dr. Goldberg and the Chicago Community Classical Guitar Ensemble celebrate the ensemble’s 20th anniversary with a free concert at Quinlan Hall at VanderCook. They’ll be joined by a number of VCM alumni and members of the Windy City Guitar Ensemble.

May 9

Dr. Ruti Abramovitch will perform a special chamber music concert at VanderCook. Joining her will be CSO principal cellist John Sharp and Lyric Opera violinist Liba Schacht. This concert starts at 7:00 p.m. and inaugurates the Chamber Music at VanderCook series. Tickets ($10) are available here.

July 8-13

Vocal instructor Angela Presutti Korbitz will host VanderCook's first Vocal Arts Camp, offering classes in choral repertoire, music theatre, sight-singing, theory and movement. More details to follow, but interested singers and teachers can contact Korbitz directly at 630.207.9196 or apresutti@vandercook.edu.

Around Town

Just some of the many worthwhile events happening in the city this week.

April 10

Constellation welcomes legendary jazz drummer Albert ‘Tootie’ Heath for a rare appearance. Heath, who has performed and recorded with luminaries including John Coltrane, Art Farmer, Herbie Hancock, Benny Golson, Nina Simone, Dexter Gordon and dozens more, will be joined by bassist Russell Hall and pianist Emmet Cohen for an evening not to be missed! Tickets and more information available here.

April 14

Acclaimed guitarist Shin-ichi Fukuda presents a recital at Bienen School of Music’s Galvin Hall, featuring rarely performed works by Toru Takemitsu, Leo Brouwer, J.S. Bach, Keigo Fujii, Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco and others. Tickets and details here.

This Week in Music History

A great excuse to introduce students to the people and events that shaped music as we know it today…

April 9

1932: Singer-songwriter Carl Perkins, whose “Blue Suede Shoes” inspired countless early rock & roll bands, is born today.

1945: Drummer Steve Gadd is born today.

1976: Folk giant Phil Ochs is found dead in his apartment today, from self-inflicted hanging. A staunch antiwar protest singer of the 1960s, he maintained a friendly rivalry with Bob Dylan over the years. His most famous songs include “Draft Dodger Rag” and “Love Me, I’m a Liberal.”

1980: Albert Hammond Jr., guitarist for The Strokes, is born today.

1991: British producer Martin Hannett dies. Hannett produced and helped launch many seminal UK acts including Joy Division, New Order, U2, The Smiths and others by the time of his death at age 42.

April 10

1950: Psych-funk guitarist Eddie Hazel, whose acid-washed guitar provided the signature sound to Parliament-Funkadelic, is born today.

1970: Paul McCartney officially announces the breakup of The Beatles.

April 11

1961: Bob Dylan makes his first appearance at Folk City in NYC’s Greenwich Village. His performances at this and other coffee shops over the next year will anchor his reputation as America’s preeminent folk singer and the musical voice of the antiwar movement.

1987: Singer-songwriter Joss Stone is born today.

April 12

1940: Jazz pianist extraordinaire Herbie Hancock is born today.

1957: Country singer-songwriter Vince Gill is born today.

April 13

1742: George Frideric Handel’s Messiah premieres in Dublin.

1896: John Philip Sousa’s El Capitan premieres in Boston.

1944: Jack Casady, bassist for Jefferson Airplane, is born today.

1946: Singer-songwriter Al Green is born today. Green authored modern-day classics including “Take Me to the River” and “Love and Happiness” before becoming ordained in 1976 and devoting his life to preaching and gospel singing.

April 14

1932: Country legend Loretta Lynn is born today.

1945: Deep Purple and Rainbow guitarist Ritchie Blackmore is born today.

1971: Stephen Sondheim’s Follies makes its Broadway premiere.

April 15

1729: Johann Sebastian Bach's St. Matthew Passion premieres in Leipzig.

1894: “Empress of the Blues” Bessie Smith is born today. She would go on to make over 200 recordings, many of which are considered definitive versions of several blues standards.

1933: Country singer and banjo virtuoso Roy Clark is born today.

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