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Visiting composer Alexina Louie navigates Asian identity in Western classical music

Anonymous — Tue, 07 Feb 2023 07:00:00 +0000

Visiting composer Alexina Louie navigates Asian identity in Western classical music Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 02/07/2023 - 00:00

Adam Goldstein

It took a global pandemic to finally provide Alexandra Nguyen the chance to perform a piece of music that she’d been carrying around since the age of 18.

In 2020, Nguyen found herself searching for new modes of performance and expression in the wake of sudden transformations wrought by COVID-19. As an educator specializing in collaborative performance, the new limitations on crowds and gatherings forced her to reimagine her approach to teaching and to making music.

It was in these circumstances that she decided to finally perform “Scenes from a Jade Terrace” by accomplished Canadian composer Alexina Louie. Nguyen interviewed Louie to capture her own words as part of the videos Nguyen played between pieces on her program’s livestream, thereby leveraging—rather than feeling limited by—available technologies. That ultimately led to the discovery of shared experiences and an exciting residency bound for the College of Music this month, Feb. 12-19.

“It turned out we have a lot in common,” recalls Nguyen, associate professor of collaborative piano. “We had these really fascinating conversations about what it means for first-, second- and third-generation immigrants to establish our identity in a new culture while respecting and including our heritage.”

She adds, “On a daily basis, the Asian community is faced with microaggressions. We’re perceived as a model minority, yet we’re often overlooked and we’ve seen an outbreak of violence in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. I felt it’s time to bring our voices to the table through someone who looks like me, and someone who shares the same experiences in this realm of classical music.”

Louie’s upcoming residency—broadly themed “Navigating Asian Identity in Western Classical Music”—will include working with the College of Music’s Philharmonia Orchestra and Treble Chorus, as well as instruction with composition students and the college’s piano pedagogy class. As well, the residency will offer students, faculty and community members the opportunity to explore some of the themes that arose in those first conversations between Nguyen and Louie.

“I’m hoping that our community will be interested in exploring and getting to know this accomplished artist, and to actively engage in open-mindedness, listening and conversation,” concludes Nguyen.

Indeed, the residency offers the College of Music community to interact with and learn from a composer whose accomplishments range from major orchestral works to widely recognized pedagogical scores to music for TV comic operas. It also offers the chance to tackle questions of equity, access and culture that have long been overlooked in the realm of Western classical music.

Free + open to the public:

Monday, Feb. 13, 7:30 p.m., Grusin Music Hall
Philharmonia Orchestra concert, including a performance of Louie’s “O Magnum Mysterium: In Memoriam Glenn Gould”
Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2 p.m., Grusin Music Hall
Piano master class featuring Louie’s “Scenes from a Jade Terrace”
Friday, Feb. 17, 5 p.m., Chamber Hall (S102)
Moderated talk + dialogue with composer Alexina Louie: Navigating Asian Identity in Western Classical Music
Saturday, Feb. 18, 7:30 pm, Grusin Music Hall
This final concert will showcase Louie’s works, with faculty and student performers.

Louie’s residency is funded by a Roser Grant, as well as the College of Music’s keyboard and composition departments.

In a week-long residency coming up—including four free, public events—Canadian composer Alexina Louie will explore what it means to find your own voice and identity.

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In stride with jazz alumna Annie Booth

Anonymous — Tue, 12 Jul 2022 06:00:00 +0000

In stride with jazz alumna Annie Booth Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 07/12/2022 - 00:00

MarieFaith Lane

Jazz pianist, band leader and composer/arranger Annie Booth (BM ’11, MM ’20) has been an active presence in the Colorado jazz community for many years, and was named among “Denver’s ten best jazz musicians” (Westword) last August. For her, studying and serving as a graduate teaching assistant at our College of Music was a time of professional growth that prepared her for a multifaceted career in music.

“My experiences at �� Boulder—both at the undergraduate and graduate levels—were invaluable,” says Booth. “I was part of the Concert Jazz Ensemble and Jazz Combos, which helped shape my career in different ways. At the undergraduate level, I became comfortable playing in those settings and learned how to act professionally. At the graduate level, I composed a lot for the band, so it was a great opportunity to not only have the ensemble play my music, but also to gain the experience of conducting my own pieces.”

Today, Booth serves on the faculty of the Lamont School of Music and has numerous projects in the works. She was recently selected as the 2022 Reno Jazz Festival Commissioned Composer, and leads and writes for the 18-piece Annie Booth Big Band. On June 24, she released “Alpenglow”—her album featuring the Annie Booth Sextet (watch for a single/preview this fall!)—and she’s set to release another album in February 2023: “Flowers of Evil”—featuring College of Music faculty and alumni*—is a song cycle of eight Charles Baudelaire poems that Booth has set to music.

“I have the utmost respect for every single person who chooses the path of the professional musician,” she reflects. “It’s taken a lot of versatility, flexibility, hard work, focus and being intentional about whom I want to surround myself with. The people who have helped me—be it musicians who I’ve hired to be a part of my projects or mentors who have guided me and pushed me along—are very important.

“Figuring out how to do it is an ongoing journey. There’s no template because the world and this career space is ever-changing.”

Also an avid educator, Booth created the SheBop Young Women in Jazz Workshop in conjunction with the Colorado Conservatory for the Jazz Arts—the first jazz camp in Colorado for young women. As an extension of her pedagogy-focused master’s thesis, her mission is to create a strong, empowered community of women along the Front Range who express themselves through jazz music.

“Because jazz music is individualistic, everyone has their own voice,” Booth explains. “It’s a priority for me to communicate that message to my students, encouraging them to find freedom in their self-expression.

“Everyone is going to have their own path and do things differently. It’s important for students to use the tools from their teachers to help them grow their own voice at their own pace.”

In addition to her workshop, Booth offers regular jam sessions—these local Girls Jams are open to girls and women of all ages and abilities.

In sum, Booth offers this career advice:

“Ask yourself, what’s best serving me on my path? There’s a fine line between saying ‘yes’ for exposure and becoming overwhelmed with opportunities. I’ve gotten trapped by over-committing myself and have learned to say ‘no’ to things that aren’t serving my overall career goals.”
“Don’t get stuck in the way that things have been done before. There are so many chances for us to share our music and collaborate with others. Keep an open mind and always be on the lookout for opportunities. That said, be careful to choose opportunities that serve your bigger mission in music.”
“Surround yourself with like-minded people. It can be hard to find that community, but seeking out jam sessions, open mics, community orchestras, and so on will help you find your group of people who will support you. Show up, be the best you can be and let people know who you are! Many times it’s about who knows you, rather than who you know.”

*Booth’s piece and forthcoming studio album, “Flowers of Evil,” features Professor of Jazz John Gunther (sax and clarinets) and Associate Professor of Jazz Studies Brad Goode (trumpet). The album also features a cast of alumni, including Dru Heller (MM ’15), Anisha Rush (BM ’16), Matt Smiley (DMA ’22), Rosalee Walsh (BM ’22) and Brian Woodbury (DMA ’21).

Alumna Annie Booth shares how the College of Music continues to impact her career as an award-winning jazz pianist, band leader, composer/arranger and educator—and offers valuable career advice.

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Piano + Keyboard Program hosts DEI-focused guest lecturers, master class

Anonymous — Wed, 27 Oct 2021 06:00:00 +0000

Piano + Keyboard Program hosts DEI-focused guest lecturers, master class Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 10/27/2021 - 00:00

Sabine Kortals Stein

Kicking off November, the College of Music's Roser Piano + Keyboard Program is thrilled to present virtual and in-person events as part of a doctoral seminar on diverse piano literature. On Nov. 2, 5 and 12, two guest lectures and a guest master class are open to the piano department as a whole; members of the college's Music Advisory Board and the general public are also welcome.

"Who's that? Creating a new standard repertoire"

Guest lecture by Assistant Professor of Piano Artina McCain, Rudi E. Scheidt School of Music, University of Memphis
Nov. 5, 10:20 a.m. via Zoom:
https://cuboulder.zoom.us/j/91407388720
Meeting ID: 914 0738 8720)

According to McCain, "Teaching underrepresented composers is experiencing a renaissance. As trendy as it may seem, this is not a new topic. While works of Black women composers have been discussed for decades, there's a disconnect between individual research and what we see represented in our student auditions, concert halls and competition programming.

"In this session, we'll learn how to pair 'new' pieces with standard programming for intermediate through advanced repertoire."

Professor of Piano Andrew Cooperstock points out that McCain is both a specialist in piano music by Black women composers and an expert in "how to incorporate this music into traditional music study and performance."

He adds, "Dr. McCain is a leader among American artist-teachers today with a perspective that's closely aligned with the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion [DEI] goals of the Keyboard Department and the College of Music overall."

Master class

Nov. 2, 2:20 p.m. in Grusin Music Hall (in person)

Leading up to McCain's lecture, join us for a guest master class with McCain (via Zoom), along with three of our doctoral students (in person)—and featuring diverse music by George Walker, H. Leslie Adams and Tania Leon.

"American music from the African diaspora"

Guest lecture by Keyboard Lecturer William Chapman Nyaho, Mary Baker Russell Music Center, Pacific Lutheran University
Vice President for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Music Teachers National Association (MTNA)
Author of Piano Music of Africa and the African Diaspora
Nov. 12, 10:20 a.m. via Zoom:
https://cuboulder.zoom.us/j/91407388720
Meeting ID: 914 0738 8720)

"Dr. Nyaho is the leading expert on piano music of Africa and the African diaspora," says Cooperstock of the Ghanaian American scholar. "He's lectured widely on the subject for a number of years and has published five graded volumes of music by these composers.

"As we seek to broaden our idea of repertoire, we have much to learn from Dr. Nyaho."

Join us!

Kicking off November, the College of Music's Piano + Keyboard Program will present virtual and in-person events as part of a doctoral seminar on diverse piano literature.

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Winds program features music by celebrated BIPOC composer George Walker

Anonymous — Wed, 13 Oct 2021 06:00:00 +0000

Winds program features music by celebrated BIPOC composer George Walker Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 10/13/2021 - 00:00

MarieFaith Lane

At the College of Music, we know that music—as an integral part of our daily lives—binds people together and creates space for artistic exploration.

In that spirit, the next Faculty Tuesdays recital on Oct. 19 features Professor of Horn Michael Thornton and Professor of Piano David Korevaar—alongside graduate students and members of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra (LACO)— in an evening of music for winds, including celebrated BIPOC composer George Walker's "Wind Set."

“I try to use Faculty Tuesdays as a platform to bring in colleagues from different parts of my research and work, and to enhance our students' professional development," says Thornton, who holds concurrent appointments as principal horn of LACO and the Colorado Symphony. "In the past, I've performed with members from the Colorado Symphony and friends from various music festivals. For this show, I'm excited to collaborate with College of Music faculty, the �� Boulder Graduate Wind Quintet and LACO colleagues.

“For the Graduate Wind Quintet, this is a really good challenge in preparing repertoire in a timeline that's normal for professional musicians, while making meaningful connections with big names in TV and film industries. I'm also excited about diversifying the program with a composer who has meaningful connections to �� Boulder."

Indeed, the late George Walker was a visiting professor here in the 1960s; in 1996, Walker became the first African American composer to win a Pulitzer Prize for "Lilacs," a work for voice and orchestra.

In addition to "Wind Set," next Tuesday's program presents the college's Graduate Wind Quintet in Mozart's Serenade in C Minor, K. 388, as well as pianist Korevaar in Beethoven's Quintet for Piano and Winds.

“Beethoven in this piece is jumping off from a model established by Mozart, who first wrote a piece for this combination of instruments," explains Korevaar, who—as an active soloist, chamber musician and collaborator—is thrilled to be playing in-person performances again. "Beethoven, of course, handles it differently. Young Beethoven was interested in his own virtuoso pianism and maybe didn't share the spotlight as well with the other players, compared to Mozart.

“That said, there's wonderful wind writing that reflects this late-18th-century moment when orchestra wind sections were coming into their own.”

Concludes Korevaar, "Beethoven has the exquisite ability to write music that's meant for five great soloists to play in collaboration, where everybody has a critical role. It’s an extremely well-written and fun piece to play, full of infectious humor. And I'm really looking forward to working with Mike and his colleagues, whom I haven’t worked with before."

On Oct. 19, horn and piano faculty will collaborate with the �� Boulder Graduate Wind Quintet and members of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra in a Faculty Tuesdays program for winds, including George Walker's "Wind Set."

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Supporter spotlight: Daniel Sher and Boyce Reid Sher

Anonymous — Tue, 24 Nov 2020 07:00:00 +0000

Supporter spotlight: Daniel Sher and Boyce Reid Sher Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 11/24/2020 - 00:00

Jessie Bauters

In a roundabout way, the piano brought Dan and Boyce Sher together.

Says Dan: “Even though the realization took me until my junior year in high school, it dawned on me then that I knew I needed to pursue it.”

And Boyce: “Growing up, there was always music in the house. My mother started looking for piano teachers for me early on, and I started taking lessons at age 5.”

Eventually, the pair followed their musical passions to Columbia Teachers College in New York City, where they met and married some 51 years ago.

Now, in recognition of their shared love of the ivories, the Shers have given a gift to name the Sher Collaborative Piano Faculty Studio in the expanded Imig Music Building as part of the music+ campaign.

But anyone even remotely familiar with the College of Music knows it’s just the latest mark of many the couple has left on music study at �� Boulder.

Foundational notes

Daniel Sher was born in Brooklyn and grew up in the suburbs of New York City. His grandparents had immigrated from Eastern Europe; Dan says they weren’t able to afford music lessons right away—even though his mother had always wanted to learn to play the piano.

“When they finally had an opportunity to get a piano in the house, my mother started lessons. She wanted me to do the same, so I did.”

After attending a camp for young musicians, Dan says he got hooked and eventually applied to Conservatory of Music at Oberlin College as a piano student. “I was already very interested in chamber music by the time I got to Oberlin,” he recalls. “I was a solo major but I did a lot of chamber study there and continued to go back to that music camp as a faculty counselor.”

He went on to study with Martin Canin and Rosina Lhevinne at The Juilliard School before pursuing the EdD at the Teachers College at Columbia University.

Boyce Reid Sher had music in her blood as a child. “My mother was a singer. She was a minister’s wife, and so she could only sing in the church choir,” Boyce remembers about her early life in the Pittsburgh area.

After starting piano lessons at age 5 with legendary local piano teacher Joseph Esposito, Boyce developed into a prodigy, performing two concertos with the Pittsburgh Symphony at ages 12 and 14 and studying at the Aspen Music Festival and School as a teenager.

“I attended Aspen in its early years. There were dirt roads in downtown Aspen back then,” she recalls.

After earning bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Eastman School of Music, Boyce studied in Rome on a Fulbright scholarship for a year. She returned to the U.S., teaching in and around New York City before enrolling in the same program as Dan at Columbia.

“We got engaged in the spring of 1969, got married in August, and moved to Louisiana right after our honeymoon, just in time for the school year at Dan’s new position,” Boyce says.

Finding footing

The move to Louisiana State University marked the beginning of the first long-term relationship the Shers would have with a noted college town music scene. Dan taught piano performance for 16 years, touring with LSU’s Festival Arts Trio. It wasn’t his only memorable collaboration during that creative time.

“Along with a variety of solo and collaborative performances with my faculty colleagues, the trio performed three different programs every year, touring around the southeast,” Dan recalls. “But during that time Boyce and I also collaborated, playing duet and two-piano recitals.”

The couple’s musical partnership took them around the country for performances, including a premiere at Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center. Meanwhile, Boyce built an impressive private piano studio in Baton Rouge.

“I moved into private teaching slowly,” she says. “When you come into a new community, you have to work a while to get your name out there. But Baton Rouge had a very active private piano teaching organization, and eventually I built up a wonderful private class of students.”

As their two sons grew up and the couple’s careers blossomed in Louisiana, an opportunity opened up for Dan to move into a leadership position at the LSU School of Music. It wasn’t something he had really considered before.

“The dean of the School of Music left for another job, so people started asking me if I’d like to serve as acting dean for a year. I said, ‘Are you kidding? I’m a pianist.’

“But the more I thought about it, the more I thought it could be interesting and fun. And so I said, ‘OK.’ And to my surprise, I ended up really enjoying making a larger impact.”

He ended up liking the job so much that he stayed on long term, serving as dean for nine years, from 1984 until 1993. But then the mountains came calling.

“Our son was admitted as an undergraduate at �� at the same time that I was interviewing for the dean position here, but we hadn’t said a word to him about coming here ourselves,” Dan says. “A letter came from �� about my trip out for an interview, and he opened it because he thought it was for him! He was furious at first, but we promised to give him his space when we got out here.”

A leadership legacy

By the time Dan Sher stepped in as dean of the �� Boulder College of Music in 1993, his career in higher education music had already spanned 24 years. But over the course of the next 20, he would make an indelible mark on the discipline in Colorado, shaping the college we all know today. Among other programs, the Entrepreneurship Center for Music, the BM and DMA in jazz studies and the MM and DMA in collaborative piano were founded during his tenure. But the Shers say it was the relationships they forged over those two decades that had an impact on their lives.

“We feel very fortunate to have been a part of this fabulous college. To watch it continue to succeed has been a great joy,” Dan says.

“The people we’ve met have been wonderful,” Boyce continues. “They’re not just colleagues and donors. They’re people who became great personal friends and enriched our lives.”

Since retiring as dean in 2013, Dan has remained highly involved at the college, teaching arts management and, in 2018, spearheading the launch of the Graduate Certificate in arts administration. He says watching the expanded south wing go up has been thrilling.

“As dean I spent years advocating for a different funding model for bricks and mortar, rather than relying solely on fundraising for the arts,” he says. “Thanks to the advocacy of advisory board chairs Becky Roser and Mikhy Ritter—together with other members of the board—there was a heightened awareness and urgency brought to the conversation. That set the table for Rob to step in as the new dean, and he—with our spectacular advancement team—made it happen.”

And after contributing so much, he says he and Boyce saw this as an opportunity to give yet more to the college. “We felt we were at a point in our lives where we could afford to contribute and help with that campaign. Given the opportunity to name a piano studio, it made all the sense in the world.

“It feels like new vistas are opening for the college.”

To read more about the gifts given as part of the College of Music’s 2018 capital campaign, visit the music+ impact story archive.

Dean Emeritus Dan Sher and his wife Boyce Reid Sher have already left an indelible mark on the College of Music. Now they’re lending their name to a new piano faculty studio.

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‘Collaboration makes all the sense in the world’: Susan Olenwine

Anonymous — Tue, 17 Nov 2020 07:00:00 +0000

‘Collaboration makes all the sense in the world’: Susan Olenwine Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 11/17/2020 - 00:00

Sabine Kortals Stein

“The great thing about the College of Music is that it nurtures the idea of many possibilities within the field of music,” says Susan Olenwine (MM ’09), a Boulder-based freelance collaborative pianist, teacher and coach who also earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the Manhattan School of Music and an MBA from the University of New Haven. “I enrolled at �� Boulder at age 56, after a 20-year career in music administration. The education I received at �� added so many layers to my experience that we didn’t have in the 1970s.”

It was not only a different time, Olenwine says, it was a different type of institution altogether. “I went to a conservatory and we only did one thing,” she explains. “But through diverse interactions, so many more opportunities present themselves. The College of Music has developed specific programs to make it possible for students to find and pursue those opportunities intelligently, not just accidentally.

“It’s exciting to see the increasing number of double majors at the College of Music, combining a music degree with a degree from the Leeds School of Business or College of Engineering, for example.”

Before moving to Boulder, Olenwine worked hard to create such opportunities for herself. She pursued additional studies in accompanying with Samuel Sanders at The Juilliard School and coached with Bruce Simonds and Ward Davenny at the Yale School of Music. Additionally, she coached with Eli Haimowitz in Reno, Nevada, where she also took on the role of rehearsal pianist for Nevada Opera, as well as working with several choral ensembles and soloists.

“The word ‘collaboration’ is so widely used, now,” Olenwine says. “But it’s always been my instinct to partner with others, before the term ‘collaborative pianist’ came to be. Collaboration makes all the sense in the world because it means listening to one another and finding cooperation. Collaboration is a transferable skill.”

Indeed, the skill came in handy when she ultimately got into the business side of things. “I realized I had another half of my brain that I wasn’t using,” recalls Olenwine, who currently chairs the College of Music National Alumni Council (COMNAC) and serves on the College of Music Advisory Board. She’s also been deeply engaged with the Boulder Philharmonic, Boulder Chorale and Colorado Music Festival, primarily assisting with development and fundraising efforts. “I’ve had a wonderful career, combining music administration with being a staff pianist.”

Specifically, Olenwine directed administrative affairs at the Yale School of Music for 13 years. While there, she served on a university-wide committee to create and establish a single computer platform throughout all Yale colleges and departments. She also served as promotion manager for Connecticut Public Radio, manager of the Yale Symphony and assistant manager of Orchestra New England. In Nevada, she served as development director for the Reno Philharmonic and Reno Chamber Orchestra.

Musically speaking, Olenwine was well known in Connecticut’s Greater New Haven area as a recitalist and accompanist. In 2001, she traveled with the Yale Alumni Chorus to Russia, England and Wales and was the featured soloist with the Moscow Chamber Orchestra in Tchaikovsky Hall and with London’s Royal Philharmonic in St. Paul’s Cathedral. She also presented concerts in Austria and Denmark, appearing as soloist there with the United States Air Force Band. Additionally, Olenwine was pianist of the Bridgeport Symphony and Orchestra New England and performed concerti with regional symphonies.

Among the highlights of her onstage career was performing Beethoven’s Choral Fantasy at the Tchaikovsky Concert Hall with the Bolshoi Orchestra and a chorus of 320 singers. “It was one of those ‘just say yes’ moments,” she says. “I agreed to it just two weeks before the concert. The originally scheduled soloist canceled, and I was asked. Taking risks can be life-changing.”

Concludes Olenwine, who studied with Anne Epperson, Margaret McDonald and Alexandra Nguyen at �� Boulder: “I’m really, really proud to have been a student at the College of Music. The Collaborative Piano program integrates with all the majors and ensembles, and it made me a much more focused, intelligent partner—instead of just hanging back.”

And that’s why she’s happy to find herself, now, giving back.

“I’m also proud to help find unique ways to be more responsive to new graduates, providing networking opportunities with people who are already established in their careers. And like everything about the College of Music, serving on the board is an active experience with a clear purpose to serve on behalf of the students and faculty.”

Collaborative pianist Susan Olenwine works together for the College of Music as a member of the alumni council and advisory board.

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Supporter spotlight: Doree Hickman

Anonymous — Tue, 27 Oct 2020 06:00:00 +0000

Supporter spotlight: Doree Hickman Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 10/27/2020 - 00:00

Jessie Bauters

Doree Hickman and her late husband Jerry started attending classical music concerts in Boulder because of a love of music and for the social connections.

Before they knew it, they had gained a whole new family.

“It’s been the relationships. They’ve been amazing.”

Hickman, a longtime member of the College of Music advisory board, says it was that sense of community that led her to join the call for capital gifts to the music+ campaign in 2018. In her husband’s memory, she named the Hickman Piano Faculty Studio.

“I’d been on the advisory board for a while, and for the past 10 years, facilities have always come up as needing improvement. So this seemed like the perfect way to help a good cause.”

�� Boulder graduate Hickman has nurtured a love of music all her life, but though she grew up playing piano and saxophone, it wasn’t music that brought her to the university after she graduated from high school in Mount Morris, Illinois.

“I majored in zoology and chemistry,” she says. “I met Jerry when he and I were both students here. He was in the marching band while he majored in zoology.”

When Doree and Jerry got married, they moved to the East Coast for a few years, first to Philadelphia, where she worked in a hospital lab and he had a hospital internship, and later to Rhode Island while Jerry served in the Navy. Their son, Grant, was born in 1967 in Newport; a couple of years later, the family returned to Colorado, where Jerry eventually settled in as a practitioner at Table Mesa Family Medicine for 43 years.

Starting in the 1980s, the Hickmans began frequenting the Colorado Music Festival and other local music gatherings, eventually meeting the friends who would encourage them to attend Takács Quartet concerts and participate in the College of Music’s Adopt-a-Student Program. They also kicked off a passion project that led Hickman to a whole new career.

“We built our house from the ground up in Boulder, working on it every day,” she says. “We laid 11,000 pavers and did everything right down to the painting. We got the house we wanted, and I ended up going into kitchen design, which I did for more than 30 years.”

Hickman says Boulder has changed a lot since the family bought their land and built their home for a combined $150,000, but one thing has remained a constant for her.

“It goes back to the relationships. After we started going to CMF, Jerry served on the board for a few years, and then I joined in the ‘90s. We loved the social aspect of attending concerts and pre-concert picnics with those folks.”

Hickman’s son Grant still lives in the Boulder area with his family. But thanks to her musical connections, she says she’s gained two more children, so to speak.

“[Pianist] Orion Weiss came and stayed with us when he was a guest artist at the Conference on World Affairs years ago. He’s come back a couple of times and we developed a close relationship. Now he calls me his Colorado mom,” she laughs.

“The other was [singer-songwriter] Gooding,” Hickman continues. “We housed him as a guest artist and got close with him, too. In fact, I just got an email from him this morning.”

And nearly 30 years after joining the College of Music’s extended family, Hickman says her friends here were a lifeline for her when Jerry passed away in 2018.

“Everyone was so amazing and supportive,” she recalls. “They knew it was hard for me to come back and go to concerts, but they were right there, sitting with me. So I stayed involved because of them.

“The College of Music did a memorial celebration concert in Grusin. It was all music and stories about Jerry. I couldn’t have asked for better.”

So it’s only fitting, she says, to return that kindness while she can.

“After Jerry passed away, I didn’t want to put any money in the stock market or real estate, and we had already left money to the college and �� in our estate planning. So when this opportunity came around to raise the money for a new building, I thought there was no better place for that money to go.

“Music is good for the soul. It lifts you and makes you feel good. It’s an important part of life. The same goes for the arts in general. We’ve always enjoyed it. And it was an enjoyment we shared with each other and with so many other people in our lives.”

To read more about the gifts given as part of the College of Music’s 2018 capital campaign, visit the music+ impact story archive.

Doree Hickman gained a family when she became involved with the College of Music Advisory Board. Now she’s giving back to the place she loves as part of the music+ campaign.

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The chance to learn from the best

Anonymous — Tue, 13 Oct 2020 20:29:07 +0000

The chance to learn from the best Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 10/13/2020 - 14:29

Richard Masters (BM'05)

When I meet with prospective students and their parents in my studio at Virginia Tech, they occasionally notice my diplomas on the wall and ask about my time at Juilliard or Eastman. They never expect the response they get: “The best education I received was at the University of Colorado Boulder.” I could cite my amazing peers, the beautiful campus, the excellent libraries or the diverse electives I was able to take as a student at a large university. But ultimately, the most important facet of my time at �� Boulder was being able to interact with the many wonderful faculty in the College of Music.

My applied piano teacher, Robert Spillman, taught me much about playing the piano. He also gave me the opportunity to play opera and musical theatre, allowing me to play several shows with him the summer after freshman year. He encouraged me to explore accompanying and helped prepare me for graduate school auditions. Many of the formative concerts I heard in Boulder featured Bob at the piano or on the podium: my first Hugo Wolf liederabend, the first Schumann Fantasie, the final three Beethoven sonatas, first Bach Mass in B minor … the list goes on. I now strive to emulate Bob, not only as a multifaceted performer but also as a teacher: He shared his knowledge generously, with compassion and good humor.

During my first-ever freshman year rehearsal with the wind ensemble, Allan McMurray sat next to me while I played the piano part for Joseph Schwanter’s and the mountains rising nowhere, teaching me the modern score with patience and grace while helping me to avoid any musical catastrophes. The late Akira Endo was a kind mentor who trusted me with many orchestral piano parts, giving me invaluable training that would later pay off in my work as an opera coach. David Korevaar was an inspiring performer whose solo recitals were among the most memorable of my time in Boulder.

Thomas Riis and Rebecca Maloy were inspiring music history professors who gave thoughtful and thorough critiques of my writing. I accompanied in the studios of singers and instrumentalists such as Curt Peterson, Julie Simson, Daniel Silver, William Stanley, Robert Harrison and many others, all of whom were kind enough to coach a young accompanist alongside their own pupils. Violist Erika Eckert gave me a coaching on the Liszt B minor sonata, which provided new insights into that work that I might not have received from a piano professor.

Now that I’m a professor myself, I understand the amount of work that goes into mentoring students and helping them to reach their full potential as musicians. I am grateful for every one of my teachers at �� Boulder, and I am proud to be a graduate of the College of Music.

College of Music alumnus and Virginia Tech Assistant Professor of Piano Richard Masters looks back on his formative time at the College of Music.

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David Korevaar's Beethoven Sonata Challenge

Anonymous — Mon, 23 Mar 2020 19:48:59 +0000

David Korevaar's Beethoven Sonata Challenge Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 03/23/2020 - 13:48

Our concert halls may be closed this spring, but staying connected with musical performance is more important than ever. As we all wait to come back, we'll be sharing select videos to colorado.edu/music/video for your enjoyment.

With concert activity suspended this spring, Helen and Peter Weil Professor of Piano David Korevaar is uploading videos of himself performing the 32 Beethoven Sonatas on his living room piano. His plan is to upload 32 sonatas in 60 days to his Youtube channel.

[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CIlAE38W10&feature=youtu.be]

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David Korevaar named Distinguished Professor

Anonymous — Fri, 13 Sep 2019 16:52:35 +0000

David Korevaar named Distinguished Professor Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 09/13/2019 - 10:52

Jessie Bauters

For just the second time ever, the College of Music has the honor of calling one of its own “Distinguished Professor.”

In August, a committee made up of distinguished professors from across the University of Colorado system voted to give Professor of Piano and Helen and Peter Weil Faculty Fellow David Korevaar the award. One of just 106 �� professors to have earned the distinction since it was first created in 1977, Korevaar received final approval—and notification of the honor—from new University of Colorado President Mark Kennedy.

“I got a phone call out of the blue from Kennedy. I was a bit surprised to get a call from the president—after all, it was the first time in 19 years—but I figured it was because I’d been a part of [an earlier meeting with a number of faculty]. So, I was pretty much floored when he told me!”

According to Regent law, the designation is reserved for “university faculty members who have distinguished themselves as exemplary teachers, scholars and public servants, and who have extraordinary international importance and recognition.” The only other College of Music faculty member named distinguished professor was former Director of Bands Allan McMurray, who became the university’s 25th distinguished professor in 2004.

“While I’d been fully aware that my name had been put in the pool, I did not expect the honor to come to me given the amazing contributions of so many in so many fields in the �� system,” Korevaar says. “I’m completely blown away at the support I received from friends and colleagues both within and outside the university.”

Korevaar’s nomination was led by Dean Emeritus Daniel Sher. Senior Sophia Zervas, who studies piano with Korevaar, was happy to submit a letter of recommendation as part of the nomination packet. “He is one of the most supportive teachers I have worked with,” she says. “Dr. Korevaar is intentional about helping students develop their own musical ideas and voice. Rather than imposing expectations as a professor, he encourages us to explore unique paths of interest. In addition, despite his busy schedule, he invests in every one of his students on a personal as well as professional level, and I have witnessed firsthand his empathy and care for each member of his studio.

Zervas, who is a double major in piano performance and voice performance, has studied with Korevaar since middle school. She says his support has helped her immensely.

“Throughout my past three years of double majoring, he has taken interest in my vocal endeavors as well as my pianistic ones. In addition to attending my solo and chamber piano recitals, he has come to voice competitions, recitals and operas that I have performed in.”

Korevaar humbly gives much of the credit for the honor to his colleagues at the College of Music, from the keyboard area to other instrumentalists, musicology to music theory faculty, and staff and administrative support.

“This distinction could never have come to me if we didn’t have such an amazing community. We are a remarkably collaborative and collegial group, with faculty, staff and supporters from the community all pulling together to pass our passion for music on in every possible way.

“In short, I think this distinction is for the college, not so much for me alone, and it speaks to our centrality to musical life not just in Boulder but throughout the state. We are an important public face of the university, reaching a wide audience.”

When asked who he wanted to thank, Korevaar said there were too many people to name, but did specifically mention “Dan Sher, who believed in me from the first time we met in the spring of 2000. Becky Roser, for everything she does. Judith Glyde and Bob Spillman, who also believed in me from way back.”

One of just 106 �� professors to have earned the distinction since it was first created in 1977, Korevaar received final approval from the University of Colorado Regents on Sept. 13.

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