Ensembles and soloists take the stage May 5 at Casper College

A concert consisting of small ensembles and soloists will take place on Thursday, May 5 beginning at 7 p.m. in Durham Recital Hall at Casper College in Casper.

The concert will feature the Casper College Brass Ensemble under the direction of Douglas Bull, brass instructor, and the Casper College Flute Ensemble under the direction of Delores Thornton, adjunct flute instructor.

In addition to the ensembles, the concert will feature brass duets, flute duets, a flute solo, a scene from an opera, and others to be announced at the concert.

Durham Recital Hall is located in the Aley Fine Arts Center. The concert is free and open to the public.

Follow Casper College events on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/caspercollegeadmissions 

Steve Traylor's departure leaves music department vacancy at Central Wyoming College

Robert Hussa, Fine Arts Department Coordinator at Central Wyoming College in Riverton, sends this news:

Central Wyoming College would like to announce that Steve Traylor, Director of Bands and Fine Arts Recruiter, will be leaving us after this year to take a position at Hutchison Community College in Hutchison, KS.

Steve has been with us for five years, bringing his expertise in concert band, jazz ensemble, and low brass to our students and to the State of Wyoming.  However, the position at Hutchison is close to his parents and brothers (he grew up in eastern Kansas), and he was recruited by the man who is retiring out of the position. It was a choice for “family.”

We are very sad to see him go, but we wish him the best in his future endeavors!  Steve will be writing to all of you in a separate email.

So, this message is to inform you of the upcoming faculty vacancy in Instrumental Music here at CWC.   Central Wyoming is one of the seven community colleges in Wyoming; we offer a transfer program for music majors and we also have strong music support  in the community.  It’s a great place to work!  Please log into www.cwc.edu, click on QuickLinks, then jobs@Central, to look at the position announcements.  This particular one is not posted yet, but it will be very soon. Check it out if you are interested; or you have friends/colleagues who might be interested, please send this email to them.

Stanislas Sextet in concert at UW April 28

The Stanislas Sextet, chamber musicians from France, will perform at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 28, in the University of Wyoming Fine Arts concert hall.

Tickets, $7.50 for general admission and $5.50 for students and senior citizens, are available at the Fine Arts Box Office.

The program will include two blockbuster chamber music masterpieces: Mendelssohn's "String Octet," in collaboration with the UW String Faculty's Summit Chamber Players, and Tchaikovsky's sweeping "Souvenir de Florence."

The Stanislas Sextet brings together members of the French-based string quartet, the Quatuor Stanislas and two American musicians, violinist John Fadial and cellist Beth Vanderborgh, both UW faculty members. Since first performing in 1996, the sextet has enjoyed many fruitful collaborations and has performed regularly on both sides of the Atlantic.

The sextet's other members are: Laurent Causse, violin and viola; Bertrand Menut, violin; Marie Triplet, viola; and Jean de Spengler, cello.

The sextet will be in residence with the UW Department of Music for five days of rehearsals, master classes and discussions.

Photo: The Stanislas Sextet performs April 28 at the University of Wyoming (Stanislas Sextet)

Terry Gunderson leads the Casper College Percussion Ensemble one more time

Terry Gunderson, Casper College percussionist instructor, will lead the Casper College Percussion Ensemble for the final time on Thursday, April 21, at 7:30 p.m. in Durham Recital Hall.

Gunderson, a member of the Casper College Music Department for the last 33 years, will be leaving the college to join his wife, Patty, in her new career as an architectural engineer in Washington, D.C.

"The concert will feature the music department's remarkably talented students playing works that form a retrospective of my years here including a composition I recently completed as a final number for the ensemble, The End of the Beginning, to celebrate my final years here," said Gunderson.

Pieces will include Warsaw 1939, the percussion sextet that opened the first concert he directed at Casper College in 1978; Fancy That, a "charming jazz number" the ensemble hasn't played since the 1980s, featuring Matt Greenlee on vibraphone. And, as promised at last year's concert, the group will perform Khatchaturian's Sabre Dance, featuring Rob Benson on xylophone.

Rhythm Net, one of many works Gunderson has composed for his students over the years, and performed by the Peruvian group Takaq, can be viewed by visiting www.youtube.com/watch?v=FwQLLqOk0aY

The concert is free and open to all. Durham Recital Hall is located in the Aley Fine Arts Center on the Casper College campus.

Deadline approaching for WAC performing arts fellowships in music composition

The postmark deadline for the 2011 performing arts fellowships in music composition is April 25, 2011. Just 11 days away and counting!

The Wyoming Arts Council welcomes Wyoming composers in all musical genres to submit work for the competition. Application and guidelines are available at http://wyoarts.state.wy.us/Artists/Performing.aspx

This year's judges:

·                     Forest Greenough, a Fort Collins, Colo., performer and composer in classical music and jazz

·                     Christopher Guillot, a composer, musician and recording engineer from Denver

For more info, contact Michael Shay at the Wyoming Arts Council at 307-777-5234 or mshay@state.wy.us.

In Memoriam: Locke Hamilton

Locke Hamilton (photo by Earl Sampson)

It is with sadness that the Wyoming Arts Council notes the passing of musician Locke Hamilton of Dubois. Audiences throughout Wyoming and the West know her as a member of Prickly Pair & the Cactus Chorale. The group has been on the Wyoming Arts Council artist roster for many years. Here is the notice about Locke's death as it appeared on the Davis Funeral Home web site:

Locke Hamilton died at her home in Dubois on April 7, 2011. She was 58.

Cremation has taken place. A celebration of life will be held this summer.

Locke Hamilton was born June 16, 1952 in Philadelphia, Pa. to Joseph and Charlton Corson.

She married Les Hamilton on Dec. 31, 1996, in Lander, Wyo.

Mrs. Hamilton was a world class equestrian trainer and competitor.

She performed with her husband, Les, and Norman Winter as the Prickly Pair and the Cactus Chorale. Musical achievements include winning the Western Music Association’s Marilyn Tuttle Best of the Best 2009 Harmony Award and the 2010 Award for Best Traditional Album by a Duo or Group for their album “Romance With the Range.” Six of the trio’s eight albums charted nationally on Americana Folk Radio and were rated in the top 10 for well over a decade in the Western Music genre.

She also won the Christian Music Association’s Album of the Year award for her mid 90s release “God’s Country.”

Her family said her whole life was music and horses.

She is survived by her husband Leslie Hamilton of Dubois; daughter Tara Golliher of Dubois; her father, Dr. Joseph Corson of Pa.; brother Bill Corson and sister Dr. Ann Corson, both of Pa.; stepson Shad Hamilton and his wife Amanda and their children of Lander; stepdaughter Hope Hamilton of Va.; close friend and band member Norman Winter of Dubois.

She was preceded in death by her mother, Charlton Corson, and brother Ted Corson, both of Pa.

Memorial donations to help offset medical costs may be made to Les Hamilton, 605 East Fork Road, Dubois, WY 82513.

Piatigorsky Foundation tours begin today in Wyoming

Raquela Sheeran

Soprano Raquela Sheeran and pianist Efi Hackmey launch their Piatigorsky Foundation tour of the east side of Wyoming with a concert at the Sundance High School Auditorium at 7 p.m. this evening. Free and open to the public. For full tour schedule, go to http://www.piatigorskyfoundation.org/onetour.cfm?tour=10404

Evan Drachman

Meanwhile, of the west side of the state, the Piatigorsky Foundation presents cellist Evan Drachman and pianist Jeffrey Grossman at 7:30 p.m. tonight at Trinity Lutheran Church in Evanston. For full tour schedule, go to http://www.piatigorskyfoundation.org/onetour.cfm?tour=10403

Both tours are sponsored by the Wyoming Arts Council, the Piatigorsky Foundation and Muriel and Seymour Thickman of Sheridan.

FMI: Call the WAC at 307-777-7742.

The Bettys sing for charity at UW event

Photo by DJ Bowman

From a story by Andrea Knous in the Branding Iron:

More than 300 people attended The Bettys event this past Saturday, Helen Chanthongthip, a graduate student in Speech Pathology and member of the group, said.

The group raised $240 for its charities: The Wyoming Family Home Ownership Program, which provides local low-income families with children the opportunity to pay a down payment for a home, and IJM, an organization assisting in the fight to end human slavery, Chanthongthip said.

The group was formed in 2006 by six UW women. Today, the last of the founders is Rebecca Johnson, a graduate student in civil engineering from Arvada, Colo. and current president of The Bettys.

The group was started when she and four other original members saw how much fun the Happy Jacks (the male a cappella singing group on campus) were having.  The Bettys began performing at Coal Creek, and their reputation grew from there, Johnson said.

Casper College music faculty members Jerome Fleg and Kristen Robinson perform April 1

From a Casper College press release:

Casper College's newest music faculty members, Jerome Fleg and Kristen Robinson, will present a vocal and instrumental recital on Friday, April 1 beginning at 7 p.m. in Durham Recital Hall, located in the Aley Fine Arts Center.

"As the new members of the music department at Casper College, Jerome and I decided to present a program to introduce ourselves to the community," said Robinson, vocal instructor. "We will present an eclectic evening of music. This program will feature lots of short, colorful pieces for different combinations of voice, piano, and clarinet," added Fleg, woodwind instructor. Paula Flynn will also join the two on piano.

"Schubert's popular trio 'Shepherd on the Rock' features a beautiful soprano part sung by Kristen, which trades back and forth with my clarinet and Paula's piano," said Fleg.

Fleg will also perform a new piece commissioned by American composer Paul Hembree, "Placing into Infinity," which explores innovative sounds and colors produced by solo clarinet as well as a pair of show Argentinean pieces by composer Astor Piazzolla.

The recital is free and open to all.

Pittsburgh Opera soprano Deborah Selig performs April 8 at UW

Acclaimed Pittsburgh Opera soprano Deborah Selig performs in concert Friday, April 8, at 7:30 p.m. in the University of Wyoming Fine Arts concert hall.

Tickets cost $18 for general admission and $15 for students and senior citizens. Tickets are available at the Wyoming Union and Fine Arts Center box offices, or online at www.uwyo.edu/finearts . Call (307) 766-6666 for ticket information.

Thursday, April 7, Selig will join the UW Symphony to perform Richard Strauss's "Vier Letzte Lieder" at 7:30 p.m. in the Fine Arts concert hall.

Cedric Reverand, UW Cultural Programs director, says Selig was selected following a lengthy search for a soprano to perform with the UW Symphony Orchestra.

"And then, at the Central City Opera, we saw Deborah Selig as Zerlina in Mozart's 'Don Giovanni,'" Reverand recalls. "At the end of one of her arias, ‘Vedrai carino,' there was a huge, audible sigh from the audience. We knew we had our soprano."

One reviewer described her Zerlina as "absolutely stunning."

 Selig holds an artist's diploma from the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music and a B.A. degree with honors from the University of Michigan, where she majored in voice performance and English.

Miss "V" celebrates women's history at Johnson County Library in Buffalo

Wyoming Arts Council roster artist Miss "V" The Gypsy Cowbelle will perform at the "Celebration of Women's History" concert on Friday, March 25, 7 p.m., at the Johnson County Public Library in Buffalo. The event is free and open to the public. For more information, contact the library at 307-638-5546 or see the web site at http://www.jclwyo.org/

Call for proposals: U.S. State Department's One Beat cultural exchange program

The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) announces an open competition for a cultural exchange in music, entitled One Beat.

To find out more information and/or to submit a proposal, visit ECA’s Open Funding Opportunities site. Application deadline is May 16, 2011.

One Beat will highlight artistic collaboration, improvisation, mentoring, and professional training opportunities for young foreign musicians and music professionals through a series of group programs in the United States. One Beat will enhance cross-cultural understanding and demonstrate democratic values such as collaboration, cohesion, and innovation through uniquely designed cohesive group programs which will strengthen the leadership and professional potential of the participants as well as enrich their American counterparts. 

WY Musician spotlight: Jessica Camilla O'Neal

Believe it or not -- Wyomingarts does not know every single artist, performer and writer in the state.

At least once weekly, Wyomingarts is contacted by someone returning to Wyoming or moving here from some other exotic locale such as Colorado or Idaho.

So we share the wealth:

Jessica Camilla O'Neal a musician, singer, teacher and song writer born and raised on a dude ranch in Moran. She spent her youth helping out at the ranch and performing in plays at the Jackson Hole Playhouse. . 

She recently finished her first original solo album, and has had several recording contracts out of Nashville. Her original music is western “with a fresh mountain flare,” she says. “I like to think of it as Rocky Mountain music.”

She has opened for acts such as Reba McEntire, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Terrri Clark and Marie Osmond. Last summer, she was the featured artist of “Women Of Jackson Hole,” also the featured artist of The Western Design Conference.

She has traveled Asia as an ambassador for the United States teaching mountain communities in Kyrgystan about western heritage through music and horsemanship. I have taught the spring drama program at Jackson Hole High School for the last seven years. She also teaches voice and piano lessons.

She concludes: “My vision, passion, and dream for my life is to create, write and perform music in this amazing state we call home.”

She is available for performing gigs this summer.

What are you waiting for? Send her an e-mail or look her up at her web site at www.camillaoneal.com

"The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee" opens tonight at the Historic Atlas Theatre

“The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” takes place at the Historic Atlas Theatre in downtown Cheyenne. The play’s music and lyrics are by William Finn from a book by Rachel Sheinkin.

Performance Dates: March 18-20 & 25-27

Cast:

Chip Tolentino/Jesus: Kevin Guille
Logainne Schwartzandgrubenniere: Stephanie Medema
Leaf Coneybear/Carl Dad: Jeran Artery
William Barfee: Chris Arneson
Marcy Park: Marcie Smith
Olive Ostrovsky: Kathy Borgaard
Rona Lisa Perretti/Olive’s Mom: Patty Walkley
Vice Principal Douglas Panch: Keith Thomson
Mitch Mahoney/Dan dad/Olive dad: Terry Barbre

Description: A hilarious tale of overachievers’ angst chronicling the experience of six adolescent outsiders vying for the spelling championship of a lifetime. The show’s Tony Award winning creative team has created the unlikeliest of hit musicals about the unlikeliest of heroes: a quirky yet charming cast of outsiders for whom a spelling bee is the one place where they can stand out and fit in at the same time.

Get your tickets at http://www.cheyennelittletheatre.org

Apply now for Classical Commissioning Program

Chamber Music America, the national service organization for the chamber music profession, invites applications to its Classical Commissioning Program.

The program offers support to U.S.-based classical/contemporary ensembles, presenters and festivals for the commissioning of new chamber works by American composers. CMA defines chamber music as music for small ensembles (2-10 musicians) whose members perform one to a part, generally without a conductor. Compositions may represent a diverse musical spectrum, including contemporary art music, world music, and works that include electronics.

New works created through this program must be performed a minimum of three times in the U.S.

The program provides funding for the composer's fee (from $5,000 to $20,000), the ensemble's rehearsal honorarium ($1,000 per ensemble musician), and copying costs (awards of up to $1,000 each).

Guidelines and application forms, in MS Word and Adobe formats, can be downloaded and printed from the CMA website, www.chamber-music.org. (Applications must be submitted in hard copy.)

Applications must be received no later than Friday, April 8, 2011, 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

Contact Susan Dadian, Program Director
CMA Classical/Contemporary
(212) 242-2022, ext. 13
sdadian@chamber-music.org

The Classical Commissioning Program is supported by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the Aaron Copland Fund for Music and the Chamber Music America Endowment Fund.

Grand Teton Music Festival asks "What does 50 years of music sound like?"

You can tell that summer is on its way -- or at least on the distant horizon -- when the festival announcements arrive at the WAC.

The preview flyer for the 50th annual Grand Teton Music Festival in Teton Village arrived today. It asks "What does 50 years of music sounds like?" Inside are the answers.

Yes, tickets are required -- even for the free "Inside the Music" sessions July 5, 12, 19 and 26 and August 9 and 16. These "lighthearted, themed performances explore one topic per evening with host Roger Oyster and other festival musicians. Enjoy an exhilarating journey into the music and get a sneak peek into the weekend concerts."

The ever-expanding GTMF repertoire includes its excellent festival orchestra concerts, as well as spotlight concerts such as the "Magical Mystery Tour Beatles Tribute" July 6, Doc Severinsen & The San Miguel Five July 20, and acoustic Celtic music with Colcannon Aug. 17.

Read all about it at http://www.gtmf.org

Jurors announced for WAC 2011 performing arts fellowships

Applications are open for the Wyoming Arts Council 2011 performing arts fellowships in music compositions.

Print applications will be mailed tomorrow to those on the WAC's performing arts lists. A printable application will be posted on the WAC web site by March 11. Go to http://www.wyomingartscouncil.org.

Postmark deadline is April 25, 2011.

This year's jurors are:

Forest Greenough

Forest Greenough has been a staple in the Colorado music scene since his arrival from Seattle in 1999. Known as a very diverse performer, Dr. Greenough is a regular member of the Fort Collins Symphony, Principal Bass of the Steamboat Springs Orchestra, and Principal Bass of the Strings in the Mountains Summer Festival. He has also performed in various roles with the Greeley Philharmonic, Cheyenne Symphony, and Boulder Philharmonic, and has toured nationally with artists such as Andrea Bocelli. As a chamber musician, he has received commissions and premiered many new works in many genres. Also an award-winning jazz bassist, Dr. Greenough currently plays regular engagements throughout Colorado.

An accomplished studio musician, Dr. Greenough has performed on numerous recordings across the musical spectrum, from contemporary jazz and classical to pop/rock and metal. He has published compositions in both the jazz and classical realms, and has developed new theories on tension-release systems in American Post-Minimal composition.

He joined the Colorado State University faculty in fall 2005. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Music Composition from Eastern Washington University, Master of Music in Double Bass Performance, Master of Music in Theory and Composition, and Doctor of Arts in Theory and Composition with a secondary emphasis in Jazz Pedagogy from the University of Northern Colorado.

FMI: http://central.colostate.edu/author/fgreenough/

Christopher Guillot

Christopher Guillot is a skilled composer, producer and engineer. He plays a variety of musical instruments and possesses a truly eclectic musical sensibility. Chris has owned Cherry Sound Studio in Denver for six years where he has helped more than 1,000 artists create their music.

He released an album with two-time Grammy winner Derrick Perkiness in 2007, and is currently working on his next album. He has had a diverse musical past. He grew up in a musical family, and his godfather was the late great Norman Petty, producer for Buddy Holly and Jimmy Gilmer and the Fireballs.

Chris holds a BSM in Audio Engineering and Music Business from the University of Colorado. Chris developed a highly successful music and music technology education program at The Spot Youth Center in Denver where he helped hundreds of young people learn how to create music and set goals. He now serves as the Art to Action Program Coordinator for flobots.org.

Cam-Plex features Willie Nelson & Family April 20

http://purchase.tickets.com/buy/TicketPurchase?organ_val=21612&schedule=list

Colcannon performs March 18 in Laramie

Colcannon will perform Friday, March 18, 7:30 p.m., at the Laramie Plains Civic Center Theatre, 710 Garfield, Laramie. This Celtic music group has developed a distinctive, inventive, and contemporary musical style while still keeping in firm touch with the heart and essence of traditional Irish music. Colcannon's concerts are renowned for their energy, for singer and frontman Mick Bolger's irrepressible sense of humor and sly wit, and, of course, for the music: music that expresses flights of joy, deep sorrows, and an unquenchable zest for life. FMI: dsoules@laramieplainsciviccenter.org

Tonic Sol-fa performs at UW on March 4

From a UW press release:


One of the nation's most popular a cappella ensembles, Tonic Sol-fa, will perform at 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 4, in the University of Wyoming College of Arts and Sciences auditorium.

The first 300 full-time UW students will be admitted free, IDs must be submitted in advance at the Wyoming Union information desk or Fine Arts Center box office. Tickets cost $25 general admission and $21 for senior citizens and students not among the first 300.

Creating a sound the New York Times described as "a vocal kaleidoscope ... unique to the human voice," Tonic Sol-fa has appeared on NBC's "Today Show," on Jay Leno's "Tonight Show," on Garrison Keillor's "Prairie Home Companion," and in two national TV specials of its own. The ensemble was also the subject of a multipage spread in Newsweek.

Tonic Sol-fa now plays about 150 dates annually, and has sold more than 1 million albums.

"We're pleased to present a group that already has a large following among a cappella aficionados," says Cedric Reverand, director of UW Cultural Programs that sponsors the concert with Friday Night Fever.

Photo: Tonic Sol-fa performs Friday, March 4, at the University of Wyoming (Cultural Programs)