ANNOUNCEMENTS 

New music major for 2011-12:

Bachelor of Science in Music (Music Ministry)

Northwestern is offering a new NASM-accredited degree in music ministry, beginning fall 2011. The Bachelor of Science in Music (Music Ministry) will equip students to serve in church music ministry and worship leadership roles. The degree is built on the essentials of musical excellence, biblical theology and practical training. Degree-specific courses will be taught by adjunct faculty who are worship leaders in the vibrant Twin Cities worship scene, and the program of study culminates with an 80-hour internship at a local church.

Check out the promo video!

Faculty News 

On June 5, 2011, at Wayzata Community Church Leonard Danek performed one of his own organ works, Festival Prelude, on the gala 100th Anniversary Concert of the Twin Cities Chapter of the American Guild of Organists.  Also on the program were works by David Evan Thomas, Stephen Paulus, and others. 

From May 18-31, Director of Choral Activities Timothy Sawyer taught choral conducting and participated in worship and music seminars in Luts'k and Zaporizhzhya, Ukraine under the auspices of Music in World Cultures. He was also a guest of the combined music faculty of the Zaporizhzhya State Music Conservatory, where he gave a presentation contrasting Ukrainian and American choral music and vocal styles. Mr. Sawyer also Celebrating 25 years affiliated with the Oregon Bach Festival, June 19-July 12, Mr. Sawyer continued in his role as associate director of the OBF's conducting master class, teaching and coaching conductors from throughout the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Australia, Taiwan and Russia.

On June 5, Richard Lange performed Chopin's Barcarolle, op. 60 for the MMTA convention members concert. Also, in partnership with the Academy of Music, Dr. Lange hosted the 18th annual summer NWC Piano Institute for the week of July 25 - 30 in the Totino Fine Arts Center.  

Catherine McCord Larsen taught and performed at Luther College once again for four weeks this summer as a part of Lutheran Summer Music Academy and Festival. She performed in a faculty program of opera and musical theater scenes, coached a women's group, and participated in a Bach Cantata that was part of Sunday worship, similar to that which was done in Bach's time.

Barbara Rogers has embarked on three new professional responsibilities: Chair of the Composers Group of the Minneapolis Music Teachers Forum, Advisor to the Judge Education and Certification Committee of the Minnesota Music Teachers Association, and Adjudicator for the Music Teachers National Association Composition Contest.   

Nathan Bird in his performance at the Guthrie Theater (This photo was provided by the Guthrie Theater with credit to Micahl Daniel.)

Luke Norell ('07) is a doctoral student in piano performance at Indiana University, where he is a student of acclaimed pianist André Watts. In July, Luke was a featured guest artist and faculty member at the Young Artist World Piano Festival in St. Paul, where he also appeared in a chamber music concert with the Artaria String Quartet. Following that festival, Luke coached and mentored young pianists at the annual Northwestern Piano Institute 2011 held on the NWC campus. Luke will conduct a Piano Master Class at NWC on September 29 at 12:45 p.m. The masterclass is free and open to the public.

NWC alumni Shaylee Carlson ('10), Christy Anderson ('08), and Kurt Bender (music minor, '11) have been cast in an upcoming production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee with The Chameleon Theatre Circle at the Burnsville Performing Arts Center running in December (tickets available through Ticketmaster). Kurt Bender will also be playing Rolf in The Sound of Music with the Eat Street Players, performing in the Howard Conn Theatre in Minneapolis (running through September 25).

Nikkia Hall ('09), was accepted in to the graduate school at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee this fall to begin a Master of Music in Violin Pedagogy. She is studying pedagogy with Darcy Drexler, executive director of the String Academy of Wisconsin (pre-college string academy), and studying violin with Dr. Bernard Zinck, a French violinist and soloist. She will also be working for the String Academy and has an assistantship with the Music Department as the Program Production Assistant.

Mikki Johnston ('10) was accepted into the graduate school at the University of Minnesota to begin work on a Master of Music in Violin Performance. She is studying with Sally O'Reilly. She will also be participating in the University Symphony Orchestra and a string quartet. This semester her quartet is honored to be among the few coached by Käthe Jarka, former cellist of the Shanghai Quartet and the Grammy award-winning Parker Quartet.

Congratulations to several NWC music education grads who have gotten new teaching jobs. They include: Karl Meyers, '09 (Benjamin Franklin Charter School, Queen Creek, AZ); Evan Jones, '08 (Clearwater Middle School, Waconia, MN); Natalie Cromwell, '10 (Southwest Christian School, Chaska, MN); Laura (Miller) Buller, '10 (Heritage Christian Academy, Maple Grove, MN); Katherine (Deming) Postel, '99 (Anoka-Ramsey elementary schools).

Attention Alumni!  What are you up to? Please let us know. Email us at music@nwc.edu to give us an update.  

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Event Highlights for Fall 

PROFESSIONAL ENRICHMENT OPPORTUNITIES:

PERFORMING CAREERS PANEL DISCUSSION

Three professional performers in the Twin Cities area will discuss performing careers in music on Thursday, September 22, 12:45 p.m., in Nazareth Chapel.

• Maria Jette, soprano, has been a soloist with symphonies and orchestras across America, as well as Garrison Keillor's A Prairie Home Companion. 
• Mary Jo Gothmann, piano, has worked as a chamber musician, soloist, opera coach and organist in the Twin Cities, New York and New Mexico. 
• Bob Adney, percussion (NWC adjunct faculty and MacPhail Center for Music), has worked as a music educator, percussionist and timpanist with many major orchestras and groups in the Twin Cities area.

PIANO MASTER CLASS: Alumnus Luke Norell

On Thursday, Sept. 29, 12:45-3:00 p.m. in Nazareth Chapel, alumnus Luke Norell (NWC '07) will perform as well as instruct Northwestern College piano students Emily Baltzer, Julia Clearman, Seoyon Susanna Lim, Bethany Pertzsch and Katie Daugherty. This master class is open to the public.

VIOLIN MASTER CLASS: Roger Frisch

Roger Frisch, Associate Concertmaster of the Minnesota Orchestra and faculty/artist-in-residence at Northwestern College, will be presenting a Violin Master Class on Saturday, October 22, at 2 pm, in the Totino Fine Arts Center of NWC. Open to the public, and junior high/high school string players are encouraged to attend.

Master class performers must be high school violinists and will be chosen based on an audition recording and application. Interested students should download an application and recording instructions at www.nwc.edu/music. Applications and recordings must be received by 4:30 p.m. on Monday, October 3, 2011.   

FALL CONCERTS

GRAND OPENING CEREMONY

Homecoming 2011 will be an amazing time of celebrating God's faithfulness and the grand opening of the new Billy Graham Community Life Commons facility.  The Department of Music performing ensembles will take part in the Grand Opening Celebration on Friday, October 7, at 4:45 p.m. in Maranatha Hall.   This concert replaces our usual Showcase concert (Showcase will be back in 2012), and we hope you will attend this Grand Opening Celebration, as well as other homecoming events on October 7 & 8.  For more information, please visit nwc.edu.

ORCHESTRA AND OPERA WORKSHOP  

will perform "Fables and Fairy Tales," with family-friendly scenes from Mozart's The Magic Flute and Humberdinck's Hansel and Gretel, on Friday, Nov. 18, at 7 p.m. in Maranatha Hall on the NWC campus.  There will also be Children's Activities before and after this concert.  This concert is open to the public and free, and reservations are required for both the concert and children's activites; register at nwc.edu/academyofmusic (registration begins October 1). You can find the schedule of activities on the Academy of Music website when you register for tickets.

This year a one-hour MATINEE (without pre- and post-concert activities) will be offered on Thursday, November 17 at 1 p.m. for public and private elementary and middle school student groups, as well as homeschool families.  Schools and groups must register at nwc.edu/academyofmusic for seat reservations and bus parking. Admission is free.  (Registration begins September 15).