Voice & Opera students place high at Wisconsin NATS auditions

Several Voice & Opera students placed in the semifinalist or finalist category well at the 2020 Wisconsin NATS (National Association of Teachers of Singing) annual auditions. Here are the results:

Semifinalists (all students of Professor Jim Doing)

Summer Kleppek, Lower College Musical Theatre Women
Emily Quartemont, Sophomore Women
Maria Steigerwald, Junior Women

Finalists, and all winning first place awards in their divisions

Maria Marsland Lower College Musical Theatre Women (student of Professor Jim Doing)
Noah Strube  Lower College Musical Theatre Men (student of Professor Mimmi Fulmer)
DaSean Stokes College Age and Graduate Age American Negro Spiritual (student of Professor Mimmi Fulmer)

“We couldn’t have done this without the steady artistic support of our collaborative pianist program, including Will Preston and Aubrie Jacobson,” Professor Fulmer said.

Wisconsin NATS is a nonprofit organization dedicated to encouraging the highest standards of singing through excellence in teaching and promotion of vocal education and research. Wisconsin NATS members include private-studio teachers, college and university faculty members, and other educators who are involved and interested in healthy and artistic use of the human voice. NATS events and activities are designed to cover interests across this broad spectrum, and all members are encouraged to participate.

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Jun and Sandy Lee named AFP’s Outstanding Individual Philanthropist

Jun & Sandy Lee

Active arts philanthropists and Mead Witter School of Music supporters Jun and Sandy Lee were named Outstanding Individual Philanthropist by the Association of Fundraising Professionals Greater Madison Chapter during the annual National Philanthropy Day celebration.

Hosted by AFP Greater Madison, the 33rd Annual National Philanthropy Day took place as a virtual event on November 13, 2020. The event honored the people and organizations “whose financial and volunteer efforts make Madison and Dane County a wonderful place to live.”

The Lees were nominated for the award by the Wisconsin Foundation & Alumni Association and the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra.

Major supporters of the Hamel Music Center building project, the Sing Man & Florence Lee/Annette Kaufman Rehearsal Hall honors the Lee’s match to a gift from the estate of Annette Kaufman. The rehearsal hall provides space for large ensembles, and can accommodate pre-and post-concert educational talks, events, and receptions. The Lees named the hall in honor of Jun’s parents, Sing Man and Florence Lee, who share their love of music.

Jun and Sandy are also frequent supporters of the University Opera program, and sit on the Mead Witter School of Music advisory board.

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Graduate string quartet named in honor of Dr. Marvin Rabin

The Mead Witter of Music graduate string quartet has been named in honor of Dr. Marvin J. Rabin. An internationally acclaimed music educator and Emeritus Professor of Music at UW-Madison, Dr. Rabin (1916-2013) influenced generations of students throughout his life. 

Professor of Cello Parry Karp, who will oversee the quartet this fall, was a strong advocate for honoring Dr. Rabin.

“Marvin Rabin is the father of the youth orchestra movement in the United States and his devoted inspired work positively affected thousands of young musicians during his lifetime and that effect continues to this day,” Karp said. “As one of the legendary string educators, we are very excited to name our graduate string quartet at the Mead Witter School of Music in his distinguished memory.”

Dr. Rabin’s work was recognized worldwide. As the founder of youth orchestras in Wisconsin and in Massachusetts, many universities and workshops still use his continuing education programs for string teachers and conductors as a model for their own programs.  

“For our graduate string quartet to bear his name is an honor for them but also honors a Madison legend,” Professor of Viola Sally Chisholm said. “Marvin  inspired thousands of string educators nationwide for decades, and he was innovative, expert and charismatic as an educator. No horizon was impossible for him to challenge for something better.”

The Marvin Rabin String Quartet performs its first recital of the fall semester on November 6 at 6:30 pm. The concert will stream live at youtu.be/ObJMMA220Jw. 

Current quartet members include Ava Shadmani (Violin DMA 3rd year); Rachel Reese-Kollmeyer (Violin DMA 2nd year); Fabio Saggin (Viola DMA 3rd year); and Ben Therrell (Cello DMA 2nd year). 

Marvin Rabin Quartet

 

 

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In-person UW Marching Band activities suspended

On September 7, Chancellor Blank sent out a message regarding a two-week emphasis on health and safety protocols:

Effectively immediately, in-person activities by the UW Marching Band are suspended as directed by the administration of the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

This action is necessary as part of the overall campus response to the rapid growth of COVID-19 cases in our student population, as communicated by the Chancellor to all students. In-person rehearsals and instruction will not resume until we have been granted permission to do so. We, also, respectfully request that you not gather in outside groups to rehearse on University facilities.

We will contact members of the Marching Band in the coming days regarding how we will shift our focus to online instruction for everyone until we receive clearance to return to in-person cohort groups. 

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Campus leaders react to Jacob Blake shooting

Last week, campus leaders at UW-Madison responded to the Jacob Blake shooting in Kenosha. Mead Witter School of Music supports this statement, and we continue to affirm our commitment to dismantling the structures that perpetuate racial disparities both inside and outside the School of Music.

Read the full statement from campus leaders here.

Read the Mead Witter School of Music statement of solidarity in response to George Floyd’s murder here.

Excerpt of campus statement:

“Like many of you, we are deeply concerned by the shooting of Jacob Blake of Kenosha, Wisconsin, on Sunday, and are waiting with hope as he recovers from gunshot wounds inflicted by police.

We all await and expect a full and complete investigation and accountability for all those involved. We know the list of Black victims of police violence in our nation’s history has grown unconscionably long.

We want you to know that whatever you’re personally feeling right now — whether it’s sadness or anger, frustration or bitterness, determination or numbness — those feelings are valid, and you have every right to feel them.

We want you to know that whatever you’re personally feeling right now — whether it’s sadness or anger, frustration or bitterness, determination or numbness — those feelings are valid, and you have every right to feel them.”

 

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More details available on School of Music operations during COVID-19

Faculty and staff at the Mead Witter School of Music prepared a list of FAQs at music.wisc.edu/covid-faqs that should offer more guidance on operations specifically related to the department during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Plans may change in response to current community health conditions, so please check this page often for updates. Questions related to the School of Music can be sent to music@music.wisc.edu.

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