EKU

Laurie Lee Choi has studied at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, University of Central Florida (BA 1993), University of Tennessee, and Eastern Kentucky University, where she graduated with a MM in Theory/Composition in 2003. She has studied piano with Solon Reyes and Dr. J. Gary Wolf, and theory with Dr. Barbara Murphy and Dr. Alan Beeler. She has won the University of Central Florida Concerto competition and the Steinway Young Artists of Central Florida Award. Ms. Choi has been the organist and pianist at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, in Knoxville, TN, and has been an accompanist at the University of Tennessee. Currently, she holds a full-time lectureship in accompanying and class piano at Eastern Kentucky University.

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EKU BANDS

The activities calendar for the Eastern Kentucky University Band program promises to be an intensive one for the 2004-2005 academic year!

The Marching Colonels, under the direction of Associate Director of Bands Ken Haddix, is off to a great start. Enrollments are up, and there are plans for entertaining halftime shows throughout the upcoming football season. "We really had a great camp," said Haddix, "It looks like the students are primed for a great season!" Musical programs for Colonel halftimes will include: "The Music of Paul Simon," and "Selections from Rocky," as well as a "A Tribute to True Patriots: Our Veterans." Assistant Director of the Marching Band is Jason Koontz, with Graduate Assistant Directors Kerry Evans, Adam Miller, and Pat Price. Field Commanders are Kristen Bailey, Brian Huffman, and Robert Thompson. Band Officers are: Jim Koehler, President, Diana Wroebel, Vice-President, Cassie Smith, Secretary, and Chris Currens, Treasurer. The Feature Twirler is Donna Dilmore. All are looking forward to an exciting and productive fall season.

The EKU Concert Ensembles (Symphonic Band, Wind Ensemble, Chamber Players) will open their Fall Season with the Annual Chamber Players Recital on Friday, October 1, at 1:25pm (student recital hour) in Room 300 of the Foster Building. Included on the program will be significant works for small mixed-instrument ensembles, as well as wind ensemble and full symphonic band. Several conductors will be featured. The public is invited to attend. The Concert Ensembles are under the direction of EKU Director of Bands Joe Allison.

The Annual EKU Middle School Honors Band Clinic will be held on the Richmond campus on Saturday, November 20. Approximately 500 guest students and band directors from Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana, and Tennessee will convene for a intensive day of rehearsals, clinics, and concerts, culminating with an evening concert of the Guest Honor Bands at 6:30pm. The EKU Concert Ensembles will perform for our guests at 1:00pm in Brock Auditorium. The concert will feature the newly-formed EKU Men’s Chorus, directed by Hunter Hensley. The singers will join the band in a rendition of Randall Thompson’s classic "Testament of Freedom." This work will serve as a stirring finale to a special program of exciting literature.

A companion event, the Annual EKU High School Honors Band Clinic will take place February 17-19, 2005. Six-hundred nominated students and directors from a 6 state region will participate in a number of clinics, master classes and concerts. The headline conductor/clinician for the weekend will be Col. Finley R. Hamilton, a native of Richmond, and currently the Commander/Conductor of the United States Army Field Band. Madison Central Band Director H. Brent Barton, as well as other outstanding musicians will also direct clinic ensembles. Several EKU ensembles, including the Symphonic Band, Jazz Ensemble, and Percussion Ensemble will present for the assembled guests and interested public. Contact the Department of Music for a detailed schedule of events for this exciting weekend.

Annual Spring Concerts by both the Symphonic Band and Concert Band will be held in April: the former on Tuesday, the 19^th, and the latter on Thursday, the 14^th of that month.

Another significant happening is the recent publication and release of "Inaugurals and Other Beginnings," the latest edition of the EKU Symphonic Band’s recording project. Three new recordings have now been published in the last 5 years, with a fourth edition: "Cycles and Sequences" due for release in October of this year. The latest recording, "Inaugurals," is named in part for EKU Professor of Piano Richard Crosby’s "Inaugural Fanfare," which was written for the Symphonic Bands’ performance at the Tenth Presidential Investiture at Eastern — the inauguration of President Joanne K. Glasser. The disk contains several premiere performances, including material from the Symphonic Band’s performance at the 48^th Kentucky Music Educators Conference in Louisville. Anyone interested in obtaining a recording should contact the EKU Bands Office. The ongoing band recording project is funded in large part by gifts from University Alumni, and additional donation are needed to continue this effort.

As mentioned earlier, the Eastern Bands are active in the promotion of new music for the concert medium. After commissioning the first large-scale work for Symphonic Band in the University’s history in 2002 ("A Stephen Foster Fantasy by South Carolina Composer-Laureate Gordon Goodwin), several premieres have been undertaken by the ensemble. Most recently, EKU has become a Charter Member of the National Wind Ensemble Composition Consortium (NWECC). Initiated at the Hartt School of Music in Connecticut, the Consortium is dedicated to expanding the serious band repertory by recruiting and commissioning significant composers to write for this medium. Member schools will have first access to both the composers and their new compositions, providing a great opportunity for the EKU ensembles. Among the 50 charter institutions participating in the project: University of California at Berkeley, University of Michigan, Arizona State University, University of Texas, Dallas Wind Symphony, Florida State University, and the Eastman School of Music. Obviously, Eastern Kentucky University is in fine company!

On the home front, Dr. Alan Beeler, EKU Professor of Theory and Composition, is in process of composing a new work for the EKU Band, which will feature Department Chair Rob James as soloist! "We are so thrilled with this project," said Director Joe Allison. "We had such great success with Richard Crosby’s pieces that we just can’t wait to work on Alan’s!" (The EKU Symphonic Band premiered a second Crosby work — the "Sonata for Trombone" at the College Band Directors National Association Regional Convention in Atlanta last March.)

Yet another new composition is planned with Dr. Richard Bromley, recently retired Professor of Theory and Composition at Eastern. This new piece is intended to commemorate the University’s Bicentennial. "As much as we have enjoyed working with several composers from around the country the past few years, it’s a real treat to collaborate with our own folks," Continues Allison, "It certainly inspires our students and audiences to see that we have great talents right here in Richmond!"

The students and faculty of the EKU Bands are excited to begin a new year of exciting opportunities, and hope that you will join them for their performances. Please feel welcomed to contact Lisa Stanley (Band Administrative Assistant), Ken Haddix (Associate Director of Bands), or Joe Allison at 859/622-3161 for any requests or information about the band activities at Eastern. You can also visit the website at: www.music.eku.edu/bands for further details.

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EKU Clarinet Choir Performs at State, National, & International Conventions

The EKU Clarinet Choir, under the direction of Connie Rhoades, performed at three conventions during the spring and summer of 2004. Invitations to perform at these conventions were a result of committee selection processes for each convention, based upon a recording submitted from the Clarinet Choir's Spring 2003 recital. The first convention performance occurred on February 5, 2004 at the Kentucky Music Educators Association Convention in Louisville, KY. This was followed by numerous performances throughout the spring semester both on- and off-campus in continued preparation for the national and international conventions to which they were also invited. In June, the Clarinet Choir traveled to Oklahoma to perform a recital at the 29th Annual University of Oklahoma Clarinet Symposium. This was followed by a trip in July to the Washington D.C. area to perform a recital at the International Clarinet Association ClarFest 2004. The EKU Clarinet Choir was one of only three university clarinet choirs chosen from around the world to perform at this convention. The other university clarinet choirs were from the University of Florida and Japan. Members of the EKU Clarinet Choir which performed nationally and internationally include Tara Mann, Sarah Kurk, Lisa Dahlhauser, Kristen Bailey, Kristal Merz, Brittany Stewart, Jeffrey Klein, Heather Coombs, Diana Wrobel, and Ryan Bertke.

EKU Clarinet Festival

The fourth EKU Clarinet Festival, hosted by Connie Rhoades, Associate Professor of Clarinet, and the EKU Clarinet Studio, was held on Saturday, April 17, 2004. Attended by middle school, high school, and college-aged clarinetists, the EKU Clarinet Festival featured David Etheridge, Professor of Clarinet at the University of Oklahoma, and Andrea Cheeseman, Assistant Professor of Clarinet at Delta State University. Highlights of the all-day event included a masterclass about reeds given by David Etheridge as well as recitals by both David Etheridge, and Andrea Cheeseman. In addition, those who attended participated in a clarinet choir which performed at the closing recital. The EKU Clarinet Studio is looking forward to hosting the fifth EKU Clarinet Festival which is scheduled for April 23, 2005. For more information, please contact Connie Rhoades at (859)622-1342

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EKU Saxophone Studio

In April 2004 EKU’s jazz saxophone ensemble "Saxophobia" was invited to play at the biennial conference of the North American Saxophone Alliance.  The group which included Russ Kahmann, Randi Williams, Pamela Schneider, and Katie Poplin, premiered arrangements of 2 pieces by Larry Nelson, EKU’s Saxophone Instructor and director of the ensemble — "Eyes of a Child" and "New Kid in Town." 

The conference, hosted by the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, took place from April 28-30, This was the first appearance at the conference by a Saxophone Ensemble from Eastern.  Saxophobia performed on the way at Maxwell Elementary in Lexington, KY.

Guitar Studio

The Guitar Department is also proud to announce a newly forged partnership with the EKU Community Education Department. Community Education courses for guitar will now be taught by EKU guitar majors. This collaboration will provide EKU guitar majors with practical teaching experience, a stipend, and a new avenue for professional development.

EKU Flute Studio

The flute studio attended the Flute Society of Kentucky's annual Flute Day at Campbellsville University this past January. Then junior, Sadora Bloom, performed the Nielsen Concerto for guest artist, Gary Schocker, accompanied by Harriet Bromley. Also at Flute Day, Assist. Prof. Kristen Kean directed the Advanced Flute Choir in a performance of Gary Schocker's piece, Views from Falls House. In other studio news, Sadora Bloom, as one of the winners of the annual EKU Concerto Competition, performed the Nielsen Concerto with the EKU Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of Dr. Mark Chambers. Future performances from the studio include Prof.Kean's recital on Oct. 6 in Gifford Auditorium, Sadora Bloom's recital, Dec. 5, a joint recital of the entire studio sometime in April and a recital by sophomores Amanda Cupp and MaryBeth Paolucci, at a date to be announced.

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EKU Trumpet Studio

The EKU Trumpet Studio, under the direction of Dr. Joe Van Fleet, was invited to perform at the 2004 International Trumpet Guild Conference in Denver CO. The group flew to Denver with the gracious support of Rob James and the Dept. of Music. The 12 member ensemble performed on Friday night at 8:00 before the Bobby Shew/Carl Saunders concert. It was a feature time slot and the group performed admirably. The ensemble was joined by EKU Alumnus Denver Dill.

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EKU Jazz Festival April 30, 2005

The 2004 jazz festival featured two highly acclaimed jazz artists and educators: saxophonist Sam Fagaly and pianist Simon Rowe. Along with the EKU Jazz Ensemble and a number of high school and middle school bands, the festival was a great success. This years' event will be held on April 30 and will feature trumpet great Bobby Shew. Any interested directors who would like to have their bands participate in the "comments only" formatted festival, please contact Joe Van Fleet at (859) 622-1356. 

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EKU Symphony Orchestra

The EKU Symphony Orchestra continues to grow in size and quality with each academic year. The 2004/05 Orchestra is presently comprised of 26 string students and a full orchestral compliment of 24 woodwind, brass and percussion students. Last year's concerts included the World Premiere of Alan C Beeler's Symphony 2003 and a performance of Rimsky Korsakov's Scheherazade. On September 21, 2004 the Orchestra will present its annual Kids Gala Concerts. Giving two performances on this day, this concert will introduce the instruments of the orchestra and also include orchestral settings of folk songs from around the world. This program will expose 2600 fourth and fifth grade students to the dramatic and varied sounds of a full symphony orchestra. This concert traditionally concludes with student conductors for the audience leading a sturing performance of Sousa's Stars and Stripes Forever.

In the past, the orchestra has traveled to perform in Cincinnati, OH, Somerset and Louisville Kentucky. The Orchestra will be travelling to Oak Ridge, Tennessee on March 18th to perform for orchestra students from Knoxville and the surrounding areas. The fall Masterpiece concert includes Michael Glinka's Overture to Russlan and Ludmilla, Dvorak's "New World" Symphony and Mozart's Concerto for Flute and Harp with guest soloists, Kristen Keane, EKU flute/ theory instructor and Elaine Cooke, principal Harpist of the Lexington Philharmonic. This concert will be presented on November 22nd at 8:00 p.m. in Brock Auditorium and is free to the public. The EKU Symphony Orchestra is conducted by Dr. Mark Chambers.

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EKU Technology Lab Receives New Lab Equipment

Meetings between EKU Academic Computing liaison Ward Henline and Dennis Davis resulted in the Department of Music receiving 18 new G4 Imac computers for the technology lab. These computers have 640 mbs of SDRAM, a 700 MHz processor, and an OS X site license. The total value of these computers is well over $30,000. Students can now have a personal computer account and space on the server to store 200 mbs of file

Faculty News

EKU Vocal Area

The University Singers performed four times during the spring 2004 semester. On Friday, February 20^th it sang the General Hymn from Persichetti’s symphony for band with the EKU symphonic band–Joe Allison conductor at the honor band concert in Brock. Singers performed the Randall Thompson "Alleluia for the February 24^th Chautauqua Lecture series on WAR and PEACE. The choir performed at the annual POPS concert on March 20^th and finally presented Benjamin Brittan’s Rejoice in the Lamb on April 27^th with Hayward Mickens at the organ for its annual spring concert.

The EKU’s Choirs presented their annual Winter Concert in Brock Auditorium on December 8, 2003 at 8 PM. The concert featured La Luna–the Women’s Chorus at EKU, performing Benjamin Britten’s Ceremony of Carols with Lexington harpist Elaine Cook. The University Singers perform Daniel Pinkham’s Christmas Cantata scored for choir, brass and organ with EKU faculty member Hayward Mickens as the organist.

The EKU Madrigal Singers performed a concert version of the 33^rd madrigal dinner for the Annual Fund Raising banquet of the Sunshine Seniors of Louisville on Saturday, October 25. The Madrigal Singers presented three performances of their 33^rd Annual Madrigal Dinner Productions in Keen-Johnson on the EKU campus, Thursday, Friday and Saturday (December 4 — 6, 2003.)

The EKU Choral area hosted a very successful First Annual Fall Choral Festival at EKU on Thursday, October 16, 2003. Students from 16 high schools in Kentucky and Indiana attended the day’s activities and formed a festival chorus of 75 singers. The solo master class component of the day’s activities attracted 20 singers to a session with EKU voice faculty who provided students with feedback on how to improve their singing. Two outstanding singers were chosen to perform their solos on the festival concert, which took place at 7 PM October 16^th at 7 PM in Gifford Theatre. Other performances on the finale concert were by the Model School’s women’s chorus, the Concert Chorale of South Laurel High School, EKU’s University Singers and the Festival Chorus.

Annual Central Kentucky Music Educators Association Choral Festival on Friday, November 7, 2003 for which music educators from districts 7 and 11 brought 400 elementary singers for all day rehearsals in the Foster Building. The day culminated with an evening performance in Brock Auditorium at 7 PM for a capacity audience of 1,200 people.

Dr. David Saladino, publicist and executor for the musical estate of American composer Gordon Binkerd wrote the official obituary of eminent American composer Gordon Ware Binkerd, parts of which were published in the Chicago Tribune. Mr. Binkerd died at his home in Urbana, Illinois following a long illness. He was 87. Dr. Saladino’s obituary of Gordon Binkerd was published in the November 2003 Choral Journal.

Dr. Saladino was guest conductor for the Garrard County Choral Festival. The one-day festival consisted of performances by schools from Harrodsburg, Lancaster, and Paint Lick. A public performance took place at Garrard County High School in Lancaster, Kentucky at 7 PM on October 9, 2003.

In the spring 2004 semester David Saladino was site coordinator and host for the Annual Central Kentucky Music Educators Association Middle School Choral Festival on Friday, February 27, 2004 for which music educators from districts 7 and 11 brought 300 middle school singers for day-long rehearsals in the Foster Building. The day culminated with an evening performance in Brock Auditorium at 7 PM before an audience of more than a 1,000 people.

David Saladino was site coordinator and host to singers and conductors from 16 Kentucky colleges and universities for the Saturday, January 17^th reading rehearsal of the Kentucky All-Collegiate Choir.

Six EKU choral singers participated in the Kentucky All-Collegiate Choir at the Annual Kentucky Music Educators Association state convention in Louisville’s Whitney Hall under Craig Jessop of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, February 5, 2004. At the KMEA state convention Dr. Saladino unveiled a new choral publicity brochure about the vocal/choral faculty of the EKU music department, which contained information about the Annual Fall Choral Festival and other information of interest to state choral directors.

David Saladino was administrator and clinician for the 69^th annual Foster vocal camp, June 26 — July 2, 2004.

Hunter Hensley, in addition to teaching applied voice, serving as vocal area coordinator, supervisor of vocal area student teachers, Dr. Hensley has several on going publishing, recording, performing and teaching projects.

A Gregorian Archive — recording melodies of 9^th c. Carolingian repertory commonly known as Gregorian chant. This ongoing project, which Hunter Hensley began in June of 2003, is done at the request of Dr. Richard L. Crocker, professor emeritus at University of California at Berkeley and author of the Archive of sound recordings, produced by Emeritus Press, Berkeley, CA.

Another ongoing project with Dr. Richard L. Crocker, is co-authorship of a book entitled, Gregorian Chant: A Manual for Singers. The book will include instruction in performance practice and vocal production for singing Gregorian chant. Also planned parallel with the text is a CD sound recording of appropriate examples for students of chant. The manual will be published by Emeritus Press, Berkeley, CA.

A third recording/publishing project is in cooperation with Dr. Ron Pen John Jacob Niles Center for American Music, at the University of Kentucky. Hensley is founder and director of the group which will record several tunes from Dr. Pen’s edition of the Ananais Davisson works which is scheduled to be published by the University of Kentucky Press in the Fall of 2005.

Hensley’s most recent performance was on April 21 2004 in the EKU Grand Reading Room, Crabbe Library at the Live @ Your Library: An Evening of Airs de Cour. Hensley, along with Donna Boyd-harpsichord, and Bob Reynierson-lute & theorbo, presented a program of French Airs de Cour, English lute songs, and Italian spensieratezzi.

For the Fall 2004 semester, Hensley will debut EKU’s newest choral ensemble, the Men’s Chorus. Works for the Fall semester include the Randall Thompson, "Testament of Freedom," composed for male chorus with symphonic band accompaniment. This performance with the EKU Symphonic Band is scheduled for November 20^th at 1 PM in Brock Auditorium.

Dr. Hensley has also been invited this semester to be guest lecturer on the subject of Gregorian Chant Performance Practice, by two Kentucky colleges, Centre College, in Danville, KY and Kentucky Christian College, in Grayson, KY.

Vertrelle Cameron-Mickens, adjunct instructor of applied voice, continues as a candidate for the DMA in Vocal Performance at UK. Cameron-Mickens , in April, will be a soloist with the Lexington Philharmonic in a performance of the Verdi "Requiem." Mickens is full time Director of Music at The Second Presbyterian Church in Lexington, KY.

Patrick Newell, was the Vocal Coach and Chorus Director at the Jekyll Island Musical Theatre Festival, the State Musical Theatre of Georgia, during May and June of this summer. The Festival included full productions of "Forever Plaid," "Brigadoon" and "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat," with performances from June through the first week of August.

Joyce Hall Wolf teaches applied voice and vocal pedagogy. She is currently serving as the KY State Governor of NATS (National Association of Teachers of Singing). In October, EKU sent more than 20 applied voice students to the KY NATS Student Auditions. In March 2003, Wolf and pianist Kay Dawn McFarland presented the Lecture Recital "Treasures from a Faithful Heart: The Music of Marjorie Adams" at the ATHENA 2003 Festival for Women Composers.

On September 2, Joyce Hall Wolf and Patrick Newell will perform a recital. Later in September, Dr Wolf will be initiated into Omicron Chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma - International Honorary for Women Educators.

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Faculty News

Dr. Richard Crosby, Professor of Music (DMA University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music) continues as the National President of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia and as a Trustee on the Sinfonia Educational Foundation. He also serves on the local level as Governor of the fraternity's Province 25. Last October saw the premiere of his Sonata for Trombone and Piano, commissioned by the Kentucky Music Teachers Association. Following that premiere he scored the piano accompaniment for band and in this form the work was presented at the regional CBDNA convention in Atlanta by the EKU Symphonic Band under the direction of Dr. Joe Allison with Ken Haddix (to whom the work is dedicated) as soloist. Crosby is currently undertaking the task of editing a volume of piano music by Verna Arvey, pianist and wife of African-American composer William Grant Still. This volume will be published by William Grant Still Music, and Crosby has also submitted the Trombone Sonata to the ITA Press for consideration of publication. This summer, Dr Crosby won an ASCAPlus Award this summer as a composer.

Rob James, Chair of the Department of Music served on the 2003 Planning committee for the Percussive Arts Society International Convention. Mr. James also adjudicated the international marimba competition at the high school level while attend this convention. Mr. James remains active performing with the Faculty Jazz Quintet and serving as a clinician for Avedis Zildjian, Vic Firth, Balter Mallets, and Pearl International.

James Willett performed with the Kentuckiana Brass and Percussion Ensemble at the 2003 KMEA Convention in February and the Great American Brass Band Festival in June. Additional activities included participation at the National Civil War Band Symposium in July.

Dennis Davis has joined the review panel for Soundboard, the internationally renown journal for classical guitar. He will review collections, recordings, editions, and new works for the classical guitar. Many of these items will then be donated to the EKU music library.

Dr. Joe Allison, in his sixth year as Associate Professor of Conducting on the Richmond campus, regularly participates in significant musical events and activities as a representative of the ongoing recruiting and outreach activities for the EKU Music Department. These activities occasionally take him beyond national borders. The 2004-2005 academic year will certainly be no exception to this involvement.

In August, Allison was on hand in Denver, Colorado at Invesco Field at Mile High to adjudicate the Drum Corps International World Championships. Televised live by the Public Broadcasting Service and Regal Cinemas, this international event brought together championship level marching musical ensembles from around the globe for a week long series of competitions. Allison served in three capacities for the events: as a clinician/adjudicator for the Individual & Ensemble Championships, as host for a Japanese delegation representing Drum Corps Japan, and as an adjudicator for the World Championship Finals contest on the final day of the tournament. Drum Corps International is releasing a special DVD recording of the Championships, a segment of which will feature Allison's "live" judging commentary given during the performances of the top five scoring finalists! Visit www.dci.org for details.

During the upcoming Fall Semester, Dr. Allison will travel to adjudicate a number of music contests, including championships in Colorado, New Mexico, Texas, North Carolina and Georgia. Three other "world-class" events round out his Fall schedule.

In late September, the EKU Band Director will make his first visit to the Netherlands, for the Dutch National Music Championships. This gala brings together a number of diverse ensembles of various media for the purpose of national champions in several categories. "It’s really unlike anything we usually encounter in the States," offered Allison, "groups of every imaginable instrumentation and purpose are assembled for one big event — I’m told it approximates a ‘musical carnival!’ " Dr. Allison will present lecture/clinics to assorted groups while in Holland, in addition to adjudicating the National Championships. His appearance there qualifies him for appointment to another special event held in the country in the Summer of 2005 — more on that later!

The traditional Fall "marching season" will end in December for Dr. Allison with a trip across the Pacific to Tokyo and Yokohama, Japan, where he will adjudicate the Japanese National Championship Competition. As a guest of the state, Allison will receive a special tour of selected national venues, and also present clinics for participating performers and instructors. This will be his fourth appearance at this prestigious event, which is the climax of the Japan’s competitive year. Visit www.dcjpn.org/ to learn more about the Japanese activity.

Immediately after the conclusion of the Foster Camps, Allison crossed the Atlantic to serve on the faculty of the month-long World Music Contests in Kerkrade, the Netherlands. The World Music Contest Kerkrade Foundation was founded in 1951, celebrating its fiftieth anniversary in 2001. WMC’s stated aim is "to enhance the international development of wind music world wide by the organization of periodic musical festivals and projects." The World Music Contest, held every four years, is internationally recognized as the major international event for wind music in the world. In the most recent (2001) edition, more than 17,000 musicians belonging to 272 bands from all corners of the globe participated in this festival, which is known for both its quality and international atmosphere. Find out more about the World Music Contests at: www.wmc.nl/ .

Dr. Alan Beeler is beginning his thrity-fourth year as teacher of theory and composition this fall. He is in the process of composing new pieces for the various performing groups in the department. Last year the EKU Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of Mark Chambers, premiered his Symphony No.1 in concert. The EKU Marimba Quartet played his 4 Etudes on the Percussion Ensemble recital last spring.The group is also planning to present his arrangements of several songs by Charles Ives for tenor and percussion in their concert this fall. Dr. Beeler has completed a Marimba Concerto and is currently putting finishing touches on a Percussion Concerto for the department chair, Rob James, to perform with the EKU Wind Ensemble next spring. The bassoon professor at the University of Arkansas, Richard Ramey, accompanied by our former graduate assistant in theory, Pavel Polanco-Safadit, will be performing Dr.Beeler's Bassoon and Piano Sonata da camera at the University of Kentucky and here at EKU in early November. Still ahead in 2005 is a projected performance and recording of Dr. Beeler's Clarinet Fantasy-Concerto by Richard Stolzmann. Further details about this will be included in next year's Newsletter.

Dr. Mick Sehmann continues to maintain a busy playing and teaching schedule, performing with the EKU Woodwind and Brass Quintets, the Lexington Philharmonic Orchestra, playing many freelance jobs throughout the region, and teaching at both the Foster Music Camp and the Governor’s School for the Arts.

Joe Van Fleet was appointed Principal Trumpet of the Lexington Philharmonic Orchestra.

Dr. Mark Chambers was the featured cello soloist at the Wallawa Lake Chamber Music Festival in Enterprise, Oregon. This seven day festival is comprised of three public concerts of string and woodwind chamber music as well as a a chamber music camp for High school and college students, coached by the Festival performers. In addition to performing, Dr. Chambers is a frequent guest clinician, conductor and lecturer. On February 6, 2005 he will present a lecture at the Ohio Music Educator's Conference in Cincinnat on Rehearsal techniques for Middle and High School Orchestras.