CoLA's Points of Pride

The Department of Music offers a wide range of performance opportunities through the following ensembles:

• Five Band Area Ensembles – Wind Symphony, Chamber Players, Symphonic Band and Concert Band, Pep Band, and Jazz Band.
• Nine Chamber Ensembles – University Brass Choir, University Clarinet Choir, Collegium Musicum (devoted to performing Medieval, Renaissance, andBaroque), University Flute Choir, Guitar Ensemble, Percussion Ensemble, Saxophone Quartet, Trombone Ensemble, and Tuba Ensemble.
• Seven Choral Ensembles –  Collegiate Chorale (advanced vocal skills), Chamber Singers, University Men’s Chorale, University Women’s Chorale, University Chorus, Paul Laurence Dunbar Chorale, and Dayton Philharmonic Chorus.
• Three Orchestral Ensembles – University Chamber Orchestra, Community Orchestra, and Opera Orchestra.

Garth Hangartner’s new piece the day languishes for cello and percussion was premiered in November 2006 by the New York Miniaturist Ensemble at Lincoln Center (Bruno Walter Auditorium), as part of the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Treasures of Music series. His flumet for soprano/violin and String Quarter No. 2 will be premiered in New York City by the Miniaturist Ensemble in 2007.

Christopher Chaffee will be premiering Shunyata for flute, bassoon and Tibetan instruments in May, 2007, in his recital at WSU. Chris commissioned the piece in 2005.

The department’s Alumni Virtuosity recital held in September 2006, featuring performances by nine alumni, raised $20,000 for the Concert Hall renovation.

In February the WSU music department hosted their first full day Double Reed Day event.  Oboe professor Krista Berning and bassoon professor Bill Jobert performed and taught throughout the day for over 35 high school and college students who attended.  Along with those students, many private studio teachers attended many of the day’s offerings which included master classes from professional bassoon and oboe performers and teachers in the Southwest Ohio area, double reed vendors, and recitals. Double Reed Day ended with a double reed band aptly named “Pandemonium” which included everyone who attended the day performing in the lobby of the Creative Arts Center. Plans are already in progress for next year’s event which will be held on Saturday, January 19 and called the Wright State Double Reed Festival.

Dr. Christopher Chaffee was a special guest speaker for the Eastman School of Music Arts Leadership Program last September.  A graduate of Eastman (Rochester, NY), he gave a public presentation entitled “Music Career Survival Skills.”  During fall quarter, he presented recitals and masterclasses at Southern Illinois University, Chadron State College, and the University of Nebraska-Kearney.

The Department of Music held its annual Concerto Night featuring outstanding performances by six WSU music students on February 27, 2007.

The Clarinettes du Mond Clarinet Ensemble, under the direction of Dr. Randall Paul, was invited to perform before the Springfield Symphony Orchestra Concert in February.

JJ Hendrickson was chosen to be the Assistant Conductor of the Miami Valley Symphony Orchestra and conducted Las Forza Del Destino by Verdi. She was also selected to be part of an expose in the Dayton Daily News on unique internships in the Miami Valley.

The International Journal of Arts Management has accepted an article for publication by Drs. Paul and Weinstein entitled The Use of Baldridge Assessment Techniques for Strategic Planning and Assessment for Arts Administration in Higher Education.

Steve Hampton, a 1980 graduate of the music department, is one of the leading composers of commercial music. He writes for the television series “Just Shoot Me” and for many national commercial campaigns including Dodge’s “Hit it!” series.

Dr. Deborah Netanel, instructor of music, had two compositions, “Dreams, op 36” and “Both Together, Each Apart,” selected for the CMS Great Lakes Conference Composers’ Concert.

The WSU Collegiate Chorale toured Virginia with feature performances at Colonial Williamburg’s historic Bruton Parish Church. The Chorale tours annually, representing WSU on the national and regional levels.

WSU choirs have recently been invited to sing demonstration recordings for two nationally-recognized music publishers, Kjos Music Inc., and earthsongs, inc. The WSU Women’s Chorale is under the direction of Mr. Drew Collins, Instructor of Music, and the Collegiate Chorale is under the direction of Dr. Hank Dahlman, Professor of Music.

The WSU Trumpet Ensemble will perform at the Ohio ITG Conference at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music on March 31 and at the 26^th Annual Gabrieli Festival at Wittenburg University on April 15.

Brenda Ellis, associate professor of music, presented two sessions at the Hawaii International Conference on the Arts and Humanities in January. The diverse topics were “The Hidden Meanings in African American Spirituals” and the “Perception and Attitude of Youth Towards Images in Hip Hop Culture.”

The WSU Saxophone Quartet was selected to perform at the 2007 Ohio Music Educators Professional Development Conference in Columbus.The Department of Music hosted the WSU High School Saxophone Quartet Festival onMarch 2.

Dr. Shelley Jagow, associate professor of music, is the author of “Developing the Complete Band Program,” a 300 page textbook for music educators published by Meredith Music Publications and distributed by Hal Leonard.

Contact Information

College of Liberal Arts
163 Millett Hall
Wright State University
3640 Colonel Glenn Hwy.
Dayton, OH 45435-0001
937.775.2225
liberalarts@wright.edu cola_webmaster@wright.edu