Class Notes

Eastman School of Music

1952
Edwin Gordon ’53 (MM) was honored by the University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education on the 30th anniversary of his research defining music learning theory, published while he was director of music education at Buffalo in the 1970s.

1955
Donald Cervone ’70 (PhD) writes, “The Allegheny College Chamber Choir with Ward Jamison as conductor performed my composition, Ave Maria, as part of their spring concert last April. Their concert was part of the celebration of the 75th anniversary of the founding of the Allegheny Singers, with whom I sang for two years. The piece was written for the wedding ceremony of Frank and Nancy Cringoli Sylvester, my dear friend and classmate.”

1956
George Walker (DMA) (see ’98). Walker returned to Eastman in October for the premiere of his Eastman-commissioned orchestral work, Foils for Orchestra (Hommage a Saint George).

1958
Nicholas Di Virgilio sends a photo and the news that he retired as professor of voice and opera at the University of Illinois School of Music in Urbana in 2004 after 28 years. He writes, “In October 2005, I directed a ‘semistaged’ performance of George Enescu’s opera, Oedipe, with the Sinfonia da Camera of the University of Illinois. The performance, the opera’s North American premiere, was conducted by Ian Hobson. Last fall, I directed Mozart’s Marriage of Figaro. I live in Charlotte, N.C.”

1963
William Anderson ’64 (MM) writes that a new edition of Integrating Music into the Elementary Classroom, coauthored with Joy Lawrence, will be published this year.

1968
Percussionist Bill Cahn taught at the Eastman School last fall, filling in for John Beck, who was on sabbatical.

1969
Bob Becker ’71 (MM) (see ’70). . . . Steven Wasson ’71 (MM) writes, “My sonata, Op. 18 for Multiple Drum Solo, was featured in The Theory and Composition of Percussion Music by Geary Larrick ’70 (MM). My name appears in the 2005 and 2006 editions of Who’s Who in America, and in June 2005 I was interviewed about piano technology on WDPR-FM in Dayton.”

1970
Donald Cervone (PhD) (see ’55). . . . Adrian Clissa writes, “I operate Dino’s Brass and Woodwind Shop in Victor, N.Y., specializing in repair and restoration of musical instruments.” . . . Geary Larrick (MM) writes, “I have written book reviews that have been published in 2006 issues of the Music Educators Journal. Last July, I premiered my composition, Poem III: Xylophone, at the University of Wisconsin at Stevens Point. The solo percussion piece is dedicated to Bob Becker ’69, ’71 (MM), a former classmate who is a founding member of the percussion group Nexus.”

1972
Steven Wasson (MM) (see ’69)

1975
Sister Grace Ann Geibel (PhD), president emerita of Carlow University, was appointed by the governor of Pennsylvania to serve on the state-appointed oversight board for Pittsburgh.

1979
Jeffrey Brillhart (MM) writes, “Last May, I made my Pittsburgh Symphony debut, performing Francis Poulenc’s Concerto for Organ with Manfred Honeck conducting. Other concerts included performances at Furmon University, the University of Alabama, and a week-long artist-in-residence position at Walla Walla University.” . . . Trumpet player and composer Pam Fleming has released two CDs with her world jazz group, Fearless Dreamer: Fearless Dreamer and Climb. Her Web site is www.FearlessDreamer.com.

1981
Dan Locklair (DMA) was commissioned by the Virginia Chorale to compose a choral work in honor of its music director’s 10th anniversary season. Dan’s composition will be premiered in March. He also was named resident composer for the Virginia Festival of American Voices. Dan’s composition, The Isaiah Canticles, was given its Canadian premiere in Montreal last August. . . . Patrick McCresless (PhD), professor of music theory and chair of the music department at Yale University, writes, “I served as one of six faculty members at the Mannes Institute for Advanced Studies in Music Theory last June. The 37 fellows of this year’s institute, which convened on the topic of chromaticism, included current Rochester faculty Matthew BaileyShea and William Marvin ’02 (PhD), as well as seven other alumni: Matthew Bribitzer-Stull ’01 (PhD) of the University of Minnesota, Evan Jones ’02 (DMA) and Nancy Rogers ’00 (PhD) of Florida State University, Ian Quinn ’04 (PhD) of Yale University, Deborah Rifkin ’00 (PhD) of Ithaca College, and Kristin Taavola ’02 (PhD) of Cornell University. It was great seeing so many old friends and putting our heads together on some interesting issues.”

1984
Maria Newman’s Sonata for Flute and Piano was performed at the first Malibu Coast Music Festival last August. Maria is the owner of the Montgomery Arts House for Music and Architecture, where the festival took place.

1985
John Fedchock sends a photo from his three-week tour to Japan with David Matthews’s Manhattan Jazz Orchestra last June. While in Tokyo, John visited the Kunitachi Music Academy, where he conducted a jazz clinic for the school’s trombonists. He also held a trombone workshop in Fukui.

1989
A new mass composed by Craig Phillips, associate director of music and composer-in-residence at All Saints’ Episcopal Church in Beverly Hills, was premiered last June as part of the Episcopal Church’s 75th General Convention in Columbus, Ohio. . . . Anne Mascaro Rupert had her conducting debut at Carnegie Hall last year. She writes, “I took the Youth Symphony Orchestra of the Youth Orchestras of Prince William in Virginia on tour to New York, where the students participated in a master class with David Wroe of the New York City Opera, performed at the new Vietnam Veterans Memorial near Battery Park, and performed at Carnegie Hall as part of the World Projects Orchestra Festival. Their performance received a gold rating.” . . . Flutist Merrie Siegel has released the CD Flute Music of the Americas. She also is principal flute with the Boise Philharmonic.

1990
John Hollenbeck ’91 (MM) (see ’93).

1991
Tim Sparks (MM) and his wife, Amy, announce the birth of their second son, Dylan, on January 23, 2006. They write, “Older brother Jason, 2, enjoys playing with and taking care of baby Dylan.”

1992
Gareth Farr (MM) was appointed Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for his contributions to music and entertainment.

1993
Bassist Cory Combs ’96 (MM) has released the jazz CD Valencia, which includes performances by percussionist John Hollenbeck ’90, ’91 (MM).

1994
Mark (MM) and Debbie Rohwer (MM) write, “Debbie is chair of the music education department at the University of North Texas and is keeping a busy schedule of presentations throughout the state. Mark is director of choral activities and chair of the performing arts department at Flower Mound High School. The school’s Jaguar Chorale, which he conducts, has been invited to perform at the 2007 Texas Music Educators Association conference in San Antonio. Our boys are growing like weeds—Jeremy is 6, and Zachary is 4.”

1996
Cory Combs (MM) (see ’93). . . . Elizabeth Matchett Freimuth is principal French horn with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra.

1998
Juliet White-Smith (DMA) writes, “I performed Sonata for Viola and Piano by Pulitzer Prize–winning composer George Walker ’56 (DMA) at the 34th International Viola Congress in Montreal last June. I’m currently on the faculty at the University of Northern Colorado, and I’m president-elect of the American Viola Society.”

2000
Deborah Rifkin (PhD) (see ’81). . . . Nancy Rogers (PhD) (see ’81).

2001
Matthew Bribitzer-Stull (PhD) (see ’81). . . . After serving for three years as an enlisted Marine musician, Mark Phelps received his commission as a second lieutenant in August 2005. Mark graduated with honors from the basic officer course last spring. He is a logistics officer at Camp Pendleton in California and expects to deploy overseas early this year. . . . Marguerite Williams writes, “I’m happy to report that I have been named principal harpist of the Colorado Music Festival and International Chamber Artists (Chicago). I also was appointed to the faculty of the University of Miami and named principal harpist of the New World Symphony in Miami.”

2002
Evan Jones (PhD) (see ’81). . . . William Marvin (PhD) (see ’81). . . . Kristin Taavola (PhD) (see ’81).

2003
Thomas Folan (DMA) is director on the new CD J. S. Bach: Missae Breves. . . . Anna Gerrish (MM) is assistant chair of the early childhood and elementary music department at the Levine School of Music.

2004
Gregory DeTurck placed sixth in the Minnesota International Piano-e-Competition, in which contestants submitted their performances over the Web using a Yamaha Disklavier piano. . . . Ian Quinn (PhD) (see ’81).

2006
Staff Sergeant Lauren Miner (MM) and Staff Sergeant Samantha Angelo are clarinetists with the United States Marine Band.