Eastman School of Music

1948

Louis Gordon ’62 (PhD) sends an update: His Ashlandia for Piano with High, Middle and Low Instruments had its premiere on April 9, 2007, when the Southwest Washington Chamber Players, which commissioned the piece, presented it with pianist David Erlich in Washington, D.C. In February 2007, the Kaiser Woodwind Quintet gave the first complete performance of his Movements for Woodwind Quintet at a concert in Upper Montclair, N.J. Louis, a professor emeritus at Fairleigh Dickinson University, lives in Whippany, N.J.

1949

Richard Ziter ’51 (MM) writes that he was selected as the 2007 grand marshal of the 52nd Fall Foliage Festival Parade in North Adams, Mass.

1955

Eugene Ulrich (PhD) writes that his book, World War II Recollections, has been published by AuthorHouse. The book recounts Eugene’s World War II service in Europe from 1942 to 1946.

1958

Saxophonist Albert Regni writes that he and composer and arranger Bernard Hoffer ’57, ’58 (MM) have released a CD titled Revisiting the Silver Screen (Titanic Ti-271). The compilation of Hollywood film music, arranged for saxophone with string quartet and rhythm, includes New York studio musicians James Saporito ’77 (percussion) and David Finck ’80 (bass) and violinist Marissa Regni ’90, ’92 (MM), the principal second violin for the National Symphony Orchestra in Washington, D.C.

1961

George Giroux (MA) writes that he released a jazz CD in 2006. George is featured on piano, and he’s joined by his son, Peter (trumpet and flugelhorn), and grandson, Nate (saxophone and clarinet). Called Three Generations, the CD includes George’s music along with compositions by Jobim, Clifford Brown, Hank Mobley, Ken Dorham, and Rodgers and Hart.

1965

Riana Ricci Muller ’70 (MM) writes that she has produced an audio-visual series blending foreign language classes and classical music. For each language (in Italian, French, and Spanish), a DVD of four violin and piano performances are accompanied by corresponding lesson plans. Performers include Riana on violin and pianist Francis Brancaleone ’58. Guitarist Matthew Slotkin ’01 (DMA) makes a guest appearance. Riana teaches at Lycoming College in Williamsport, Pa.

1968

Bill Cahn and Bob Becker ’69, ’71 (MM) of the percussion ensemble Nexus send an update from the summer: They each presented a week of daily three-hour workshops at the Eastman School. With Nexus, they took part in several programs at the Ojai, Calif., Music Festival, and in separate, three-performance stands, Nexus was the guest of the Pacific Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Carl St. Clair and of the Kansas City Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Michael Stern.

1970

Geary Larrick (MM) writes that he has earned a scholarly citation in The Music Index for his article, “Chinese Music with Percussion,” in the National Association of College Wind and Percussion Instructors Journal. He has also written his 10th book titled The Late-Life Reflections of a Retired Professor on Just About Everything in the World (Edwin Mellen Press, 2007), a multidisciplinary study of various fields, including biography, science, percussion music, history, and theory. Steven Wasson ’69, ’71 (MM) served and was acknowledged as one of four readers for the book. . . . Art Michaels writes that his Pastoral Serenade, a concert band piece, has been published by Neil A. Kjos Music Co.

1983

David Brickman writes to announce the launch of PlayMyPiece.com, an online store devoted to downloadable recordings for the student repertoire. The site offer free samples of every piece in its catalog, and has free downloads that change quarterly. David is principal second violin in the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra and is an associate professor of violin repertoire at Eastman.

1988

Cory Hall (MM) sends an update: He taught piano for three years in Kassel, Germany, and later earned an MM in musicology and a DMA in piano from the University of Kansas. He remains busy in the Tampa Bay, Fla., area, teaching humanities at St. Petersburg College, piano at Eckerd College, and serving as organist at Anona United Methodist Church in Largo. Cory is also writing a book titled Breaking the Bach Tempo Code: Tempo and Duration in the Music of J.S. Bach.

1989

Debra Thalberg writes to announce her marriage to Seth Vinick, a captain in the University of Connecticut Fire Department, on November 19, 2006. They live in Manchester, Conn. After graduating from Yale’s School of Music, Debra earned a master of science degree from Baylor’s College of Medicine and is a physician’s assistant. She still plays the harp and performs around Connecticut.

1991

Peggy Dettwiler (DMA), the director of choral activities at Mansfield University in Mansfield, Pa., sends an update: The Mansfield University Concert Choir appeared in concert at the Scottish Rite Temple last November at the inaugural conference of the National Collegiate Choral Organization in San Antonio. Choirs were selected anonymously from a taped audition consisting of four selections performed over the previous two years. Peggy submitted three programs for consideration and the choir was chosen to present a program entitled “Shine Forth in Truth and Light,” which included music about “light” in styles ranging from Gregorian chant to Gospel.

1996

Andre Myers, an assistant professor of music at Occidental College in Los Angeles, writes that in March 2007, the Santa Monica Symphony performed his orchestral work Colored Shadows, and the Plymouth (Michigan) Symphony performed Paddle-to-the-Sea, his work for narration and orchestra, for its annual Koncert for Kids program. His Faith in Cerulean, a commission from the Occidental College Glee Clubs in celebration of their centenary, was recently performed on the clubs’ summer tour of Australia.

2005

Mezzo-soprano Margaret Gawrysiak (MM) was selected as a participant in the Young American Artists Program at Glimmerglass Opera in Cooperstown, N.Y., for the second consecutive year.