© University of Rochester 1996-2012
1948
Mary Jeanne van Appledorn ’66 (PhD) announces her retirement from the music school at Texas Tech University after 58 years of service. She received the Outstanding Researcher Award in 1982 and 2003, and a YWCA Women of the Arts award in 2002. To her credit are more than 80 compositions, 32 published works, and 40 recordings. She received many awards for her music, including the Delius Award, Composer’s Guild Award, the Enesco International Composition Award, and 28 consecutive Standard Panel Awards from ASCAP.
1958
Helen Bovbjerg Niedung ’59 (MM) writes that she was awarded the Excellence in Teaching Award, the Florida State Music Teachers Association’s highest honor, in June. Crediting Julius Huehn, her voice teacher at Eastman, as her inspiration, she has been teaching voice in Southwest Florida since 1979, as well as maintaining a private voice studio in Cape Coral and holding down duties as professor of voice at Edison College in Fort Myers, a position she has held since 1980. She also has been director of music at the Edison Congregational Church since 1980. Before returning to the United States, she enjoyed a 20-year career of singing, mainly in Germany. Her opera career began as a leading lyric soprano at the Ulm Opera, and continued with other opera houses throughout Germany and Denmark. She has sung more than 460 performances in 35 roles.
1960
Tom Stacy of the New York Philharmonic appeared at the Lincoln Triangle Barnes & Noble in Manhattan for a performance, discussion, and singing of his Billboard-charting Naxos disc Oboe d’amore Concertos in August.
1966
Mary Jeanne van Appledorn (PhD) (see ’48).
1968
Leora Martin Kline (MM) (see ’69).
1969
Steven Wasson ’71 (MM) writes that he performed his Piano Sonata No. 3 (Eclectics), and Leora Martin Kline ’68 (MM) performed the Violin Sonata No. 3 by Edvard Grieg with Daira Skriblis on the Dayton (Ohio) Music Club’s Morning Musicale in May.
1970
Geary Larrick (MM) writes that he premiered two of his music compositions this spring at the Gesell Institute at the University of Wisconsin at Stevens Point. On April 10 he performed Poem IX for Two Gongs and on May 22 he presented Poem X: Xylophone. The collaborating teacher was Lorrie Richardson.
1971
Susan Ferré (MM) has released Stories from the Human Village: War & Peace (Ninetydays Classical). The CD combines original narrative and organ music to tell the story of a mythical global village, Europa.
1973
David Myers (MM) was named director of the school of music at the University of Minnesota, becoming the school’s 11th director. He previously was a professor at Georgia State University, where he founded the Center for Educational Partnerships in Music.
1975
Cary Ratcliff ’89 (DMA) writes that excerpts from his third opera, Eleni, were presented by the New York City Opera at its 2008 VOX Showcase of new American operas. His children’s opera Mice and Beans premiered in April in San Diego. His oratorio Ode to Common Things (Pablo Neruda Poems), commissioned for the 50th anniversary of the Rochester Oratorio Society, was performed by society members in Beijing and Shanghai in July, with Ying Ying Liu as soprano soloist. Albany Records will release an album of artsongs, Kathryn Lewek Sings Cary Ratcliff, with mezzo Allyn Van Dusen and oboist Richard Kilmer. Cary’s choral works are published by G. Schirmer and Boosey & Hawkes.
1976
Brad Nelson (MM, DMA) writes that he has had performances of his choral music in Venice, Florence, Rome, and the Vatican. The Colorado Children’s Chorale has toured with his music in Spain and France, as well as for the dedication of the new Ellie Caulkin Opera House in Denver. The Southwest Florida Symphony Orchestra Chorus sang his music on tour in England, France, Switzerland, and Germany. Brad recently completed a new Alma Mater for the student body of Granite Hills High School in San Diego, where his wife is beginning her 16th year as choral director. Brad’s choral catalogue can be seen and heard online at www.gladdemusic.com.
1980
Phil and Shelley Philibosian Waite write that in the past two years, they have welcomed four grandchildren: Sarai Grace, Adeyna Faith, Nathan Christian Jr., and Caleb Noah. Shelley performed with Christopher Wheeldon’s new ballet company Morphoses on his inaugural performance, singing There Where She Loved and sang with the company again at the International Dance Festival in Vail, Colo., in August. Upcoming is a performance at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts of the Liebeslieder Waltzer with the Suzanne Farrell Ballet, using the rarely performed Balanchine choreography. Phil, after serving 19 years as a conductor with the U.S. Air Force, has moved into its public affairs branch to work at the press desk in the office of the Secretary of Defense at the Pentagon for the next two years.
1981
Dan Locklair (DMA) had his Dream Steps, A Dance Suite for harp, flute, and viola performed as part of the American Harp Society National Conference in Dearborn, Mich., in June. The Summerfest Chamber Ensemble performed his Reynolda Reflections for flute, cello, and piano in Kansas City, Mo., in July.
1983
Jazz trumpeter and singer Byron Stripling spent the summer juggling national appearances with performances around the country with the Columbus (Ohio) Jazz Orchestra, which he directs.
1984
Sonya Zingo ’89 (MA) won the Classroom Music Specialist Award at the 20th annual Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra’s Musicians’ Awards for Outstanding Music Educators in April. She has taught in the West Irondequoit (N.Y.) School District since 1985.
1985
Lisa Bronstein Brumberger (MM) won the Instrumental Music-Band Award at the 20th annual Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra’s Musicians’ Awards for Outstanding Music Educators in April. She teaches instrumental and classroom music at Scribner Road Elementary School in Penfield, N.Y.
1989
Cary Ratcliff (DMA) (see ’75). . . . Sonya Zingo (MA) (see ’84).
1991
Brenda Nitsch (MM) won the Choral Music Award at the 20th annual Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra’s Musicians’ Awards for Outstanding Music Educators in April. She conducts the choirs and ensembles, directs the musical, and serves as the music department’s lead teacher at Webster (N.Y.) Thomas High School.
1992
Ingrid Gordon performed on percussion in Percussia’s Inspired by Gamelan concert in September. The program included Ingrid’s arrangement of a West Javanese gamelan piece. She is artistic director of the New York City–based chamber music ensemble that mixes contemporary chamber music, world and folk music styles, and original arrangements.
1998
David Palmer (PhD) writes that he has finished his ninth year of teaching at Pfeiffer University, a non-tenure-granting liberal arts college in rural North Carolina, where he has been promoted to full professor and named the chair of the music and fine arts department. He has turned out a solo CD for each of the last five summers and was working on number six. David “continues to gig with regional bands, especially with Automatic Chi, based in Charlotte, N.C., and to substitute as a church organist. His wife, Sara, is one-third of the way through a master’s of divinity degree at Virginia Theological Seminary, and their son, Steven, has started college and is an aficionado of hard-core metal.”
2000
Oliver Lo (DMA) sends a photo taken backstage at the Hong Kong Culture Centre Concert Hall with Reneé Fleming ’83 (MM) and his vocal student Carol Lin. In 2005, Oliver moved back to his native Hong Kong after living in the States for 11 years. He teaches music at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, where he has had many performing opportunities. He writes, “I sang Romeo in Gounod’s Roméo et Juliette and even sang Mahler’s Das Lied von der Erde. I was able to talk to Reneé Fleming backstage after she sang the Vier letzte Lieder. I also watched a wonderful concert performance of Madama Butterfly with Eastman alumnus Andrew Richards ’87 here. Brava, Eastman!”
2002
Eric Goldman is associate director of development at the George Washington University School of Business. He writes, “I am thrilled to be here, and am enjoying my colleagues immensely.”
2005
Korey Barrett (DMA) sends an update: Since graduating he has been resident artist, coach, and accompanist for two seasons with the Minnesota Opera (productions including Madama Butterfly and Don Giovanni) and coach and accompanist for the mainstage and apprentice programs for three seasons with the Des Moines Metro Opera (productions including The Rake’s Progress and The Magic Flute). He served as assistant professor and vocal coach at the University of Oklahoma (The Magic Flute and Giulio Cesare) and is in his second year as assistant professor of vocal coaching and collaborative piano at the University of Northern Iowa (The Crucible). He also gave master classes and recitals at the Herzen Pedagogical Institute in St. Petersburg, Russia.
© University of Rochester 1996-2012