Class Notes
Eastman School of Music
1965
Ralph Sauer (see ’68).
1968
Herbert (Sonny) Ausman, a trombonist in the Los Angeles Philharmonic, writes that he and the other members of the philharmonic’s trombone section, including Ralph Sauer ’65 and the late Steve Witser ’81, released a CD of hymns and spirituals in 2009, Abide With Me: Hymns and Spirituals (Los Angeles Philharmonic Trombones). Steve died in April 2009.
1971
Robert Lau (MA) writes that he has published a book, A Practical Approach to Improvisation for the Church Organist (Paraclete Press).
1974
Ed Childs (PhD) writes that he has released a new CD, All Might and Majesty: The Organ Music of Edwin T. Childs (Hesed Music). He adds: “I am in the process of retiring from 35 years of teaching college level theory and composition but will continue to teach part time.” Ed teaches at the Moody Bible Institute in Chicago.
1980
Peter DuBois, the director of music and organist at the Third Presbyterian Church in Rochester, has been named the host of With Heart and Voice, a sacred choral and organ radio program that’s produced by WXXI, Rochester’s National Public Radio affiliate, and broadcast on public radio stations nationwide. . . . Kate Light ’82 (MM) has written the libretto for a one-act opera, The Life and Love of Joe Coogan, adapted from the Dick Van Dyke Show episode of the same title written by Carl Reiner. The opera, composed by Paul Salerni, the National Endowment for the Humanities Distinguished Chair in the Humanities at Lehigh University, premiered in September at Lehigh’s Zoellner Art Center. Featured were sopranos Nancy Allen Lundy ’89 (MM) and Jacquelyn Familant ’96, and Eastman School voice professor and bass-baritone Jan Opalach.
1982
Kate Light (MM) (see ’80).
1989
Nancy Allen Lundy (MM) (see ’80).
1996
Jacquelyn Familant (see ’80).
1997
Shane Endsley, Kaveh Rastegar ’01, Ben Wendel ’99, and Adam Benjamin have released a new CD, You Can Have Your Moment (Winter & Winter), as members of the quintet Kneebody.
1999
Ben Wendel (see ’97).
2001
Kaveh Rastegar (see ’97).
2008
Bass-baritone Colin Porter (MM) performed the title role in Phantom of the Opera at the Modesto Performing Arts Center in Modesto, Calif., in July.
