University of Rochester

Rochester Review
May–June 2012
Vol. 74, No. 5

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Class Notes

Eastman School of Music

1959

Katherine Hoover sends an update. She writes: “In February, I spent several days giving classes at the University of Wisconsin at Whitewater, ending with a concert of my works by faculty, alumni, and students, and rewarded with a standing ovation. A trip to Spain followed, with performances of my works in Barcelona and Cordoba. I enjoyed the teaching, the company, the food, the sights, and my first time on a motorcycle.” Katherine adds that in April, bassoonist Peter Kolkay ’00E (MM) and pianist Alexandra Nguyen ’03E (DMA) performed her composition Journey at New York City’s Merkin Hall.

1970

Geary Larrick (MM) writes that last January at the St. Paul’s United Methodist Church in Stevens Point, Wis., he performed a program of solo marimba featuring the work of African-American composers.

1979

Judith LeClair, principal bassoonist of the New York Philharmonic, writes that she and second bassoonist Roger Nye ’86E were joined by a third Eastman graduate, Maureen Strenge ’81E, who was performing as a substitute last December at Avery Fisher Hall. All three bassoonists studied at Eastman with K. David Van Hoesen ’50E.

1981

In March, Madeleine Mitchell (MM), violinist and director of the London Chamber Ensemble, made a tour and taught master classes at several string departments run by fellow Eastman alumni, including Cora Cooper ’82E (MM) of Kansas State University, Julian Ross ’82E (MM) of Baldwin-Wallace College, and Peter Slowik (MM) and Jim Howsmon ’78E (MM) of Oberlin. . . . Mary Natvig ’91E (PhD) is the coauthor of Music: A Social Experience (Pearson/Prentice Hall). Topics explored in the book include music and ethnicity, gender, spirituality, love, and politics.

1982

Evan Rothstein writes: “I was named deputy head of strings of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in the fall of 2011, and now divide my time between London and Paris, where I still teach a masters seminar at the University of Paris 8 on music and politics in the United States. I’ve been the chairman of the European Chamber Music Teachers’ Association since 2009 and have been teaching chamber music at the Indiana University Summer String Academy every year since 1997.”

1986

Roger Nye (see ’79).

1990

Violist Peter Sulski writes: “I recently returned from directing my seventh Al Kamandjati Baroque Festival in the Middle East, with performances in Ramallah, Jerusalem, Bethlehem, and Gaza City. While in Gaza City, I ran into Marc Thayer ’93E, ’95E (MM), who was spending time with some of his musically talented Gazan friends. My recent projects include guest teaching for Patricia McCarty at the Boston Conservatory, artistic director of the Worcester Chamber Music Society, and a solo series featuring the complete solo string works of Bach at Clark University.”

1991

Brent Edstrom (MM) has written a book, Recording on a Budget: How to Make Great Audio Recordings Without Breaking the Bank (Oxford University Press). Brent is a jazz pianist, composer, and arranger in Spokane, Wash.

1992

James Cochran (DMA) was one of six winners of the Naples, Fla., United Arts Council’s 2012 Stars in the Arts awards. James is founder and director of the Naples Philharmonic Center Chorale, resident organist for the Naples Philharmonic Center for the Arts, director of the Philharmonic Youth Chorale, director of music at Vanderbilt Presbyterian Church in Naples, and organizer of the annual Naples Organ Festival.

1993

Marc Thayer ’95E (MM) (see ’90).

1994

Matthew Brady sends an update. He writes: “For the last 18 years, I’ve been conducting, teaching, and concertizing in New York City. I’ve performed as a pianist in concerts at Carnegie Hall, Zankel Hall, the Brooklyn Academy of Music, Cooper Union, and the 92nd Street Y, and made my recital debut at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., in 1998. For 15 years, I served as associate conductor and principal pianist for the Brooklyn Youth Chorus, which received a Grammy award during my tenure. From 2003 to 2010, I was the director of choral activities at the Berkeley Carroll School, and for eight years, I was a piano faculty member at the 92nd Street Y School of Music. Since 2003, I’ve been the conductor and director of the precollege choral program at the Mannes College of Music. I’ve recently accepted a job as choral director at the Brearley School in New York City, where I’ll conduct two choirs and coach chamber music.”

1996

Saxophonist Ted Belledin performs on Northern Lights: Choral Works by Ola Gjeilo (Chandos), a recording by the Grammy Award–winning ensemble, Phoenix Chorale. Ted performs widely in Arizona with multiple bands including the Shining Star Band, Dennis Rowland’s Jazz Experience, and the world music group Azz Izz.

1999

Melody Fader, an interdisciplinary collaborative artist and pianist, has released a CD, Music of Frédéric Chopin (Centaur Records).

2000

Peter Kolkay (MM) (see ’59).

2003

Alexandra Nguyen (DMA) (see ’59).

2004

Hannah Lash has composed Requiem Pro Avibus Mortuis (Requiem for Extinct Birds), which premiered in April at the 2012 Earth Day Concert at Park Avenue Christian Church in Manhattan as part of the church’s Arts at the Park program. Hannah’s work has also been performed at the Chicago Art Institute, Tanglewood Music Center, and other venues and has been commissioned by a wide range of foundations, including the Howard Hanson Foundation.

2005

Sarah Chan (DMA) writes that she’ll be performing Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 23 in A Major, K. 488, with New York Concert Artists Symphony Orchestra in New York City on May 26th. Sarah is an assistant professor of music and director of keyboard studies and music theory at Northwestern Oklahoma State University. This year she’ll also serve as an adjudicator for the American Prize competition. 2010 Lisa Marie Raposa (DMA) of Tiverton, R.I., and Gregory Scott Millar (DMA) of Lachine, Québec, send a note and photo: They were married in May at Independence Harbor in Assonet, Mass., surrounded by family and friends. Lisa and Greg met at Eastman in 2007 while they were students in the piano accompanying and chamber music program. They are codirectors of the new piano lessons program at St. Mark’s Church in Dorval, Québec, and perform together as the Raposa & Millar Piano Duo (www.raposamillar.com). They live in Montréal.