March 12, 2010

Liberal Arts / September 2009 / Back to School

Back to School

Students and faculty are back on campus and classes start up for the new semester today at UW–Madison. So it seems perfect timing to take a look at what the UW School of Music has in store this season.

The School of Music has a tradition of starting with a concert by the Karp family, and this year is no different. However, Richard Mumford, director of public relations and concert manager, shares that changes are underfoot this season.

How does a School of Music season come together?

It’s a long process! It enfolds over the previous year as faculty members sign up for concert dates—and the large ensembles are first in line, since they involve so many people. So the directors of orchestras, choirs, bands and opera confer among themselves to choose dates that allow sufficient weeks of rehearsals. After the large ensembles are set, the faculty propose dates for the Faculty Concert Series, Guest Artist Series and smaller choral and instrumental ensembles. Sometimes two or more faculty have chosen the same dates, but we don’t resort to boxing matches to resolve conflicts; there is a spirit of collaboration and cooperation that focuses on the best possible outcomes for all.

What’s new or different this year?

The biggest news is that the Faculty Concert Series will be free to all in 2009–10. In the past, UW–Madison students were admitted free, but others were charged a nominal fee, with discounts available for seniors and multiple-ticket subscriptions. Ticket revenue was earmarked for student scholarships after expenses for the series were met. This year, as an outreach to the community during a difficult economy, no tickets or reservations are required. However, concert-goers are invited to send a contribution to the School of Music for music scholarships from the savings they realize. We are hoping many people will do this, but at the same time are hoping everyone will attend as often as their schedules permit.

What performances are you most excited about?

That’s a tricky question! Counting student degree recitals (of which there are dozens), we probably present upwards of three hundred concerts each year. That’s more than anyone else in Madison, and I’m told is the highest number statewide outside of Milwaukee. Most of these are classical, but there are jazz and non-Western styles mixed in as well. Even within the realm of classical, there’s a great variety of voices and instrumentation, number of performers (from soloists to the 160-voice Choral Union) and historical periods—from early Renaissance to world premieres. The most exciting may be the next ones to happen—when there’s a buzz brewing about the coming weekend.

What do Madisonians not know or understand about the School of Music?

First, they may not know that it’s easily ranked within the top five percent of public music schools in the U.S. Second, although concert life is the most public dimension of the school, there is a lot more that goes on within the walls of the Humanities Building and Music Hall. A fair number of students are being prepared for careers as music educators at all levels. Faculty are conducting research in their own specialized areas. Many undergraduate students, who like their peers in other disciplines on campus attained high levels of achievement in their pre-college years, thrive at UW–Madison because they can take a double major or pursue a variety of other interests. And our students like each other! They pull together in rehearsals without worrying about who is “first chair” and they invite each other to participate on their own recitals.

If someone has never checked out a School of Music performance, what would you recommend?

OK, it’s time to go out on a limb! There are two “collage” concerts, on the same weekend as a matter of fact—October 16 and 18. The first is hosted by the wind ensemble and includes instrumental, vocal and keyboard music, creative writing, art and dance! The second presents five of the school’s seven choirs in a sampler of fall repertoire. Both are excellent introductions to concert-going. For stimulating performances of contemporary music, it would be hard to bypass the concert by trombonist Mark Hetzler, percussionist Anthony Di Sanza and pianist Jessica Johnson on September 17. One does not fall asleep when these three are on stage! The Pro Arte Quartet welcomes guest violist Victoria Chiang to their concert on September 25, when they’ll perform a string quintet by Brahms and quartets by Beethoven and Grieg. And I would be remiss if I didn’t mention another local organization, the Madison Opera, with whom soprano Julia Faulkner of the school’s faculty will have leading roles in both The Turn of the Screw and The Flying Dutchman at Overture Hall later this season.

Season brochures have been mailed to our mailing list, but they’re available on request by calling the School of Music’s main office at 263-1900. The events calendar on the school’s web site, music.wisc.edu, is updated frequently. To receive the Digest, a weekly e-mailed list of concerts, send your e-mail address to music@music.wisc.edu.

Here’s what’s coming up this month at the School of Music:

Karp Family (violoncello) September 7, 7:30p.

Marc Fink (oboe) September 11, 8p.

Stephanie Jutt (flute) September 12, 8p.

Mark Hetzler (trombone) September 17, 7:30p.

Gail Williams (horn) and Kathryn Goodson (piano) September 18, 8p.

Black Music Ensemble September 24, 8:30p.

Pro Arte Quartet September 25, 8p.

Wingra Woodwind Quintet September 26, 8p.

For more information, visit music.wisc.edu.

Photo of the Karp family is courtesy of the UW School of Music.