A Murder Mystery Concert

Brian Messier, DMA conducting student, has created a Murder Mystery Concert. The University of Minnesota Wind Ensemble, under the direction of Craig Kirchhoff, will perform a "Murder Mystery Concert" in Ted Mann Recital Hall on Tuesday, November 26th, 2013. The U of M/ Guthrie Theatre BFA Actor Training Program will provide the dramatic talent, animations to advance the plot between musical selections will be made by Luisa Levine of Oberlin College, and a U of M jazz ensemble will provide the leitmotifs for the characters and suspects. Audience members will take part in the performance as active witnesses of this dramatic staged murder mystery concert.

Cantus - University of Minnesota Residency Program

The Cantus-University of Minnesota Residency Program is an innovative collaboration with the School of Music that integrates the teaching artistry of Cantus Vocal Ensemble with the University's instructional and community engagement initiatives. The focus of this program is to train and mentor future performers and music educators using the unique approach Cantus brings to collaborative music making.

As an ensemble, Cantus works without a conductor, rehearsing and performing as chamber musicians. This method allows Cantus to be more flexible and adaptive, and fosters its ability to embrace new ideas in the areas of programs, commissions and performance presentation. The School of Music recognizes this model as a methodology that can benefit both performance and music education students in their growth as versatile teaching artists of the 21st Century.

Integral to the Cantus mission is its commitment to preserve and deepen music education within schools. The Cantus-UMN Residency Program is an extension of the award winning High School Residency Program, which targets inner city, suburban and exurban high school choirs in the Twin Cities for one year of sustained coaching and rehearsals with members of Cantus. The tiered connection between high school and collegiate singers with the members of Cantus allows young adults at every stage of development to receive important training in skills that inform their individual and collective musicianship within educational and performance settings.

Cantus and the University of Minnesota School of Music are mutually committed to an ongoing, sustained partnership, which provides singers of all levels with meaningful opportunities for artistic growth and educational exchange.

The Vocal Department Celebrates Wagner's Ring Cycle

In collaboration with the Minnesota Concert Opera and the Wagner Society of the Upper Midwest, the School of Music's vocal department will celebrate and experience the artistry of the Wagner's cycle in an abbreviated four hour orchestrated version by David Seaman. Selected students will be invited to observe all rehearsals and work with the artists. There will also be a master-class led by Jane Eaglen.

This performance will be presented on September 13 & 15, 2013, at The Cowles Center, Minneapolis.

Raise Your Voice: A Social Justice Recital Exploring Violence Against Women Through the Ages

Date: 04/24/2013

Laura Hynes turns her D.M.A. recital into a unique performance titled Raise Your Voice, exploring issues of Violence Against Women through the ages via art song, text, dance and staging. The event was sponsored by a Community Engagement grant through the School of Music, and by the Aurora Center for Advocacy and Education.

Singers Laura Hynes, Beth Bayley, Elizabeth Windnagel, Sara Yoder, and Lauren Feider were joined by dancer Samantha Phillippi - the currently reigning Miss Minneapolis, guitarist Maja Radovanlija, and pianist Mijin Choi.

Repertoire includes songs by Libby Larsen, David Evan Thomas, William Bolcom, Kurt Weill, Leonard Bernstein, Germaine Tailleferre, Benjamin Britten, Jake Heggie, Aaron Copland, Ben Moore, and Reynaldo Hahn.

Listen to Laura Hynes (D.M.A candidate, voice, student of Adriana Zabala) discuss this event on Classical Minnesota Public Radio.

Students Engage Seniors Through Arts Connection!

This summer, some of the School of Music's graduate students will bring their talents to seniors. The goal of the Arts Connection Recitals is to bridge the gap between college-aged musicians and the elderly through two performance opportunities, increasing the quality of life for seniors through interpersonal relationships and live music performance and creating opportunities for students to study and perform additional repertoire, in the context of building relationships with senior citizens.

Building Connections with Cooperating Teachers

Dr. Keitha Hamann, Professor of Music Education, hosted a reception for cooperating K-12 music teachers who have worked with School of Music music education students. The event honored their contribution to the development of School of Music students, and offered an opportunity for both teachers and School of Music faculty to converse and work together to improve the student teaching experience.

La Vie Par La Melodie

On Monday, May 14th 2013 Professor Wendy Zaro-Mullin's French Vocal Literature class presented an interactive experience of French mélodie musical program centered around the life stories of the senior residents of Walker Methodist Health Center. Residents received a letter asking to share their life stories relating to four key romantic themes and a short explanation of each theme. During the program, each student shared a story pertaining to the Lied they have chosen to perform. This program offered students the opportunity to impart their knowledge of French mélodie and romantic themes to the residents, while the residents brought forth their life experiences to the students. In addition to enhancing the students' understanding of creating a musical experience for a unique audience outside of the School of Music, this project afforded students the opportunity to learn many of the logistical details required to execute a recital such as; reserving a venue, writing program notes and translations, collaborating with accompanists, and writing grants.

Cantus Residency

This new residency is an innovative collaboration with the School of Music that intersects the teaching artistry of Cantus with the University's instructional and community engagement initiatives. Our focus is to train and mentor future performers and music educators using the unique approach Cantus brings to collaborative music making.

We recognize the Cantus programming model as something that can benefit both performance and music education students in their growth as versatile teaching artists of the 21st Century. This exciting residency provides singers of all levels with meaningful opportunities for artistic growth and educational exchange. For more information about the Cantus Residency and related activities, please contact Kathy Romey.